October 29, 2025 • 47 mins
Max and Rob touch on the loss to the Packers, dissect league power rankings, and look ahead towards the Colts.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
This is in the Locker Room with Kingyon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward 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 (00:28):
And we thank you very much for being with us
on this hump day as we turn our attention increasingly
away from the students laws, although we still have some
ground to cover there, and toward an interesting matchup with
the Colts before we get too far down the line, Max,
(00:49):
how are you, my friend?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Everything going well today?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Everything's good, Everything is good today, Rob. It's it's a
fun Wednesday. Obviously a lot of exciting.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
News.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yes, yes, that happened after we got done yesterday. So yeah,
questions we're asked, and yep, we have some answers. So
that's that's exciting. I now have a official teenager in
(01:24):
my household as of this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Oh is that right?
Speaker 4 (01:29):
So yeah, so my oldest daughter, Waverley, she just turned
thirteen today, So yeah, crazy, a lot of emotions there
with that, but yeah, it's we're gonna have a good
we're have a good show, a lot of stuff.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
To talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Happy birthday of Waverley by the way, Yes, no, I will.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Let her know. She'll be She's about to head on
her way to school. She's excited. She has a sash
and a little tiara to wear to.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
School as well because of her birthday.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yes, birthday now, you know, And I forget, at what
age you don't have cupcakes and stuff at school? We're
still in the cupcakes you know, at home room kind
of thing to celebrate the birthday stage or is that over?
Speaker 5 (02:25):
So you can, but.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
It can only be on because they're in middle school
advisory days, so her advisory is not today, so.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
She can do it tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Okay, you just can't do it today on her actual
birthday because she doesn't have advisory today.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
You know.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I think that as we get older, the birthdays become
less and less and we sheepishly don't even tell people
it's our birthday and that sort of thing. I think
that's a mistake. I think that's a cultural mistake. I
think we should always celebrate the day of our birth,
the day that we we can forth on this planet,
began our own little journey. I think it should always
be celebrated.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
Well, and you know, you think about like in the
olden days.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
You know, and we're talking about you know, prehistoric you know,
historic societies, ancestral societies. You know, the elders were the
ones looked at, they were they were the ones who
held the knowledge of the village.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
And the towns, and.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
They were in these elevated positions that when you came
to a town and you need to speak to people
of importance or anything, it always came to the elders.
So I mean, you know, you celebrate the life and
the journey of people, and you know, it's it's amazing
because it's like, you know, it's not it's not for everybody.
(03:48):
I mean, you know, you don't some people don't like
their birthdays. But another year of wisdom, another year on
this planet, another year of experience that is attained, and
it shouldn't be you know, it should be celebrated. I'm
in full agreeance and especially like you know, and it
(04:10):
should it shouldn't be just a milestone, right, you know,
it shouldn't be just oh well, we're going to celebrate,
you know, up until it's just say, sweet sixteen, and
then maybe you do eighteen, and maybe you do twenty one.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
And right, yeah, then you have to wait till you're thirty,
then forty.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
It's like the great and it then becomes like the
greatest hits, like of East decade.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Right, Well we are, and I listen, I've gone down
that road and I've been that guy that's been like
yeah whatever, man. But I just the older I get,
and with undoubtedly fewer birthdays in front of me than
behind me, I just.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Think it should be celebrated. I think it's a special day.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Hopefully Waverley has a special day today, and I think
it's just fine if she just cupcakes tomorrow, because I
don't think two days shoots wide at the target for
what we're talking about in celebrating the life of the
young lady Waverley Starks.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Yeah, yeah, it is. It is a special case of us. Funny.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Also, my grandmother on my mom's side, this was this
is she shares a birth date with her as well,
So special day for important women in my life. My
grandmother was awesome, and she was she was super cool.
And now I got a daughter who's very special and
(05:33):
super cool has now taken up the mantle of the
October twenty ninth birthday.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That's very cool, very cool, So Max big trade yesterday
the Steelers pick up Kyle Dugar. This is really interesting
because clearly with Sean Elliott out and we don't know
how long a hyper extended knee is going to keep
him out. I haven't even have you heard any guesses,
like gosh, I hate to make guesses. You heard any
(06:00):
kind of likely timeline or did we just you know,
Mike Tomlins said week to week, but I would think,
you know, even a couple of weeks sounds optimistic.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yeah, we have not heard a true update on how long.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Hyper extensions are tricky, yes.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Because you know it's it is a damaging you know,
in that area, and so hyper extension obviously is where
that knee kind of buckles back right and it creates
an over extension of all the ligaments and muscles, and
(06:39):
you hate to say it, it's usually some bone trauma
in there as well. That happens in a in a
hyper extension. So I mean, you know, you would like
to say best week four to five, four to six weeks,
or it could be longer, depends on if there was
(07:01):
any additional damage outside.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Of the straining of.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
A joint muscle, you know, digitarial cartilage in there. You know,
anytime you're in that knee region, you have to worry
about what is it meniscus as well, So there's a
lot of things that go.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
But I would my.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Initial guess would be minimum four to six. You don't
make this trade if you think if you think it's
only a couple of week injury, you know, right, two
to three weeks, but anything over that, especially with the
meat of the schedule. Now there's only ten games, you know, left,
and it's four to six weeks from about up to
(07:45):
half I from.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Not a little bit over half.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
And you know, you have to think the Steelers are
in the middle of a playoff race. You need as
much help in that secondary as possible.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
So let's before we even explore what the secondary might
look like when Shawn comes back, and hopefully you're in
contention when DeShawn comes back. I have every expectation the
Steelers will be and will rebound from this trough period.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I certainly have my hopes.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Let's talk about Kyle Duger, because they thought well enough
of him to give him a big contract extension. But
now you have a new coach in there, he didn't
seem to fit the system, and now he comes to Pittsburgh.
He's a big guy, he's an athletic guy, he's an
aggressive tackler. He's got pretty good speed for the safety position.
(08:35):
How do you envision him being deployed? First of all,
maybe this week, how quickly can he get up to
speed with what the Steelers want to do defensively? And
then in the coming weeks between now and Deshaun Elliott's return.
He strikes me as a guy well, first of all,
he's played mostly in the box. He's been a strong
(08:55):
safety close to the line of scrimmage, that kind of player. Know,
would you envision him being used the same way with
the Steelers?
Speaker 4 (09:05):
You know? I so I've struggled with this, and I
think you might try him in some of the sub
dime stuff maybe just to give a different look to that.
Or you say no, he's still has shown enough range
that we can still use him, you know, around the
(09:29):
line of scrips, but more so in that secondary position. Right,
you know, when you go to when he if he
was to take let's just say dime slot, right, and
they see it and they're like Okay, well, here's what
we're going to do, cross split motion.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
They're in zone.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
You gotta stay with this when you got to stay
with that. I mean, I could see them trying to
play with that position and what he can do with
his linebacker capabilities, and but I also see that he's
a guy like Deshaun Elliott where he did not necessarily,
you know, have to be around the box because technically,
(10:08):
as a safety in college and.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Everywhere else right, you moved around, you.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Know, you switch sides of the field, you drop for depth,
you didn't blitz every play. I could see them trying
to do that and after the first time, whether successful
or not, that's what will determine how they get into it.
Because I look at it, I'm like, well, what's the
neret with him and Jabriel Peppers? Really, you know that's
the case, and Gabriel is rangy, flexible, So maybe that's it,
(10:37):
and maybe you are putting putting what's the name, uh
Dugger you are, Yeah, you are putting Dugger in a
different position to where he can be more rangey because
there is a skill set.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
There for him.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
So uh, I'm I'm envisioning him being some dime stuff
because we haven't. We don't see a lot of dime
from the from this defense team. So I would think,
if you're gonna change up fronts and he is a
guy that has familiarity, let's use his strengths in that
type of way. But then also let's expand to see
what else he can do, because we're gonna need that
(11:13):
and we currently don't have that on the roster, a
guy who can be rangy, and maybe he can do that,
or maybe you're saying, Okay, we'll bring a Kyle Dugger
in to the slot or to that box slot area.
Speaker 5 (11:26):
To move Jalen Ramsey back and have him play free.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So I think there's a couple of different ways you
could deploy Kyle Dugger, especially especially you know with this
short with with like a short notice trade upgrade and
you got a game on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
He seems to me to be similar in some ways
to de Sean Ellien. I'm not saying that they're similar
type of players, but in that they're both capable of
playing free safety, but you really would rather have him
down in that strong safety position.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
And I mean, yes, you could.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
You could roll them back and cover too and have
him be over the top and they're fast enough to
handle that. But they're big, aggressive guys that you'd like
to have closer to the line of scrimmage. Am I,
I mean, I'm simplifying this on purpose, But am I on?
Am I on the right track here with describing what
his game would be?
