September 11, 2025 • 44 mins
The guys take a look at the matchups set for this weekend and break down what is going on around the conference and around the league.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one is the official truck of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from
the team at the.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Oh oh, Optimists, No I was here.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I didn't know if I didn't know if you were gonna.
I know your your fervor for him. Uh, you know
now that you know who he is. But no optimists
rolling through and we are in the power hour. That's right,
Let's engage, Let's be delighted. This is the hour where
we kind of dive in.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
The guests usually come right about either this point or
a little bit before. So now this is for today. This,
this is our our rob There's no guests, and there's
just you and I to parse through the tea leaves
and and and and try and make sure we don't
grab a short straw.
Speaker 6 (01:14):
So I will be very interested and eagerly awaiting the
practice participation in both places. Now yesterday for this year,
there's Calvin Anderson did not participate. We know Deshaun Elliott,
we know Derek and Calvin's got an illness. We know
Deshaun Elliott and Derek Harmon are out. Nick Herbig limited,
(01:36):
but you know, Mike Tomlin talked about, you know, being
optimistic about him being able to play this week. Cameron
Hayward and TJ. Watt get resting player status. Joey Porter
did not participate, so there's one you know, you're looking
for Porter and Herbig, you know, Porter to get out
there hopefully, and Herbig's participation did to upward as we
(02:01):
get closer to game week. But then when the injury
report came out yesterday for Seattle, there were some surprises.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
So we knew that Nick emmin.
Speaker 6 (02:12):
Worry was he's not gonna play, and there the question
is going to be later this week whether they're going
to put him on IR or whether they're they hope
to get him back before that four week he you know,
out for mandatory four weeks. High ankle sprain those can
be problematic, as we know, so we know he's going
to be out key reserve. A guy they're expecting to
(02:32):
play a Ton didn't play a Ton because of the
high ankle sprain. Early on in the San Francisco game
but then this comes out, Julian Love growing limited participation.
Devon Witherspoon me did not participate, and so neither Love
(02:53):
nor Witherspoon were expected to be limited in any capacity
that I was aware of, and yet here they come out,
and man, oh man, I mean, you know, em and
Warry is a guy who obviously plays safety, but they
would move him around. But you know, if em and
Worry's out, you need Love. I mean, you need to
love it anyway. He's your starter. But that is potentially
(03:15):
troubling injury news for Seattle if if either one of
those guys is limited or can't play. And again we'll
find out more today Today is a big participation day,
and then of course Friday, you know, we'll have a
real idea. But you know, that's that's news that kind
of came as a real surprise yesterday out of Seattle.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
It did.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
And I think, you know, Julian Love, especially when you're
already hurting at the safety position with what Nick and
Emon Worry can do for you at the strong safety position.
And then you know, Devin Witherspoon's a key nickelback, you know,
especially when you're thinking about running with our three wide
receivers if we decide to deploy them as such, it's
(04:00):
it's a problem not to have at Devin Witherspoon because
he's also the guy that will match up in the
slot with Pat Fryarmove, John O'smith, et cetera, along with
you know, whether whether they line up Cal in the
slot or bringing Roman Wilson. Those are the things that
you kind of like look.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
At and go, this is interesting.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
You're really gonna need your front seven to be more
aggressive because you don't have it on the backside right
now with with those injuries as three guys to your secondary,
and those are three, you know, two starters at one
key contributor.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, so it's gonna be.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
And I don't know, Max, I don't know whether Seattle
travels and Travels are defender and I have not yet.
I don't watch my own tape until Thursday or Friday
of the week, so I in preparation for my duties
as a play by play guy. I don't know whether
he travels or not. But Devin Witherspoon was a fifth
overall pick a couple of years ago by Seattle. They
(05:01):
were expecting big things out of him and you know
what he's delivered. He's been to a Pro Bowl his
first two seasons, so he is kind of their main
cog on the back end. And you know Love, we
know Love. He's been around for a while. He's a
really solid player, so you know. But I think in
particular and Em and Worry is a guy that you know,
you're kind of hoping for things out of him, much
(05:21):
like the Steelers are hoping for things out of Derek Harmon,
and they want him back there because you know, there's
some limitations when you take a guy that high the expectation.
Like you said, first round, great on Em and Warriy.
I was surprised that, you know, he was kind of
figured out a late first round, maybe early second, which
is why I thought, you know, of all the defensive
linemen were gone.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
He might be an interesting.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
Guy for the Steelers, right because he's such a unique player.
But expectations are that he's going to commit and help.
But Witherspoon would be If he can't play, that's that's
a really big loss for Seattle. Again, I don't want
to jump the gun. We don't know yet whether he's
going to play or not play. But Devin Witherspoon's a
to rip football player, he is.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
And like you said, today and tomorrow, really tomorrow really
is kind of the line of demarcation whether a guy
can play or not. So that final Friday list, that's
the list that you anticipate going into Sunday, because Saturday
is just to walk through.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
It's a glory, you know, it's a glory, It's a
glorified point.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Who you got session, So Friday is really your last
day of work, and that's that's where you want to know, Hey,
who do I have going into this game on Sunday?
Who's going to actually travel and get off the plane,
get off the bus at after sure ready to strap
it up.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
You're going to find that out Friday.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
You know, Wednesday is always that cautionary day where you
have to list them if they're not going to participate
and you have to put something there. So Wednesday practice
report is just kind of an early bird's eye view,
but it doesn't really give any insight because I mean,
you look at just the designation between TJ. Watt and
Cam Hayward right both vet days, but one one listened,
(07:05):
limited one listened in the in the no go section.
So that's where it's kind of it's kind of you know,
gamesmanship for a lot of this stuff, and some teams
don't don't actually reveal what the bigger issue is.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
They'll just put something generic.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
So yeah, you know, interesting for day one, but obviously
we'll monitor and keep an eye on that because that
would be going down three defenders in the secondary that
you know, when you're thinking about dk Metcalf roaming against you,
a guy that they've played with and practiced against.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
They know what a problem he can be.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
So it's going to be really interesting to see how
they decide to deploy the rest of the team because,
like you said, I believe Tyrek Woolan.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Will be the guy that will be on him.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
So you still have Reek Woolan, But who's around him,
Who's who's protecting the other guy? Because here's what we
learned in week one about Aaron Rodgers is that it
doesn't have to be thrown to number one. It's going
to the open guy. And who are you going who
are you going to defend and with whom when they
(08:16):
deploy them, is you know, is it the fact that
you're going to have, you know, in your other in
your other corner. You know, is he going to be
the one that travels with him, Josh Job, that travels
with with a Calvin Austin Or is he gonna like
I said? Or are they gonna run a combo man's own?
And so now you're gonna zone off of Calvin Austin,
(08:36):
John new Smith, Pattfrire, Move, Roman Wilson, Vince Kronic at
throw's name in there, Scottie Miller. You know, are they
gonna be used for the rest Darnelt Washington, Connor Hayward.
They're gonna be used for the rest of those guys
or are you gonna are like you said? Because they're
not running Legion to Boom style things. Right, This isn't
Mike McDonald's cup of tea. He's not one of those
(08:59):
guys that plays guys. He's only on the right and
that's what he is. Or he's only field and boundary. No,
they're a matchup conscious team. So you're going to match
up against DK and because you don't know who deploys
is the number two? Who is the guy who comes around?
And I think that anonymity forces a challenge on Seattle's
(09:20):
defensive front on how they're going to protect against DK
Metcalf going off and let the other guys beat you,
because there's a pride issue there. When you got a
former player that you traded, you said yes, and now
you have to pay for the air of your ways.
And I'm sure when they traded him, they're like, we're
(09:41):
gonna send into the farthest place where we're never gonna
see him. And then the schedule comes out and you're like, crap,
we see him week two, right.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
Right for sure? You know the other thing, Max is
you know, and you know, I think about this a lot.
And the team that really got me thinking about it
was I don't know, six seven years ago when Kansas
City was coming into Pittsburgh and they just had all
those weapons, Tyreek Hill and down you go and you're like, okay,
well we're going to.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
Try to match up there.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
Of course, number one receivers always find a way to
be productive, right, Tyreek Hill always finds a way to
be productive. DK Metcalf always finds a way to be productive.
I mean, you know, they'll have better games than others,
but you're never gonna truly take a Jamar Chase out right.
There's a reason that he gets the amount of catches
he gets in justin Jefferson. Because they're great players, right,
(10:30):
so you put but you know you're you're trying to
guard against them, right And so I remember when Kansas
City came in. I just thought, you know, you run
out of good players to cover them. Good players to
cover good players. They're hard to find. There's a reason
that Witherspoon went fifth overall in the draft because he's
covering a receiver who went fifth overall in the draft.
(10:52):
You know you're trying to combat that. And when I
look at the Seattle team and you know, you think,
on paper, if everybody's hell healthy, you can see where
they would they could match up pretty well against this Teelers.
You put Witherspoon on Metcalf, if he's going to travel,
you put em, and worry on that big guy in
the slot.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
John new Smith.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Now you have Rik wutin another guy who's Woolan, who's
been to the Pro Bowl himself. You know, maybe he's
on the outside on Calvin Anderson or Calvin Anderson, Calvin.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Aten's I mean, there's a lot of crossover names here.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
I don't think, and I don't think.
