October 14, 2025 • 44 mins
The guys critique league power rankings as we are officially entering the seventh week of the season and continue to preview the Cincinatti Bengals.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This 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 Shot. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shot at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Oh yeah, Optimus, we're barreling down and as I hate
to say this, but we are just two sleeps away
from another game with the Steelers. Crazy to say that
on a Tuesday, right, Rob is wild. But we are
in the Power Hour, day two, getting ready for a
(00:47):
Thursday night tilled against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, and it can't wait. And we're gonna get to
the Bengals in a moment, I promise. However, we just
wanted to clean up up a couple of other guys
on defense. It just, I mean, there's just so many
Deshaun Elliott team high twelve tackles phenomenal by the way,
herbig two sacks, two tackles for losses, four quarterback hits.
(01:17):
That is dominant. High Smith half a sack, two quarterback hits.
Welcome back, Alex TJ Watt half a sack, three quarterback hits,
two passes defended. Don't want to leave out Derek Harmon, No,
you know, he he has two sacks on the season,
(01:37):
and I think Max there they are four half sacks,
so he has just been in there, and and two
quarterback hits, so he has just been in there a
ton up. He has just been He has been extremely,
extremely disruptive.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah for a guy that missed two games, he is
making up for it. Yeah, he's right, right, and and
it's just it's fascinating to watch him play. It is
so refreshing. But when you talk about why the run
defense is picked up, you know, just look no further
than nine to nine. He has he has been a
(02:14):
difference maker in there. He just knows how to move
and how to get in position. He has a lot
of polish for a rookie. And you know, the stats
aren't gonna aren't going to be there for defensive line.
That's just not how the three four system works. It's
designed to funnel everything to your linebackers. And you know,
(02:34):
especially and and and having a safety that plays in
the box like the Sean Elliott as well, So the
stat category is not going to run up and there's
always gonna be guys that get there a little bit
quicker than you, because Derek harm is having to go
through two large offensive line and human beings, right, two
large prairie mammals to get that half sack, whereas guys
coming off the edge have to deal with one maybe two,
(02:57):
and it's not and it's just people, you know, a
tight end that may or may not know how to
block a running back coming off of a chip and
then a tackle, or you're coming free off the edge
because you're you're replacing and you're running a running a
blitz when let a receiver go and you have an
undabated access and now now it's really attract me, right,
(03:17):
a foot race to get to the quarterback before he
recognizes where where the missing spot is. That's that's left open.
And so that makes it even more impressive when you
see what Derek Harmon just does from that perspective, and
like you said, holes that look there for a second
with the vision of a running back get closed immediately
the second you blink your eyes. That's where the effect
(03:40):
is and that's that's the hallmark that helps the entire team. Right,
you know, when he gets when he gets a stat
like that. It's it's almost like a man. You had
to go through a gauntlet just to touch that dude,
and you you do it more often than not. So yeah,
big ups to UH, to Derek Harmon and really helping
(04:00):
solidify that run game. I mean, think about it. The
teams have not been able to really run on us
since Derek Harmon has been healthy.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yep, that's exactly right, exactly right, And we saw you
know again, I think it's gonna be like we talk
about with the offense. I think there's gonna be different heroes.
So in Minnesota, Keanu Benton had one of his best games,
maybe his best game as a professional football player. Derek
Harmon has been a steadying force. And now you know,
(04:29):
Quale has been very solid. You can continue to kind
of bring him in. We saw Oda Maywell getting his
first look at action. Y y, a black. These guys
can can sort of be shuffled back to a role
that allows not only them to maximize their abilities, but
now to give Harmon and those guys a break. And
then so now that turns around and maximizes their ability
(04:53):
as well. So and by the way, one other guys
just wanted to throw out there. James Pierre nice work
coverage late in that game.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Uh too.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
You know, I I thought, I thought, and there's just
so many guys, but I just, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I thought i'd throw him out there.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
I don't know if there's anybody else you wanted to
throw out there, max Is, There's so many but you know,
Cole Holcom But.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I say five five Hulk had had a couple of
nice plays in that game coming in relief, and I
think you're right. And Brandon Eckles continues to play solid ball.
I mean, you know, did we hear as much Peyton
Wilson this game? No, But like you said, Patrick Queen
made up for that. And it's gonna it's gonna be frickin' frack.
(05:36):
It's gonna be back and back and forth. You know
what I'm saying. It's gonna be for to one or
it's gonna be six from week to week at that
inside linebackers. That just depends on what the team's propensity
is and a lot of the rush game opportunities. So
you know, I think I think you hit just about everybody.
I mean everybody. You you could say something about everyone
that played on defense, right, everybody that had an opportunity
(05:58):
to do something. You know, I'll even throw out Carson
Brunner on special teams making some plays yep, and neutralizing.
So I mean, so it's just everybody. Essentially, everybody gets
a gold star, and a couple of guys get double
gold stars. That's that's essentially how it is.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
The starg will start. Well, the stars used to have
those stars if he handed out to the pirates back
in the day.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
A lot of guys would.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Have stars in their helmets. And the college football used
to do that right with the stars and the little details.
But there'd be a lot of guys with a lot
of decals.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
In their helmets or a buckeye, you know, that's right. Yeah,
and so dog bones on the Georgia helmet. Anyways, Max, are.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
You ready to get into for what it's worth, the
latest power rankings.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Let's do it. Let's get the eye roll contest started.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Okay, so let me preamble. Give you the preamble by
saying we're gonna go around the NFL presented by your
neighborhood Ford Sor The F one fifty is the official
truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Okay, Hey, Max, Uh. You
know when the when the British surrendered to the Colonials
(07:08):
at Yorktown, they marched out with their band to a
song called the World has turned upside Down. I guess
that was their their way of being ironic after we
thrashed them at Yorktown and sent him back to England.
So uh, I think maybe the world has turned upside
down in the nfl U. I. You know, I don't
(07:29):
feel I don't feel right putting you on the spot
because I would have to think about twenty times about
who would be number one of the power rankings unless
you want to take a stab at it.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Uh, let's see, Well, we know it's not the Eagles anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Nope.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
We know it's not the Detroit Lions anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Nope.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
We know it's not the Buffalo Bills anymore. Nope. Um,
I'm how wacky do we want to go?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Here? Lot a lot of a lot of MVP talk
for their quarterback?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Oh my gosh, really Tampa Bay number one, numero wow
at five and one, and you know what, you know,
they beat the forty nine ers thirty to nineteen.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
You know, the forty nine ers just beat the Rams.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
That was it?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
That was an impressive showing, and so there you go.
Number one, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I don't have any problem
with that right now. You know, that's gonna probably change
three weeks from now. But I don't have any problem
with that right now.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Three weeks from that's probably change by next week. Listener,
Let let Buffalo, Philly or Detroit have a good win
next week. Yeah, they will be right back at number one,
by the.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Way, to say, yeah, you know, the more I see
these things, Max, the more I'm like, you know, if
I'm the Steelers, don't get above about eighth, right because
that's like the death Now, you're gonna lose if you
get up there too.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
High, unless you're the Seahawks. Remember they jumped up.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Well, we're gonna get to them in a moment, but
they Tampa Bay's number one, five and one. Okay, they're
at the Lions Monday night.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Football. Can wait for that game.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I will be parked in front of the tube for
that one for sure. Yes, Number two jumping up from
nine to two after beating the Ravens seventeen to three.
La Rams Kid. The Rams are four and two, by
the way, they're at the Jaguars that's I believe a
London game nine thirty games man. You know what, Max,
(09:39):
we can get the full schm Morgas Board of Television
NFL Television viewing like all of our buddies, right, you
know we have on this show. For me, there is
senior correspondent Jay Cawfield, who can fill me in on
what's going around the rest of the NFL Junior correspondent
Schaefer King, who could fill me in about what.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Jay's the experienced NFL correspondent, so he can fill me
in on what's going around. But I get to watch
all the games this week exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
You get fun? I mean, that is that that is
a good day. I mean, now, granted I won't get
to do that. I will be in Kansas City calling
the Raiders Chiefs game on Sunday. Okay, not a bad
place to end up. And you know I'm still trying
to talk about a play by play guy into let's
go get barbecue.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Oh my goodness, gracious, Hype. Well, Mac, there's a chance
there's I'm not going to say it's a huge chance,
but there is a chance if your guy says no,
that I will fly out to Kansas City and have
barbecue with you. Yeh, Saturday night, Sunday morning, come on, man,
Well you're in Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
But but you know why. The reason why because he
wants to try the new Travis Kelcey Patrick Mahomes steakhouse
called fifty eighty seven Prizes. Hey, I'm like, we are
not going to be able to get in there on
a Saturday night in this restaurant like just open less
than like a month ago. I was, it's going to
be impossible on a game weekend.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
I get that. I do I understand it.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Do you want to be able to talk about it?
