November 28, 2025 • 45 mins
Matt and Wes dive into the biggest matchups for Sunday's contest.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Your two weeks about drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good evening, Steeler Nation. How we doing thirsty us two man,
get out of here and go watch some football, baby,
it's our number two on the drive here. Black Friday
rolling into Thanksgiving weekend, West Shuler Matt Williamson, of course,
getting you ready for I mean, this is some of
(00:45):
the best, one of the best football weekends of the year.
If you're only into the NFL, you get multiple games Thursday,
you get a Black Friday game today, you get a
full slate on Sunday, Matt, if you're if you're into
college football as well, you get some great college football
games today. Remember tonight Texas A and M Texas Top
twenty match up. Oh right, big name quarterbacks. One of
(01:06):
the nastiest rivalries in college football. That's only been back
on the schedule for two years here now still has
a lot of that animosity built up in it. Of course,
a full slate of rivalry games on Saturday, and then
a full slate of a.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's not a great NFL standard, It's not Sunday heavy lines.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
You know, there are some bigger lines than you would
like to see, particularly Matt for a week thirteen when
that road is starting to.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, I'd have to double check, but I think the
Steelers only one of two games on Sunday between teams
with a winning record.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Okay, yeah, so there's not a lot. I mean, I
think you're right. I think that that that sounds right. Yeah,
Rams and Panthers. Panthers are five hundred.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Okay, so that doesn't quite count.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
But you're right, Colts and Texans are fire. So yeah,
you're right, there's only two, uh, both teams above five hundred.
But of course some good games yesterday go to Eagles
Bears today, Matt. You know, sometimes I laugh, like I'll
look at the lowest get in price for some of
the spl games and how it can be all over
the board, like, for example, at MetLife Jets against Falcons,
(02:17):
tickets as low as thirty three dollars. I don't think
that's surprises many Falcons fans coming to New York either
Titans Jags in Nashville tickets as low as twelve dollars.
I don't think that surprises anybody. Black Friday today in
Philadelphia Eagles Bears, that's the price three hundred and seventy
six bucks the cheapest get in right.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Now, I bet see one's not cheap either.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It's not. It's over one hundred. Yeah, it's over bills.
Fans will travel, Oh buddy, will they.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Even Thanksgiving weekend? I'm sure Thanksgiving and give the car?
So yeah, maybe more so? Right?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
I told you I have a get in the cars
Friday morning. I have a Monday morning. Like perhaps my
best friend, you know, one of my two best friends
from college. He's from Rochester. He's got two daughters just
like I do. You know, his wife and my wife
get along, and we were all in each other's weddings
type thing. I was. I was trying to convince him
(03:08):
for the last couple of weeks. I was like, dude,
come bring the fawn, bring the family. On Friday night,
we'll get up Saturday wall, I'll go to Morgantown for
the WU Texas Tech game, and then you take the
family Sunday to Steelers Bill perfect, perfect doubleheader, but just
too much holiday stuff going on to make it work. Matt.
Let's get before we get to Missy Matthews, a few
more of your Matt's stats Golden nuggets that I want
(03:33):
to to pull out here, let's stick with some Jalen
Warren in run game conversation. Jalen, Remember this is also
towards the kind of the bad times section of things here.
Jalen Warren has been hit behind the line of scrimmage
basically fifty two percent of his carry's third highest rate
in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
That part's not good.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
No, it's not, I think, especially when I test you
and I and everyone agree that it feels like the
offensive line has been playing better.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, I don't think that's all no line stat either.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It makes me think. And again, I know it's a
bet a lot of them were early in the year.
I think that that would be definitely a big part
of it that that number still waited a little bit
towards the beginning of the year. I also wonder with
how much of it is now that the book is out,
it is known that the Steelers are not throwing the
ball deep down field. I think you need to get
people out of this. We're seeing with a lot of
Cover four where the safeties are key in downhill on
(04:23):
the run game. Yes, and so even if your offensive
line maybe is doing a good job with the initial
wave here come the linebackers and the safeties to outnumber you.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, I'd also like to see more play action. Throw
it over the linebackers heads to the play action numbers dropped,
And that's not exactly where we were going. But that
was one of my criticisms of the Bears game was
you run the ball really well, but you weren't using
play action off of it, you know, and play action
doesn't always mean it'll bring us for explosive stuff. That
doesn't always mean you have to throw a go ball
(04:51):
forty yards out the field either play action you know,
sometimes linebackers.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Somebody to get you one extra guy in the box
and you turn that six yard gain into a sixteen
yard gain, right, or a six yard gain into a
twenty six yard game or a sixty yard gain.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
But his numbers after contact or incredible.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Incredible, right, right, So imagine if you could just push
that contact back another yard or two.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, if you could get them a more
running room, and I mean, I think we saw that
against Chicago and you know some recent times, and I
would expect you could do it against the Bill I think.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
So yeah, let's get into some more of that pass
game and explosive stuffs here, Buffalo giving up just one
hundred and eighty three passing yards per game, fewest in
the National Football League, misleading because people run on them
like crazy.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Because people run on them like crazy, their pass defense
is clearly better than the run defense.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But the Steelers giving up two hundred and seventy eight
yards in the air per game the most in the league,
so opposite ends of the spectrum in that regard mass.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Sometimes I'll psyche those up in like the general area. Yeah,
like when things are starkly different or exactly the same
or you know.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
And I do agree with you that part of that
A big portion of that is because teams run the
ball more against Buffalo, Yes, but it's still just one
hundred and eighty three yards through the air against that
defense per game.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And they've played with their share of leads and teams
had to come back on them too.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
And you know, right, and when you have dk Metcalf
failing to reach fifty five or more receiving yards in
six straight contests and stop has to stop. I'm worried
that it's going to get to a point where the
Steelers are struggling in the run game and struggling in
the past game to really find any footing. It feels
(06:28):
like they need to establish that run game early against
this Bills defense, y big personnel, and if you don't,
you might be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah. And exactly one week ago on Friday, going up
to the Bears game, I thought the same thing. Not
that the Bears pass defense is scary, or their pass
rush or their you know, secondaries as much, but I said,
you know, people get so sick of run run, pass, run, run, pass, run, run, run,
I mean so honestly, Yeah, if you can eat clock,
(06:56):
And we did see the Steelers actually win time of
possession and did some things good in that regard. And
I think the running game's coming around. And one of
my biggest takeaways from the Bears game, I think the
O line's in the best place it's been yet. And
you know you're gonna lose proderct Jones for this game,
but still the right side's really good. Right now.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think you feel more camm like crazy, You feel
more confident about losing Broderick now than you will have
at any other point in the year.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah. Although I don't know what to think of Calvin
Anderson that's not good or bad. I said, don't have
a really inkling. I mean, it won't be as good,
but you know.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You feel much better about the stability of the five
and removing one from the equation maybe than you would
have it yet any other point this season.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I know exactly what I think from center to right.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
That yeah, and I like it. All Right, let's close
this down with explosives before we get to the great
Melissa Matthews. The Steelers have allowed twenty seven more explosive
passes than they have created. That's brutal, that's and it's
like three a game. That's not good.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
The Steelers offense has an explosive play rate a four
point six percent of the time. That is only better
than the Saints, the Rounds, and the Niners.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Shocking. The Niners are there, but you don't want to
be with those other two teams, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
That was my first time, is right. The Bills defense
gives up an explosive play rate or gives up an
explosive play just six point four percent of the time.
That's top ten, eighth best in the National Football League.
Buffalo leads the league and plays resulting in twenty plus
yard gains.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
The Steelers they do tackle well, and they thirty if
they're fast, and they get the up people of the
ball and they keep an umbrella over things. They get
gashed with the death by thousand paper cuts, but they
don't let the big one.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
And that that's where I was, That's where I was going.