Speaker 5 (12:21):
No? I think you're you're you're spot on right.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
But I think when you do have a multitude of
skills and facets, you got to have somebody who can
compliment that so that you can do what you need
to do on the backside, right, you know, And I
think that's that that's where his utility and purpose comes in,
is that you need somebody with a similar skill set,
because let's face it, I mean you look at you
(12:46):
look at the Jalen Ramsey. He has a very desirable
skill set, and he had two different positions when he
came out, and right now there's a deficiency at one
of those positions he has to be good at. So
you know, if I can move him back and not
lose anything from the line with adding this additional guy,
(13:07):
then I've already upgraded our secondary. I have done enough
in that department that they should be able to go
out and win you this game, right, you know, there
should be no significant lag off. The biggest thing will
be terminology for Kyle Duggar and making sure that he
understands and is up to speed.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
But as far as like when.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
It comes to actual football IQ, I mean, this is
a guy we just saw a couple of weeks ago, Kinger,
you know, and he's been playing. So the conditioning, the
endurance side is there is just going to be the
verbal communication side because at the end of the day,
you still run very similar concepts and you just need
to know the name to get to it and what
(13:53):
the expectation of the team is when dealing with you know,
a new player and all and all the logistics that
goes within that. But I'm really excited to have him
in there because I think he's a guy that plays fast,
he plays physical.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
He gives you what you.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Want as far as edge presence, some of those perimeter
tackling issues that we've had over the last couple of weeks.
I think, you know, bringing him in and actually inserting
him into play also helps you out, gives you an
opportunity to to be a little bit more short up
there because.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
You know, let's face it.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Yeah, Well, I think eleven miss tackles last week. I
think it was when when the when the tally was finished.
So you've got a lot of work to do in
that secondary and he's just a piece that can help
shore it up in a multitude of ways.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
I think is the easiest way of saying it.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
So when I I'm glad you mentioned mis tackles, let
me just say something quickly about Dugger because Douger signed
a big contract extension with the Patriots and then promptly
went to unused right.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
So there was a report that just came out from Ian.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Rappaport that said the last two years of the contract
and I don't I don't know how logistically this is done,
but the last two years of his contract have been
quote unquote wiped out. So he's going to reach free
agency after the season. So you are not you know,
you might be you know thinking, well, wait a minute,
if he's a similar player to Shaun Elliott and you
(15:26):
just signed to Shawn Elliott to a contract extension, how
you possibly going to get these guys out on the field,
because you need somebody on the back end that can run.
And wan Thornhill is another guy that could be back
there with Jalen Ramsey with good speed in the back
end of your defense. So with DeShawn out, you're hoping that,
you know, you maybe kind of tread water. I think
is is sort of the thought with this. You pick
(15:47):
up Dugger, you know he can do some of the
things Sewan did. You still have Thornhill on the back end.
You can still have Ramsey on the back end. But
so I just wanted to clean that up. So, you know,
I remember looking at the deal yesterday and thinking, well,
that's interesting. You know, you'd almost like it better if
it was a rental. Not to take anything away from Dougger,
but you've made the commitment to Deshaun Elliott, who was
(16:07):
a year or so younger than doug Ar. Dougar's twenty
nine Deshaun's twenty eighth. You know that you get into
half years and that kind of stuff. That's why I say,
or so I can subtract twenty eight from twenty nine
and come up with one.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
But you know there's something Wow, there we go.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
He's a hardheag Matt Shark segment really.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Is I'm sharp backed.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
But you talk about the we talked about the older
people having that knowledge. Come on, man, come bring it
to me. Twenty nine takeaway twenty eight equals one.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
So like yelder right there, Billy, yelder ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
So so when I think about the Dougger acquisition in
that context that you know is Ian Rappaport reporting today
is a one year deal, it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
There's not a huge financial commitment.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
So if you wanted to go out at the trade
deadline next Tuesday and make another trade and add on
a salary of some sort, this doesn't hinder you from
doing that. So I think we should clean that part up.
And I want to get back to this thing about tackles, max,
because I think that to me, tackles unless you have
(17:13):
a poor tackling team, and this year just don't have
a poor tackling team. I think it's worrisome because to me,
it can be not always, but it can be a
manifestation of getting to a spot just a little too late,
not really being in, you know, a number one position
(17:34):
to make a tackle. And sometimes that can be a
player's just lost a quarter step with age, and sometimes
that can be the defense getting tired and being out
in the field too long. So those those are two
factors that could be part of this tackling issue, and
I think are frequently part of a tackling issue for
(17:56):
a team.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Well they're not only only you know those part and parcels.
I think i'd even add a third, where did the
communication come in the process to understand.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
What their jobs are within the right spot?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Yeah? Are you even in the right spot to begin with?
You know?
Speaker 4 (18:13):
So I think there is that third facet that you
have to consider as well.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Oh sure, I just said I just I was just
saying too because and mentioning those two because I think
they The first one plays into the fears that, oh
my gosh, you've you've committed all this this money and
time and stuff to guys who were older. Right, it's
it is a little bit older secondary and Steelers knew
that going in. They they can look at a date
(18:38):
of birth. But you're still hoping these guys have stuff
in the tank. So people fans might be saying, oh,
it's because the defense is older, and then other fans
might be saying, well, wait a minute. You know you
got to win the time of possession battle and give
these guys a break. So they're not out there exhausted
running around. That's why I brought those two specifics. I
didn't really put it in context, but that's why I
did that.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Got it, got it, got And I just wanted to
add that third one because I think that one's also
very important.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
And it has been and has been a topic as well.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Max, Yeah, it has, so I think, you know, addressing
kind of the elephants in the room with that. So
there and listen, we probably will never know, you know,
what the truth of the matter is, unless somebody comes
out and says it. But like you said, you have
to consider those things and you have to keep those
things at the front of your mind that they are
(19:29):
viable options on why you do what you do. I
think it also probably answers the corresponding move of bringing
in a Kyle Duggar is that you know, what, we
have a specific need we don't have deshaon right now,
and that you are the dashon insurance policy or you know,
to help stave off his absence, because we know what
(19:51):
that looked like earlier this year and we don't like
the taste of it, so go do something different with
the same approach in mind that You've taken this entire offseason,
and that's go be aggressive, Go find you guys. And
like I said, getting him as a rental is not
the worst thing, you know, because you know I always
(20:13):
say this. It's like, it's just like when you get
that nice bottle of whiskey. You know, it's what's It's
one thing to just have it sitting at your bar
so that people can admire it when it comes by.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
It's another thing to pull it off the shelf and
grab a couple of glasses. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
I do know what you're saying. Max, I definitely do
let me and let me.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Let me just say this as as we wrap this,
wrap up the dugger part. I mean, and listen, we
have we have other stuff to talk about. But this
is a significant move. Max, did I take a step back.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
I don't know how you feel about it. I like
the move. I think it's this is a good NFL player.
You're adding a good NFL player to your mix.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
Yeah. No, I'm right there with you. I think this
is a this is a great move.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
For for the team and the organization because you know,
you do need that type that skill is highly desirable,
and when you don't have it necessarily at that position,
you want to make sure that you're doing everything your
power to kind of secure that for that position so
that there's no significant drop off and play intit and competition.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
So, you know, I like the move. I think it
was very appropriate.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
I think it's also you know, once again of all
these new signals we're sending to the league about how
the Steelers do business. I mean, this is like super
aggressive and I like it. I like it because you
are saying, we're not trying to waste Aaron Rodgers, you know,
season this year. We want to make sure we're doing
(21:43):
everything in our power to support this production that we're
getting offensively, and that means finding ways to show up
this defense and bring in somebody healthy and new. You
do it at this moment because for this year, this
is a big year for a lot of people in
growth and moving forward. How you set your draft in
(22:05):
the future in the off season depends on the success
of how you do this year. And so the Steelers
are looking to improve. They know there's an issue, and
I think and they think that they found at least
one potential answer for the for the loss of a guy,
no matter what the extended or short extended period of
time it is.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
And we will get more into this with Jim Wexell,
get his opinions on the trade. It's a it's a
hump day headline with Wexel that is going to be
coming up in a little bit. We have more still
to come 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 (22:52):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one P 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 (23:15):
And we thank you very much for being with us
on this Wednesday. That, by the way, that segment of
looking at Kyle Dugger was our inside Steelers Nation segment
presented by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As we frequently do in the
middle of the week, we are taking a kind of
(23:36):
larger look around the NFL by looking at a couple
of power rankings. Now, once again, you're not trying to
get into the Rose Bowl or the College Playoff picture
by rankings, but we like to do this just because
we like to see kind of where the Steelers fallen things,
what the perception is around the NFL about certain teams
and so on. So Max, are you ready, you know,
(23:58):
roll up your sleeves and get to work.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Here, let's do it.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Okay, So we are. I'm ecstatic. This is my happy
voice right now. As you can tell, my voice is
going right now. So we're doing I'm doing my best
to keep as much of my voice in tact so
we can make it through this show.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
With sucking on some cough drops. I don't know if
it's allergies or what, but just the feeling.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
And yeah whatever it is like this time of year,
it's just you're fighting and next next thing, you know,
you think your voice is great, and then all of
a sudden you're like, oh my gosh, I sound like
a frog. But uh, we're gonna make it through, okay.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
So uh, the we're gonna look today and sometimes we
throw the athletic in there, but today we're gonna do
NFL and ESPN. In case you're wondering, why why is
he choosing those? You know, there's just some kind of
conspiracy here, does he not like the athletic No, it's
because it's the easiest to call up on my computer.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
So I am going with.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Those two for no nefariousity other than it is just yes,
it's it's where we are. Uh, ESPN number one, the Colts,
number two, the Lions. NFL number one, the Lions number two,
the Colts. So according to NFL, the Steelers will be
(25:19):
hosting the best team in.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
The NFL right now.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
But I have a hard time having much issue with
those selections.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
No, I mean you can't can't really deny either one
of those. You're talking about one loss teams, right, and well,
I'm sorry, the Lions are two loss two Lions are
two losses and but the but the Indianapolis Colts, I mean,
until otherwise noted, right, I mean you have to give
(25:49):
them their due. They have answered every test thus.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Far and only lost one of those games.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
So and they've beaten some pretty good teams, and they've
beaten some pretty good teams by some pretty good scores.