Speaker 6 (11:31):
I don't see Calvin Anderson. You never know, uh, you know,
six offensive linemen. Maybe he's out there, uh, providing that
that mismatch against Rek no, I misspoked, So I'm obviously
I meant Calvin Austin. But you know, you put Wollan
on him, and now all of a sudden you're like, Okay, well, uh,
we match up pretty well against you, right, but you
start to take guys out, and even the best laid
(11:54):
plans right now you start to have mismatches.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
And it's and it's.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
Why in certain games I happen to think this is
a game where you want Last week you had to
worry about Garrett Wilson and was there anybody really else
to worry about? I don't know about that. Jackson Smith
and Jig but is clearly their guy. But you can't
forget about some of the other weapons they have, you know,
(12:18):
particularly Cooper Cup who's at who's had you know, look,
he's he's coming back from some injury, banged up years,
you know, some some reduced playing time. But when he's
been healthy, he's still been a five or six catch
a guy, catch a game guy. So you have to
deal with him, and but you have that's why when
you're the Steelers, You've got Jalen Ramsey, but then you
(12:41):
also have Joey Porter Jr. And you also have Darius
Slay providing Joey Porter Jr. Of courses out there, so
you know all these matchups, which you know is why
we delve into these things and why to me, uh,
the Steelers are going to be better equipped than they've
been in years to deal with teams that have two
three really really good targets. And Seattle I think would
(13:05):
have said, hey, we match up pretty well, but you
already know em and Warry is not going to be
playing in this game, so it'll be you know, these
these injuries to these guys in the secondary are gonna
definitely bear watching over the next forty eight hours as
they kind of figured out who can play and who
can't play on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Yeah, and I mean, and that's gonna be the challenge,
and you know, I think that's where the emphasis is really.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Going to come on. You know, how how.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Are they deploying it, especially defensively, Like I'm looking at
the front seven is gonna have to be way more
aggressive if your back half is injured, is injured and
suffering you don't want to lead them exposed out there,
you know, with a lack of pass rush, So you've
got to generate that the force, you know, get Aaron
Rodgers to throw it quicker, to identify it so they
don't got to cover their liability. The longer it goes,
(13:55):
the deeper the routes get, the tougher it gets for
a defensive back to kind of take advance. And then offensively,
you've got to figure out how do we keep this
ball away from Pittsburgh because Aaron Rodgers is still the
GINSU chef and he can still dice you up. So
you know there's gonna be measured abilities. You know, obviously
(14:15):
Jackson Smith and Jig but is their number one receiver.
But like you said, Cooper Cupp is a guy who's
made a living as a wide receiver, being your intermediate,
your intermediate short pass catching guy, slot type of player
who can go and he's going to take the shallow crosser,
and he's a catch and run guy. He's trying to
(14:35):
run and get yards after the catch. So anytime you
can put corners in distress, they're trying to do that.
Kenneth Walker and Zach Charboney are going to have to
be a combo two headed monster in the backfield to
kind of stabilize the run game for them.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
And then X factor, who is Sam Darnold.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Because going after one week didn't look that great, didn't
look that great for the money they paid for him,
And you know, is he going to have another outing?
That's a doozy because the personnel is a lot different
than what he had in Minnesota. So these are the
questions we're asking and the sample size is too small
to extrapolate because it's only one game, and we all
(15:16):
know one game is not going to tell you the
true tale of this team and what they can do. They,
like the Steelers, is trying to figure out how do
I get better from this first game? Like what keys
and things do I need to do to make us
a more viable option, to make us a more you know,
dominating team, a more evenly matched.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Contest for them, That's what the challenge is.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
And so for Seattle, coming in not positive news, but
I mean you also went and you got dogs to
kind of compliment what you are trying to do defensively.
You know, you bring in de Marcus Laws, you bring
in Leonard Williams to try and help. And you know
you have former first round pick littered throughout this defense.
(16:02):
You know, Devin Witherspoon, big blow, Like you said, number.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Five overall pick that was there.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
You know, Boye Mafe was a highly proud second round
pick back in twenty two for them. So you went
and you got all these different pieces. Now you just
need all of them to kind of fit together and
kind of create something. Derek Hall another guy, him and
DeMarcus Lawrence tandem at that rush end position.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
So you're gonna have your.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Challenges and for the offensive line is gonna be a big,
big week again. You know we talk about these five
star beef eater matchups. You've got plenty of beef on
both sides of the ball, and you want to see
who's gonna win that tilt. So young team versus grizzly veterans.
Different problem than you had a week ago.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
And one other thing to point out, by the way,
about Cooper Cup and one of the things that makes
them valuable is not only the passing game. And I
don't think this is an issue with the Steelers right
There are some teams that have corners who are basically
cover corners and that's what they do well. I think
we've seen with with Joey Porter Junior, Jalen Ramsey and
(17:07):
Darius Slay willing tacklers, not not guys who're gonna shy
away from contact. Which is important because Cooper Cupp is
an exceptional blocker. He's one of the best blocking wide
receivers in the NFL. So again, when you talk about
matchups and different parts of the matchup, that's one of
the matchups that I think that Cooper Cup is a
(17:27):
real plus for you. Like we talk about that with
John new Smith in the slot, you know a big
target who can work out of the slot and if
you want to try to put a little guy on
him to try to defend him, he will block you
in the running game and run you into the dirt.
And Cooper Cup's that kind of guy too. But this
yeerlers don't have guys that shy away from that as
far as they're cover corners.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
In the running game.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, and we've got King Petty over there on the
defensive secondary at Jalen Ramsey, right, Jalen's gonna talk, He's
gonna get in your ear. Jalen has played with Cooper
Cup in LA. So he knows Cooper practiced against him,
and he's gonna know some of those triggers to try
and get in his head. That that's that's a part
of his game. Not only exceptional.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Player, exceptional trash talker as well as we.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Saw like the whole, the whole I'm not touching you,
you're touching me, you're touching me.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
I'm not gonna let go to you.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Let go at the end of the half, like him
and Garrett Wilson holding jerseys and of course him having
the last uh we'll say, I don't know if we
call that a laugh, the last boom in the contest
with dislodging the football from him. So you know they're
why Seattle's watching that tape and like, oh man, this
guy again. You know I thought we got rid of
him when he went to Jacksonville. Now ah, he I'm
(18:38):
sorry when he went to Miami.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Now he's still he's still he's still certified. He's still
a top one hundred NFL player, and he played like
it on Sunday and he's about that action.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
He is straight. Let's let let's get physical.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
He's one of those guys that didn't shy away from it,
like you said, then of course you know, big play Sleigh.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
I'm trying to get used to saying that.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Darius preference Sligh, but his preference is big play. I mean,
I guess that's probably how people felt when when Dion
was like, Noah, just call me prime, Prime Prime. You know, yeah,
you have you have yeah, yet you have to have
your name. I mean, he also has his own probably
has his own walking music. So you know, I'm gonna
give it to him. Big play Sleigh is a guy
(19:22):
that does not shy away from it. And it'll be interesting,
you know because, like you said, Chuck Clark play in
a secondary position because Deshaun Elliott out. You bring in Gabriel, Preppers,
how much do you use Gabriel? You know, how fast
can he learn this defense to be effective and be
a guy that can play around for you one Thornhill
as well. You know, these guys are looking at it
(19:43):
and saying, okay, what what what else can we do?
And then for Patrick Queen and Peyton Wilson super aggressive
on Sunday. And I don't know if that's more t
I schematic or Tha schematics, or if it was just
how how they see themselves playing. But they can't get
fooled on the play action fake They've got and they've
got to rediagnose and detect as quick as possible from
(20:07):
that position. And so you know this is a team effort,
disengaging from the football seeing how that works. So you
can help that secondary play fast with their hair on fire.
You've got to be able to do it on the
front seven, just like we're expecting Seattle to do. That's
also what we need the Steelers defense to do as well.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
So we have much to get to.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
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(20:48):
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shop at Shop dot Steelers dot com. Back with more
as we take a look at the AFC matchups this
week with Max Starks. When we continue inside the Locker
Room with King and Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 6 (21:40):
Well, thank you very much for being with us inside
the locker room, and it's time for our AFC freeview
presented by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Max, we have a really
intriguing football game tonight that is not an AFC matchup,
but the Commander's Packers.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Quick sneak on that one's stay sneak look on that one.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
Even though it's not AFC, this one fascinates MEP. Have
we lost Max? Okay, so we've lost Max momentarily. So
that is a game that we're all. I think every
football fan is looking forward to seeing that one Commander's
(22:21):
Packers tonight, each team starting one to zero. The Packers
obviously with the with the big trade with the Cowboys
to get Michael Parsons, are considered to be one of
the elite teams in the NFC. The Commanders, I think,
are pretty widely considered to be the number two pick
behind the Eagles and another team that advanced deep into
(22:43):
the playoffs a year ago with Jayden Daniels, and they're
coming off a Week one win, another team that is
considered a contending type of team. So that is going
to be an absolutely fascinating matchup.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
So I can't wait for that one tonight on Thursday
Night Football.