It's a talking point. It's cool, it's cute. But I
send send me to Joe's. You know what I'm saying,
Send me to Gates. Like Gates. I love like like,
I mean, Gates is saucy goodness. And and my you know,
and so my my dad went to school with Belinda Gates,
who runs Gays Barbecue that still used to go as
(11:31):
an offensive line when we play Kansas City. They would
they were carding off a little special spot and one
of a little side rooms and we would just chow
down on barbide. I mean, Gates is one of my
favorite all times classic Kansas City barbecue.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
My mouth is watering just thinking.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, q Q thirty nine is is a a little
bit of a little bit more fancier dining experience. Is
not quite as elevated as Arthur Bryant's, but you know
it's Arthur Bryance.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
That would be Arthur Bryant. Is that pretty elevated because that,
you know, when when I was the last time I
was in Kansas City, it felt like it was pretty
much Gates Arthur Bryant's Casey masterpiece. There's a couple I
think Moore have cropped up in the last twenty.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And Jack Stacks is kind of and now Jack Stacks
is the one where everybody kind of that that's the
big that's the biggest size barbecue restaurant.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Ok.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Now they have a second location, so Jack Stacks is
definitely like Jack Their second location, I can't remember the
name of it. It's sitting like this kind of walking
outdoor mall plaza area where they opened this other one.
And I was like, they had white table cloths. I
was like, what barbecue restaurant do you know has white
tablecloths like you're supposed to have, Like the plastic like
gingly fake picnic table plastic on their pizza hut plastic,
(12:52):
you know, type of top on there, not white tablecloths,
but jack stacks the second location does it. I was like,
this is way too fancy. I feel like I have
to eat my barbecue with a knife and fork and
I with my hands. Totally with you, totally with you.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
I'll tell you two quick barbecue tales if I can.
First what a barbecue place should be. So, if you're
in Memphis, you gotta go barbecue. To me, Oh, if
you're in Kansas, if you like barbecue and I love barbecue,
go to Kansas. You gotta go barbecue. So I went
to you know, I went to the Rendezvous. Of course,
the last time I was in Memphis. This was I
(13:28):
was covering the NCAA tournament again about twenty years ago,
and I went into Jim Neely's Interstate Barbecue. Oh my goodness,
was it good. And it's exactly what you're describing it is.
It was, you know, the tablecloths, right they had. So
the tournament's going on in Memphis. Now we've covered our
share of the tournament and it's not you know, you
(13:51):
play Thursday Saturday. It's a Friday, so I'm thinking, Okay,
this place is going to be fired up about the tournament.
They have one TV. It's a black and white TV.
It's up in the corner and I asked the woman.
I said, ma'am, is there any chance we can turn
that to the to the basketball and she said sure,
as soon as the wrestling's over. And it was studio wrestling,
and we had to watch the studio wrestling. And once
(14:11):
that was over they switched. It was like rabbit ears,
Oh it was, and it was so good. She she
told me, so I I I'm not a ketchup guy,
and I hate to say that's a hard thing to
say in Pittsburgh. I'm not a ketchup guy. So I've
never been a baked beans guy because I look at
that and it just reminds me of ketchup. And this
woman said, honey, you gotta try the baked beans. And
(14:33):
I'm like, ma'am, I don't like him. And she said,
I'm going to bring him out for you anyway, dude.
I'm telling you man, I stuck the very tip of
a spoon in right and just tasted and I mean,
I couldn't shovel that down. I got the rest of
my could go. It was so good the other and
(14:53):
the other one real quick.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I just say that.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I went to the Salt Lick Barbecue in in uh Austin, Texas,
So that's a little different. I'm not a huge not
a huge beef brisket guy. I like it, I don't
love it. I love pulled pork. I love pork ribs.
I And if I'm at a good place, I'll get
the ribs. So I'm down there and they're like, hey,
we have beef ribs. And I'm like, beef ribs. What
(15:16):
are beef ribs? I'm like, I'll try them.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, give me.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Oh yeah, that is life altering. I mean, like our
fellow mammal, the pig, they put out some good ribs.
But those beef ribs, man, holy.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yeah. We got a place here called Can't Stop Smoking
and they do and they do the beef ribs. You
just and all you need is one. I mean one
is like is like it's like a half rack of
like pork ribs. You know what I'm saying. Like, you
get one beef rib it is Oh yeah, it's like
a friend, let's go.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
That's what that's what it looks.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Welcome to bedrock. You know what I'm saying, Like it's
it is, It is absolutely is, absolutely fantastic. You get
and then specializes in like beef ribs. Oh my god,
I mean they are fall off the bone tender, and
you're just like what why this can't be that good?
But no, I'm with you. Saltick's a heck of a spot.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
We've gotten way out ahead of out of your early line.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Oh. By the way, yeah, yeah, sower barbecue. Is that
what we're doing?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
No?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Sorry, is teams teams?
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, ras So I hope you
get some barbecue in.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
We didn't even make it team yea.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You talk about a football weekend, right, You're gonna started
with the Rams and the Jaguars Sunday at nine thirty.
You're gonna conclude it with a couple of Monday night games,
including Tampa Bay your number one team at the Lions. Okay,
so we moved down number three the Indianapolis Colts at
five to one, finally getting some love up from seven
(16:57):
to three. By the way, they take on the chart.
Another great game Sunday at four oh five. Yeah, we
got some great games coming up.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
This schedule is chocked full of these matchups where you're
talking about you think you're good, we'll go prove it,
yeacid deal, get out so good. You think you want
to you want to jump up the rankings, Here we.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Go, no doubt, no doubt, Number four, moving up from
eight after their twenty seven eighteen victory over the Bengals.
We will get to the Bengals Green Bay three one
one there. Number four. The Chiefs move up from fifteen
to five by pounding the Lions thirty to seventeen. Fifteen
to five. That meant they were putting him down there,
(17:43):
because you had to put him down there. But there
were a lot of people that still believe they're good,
and I understand that.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
I get it.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
The Lions are six. They moved down from first to
six after I mean, man, they they got thumped pretty
well by the by the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
No, they got owned. They got owned. They did Chiefs.
It wasn't even thumped, it was it was they had
no answer. So I'm like, all right, well there it is,
there's your sign yep.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
And by the way, so again which we mentioned, they're
hosting the Buccaneers on Monday. Can't just can't wait for
that one. Number seven. You're Denver Broncos who beat the
Jets thirteen to eleven.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Interesting the ugliest game. Oh and they were losing most
of that. I mean they were in charge, but I
mean the Jets were, you know, they were essentially it
felt like they were going to lose that game, like
it was just so tight, but the Jets were the Jets.
But it was just like you watch it, You's just like, man,
somebody's got to win this game.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
I'm rooting hard for Justin Fields because I really, you know,
my my few interactions to them last year. I just
first of all, he's got the same birthday, you got it.
Gotta like that. Uh got to root for birthday twice.
I liked the way he handled himself. I liked the
way he handled himself when when they went with Russell Wilson.
I really wish him success. If he makes an outthrow
(19:02):
to Garrett Wilson and it was there, he just delivered
it late. If he makes that pass on fourth down,
the Jets win the game. Probably. You never never never
know what the Jets they're going to kick a field goal.
They came that close. Wilson was open jail went through
it late. That's been one of the criticisms against him.
Through it late to the sideline. If that's completed, they
(19:25):
win the game. In the Broncos, ain't number ain't number seven.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Man uh.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
They're taking them the Giants this week the Eagles, they
are eighth. They're at the vit They will drop from
three to eight after getting thumped by the Giants.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
They should be lower. They should get lower after after
get embarrassed by the Giants and they're at they're not
even beat Yeah, embarrassed the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
You're kind of you know, there's still Look, man uh,
that was a really good team last year. I'm still
not convinced the Vikings aren't a pretty decent team. Eagles
at the Vikings Sunday won. That's an interesting game. Number
nine is Seattle. They move up from twelve to nine.
You know, the more I see Seattle, the more I
(20:06):
think they're pretty good. You know, they beat the jackar
I also think it is that's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
When I would say I like the ranking, I don't
like the ranking of that. I think they should be higher.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, I agree, I agree. They're four and two. Now
they're taking on the Texans. That's the other Monday night game.
That's a good game too, man, come.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
On, yeah, this is a great weekend. I mean, the
Texas fresh off of beating the breaks off of the Ravens.
So we'll see and then you know, they had and
then who they I forgot who they played Sunday. I
think were they on By? They were on By? They
were on By. So their last game was that Ravens game. Okay,
it's tough to remember who who was on By from
week to week. It's like so many teams. But I mean, yeah,
(20:49):
CJ start, let's see, let's see if they're for real.
That's gonna be the question to see if this Texas
can bounce.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Back Jacksonville their tenth they dropped from five to ten.
I still think they're pretty solid. I think that's about
right though, don't forget. Yeah, this is a struggling team,
and they were struggling enough that they made some you know,
changes at the coach's position. I think I think that's
about right. I think they're in that ten to fifteen range.
And let's not forget that's a big improvement over where
(21:15):
they were a year ago. Here you are at number eleven,
up from number thirteen. The four and one Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Yeah yeah, hey, listen, like you said, just fly low,
fly low under the rodkay with me? Nothing to see
it here. We'll just we'll just keep collecting victories. So
don't worry about us. We're fine, because all that matters
is that golden ticket at the end of the season
that says playoffs. Yeah, matters.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
At the Bengals, who were on Thursday night, obviously just
quickly forty nine. Ers are twelve. They're taking on the
Falcons Sunday at eight twenty. Another good game considering what
the Falcons did. The Chargers are thirteenth. They're four and two.