So yeah, I have no problem with that. And then the
Lions are the Lions. I mean, they have a wealth
of of players and experience, and this is a team
that's been right up at that top of that list
the last couple of years. So it's no surprise that
(26:16):
they in their way back up there. But we also
have to remember, you know, this is thus far. So
I think that's the other fluid thing we've learned about
this and Detroit's probably been the most consistent with all
of the fusion of up and down. And you know,
(26:36):
they have a very tough division when you look at it.
We we we we just experienced you know, one of
those teams in Green Bay that's in that that's in
that similar position as as the Detroit Lions, and that's
a division opponent you look at you know what Chicago's doing,
even though.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
They had a very unraveling game.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Against against the Baltimore Ravens, but you know their division
is gonna be good.
Speaker 5 (27:03):
Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
I guess whenever you get true JJ McCarthy back to form,
we'll figure out who this team is. But there's a
lot of incertainty with that. But the one thing we
do know, Detroit Lions are for real team. They have
a great defense and they have a great offense that
can also put up a bunch of points, just like
the Colts team can.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
I'm glad you mentioned that, you know, they have they
have a very good quarterback in Jared goff Right golf
has proven to be a very very fine player, you know,
maybe just below that superstar level. I suppose you could
argue that. I mean, he has been to four Pro Bowls.
So when I look at teams like, you know, the
(27:45):
Steelers right now, it doesn't feel this way right because
you're four and three and you've just you know, given
up a ton of points in back to back games.
But the Steelers are one of those the few teams
around the league where you can say the Steelers are
here to stay. They are not crumb They haven't crumbled
in you know, fifty years. You know, they've had it,
(28:05):
they've had some down years, but they haven't crumbled. And
it's hard to do that. It's hard to maintain yourself
at the top of the peak and a couple of
years ago, or you know, at least on the on
the near the summit of the mountain a couple of
years ago, I just thought, man, at some point Buffalo,
no matter how great Jared Allen is, at some point
(28:26):
Josh Allen Josh Jared Allen. Also, I mean he's a
Hall of Famer.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Yeah, yeah, he's pretty.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
Good too, So not that bad company to get confused with.
Oh I got confused with the current quarterback versus a
Hall of Fame defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yes, as good as Josh Allen is.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
I just thought they've lost so many Pro Bowlers in
the last couple of years, particularly going into last season.
How are they going to maintain this level of excellence?
You know, the Lions just lost both their coordinators. There
at that point of their organization in which they are losing,
they're losing good players in addition to their coordinator troop
(29:05):
being snatched up. A little reminiscent of you know, think
back about the Steelers Joey Porter Junior leaves. But you've
got a replacement. You have assistant coaches like Ken wizen Hunt.
Now suddenly they're head coaches around the league, and you
maintain that top level. Now, Ben Roethlisberger certainly helps a
(29:25):
Jared Goff and a Josh Allen, sure, But but I
do think that you're you know, you're saying the Lions
they're here to stay.
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Man, they are.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
They appear to be in a really after years of
being kicked around to be a really well run organization
that looks to be one that's going to be good
for a while.
Speaker 5 (29:48):
Yeah. No, and I completely agree.
Speaker 4 (29:50):
I think that's how you kind of have to look
at it as you know, where where's the quarterback position stand?
Where is the other positional you know, landmarks who else
is staying? So the technically that a crude value of
contract right for future years, and that's what you want
to look at and see. And those guys that do
(30:11):
have those large numbers that have earned you know that
second quote unquote paycheck.
Speaker 5 (30:16):
If not third, we know those are dudes.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
And make sure that you're not paying for the historical
context of a guy, but more so what he still
has on you know, on the plate and on the table.
And I think that's where you kind of feel comfortable
with saying the Lions are here to stay and they've
stabilized its franchise and this organization to have many years
(30:41):
of continued success.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
So top of the So right now, Max, I want
you to know that I'm juggling my hands up and
down right, one two, Okay, one is one, one is two.
We're okay with that. I haven't got to the six
seventh thing that I still don't know what that means,
but I'm talking one two. I was just told, look, man,
don't don't even worry about it. You're you're you have
(31:05):
no chance of knowing.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
What this means. Six seven. You know, you kind of
have to say it like that to you.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Gotn't even know.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
I don't even I don't know what it's ever evidently, Uh.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
But you got you got the new you got the
new numerical ascension of numbers. So you're you're you're good already.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Okay, So now we have some wildly after one and two,
we have some wildly different you know, thoughts on who's where.
So ESPN, I'm just gonna I'm gonna rip through a
bunch of these because I think I'm gonna I'm trying
to get all the same teams that are in in
(31:42):
really different order. It's not if that it matters that much,
but uh, ESPN Philadelphia, three Bills, four Bucks, five Chiefs,
six Packers, seven Rams, eight Broncos, nine Patriots, ten Seahawks eleven.
(32:03):
So I'm going all the way to eleven for a reason,
because I think we've got all the I think I've
got all the proper teams. So the NFL rankings have
the Chiefs three on NFL dot Com and ESPN again,
I just ripped off a bunch of names there. ESPN
(32:25):
has them six. Okay, Then you have the Packers four
at NFL dot Com. ESPN has them lower, and then
the Eagles at five, Seahawks at six, Rams at seven,
Bucks at eight, Bills at nine, all the way down
at nine, Denver ten, and the Patriots eleven. So those
(32:45):
top eleven teams, you know, are all the same eleven teams,
but in different orders, right, even one two different. But
you start to get into six seven, eight, nine three four.
I know it's supposed to be six seven, but.
Speaker 4 (33:04):
Playing Yeah, either a good job you're you're trying to
try to also vary it as well.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, yeah, I think we're seeing a generational gap here.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Anyway. It's I don't really.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Have any complaint with the teams, and I'm not really
gonna quibble over where they are, but I think and
the Chargers are kind of on the Chargers are kind
of knocking on that door.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Saying hey, we're back now too.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I think in a in an NFL in which and
by the way, they are further down they're fourteenth on
ESPN's and we'll get to the Steelers in a moment.
But I think it's interesting that these teams are those
(33:55):
eleven teams are there because I think if you asked
me to write down the top ten or eleven teams
in the NFL, I think those are the teams that
would come up with, and I thought not too long ago,
and we'll see these things will shift again in another
couple of weeks. But I think those teams are all good.
I think those teams are all teams that are are
(34:16):
playoff caliber teams and are gonna have something to say,
perhaps about the championship in their respective divisions, the AFC
in the NFC. I don't know if there are any
outliers in there, any team where I would say, well,
they're way.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Out over their skis.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
And I don't know if I would point to another
team right now who I would say, Hey, that team
belongs in the top eleven teams, and this other team belongs.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Outside of those top eleven.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Do you have any I'm gonna run through them again
for you or do you want to do you have
any any team in the top of your head that
doesn't belong in there, any other team off the top
of your head that does belong in there?
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Give me nine to eleven again, real fast?
Speaker 3 (34:58):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
So ten and eleven on ESPN is Denver, New England, Seattle.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Okay, okay, and.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Nine, ten and eleven they have NFL dot Com has
Seattle all the way up at six down two spots
by the way for Seattle. So the nine ten eleven
is the Bills, the Broncos, and the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Patriots one is pretty pretty interesting, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I think I think you've hit on the one that
I would say, yeah, let's see.
Speaker 4 (35:39):
Yeah, let's just see what that looks like, especially post
trade here. I get cow Dever was an intricate part
of your defense, and defense been playing well. But you know,
no major attrition has really hit that team, right, you
haven't seen a rash of injuries. So I hold reservation
there at Broncos, I mean, and the Broncos have been
(36:01):
have been giant slayers all season, right and really, you know,
you take one big hiccup and that was early in
the year against the Chargers team that looked like a buzzsaw.
But now since then we realized the Chargers are you know,
they're a good team, They're just they're not a great team.