You you're gonna need ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen play drives
against these guys.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, don't go backwards and take a sack or a
holding or a and you have to.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
This is this has been the case against Buffalo for
years now. But you have to make them earn it too.
You can't let them go down the field in three, four, five,
six plays very easily. And here's a twenty yard game
and here's a already four yard gain and all of
a sudden, you're in the red zone and bang touchdown.
And you're gonna have to earn it on offense. And
you've got to make them earn it on defense.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
And that's one of the way they one of the
reasons they play defense the way they do with smaller,
faster personnel and make you may have a long drive
against them, and maybe we do get pushed around a little,
but Josh is gonna put up points. Yes, you know,
like we know this, you know, like spoiler alert, ye,
spoiler alert.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Like one of my favorite examples of like team building
in this manner were the Peyton Manning Colts, And if
you look at his tenure there, they spent a ton
of first round picks on skill guys Edrin James, Joseph Died,
Dallas Clark, Marvin, Wayne Gonzalez over and over, Like you
really need to give Peyton Manning extra great running.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Back thiwed them a great team in the trenches and
he'll elevate.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah. They had Saturday at center and they had a
really good left tackle in Tarrek Glenn. But the rest
of the line they kind of just cut corners at
But they cut corners like on defense. I mean all
their linebackers that here were like fifth round pick rookies,
cheap as could because they couldn't afford anything else. But
the one spot they spent money on were the defensive ends.
Because we play in the Dome and we're gonna bring
(10:14):
these two rocket ships off the edge because Peyton's gonna
make you get to thirty and sometime you're gonna have
to throw.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Matt We have breaking news, Okay. Mike Tomlin just speaking
to the media as practice concluded. Yeah, And he said
Aaron Rodgers was a full participant today and will play
against the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Good.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Good. He also said he expects DK Metcalf to play,
and that Andres Pete will start at left rock. And
we had gone back and forth earlier that year here
and it was going to be Pete.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
And then.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
The birdies were saying Anderson. Well, straight from the horse's
mouth from the source, Mike Tomlin says Pete at left tackle,
Aaron Rodgers under center, DK a Calf expected to play.
Sounds like better news in the injury department than it
is for the Buffalo Bills. Yeah, let's start there with
Missy Matthews when we return on the other side, plenty
(11:12):
to get to with the Queen of the sideline when
we come back. Eu'ler Williamson The Drive, Steelers Audio Network,
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Back on the Drive here on a Friday, as we
are getting ready for all things Steelers Bills. A massive
one at four twenty five at Akrosher Stadium on Sunday,
and we now know that Aaron Rodgers will be under
center no injury designation for the future Hall of Fame
signal caller. If you missed it in our last segment
(12:13):
there as we got the news. Joining us now to
discuss that and of course plenty more around Steelers Bills
is the queen of the sideline, Missy Matthews. Missy, thank
you for taking the time as always, but especially during
a holiday weekend here for us. I hope you had
a great Thanksgiving with the fam yesterday and good Thanksgiving news.
We are all thankful that Aaron Rodgers is going to
(12:35):
be back in the Black and Gold.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Yeah. I mean actually on Thanksgiving yesterday, I was thankful
that the Bengals beat the day. So this is like
the the desert of Thanksgiving. I guess that we have clarification.
You know who it's going to be, and you can
kind of just move forward and not play the guesting game.
And it's good for the team to.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Know as well, thousand percent.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
And I think it means a lot to the team
emotionally as well as just he's a really good football player.
But still to me. When the Steelers have the ball,
I think it's gonna has to be a very run
centric approach.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Yeah, and we luckily we did see that last week
in Chicago that you know, some of the silver linings
per se. So hopefully they can just carry that on
on Sunday, you know, whenever they face the Bills. It
feels like they haven't played in so long, probably because
we've watched so many NFL games between Sunday and Chicago
and now I keep forgetting that today's Friday. So but
(13:36):
I agree in terms of just kind of uplifting them,
everybody being on the same page. Obviously, he's going to
have a new left tackle. We know that as well,
so it'll be interesting to see how things go. But
I think running the ball is going to be key
for them for sure.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Yeah, speaking of that new left tackle, Missy, let's stick
there for a second. Andre's Pete. We'll start at left
tackle according to Mike Tomlin. And he's a guy that
we haven't seen much of this right. He's just out
in LA against the Chargers, I believe you know.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
He he was late to the Rosser even in camp.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, I'm just going to say hopped on that moving
train in Latrobe, and when we did see him it
was at guard, not tackle. Now he does have tackle
experience in his career, more at guard, but certainly plenty
at tackle as well. Missy, how do you evaluate what
do you expect from him when we've seen so little
from him this year and again particularly at such a
(14:26):
crucial position.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Yeah, I mean I think you know, when they signed
him in training camp, it was later in La Trobe.
I remember being like, oh, that's, you know, an interesting pickup.
But he's a veteran guy. He's been to Pro Bowls.
So my guess is, you know, having a week of
practice to give him and Calvin Anderson reps that left
tackle to figure out, you know, who everybody was more
comfortable with in terms of communication and everything. You know,
(14:49):
it's going to be loud on Sunday, especially with a
holiday weekend and people being in town in Pittsburgh. So
I think the veteran experience that he will bring, he's
played in you know, however, many games I'm sitting in
an ice drinker. I would have looked that up for you,
but we're in between games right now. So but yeah,
I think that kind of makes sense in terms of
(15:09):
starting him at left tackle. You know you're getting Aaron back,
and obviously you need to protect that left wrist, whether
he's wearing the brace or whatever he's doing.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
So losing tackles in this league is a really slippery slope.
I mean, if you have good enough stars, let alone backups,
which leads me to the other side of all though.
I mean, Buffalo is going to be without both their guys.
It's a really good tackle tandem. I think that's as
big an advantage or as big a news as Rogers
coming back.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Yeah, I mean it is crazy when you think about
losing both of your starting tackles. I was talking to
Robin Max earlier before we knew that both you know,
Sean McDermott was going to rule both of those guys out,
and I said, you know, we were kind of a
little excited about the Bears defense, the players they had
out last week. But this just feels different in a way,
especially when you go back and you watch that Houston game,
(16:00):
that Thursday night game, the eight sacks that Josh Allen took,
the pressures. I mean, it's just every time I looked
up at the screen watching that game while trying to
do a little bit of work. You were just like, oh,
he's on the ground again, you know, like, oh, it
looks like that hurts. And I think, you know, getting
Alex Heigsmith back from that peck injury they missed in
the past two games. It'll be huge if he can
(16:21):
get that pass rush going and make Josh Allen have
another miserable night on the road, which, unfortunately for the Bills,
that's been their trend this season. Josh Allen is so
much better statistically at home this year than on the road.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
He certainly is. That's something Matt and I talked about
in the first hour of the show, Missy, And you know,
he is also a guy who, you know, it kind
of like Matt and I use the analogy of, you know,
the golfer who hasn't played so well and might be
in his own head a little bit. You know, the
hitter who steps into the batter's box is on a
bit of a cold streak and so maybe tries to,
(16:55):
you know, change his stance, or the hockey player hasn't
scored in seven or eight games, so I'm going to
do something different with my superstitions, Like it hasn't felt
like Josh Allen, the superhero that Cam called him earlier
this week. What do you think kind of the thought
process along the locker room, particularly with the defense, is
with Josh Allen, Like they know, obviously this guy is
(17:17):
dangerous and one of the best at what he does
in the world. But there is there maybe a sense
of like, we're getting this guy at the right time,
this offense at a time, and we could really frustrate
them and give them a long afternoon at Acrocar Stadium.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
Yeah, I think so, But I also think you have
to give Josh Allen credit the amount of eligibles that
he has been without this season at various times. Even
Dalton Kincaid is questionable heading into the team, so I
feel like he's kept them alive. Obviously, he's really good
at scoring touchdowns with his seed and that's just been
a staple of his career. But yeah, it has definitely,
(17:51):
I think, and maybe I get too invested in bias
when I watch teams that are on hard knocks because
you see so much of the intricacies of organization and
teams and you're just thinking, man, these guys are like
high flying, they have their right pieces on offense, and
defense and a positions where it felt like it wasn't working,
and then all of a sudden, you know, they start
having a season where you're like, wow, I guess the
(18:13):
Bills aren't untouchable. But it also feels very much so
like that throughout the entire AFC conference, but definitely not
at the right time for the Bills. It feels like,
you know, the Steelers have gone through a little bit
of a slump as well in terms of losing X
amount of games in so many weeks, but the Bills
are coming in with the same problem unfortunately.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
So Buffalo has a great fan base, much like Pittsburgh.