Speaker 6 (22:59):
But Max, we're getting to the AFC preview here, and
I have to say I am extremely interested in the
Jaguars visiting the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Yeah, no, I am too. I think this Jaguars Bengals
matchup both want to know who would have thought that,
especially if you watch that Browns game. The Bengals definitely
tried to give that game to them on multiple occasions.
But the Browns do the Brown thing and they just
they can't they can't get right.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
So I get it.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
But I think for Jacksonville, this was something we were
interested to see because Trevor Lawrence we saw him in
the preseason, well, Teicalarly, we saw the Jacksonville team. We
did not see Trevor Lawrence. But you know, it was
it was it was a truncate I think they did
what one series I believe, trying to remember Rob, we
get one series of them.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah it wasn't much, Yeah it wasn't much. But Trevor
Lawrence is a big year.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
This is a make or break year for Trevor Lawrence
and seeing what they can do. I thought Travis Etn
ran his butt off in Week one against Carolina, ran
for I think one hundred and forty three yards. So
you know, this is a different Jaguars team under Liam
Cohen and a new.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Establishment of how they're going to go about.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Business in the AFC South and looking to establish themselves,
especially when you're thinking about, you know, the Houston Texans
and that.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Being kind of the front runner in their division.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
So this is an opportunity if you can go and
play the Cincinnati Bengals team in Cincinnati and take one
from them, that would be a big notch in their belt.
And you know, for for Cincinnati, we kind of know
what this is. We know who this team is. It's
led by Joe Burrow, the heart beats by Joe Burrow.
And you just paid a butt load of money to
(24:48):
Jamar Chase and t Higgins, so you want to see
them kind of come alive and create opportunities for themselves.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
But defensively, you're looking at at it and you know
you got.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
A pissed off Trey Hendrickson, who's on that rental who's
on that rental contract for a year, Tamar Stewart, a
first round draft pick who held out and now is in.
Can that defense really be, you know, elite, that's the
question we're gonna ask. But two teams that it's gonna
be a really good tilt to see them. And you're
talking about this AFC posturing and positioning for both these
(25:21):
teams looking to make a playoff push that weren't in
the playoffs a year ago.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
Yeah, and I think you know, the Jaguar is probably
happy to be one to oh and and kind of
trying to build something and get going, and and Cincinnati
happy to be one to know, but not happy with
the way they played against Cleveland. I think that's a
fascinating matchup. I cannot wait for that one. I think
it's gonna be one of the games the week. We'll see,
uh but but I think it's gonna be an interesting
(25:45):
one Rams against the Titans. Obviously, NFC AFC matchup Max,
anything that that sticks out.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
On that one with you. No, it's gonna be a
Rams are gonna beat the Titans.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
So there's that gets to cam Ward obviously as a rookie,
still trying to figure out, you know, this game, his personnel.
It's not a good constructed team right now. I mean
that's the reason why you're able to get cam Ward
the number one overall pick, because you weren't. So I'm
not expecting much from them. I think they'll we'll have
(26:19):
a better idea of who they are come week six,
week seven, after they've worked through it. But this is
the byproduct of when you get the number one overall
pick and you pick a quarterback.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
To lead your team.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
I don't want to call it a curse, but the
last couple of years with number one overall picks has
not been that great. Look at Caleb Williams, it's always
better to be the second quarterback.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Take it.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
I feel like because you know, you look at Caleb,
you look at Bryce Young and both struggling.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
But then you look at the number two picks C J.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Stroud and Jayde Daniels, You're like, okay, all right, yeah,
good things are happening for those teams. So the pressure
of being a number one overall pick is one that
is tough. And so cam Ward, I think, you know,
we'll know a little bit better about him then.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
So here's one I think that is extremely interesting as well,
the Patriots taking on the Dolphins. That you know, that's
a big game. I think in the you know, each
team is zero to one, it's a conference, it's a
division matchup, big game for both those teams in Miami,
and a lot of talk already about Mike mccanniel being
(27:27):
on the on the hot seat down in Miami.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Well, it's the battle of winless teams. Somebody has to win, right,
We're absolutely like, somebody has to win this game. I
don't know, it could be a tie, but still somebody
has to win. And neither team had a great, great showing.
I mean you're talking about between the two of them,
rob twenty one total points scored between both teams, and
(27:52):
if you asked me to pick between the two who
scored a majority of those points, I definitely would not
have said the New England Patriots. So that just goes
to show you kind of where you're at. Vrabel really into,
you know, dialing in for this season and trying to
see what he can do, you know as a coach,
really changed the.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Culture in New England. And you know.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
Drake May had to throw the ball forty six times
in that Week one matchup forty six times. It's a
lot of it's a lot of passing and not a
lot of rushing.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
So we're gonna see what goes on there. Now we'll
say this.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
You know, you got Harold Landry over there that you
got from Tennessee when Tennessee was on their fire.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Sale kick, and I mean dou had two and a
half sacks.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
So I mean that's a bright spot for New England
is on their defense but offensively. And then for the
Miami Dolphins, they're going to get in rhythm. They just
look like trash week one and you know, got to
see what Tua and the weapons can do. You've got
an upset Tyreek Hill down there. But you still got
(28:56):
Jalen Waddle another another very competent dude, and davon a
chain is a very good, versatile all around back. So
you think that Miami can rebound and put some points
up on the board, but yeah, eight points is not
gonna cut it for this. So it's gonna be a
really good AFC East tilt between them trying to jock
(29:17):
for second place in that division. I guess is that
that's what this game is because the only team that
won the AFC East last week was the Buffalo Bills,
and that was by one point. They had to score
forty one and the Baltimore Ravens scored forty. So you
know that division is definitely still squarely of the bills favor,
and we're gonna see if one of these teams can
(29:37):
kind of emerge and get back on track of week two.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Okay, So Bill's Jets any intrigue here.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Yeah, there's a lot of intrigue because I think what
we saw in the Jets last week, if they could
build upon that, the way that they possessed the football,
the physicality and the run game, I mean, it leaves
a lot of a lot of a lot of feelings
of this is going to be a physical matchup and
that defense if they can corral Josh Allen.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
And really get under his skin.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
You know, this this is one that you could see
it being a very tightly contested game.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I think the Jets, if.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
We're going off a week one alone, and here's my overreaction,
I guess you could call overreaction Thursday, it would be
that the Jets are the second best team in the
AFC East, interesting and this is their chance to kind
of take take a shot at the crown in this moment.
So I mean, can't can't argue me, argue me against
you know what justin Fields is able to provide. But
(30:38):
you know, at boost in that run game, if they can,
if they if they're clicking on all cylinders, it could
be a good challenge because they have to remember, this
Buffalo defense gave up forty points to to the Ravens.
So it's not like, hey, this is a stout defense.
This is a you know, this is a very low
scoring game. No, there was a lot of points scored
on them and their team, and their team luckily got
(30:58):
one more point than the oppost it they weren't leading
for a majority of that game. So that's another team
that ran the ball really effectively on them. So let's
see if that travels in these moments, and you can
bring that from week to one to week two. Because
you're also at home hosting the Bills. You're not up
in Buffalo, so home field advantage, you hope would be
(31:20):
on your side. So it's gonna be that's gonna be
a really intriguing matchup to watch.
Speaker 5 (31:25):
Yep, I agree.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
I I'm bullish on the Jets, I really am. I
think that they're I think they're an interesting team. I
think you're right on. I think they're the I think
they're the second best team in that division. I know
everyone's on New England early on, and I know it's
only one week, but I think that's I think that's
I'm with you. I think that's a very very interesting game. Okay,
(31:47):
here's another one. Brown's Ravens.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Mm hmm, it just Brown flush it.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
I do not see them listen. I know this is
a revenge game. This is the Joe Flack. Okay, Joe's
already had his revenge game, so this is just simply
Brown's playing Ravens, and the Ravens put up forty and
the Browns couldn't beat the Bengals and they only put
up sixteen points in this game, and it looked like
a war of attrition. I know you have Miles Garrett
(32:15):
over there Cleveland. Yes, so if you are a Cleveland
spy listening to our broadcast here, I know that you
have Miles Garrett. But that's really it, and listen, it's
just count down to win. Are you going to play
the rookies, whether it's Dylan Gabriel or Shadur Sanders, because
this is going to be a very tough stretch for
(32:36):
the Browns. Everybody that they play from this point in
the next five weeks are all playoff teams from a
year ago, and you don't.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Know which ways up. So I think that this is
a struggle.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
I think Baltimore is probably gonna win this one easily,
but that's why you play the games. But I'm thinking
the Ravens probably have this one in to.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
Yeah, I don't think it's I mean, it's interesting because
it's a division matchup. It's interesting because Baltimore over the
last couple of years, they just need to get to
Week two, you know. I mean, that's really been their problem,
is that Week one has just been a nightmare for him. Frankly, So, yeah,
I agree with you. I can't see that being much
of a game. Broncos Colts. Each team want to er
(33:22):
no surprise the Broncos or want to know the Colts
surprising a lot of teams. That should be a fun matchup.