The Patriots are fourteenth, they're four and two. The Falcons
are fifteenth, they're three and two. The Bills drop from
(22:07):
four to sixteen. Come on, man, seriously, you're telling me
they're the sixteenth best team in the NFL right now
going into a bye.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Hey, considering their injuries and considering how they played the
last two weeks. Okay, all right, I get it, they
are going into a buy. But you also saw the
Kansas City Chiefs come from fifteen and jump back into
the top five.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
So right, yeah, I mean, by the way, it's all
these are not permanent. Yeah, these teams, I mean all
these teams. Right at the Vikings they're seventeen at three
and two. The Bears are eighteen at three and two
after beating the Commanders, who are nineteen, they're three and three.
Detectans are twenty at two and three. I think all
(22:52):
of those teams, every team in the top twenty, the
parody is astounding this year. Look, you can make an
argument for Carolina, I'm not going to They're three and
three at twenty one. Then it's the Giants, the Cowboys,
the Cardinals, who have just shot themselves in the foot
time and again. Yeah, the twenty fifth ranked Ravens, the Raiders,
(23:14):
and by the way, I'm still not convinced the Ravens
aren't gonna have something to say before this is all
said and done. The Raiders, Yeah, that's right. The Bengals
at twenty seven, you know, trying to find something with Flacker.
We're going to talk about them coming up. The Saints
twenty eight, the Dolphins twenty nine, the Browns thirty, Tennessee
thirty one, the Jets thirty two. We are extremely late
(23:37):
for a break which we're going to get to after.
I remind you to gear up with the latest game
day necessities at the Officials Steelers Pro Shops. Get the
latest sideline apparel, jerseys, Terrible Tows, authentic memorabilia and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
one of the Officials Steelers Pro shops located at Akroscher Stadium,
Grove City, Premium Outlet's or Tang Route Let's or gear
(23:58):
Up bottom Line a shop that's Get it direct from
the team at the Steeveers Pro Shop at Shop dot
Steelers dot com. Back and more in the Locker Room
presented by your neighborhood Ford Store and the Steepers Pro
Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop
dot Steelers dot.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Com and welcome back inside the Locker Room of King
and Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store and Max, Uh,
we have got to do this, gotta you know, we're
gonna save some for Wes Euler. Wessell be around tomorrow,
filling in as Max takes the flight from Phoenix to Cincinnati.
Look forward to seeing you there, my friend. And yes.
(25:01):
So the Cincinnati Bengals, First of all, I thought they
looked better with Joe Flaco. I thought that, you know, look,
green Bay, we just went through the power rankings there,
one of the top teams. You're on the road, and
I really felt like the Bengals just shot themselves in
(25:22):
the foot on numerous occasions. Josevash had three three critical
drops for the team, including late in the game when
you're marching in to potentially, you know, score a touchdown.
I think they wound up. I don't they kicked the
field goal. Bit was that when the field goal got blocked,
I don't remember. But they just they just shot themselves
(25:43):
in the foot. They just weren't very good when they
needed to be. But I thought Flaco was better. And
having not been that impressed with the Bengals, I think
they got some wins they probably shouldn't have gotten, including
with Cleveland earlier in the season. They got my attention
this week as being maybe a little bit formidable than
(26:04):
I think they would have been if they had not
traded for Joe Flacco, who will now of course, have
you know a little more familiarity in his second game
is the starting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yeah no, I mean this is going to be a
very interesting thing. I think people can't get enamored with
the records or how they played recently. Joe Flacco, he's
a tried, tested and true vett He's an old Salt
and he's an old AFC North Salt. You know, he's
just he's a guy that understands all these teams. He's
played from multiple positions at multiple you know points during
(26:42):
his career in the AFC North. He has died in
the wool AFC North QB. So, and then you're putting
him with two very capable receivers, like you said, in
Jamar Chase and t Higgins, And I mean he got
what essentially like really two days of practice with him
and it was thrown out there on the field. Here
you go, we got yeah, hey, hey, good luck, but
(27:05):
good luck. Yeah. Yeah, do what you do that you
do when you do it that's essentially probably what was
the offensive mindset going into this. And you know, it
was all to get ready for this week, get on
the requisite experience, you know, in the game against Green Bay,
and you know, not super high expectations for how that
(27:29):
was going to go, making a trade midweek and getting
him in. But you know, now that he's got that
game under his belt. I mean this, this dude's a vet.
He doesn't he doesn't need a lot of reps to
get to get going. You know, it was like for
him to get on the bicycle. He just asked to
just know kind of what the guy likes and how
to put that ball to him. And so it's going
to be a good challenge for the Steelers, and you know,
(27:52):
can you respond short week, coming off of a physical
game and having to travel granted it's only this it's
only to Cincinnati, but still getting on a plane going
through it, you did, you know, not a lot of reps.
Today is like the first probably day you're gonna quote
unquote go through a real practice type of situation. Then
you're gonna get a modified Friday Friday tomorrow tomorrow before
(28:17):
you get on the plane and Thursday, ballroom walkthroughs. We
all love them. You know, you get that Thursday morning
and then boom Thursday night you are playing on Amazon
Prime and of course right here on iHeart wherever else
you could hear your radio broadcast coverage. We will be
(28:37):
coming to you live on Thursday evening. But it's going
to be a good challenge. So do not get lulled
by how they've played. Do not get lulled by what
their record is. Don't listen to the power ranking either.
By the way, also, did you know we're the only
division that only has one team in the top twenty.
Did you notice that, Rob?
Speaker 3 (28:56):
When you go I did?
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I did? I was like, Wow, how mighty have fallen?
Like these dudes are all in the back third of
the NFL, the rest of the division. And that's just
the year it is. I mean, you look at what
the AFC West chalk fol Heck, the AFC South is
full of. It's full of you know, what we consider
good teams right now? Right Jacksonville and Indianapolis are your
(29:21):
front runners, and then the Texas who won it the
last two years are the third team right now. So
it just goes to show you just how tough these
divisions have swayed, you know, and then you look at
the NFC North. On the NFC side, you know, they're
they're they're they've got they've got some good challenges. They're
picking up where they left off, even though the Detroit
(29:41):
Lions aren't playing that well as of late. But you know,
the NFC South, when you think about what happened this weekend, right,
Atlanta beating Buffalo, who would have had that on their
bingo card? Right, well, Michael Pennock's another lefty quarterback, cause
we were talking about Dylan Gabriel being a lefty. Michael
(30:02):
Pennock's also a lefty quarterback. And then Tampa Bay your
number one team in the NFL right now in the
per Power rankings. The NFC South that used to be
the joke division, right, NFC South used to be like,
oh my god, you know one of them has to
come out, will they have a winning record to get
the playoff bid? Like that used to be the running joke.
(30:23):
And now you're looking at this and you're saying, man,
they look good. Atlanta looks good. Carolina has has been
playing spoiler upset to people, so it's just it's crazy
just to see how these rankings change so drastically, and
like you said, the Buffalo Bill's tumbling tumbling down to
sixteen after two very very ugly games last two weeks.
(30:45):
So it's very fast how it can change but also
can change back. You know when you think of Kansas City,
So it's gonna be it's gonna be a good challenge
and a lot of good quarterbacks playing. And Joe Flacco,
I know, for whatever you want to say about him,
you know, Joe Flacco has won a lot of gas
in the AFC North, so he will be ready for
this game on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
It reminds me of you know, in a little bit.
I use this analogy in another show. You know, George Foreman, right,
forty six years old or whatever. Can you out box him?
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Short?
Speaker 3 (31:14):
You know you're gonna out box him, and you can
stay away, but man, if he hits you, he's got
a puncher's chance of taking you out, you know. And
I think Joe Flacco with with this team Max, you know,
I see those power rankings, and two things come to mind.
First of all, we already mentioned this, Baltimore's gonna get healthy.
If they're gonna get healthy enough in time to salvage
(31:35):
your season. I don't know, but are they gonna be
healthy enough to be a team you do not want
to play? I think absolutely they are. Look at people
were picking them to get to the super Bowl. Why
are they one and five? Because they've been decimated by injuries.
When they get those guys back, and they won't get
them all back, I think Matta BK's out for the year.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Right.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
When they get those guys back, they are going to
be a handful. They're gonna be. They are gonna be
what they were forecast to be, an elite team if
they can find something with Flacco. Remember, okay, you got
your first place Steelers. I love it, but I just
remember a word of caution. Nobody had to Steelers winning
this division. Almost everybody, almost everybody had them finished third
(32:20):
behind the Ravens and the Bengals. I'll also say this
about Cleveland. They're gonna have some games where the offense
clicks a little bit, just a little bit, and they're
gonna upset some people because that defense is really good,
the running back is really good, and if Gabriel can
get some guys involved now again, all this might change.
Because you know, the Bengals and Browns in that early
(32:41):
November trade deadline. They might just say hey, time for
next year. They might throw in a towel and make
a bunch of trades. But I think Flacco gives them
a puncher's chance. The other thing is they have a
new coordinator in Al Golden and when you look at
this defense, it just hasn't been very good. Shamar Stewart
has a chance of playing. He was their first round
pick this year. Miss four straight games, look pretty good.