It's not that far of a road trip holiday weekend.
Do you think there'll be a lot of Bills Mafia
at ACTA? Sure?
Speaker 4 (18:44):
I feel like they usually bring a good bunch. You know,
it's an easy drive, and yeah, I do, But I
also think hopefully enough people from Pittsburgh who don't live
in Pittsburgh are able to come and have a chance
to spend time with family and enjoy a home game
that playoff implications on the line. So we'll have to.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
See Missy before we let you go. Matt and I
had a little bit of an interesting debate on Wednesday
that we need to get your take on. You know,
everybody has the same Thanksgiving. Do you like this? Do
you not like this? What's your favorite side? Do you
do ham and mac and cheese, all those things? But
what Matt and I really want to know, everybody loves
the desserts. Everybody loves pie, right, Matt and I were
(19:26):
talking about this. We want the apple and the cherry
and the pumpkin and the pecon and all that good stuff.
But when Missy Matthews went for dessert yesterday on Thanksgiving,
what's the first thing you take that first bite of
from the dessert table?
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Apple pie for sure, Apple Chris Apple, anything I'm in.
I will say though, my friend's house who we were at,
her mom was in town and she made this delicious,
cool wit peanut butter pie, which oh yeah, I was like,
I need the recipe. It was just amazing. So I
definitely had some of those, and I took apple pie home,
(20:03):
had some today with my coffee, and uh, I could
probably go for some more, but I'm going to try
to hold out.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Well, Missy, you deserve it. Get some pie when you
get home from the rink here later today. We'll let
you get back to being hockey mom. Thank you so
much for the time. Thank you so much for the
time here on a Friday, and we'll talk to.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You Sunday, all right, Thank you guys for you.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
So there she goes live from a rink somewhere in
western Pennsylvania. Missy Matthews with I.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Thought I heard a kid's score in the background.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
What's the gold song, Alex high You spend plenty of
time in those listenckey. I'm sure if my mom's listening
right now, she's probably got PTSD from all the holidays
that she spent slapping me around rinks across western Pennsylvania
and New York and Toronto and oh geez, Massachusetts and
(20:54):
Maryland and all these series that we used to Oh yeah,
a lot of time though up in Buffalo, a lot
of time, and in Toronto and Ohio and those places.
I love you, mah, and a big love to to
all the the moms that are uh schlepping their kids
around to various sporting events over the holidays and busy
times a year. I don't know if we mentioned it there.
(21:14):
Alex high Smith also no injury designation good. Yea so great,
that's that's great news again, particularly considering the Dire Straits
second band reference on the show today, the Dire Straits.
That is the tackle situation for Buffalo get.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
You're super strong on the edge.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Every edge rusher bullet in your chamber. For the Pittsburgh Steelers,
go cause some damage there. So yeah, Aaron, we'll see
that three package. We would love it, would love if
that were the case. So for those who might have
jumped in late or just to recap, Aaron Rodgers full participant,
no injury designation, full go for the Steelers. Signal caller
Andres Pete will start at left tackle in place of
(21:54):
Roderick Jones. Alex high Smith no injury designation. Didn't see
any thing about Joey Porter Junior specifically, although it said
that he that Mike Tomlin mentioned he was encouraged by
DK Metcalf as well. But I would imagine both DK
and JP J game time decisions, but looking like looking
like green light for everybody.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Else, Metcalf founded, promising, I really don't have any comment
on Porter.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Yeah, I haven't seen anything about Porter, he said. Mike
Tomlin said he expects DK Metcalf to play. That's thought
so so good news in that regard. Uh, if we
get any more, you know, if we get anything newer
here on Joey Porter Junior, by the time Matt and
I get up out of here, we will make sure
to relay that message for you. But when we return
on the other side, it is time to close this
(22:41):
show down. We're gonna give our thoughts and our predictions
on Steelers' bills. We're also going to run that gambit
of all the other NFL games absolutely on Sunday and
give just a quick thought and prediction on those as
well before we go. So plenty more to get to
when we wrap this thing up on the other side,
Wes sh Ruler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive on
Steeler Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Aaron Rodgers all systems go for Sunday's game against Mike
according to Mike Tomlin, against those Buffalo bills. That is,
of course the big news of the day. As Williamson
and I wrap this thing up, let me ask you
this and I the answer is and obvious, yes, but
knowing here on a Friday afternoon evening time frame that
(23:49):
Aaron Rodgers will play for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday,
I know it changes your thought process on the game.
How much though, like how much of a shift is
this and what maybe you had kind of coming into
the show today.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Are we doing Steeler predictions now or do you.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Want to do around the league first? Or do you
want to don't.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Go around the league and end with it, because yeah,
I'm gonna shut up for a minute.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
But I wonder, like I wonder how much this moves
the needle from a Vegas standpoint.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
I want to see, if anything, I don't think it
changed a ton two points towards the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Really, because I don't think it changed a ton when
Rudolph was announced in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Last week, it did not. I think it got there.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
But then you watch it and be like, like a
point or a half. Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
That was also on the road, though, which is a
little different as opposed to Matt Now it's Buffalo a
three point favorite, and it was four and a half.
I think it was five. Was it last last I
looked so Buffalo now a three point favorite.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Adds up. Yeah, I mean she should change the line.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I think absolutely so. So we'll get to that at
the end. But let's start and we'll kind of run
the game.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
But here, like we typically, yeah, we could bus through
some of these pretty quick, but.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Fought on thought on on each of these games, and
a prediction before we before we get on up at
a here. Brown's hosting the forty nine ers in Cleveland,
San Francisco, WA. Four and a half point favorite. Matt
one of the lowest over unders I've seen this year.
Just thirty five and a half is the over under
(25:24):
in this one.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Yeah, which makes me want to take the points. I mean,
I think they're expecting weather. Shanahan does have a really
good history of limiting like stud pass rushers, you know,
so maybe Garrett doesn't wreck things, which I would one
hundred percent understand, But perty's not a very strong arm
guy period of seventh round pick.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Especially in those weather windy weather.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Conditions, doesn't and he's throwing the ball worse than ever.
I mean, I think he may have even come back early.
I just think that it's going to be a tough
sledding for points in this game.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think that's a brilliant thought process. Four and a
half is a pretty big number for a game that
feels like it's going to be low scoring.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
In this it'll be playing in the team.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
It's three and a half, I'd think about laying them.
If it was two and a half, I definitely lay them.
At four and a half, I'm taking the point which
the Browns plus four and a half.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
I have a lot of respect for the Browns defense, Matt.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Everybody in our comments will not stop talking about how
much respect you have for the bat.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I'm sure they brought it up right.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
I I also though, I think there's at least a
little life there with the offense with Schador. There's at
least something they're not asking of them, but you know,
it's something. And the Niners, you know, eight defense, eight
and four, their defenses beat up, you know, are they
gonna maybe try and play in that weather on the
road against that defense. Let's have a conservative game plan
(26:37):
and I don't care if we win seven to six.