So I mean I kind of look at those two,
(36:21):
you know, New England especially, and then maybe a little
bit you can make a case for Denver as well.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I think I have more faith in Denver than New England.
If I have to pick one.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
I mean, yeah, I'm in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Yeah, And part of that is, you know, bo Nicks
is really in his second full year as a starter,
Drake May looks awfully good up in New England, and look,
if one of these guys emerges, that could be a
separator for these teams. If one of these guys steps
up and all of a sudden, you're like, yeah, that's
a huge, huge thing. So we're gonna get to this
next group. And the Steelers did not fall that far.
(36:59):
So NFL or ESPN, let's start there. Twelve San Francisco,
thirteen the Steelers, fourteen the Chargers. And I think I'm
gonna draw another line right there, because after that we
had the Jaguars and Bears and other team. I'm gonna
draw a line right there, and let's see what NFL
dot Com has. They had the Chargers twelve, the forty
(37:22):
nine Ers thirteen, the Steelers fourteen. I think that's a
good line right there. I think those three teams. The Steelers,
despite losing two in a row, they are the division
leader right now. San Francisco has had an interesting year.
They're gonna get brock perty back. Where do they stand?
And you met, you just mentioned the Chargers. They've had
an interesting year.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
The Chargers.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Look, I wouldn't be shocked if they ripped off a
bunch of games and got themselves back up into that
top ten or eleven group that we're talking about. But
I think that's a pretty good line there. Max those
three teams coming next.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
Yeah, No, I think that's probably the next tier is
probably that three teams in that tier proven, little banged up,
but you know, you get you get that team at
at least half to seventy percent strength.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
They are a problem. They're a problem for everybody involved.
Speaker 4 (38:17):
And you know, you also have to remember you still
have the honor with the Steelers especially, you're still first
place in the AC North.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Yeah, and I'm gonna tell you nobody is Elite frogged. Yeah,
we'll do a quick rundown of the remaining teams in
what's left to this first hour as we get ready
for Jim WEXELP. We want to remind you you can
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(38:46):
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Speaker 1 (39:07):
They stare 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
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Speaker 2 (39:28):
And we thank you for being back with us as
we kind of sort of raced through the top teams
as ranked in the NFL by ESPN and NFL dot Com,
understanding that it doesn't much matter, but also giving us
a national perspective on what others think, and so you know,
we are we get into our cocoon of what we
(39:49):
think about the Steelers and what we think about the
rest of the team. So Max, uh, you know, it
was not too long ago that I thought, okay, one
through twenty, I said this on the air, one through twenty,
any of those teams could be factors in the playoffs.
And the twentieth team at that time was Houston Texans,
and I said, you know, listen, we still have the
(40:11):
Ravens to worry about it, and they're not even in
the top twenty. So with that in mind, I think
at this moment in time, I think that I'm with
those top fourteen teams and I'm with only one other
team that we're gonna run into now at this time,
at this moment to be a real factor in the playoffs.
(40:32):
That could change. Obviously, we understand that, so let me
run down the list. This is NFL dot Com. Fifteen
is Jacksonville, sixteen Houston seventeen, the Bears, eighteen the Commanders,
nineteen the Ravens, and twenty the Falcons. That's NFL dot Com.
(40:54):
I'm sure you can guess, Max, which one of those
teams I think could be a factor in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
Oh yeah, yeah, this is Yeah, we'll see we'll still
see them two times. Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna see
them back to full strength quote unquote, even though they're
still not at full strength.
Speaker 5 (41:15):
I mean, but Lamar.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
Just with Lamar being back in the picture, it's like,
uh oh, here come the Ravens. And so you know
it's gonna be interesting. I mean, now, granted their defense
has just had a rash of injuries, you know, a
lot of stuff that is out of your control for
all intents and purposes. But you know, this is a
(41:38):
team that went hot when healthy problem problem problem signed
and so we're gonna see that, and especially with the
Miami team that also coming off of victory trying to
figure which way is up for them. Uh so it's
gonna be very interesting. Uh you know how this kind
(41:59):
of rubber matches. Does Lamar pick up exactly where he
left off? That's gonna be the question for him. And
I think it's easy.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
We'll talk more about this game tomorrow, but I think
it's easy to dismiss Miami. But they came in with aspirations,
They came in with hopes.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
They came in bil.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Thinking that we got a puncher's chance with this offense,
kind of the when they're healthy and clicking on all cylinders,
maybe sort of the Cincinnati Bengals of the AFC East,
you know, hoping, hey, we can score a bunch of points.
And then last week, when everyone's calling for the the
you know, the head of their coach and you know
changes have to be made, they come out and put
(42:37):
up one of those explosive offensive performances and going against
the defense that has been very leaky in Baltimore. So
and listen, this is it for them. I don't know
if it's it for for the Ravens. Maybe two and
six would be tough, but it it it is, This is.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
It for the for Miami it certainly feels like it.
Speaker 4 (43:00):
So well, again, this is hanging the black flags. Hey, listen,
we got to burn the ships at the Shore guys. Right,
there is no great there's no going back home. There
is no going back home.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
We better make this own right now.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
So again we'll go through this. Now I'm flipping over
to ESPN. They have Jacksonville, Chicago, Houston at seventeen. They
were one of those teams that I thought could get
back in it. But then you know, well, they come
off the victory over the forty nine ers to get
themselves back in at three and four, so they're still
an interesting team, but I just want to see more
(43:35):
from them. You know, they were the prohibited favorite to
win the AFC South. I believe, the biggest favorite of
any team to win any division, and they're three and
four and they are not even within shouting distance to
the cults right now. Then it's the Cowboys at eighteen
after getting pummeled by the Broncos. Nineteen is Carolina after
being pummeled by the Bills. Twenty is Washington. They were
(43:58):
outclassed by the Chiefs. Then twenty one is the Vikings.
They got stomped by the Chargers. There were a lot
of blowouts this week. They have the Ravens twenty two,
so I understand the record. They moved them up from
twenty six to twenty two. I'd get it. I would
just have the Ravens higher. We'll finish with these guys,
the Bengals at twenty three. Then it's Arizona at twenty four,
(44:18):
the Dolphins at twenty five, after're womping the Falcons thirty
four to ten. That puts them ahead of the Falcons
to drop from twenty to twenty six in this poll.
And then Cleveland, the Giants, the Raiders, the Saints, the Jets,
the Titans. The reason I'm running through all these max
is that a few weeks ago again when we talked
(44:40):
about who's on top and who are the good teams,
and we're trying to figure that out, and there seems
to be a lot of, you know, middle class teams
and not that many bad teams. I think we're getting
to the stage in which there might be more bad
teams than I thought, and fewer playoffs tenders, and I thought,
(45:01):
which could change in two weeks. I know, I get it.
Speaker 5 (45:03):
I mean, listen, well, this thing could change in a week.
I mean going.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
I mean, this power pole has not been powerful it is,
it has, it has seen its better days sometimes and
some of them you go, well, this didn't age well
with with things, so but I mean, but you're right,
I mean, you know, it's tough to kind of look
at potential at this part in the year versus what
(45:31):
the team actually is and what they've actually put out there, right,
because you're only as good as the tape you put out.
And I think that's where you kind of, you know,
are rough with some of the teams that are that
below five hundred because you don't know, because it could
fall further below five hundred or they could get closer.
Speaker 3 (45:49):
To five hundred.
Speaker 4 (45:50):
And their play has already shown us it's been erratic
for them this season, so that's what makes it tough.
But you're right, I mean, I would I would always
keep the Raves. Ravens are always a scared team and say,
for whatever reason they weren't considered a playoff team, they
are still a spoiler team at worst because of the
(46:11):
fact that you have a two time MVP, and you
have you know, a running back and Derrick Henry and
they can always offensively just cause problems for opposing defenses
no matter how good that defense might be.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
And just quickly, Carolina, I mentioned they got pummeled but
they didn't have Bryce Young, who's obviously proving to be
more and more important for that Carolina team.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
That's why they took them so high.
Speaker 5 (46:33):
Acas.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
It took them number one, but Carolina dropped to twenty one.
They're down two spots a little grace again because there's
no Bryce Young last week. They're hoping to get it
back for green Bay. And then again, if they beat
green Bay, we might be having a different conversation because
green Bay's way up there in these power rankings, and
it's the Cowboys at twenty two, the Vikings at twenty three,
(46:53):
and then again we start to get into this group
of teams. Arizona they're two and five, all those close losses,
but they're two and five. The Bengals at three and five.
Now they lose this week, and you know, you might
be talking about trading Trey Hendrickson, the kind of stuff
we were talking about a couple of weeks ago. Again,
we'll see twenty six, the Dolphins, twenty seven, the Giants,
(47:15):
twenty eight, the Browns, twenty nine, the Raiders, thirty the Saints,
thirty one, the Jets, and thirty two the Titans. So
there we have it. You know, there's a I think
that we're starting to see some separation as we get
to the midpoint of the season, which is something that
you might expect to see at this time of the year.