(33:03):
In game number one, you have not only do you
have Trey Hendrickson, who may or may not be able
to play. By the way, we don't know right now.
Today's practice should tell us something.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Separate back. Didn't they rule him out? Yeah? Didn't they
rule him out for?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Has he definitely been ruled out for Thursday night?
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I thought that's what I saw. Schefter or someone said that.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Okay, I did not see that. I know that Gasicki
won't play the tight end. He's out with a pectoral injury.
He's going to be out for a while. I did
not see anything on I'll let you look that up
while I run through going through Stuart first round pick.
This is just the defensive line Stuart first round pick,
(33:43):
Jackson third round pick. He's third team right now, Jenkins
second round pick last year, Miles Murphy first round pick
two years ago. They are getting Demetrius Knight. Looks pretty good.
He's the second round pick at insideline. You have a
first round pick and a second round pick at corner,
(34:04):
another second round pick at cam Taylor Britt at corner.
So two second round picks in a number one. Why
am I saying this because they there's a reason they
change defensive coordinators because they felt like they drafted talented
guys that weren't performing. And so how long does it
take a group to get together under a new coordinator
(34:28):
and start performing up to their talent level. Now, of
course you take a step back and say, what is
the talent level? Just because they were drafted high, it
doesn't mean they're good. But they've got a lot of
guys that were drafted high on that defense, a ton
of guys. So at some point they're either going to
have to say, well, we drafted the wrong guys, or conversely,
(34:50):
it could turn around and they could be a defense
that starts to live up to those high pedigree picks.
So I just want to put that notion in the
back of the mind of Steelers fans, the students, and
everybody else that's facing Cincinnati is going against a team
on defense with a ton of first and second round picks.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
There.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I wanted to say.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
That, Yeah, yeah, a lot of And I'm sorry I
got that confused because he got knocked out of the
game with the bend on Sunday. Yes, so, so yeah,
you're right, today it would be could could play, could play.
Imagine he could still be trade bait at the rate
the AFC North is going. Yeah, but yeah, it would
(35:30):
be very interesting.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Uh So that's a quick thumbnail on the Bengals for now.
A couple more thoughts from Max, who's going to exit
the locker room tomorrow on his way to Cincinnati. We
want to remind you, I don't I don't know if
I've said this yet, but I'm going to remind you
to gear up with the latest game the necessities, the officials,
studi's pro shops. I don't know if they're getting two
(35:53):
or three mentions today, regardless, get the latest side on
that apparel, jerseys, terrible tows, authentic memorabilia, and customer exclusives.
You can only find directly from the team. Visit one
of the official Steelers Pro shops located at Akrocher Stadium,
Grove City Premium out Let's or Tang Route Let's, or
you can get up online at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Get it direct from the team at the Students Pro
(36:13):
Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com. Back with more
in the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Fords Store
and the Steers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio. Apart
of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
All right, you know what time it is? You love it?
We love it. I can't wait because it's the bell.
Anytime you get an opportunity to have a dinner bell
at lunchtime, you take advantage. Rob You take advantage. This
(37:13):
is your early warning system. Of course, you have seven minutes,
that's right, seven minutes to get wherever you're getting and
make sure that you enjoy something delicious for lunch. Victory
Donut Monday. Yesterday, I realize I'm gonna go ahead and
give myself a slap on the wrist, Rob, I did
not post my Victory Donut Monday. What photo? So I
am going to post it today, okay, and let everybody
(37:36):
know that I did, in fact indulge yesterday in Victory
Donut Monday. Love it. So I've got to do that.
And actually, while we're on the phone here, I'm actually
going to be doing it. So just give me a
second and you take over. Okay.
Speaker 3 (37:50):
So I guess Max is heading to Kansas City. We
had a little we had a little brief lunch discussion
earlier about best places to get barbecue or just just
in general getting barbecue when you're in Kansas City. I mean,
come on, man, when you're when you're in Kansas City,
you got to get barbecue. If you're at a seaside place,
(38:12):
you know, order the fish. You know, I'm not a
huge fish guy, but if I'm in a seaside place,
you know you're in an island somewhere, you're gonna order
the beef that gets shipped in. Now you're gonna order
the fish, so get the barbecue. Mac's final thoughts about
the game on Thursday Night. What one thing I should
(38:32):
point out? Mike Tomlin has a great record, and pretty
much everything doesn't have a great Thursday Night record. Lately,
it hasn't been very good for this series. We saw
them last year coming off a division opponent in Baltimore
at home on Sunday, traveling to Cleveland and losing. This year,
it's AFC North opponent at home. You have beat Cleveland.
(38:53):
Now you go on the road to Cincinnati, and any
reason to believe that the Steelers won't be up for
and for this game. I've got to believe it's got
their attention. I've got to believe they've got enough leadership
both with coach Tom Win and his staff and the
veterans like the Rogers and the Ramseys and guys like that,
the slaves that we've been pointing out to be able
(39:14):
to go in there Thursday night and hopefully take care
of business.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Yeah. No, this is this is one where you can't
rest on your laurels. You can't take this for granted.
You know, it's funny. We talked about how you know
last week people are like, oh, you're looking past the
Browns anticipating the Cincinnati Bengals. No. No, the next game
is the next game. The game that I'm focused on
(39:39):
is the one that's right in front of me. If
I'm a player, and I'm not taking that for granted,
I'm not looking beyond anyone. And so now it's like, oh,
this could be a trap game a short week, and
it's like, please choose your narrative wisely, right right, Rob,
choose wisely. Yes, the team is not overlooking any one,
(40:00):
and this is a division game. This does matter. They're
going to get up just like they get up. They
got up for Cleveland, just like they got up for
the previous five games of the season, the same intensity,
the same focused on the same health and speed might
not be the same because you're still a little bumped
up and bruised and sore, but the effort, tenacity and
mental acuity is going to be there for this game.
(40:21):
Nobody's looking past, nobody's looking over there. They're squarely focused on.
On Thursday, go take care of business. Improved to five
and one.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
I just saw your post on x Twitter X see
how many of those donuts did you personally consume.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
I tried.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
Three of them, Okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
Yes, I mean if we want to get into like
the the semantics of it. So I've always been a
cronut fan since it's been created.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
That square one.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
It's a it's a croissant, don't it is amazing. It's immaculate, Okay,
and it's amazing. Uh. My daughter's a bacon maple long
John type of girl. Okay, and she also loves the
traditional glazed. And then older daughter, younger daughter, yeah, older daughter, sorry,
this is Waverley Quincy. My youngest Quincey loves sprinkles, so
(41:18):
we got her the sprinkle one. Yeah. And then she's
also one that she loves nutella, so that was a
Newtella interesting donut filed no on on the top, only
on the top.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Okay, then all right now.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
So so those were theirs, and then there's a seasonal there.
Waverley loves everything pumpkin, so, okay, pumpkin donut in there
for her frequently try and share with my wife. Yeah,
there was a pump that's.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
Kind of a sophisticated palate for a young lady. Pumpkin. Yeah,
in acquire that tastes to get older.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Usually I know, I know, and listen, listen. We we
had a long debate in the household about about her
like I love I love everything, pumpkin love, pumpkin pie
and everything else. I said, Okay, cool, she's mature.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
But years yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I was like, but what about sweet potato pies? Say
I don't like sweetat uh.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
But by the way, I'm pretty much not exclusively Like
you go up and get the big elephant ear glaze
at ORMs donut, You're doing fine. And I do like
a glazed doughnut like love or I like a cinnamon
If I'm gonna go with a donut that isn't filled,
I like a cinnamon covered like the cinnamon powder. I
(42:30):
like that in a donut. As I've gotten older, old
fashions were the most boring things of all time.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
But as you get older, you know that palate.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
But if it's filled with jelly or cream, then I'm in,
Like I'll sometimes the guys at work will bring in
a box of donuts. I lift it up, and if
if and I I'll be I'm trying not to eat.
I don't want to be tempted. But if I lift
it up and there's no cream or jelly filled donut left.
I'll just I'll just close it and walk away.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Yeah, I mean and and and that's a good thing.
And that's a good thing to do. You know, I've
always been. I mean, I could say an old fashion
that's glazed, yes, but an old fashion, just an old fashion,
an old fashion. I can't do it, can't.
Speaker 3 (43:10):
Yeah, Well, you know what, Max, give yourself, give yourself
a couple of decades of life, and then then come
back and let me know. We'll douse. Hey, man, I
didn't like him either. I think it must be I
think it must be an older guy thing. Anyway, Max,
Safe travels, my friend. Look forward to seeing you in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
A man, Hey, enjoy Bud. I know Wes will take
good care of you tomorrow. But yes, I will be
there and I will see you. There will be at dinner,
I'm sure somewhere nice the night before. I'll actually get
in a normal time. I'm actually excited about this aspect
of it, getting into a city when it's still daylight hours.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Well, plan on dinner. Good to see you, Safe travels,
my friend. He is Max Stark's justin Miller at the controls.