Let's just get out of here with the victory. No turnovers,
you know, we're fine with punting the ball away will
be good. Yeah, one point that that's a bit for
such a low over under. That's a big spread number.
It give me Cleveland play. I think San Francisco wins,
but give me Cleveland plus four and a half. In Tennessee,
(26:59):
the jag looking to stay. Hey, they'd be in the
playoffs if it started today. They've got some tie breakers
in their favor and still a chance that they could
win that division. They're not that far off of the Colts.
The seven and four Jags in Music City in Nashville
to take on the one and ten Tennessee Titans, who
have still not won a home game all year.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Bad.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
What means Jacksonville minus five and a half If the
Titans end up going oh for at home miserble. First
season ticket holders should get like a bar crawl down
Broad Street on the front paid for a franchise or something. Man,
that's I think I've had a couple of rough years
as a WU season ticket holder, but man, oh and
six at home? That's rough. Uh. Jacksonville able to win
(27:40):
by more than five and a half and cover the spread.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I guess don't have a lot of faith in them,
But clearly Tennessee doesn't have a great home field advantage.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Tickets as low as twelve dollars to get in.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
I thought this game would be over a touchdown. And
I don't even think Jacksonville's great.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Tennessee dam the one thing.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Guess I'll take the Jags, but I don't feel great
about it.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
It is used to be chilly and rainy, so the
weather's not going to be great.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I think a lot of Midwestern through the East is
going to get a lot.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Of weather that you get any snow last night, by
the way.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yeah, like when I came out of my parents' house,
I had to win. You'll wipe the snow.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
We had a decent like nothing that really stuck, but
we had a decent amount that fell yesterday, and we
were facetiming with our family from Nashville, actually my my
you know, my mom's sister and my aunt and uncle,
my cousins, and we got family in Tennessee and we
were facetiming with them and they always just get tickled
to death when they see snow. Imagine I'm with you.
(28:33):
I don't love it because that is a pretty big
number for Jacksonville. But I will lay the five and
a half. This might be one of those you know
I always say say this, but if I could have
that as part of a parlay and tease it down,
yea three and a half, I'd like it much more.
The Colts and the Texans, Matt, I think, along with
these Steelers and the Bills, this is the game this
(28:56):
week on Sunday that has the most playoff implications. The
Colts at eight and three hosting the hot Houston Texans
at six and five in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts are a three point favorite.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
I like the Colts. This does sound like I don't,
but I think they should be a pick them. I
think Texans are playing better. I don't think Stroud was
the problem. And now he comes back into a situation
that's actually blocking and running the ball, and the receivers
are stepping up, and you know, the defense is great.
So I think it's a coin flip game. So I'll
take points.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Ooh, I thought you were gonna lay him with the
Colts there, and I was gonna be different than you.
I don't know if you saw the videos yesterday, but
videos of Daniel Jones at practice yesterday and he.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Looked he's got a broken bone.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
He looked laboring.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, yeah, he.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Did not look like he was getting along. Well, he's
got a broken bone in his leg, and I.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Guess you can play with it. I mean, he's for
me to say, but I mean, right.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
It's a long broken bones, a long way from the heart.
To use a Herb Brooks Miracle on ice reference there,
I just and maybe it's an overall vibe shift. I
think the vibes have shifted a little shifted a little
bit on the Colts. I still think they find a
way to make the playoffs. Yeah, yeah, I think they're good,
but their schedules really difficult, and Daniel Jones is banged up, and.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
I think you could definitely argue that Houston's playing better
right now.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I might pick Houston to win a pick them. I'll
definitely take plus three another one. Maybe I'd like this
is part of a parlay tease that up to like
three and a half, four four and a half. If
you can for Houston, then I'd really love it. But
I will take the points with the Texans against a
Colts team that feels like it's a big crossroads moment
for them of if they can stay in that. Yeah,
hey they are, though I'll give them this. They're six
(30:33):
and zero at home this season, haven't lost at home,
so that's a substantial advantage for them at Lucas Oil.
The lad hass As, Pat McAfee and company call it
the Dolphins, the suddenly hot Miami Dolphins in Miami, Matt,
we're speaking of hot. It's supposed to be eighty one
degrees way kickoff in Miami as they host the New
(30:53):
Orleans Saints four and seven against two and nine. Although
a tale of two teams that I think are feeling
much differently about themselves. Like we mentioned, really good chance
that Miami is rolling up here in a couple of
weeks about five hundred or one game off of five hundred.
They are five and a half point favorites, though that's
a big number at home against New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Truck's been okay too.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Got your boy.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
I think I'll take Miami at home. But again, don't
I think that line's just about right. That's a slow
Saints defense though, and they still have waddle on a
chan and fast track and all that stuff I think
they cover. But again I wouldn't. I wouldn't touch it.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Another one that I'd like to tease it down a
little bit, but I will lay the points with Miami
if I have to. They're just they're playing much better.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
They're playing much better.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
They're at home. The weather's gonna be nice, so those
four Marri's are gonna be out and able to run.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
They might save his drum.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
They just might. At MetLife Stadium, the two to nine
j Ets hosting the four and seven Falcons in a
CanCon On three Bowl. Between these two teams, Atlanta two
and a half point favorites on the road.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I don't feel good about this one either.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
This is like I wouldn't want to know.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
I don't even really want to watch it, period.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Don't want to watch it, don't want to touch it,
stay away from it. I'm gonna be give me. I
was gonna say, give me a cut up of both
running backs after the games. Oh yeah, I'll take that.
And there's two good running backs in this game. But
that's about all. From a neutral interest factor.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Jets are playing hard, though, I would give them that.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
Yeah, they are a total pushover anymore.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
The Falcons kind of might be a total pushover, but
I think they have a much better roster. Maybe Kirk
Cousins has found a little something after a decent performance
last week.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I haven't seen what London status is. I mean that's
a big deal in that game. They're much different team
with him without him. But I'm gonna bet on Bijeon.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
I think i'll lay him With the Falcons at two
and a half. It's a three and a half, I'd
take the Oh, I definitely two and a half. I
think I'll lay them. Falcons win by a field goal,
Matt the Bucks. The Bucks need a win. The Troubles
are in trouble.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
So fortunate the division there.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
About the Steelers too, Yeah, Tampa in the same boat
back home, needing a win and getting an opponent kind
of right for the picking in that regard the Arizona
Cardinals in Tampa where it's gonna be seventy nine and
Sonny Tampa a four point favorite. That might seem a
little low. I might think that that was more five
(33:16):
five and a half. But Tampa a four point favorite
at home against the Cardinals. Is that an easy lay
them and take the Bucks minus the points.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
No, I think I'm taking it in Arizona. Yeah, I mean,
they're records worse than they are.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
They've won or lost eight of their last nine games
to Car. I know they always are the opposite of
the of the Bears.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Yeah, always lose, but they're not a terrible football team.
To me, They're not a bottom rung team. I do
think Tampa's desperate sounds like Mayfield's gonna play. That was
in question for a while here. I mean another game
I don't feel real confident about, but I'm gonna take points.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I'm gonna lay points because I just I think the
Buccaneers are better than what we've seen the last few weeks.
I know that they've been I.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Think Bucky Irving's back it could be helpful.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
They've had some very poor in the injury department.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
This hit really hard.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
They've been hit very hard by injuries, and to their credit,
they have navigated it pretty well until the last couple
of weeks.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
Maybe a guy like Godwin's getting his feet under him
and started to see what you know.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
I just think I think Tampa's much better than a
six and six team they would fall to if they
lost this game. I'm looking for the Bucks to respond.