Indiana Daniel Jones, Yeah, Indiana Jones, Indiana Jones exactly. His
name's not Henry, it's Daniel. So this is one that's
going to be very.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Interesting to see this matchup because, like you said, I mean,
Daniel Jones very efficient in week one, seventy two yards
and a Tuddy and Jonathan Taylor doing Jonathan Taylor type things,
and he's your all around guy. I mean, it's going
to be a really good matchup. When you look on
(33:59):
the other side, bo Nicks, they had to throw the
ball forty times, which is a little bit, you know,
concerning when you're thinking about a team that's trying to
be balanced, because you do have you know, JK.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
Dobbins, R. J.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Harvey, the rookie you drafted in that backfield, and you
know you still had to throw the ball forty times
in that contest.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Bo Nicks are two interceptions.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
So it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting to see
how this is I think it's I think it's a
good matchup for for how this team is gonna play. So, uh,
that one is gonna be a really good just AFC
matchup and uh, Broncos taking the show on the road
going to Indianapolis to play the Colts. So you know,
(34:40):
do you have lightning in a bottle with Daniel Jones?
Do you have a Sam Darnold renaissance brewing in Indy
or is it Daniel Jones becomes Daniel Jones again after
playing against this defense of the Denver Broncos, which is
really really good. It's a really good defense. So that's
gonna be the question. How do that happen? So I'm excited.
(35:02):
This is probably this is one I put right there
right below the Buffalo. The Buffalo and Jets game is
probably a really good matchup and both teams, both teams
have a win, so you know, somebody's gonna come away
with their first loss.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
And then as far as you know talking about some
of the big games of the weekend, I mean, the
Chiefs are always involved in it. They are zero to
one and they're hosting the one to no Eagles. That
to me, who get home from the Steelers game and
get immediately in front of the TV and watch that one.
Speaker 4 (35:36):
Yeah, that's that's it's really a good till Super Bowl reunion.
So to speak to a degree, this is a Super
Bowl rematch from just a few months ago. You know,
they last played in February and now they are playing
in September.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
So interesting thing. You know, you look at Kansas City
reeling after a loss.
Speaker 4 (35:58):
You know that they went to the hilt with with
the Chargers and they came out the short end of
the stick, not from the lack of late late time
heroics by Patrick Mahomes and Philly Philly without Jalen Carter.
You know, that was a tight contest against the Cowboys
to start the season.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
So you get Jalen Carter back.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
Let's see what he can do and if this Eagles can,
if the Eagles can get back on track with having
a dominating defense, we shall see. And did Kansas City
learn their lesson with their new additions. Josh sim is
going to have his hands full on the edge. But
this is not the Eagles of last year, so we're
gonna it's gonna be a really good matchup.
Speaker 6 (36:34):
Yeah, I mean, it's almost hard to believe that that
the Chiefs could possibly go zero to two. And yet
you know, uh, it's staring right in the face potentially
it is.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
It is And the only good thing we can get
him at home? You get him at home. That's the
only good thing you can glean.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
From that one.
Speaker 6 (36:57):
And just quickly Buccaneers at the Texans at Texans another
team a disappointing ohen one. Uh So that's something that
that you know they're gonna have to deal with and
and not an easy.
Speaker 5 (37:09):
Task on Monday night taking on uh this Buccaneers.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
Team, No, not gonna be an easy task. And you
know they're gonna have you know, CD Straus have to
figure this out. They got a good young defense, they
reloaded on offense. So it's gonna be really interesting to
kind of see that one. The one I'm excited about, though,
is that charge that Chargers Raiders.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
The Monday night game. That's the one that I'm I'm
looking forward to.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
I just I I know the Houston Texas and Tampa Bay,
but but once against a f C NFC and the whole.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Posturing, it doesn't it doesn't matter as much.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
And I think Tampa Bay probably wins that one. But
this is the matchup I want to see. I got sorry,
Sorry I.
Speaker 6 (37:46):
Rushed rush it through because you're right, that's the that's
the said I'd forgotten about the second Monday night matchup,
and that's you know, the Chargers want to oh and
and you know, a big emotional win and you know,
you beat Kansas City down to Brazil and you're feeling
good about yourself and you know what, and the Raiders
are one to know too, right, So and again, every
(38:07):
matchup I think early on in the season can be extremely,
extremely challenging. You just don't know what teams are gonna do.
I agree with you. I think that's a fascinating game.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
It's truly fascinating. And like you said, this is back
to back away slash home. I guess you have to
say it for the Chargers because technically Brazil was a
home game, but it wasn't played in so far so
technically you didn't sleep in your own bed the night before,
So you know, back to back row games for the Chargers.
Can they continue this type of dominance? And this is
(38:40):
like you said, the Raiders are one to oh. So
both teams come into this undefeated things that we probably
didn't expect from either team say this to be one
of those zero to one type of games, but primetime
Pete Carroll and Harbaugh going going at it. They have
a very very long history. Roby have a very long history.
(39:02):
This goes back USC Stamford, like they go back to
college like going head to head, and then San Francisco
and Seattle for all those years as well, who was
going to go to the super Bowl? That was the
NFC West kind of time or renaissance where you didn't
know if it was going to be them or San
Francisco that was going to make the deep playoff run.
And now they see each other on the AFC side
(39:23):
of it, still on the West, still in the friendly
confines of the Pacific time zone, but now both of
them are at their third different team meeting each other.
Speaker 3 (39:35):
Can't wait.
Speaker 6 (39:36):
You know, every weekend is a great weekend, and this
is another great weekend early on trying to figure out
who's who and what's what in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
And of course we have our game.
Speaker 6 (39:47):
Which is a pretty sizable game with the Seahawks visiting
and the Steelers. More on that when we continue inside
the locker room with King and Stark's presented by your
neighborhood Fords.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
Or here on this steel There's Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
He is in the locker room with King and 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 5 (40:21):
All right, well, just a couple of minutes left here, Max.
Speaker 6 (40:24):
Were well, oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Just hit the bell. Laugh there it is lunch almost, sir,
go Rob.
Speaker 5 (40:39):
No, I usually give it, you can usually give it
a little more than that.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
I don't want to take your mot We're slow.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
We're tight on time, so I didn't want to. I didn't.
I didn't want to elongate that any long because.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
I want to full elongate and Max Stark experience.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
It's like two minutes. It's like two minutes. I mean,
listens the early lunch warning system.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
Everybody out there.
Speaker 4 (40:56):
Is Steeler iss. You know what time it is. We
are teams five minutes to forge time and lunch. So
make sure if you're out there on the roads. You're
going to get yourself something good and delicious to eat.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
All right back to you, Rob, can we can we
just can we ring the bell one more time?
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Justin there we go, There we go. Max. It is
the early lunch warning system year at bell. Laugh, it's
the bell everything.
Speaker 4 (41:25):
Yeah, I know, I'm out of it now, I'm out
of it.
Speaker 5 (41:28):
I'm sorry I threw you off. Look, still working. You
got a rookie with you.
Speaker 6 (41:32):
You know you gotta take me under your wing, right,
you gotta you gotta teach me the ropes much like?
Uh yeah, wait, real quick, what is the excitement level
right now for a rookie? Uh, knowing that you're gonna
be playing your first game and act for sure, you've
been watching Steelers games on TV. You know about renegade probably,
you know a lot of the cool stuff that happens
(41:53):
uh in Pittsburgh. You know about the terrible towels. You
got a tiny taste of that in a preseason. But
are you just stoked right now? If you're a rookie
about playing your first home game in Acrosure Stadium, you
have to be you have to be listen.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
I know you got to taste of renegade, But there's
a difference when it matters, and it's in fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Defense has just gotten the ball. It's a tight ball game.
You need something to happen.
Speaker 4 (42:21):
And then you hear the voice of the gods harken
on to you, the challenge that has been bestowed upon you,
the video evidence of what that dominance looks like, and
it can't help but fuel you in your journey and
quest for dominance and eternal glory. And that's what renegade is. Granted,
(42:43):
I know that if you watch any of the Steelers specials,
Joey Porter thought the song name was Obama. Okay, that's
all right, still one of the funniest things ever. But
whatever it takes, you know, that's what it is. When
you feel across it's on your side. You see those
terrible towels rallying in key critical moments and you look
(43:07):
around and you're like, yeah, I'm here. This is what
it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. This is what
it means to play for a historic and esteemed organization
that prides itself in success, dominance, and Super Bowl trophies.
Only one other team can claim the same title. Of course,
(43:28):
they didn't do it over as a long period of time,
as the Steelers have a mass theirs, But at the
same time, it's still something you're one of two and
you're the first to do it. We're the first ones
to do it. For the other thumb. You just remember
that when you start your journey here at Actor. Sure,
that's what that's That's what I'm excited about, Rob.
Speaker 5 (43:47):
Mike drop moment.
Speaker 3 (43:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (43:48):
Max Stark's tremendous stuff. Cannot wait. We're gonna really dive
into the nitty gritty details of the big matchups coming
up tomorrow, but that'll do it for today. Our thanks
to Jerry you Lack, our thanks to Justin Miller at
our I Heart Studios for producing this show, and our
thanks of course to you for listening to Inside the
(44:08):
Locker Room if King Starks, presented by our neighborhood Ford
Store here on the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one is the official truck of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from
the team at the.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Oh oh, Optimists, No I was here.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I didn't know if I didn't know if you were gonna.