We have Jim Wexel coming up next in the Locker Room,
presented by our neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers Pro
(47:36):
Shop on steels Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
This is in the Locker Room with Kingyon Starks on
Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store. The
F one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from
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Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And we thank you very much for being with us
on this hump day as we turn our attention increasingly
away from the students laws, although we still have some
ground to cover there, and toward an interesting matchup with
the Colts before we get too far down the line, Max,
(00:49):
how are you, my friend?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Everything going well today?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Everything's good, Everything is good today, Rob. It's it's a
fun Wednesday. Obviously a lot of exciting.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
News.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yes, yes, that happened after we got done yesterday. So yeah,
questions we're asked, and yep, we have some answers. So
that's that's exciting. I now have a official teenager in
(01:24):
my household as of this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Oh is that right?
Speaker 4 (01:29):
So yeah, so my oldest daughter, Waverley, she just turned
thirteen today, So yeah, crazy, a lot of emotions there
with that, but yeah, it's we're gonna have a good
we're have a good show, a lot of stuff.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
To talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Happy birthday of Waverley by the way, Yes, no, I will.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Let her know. She'll be She's about to head on
her way to school. She's excited. She has a sash
and a little tiara to wear to.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
School as well because of her birthday.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yes, birthday now, you know, And I forget, at what
age you don't have cupcakes and stuff at school? We're
still in the cupcakes you know, at home room kind
of thing to celebrate the birthday stage or is that over?
Speaker 5 (02:25):
So you can, but.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
It can only be on because they're in middle school
advisory days, so her advisory is not today, so.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
She can do it tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Okay, you just can't do it today on her actual
birthday because she doesn't have advisory today.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
You know.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I think that as we get older, the birthdays become
less and less and we sheepishly don't even tell people
it's our birthday and that sort of thing. I think
that's a mistake. I think that's a cultural mistake. I
think we should always celebrate the day of our birth,
the day that we we can forth on this planet,
began our own little journey. I think it should always
be celebrated.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
Well, and you know, you think about like in the
olden days.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
You know, and we're talking about you know, prehistoric you know,
historic societies, ancestral societies. You know, the elders were the
ones looked at, they were they were the ones who
held the knowledge of the village.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
And the towns, and.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
They were in these elevated positions that when you came
to a town and you need to speak to people
of importance or anything, it always came to the elders.
So I mean, you know, you celebrate the life and
the journey of people, and you know, it's it's amazing
because it's like, you know, it's not it's not for everybody.
(03:48):
I mean, you know, you don't some people don't like
their birthdays. But another year of wisdom, another year on
this planet, another year of experience that is attained, and
it shouldn't be you know, it should be celebrated. I'm
in full agreeance and especially like you know, and it
(04:10):
should it shouldn't be just a milestone, right, you know,
it shouldn't be just oh well, we're going to celebrate,
you know, up until it's just say, sweet sixteen, and
then maybe you do eighteen, and maybe you do twenty one.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
And right, yeah, then you have to wait till you're thirty,
then forty.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
It's like the great and it then becomes like the
greatest hits, like of East decade.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Right, Well we are, and I listen, I've gone down
that road and I've been that guy that's been like
yeah whatever, man. But I just the older I get,
and with undoubtedly fewer birthdays in front of me than
behind me, I just.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Think it should be celebrated. I think it's a special day.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Hopefully Waverley has a special day today, and I think
it's just fine if she just cupcakes tomorrow, because I
don't think two days shoots wide at the target for
what we're talking about in celebrating the life of the
young lady Waverley Starks.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Yeah, yeah, it is. It is a special case of us. Funny.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Also, my grandmother on my mom's side, this was this
is she shares a birth date with her as well,
So special day for important women in my life. My
grandmother was awesome, and she was she was super cool.
And now I got a daughter who's very special and
(05:33):
super cool has now taken up the mantle of the
October twenty ninth birthday.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That's very cool, very cool, So Max big trade yesterday
the Steelers pick up Kyle Dugar. This is really interesting
because clearly with Sean Elliott out and we don't know
how long a hyper extended knee is going to keep
him out. I haven't even have you heard any guesses,
like gosh, I hate to make guesses. You heard any
(06:00):
kind of likely timeline or did we just you know,
Mike Tomlins said week to week, but I would think,
you know, even a couple of weeks sounds optimistic.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yeah, we have not heard a true update on how long.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Hyper extensions are tricky, yes.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Because you know it's it is a damaging you know,
in that area, and so hyper extension obviously is where
that knee kind of buckles back right and it creates
an over extension of all the ligaments and muscles, and
(06:39):
you hate to say it, it's usually some bone trauma
in there as well. That happens in a in a
hyper extension. So I mean, you know, you would like
to say best week four to five, four to six weeks,
or it could be longer, depends on if there was
(07:01):
any additional damage outside.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Of the straining of.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
A joint muscle, you know, digitarial cartilage in there. You know,
anytime you're in that knee region, you have to worry
about what is it meniscus as well, So there's a
lot of things that go.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
But I would my.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Initial guess would be minimum four to six. You don't
make this trade if you think if you think it's
only a couple of week injury, you know, right, two
to three weeks, but anything over that, especially with the
meat of the schedule. Now there's only ten games, you know, left,
and it's four to six weeks from about up to
(07:45):
half I from.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Not a little bit over half.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
And you know, you have to think the Steelers are
in the middle of a playoff race. You need as
much help in that secondary as possible.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
So let's before we even explore what the secondary might
look like when Shawn comes back, and hopefully you're in
contention when DeShawn comes back. I have every expectation the
Steelers will be and will rebound from this trough period.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I certainly have my hopes.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Let's talk about Kyle Duger, because they thought well enough
of him to give him a big contract extension. But
now you have a new coach in there, he didn't
seem to fit the system, and now he comes to Pittsburgh.
He's a big guy, he's an athletic guy, he's an
aggressive tackler. He's got pretty good speed for the safety position.
(08:35):
How do you envision him being deployed? First of all,
maybe this week, how quickly can he get up to
speed with what the Steelers want to do defensively? And
then in the coming weeks between now and Deshaun Elliott's return.
He strikes me as a guy well, first of all,
he's played mostly in the box. He's been a strong
(08:55):
safety close to the line of scrimmage, that kind of player. Know,
would you envision him being used the same way with
the Steelers?
Speaker 4 (09:05):
You know? I so I've struggled with this, and I
think you might try him in some of the sub
dime stuff maybe just to give a different look to that.
Or you say no, he's still has shown enough range
that we can still use him, you know, around the
(09:29):
line of scrips, but more so in that secondary position. Right,
you know, when you go to when he if he
was to take let's just say dime slot, right, and
they see it and they're like Okay, well, here's what
we're going to do, cross split motion.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
They're in zone.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
You gotta stay with this when you got to stay
with that. I mean, I could see them trying to
play with that position and what he can do with
his linebacker capabilities, and but I also see that he's
a guy like Deshaun Elliott where he did not necessarily,
you know, have to be around the box because technically,
(10:08):
as a safety in college and.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
Everywhere else right, you moved around, you.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Know, you switch sides of the field, you drop for depth,
you didn't blitz every play. I could see them trying
to do that and after the first time, whether successful
or not, that's what will determine how they get into it.
Because I look at it, I'm like, well, what's the
neret with him and Jabriel Peppers? Really, you know that's
the case, and Gabriel is rangy, flexible, So maybe that's it,
(10:37):
and maybe you are putting putting what's the name, uh
Dugger you are, Yeah, you are putting Dugger in a
different position to where he can be more rangey because
there is a skill set.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
There for him.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
So uh, I'm I'm envisioning him being some dime stuff
because we haven't. We don't see a lot of dime
from the from this defense team. So I would think,
if you're gonna change up fronts and he is a
guy that has familiarity, let's use his strengths in that
type of way. But then also let's expand to see
what else he can do, because we're gonna need that
(11:13):
and we currently don't have that on the roster, a
guy who can be rangy, and maybe he can do that,
or maybe you're saying, Okay, we'll bring a Kyle Dugger
in to the slot or to that box slot area.
Speaker 5 (11:26):
To move Jalen Ramsey back and have him play free.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So I think there's a couple of different ways you
could deploy Kyle Dugger, especially especially you know with this
short with with like a short notice trade upgrade and
you got a game on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
He seems to me to be similar in some ways
to de Sean Ellien. I'm not saying that they're similar
type of players, but in that they're both capable of
playing free safety, but you really would rather have him
down in that strong safety position.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
And I mean, yes, you could.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
You could roll them back and cover too and have
him be over the top and they're fast enough to
handle that. But they're big, aggressive guys that you'd like
to have closer to the line of scrimmage. Am I,
I mean, I'm simplifying this on purpose, But am I on?
Am I on the right track here with describing what
his game would be?