I'll lay the four. Uh sticking in the South, although
I'll tell you what the weather in Charlotte not looking
nearly as good as it is in Florida as six
and six Panthers. Hey, big one for them hosting the Rams,
(34:33):
maybe the best team in the NFL. Second biggest spread
of the weekend, matt in Charlotte at Bank of America
Stadium on the road, the Rams ten point favorites.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Is this a one game or four game?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
This is a one o'clock on Fox, last of the
one o'clock slate here.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Ugh, it's a big number.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
A big number man for a cross country one o'clock
on the road, one o'clock for a West Coast team. Yeah,
that's a big number.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
I guess I'll take the Rams. I mean, they're they're
playing exceptional football right now. But covering again, covering ten
plus is asking a lot.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
It's a lot. I can hear Arthur Motes yelling at
me in the back. I think I'm gonna lay them
because I think Carolina has enough to play for. I
think the Rams are clearly the better team, right, but
the cross country travel, I think Carolina has a lot
to play for.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
And can they run the ball and keep it close?
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Can they run the ball and just hang around?
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Right?
Speaker 2 (35:29):
I think they can ten out?
Speaker 3 (35:31):
They run the ball pretty consistently that.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I'll take the plus ten. I'm not overly confident about it,
but I'm gonna lean that way. Biggest spread of the weekend,
Matt is in Seattle, where the Seahawks host the Vikings
twelve and a half point favorites. Is Seattle at home.
But that's against Minnesota, not the Raiders or you know,
the Browns. We're getting Brosmer at quarterback. We are getting
(35:57):
could be better than.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
What McCarthy's been. I mean, really could.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I mean, unless you're trotting out, unless you're trotting out
JaMarcus Russell out there, I don't know how it could
get worse.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
Yeah, Seattle twelve and a half, man, there's some big spreads, man.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
And like, remember, Seattle is not great at home. They're
only three and two at home this year. There's seven
and one on the road, only three and two. Give
me the points, seven and yees seven and one on
the No. Five and one on the road.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
They wouldn't be done yet.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Three and two at home. I'm gonna take the points.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
I'm gonna take the points. It's just too much. I
know everyone's gonna be down ten.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
I might take the points.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
Yeah, double digit seems like a lot. King is not
junk and Aaron Jones.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
And Seattle's really good, but like they haven't necessarily done
the Lions thing either, where they've blown a bunch of
teams out.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
I mean, still have to cover Jefferson, justin Jefferson, and
you know I'll take the points.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
I'm taking twelve and a half all day in this one.
I think Seattle wins, but I will tell you Minnesota
plus twelve and a half.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
Donald Revenge game.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Donald Revenge Game, that's a good point. Matt, Who do
I real quick? I've been asking you this like every week.
Who do I start in Fantasy Sam Darnold against Vikings
at home or bow Knicks against the Commanders on the road.
Who do I start at quarterback? I think I'm leaning
towards Nixon.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
Ye, I'm leaning towards next because he runs.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
More, he runs more, and the Commanders defense is bad defense.
Speaker 4 (37:13):
Right.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Donald's been a little down the last two weeks. I
think he'll get it back this week, but he's been
a little down the last two weeks. Chargers Raiders in
la at so far, I'm surprised this one isn't a
little bit bigger of a spread. I know the Chargers
are still beat up on offense, but I think the
Raiders might be the worst team in the NFL. Chargers
at home eight and a half point favorites. I'm surprised
(37:34):
that's not closer to ten.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Mm hmm, Like that's I don't think the Raiders put
any point.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
If you would have like blind tested me ahead of
this and said, Vikings Seahawks, Raiders, Chargers, which one's the
twelve and a half point spread? Raiders, Chargers, which one's
the eight and a half point spread? Viking Seahawks. Raiders
are a terrible place, right terrible place.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
They are the worst in the league. I'll tell I'll
take LA.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
I still might pick the Raiders if they played the
Titans on a neutral field, just because I think that
they're right. I know that their roster is better, but
they have been playing like the worst team in the
NFL for a long time now.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
I haven't even seen like who's gonna be calling plays,
and I mean they've the offensive coordinator change. I don't
know if that works for the better.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
I'm going to lay the eight and a half with LA,
and I don't love that because I don't love the
Chargers right now.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
No, and I don't like trying to block back Scrosby either,
but still I just don't. I'd have a hard time
putting money on the Raiders, no matter what the spread is,
no matter who they're playing, I think they're in the
worst place right now in the league.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
This is another one of those to work into a teaser.
I I would like this much more if it was
six and a half as opposed to eight and a half.
But I'm not giving the Raiders any benefit of the
doubt anymore. No, I'm just not right way past that point.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
I'm picking against the Raiders. I'm not picking the.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Chargers exactly right. Finally, Sunday Night in prime time, the Commanders, Man,
they got a lot of these primetime games lately, and
people were not expecting them to be out of the
seas were getting a tail all of two different franchises
going in op opposite directions this year, the three and
eight Commanders host the nine and two broncos yonkos Is
(39:08):
Myron Cope would have called him Denver a five and
a half point favorite on the road in land Over, Maryland.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
I would think a lot of running including Knicks as
a runner, but that defense is nasty. I'll take Denver.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
This feels a little bit like rat poison one for
me because I think this should be a bigger spread
than just five and are yes, this should be seven.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Usually I know the lines before we pick on Friday,
and my podcast schedule got messed up, so I did
hearing these for the first time, and I immediately thought,
this one's gonna be over a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Or at least a touchdown. Yeah, yeah, give me Broncos
minus five and a half. Yeah, Matt Steelers Bills before
we do, just real quick final what are they called?
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Injury report?
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Injury reports? Yes, reminder, Aaron Rodgers good to go, Alex
high Smith, good to go. Pete going to start at
left tackle for the Steelers. Looking good for DK Metcalf.
Still waiting a little bit more on Joey Porter, but
he has continued to practice, so good news in that regard.
For the Bills. You can rule out Bernard the linebacker.
(40:17):
You can rule out both tackles Dawkins and Brown. You
can also rule out Curtis Samuel the wide receiver. Kinkaid
gonna be questionable with that hamstring that has had him
limited all week. Joey Bosa back to a full participant
after having some wrist stuff. Yeah, so yeah, sounds sounds
good for him. That is the latest on the injury
(40:39):
front for both of these teams that we have been
kind of keeping an eye on. But we do know
Aaron Rodgers and kind of the biggest piece of that
news will be under center for your Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
I wish you knew more about Kincaid and that's the
only ones kind of him and Porter then one still
hovering out there.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Again, and those are significant for both teams. Absolutely, Matt
the Steelers three point home against the Buffalo Bills. How
does this play How does this one play out?
Speaker 3 (41:04):
I've gone back and forth on this one. Originally, I'm like,
I'm such a believer in rest advantages, especially late in
the year.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Next week. You haven't talked about that. You're right, they
got they got dealta crap hand.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
By the way, that's not cool for the NFL's It's
late in the year against.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Week the first possible week of the season, right.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
I think that is I would have a complaint if
I were mister Rooney and like, what are you doing here?
I mean, you could have worked around this. You're you're
stinging us there. That's sorry for another day. But we
haven't talked enough about the rest advantage this week. We
only have four days, but still I think that's a
big deal, especially getting embarrassed and all the protection issues
(41:46):
they had, even with their tackles when they were in there.