I'm Rob King. We thank you for being in the
locker room. And this two this pro shop on Steelers
Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shot. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shot at shop
dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Oh yeah, Optimus, we're barreling down and as I hate
to say this, but we are just two sleeps away
from another game with the Steelers. Crazy to say that
on a Tuesday, right, Rob is wild. But we are
in the Power Hour, day two, getting ready for a
(00:47):
Thursday night tilled against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, and it can't wait. And we're gonna get to
the Bengals in a moment, I promise. However, we just
wanted to clean up up a couple of other guys
on defense. It just, I mean, there's just so many
Deshaun Elliott team high twelve tackles phenomenal by the way,
herbig two sacks, two tackles for losses, four quarterback hits.
(01:17):
That is dominant. High Smith half a sack, two quarterback hits.
Welcome back, Alex TJ Watt half a sack, three quarterback hits,
two passes defended. Don't want to leave out Derek Harmon, No,
you know, he he has two sacks on the season,
(01:37):
and I think Max there they are four half sacks,
so he has just been in there, and and two
quarterback hits, so he has just been in there a
ton up. He has just been He has been extremely,
extremely disruptive.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah for a guy that missed two games, he is
making up for it. Yeah, he's right, right, and and
it's just it's fascinating to watch him play. It is
so refreshing. But when you talk about why the run
defense is picked up, you know, just look no further
than nine to nine. He has he has been a
(02:14):
difference maker in there. He just knows how to move
and how to get in position. He has a lot
of polish for a rookie. And you know, the stats
aren't gonna aren't going to be there for defensive line.
That's just not how the three four system works. It's
designed to funnel everything to your linebackers. And you know,
(02:34):
especially and and and having a safety that plays in
the box like the Sean Elliott as well, So the
stat category is not going to run up and there's
always gonna be guys that get there a little bit
quicker than you, because Derek harm is having to go
through two large offensive line and human beings, right, two
large prairie mammals to get that half sack, whereas guys
coming off the edge have to deal with one maybe two,
(02:57):
and it's not and it's just people, you know, a
tight end that may or may not know how to
block a running back coming off of a chip and
then a tackle, or you're coming free off the edge
because you're you're replacing and you're running a running a
blitz when let a receiver go and you have an
undabated access and now now it's really attract me, right,
(03:17):
a foot race to get to the quarterback before he
recognizes where where the missing spot is. That's that's left open.
And so that makes it even more impressive when you
see what Derek Harmon just does from that perspective, and
like you said, holes that look there for a second
with the vision of a running back get closed immediately
the second you blink your eyes. That's where the effect
(03:40):
is and that's that's the hallmark that helps the entire team. Right,
you know, when he gets when he gets a stat
like that. It's it's almost like a man. You had
to go through a gauntlet just to touch that dude,
and you you do it more often than not. So yeah,
big ups to UH, to Derek Harmon and really helping
(04:00):
solidify that run game. I mean, think about it. The
teams have not been able to really run on us
since Derek Harmon has been healthy.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yep, that's exactly right, exactly right, And we saw you
know again, I think it's gonna be like we talk
about with the offense. I think there's gonna be different heroes.
So in Minnesota, Keanu Benton had one of his best games,
maybe his best game as a professional football player. Derek
Harmon has been a steadying force. And now you know,
(04:29):
Quale has been very solid. You can continue to kind
of bring him in. We saw Oda Maywell getting his
first look at action. Y y, a black. These guys
can can sort of be shuffled back to a role
that allows not only them to maximize their abilities, but
now to give Harmon and those guys a break. And
then so now that turns around and maximizes their ability
(04:53):
as well. So and by the way, one other guys
just wanted to throw out there. James Pierre nice work
coverage late in that game.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Uh too.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
You know, I I thought, I thought, and there's just
so many guys, but I just, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I thought i'd throw him out there.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
I don't know if there's anybody else you wanted to
throw out there, max Is, There's so many but you know,
Cole Holcom But.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I say five five Hulk had had a couple of
nice plays in that game coming in relief, and I
think you're right. And Brandon Eckles continues to play solid ball.
I mean, you know, did we hear as much Peyton
Wilson this game? No, But like you said, Patrick Queen
made up for that. And it's gonna it's gonna be frickin' frack.
(05:36):
It's gonna be back and back and forth. You know
what I'm saying. It's gonna be for to one or
it's gonna be six from week to week at that
inside linebackers. That just depends on what the team's propensity
is and a lot of the rush game opportunities. So
you know, I think I think you hit just about everybody.
I mean everybody. You you could say something about everyone
that played on defense, right, everybody that had an opportunity
(05:58):
to do something. You know, I'll even throw out Carson
Brunner on special teams making some plays yep, and neutralizing.
So I mean, so it's just everybody. Essentially, everybody gets
a gold star, and a couple of guys get double
gold stars. That's that's essentially how it is.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
The starg will start. Well, the stars used to have
those stars if he handed out to the pirates back
in the day.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
A lot of guys would.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Have stars in their helmets. And the college football used
to do that right with the stars and the little details.
But there'd be a lot of guys with a lot
of decals.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
In their helmets or a buckeye, you know, that's right. Yeah,
and so dog bones on the Georgia helmet. Anyways, Max, are.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
You ready to get into for what it's worth, the
latest power rankings.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Let's do it. Let's get the eye roll contest started.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Okay, so let me preamble. Give you the preamble by
saying we're gonna go around the NFL presented by your
neighborhood Ford Sor The F one fifty is the official
truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Okay, Hey, Max, Uh. You
know when the when the British surrendered to the Colonials
(07:08):
at Yorktown, they marched out with their band to a
song called the World has turned upside Down. I guess
that was their their way of being ironic after we
thrashed them at Yorktown and sent him back to England.
So uh, I think maybe the world has turned upside
down in the nfl U. I. You know, I don't
(07:29):
feel I don't feel right putting you on the spot
because I would have to think about twenty times about
who would be number one of the power rankings unless
you want to take a stab at it.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Uh, let's see, Well, we know it's not the Eagles anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Nope.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
We know it's not the Detroit Lions anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Nope.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
We know it's not the Buffalo Bills anymore. Nope. Um,
I'm how wacky do we want to go?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Here? Lot a lot of a lot of MVP talk
for their quarterback?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Oh my gosh, really Tampa Bay number one, numero wow
at five and one, and you know what, you know,
they beat the forty nine ers thirty to nineteen.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
You know, the forty nine ers just beat the Rams.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
That was it?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
That was an impressive showing, and so there you go.
Number one, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I don't have any problem
with that right now. You know, that's gonna probably change
three weeks from now. But I don't have any problem
with that right now.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Three weeks from that's probably change by next week. Listener,
Let let Buffalo, Philly or Detroit have a good win
next week. Yeah, they will be right back at number one,
by the.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Way, to say, yeah, you know, the more I see
these things, Max, the more I'm like, you know, if
I'm the Steelers, don't get above about eighth, right because
that's like the death Now, you're gonna lose if you
get up there too.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
High, unless you're the Seahawks. Remember they jumped up.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Well, we're gonna get to them in a moment, but
they Tampa Bay's number one, five and one. Okay, they're
at the Lions Monday night.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Football. Can wait for that game.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
I will be parked in front of the tube for
that one for sure. Yes, Number two jumping up from
nine to two after beating the Ravens seventeen to three.
La Rams Kid. The Rams are four and two, by
the way, they're at the Jaguars that's I believe a
London game nine thirty games man. You know what, Max,
(09:39):
we can get the full schm Morgas Board of Television
NFL Television viewing like all of our buddies, right, you
know we have on this show. For me, there is
senior correspondent Jay Cawfield, who can fill me in on
what's going around the rest of the NFL Junior correspondent
Schaefer King, who could fill me in about what.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Jay's the experienced NFL correspondent, so he can fill me
in on what's going around. But I get to watch
all the games this week exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
You get fun? I mean, that is that that is
a good day. I mean, now, granted I won't get
to do that. I will be in Kansas City calling
the Raiders Chiefs game on Sunday. Okay, not a bad
place to end up. And you know I'm still trying
to talk about a play by play guy into let's
go get barbecue.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Oh my goodness, gracious, Hype. Well, Mac, there's a chance
there's I'm not going to say it's a huge chance,
but there is a chance if your guy says no,
that I will fly out to Kansas City and have
barbecue with you. Yeh, Saturday night, Sunday morning, come on, man,
Well you're in Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
But but you know why. The reason why because he
wants to try the new Travis Kelcey Patrick Mahomes steakhouse
called fifty eighty seven Prizes. Hey, I'm like, we are
not going to be able to get in there on
a Saturday night in this restaurant like just open less
than like a month ago. I was, it's going to
be impossible on a game weekend.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
I get that. I do I understand it.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Do you want to be able to talk about it?
It's a talking point. It's cool, it's cute. But I
send send me to Joe's. You know what I'm saying,
Send me to Gates. Like Gates. I love like like,
I mean, Gates is saucy goodness. And and my you know,
and so my my dad went to school with Belinda Gates,
who runs Gays Barbecue that still used to go as
(11:31):
an offensive line when we play Kansas City. They would
they were carding off a little special spot and one
of a little side rooms and we would just chow
down on barbide. I mean, Gates is one of my
favorite all times classic Kansas City barbecue.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
My mouth is watering just thinking.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, q Q thirty nine is is a a little
bit of a little bit more fancier dining experience. Is
not quite as elevated as Arthur Bryant's, but you know
it's Arthur Bryance.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
That would be Arthur Bryant. Is that pretty elevated because that,
you know, when when I was the last time I
was in Kansas City, it felt like it was pretty
much Gates Arthur Bryant's Casey masterpiece. There's a couple I
think Moore have cropped up in the last twenty.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And Jack Stacks is kind of and now Jack Stacks
is the one where everybody kind of that that's the
big that's the biggest size barbecue restaurant.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Ok.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Now they have a second location, so Jack Stacks is
definitely like Jack Their second location, I can't remember the
name of it. It's sitting like this kind of walking
outdoor mall plaza area where they opened this other one.