Speaker 5 (12:21):
No? I think you're you're you're spot on right.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
But I think when you do have a multitude of
skills and facets, you got to have somebody who can
compliment that so that you can do what you need
to do on the backside, right, you know, And I
think that's that that's where his utility and purpose comes in,
is that you need somebody with a similar skill set,
because let's face it, I mean you look at you
(12:46):
look at the Jalen Ramsey. He has a very desirable
skill set, and he had two different positions when he
came out, and right now there's a deficiency at one
of those positions he has to be good at. So
you know, if I can move him back and not
lose anything from the line with adding this additional guy,
(13:07):
then I've already upgraded our secondary. I have done enough
in that department that they should be able to go
out and win you this game, right, you know, there
should be no significant lag off. The biggest thing will
be terminology for Kyle Duggar and making sure that he
understands and is up to speed.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
But as far as like when.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
It comes to actual football IQ, I mean, this is
a guy we just saw a couple of weeks ago, Kinger,
you know, and he's been playing. So the conditioning, the
endurance side is there is just going to be the
verbal communication side because at the end of the day,
you still run very similar concepts and you just need
to know the name to get to it and what
(13:53):
the expectation of the team is when dealing with you know,
a new player and all and all the logistics that
goes within that. But I'm really excited to have him
in there because I think he's a guy that plays fast,
he plays physical.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
He gives you what you.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Want as far as edge presence, some of those perimeter
tackling issues that we've had over the last couple of weeks.
I think, you know, bringing him in and actually inserting
him into play also helps you out, gives you an
opportunity to to be a little bit more short up
there because.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
You know, let's face it.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Yeah, Well, I think eleven miss tackles last week. I
think it was when when the when the tally was finished.
So you've got a lot of work to do in
that secondary and he's just a piece that can help
shore it up in a multitude of ways.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
I think is the easiest way of saying it.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
So when I I'm glad you mentioned mis tackles, let
me just say something quickly about Dugger because Douger signed
a big contract extension with the Patriots and then promptly
went to unused right.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
So there was a report that just came out from Ian.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Rappaport that said the last two years of the contract
and I don't I don't know how logistically this is done,
but the last two years of his contract have been
quote unquote wiped out. So he's going to reach free
agency after the season. So you are not you know,
you might be you know thinking, well, wait a minute,
if he's a similar player to Shaun Elliott and you
(15:26):
just signed to Shawn Elliott to a contract extension, how
you possibly going to get these guys out on the field,
because you need somebody on the back end that can run.
And wan Thornhill is another guy that could be back
there with Jalen Ramsey with good speed in the back
end of your defense. So with DeShawn out, you're hoping that,
you know, you maybe kind of tread water. I think
is is sort of the thought with this. You pick
(15:47):
up Dugger, you know he can do some of the
things Sewan did. You still have Thornhill on the back end.
You can still have Ramsey on the back end. But
so I just wanted to clean that up. So, you know,
I remember looking at the deal yesterday and thinking, well,
that's interesting. You know, you'd almost like it better if
it was a rental. Not to take anything away from Dougger,
but you've made the commitment to Deshaun Elliott, who was
(16:07):
a year or so younger than doug Ar. Dougar's twenty
nine Deshaun's twenty eighth. You know that you get into
half years and that kind of stuff. That's why I say,
or so I can subtract twenty eight from twenty nine
and come up with one.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
But you know there's something Wow, there we go.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
He's a hardheag Matt Shark segment really.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Is I'm sharp backed.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
But you talk about the we talked about the older
people having that knowledge. Come on, man, come bring it
to me. Twenty nine takeaway twenty eight equals one.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
So like yelder right there, Billy, yelder ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
So so when I think about the Dougger acquisition in
that context that you know is Ian Rappaport reporting today
is a one year deal, it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
There's not a huge financial commitment.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
So if you wanted to go out at the trade
deadline next Tuesday and make another trade and add on
a salary of some sort, this doesn't hinder you from
doing that. So I think we should clean that part up.
And I want to get back to this thing about tackles, max,
because I think that to me, tackles unless you have
(17:13):
a poor tackling team, and this year just don't have
a poor tackling team. I think it's worrisome because to me,
it can be not always, but it can be a
manifestation of getting to a spot just a little too late,
not really being in, you know, a number one position
(17:34):
to make a tackle. And sometimes that can be a
player's just lost a quarter step with age, and sometimes
that can be the defense getting tired and being out
in the field too long. So those those are two
factors that could be part of this tackling issue, and
I think are frequently part of a tackling issue for
(17:56):
a team.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Well they're not only only you know those part and parcels.
I think i'd even add a third, where did the
communication come in the process to understand.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
What their jobs are within the right spot?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Yeah? Are you even in the right spot to begin with?
You know?
Speaker 4 (18:13):
So I think there is that third facet that you
have to consider as well.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Oh sure, I just said I just I was just
saying too because and mentioning those two because I think
they The first one plays into the fears that, oh
my gosh, you've you've committed all this this money and
time and stuff to guys who were older. Right, it's
it is a little bit older secondary and Steelers knew
that going in. They they can look at a date
(18:38):
of birth. But you're still hoping these guys have stuff
in the tank. So people fans might be saying, oh,
it's because the defense is older, and then other fans
might be saying, well, wait a minute. You know you
got to win the time of possession battle and give
these guys a break. So they're not out there exhausted
running around. That's why I brought those two specifics. I
didn't really put it in context, but that's why I
did that.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Got it, got it, got And I just wanted to
add that third one because I think that one's also
very important.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
And it has been and has been a topic as well.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Max, Yeah, it has, so I think, you know, addressing
kind of the elephants in the room with that. So
there and listen, we probably will never know, you know,
what the truth of the matter is, unless somebody comes
out and says it. But like you said, you have
to consider those things and you have to keep those
things at the front of your mind that they are
(19:29):
viable options on why you do what you do. I
think it also probably answers the corresponding move of bringing
in a Kyle Duggar is that you know, what, we
have a specific need we don't have deshaon right now,
and that you are the dashon insurance policy or you know,
to help stave off his absence, because we know what
(19:51):
that looked like earlier this year and we don't like
the taste of it, so go do something different with
the same approach in mind that You've taken this entire offseason,
and that's go be aggressive, Go find you guys. And
like I said, getting him as a rental is not
the worst thing, you know, because you know I always
(20:13):
say this. It's like, it's just like when you get
that nice bottle of whiskey. You know, it's what's It's
one thing to just have it sitting at your bar
so that people can admire it when it comes by.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
It's another thing to pull it off the shelf and
grab a couple of glasses. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
I do know what you're saying. Max, I definitely do
let me and let me.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Let me just say this as as we wrap this,
wrap up the dugger part. I mean, and listen, we
have we have other stuff to talk about. But this
is a significant move. Max, did I take a step back.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
I don't know how you feel about it. I like
the move. I think it's this is a good NFL player.
You're adding a good NFL player to your mix.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
Yeah. No, I'm right there with you. I think this
is a this is a great move.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
For for the team and the organization because you know,
you do need that type that skill is highly desirable,
and when you don't have it necessarily at that position,
you want to make sure that you're doing everything your
power to kind of secure that for that position so
that there's no significant drop off and play intit and competition.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
So, you know, I like the move. I think it
was very appropriate.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
I think it's also you know, once again of all
these new signals we're sending to the league about how
the Steelers do business. I mean, this is like super
aggressive and I like it. I like it because you
are saying, we're not trying to waste Aaron Rodgers, you know,
season this year. We want to make sure we're doing
(21:43):
everything in our power to support this production that we're
getting offensively, and that means finding ways to show up
this defense and bring in somebody healthy and new. You
do it at this moment because for this year, this
is a big year for a lot of people in
growth and moving forward. How you set your draft in
(22:05):
the future in the off season depends on the success
of how you do this year. And so the Steelers
are looking to improve. They know there's an issue, and
I think and they think that they found at least
one potential answer for the for the loss of a guy,
no matter what the extended or short extended period of
time it is.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
And we will get more into this with Jim Wexell,
get his opinions on the trade. It's a it's a
hump day headline with Wexel that is going to be
coming up in a little bit. We have more still
to come 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 (22:52):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one P 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 (23:15):
And we thank you very much for being with us
on this Wednesday. That, by the way, that segment of
looking at Kyle Dugger was our inside Steelers Nation segment
presented by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As we frequently do in the
middle of the week, we are taking a kind of
(23:36):
larger look around the NFL by looking at a couple
of power rankings. Now, once again, you're not trying to
get into the Rose Bowl or the College Playoff picture
by rankings, but we like to do this just because
we like to see kind of where the Steelers fallen things,
what the perception is around the NFL about certain teams
and so on. So Max, are you ready, you know,
(23:58):
roll up your sleeves and get to work.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Here, let's do it.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Okay, So we are. I'm ecstatic. This is my happy
voice right now. As you can tell, my voice is
going right now. So we're doing I'm doing my best
to keep as much of my voice in tact so
we can make it through this show.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
With sucking on some cough drops. I don't know if
it's allergies or what, but just the feeling.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
And yeah whatever it is like this time of year,
it's just you're fighting and next next thing, you know,
you think your voice is great, and then all of
a sudden you're like, oh my gosh, I sound like
a frog. But uh, we're gonna make it through, okay.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
So uh, the we're gonna look today and sometimes we
throw the athletic in there, but today we're gonna do
NFL and ESPN. In case you're wondering, why why is
he choosing those? You know, there's just some kind of
conspiracy here, does he not like the athletic No, it's
because it's the easiest to call up on my computer.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
So I am going with.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Those two for no nefariousity other than it is just yes,
it's it's where we are. Uh, ESPN number one, the Colts,
number two, the Lions. NFL number one, the Lions number two,
the Colts. So according to NFL, the Steelers will be
(25:19):
hosting the best team in.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
The NFL right now.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
But I have a hard time having much issue with
those selections.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
No, I mean you can't can't really deny either one
of those. You're talking about one loss teams, right, and well,
I'm sorry, the Lions are two loss two Lions are
two losses and but the but the Indianapolis Colts, I mean,
until otherwise noted, right, I mean you have to give
(25:49):
them their due. They have answered every test thus.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Far and only lost one of those games.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
So and they've beaten some pretty good teams, and they've
beaten some pretty good teams by some pretty good scores.