I know your your fervor for him. Uh, you know
now that you know who he is. But no optimists
rolling through and we are in the power hour. That's right,
Let's engage, Let's be delighted. This is the hour where
we kind of dive in.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
The guests usually come right about either this point or
a little bit before. So now this is for today. This,
this is our our rob There's no guests, and there's
just you and I to parse through the tea leaves
and and and and try and make sure we don't
grab a short straw.
Speaker 6 (01:14):
So I will be very interested and eagerly awaiting the
practice participation in both places. Now yesterday for this year,
there's Calvin Anderson did not participate. We know Deshaun Elliott,
we know Derek and Calvin's got an illness. We know
Deshaun Elliott and Derek Harmon are out. Nick Herbig limited,
(01:36):
but you know, Mike Tomlin talked about, you know, being
optimistic about him being able to play this week. Cameron
Hayward and TJ. Watt get resting player status. Joey Porter
did not participate, so there's one you know, you're looking
for Porter and Herbig, you know, Porter to get out
there hopefully, and Herbig's participation did to upward as we
(02:01):
get closer to game week. But then when the injury
report came out yesterday for Seattle, there were some surprises.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
So we knew that Nick emmin.
Speaker 6 (02:12):
Worry was he's not gonna play, and there the question
is going to be later this week whether they're going
to put him on IR or whether they're they hope
to get him back before that four week he you know,
out for mandatory four weeks. High ankle sprain those can
be problematic, as we know, so we know he's going
to be out key reserve. A guy they're expecting to
(02:32):
play a Ton didn't play a Ton because of the
high ankle sprain. Early on in the San Francisco game
but then this comes out, Julian Love growing limited participation.
Devon Witherspoon me did not participate, and so neither Love
(02:53):
nor Witherspoon were expected to be limited in any capacity
that I was aware of, and yet here they come out,
and man, oh man, I mean, you know, em and
Warry is a guy who obviously plays safety, but they
would move him around. But you know, if em and
Worry's out, you need Love. I mean, you need to
love it anyway. He's your starter. But that is potentially
(03:15):
troubling injury news for Seattle if if either one of
those guys is limited or can't play. And again we'll
find out more today Today is a big participation day,
and then of course Friday, you know, we'll have a
real idea. But you know, that's that's news that kind
of came as a real surprise yesterday out of Seattle.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
It did.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
And I think, you know, Julian Love, especially when you're
already hurting at the safety position with what Nick and
Emon Worry can do for you at the strong safety position.
And then you know, Devin Witherspoon's a key nickelback, you know,
especially when you're thinking about running with our three wide
receivers if we decide to deploy them as such, it's
(04:00):
it's a problem not to have at Devin Witherspoon because
he's also the guy that will match up in the
slot with Pat Fryarmove, John O'smith, et cetera, along with
you know, whether whether they line up Cal in the
slot or bringing Roman Wilson. Those are the things that
you kind of like look.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
At and go, this is interesting.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
You're really gonna need your front seven to be more
aggressive because you don't have it on the backside right
now with with those injuries as three guys to your secondary,
and those are three, you know, two starters at one
key contributor.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, so it's gonna be.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
And I don't know, Max, I don't know whether Seattle
travels and Travels are defender and I have not yet.
I don't watch my own tape until Thursday or Friday
of the week, so I in preparation for my duties
as a play by play guy. I don't know whether
he travels or not. But Devin Witherspoon was a fifth
overall pick a couple of years ago by Seattle. They
(05:01):
were expecting big things out of him and you know
what he's delivered. He's been to a Pro Bowl his
first two seasons, so he is kind of their main
cog on the back end. And you know Love, we
know Love. He's been around for a while. He's a
really solid player, so you know. But I think in
particular and Em and Worry is a guy that you know,
you're kind of hoping for things out of him, much
(05:21):
like the Steelers are hoping for things out of Derek Harmon,
and they want him back there because you know, there's
some limitations when you take a guy that high the expectation.
Like you said, first round, great on Em and Warriy.
I was surprised that, you know, he was kind of
figured out a late first round, maybe early second, which
is why I thought, you know, of all the defensive
linemen were gone.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
He might be an interesting.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
Guy for the Steelers, right because he's such a unique player.
But expectations are that he's going to commit and help.
But Witherspoon would be If he can't play, that's that's
a really big loss for Seattle. Again, I don't want
to jump the gun. We don't know yet whether he's
going to play or not play. But Devin Witherspoon's a
to rip football player, he is.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
And like you said, today and tomorrow, really tomorrow really
is kind of the line of demarcation whether a guy
can play or not. So that final Friday list, that's
the list that you anticipate going into Sunday, because Saturday
is just to walk through.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
It's a glory, you know, it's a glory, It's a
glorified point.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Who you got session, So Friday is really your last
day of work, and that's that's where you want to know, Hey,
who do I have going into this game on Sunday?
Who's going to actually travel and get off the plane,
get off the bus at after sure ready to strap
it up.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
You're going to find that out Friday.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
You know, Wednesday is always that cautionary day where you
have to list them if they're not going to participate
and you have to put something there. So Wednesday practice
report is just kind of an early bird's eye view,
but it doesn't really give any insight because I mean,
you look at just the designation between TJ. Watt and
Cam Hayward right both vet days, but one one listened,
(07:05):
limited one listened in the in the no go section.
So that's where it's kind of it's kind of you know,
gamesmanship for a lot of this stuff, and some teams
don't don't actually reveal what the bigger issue is.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
They'll just put something generic.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
So yeah, you know, interesting for day one, but obviously
we'll monitor and keep an eye on that because that
would be going down three defenders in the secondary that
you know, when you're thinking about dk Metcalf roaming against you,
a guy that they've played with and practiced against.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
They know what a problem he can be.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
So it's going to be really interesting to see how
they decide to deploy the rest of the team because,
like you said, I believe Tyrek Woolan.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Will be the guy that will be on him.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
So you still have Reek Woolan, But who's around him,
Who's who's protecting the other guy? Because here's what we
learned in week one about Aaron Rodgers is that it
doesn't have to be thrown to number one. It's going
to the open guy. And who are you going who
are you going to defend and with whom when they
(08:16):
deploy them, is you know, is it the fact that
you're going to have, you know, in your other in
your other corner. You know, is he going to be
the one that travels with him, Josh Job, that travels
with with a Calvin Austin Or is he gonna like
I said? Or are they gonna run a combo man's own?
And so now you're gonna zone off of Calvin Austin,
(08:36):
John new Smith, Pattfrire, Move, Roman Wilson, Vince Kronic at
throw's name in there, Scottie Miller. You know, are they
gonna be used for the rest Darnelt Washington, Connor Hayward.
They're gonna be used for the rest of those guys
or are you gonna are like you said? Because they're
not running Legion to Boom style things. Right, This isn't
Mike McDonald's cup of tea. He's not one of those
(08:59):
guys that plays guys. He's only on the right and
that's what he is. Or he's only field and boundary. No,
they're a matchup conscious team. So you're going to match
up against DK and because you don't know who deploys
is the number two? Who is the guy who comes around?
And I think that anonymity forces a challenge on Seattle's
(09:20):
defensive front on how they're going to protect against DK
Metcalf going off and let the other guys beat you,
because there's a pride issue there. When you got a
former player that you traded, you said yes, and now
you have to pay for the air of your ways.
And I'm sure when they traded him, they're like, we're
(09:41):
gonna send into the farthest place where we're never gonna
see him. And then the schedule comes out and you're like, crap,
we see him week two, right.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
Right for sure? You know the other thing, Max is
you know, and you know, I think about this a lot.
And the team that really got me thinking about it
was I don't know, six seven years ago when Kansas
City was coming into Pittsburgh and they just had all
those weapons, Tyreek Hill and down you go and you're like, okay,
well we're going to.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
Try to match up there.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
Of course, number one receivers always find a way to
be productive, right, Tyreek Hill always finds a way to
be productive. DK Metcalf always finds a way to be productive.
I mean, you know, they'll have better games than others,
but you're never gonna truly take a Jamar Chase out right.
There's a reason that he gets the amount of catches
he gets in justin Jefferson. Because they're great players, right,
(10:30):
so you put but you know you're you're trying to
guard against them, right And so I remember when Kansas
City came in. I just thought, you know, you run
out of good players to cover them. Good players to
cover good players. They're hard to find. There's a reason
that Witherspoon went fifth overall in the draft because he's
covering a receiver who went fifth overall in the draft.
(10:52):
You know you're trying to combat that. And when I
look at the Seattle team and you know, you think,
on paper, if everybody's hell healthy, you can see where
they would they could match up pretty well against this Teelers.
You put Witherspoon on Metcalf, if he's going to travel,
you put em, and worry on that big guy in
the slot.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
John new Smith.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Now you have Rik wutin another guy who's Woolan, who's
been to the Pro Bowl himself. You know, maybe he's
on the outside on Calvin Anderson or Calvin Anderson, Calvin.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Aten's I mean, there's a lot of crossover names here.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
I don't think, and I don't think.