And I was like, they had white table cloths. I
was like, what barbecue restaurant do you know has white
tablecloths like you're supposed to have, Like the plastic like
gingly fake picnic table plastic on their pizza hut plastic,
(12:52):
you know, type of top on there, not white tablecloths,
but jack stacks the second location does it. I was like,
this is way too fancy. I feel like I have
to eat my barbecue with a knife and fork and
I with my hands. Totally with you, totally with you.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
I'll tell you two quick barbecue tales if I can.
First what a barbecue place should be. So, if you're
in Memphis, you gotta go barbecue. To me, Oh, if
you're in Kansas, if you like barbecue and I love barbecue,
go to Kansas. You gotta go barbecue. So I went
to you know, I went to the Rendezvous. Of course,
the last time I was in Memphis. This was I
(13:28):
was covering the NCAA tournament again about twenty years ago,
and I went into Jim Neely's Interstate Barbecue. Oh my goodness,
was it good. And it's exactly what you're describing it is.
It was, you know, the tablecloths, right they had. So
the tournament's going on in Memphis. Now we've covered our
share of the tournament and it's not you know, you
(13:51):
play Thursday Saturday. It's a Friday, so I'm thinking, Okay,
this place is going to be fired up about the tournament.
They have one TV. It's a black and white TV.
It's up in the corner and I asked the woman.
I said, ma'am, is there any chance we can turn
that to the to the basketball and she said sure,
as soon as the wrestling's over. And it was studio wrestling,
and we had to watch the studio wrestling. And once
(14:11):
that was over they switched. It was like rabbit ears,
Oh it was, and it was so good. She she
told me, so I I I'm not a ketchup guy,
and I hate to say that's a hard thing to
say in Pittsburgh. I'm not a ketchup guy. So I've
never been a baked beans guy because I look at
that and it just reminds me of ketchup. And this
woman said, honey, you gotta try the baked beans. And
(14:33):
I'm like, ma'am, I don't like him. And she said,
I'm going to bring him out for you anyway, dude.
I'm telling you man, I stuck the very tip of
a spoon in right and just tasted and I mean,
I couldn't shovel that down. I got the rest of
my could go. It was so good the other and
(14:53):
the other one real quick.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I just say that.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I went to the Salt Lick Barbecue in in uh Austin, Texas,
So that's a little different. I'm not a huge not
a huge beef brisket guy. I like it, I don't
love it. I love pulled pork. I love pork ribs.
I And if I'm at a good place, I'll get
the ribs. So I'm down there and they're like, hey,
we have beef ribs. And I'm like, beef ribs. What
(15:16):
are beef ribs? I'm like, I'll try them.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, give me.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Oh yeah, that is life altering. I mean, like our
fellow mammal, the pig, they put out some good ribs.
But those beef ribs, man, holy.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yeah. We got a place here called Can't Stop Smoking
and they do and they do the beef ribs. You
just and all you need is one. I mean one
is like is like it's like a half rack of
like pork ribs. You know what I'm saying. Like, you
get one beef rib it is Oh yeah, it's like
a friend, let's go.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
That's what that's what it looks.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Welcome to bedrock. You know what I'm saying, Like it's
it is, It is absolutely is, absolutely fantastic. You get
and then specializes in like beef ribs. Oh my god,
I mean they are fall off the bone tender, and
you're just like what why this can't be that good?
But no, I'm with you. Saltick's a heck of a spot.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
We've gotten way out ahead of out of your early line.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Oh. By the way, yeah, yeah, sower barbecue. Is that
what we're doing?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
No?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Sorry, is teams teams?
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, ras So I hope you
get some barbecue in.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
We didn't even make it team yea.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You talk about a football weekend, right, You're gonna started
with the Rams and the Jaguars Sunday at nine thirty.
You're gonna conclude it with a couple of Monday night games,
including Tampa Bay your number one team at the Lions. Okay,
so we moved down number three the Indianapolis Colts at
five to one, finally getting some love up from seven
(16:57):
to three. By the way, they take on the chart.
Another great game Sunday at four oh five. Yeah, we
got some great games coming up.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
This schedule is chocked full of these matchups where you're
talking about you think you're good, we'll go prove it,
yeacid deal, get out so good. You think you want
to you want to jump up the rankings, Here we.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Go, no doubt, no doubt, Number four, moving up from
eight after their twenty seven eighteen victory over the Bengals.
We will get to the Bengals Green Bay three one
one there. Number four. The Chiefs move up from fifteen
to five by pounding the Lions thirty to seventeen. Fifteen
to five. That meant they were putting him down there,
(17:43):
because you had to put him down there. But there
were a lot of people that still believe they're good,
and I understand that.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
I get it.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
The Lions are six. They moved down from first to
six after I mean, man, they they got thumped pretty
well by the by the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
No, they got owned. They got owned. They did Chiefs.
It wasn't even thumped, it was it was they had
no answer. So I'm like, all right, well there it is,
there's your sign yep.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
And by the way, so again which we mentioned, they're
hosting the Buccaneers on Monday. Can't just can't wait for
that one. Number seven. You're Denver Broncos who beat the
Jets thirteen to eleven.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Interesting the ugliest game. Oh and they were losing most
of that. I mean they were in charge, but I
mean the Jets were, you know, they were essentially it
felt like they were going to lose that game, like
it was just so tight, but the Jets were the Jets.
But it was just like you watch it, You's just like, man,
somebody's got to win this game.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
I'm rooting hard for Justin Fields because I really, you know,
my my few interactions to them last year. I just
first of all, he's got the same birthday, you got it.
Gotta like that. Uh got to root for birthday twice.
I liked the way he handled himself. I liked the
way he handled himself when when they went with Russell Wilson.
I really wish him success. If he makes an outthrow
(19:02):
to Garrett Wilson and it was there, he just delivered
it late. If he makes that pass on fourth down,
the Jets win the game. Probably. You never never never
know what the Jets they're going to kick a field goal.
They came that close. Wilson was open jail went through
it late. That's been one of the criticisms against him.
Through it late to the sideline. If that's completed, they
(19:25):
win the game. In the Broncos, ain't number ain't number seven.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Man uh.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
They're taking them the Giants this week the Eagles, they
are eighth. They're at the vit They will drop from
three to eight after getting thumped by the Giants.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
They should be lower. They should get lower after after
get embarrassed by the Giants and they're at they're not
even beat Yeah, embarrassed the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
You're kind of you know, there's still Look, man uh,
that was a really good team last year. I'm still
not convinced the Vikings aren't a pretty decent team. Eagles
at the Vikings Sunday won. That's an interesting game. Number
nine is Seattle. They move up from twelve to nine.
You know, the more I see Seattle, the more I
(20:06):
think they're pretty good. You know, they beat the jackar
I also think it is that's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
When I would say I like the ranking, I don't
like the ranking of that. I think they should be higher.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, I agree, I agree. They're four and two. Now
they're taking on the Texans. That's the other Monday night game.
That's a good game too, man, come.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
On, yeah, this is a great weekend. I mean, the
Texas fresh off of beating the breaks off of the Ravens.
So we'll see and then you know, they had and
then who they I forgot who they played Sunday. I
think were they on By? They were on By? They
were on By. So their last game was that Ravens game. Okay,
it's tough to remember who who was on By from
week to week. It's like so many teams. But I mean, yeah,
(20:49):
CJ start, let's see, let's see if they're for real.
That's gonna be the question to see if this Texas
can bounce.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Back Jacksonville their tenth they dropped from five to ten.
I still think they're pretty solid. I think that's about
right though, don't forget. Yeah, this is a struggling team,
and they were struggling enough that they made some you know,
changes at the coach's position. I think I think that's
about right. I think they're in that ten to fifteen range.
And let's not forget that's a big improvement over where
(21:15):
they were a year ago. Here you are at number eleven,
up from number thirteen. The four and one Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Yeah yeah, hey, listen, like you said, just fly low,
fly low under the rodkay with me? Nothing to see
it here. We'll just we'll just keep collecting victories. So
don't worry about us. We're fine, because all that matters
is that golden ticket at the end of the season
that says playoffs. Yeah, matters.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
At the Bengals, who were on Thursday night, obviously just
quickly forty nine. Ers are twelve. They're taking on the
Falcons Sunday at eight twenty. Another good game considering what
the Falcons did. The Chargers are thirteenth. They're four and two.