So yeah, I have no problem with that. And then the
Lions are the Lions. I mean, they have a wealth
of of players and experience, and this is a team
that's been right up at that top of that list
the last couple of years. So it's no surprise that
(26:16):
they in their way back up there. But we also
have to remember, you know, this is thus far. So
I think that's the other fluid thing we've learned about
this and Detroit's probably been the most consistent with all
of the fusion of up and down. And you know,
(26:36):
they have a very tough division when you look at it.
We we we we just experienced you know, one of
those teams in Green Bay that's in that that's in
that similar position as as the Detroit Lions, and that's
a division opponent you look at you know what Chicago's doing,
even though.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
They had a very unraveling game.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Against against the Baltimore Ravens, but you know their division
is gonna be good.
Speaker 5 (27:03):
Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
I guess whenever you get true JJ McCarthy back to form,
we'll figure out who this team is. But there's a
lot of incertainty with that. But the one thing we
do know, Detroit Lions are for real team. They have
a great defense and they have a great offense that
can also put up a bunch of points, just like
the Colts team can.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
I'm glad you mentioned that, you know, they have they
have a very good quarterback in Jared goff Right golf
has proven to be a very very fine player, you know,
maybe just below that superstar level. I suppose you could
argue that. I mean, he has been to four Pro Bowls.
So when I look at teams like, you know, the
(27:45):
Steelers right now, it doesn't feel this way right because
you're four and three and you've just you know, given
up a ton of points in back to back games.
But the Steelers are one of those the few teams
around the league where you can say the Steelers are
here to stay. They are not crumb They haven't crumbled
in you know, fifty years. You know, they've had it,
(28:05):
they've had some down years, but they haven't crumbled. And
it's hard to do that. It's hard to maintain yourself
at the top of the peak and a couple of
years ago, or you know, at least on the on
the near the summit of the mountain a couple of
years ago, I just thought, man, at some point Buffalo,
no matter how great Jared Allen is, at some point
(28:26):
Josh Allen Josh Jared Allen. Also, I mean he's a
Hall of Famer.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Yeah, yeah, he's pretty.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
Good too, So not that bad company to get confused with.
Oh I got confused with the current quarterback versus a
Hall of Fame defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yes, as good as Josh Allen is.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
I just thought they've lost so many Pro Bowlers in
the last couple of years, particularly going into last season.
How are they going to maintain this level of excellence?
You know, the Lions just lost both their coordinators. There
at that point of their organization in which they are losing,
they're losing good players in addition to their coordinator troop
(29:05):
being snatched up. A little reminiscent of you know, think
back about the Steelers Joey Porter Junior leaves. But you've
got a replacement. You have assistant coaches like Ken wizen Hunt.
Now suddenly they're head coaches around the league, and you
maintain that top level. Now, Ben Roethlisberger certainly helps a
(29:25):
Jared Goff and a Josh Allen, sure, But but I
do think that you're you know, you're saying the Lions
they're here to stay.
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Man, they are.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
They appear to be in a really after years of
being kicked around to be a really well run organization
that looks to be one that's going to be good
for a while.
Speaker 5 (29:48):
Yeah. No, and I completely agree.
Speaker 4 (29:50):
I think that's how you kind of have to look
at it as you know, where where's the quarterback position stand?
Where is the other positional you know, landmarks who else
is staying? So the technically that a crude value of
contract right for future years, and that's what you want
to look at and see. And those guys that do
(30:11):
have those large numbers that have earned you know that
second quote unquote paycheck.
Speaker 5 (30:16):
If not third, we know those are dudes.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
And make sure that you're not paying for the historical
context of a guy, but more so what he still
has on you know, on the plate and on the table.
And I think that's where you kind of feel comfortable
with saying the Lions are here to stay and they've
stabilized its franchise and this organization to have many years
(30:41):
of continued success.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
So top of the So right now, Max, I want
you to know that I'm juggling my hands up and
down right, one two, Okay, one is one, one is two.
We're okay with that. I haven't got to the six
seventh thing that I still don't know what that means,
but I'm talking one two. I was just told, look, man,
don't don't even worry about it. You're you're you have
(31:05):
no chance of knowing.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
What this means. Six seven. You know, you kind of
have to say it like that to you.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Gotn't even know.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
I don't even I don't know what it's ever evidently, Uh.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
But you got you got the new you got the
new numerical ascension of numbers. So you're you're you're good already.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Okay, So now we have some wildly after one and two,
we have some wildly different you know, thoughts on who's where.
So ESPN, I'm just gonna I'm gonna rip through a
bunch of these because I think I'm gonna I'm trying
to get all the same teams that are in in
(31:42):
really different order. It's not if that it matters that much,
but uh, ESPN Philadelphia, three Bills, four Bucks, five Chiefs,
six Packers, seven Rams, eight Broncos, nine Patriots, ten Seahawks eleven.
(32:03):
So I'm going all the way to eleven for a reason,
because I think we've got all the I think I've
got all the proper teams. So the NFL rankings have
the Chiefs three on NFL dot Com and ESPN again,
I just ripped off a bunch of names there. ESPN
(32:25):
has them six. Okay, Then you have the Packers four
at NFL dot Com. ESPN has them lower, and then
the Eagles at five, Seahawks at six, Rams at seven,
Bucks at eight, Bills at nine, all the way down
at nine, Denver ten, and the Patriots eleven. So those
(32:45):
top eleven teams, you know, are all the same eleven teams,
but in different orders, right, even one two different. But
you start to get into six seven, eight, nine three four.
I know it's supposed to be six seven, but.
Speaker 4 (33:04):
Playing Yeah, either a good job you're you're trying to
try to also vary it as well.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, yeah, I think we're seeing a generational gap here.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Anyway. It's I don't really.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Have any complaint with the teams, and I'm not really
gonna quibble over where they are, but I think and
the Chargers are kind of on the Chargers are kind
of knocking on that door.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Saying hey, we're back now too.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I think in a in an NFL in which and
by the way, they are further down they're fourteenth on
ESPN's and we'll get to the Steelers in a moment.
But I think it's interesting that these teams are those
(33:55):
eleven teams are there because I think if you asked
me to write down the top ten or eleven teams
in the NFL, I think those are the teams that
would come up with, and I thought not too long ago,
and we'll see these things will shift again in another
couple of weeks. But I think those teams are all good.
I think those teams are all teams that are are
(34:16):
playoff caliber teams and are gonna have something to say,
perhaps about the championship in their respective divisions, the AFC
in the NFC. I don't know if there are any
outliers in there, any team where I would say, well,
they're way.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Out over their skis.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
And I don't know if I would point to another
team right now who I would say, Hey, that team
belongs in the top eleven teams, and this other team belongs.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Outside of those top eleven.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Do you have any I'm gonna run through them again
for you or do you want to do you have
any any team in the top of your head that
doesn't belong in there, any other team off the top
of your head that does belong in there?
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Give me nine to eleven again, real fast?
Speaker 3 (34:58):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
So ten and eleven on ESPN is Denver, New England, Seattle.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Okay, okay, and.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Nine, ten and eleven they have NFL dot Com has
Seattle all the way up at six down two spots
by the way for Seattle. So the nine ten eleven
is the Bills, the Broncos, and the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Patriots one is pretty pretty interesting, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I think I think you've hit on the one that
I would say, yeah, let's see.
Speaker 4 (35:39):
Yeah, let's just see what that looks like, especially post
trade here. I get cow Dever was an intricate part
of your defense, and defense been playing well. But you know,
no major attrition has really hit that team, right, you
haven't seen a rash of injuries. So I hold reservation
there at Broncos, I mean, and the Broncos have been
(36:01):
have been giant slayers all season, right and really, you know,
you take one big hiccup and that was early in
the year against the Chargers team that looked like a buzzsaw.
But now since then we realized the Chargers are you know,
they're a good team, They're just they're not a great team.
So I mean I kind of look at those two,
(36:21):
you know, New England especially, and then maybe a little
bit you can make a case for Denver as well.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I think I have more faith in Denver than New England.