Speaker 6 (11:31):
I don't see Calvin Anderson. You never know, uh, you know,
six offensive linemen. Maybe he's out there, uh, providing that
that mismatch against Rek no, I misspoked, So I'm obviously
I meant Calvin Austin. But you know, you put Wollan
on him, and now all of a sudden you're like, Okay, well, uh,
we match up pretty well against you, right, but you
start to take guys out, and even the best laid
(11:54):
plans right now you start to have mismatches.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
And it's and it's.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
Why in certain games I happen to think this is
a game where you want Last week you had to
worry about Garrett Wilson and was there anybody really else
to worry about? I don't know about that. Jackson Smith
and Jig but is clearly their guy. But you can't
forget about some of the other weapons they have, you know,
(12:18):
particularly Cooper Cup who's at who's had you know, look,
he's he's coming back from some injury, banged up years,
you know, some some reduced playing time. But when he's
been healthy, he's still been a five or six catch
a guy, catch a game guy. So you have to
deal with him, and but you have that's why when
you're the Steelers, You've got Jalen Ramsey, but then you
(12:41):
also have Joey Porter Jr. And you also have Darius
Slay providing Joey Porter Jr. Of courses out there, so
you know all these matchups, which you know is why
we delve into these things and why to me, uh,
the Steelers are going to be better equipped than they've
been in years to deal with teams that have two
three really really good targets. And Seattle I think would
(13:05):
have said, hey, we match up pretty well, but you
already know em and Warry is not going to be
playing in this game, so it'll be you know, these
these injuries to these guys in the secondary are gonna
definitely bear watching over the next forty eight hours as
they kind of figured out who can play and who
can't play on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Yeah, and I mean, and that's gonna be the challenge,
and you know, I think that's where the emphasis is really.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Going to come on. You know, how how.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Are they deploying it, especially defensively, Like I'm looking at
the front seven is gonna have to be way more
aggressive if your back half is injured, is injured and
suffering you don't want to lead them exposed out there,
you know, with a lack of pass rush, So you've
got to generate that the force, you know, get Aaron
Rodgers to throw it quicker, to identify it so they
don't got to cover their liability. The longer it goes,
(13:55):
the deeper the routes get, the tougher it gets for
a defensive back to kind of take advance. And then offensively,
you've got to figure out how do we keep this
ball away from Pittsburgh because Aaron Rodgers is still the
GINSU chef and he can still dice you up. So
you know there's gonna be measured abilities. You know, obviously
(14:15):
Jackson Smith and Jig but is their number one receiver.
But like you said, Cooper Cupp is a guy who's
made a living as a wide receiver, being your intermediate,
your intermediate short pass catching guy, slot type of player
who can go and he's going to take the shallow crosser,
and he's a catch and run guy. He's trying to
(14:35):
run and get yards after the catch. So anytime you
can put corners in distress, they're trying to do that.
Kenneth Walker and Zach Charboney are going to have to
be a combo two headed monster in the backfield to
kind of stabilize the run game for them.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
And then X factor, who is Sam Darnold.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Because going after one week didn't look that great, didn't
look that great for the money they paid for him,
And you know, is he going to have another outing?
That's a doozy because the personnel is a lot different
than what he had in Minnesota. So these are the
questions we're asking and the sample size is too small
to extrapolate because it's only one game, and we all
(15:16):
know one game is not going to tell you the
true tale of this team and what they can do. They,
like the Steelers, is trying to figure out how do
I get better from this first game? Like what keys
and things do I need to do to make us
a more viable option, to make us a more you know,
dominating team, a more evenly matched.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Contest for them, That's what the challenge is.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
And so for Seattle, coming in not positive news, but
I mean you also went and you got dogs to
kind of compliment what you are trying to do defensively.
You know, you bring in de Marcus Laws, you bring
in Leonard Williams to try and help. And you know
you have former first round pick littered throughout this defense.
(16:02):
You know, Devin Witherspoon, big blow, Like you said, number.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Five overall pick that was there.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
You know, Boye Mafe was a highly proud second round
pick back in twenty two for them. So you went
and you got all these different pieces. Now you just
need all of them to kind of fit together and
kind of create something. Derek Hall another guy, him and
DeMarcus Lawrence tandem at that rush end position.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
So you're gonna have your.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Challenges and for the offensive line is gonna be a big,
big week again. You know we talk about these five
star beef eater matchups. You've got plenty of beef on
both sides of the ball, and you want to see
who's gonna win that tilt. So young team versus grizzly veterans.
Different problem than you had a week ago.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
And one other thing to point out, by the way,
about Cooper Cup and one of the things that makes
them valuable is not only the passing game. And I
don't think this is an issue with the Steelers right
There are some teams that have corners who are basically
cover corners and that's what they do well. I think
we've seen with with Joey Porter Junior, Jalen Ramsey and
(17:07):
Darius Slay willing tacklers, not not guys who're gonna shy
away from contact. Which is important because Cooper Cupp is
an exceptional blocker. He's one of the best blocking wide
receivers in the NFL. So again, when you talk about
matchups and different parts of the matchup, that's one of
the matchups that I think that Cooper Cup is a
(17:27):
real plus for you. Like we talk about that with
John new Smith in the slot, you know a big
target who can work out of the slot and if
you want to try to put a little guy on
him to try to defend him, he will block you
in the running game and run you into the dirt.
And Cooper Cup's that kind of guy too. But this
yeerlers don't have guys that shy away from that as
far as they're cover corners.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
In the running game.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, and we've got King Petty over there on the
defensive secondary at Jalen Ramsey, right, Jalen's gonna talk, He's
gonna get in your ear. Jalen has played with Cooper
Cup in LA. So he knows Cooper practiced against him,
and he's gonna know some of those triggers to try
and get in his head. That that's that's a part
of his game. Not only exceptional.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Player, exceptional trash talker as well as we.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Saw like the whole, the whole I'm not touching you,
you're touching me, you're touching me.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
I'm not gonna let go to you.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Let go at the end of the half, like him
and Garrett Wilson holding jerseys and of course him having
the last uh we'll say, I don't know if we
call that a laugh, the last boom in the contest
with dislodging the football from him. So you know they're
why Seattle's watching that tape and like, oh man, this
guy again. You know I thought we got rid of
him when he went to Jacksonville. Now ah, he I'm
(18:38):
sorry when he went to Miami.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Now he's still he's still he's still certified. He's still
a top one hundred NFL player, and he played like
it on Sunday and he's about that action.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
He is straight. Let's let let's get physical.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
He's one of those guys that didn't shy away from it,
like you said, then of course you know, big play Sleigh.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
I'm trying to get used to saying that.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Darius preference Sligh, but his preference is big play. I mean,
I guess that's probably how people felt when when Dion
was like, Noah, just call me prime, Prime Prime. You know, yeah,
you have you have yeah, yet you have to have
your name. I mean, he also has his own probably
has his own walking music. So you know, I'm gonna
give it to him. Big play Sleigh is a guy
(19:22):
that does not shy away from it. And it'll be interesting,
you know because, like you said, Chuck Clark play in
a secondary position because Deshaun Elliott out. You bring in Gabriel, Preppers,
how much do you use Gabriel? You know, how fast
can he learn this defense to be effective and be
a guy that can play around for you one Thornhill
as well. You know, these guys are looking at it
(19:43):
and saying, okay, what what what else can we do?
And then for Patrick Queen and Peyton Wilson super aggressive
on Sunday. And I don't know if that's more t
I schematic or Tha schematics, or if it was just
how how they see themselves playing. But they can't get
fooled on the play action fake They've got and they've
got to rediagnose and detect as quick as possible from
(20:07):
that position. And so you know this is a team effort,
disengaging from the football seeing how that works. So you
can help that secondary play fast with their hair on fire.
You've got to be able to do it on the
front seven, just like we're expecting Seattle to do. That's
also what we need the Steelers defense to do as well.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
So we have much to get to.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
We want to remind you to gear up with the
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(20:48):
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shop at Shop dot Steelers dot com. Back with more
as we take a look at the AFC matchups this
week with Max Starks. When we continue inside the Locker
Room with King and Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 6 (21:40):
Well, thank you very much for being with us inside
the locker room, and it's time for our AFC freeview
presented by UPMC, the official healthcare provider and health plan
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Max, we have a really
intriguing football game tonight that is not an AFC matchup,
but the Commander's Packers.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Quick sneak on that one's stay sneak look on that one.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
Even though it's not AFC, this one fascinates MEP. Have
we lost Max? Okay, so we've lost Max momentarily. So
that is a game that we're all. I think every
football fan is looking forward to seeing that one Commander's
(22:21):
Packers tonight, each team starting one to zero. The Packers
obviously with the with the big trade with the Cowboys
to get Michael Parsons, are considered to be one of
the elite teams in the NFC. The Commanders, I think,
are pretty widely considered to be the number two pick
behind the Eagles and another team that advanced deep into
(22:43):
the playoffs a year ago with Jayden Daniels, and they're
coming off a Week one win, another team that is
considered a contending type of team. So that is going
to be an absolutely fascinating matchup.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
So I can't wait for that one tonight on Thursday
Night Football.