The Patriots are fourteenth, they're four and two. The Falcons
are fifteenth, they're three and two. The Bills drop from
(22:07):
four to sixteen. Come on, man, seriously, you're telling me
they're the sixteenth best team in the NFL right now
going into a bye.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Hey, considering their injuries and considering how they played the
last two weeks. Okay, all right, I get it, they
are going into a buy. But you also saw the
Kansas City Chiefs come from fifteen and jump back into
the top five.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
So right, yeah, I mean, by the way, it's all
these are not permanent. Yeah, these teams, I mean all
these teams. Right at the Vikings they're seventeen at three
and two. The Bears are eighteen at three and two
after beating the Commanders, who are nineteen, they're three and three.
Detectans are twenty at two and three. I think all
(22:52):
of those teams, every team in the top twenty, the
parody is astounding this year. Look, you can make an
argument for Carolina, I'm not going to They're three and
three at twenty one. Then it's the Giants, the Cowboys,
the Cardinals, who have just shot themselves in the foot
time and again. Yeah, the twenty fifth ranked Ravens, the Raiders,
(23:14):
and by the way, I'm still not convinced the Ravens
aren't gonna have something to say before this is all
said and done. The Raiders, Yeah, that's right. The Bengals
at twenty seven, you know, trying to find something with Flacker.
We're going to talk about them coming up. The Saints
twenty eight, the Dolphins twenty nine, the Browns thirty, Tennessee
thirty one, the Jets thirty two. We are extremely late
(23:37):
for a break which we're going to get to after.
I remind you to gear up with the latest game
day necessities at the Officials Steelers Pro Shops. Get the
latest sideline apparel, jerseys, Terrible Tows, authentic memorabilia and custom
exclusives you can only find directly from the team. Visit
one of the Officials Steelers Pro shops located at Akroscher Stadium,
Grove City, Premium Outlet's or Tang Route Let's or gear
(23:58):
Up bottom Line a shop that's Get it direct from
the team at the Steeveers Pro Shop at Shop dot
Steelers dot com. Back and more in the Locker Room
presented by your neighborhood Ford Store and the Steepers Pro
Shop on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one fifty is the official truck of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct
from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at Shop
dot Steelers dot.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Com and welcome back inside the Locker Room of King
and Starks, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store and Max, Uh,
we have got to do this, gotta you know, we're
gonna save some for Wes Euler. Wessell be around tomorrow,
filling in as Max takes the flight from Phoenix to Cincinnati.
Look forward to seeing you there, my friend. And yes.
(25:01):
So the Cincinnati Bengals, First of all, I thought they
looked better with Joe Flaco. I thought that, you know, look,
green Bay, we just went through the power rankings there,
one of the top teams. You're on the road, and
I really felt like the Bengals just shot themselves in
(25:22):
the foot on numerous occasions. Josevash had three three critical
drops for the team, including late in the game when
you're marching in to potentially, you know, score a touchdown.
I think they wound up. I don't they kicked the
field goal. Bit was that when the field goal got blocked,
I don't remember. But they just they just shot themselves
(25:43):
in the foot. They just weren't very good when they
needed to be. But I thought Flaco was better. And
having not been that impressed with the Bengals, I think
they got some wins they probably shouldn't have gotten, including
with Cleveland earlier in the season. They got my attention
this week as being maybe a little bit formidable than
(26:04):
I think they would have been if they had not
traded for Joe Flacco, who will now of course, have
you know a little more familiarity in his second game
is the starting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yeah no, I mean this is going to be a
very interesting thing. I think people can't get enamored with
the records or how they played recently. Joe Flacco, he's
a tried, tested and true vett He's an old Salt
and he's an old AFC North Salt. You know, he's
just he's a guy that understands all these teams. He's
played from multiple positions at multiple you know points during
(26:42):
his career in the AFC North. He has died in
the wool AFC North QB. So, and then you're putting
him with two very capable receivers, like you said, in
Jamar Chase and t Higgins, And I mean he got
what essentially like really two days of practice with him
and it was thrown out there on the field. Here
you go, we got yeah, hey, hey, good luck, but
(27:05):
good luck. Yeah. Yeah, do what you do that you
do when you do it that's essentially probably what was
the offensive mindset going into this. And you know, it
was all to get ready for this week, get on
the requisite experience, you know, in the game against Green Bay,
and you know, not super high expectations for how that
(27:29):
was going to go, making a trade midweek and getting
him in. But you know, now that he's got that
game under his belt. I mean this, this dude's a vet.
He doesn't he doesn't need a lot of reps to
get to get going. You know, it was like for
him to get on the bicycle. He just asked to
just know kind of what the guy likes and how
to put that ball to him. And so it's going
to be a good challenge for the Steelers, and you know,
(27:52):
can you respond short week, coming off of a physical
game and having to travel granted it's only this it's
only to Cincinnati, but still getting on a plane going
through it, you did, you know, not a lot of reps.
Today is like the first probably day you're gonna quote
unquote go through a real practice type of situation. Then
you're gonna get a modified Friday Friday tomorrow tomorrow before
(28:17):
you get on the plane and Thursday, ballroom walkthroughs. We
all love them. You know, you get that Thursday morning
and then boom Thursday night you are playing on Amazon
Prime and of course right here on iHeart wherever else
you could hear your radio broadcast coverage. We will be
(28:37):
coming to you live on Thursday evening. But it's going
to be a good challenge. So do not get lulled
by how they've played. Do not get lulled by what
their record is. Don't listen to the power ranking either.
By the way, also, did you know we're the only
division that only has one team in the top twenty.
Did you notice that, Rob?
Speaker 3 (28:56):
When you go I did?
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I did? I was like, Wow, how mighty have fallen?
Like these dudes are all in the back third of
the NFL, the rest of the division. And that's just
the year it is. I mean, you look at what
the AFC West chalk fol Heck, the AFC South is
full of. It's full of you know, what we consider
good teams right now? Right Jacksonville and Indianapolis are your
(29:21):
front runners, and then the Texas who won it the
last two years are the third team right now. So
it just goes to show you just how tough these
divisions have swayed, you know, and then you look at
the NFC North. On the NFC side, you know, they're
they're they're they've got they've got some good challenges. They're
picking up where they left off, even though the Detroit
(29:41):
Lions aren't playing that well as of late. But you know,
the NFC South, when you think about what happened this weekend, right,
Atlanta beating Buffalo, who would have had that on their
bingo card? Right, well, Michael Pennock's another lefty quarterback, cause
we were talking about Dylan Gabriel being a lefty. Michael
(30:02):
Pennock's also a lefty quarterback. And then Tampa Bay your
number one team in the NFL right now in the
per Power rankings. The NFC South that used to be
the joke division, right, NFC South used to be like,
oh my god, you know one of them has to
come out, will they have a winning record to get
the playoff bid? Like that used to be the running joke.
(30:23):
And now you're looking at this and you're saying, man,
they look good. Atlanta looks good. Carolina has has been
playing spoiler upset to people, so it's just it's crazy
just to see how these rankings change so drastically, and
like you said, the Buffalo Bill's tumbling tumbling down to
sixteen after two very very ugly games last two weeks.
(30:45):
So it's very fast how it can change but also
can change back. You know when you think of Kansas City,
So it's gonna be it's gonna be a good challenge
and a lot of good quarterbacks playing. And Joe Flacco,
I know, for whatever you want to say about him,
you know, Joe Flacco has won a lot of gas
in the AFC North, so he will be ready for
this game on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
It reminds me of you know, in a little bit.
I use this analogy in another show. You know, George Foreman, right,
forty six years old or whatever. Can you out box him?
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Short?
Speaker 3 (31:14):
You know you're gonna out box him, and you can
stay away, but man, if he hits you, he's got
a puncher's chance of taking you out, you know. And
I think Joe Flacco with with this team Max, you know,
I see those power rankings, and two things come to mind.
First of all, we already mentioned this, Baltimore's gonna get healthy.
If they're gonna get healthy enough in time to salvage
(31:35):
your season. I don't know, but are they gonna be
healthy enough to be a team you do not want
to play? I think absolutely they are. Look at people
were picking them to get to the super Bowl. Why
are they one and five? Because they've been decimated by injuries.
When they get those guys back, and they won't get
them all back, I think Matta BK's out for the year.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Right.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
When they get those guys back, they are going to
be a handful. They're gonna be. They are gonna be
what they were forecast to be, an elite team if
they can find something with Flacco. Remember, okay, you got
your first place Steelers. I love it, but I just
remember a word of caution. Nobody had to Steelers winning
this division. Almost everybody, almost everybody had them finished third
(32:20):
behind the Ravens and the Bengals. I'll also say this
about Cleveland. They're gonna have some games where the offense
clicks a little bit, just a little bit, and they're
gonna upset some people because that defense is really good,
the running back is really good, and if Gabriel can
get some guys involved now again, all this might change.
Because you know, the Bengals and Browns in that early
(32:41):
November trade deadline. They might just say hey, time for
next year. They might throw in a towel and make
a bunch of trades. But I think Flacco gives them
a puncher's chance. The other thing is they have a
new coordinator in Al Golden and when you look at
this defense, it just hasn't been very good. Shamar Stewart
has a chance of playing. He was their first round
pick this year. Miss four straight games, look pretty good.
(33:03):
In game number one, you have not only do you
have Trey Hendrickson, who may or may not be able
to play. By the way, we don't know right now.