I'm sure that it won't be that crazy. And this
is a proud franchise with an awesome quarterback with extra
time to prepare. And for that reason, I was lean
then Bills pretty much every step of the way. Like
even when the Bills lost Thursday night, I'm like, they'll
(42:06):
come to Pittsburgh and win, you know. But I hate
the bills injury situation for them, and Bernard's a pretty
big deal. Kincaid would be a huge deal. They don't
have receivers that are threatening. But this tackle situation, to
me is a nightmare, nightmare, nightmare.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I Mean, the only thing that gives me pause is
we were saying the same thing a few weeks ago
about La and that was the Steelers worst offensive performance
of the season. The defense was okay, but their worst
offensive performance of the season came at a very inopportune time. Yeah,
when you thought the defense was gonna feast and they
did it. I don't think the defense was a disaster
in that game against the Chargers, but they didn't feast
(42:43):
like you wanted them to. The turkey was not on
the table like seconds. Yeah, you need to do that.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
This week, Bills of Arrest advantage and if I were
to do a power ranking, I would have the bills
ahead of the Steelers. I think most people would. I'm
still don't think the Steelers close one though. I do
think there is something to Tomlin after a loss, and
I'm sure there is to Allen as well.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Don't get me wrong.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
I got this like twenty four to twenty three.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Come. I would definitely take the points Matt. I when
I left this morning in my house, I have it
in my notes here because I I put a couple
you know, the good times, bad times. I wanted to
make sure I pulled the stuff out of the because,
like I said, Matt's stats packice packet was outstanding this week.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Go check it out.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Ons that, so I wanted to pull some stuff out
of there. I wrote down in my notes here my prediction.
This was before I left the house, this before the
injury news came out for both teams. I had twenty
seven to twenty four Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
Totally get it.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
I'm gonna go twenty seven to twenty four Steelers, all right,
because I think we got good news. We got good
news for the Steelers and the injury department. We got
bad news for Buffalo and a game that I think
was already on Razor margins. I'm gonna flip that margin
to Pittsburgh's side. I left my house a few hours
ago with twenty seven to twenty four Bills to change
it to twenty seven to twenty four Steelers here at
(44:02):
the eleventh hour.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Yeah, I expect a very close game. I just don't
think the Bills have gotten a lot of good news lately.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Same yeah, and they're gonna get some more bad news
Sunday afternoon in the evening at Acrituur Stadium. Good stuff
this week, matt I enjoyed the shows. Thanks to all
of our guests who joined us. Thanks to Missy Matthews
for being there with us today. All of you, if
you're you know, listening to this on Saturday or Sunday
to get you ready for the game as you're heading
home from Thanksgiving travels and all that. Hope you all
(44:29):
had a great holiday. Everybody, stay safe and be safe
out there traveling. For mister TV Tyler V. Big shout
out to him as always our resident YouTube video producer
and our statistician here on site with us for Matt Williamson,
um Wes Shueler, take care, everybody, enjoy the rest of
the weekend and we win loser draw. We back here
(44:51):
on Monday to break it all down for you. As always,
you know where to find us. It's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Your two weeks about drive on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good evening, Steeler Nation. How we doing thirsty us two man,
get out of here and go watch some football, baby,
it's our number two on the drive here. Black Friday
rolling into Thanksgiving weekend, West Shuler Matt Williamson, of course,
getting you ready for I mean, this is some of
(00:45):
the best, one of the best football weekends of the year.
If you're only into the NFL, you get multiple games Thursday,
you get a Black Friday game today, you get a
full slate on Sunday, Matt, if you're if you're into
college football as well, you get some great college football
games today. Remember tonight Texas A and M Texas Top
twenty match up. Oh right, big name quarterbacks. One of
(01:06):
the nastiest rivalries in college football. That's only been back
on the schedule for two years here now still has
a lot of that animosity built up in it. Of course,
a full slate of rivalry games on Saturday, and then
a full slate of a.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's not a great NFL standard, It's not Sunday heavy lines.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
You know, there are some bigger lines than you would
like to see, particularly Matt for a week thirteen when
that road is starting to.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, I'd have to double check, but I think the
Steelers only one of two games on Sunday between teams
with a winning record.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Okay, yeah, so there's not a lot. I mean, I
think you're right. I think that that that sounds right. Yeah,
Rams and Panthers. Panthers are five hundred.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Okay, so that doesn't quite count.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
But you're right, Colts and Texans are fire. So yeah,
you're right, there's only two, uh, both teams above five hundred.
But of course some good games yesterday go to Eagles
Bears today, Matt. You know, sometimes I laugh, like I'll
look at the lowest get in price for some of
the spl games and how it can be all over
the board, like, for example, at MetLife Jets against Falcons,
(02:17):
tickets as low as thirty three dollars. I don't think
that's surprises many Falcons fans coming to New York either
Titans Jags in Nashville tickets as low as twelve dollars.
I don't think that surprises anybody. Black Friday today in
Philadelphia Eagles Bears, that's the price three hundred and seventy
six bucks the cheapest get in right.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Now, I bet see one's not cheap either.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It's not. It's over one hundred. Yeah, it's over bills.
Fans will travel, Oh buddy, will they.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Even Thanksgiving weekend? I'm sure Thanksgiving and give the car?
So yeah, maybe more so? Right?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
I told you I have a get in the cars
Friday morning. I have a Monday morning. Like perhaps my
best friend, you know, one of my two best friends
from college. He's from Rochester. He's got two daughters just
like I do. You know, his wife and my wife
get along, and we were all in each other's weddings
type thing. I was. I was trying to convince him
(03:08):
for the last couple of weeks. I was like, dude,
come bring the fawn, bring the family. On Friday night,
we'll get up Saturday wall, I'll go to Morgantown for
the WU Texas Tech game, and then you take the
family Sunday to Steelers Bill perfect, perfect doubleheader, but just
too much holiday stuff going on to make it work. Matt.
Let's get before we get to Missy Matthews, a few
more of your Matt's stats Golden nuggets that I want
(03:33):
to to pull out here, let's stick with some Jalen
Warren in run game conversation. Jalen, Remember this is also
towards the kind of the bad times section of things here.
Jalen Warren has been hit behind the line of scrimmage
basically fifty two percent of his carry's third highest rate
in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
That part's not good.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
No, it's not, I think, especially when I test you
and I and everyone agree that it feels like the
offensive line has been playing better.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, I don't think that's all no line stat either.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It makes me think. And again, I know it's a
bet a lot of them were early in the year.