If I have to pick one.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
I mean, yeah, I'm in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Yeah, And part of that is, you know, bo Nicks
is really in his second full year as a starter,
Drake May looks awfully good up in New England, and look,
if one of these guys emerges, that could be a
separator for these teams. If one of these guys steps
up and all of a sudden, you're like, yeah, that's
a huge, huge thing. So we're gonna get to this
next group. And the Steelers did not fall that far.
(36:59):
So NFL or ESPN, let's start there. Twelve San Francisco,
thirteen the Steelers, fourteen the Chargers. And I think I'm
gonna draw another line right there, because after that we
had the Jaguars and Bears and other team. I'm gonna
draw a line right there, and let's see what NFL
dot Com has. They had the Chargers twelve, the forty
(37:22):
nine Ers thirteen, the Steelers fourteen. I think that's a
good line right there. I think those three teams. The Steelers,
despite losing two in a row, they are the division
leader right now. San Francisco has had an interesting year.
They're gonna get brock perty back. Where do they stand?
And you met, you just mentioned the Chargers. They've had
an interesting year.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
The Chargers.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Look, I wouldn't be shocked if they ripped off a
bunch of games and got themselves back up into that
top ten or eleven group that we're talking about. But
I think that's a pretty good line there. Max those
three teams coming next.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
Yeah, No, I think that's probably the next tier is
probably that three teams in that tier proven, little banged up,
but you know, you get you get that team at
at least half to seventy percent strength.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
They are a problem. They're a problem for everybody involved.
Speaker 4 (38:17):
And you know, you also have to remember you still
have the honor with the Steelers especially, you're still first
place in the AC North.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Yeah, and I'm gonna tell you nobody is Elite frogged. Yeah,
we'll do a quick rundown of the remaining teams in
what's left to this first hour as we get ready
for Jim WEXELP. We want to remind you you can
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(38:46):
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Speaker 1 (39:07):
They stare in the Locker Room with King and Starks
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Speaker 2 (39:28):
And we thank you for being back with us as
we kind of sort of raced through the top teams
as ranked in the NFL by ESPN and NFL dot Com,
understanding that it doesn't much matter, but also giving us
a national perspective on what others think, and so you know,
we are we get into our cocoon of what we
(39:49):
think about the Steelers and what we think about the
rest of the team. So Max, uh, you know, it
was not too long ago that I thought, okay, one
through twenty, I said this on the air, one through twenty,
any of those teams could be factors in the playoffs.
And the twentieth team at that time was Houston Texans,
and I said, you know, listen, we still have the
(40:11):
Ravens to worry about it, and they're not even in
the top twenty. So with that in mind, I think
at this moment in time, I think that I'm with
those top fourteen teams and I'm with only one other
team that we're gonna run into now at this time,
at this moment to be a real factor in the playoffs.
(40:32):
That could change. Obviously, we understand that, so let me
run down the list. This is NFL dot Com. Fifteen
is Jacksonville, sixteen Houston seventeen, the Bears, eighteen the Commanders,
nineteen the Ravens, and twenty the Falcons. That's NFL dot Com.
(40:54):
I'm sure you can guess, Max, which one of those
teams I think could be a factor in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
Oh yeah, yeah, this is Yeah, we'll see we'll still
see them two times. Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna see
them back to full strength quote unquote, even though they're
still not at full strength.
Speaker 5 (41:15):
I mean, but Lamar.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
Just with Lamar being back in the picture, it's like,
uh oh, here come the Ravens. And so you know
it's gonna be interesting. I mean, now, granted their defense
has just had a rash of injuries, you know, a
lot of stuff that is out of your control for
all intents and purposes. But you know, this is a
(41:38):
team that went hot when healthy problem problem problem signed
and so we're gonna see that, and especially with the
Miami team that also coming off of victory trying to
figure which way is up for them. Uh so it's
gonna be very interesting. Uh you know how this kind
(41:59):
of rubber matches. Does Lamar pick up exactly where he
left off? That's gonna be the question for him. And
I think it's easy.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
We'll talk more about this game tomorrow, but I think
it's easy to dismiss Miami. But they came in with aspirations,
They came in with hopes.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
They came in bil.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Thinking that we got a puncher's chance with this offense,
kind of the when they're healthy and clicking on all cylinders,
maybe sort of the Cincinnati Bengals of the AFC East,
you know, hoping, hey, we can score a bunch of points.
And then last week, when everyone's calling for the the
you know, the head of their coach and you know
changes have to be made, they come out and put
(42:37):
up one of those explosive offensive performances and going against
the defense that has been very leaky in Baltimore. So
and listen, this is it for them. I don't know
if it's it for for the Ravens. Maybe two and
six would be tough, but it it it is, This is.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
It for the for Miami it certainly feels like it.
Speaker 4 (43:00):
So well, again, this is hanging the black flags. Hey, listen,
we got to burn the ships at the Shore guys. Right,
there is no great there's no going back home. There
is no going back home.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
We better make this own right now.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
So again we'll go through this. Now I'm flipping over
to ESPN. They have Jacksonville, Chicago, Houston at seventeen. They
were one of those teams that I thought could get
back in it. But then you know, well, they come
off the victory over the forty nine ers to get
themselves back in at three and four, so they're still
an interesting team, but I just want to see more
(43:35):
from them. You know, they were the prohibited favorite to
win the AFC South. I believe, the biggest favorite of
any team to win any division, and they're three and
four and they are not even within shouting distance to
the cults right now. Then it's the Cowboys at eighteen
after getting pummeled by the Broncos. Nineteen is Carolina after
being pummeled by the Bills. Twenty is Washington. They were
(43:58):
outclassed by the Chiefs. Then twenty one is the Vikings.
They got stomped by the Chargers. There were a lot
of blowouts this week. They have the Ravens twenty two,
so I understand the record. They moved them up from
twenty six to twenty two. I'd get it. I would
just have the Ravens higher. We'll finish with these guys,
the Bengals at twenty three. Then it's Arizona at twenty four,
(44:18):
the Dolphins at twenty five, after're womping the Falcons thirty
four to ten. That puts them ahead of the Falcons
to drop from twenty to twenty six in this poll.
And then Cleveland, the Giants, the Raiders, the Saints, the Jets,
the Titans. The reason I'm running through all these max
is that a few weeks ago again when we talked
(44:40):
about who's on top and who are the good teams,
and we're trying to figure that out, and there seems
to be a lot of, you know, middle class teams
and not that many bad teams. I think we're getting
to the stage in which there might be more bad
teams than I thought, and fewer playoffs tenders, and I thought,
(45:01):
which could change in two weeks. I know, I get it.
Speaker 5 (45:03):
I mean, listen, well, this thing could change in a week.
I mean going.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
I mean, this power pole has not been powerful it is,
it has, it has seen its better days sometimes and
some of them you go, well, this didn't age well
with with things, so but I mean, but you're right,
I mean, you know, it's tough to kind of look
at potential at this part in the year versus what
(45:31):
the team actually is and what they've actually put out there, right,
because you're only as good as the tape you put out.
And I think that's where you kind of, you know,
are rough with some of the teams that are that
below five hundred because you don't know, because it could
fall further below five hundred or they could get closer.
Speaker 3 (45:49):
To five hundred.
Speaker 4 (45:50):
And their play has already shown us it's been erratic
for them this season, so that's what makes it tough.
But you're right, I mean, I would I would always
keep the Raves. Ravens are always a scared team and say,
for whatever reason they weren't considered a playoff team, they
are still a spoiler team at worst because of the
(46:11):
fact that you have a two time MVP, and you
have you know, a running back and Derrick Henry and
they can always offensively just cause problems for opposing defenses
no matter how good that defense might be.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
And just quickly, Carolina, I mentioned they got pummeled but
they didn't have Bryce Young, who's obviously proving to be
more and more important for that Carolina team.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
That's why they took them so high.
Speaker 5 (46:33):
Acas.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
It took them number one, but Carolina dropped to twenty one.
They're down two spots a little grace again because there's
no Bryce Young last week. They're hoping to get it
back for green Bay. And then again, if they beat
green Bay, we might be having a different conversation because
green Bay's way up there in these power rankings, and
it's the Cowboys at twenty two, the Vikings at twenty three,
(46:53):
and then again we start to get into this group
of teams. Arizona they're two and five, all those close losses,
but they're two and five. The Bengals at three and five.
Now they lose this week, and you know, you might
be talking about trading Trey Hendrickson, the kind of stuff
we were talking about a couple of weeks ago. Again,
we'll see twenty six, the Dolphins, twenty seven, the Giants,
(47:15):
twenty eight, the Browns, twenty nine, the Raiders, thirty the Saints,
thirty one, the Jets, and thirty two the Titans. So
there we have it. You know, there's a I think
that we're starting to see some separation as we get
to the midpoint of the season, which is something that
you might expect to see at this time of the year.
We have Jim Wexel coming up next in the Locker Room,
presented by our neighborhood Ford Store and the Steelers Pro
(47:36):
Shop on steels Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
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