Today's practice should tell us something.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Separate back. Didn't they rule him out? Yeah? Didn't they
rule him out for?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Has he definitely been ruled out for Thursday night?
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I thought that's what I saw. Schefter or someone said that.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Okay, I did not see that. I know that Gasicki
won't play the tight end. He's out with a pectoral injury.
He's going to be out for a while. I did
not see anything on I'll let you look that up
while I run through going through Stuart first round pick.
This is just the defensive line Stuart first round pick,
(33:43):
Jackson third round pick. He's third team right now, Jenkins
second round pick last year, Miles Murphy first round pick
two years ago. They are getting Demetrius Knight. Looks pretty good.
He's the second round pick at insideline. You have a
first round pick and a second round pick at corner,
(34:04):
another second round pick at cam Taylor Britt at corner.
So two second round picks in a number one. Why
am I saying this because they there's a reason they
change defensive coordinators because they felt like they drafted talented
guys that weren't performing. And so how long does it
take a group to get together under a new coordinator
(34:28):
and start performing up to their talent level. Now, of
course you take a step back and say, what is
the talent level? Just because they were drafted high, it
doesn't mean they're good. But they've got a lot of
guys that were drafted high on that defense, a ton
of guys. So at some point they're either going to
have to say, well, we drafted the wrong guys, or conversely,
(34:50):
it could turn around and they could be a defense
that starts to live up to those high pedigree picks.
So I just want to put that notion in the
back of the mind of Steelers fans, the students, and
everybody else that's facing Cincinnati is going against a team
on defense with a ton of first and second round picks.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
There.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I wanted to say.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
That, Yeah, yeah, a lot of And I'm sorry I
got that confused because he got knocked out of the
game with the bend on Sunday. Yes, so, so yeah,
you're right, today it would be could could play, could play.
Imagine he could still be trade bait at the rate
the AFC North is going. Yeah, but yeah, it would
(35:30):
be very interesting.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Uh So that's a quick thumbnail on the Bengals for now.
A couple more thoughts from Max, who's going to exit
the locker room tomorrow on his way to Cincinnati. We
want to remind you, I don't I don't know if
I've said this yet, but I'm going to remind you
to gear up with the latest game the necessities, the officials,
studi's pro shops. I don't know if they're getting two
(35:53):
or three mentions today, regardless, get the latest side on
that apparel, jerseys, terrible tows, authentic memorabilia, and customer exclusives.
You can only find directly from the team. Visit one
of the official Steelers Pro shops located at Akrocher Stadium,
Grove City Premium out Let's or Tang Route Let's, or
you can get up online at shop dot Steelers dot com.
Get it direct from the team at the Students Pro
(36:13):
Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com. Back with more
in the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Fords Store
and the Steers Pro Shop on Steelers Nation Radio. Apart
of the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
This is in the Locker Room with King and Starks
on Steelers Nation Radio, presented by your neighborhood Ford Store.
The F one point fifty is the official truck of
the Pittsburgh Steelers and by Steelers Pro Shop. Get it
direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at
shop dot Steelers dot com.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
All right, you know what time it is? You love it?
We love it. I can't wait because it's the bell.
Anytime you get an opportunity to have a dinner bell
at lunchtime, you take advantage. Rob You take advantage. This
(37:13):
is your early warning system. Of course, you have seven minutes,
that's right, seven minutes to get wherever you're getting and
make sure that you enjoy something delicious for lunch. Victory
Donut Monday. Yesterday, I realize I'm gonna go ahead and
give myself a slap on the wrist, Rob, I did
not post my Victory Donut Monday. What photo? So I
am going to post it today, okay, and let everybody
(37:36):
know that I did, in fact indulge yesterday in Victory
Donut Monday. Love it. So I've got to do that.
And actually, while we're on the phone here, I'm actually
going to be doing it. So just give me a
second and you take over. Okay.
Speaker 3 (37:50):
So I guess Max is heading to Kansas City. We
had a little we had a little brief lunch discussion
earlier about best places to get barbecue or just just
in general getting barbecue when you're in Kansas City. I mean,
come on, man, when you're when you're in Kansas City,
you got to get barbecue. If you're at a seaside place,
(38:12):
you know, order the fish. You know, I'm not a
huge fish guy, but if I'm in a seaside place,
you know you're in an island somewhere, you're gonna order
the beef that gets shipped in. Now you're gonna order
the fish, so get the barbecue. Mac's final thoughts about
the game on Thursday Night. What one thing I should
(38:32):
point out? Mike Tomlin has a great record, and pretty
much everything doesn't have a great Thursday Night record. Lately,
it hasn't been very good for this series. We saw
them last year coming off a division opponent in Baltimore
at home on Sunday, traveling to Cleveland and losing. This year,
it's AFC North opponent at home. You have beat Cleveland.
(38:53):
Now you go on the road to Cincinnati, and any
reason to believe that the Steelers won't be up for
and for this game. I've got to believe it's got
their attention. I've got to believe they've got enough leadership
both with coach Tom Win and his staff and the
veterans like the Rogers and the Ramseys and guys like that,
the slaves that we've been pointing out to be able
(39:14):
to go in there Thursday night and hopefully take care
of business.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Yeah. No, this is this is one where you can't
rest on your laurels. You can't take this for granted.
You know, it's funny. We talked about how you know
last week people are like, oh, you're looking past the
Browns anticipating the Cincinnati Bengals. No. No, the next game
is the next game. The game that I'm focused on
(39:39):
is the one that's right in front of me. If
I'm a player, and I'm not taking that for granted,
I'm not looking beyond anyone. And so now it's like, oh,
this could be a trap game a short week, and
it's like, please choose your narrative wisely, right right, Rob,
choose wisely. Yes, the team is not overlooking any one,
(40:00):
and this is a division game. This does matter. They're
going to get up just like they get up. They
got up for Cleveland, just like they got up for
the previous five games of the season, the same intensity,
the same focused on the same health and speed might
not be the same because you're still a little bumped
up and bruised and sore, but the effort, tenacity and
mental acuity is going to be there for this game.
(40:21):
Nobody's looking past, nobody's looking over there. They're squarely focused on.
On Thursday, go take care of business. Improved to five
and one.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
I just saw your post on x Twitter X see
how many of those donuts did you personally consume.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
I tried.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
Three of them, Okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
Yes, I mean if we want to get into like
the the semantics of it. So I've always been a
cronut fan since it's been created.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
That square one.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
It's a it's a croissant, don't it is amazing. It's immaculate, Okay,
and it's amazing. Uh. My daughter's a bacon maple long
John type of girl. Okay, and she also loves the
traditional glazed. And then older daughter, younger daughter, yeah, older daughter, sorry,
this is Waverley Quincy. My youngest Quincey loves sprinkles, so
(41:18):
we got her the sprinkle one. Yeah. And then she's
also one that she loves nutella, so that was a
Newtella interesting donut filed no on on the top, only
on the top.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Okay, then all right now.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
So so those were theirs, and then there's a seasonal there.
Waverley loves everything pumpkin, so, okay, pumpkin donut in there
for her frequently try and share with my wife. Yeah,
there was a pump that's.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
Kind of a sophisticated palate for a young lady. Pumpkin. Yeah,
in acquire that tastes to get older.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Usually I know, I know, and listen, listen. We we
had a long debate in the household about about her
like I love I love everything, pumpkin love, pumpkin pie
and everything else. I said, Okay, cool, she's mature.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
But years yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I was like, but what about sweet potato pies? Say
I don't like sweetat uh.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
But by the way, I'm pretty much not exclusively Like
you go up and get the big elephant ear glaze
at ORMs donut, You're doing fine. And I do like
a glazed doughnut like love or I like a cinnamon
If I'm gonna go with a donut that isn't filled,
I like a cinnamon covered like the cinnamon powder. I
(42:30):
like that in a donut. As I've gotten older, old
fashions were the most boring things of all time.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
But as you get older, you know that palate.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
But if it's filled with jelly or cream, then I'm in,
Like I'll sometimes the guys at work will bring in
a box of donuts. I lift it up, and if
if and I I'll be I'm trying not to eat.
I don't want to be tempted. But if I lift
it up and there's no cream or jelly filled donut left.
I'll just I'll just close it and walk away.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Yeah, I mean and and and that's a good thing.
And that's a good thing to do. You know, I've
always been. I mean, I could say an old fashion
that's glazed, yes, but an old fashion, just an old fashion,
an old fashion. I can't do it, can't.
Speaker 3 (43:10):
Yeah, Well, you know what, Max, give yourself, give yourself
a couple of decades of life, and then then come
back and let me know. We'll douse. Hey, man, I
didn't like him either. I think it must be I
think it must be an older guy thing. Anyway, Max,
Safe travels, my friend. Look forward to seeing you in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
A man, Hey, enjoy Bud. I know Wes will take
good care of you tomorrow. But yes, I will be
there and I will see you. There will be at dinner,
I'm sure somewhere nice the night before. I'll actually get
in a normal time. I'm actually excited about this aspect
of it, getting into a city when it's still daylight hours.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Well, plan on dinner. Good to see you, Safe travels,
my friend. He is Max Stark's justin Miller at the controls.
I'm Rob King. We thank you for being in the
locker room. And this two this pro shop on Steelers
Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.