I think that that would be definitely a big part
of it that that number still waited a little bit
towards the beginning of the year. I also wonder with
how much of it is now that the book is out,
it is known that the Steelers are not throwing the
ball deep down field. I think you need to get
people out of this. We're seeing with a lot of
Cover four where the safeties are key in downhill on
(04:23):
the run game. Yes, and so even if your offensive
line maybe is doing a good job with the initial
wave here come the linebackers and the safeties to outnumber you.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, I'd also like to see more play action. Throw
it over the linebackers heads to the play action numbers dropped,
And that's not exactly where we were going. But that
was one of my criticisms of the Bears game was
you run the ball really well, but you weren't using
play action off of it, you know, and play action
doesn't always mean it'll bring us for explosive stuff. That
doesn't always mean you have to throw a go ball
(04:51):
forty yards out the field either play action you know,
sometimes linebackers.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Somebody to get you one extra guy in the box
and you turn that six yard gain into a sixteen
yard gain, right, or a six yard gain into a
twenty six yard game or a sixty yard gain.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
But his numbers after contact or incredible.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Incredible, right, right, So imagine if you could just push
that contact back another yard or two.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, if you could get them a more
running room, and I mean, I think we saw that
against Chicago and you know some recent times, and I
would expect you could do it against the Bill I think.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
So yeah, let's get into some more of that pass
game and explosive stuffs here, Buffalo giving up just one
hundred and eighty three passing yards per game, fewest in
the National Football League, misleading because people run on them
like crazy.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Because people run on them like crazy, their pass defense
is clearly better than the run defense.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But the Steelers giving up two hundred and seventy eight
yards in the air per game the most in the league,
so opposite ends of the spectrum in that regard mass.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Sometimes I'll psyche those up in like the general area. Yeah,
like when things are starkly different or exactly the same
or you know.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
And I do agree with you that part of that
A big portion of that is because teams run the
ball more against Buffalo, Yes, but it's still just one
hundred and eighty three yards through the air against that
defense per game.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And they've played with their share of leads and teams
had to come back on them too.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
And you know, right, and when you have dk Metcalf
failing to reach fifty five or more receiving yards in
six straight contests and stop has to stop. I'm worried
that it's going to get to a point where the
Steelers are struggling in the run game and struggling in
the past game to really find any footing. It feels
(06:28):
like they need to establish that run game early against
this Bills defense, y big personnel, and if you don't,
you might be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah. And exactly one week ago on Friday, going up
to the Bears game, I thought the same thing. Not
that the Bears pass defense is scary, or their pass
rush or their you know, secondaries as much, but I said,
you know, people get so sick of run run, pass, run, run, pass, run, run, run,
I mean so honestly, Yeah, if you can eat clock,
(06:56):
And we did see the Steelers actually win time of
possession and did some things good in that regard. And
I think the running game's coming around. And one of
my biggest takeaways from the Bears game, I think the
O line's in the best place it's been yet. And
you know you're gonna lose proderct Jones for this game,
but still the right side's really good. Right now.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think you feel more camm like crazy, You feel
more confident about losing Broderick now than you will have
at any other point in the year.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah. Although I don't know what to think of Calvin
Anderson that's not good or bad. I said, don't have
a really inkling. I mean, it won't be as good,
but you know.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You feel much better about the stability of the five
and removing one from the equation maybe than you would
have it yet any other point this season.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I know exactly what I think from center to right.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
That yeah, and I like it. All Right, let's close
this down with explosives before we get to the great
Melissa Matthews. The Steelers have allowed twenty seven more explosive
passes than they have created. That's brutal, that's and it's
like three a game. That's not good.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
The Steelers offense has an explosive play rate a four
point six percent of the time. That is only better
than the Saints, the Rounds, and the Niners.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Shocking. The Niners are there, but you don't want to
be with those other two teams, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
That was my first time, is right. The Bills defense
gives up an explosive play rate or gives up an
explosive play just six point four percent of the time.
That's top ten, eighth best in the National Football League.
Buffalo leads the league and plays resulting in twenty plus
yard gains.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
The Steelers they do tackle well, and they thirty if
they're fast, and they get the up people of the
ball and they keep an umbrella over things. They get
gashed with the death by thousand paper cuts, but they
don't let the big one.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
And that that's where I was, That's where I was going.
You you're gonna need ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen play drives
against these guys.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, don't go backwards and take a sack or a
holding or a and you have to.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
This is this has been the case against Buffalo for
years now. But you have to make them earn it too.
You can't let them go down the field in three, four, five,
six plays very easily. And here's a twenty yard game
and here's a already four yard gain and all of
a sudden, you're in the red zone and bang touchdown.
And you're gonna have to earn it on offense. And
you've got to make them earn it on defense.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
And that's one of the way they one of the
reasons they play defense the way they do with smaller,
faster personnel and make you may have a long drive
against them, and maybe we do get pushed around a little,
but Josh is gonna put up points. Yes, you know,
like we know this, you know, like spoiler alert, ye,
spoiler alert.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Like one of my favorite examples of like team building
in this manner were the Peyton Manning Colts, And if
you look at his tenure there, they spent a ton
of first round picks on skill guys Edrin James, Joseph Died,
Dallas Clark, Marvin, Wayne Gonzalez over and over, Like you
really need to give Peyton Manning extra great running.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Back thiwed them a great team in the trenches and
he'll elevate.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah. They had Saturday at center and they had a
really good left tackle in Tarrek Glenn. But the rest
of the line they kind of just cut corners at
But they cut corners like on defense. I mean all
their linebackers that here were like fifth round pick rookies,
cheap as could because they couldn't afford anything else. But
the one spot they spent money on were the defensive ends.
Because we play in the Dome and we're gonna bring
(10:14):
these two rocket ships off the edge because Peyton's gonna
make you get to thirty and sometime you're gonna have
to throw.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Matt We have breaking news, Okay. Mike Tomlin just speaking
to the media as practice concluded. Yeah, And he said
Aaron Rodgers was a full participant today and will play
against the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Good.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Good. He also said he expects DK Metcalf to play,
and that Andres Pete will start at left rock. And
we had gone back and forth earlier that year here
and it was going to be Pete.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
And then.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
The birdies were saying Anderson. Well, straight from the horse's
mouth from the source, Mike Tomlin says Pete at left tackle,
Aaron Rodgers under center, DK a Calf expected to play.
Sounds like better news in the injury department than it
is for the Buffalo Bills. Yeah, let's start there with
Missy Matthews when we return on the other side, plenty
(11:12):
to get to with the Queen of the sideline when
we come back. Eu'ler Williamson The Drive, Steelers Audio Network,
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Back on the Drive here on a Friday, as we
are getting ready for all things Steelers Bills. A massive
one at four twenty five at Akrosher Stadium on Sunday,
and we now know that Aaron Rodgers will be under
center no injury designation for the future Hall of Fame
signal caller. If you missed it in our last segment
(12:13):
there as we got the news. Joining us now to
discuss that and of course plenty more around Steelers Bills
is the queen of the sideline, Missy Matthews. Missy, thank
you for taking the time as always, but especially during
a holiday weekend here for us. I hope you had
a great Thanksgiving with the fam yesterday and good Thanksgiving news.
We are all thankful that Aaron Rodgers is going to
(12:35):
be back in the Black and Gold.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Yeah. I mean actually on Thanksgiving yesterday, I was thankful
that the Bengals beat the day. So this is like
the the desert of Thanksgiving. I guess that we have clarification.
You know who it's going to be, and you can
kind of just move forward and not play the guesting game.
And it's good for the team to.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Know as well, thousand percent.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
And I think it means a lot to the team
emotionally as well as just he's a really good football player.
But still to me. When the Steelers have the ball,
I think it's gonna has to be a very run
centric approach.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Yeah, and we luckily we did see that last week
in Chicago that you know, some of the silver linings
per se. So hopefully they can just carry that on
on Sunday, you know, whenever they face the Bills. It
feels like they haven't played in so long, probably because
we've watched so many NFL games between Sunday and Chicago
and now I keep forgetting that today's Friday. So but
(13:36):
I agree in terms of just kind of uplifting them,
everybody being on the same page. Obviously, he's going to
have a new left tackle. We know that as well,
so it'll be interesting to see how things go. But
I think running the ball is going to be key
for them for sure.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Yeah, speaking of that new left tackle, Missy, let's stick
there for a second. Andre's Pete. We'll start at left
tackle according to Mike Tomlin. And he's a guy that
we haven't seen much of this right. He's just out
in LA against the Chargers, I believe you know.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
He he was late to the Rosser even in camp.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, I'm just going to say hopped on that moving
train in Latrobe, and when we did see him it
was at guard, not tackle. Now he does have tackle
experience in his career, more at guard, but certainly plenty
at tackle as well. Missy, how do you evaluate what
do you expect from him when we've seen so little
from him this year and again particularly at such a
(14:26):
crucial position.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Yeah, I mean I think you know, when they signed
him in training camp, it was later in La Trobe.
I remember being like, oh, that's, you know, an interesting pickup.
But he's a veteran guy. He's been to Pro Bowls.