Speaker 6 (22:59):
But Max, we're getting to the AFC preview here, and
I have to say I am extremely interested in the
Jaguars visiting the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Yeah, no, I am too. I think this Jaguars Bengals
matchup both want to know who would have thought that,
especially if you watch that Browns game. The Bengals definitely
tried to give that game to them on multiple occasions.
But the Browns do the Brown thing and they just
they can't they can't get right.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
So I get it.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
But I think for Jacksonville, this was something we were
interested to see because Trevor Lawrence we saw him in
the preseason, well, Teicalarly, we saw the Jacksonville team. We
did not see Trevor Lawrence. But you know, it was
it was it was a truncate I think they did
what one series I believe, trying to remember Rob, we
get one series of them.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah it wasn't much, Yeah it wasn't much. But Trevor
Lawrence is a big year.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
This is a make or break year for Trevor Lawrence
and seeing what they can do. I thought Travis Etn
ran his butt off in Week one against Carolina, ran
for I think one hundred and forty three yards. So
you know, this is a different Jaguars team under Liam
Cohen and a new.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Establishment of how they're going to go about.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Business in the AFC South and looking to establish themselves,
especially when you're thinking about, you know, the Houston Texans
and that.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Being kind of the front runner in their division.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
So this is an opportunity if you can go and
play the Cincinnati Bengals team in Cincinnati and take one
from them, that would be a big notch in their belt.
And you know, for for Cincinnati, we kind of know
what this is. We know who this team is. It's
led by Joe Burrow, the heart beats by Joe Burrow.
And you just paid a butt load of money to
(24:48):
Jamar Chase and t Higgins, so you want to see
them kind of come alive and create opportunities for themselves.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
But defensively, you're looking at at it and you know
you got.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
A pissed off Trey Hendrickson, who's on that rental who's
on that rental contract for a year, Tamar Stewart, a
first round draft pick who held out and now is in.
Can that defense really be, you know, elite, that's the
question we're gonna ask. But two teams that it's gonna
be a really good tilt to see them. And you're
talking about this AFC posturing and positioning for both these
(25:21):
teams looking to make a playoff push that weren't in
the playoffs a year ago.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
Yeah, and I think you know, the Jaguar is probably
happy to be one to oh and and kind of
trying to build something and get going, and and Cincinnati
happy to be one to know, but not happy with
the way they played against Cleveland. I think that's a
fascinating matchup. I cannot wait for that one. I think
it's gonna be one of the games the week. We'll see,
uh but but I think it's gonna be an interesting
(25:45):
one Rams against the Titans. Obviously, NFC AFC matchup Max,
anything that that sticks out.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
On that one with you. No, it's gonna be a
Rams are gonna beat the Titans.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
So there's that gets to cam Ward obviously as a rookie,
still trying to figure out, you know, this game, his personnel.
It's not a good constructed team right now. I mean
that's the reason why you're able to get cam Ward
the number one overall pick, because you weren't. So I'm
not expecting much from them. I think they'll we'll have
(26:19):
a better idea of who they are come week six,
week seven, after they've worked through it. But this is
the byproduct of when you get the number one overall
pick and you pick a quarterback.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
To lead your team.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
I don't want to call it a curse, but the
last couple of years with number one overall picks has
not been that great. Look at Caleb Williams, it's always
better to be the second quarterback.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Take it.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
I feel like because you know, you look at Caleb,
you look at Bryce Young and both struggling.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
But then you look at the number two picks C J.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Stroud and Jayde Daniels, You're like, okay, all right, yeah,
good things are happening for those teams. So the pressure
of being a number one overall pick is one that
is tough. And so cam Ward, I think, you know,
we'll know a little bit better about him then.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
So here's one I think that is extremely interesting as well,
the Patriots taking on the Dolphins. That you know, that's
a big game. I think in the you know, each
team is zero to one, it's a conference, it's a
division matchup, big game for both those teams in Miami,
and a lot of talk already about Mike mccanniel being
(27:27):
on the on the hot seat down in Miami.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Well, it's the battle of winless teams. Somebody has to win, right,
We're absolutely like, somebody has to win this game. I
don't know, it could be a tie, but still somebody
has to win. And neither team had a great, great showing.
I mean you're talking about between the two of them,
rob twenty one total points scored between both teams, and
(27:52):
if you asked me to pick between the two who
scored a majority of those points, I definitely would not
have said the New England Patriots. So that just goes
to show you kind of where you're at. Vrabel really into,
you know, dialing in for this season and trying to
see what he can do, you know as a coach,
really changed the.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Culture in New England. And you know.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
Drake May had to throw the ball forty six times
in that Week one matchup forty six times. It's a
lot of it's a lot of passing and not a
lot of rushing.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
So we're gonna see what goes on there. Now we'll
say this.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
You know, you got Harold Landry over there that you
got from Tennessee when Tennessee was on their fire.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Sale kick, and I mean dou had two and a
half sacks.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
So I mean that's a bright spot for New England
is on their defense but offensively. And then for the
Miami Dolphins, they're going to get in rhythm. They just
look like trash week one and you know, got to
see what Tua and the weapons can do. You've got
an upset Tyreek Hill down there. But you still got
(28:56):
Jalen Waddle another another very competent dude, and davon a
chain is a very good, versatile all around back. So
you think that Miami can rebound and put some points
up on the board, but yeah, eight points is not
gonna cut it for this. So it's gonna be a
really good AFC East tilt between them trying to jock
(29:17):
for second place in that division. I guess is that
that's what this game is because the only team that
won the AFC East last week was the Buffalo Bills,
and that was by one point. They had to score
forty one and the Baltimore Ravens scored forty. So you
know that division is definitely still squarely of the bills favor,
and we're gonna see if one of these teams can
(29:37):
kind of emerge and get back on track of week two.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Okay, So Bill's Jets any intrigue here.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Yeah, there's a lot of intrigue because I think what
we saw in the Jets last week, if they could
build upon that, the way that they possessed the football,
the physicality and the run game, I mean, it leaves
a lot of a lot of a lot of feelings
of this is going to be a physical matchup and
that defense if they can corral Josh Allen.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
And really get under his skin.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
You know, this this is one that you could see
it being a very tightly contested game.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I think the Jets, if.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
We're going off a week one alone, and here's my overreaction,
I guess you could call overreaction Thursday, it would be
that the Jets are the second best team in the
AFC East, interesting and this is their chance to kind
of take take a shot at the crown in this moment.
So I mean, can't can't argue me, argue me against
you know what justin Fields is able to provide. But
(30:38):
you know, at boost in that run game, if they can,
if they if they're clicking on all cylinders, it could
be a good challenge because they have to remember, this
Buffalo defense gave up forty points to to the Ravens.
So it's not like, hey, this is a stout defense.
This is a you know, this is a very low
scoring game. No, there was a lot of points scored
on them and their team, and their team luckily got
(30:58):
one more point than the oppost it they weren't leading
for a majority of that game. So that's another team
that ran the ball really effectively on them. So let's
see if that travels in these moments, and you can
bring that from week to one to week two. Because
you're also at home hosting the Bills. You're not up
in Buffalo, so home field advantage, you hope would be
(31:20):
on your side. So it's gonna be that's gonna be
a really intriguing matchup to watch.
Speaker 5 (31:25):
Yep, I agree.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
I I'm bullish on the Jets, I really am. I
think that they're I think they're an interesting team. I
think you're right on. I think they're the I think
they're the second best team in that division. I know
everyone's on New England early on, and I know it's
only one week, but I think that's I think that's
I'm with you. I think that's a very very interesting game. Okay,
(31:47):
here's another one. Brown's Ravens.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Mm hmm, it just Brown flush it.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
I do not see them listen. I know this is
a revenge game. This is the Joe Flack. Okay, Joe's
already had his revenge game, so this is just simply
Brown's playing Ravens, and the Ravens put up forty and
the Browns couldn't beat the Bengals and they only put
up sixteen points in this game, and it looked like
a war of attrition. I know you have Miles Garrett
(32:15):
over there Cleveland. Yes, so if you are a Cleveland
spy listening to our broadcast here, I know that you
have Miles Garrett. But that's really it, and listen, it's
just count down to win. Are you going to play
the rookies, whether it's Dylan Gabriel or Shadur Sanders, because
this is going to be a very tough stretch for
(32:36):
the Browns. Everybody that they play from this point in
the next five weeks are all playoff teams from a
year ago, and you don't.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Know which ways up. So I think that this is
a struggle.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
I think Baltimore is probably gonna win this one easily,
but that's why you play the games. But I'm thinking
the Ravens probably have this one in to.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
Yeah, I don't think it's I mean, it's interesting because
it's a division matchup. It's interesting because Baltimore over the
last couple of years, they just need to get to
Week two, you know. I mean, that's really been their problem,
is that Week one has just been a nightmare for him. Frankly, So, yeah,
I agree with you. I can't see that being much
of a game. Broncos Colts. Each team want to er
(33:22):
no surprise the Broncos or want to know the Colts
surprising a lot of teams. That should be a fun matchup.
Indiana Daniel Jones, Yeah, Indiana Jones, Indiana Jones exactly. His
name's not Henry, it's Daniel. So this is one that's
going to be very.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Interesting to see this matchup because, like you said, I mean,
Daniel Jones very efficient in week one, seventy two yards
and a Tuddy and Jonathan Taylor doing Jonathan Taylor type things,
and he's your all around guy. I mean, it's going
to be a really good matchup. When you look on
(33:59):
the other side, bo Nicks, they had to throw the
ball forty times, which is a little bit, you know,
concerning when you're thinking about a team that's trying to
be balanced, because you do have you know, JK.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
Dobbins, R. J.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Harvey, the rookie you drafted in that backfield, and you
know you still had to throw the ball forty times
in that contest.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Bo Nicks are two interceptions.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
So it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting to see
how this is I think it's I think it's a
good matchup for for how this team is gonna play. So, uh,
that one is gonna be a really good just AFC
matchup and uh, Broncos taking the show on the road
going to Indianapolis to play the Colts. So you know,
(34:40):
do you have lightning in a bottle with Daniel Jones?
Do you have a Sam Darnold renaissance brewing in Indy
or is it Daniel Jones becomes Daniel Jones again after
playing against this defense of the Denver Broncos, which is
really really good. It's a really good defense. So that's
gonna be the question. How do that happen? So I'm excited.
(35:02):
This is probably this is one I put right there
right below the Buffalo. The Buffalo and Jets game is
probably a really good matchup and both teams, both teams
have a win, so you know, somebody's gonna come away
with their first loss.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
And then as far as you know talking about some
of the big games of the weekend, I mean, the
Chiefs are always involved in it. They are zero to
one and they're hosting the one to no Eagles. That
to me, who get home from the Steelers game and
get immediately in front of the TV and watch that one.
Speaker 4 (35:36):
Yeah, that's that's it's really a good till Super Bowl reunion.
So to speak to a degree, this is a Super
Bowl rematch from just a few months ago. You know,
they last played in February and now they are playing
in September.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
So interesting thing. You know, you look at Kansas City
reeling after a loss.
Speaker 4 (35:58):
You know that they went to the hilt with with
the Chargers and they came out the short end of
the stick, not from the lack of late late time
heroics by Patrick Mahomes and Philly Philly without Jalen Carter.
You know, that was a tight contest against the Cowboys
to start the season.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
So you get Jalen Carter back.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
Let's see what he can do and if this Eagles can,
if the Eagles can get back on track with having
a dominating defense, we shall see. And did Kansas City
learn their lesson with their new additions. Josh sim is
going to have his hands full on the edge. But
this is not the Eagles of last year, so we're
gonna it's gonna be a really good matchup.
Speaker 6 (36:34):
Yeah, I mean, it's almost hard to believe that that
the Chiefs could possibly go zero to two. And yet
you know, uh, it's staring right in the face potentially
it is.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
It is And the only good thing we can get
him at home? You get him at home. That's the
only good thing you can glean.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
From that one.
Speaker 6 (36:57):
And just quickly Buccaneers at the Texans at Texans another
team a disappointing ohen one. Uh So that's something that
that you know they're gonna have to deal with and
and not an easy.
Speaker 5 (37:09):
Task on Monday night taking on uh this Buccaneers.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
Team, No, not gonna be an easy task. And you
know they're gonna have you know, CD Straus have to
figure this out. They got a good young defense, they
reloaded on offense. So it's gonna be really interesting to
kind of see that one. The one I'm excited about, though,
is that charge that Chargers Raiders.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
The Monday night game. That's the one that I'm I'm
looking forward to.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
I just I I know the Houston Texas and Tampa Bay,
but but once against a f C NFC and the whole.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Posturing, it doesn't it doesn't matter as much.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
And I think Tampa Bay probably wins that one. But
this is the matchup I want to see. I got sorry,
Sorry I.
Speaker 6 (37:46):
Rushed rush it through because you're right, that's the that's
the said I'd forgotten about the second Monday night matchup,
and that's you know, the Chargers want to oh and
and you know, a big emotional win and you know,
you beat Kansas City down to Brazil and you're feeling
good about yourself and you know what, and the Raiders
are one to know too, right, So and again, every
(38:07):
matchup I think early on in the season can be extremely,
extremely challenging. You just don't know what teams are gonna do.
I agree with you. I think that's a fascinating game.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
It's truly fascinating. And like you said, this is back
to back away slash home. I guess you have to
say it for the Chargers because technically Brazil was a
home game, but it wasn't played in so far so
technically you didn't sleep in your own bed the night before,
So you know, back to back row games for the Chargers.
Can they continue this type of dominance? And this is
(38:40):
like you said, the Raiders are one to oh. So
both teams come into this undefeated things that we probably
didn't expect from either team say this to be one
of those zero to one type of games, but primetime
Pete Carroll and Harbaugh going going at it. They have
a very very long history. Roby have a very long history.
(39:02):
This goes back USC Stamford, like they go back to
college like going head to head, and then San Francisco
and Seattle for all those years as well, who was
going to go to the super Bowl? That was the
NFC West kind of time or renaissance where you didn't
know if it was going to be them or San
Francisco that was going to make the deep playoff run.
And now they see each other on the AFC side
(39:23):
of it, still on the West, still in the friendly
confines of the Pacific time zone, but now both of
them are at their third different team meeting each other.
Speaker 3 (39:35):
Can't wait.
Speaker 6 (39:36):
You know, every weekend is a great weekend, and this
is another great weekend early on trying to figure out
who's who and what's what in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
And of course we have our game.
Speaker 6 (39:47):
Which is a pretty sizable game with the Seahawks visiting
and the Steelers. More on that when we continue inside
the locker room with King and Stark's presented by your
neighborhood Fords.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
Or here on this steel There's Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
He is in the locker room with King and 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 5 (40:21):
All right, well, just a couple of minutes left here, Max.
Speaker 6 (40:24):
Were well, oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Just hit the bell. Laugh there it is lunch almost, sir,
go Rob.
Speaker 5 (40:39):
No, I usually give it, you can usually give it
a little more than that.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
I don't want to take your mot We're slow.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
We're tight on time, so I didn't want to. I didn't.
I didn't want to elongate that any long because.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
I want to full elongate and Max Stark experience.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
It's like two minutes. It's like two minutes. I mean,
listens the early lunch warning system.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
Everybody out there.
Speaker 4 (40:56):
Is Steeler iss. You know what time it is. We
are teams five minutes to forge time and lunch. So
make sure if you're out there on the roads. You're
going to get yourself something good and delicious to eat.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
All right back to you, Rob, can we can we
just can we ring the bell one more time?
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Justin there we go, There we go. Max. It is
the early lunch warning system year at bell. Laugh, it's
the bell everything.
Speaker 4 (41:25):
Yeah, I know, I'm out of it now, I'm out
of it.
Speaker 5 (41:28):
I'm sorry I threw you off. Look, still working. You
got a rookie with you.
Speaker 6 (41:32):
You know you gotta take me under your wing, right,
you gotta you gotta teach me the ropes much like?
Uh yeah, wait, real quick, what is the excitement level
right now for a rookie? Uh, knowing that you're gonna
be playing your first game and act for sure, you've
been watching Steelers games on TV. You know about renegade probably,
you know a lot of the cool stuff that happens
(41:53):
uh in Pittsburgh. You know about the terrible towels. You
got a tiny taste of that in a preseason. But
are you just stoked right now? If you're a rookie
about playing your first home game in Acrosure Stadium, you
have to be you have to be listen.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
I know you got to taste of renegade, But there's
a difference when it matters, and it's in fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Defense has just gotten the ball. It's a tight ball game.
You need something to happen.
Speaker 4 (42:21):
And then you hear the voice of the gods harken
on to you, the challenge that has been bestowed upon you,
the video evidence of what that dominance looks like, and
it can't help but fuel you in your journey and
quest for dominance and eternal glory. And that's what renegade is. Granted,
(42:43):
I know that if you watch any of the Steelers specials,
Joey Porter thought the song name was Obama. Okay, that's
all right, still one of the funniest things ever. But
whatever it takes, you know, that's what it is. When
you feel across it's on your side. You see those
terrible towels rallying in key critical moments and you look
(43:07):
around and you're like, yeah, I'm here. This is what
it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. This is what
it means to play for a historic and esteemed organization
that prides itself in success, dominance, and Super Bowl trophies.
Only one other team can claim the same title. Of course,
(43:28):
they didn't do it over as a long period of time,
as the Steelers have a mass theirs, But at the
same time, it's still something you're one of two and
you're the first to do it. We're the first ones
to do it. For the other thumb. You just remember
that when you start your journey here at Actor. Sure,
that's what that's That's what I'm excited about, Rob.
Speaker 5 (43:47):
Mike drop moment.
Speaker 3 (43:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (43:48):
Max Stark's tremendous stuff. Cannot wait. We're gonna really dive
into the nitty gritty details of the big matchups coming
up tomorrow, but that'll do it for today. Our thanks
to Jerry you Lack, our thanks to Justin Miller at
our I Heart Studios for producing this show, and our
thanks of course to you for listening to Inside the
(44:08):
Locker Room if King Starks, presented by our neighborhood Ford
Store here on the Steelers Audio Network.
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