So my guess is, you know, having a week of
practice to give him and Calvin Anderson reps that left
tackle to figure out, you know, who everybody was more
comfortable with in terms of communication and everything. You know,
(14:49):
it's going to be loud on Sunday, especially with a
holiday weekend and people being in town in Pittsburgh. So
I think the veteran experience that he will bring, he's
played in you know, however, many games I'm sitting in
an ice drinker. I would have looked that up for you,
but we're in between games right now. So but yeah,
I think that kind of makes sense in terms of
(15:09):
starting him at left tackle. You know you're getting Aaron back,
and obviously you need to protect that left wrist, whether
he's wearing the brace or whatever he's doing.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
So losing tackles in this league is a really slippery slope.
I mean, if you have good enough stars, let alone backups,
which leads me to the other side of all though.
I mean, Buffalo is going to be without both their guys.
It's a really good tackle tandem. I think that's as
big an advantage or as big a news as Rogers
coming back.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Yeah, I mean it is crazy when you think about
losing both of your starting tackles. I was talking to
Robin Max earlier before we knew that both you know,
Sean McDermott was going to rule both of those guys out,
and I said, you know, we were kind of a
little excited about the Bears defense, the players they had
out last week. But this just feels different in a way,
especially when you go back and you watch that Houston game,
(16:00):
that Thursday night game, the eight sacks that Josh Allen took,
the pressures. I mean, it's just every time I looked
up at the screen watching that game while trying to
do a little bit of work. You were just like, oh,
he's on the ground again, you know, like, oh, it
looks like that hurts. And I think, you know, getting
Alex Heigsmith back from that peck injury they missed in
the past two games. It'll be huge if he can
(16:21):
get that pass rush going and make Josh Allen have
another miserable night on the road, which, unfortunately for the Bills,
that's been their trend this season. Josh Allen is so
much better statistically at home this year than on the road.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
He certainly is. That's something Matt and I talked about
in the first hour of the show, Missy, And you know,
he is also a guy who, you know, it kind
of like Matt and I use the analogy of, you know,
the golfer who hasn't played so well and might be
in his own head a little bit. You know, the
hitter who steps into the batter's box is on a
bit of a cold streak and so maybe tries to,
(16:55):
you know, change his stance, or the hockey player hasn't
scored in seven or eight games, so I'm going to
do something different with my superstitions, Like it hasn't felt
like Josh Allen, the superhero that Cam called him earlier
this week. What do you think kind of the thought
process along the locker room, particularly with the defense, is
with Josh Allen, Like they know, obviously this guy is
(17:17):
dangerous and one of the best at what he does
in the world. But there is there maybe a sense
of like, we're getting this guy at the right time,
this offense at a time, and we could really frustrate
them and give them a long afternoon at Acrocar Stadium.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
Yeah, I think so, But I also think you have
to give Josh Allen credit the amount of eligibles that
he has been without this season at various times. Even
Dalton Kincaid is questionable heading into the team, so I
feel like he's kept them alive. Obviously, he's really good
at scoring touchdowns with his seed and that's just been
a staple of his career. But yeah, it has definitely,
(17:51):
I think, and maybe I get too invested in bias
when I watch teams that are on hard knocks because
you see so much of the intricacies of organization and
teams and you're just thinking, man, these guys are like
high flying, they have their right pieces on offense, and
defense and a positions where it felt like it wasn't working,
and then all of a sudden, you know, they start
having a season where you're like, wow, I guess the
(18:13):
Bills aren't untouchable. But it also feels very much so
like that throughout the entire AFC conference, but definitely not
at the right time for the Bills. It feels like,
you know, the Steelers have gone through a little bit
of a slump as well in terms of losing X
amount of games in so many weeks, but the Bills
are coming in with the same problem unfortunately.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
So Buffalo has a great fan base, much like Pittsburgh.
It's not that far of a road trip holiday weekend.
Do you think there'll be a lot of Bills Mafia
at ACTA? Sure?
Speaker 4 (18:44):
I feel like they usually bring a good bunch. You know,
it's an easy drive, and yeah, I do, But I
also think hopefully enough people from Pittsburgh who don't live
in Pittsburgh are able to come and have a chance
to spend time with family and enjoy a home game
that playoff implications on the line. So we'll have to.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
See Missy before we let you go. Matt and I
had a little bit of an interesting debate on Wednesday
that we need to get your take on. You know,
everybody has the same Thanksgiving. Do you like this? Do
you not like this? What's your favorite side? Do you
do ham and mac and cheese, all those things? But
what Matt and I really want to know, everybody loves
the desserts. Everybody loves pie, right, Matt and I were
(19:26):
talking about this. We want the apple and the cherry
and the pumpkin and the pecon and all that good stuff.
But when Missy Matthews went for dessert yesterday on Thanksgiving,
what's the first thing you take that first bite of
from the dessert table?
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Apple pie for sure, Apple Chris Apple, anything I'm in.
I will say though, my friend's house who we were at,
her mom was in town and she made this delicious,
cool wit peanut butter pie, which oh yeah, I was like,
I need the recipe. It was just amazing. So I
definitely had some of those, and I took apple pie home,
(20:03):
had some today with my coffee, and uh, I could
probably go for some more, but I'm going to try
to hold out.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Well, Missy, you deserve it. Get some pie when you
get home from the rink here later today. We'll let
you get back to being hockey mom. Thank you so
much for the time. Thank you so much for the
time here on a Friday, and we'll talk to.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You Sunday, all right, Thank you guys for you.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
So there she goes live from a rink somewhere in
western Pennsylvania. Missy Matthews with I.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Thought I heard a kid's score in the background.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
What's the gold song, Alex high You spend plenty of
time in those listenckey. I'm sure if my mom's listening
right now, she's probably got PTSD from all the holidays
that she spent slapping me around rinks across western Pennsylvania
and New York and Toronto and oh geez, Massachusetts and
(20:54):
Maryland and all these series that we used to Oh yeah,
a lot of time though up in Buffalo, a lot
of time, and in Toronto and Ohio and those places.
I love you, mah, and a big love to to
all the the moms that are uh schlepping their kids
around to various sporting events over the holidays and busy
times a year. I don't know if we mentioned it there.
(21:14):
Alex high Smith also no injury designation good. Yea so great,
that's that's great news again, particularly considering the Dire Straits
second band reference on the show today, the Dire Straits.
That is the tackle situation for Buffalo get.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
You're super strong on the edge.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Every edge rusher bullet in your chamber. For the Pittsburgh Steelers,
go cause some damage there. So yeah, Aaron, we'll see
that three package. We would love it, would love if
that were the case. So for those who might have
jumped in late or just to recap, Aaron Rodgers full participant,
no injury designation, full go for the Steelers. Signal caller
Andres Pete will start at left tackle in place of
(21:54):
Roderick Jones. Alex high Smith no injury designation. Didn't see
any thing about Joey Porter Junior specifically, although it said
that he that Mike Tomlin mentioned he was encouraged by
DK Metcalf as well. But I would imagine both DK
and JP J game time decisions, but looking like looking
like green light for everybody.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Else, Metcalf founded, promising, I really don't have any comment
on Porter.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Yeah, I haven't seen anything about Porter, he said. Mike
Tomlin said he expects DK Metcalf to play. That's thought
so so good news in that regard. Uh, if we
get any more, you know, if we get anything newer
here on Joey Porter Junior, by the time Matt and
I get up out of here, we will make sure
to relay that message for you. But when we return
on the other side, it is time to close this
(22:41):
show down. We're gonna give our thoughts and our predictions
on Steelers' bills. We're also going to run that gambit
of all the other NFL games absolutely on Sunday and
give just a quick thought and prediction on those as
well before we go. So plenty more to get to
when we wrap this thing up on the other side,
Wes sh Ruler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive on
Steeler Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Aaron Rodgers all systems go for Sunday's game against Mike
according to Mike Tomlin, against those Buffalo bills. That is,
of course the big news of the day. As Williamson
and I wrap this thing up, let me ask you
this and I the answer is and obvious, yes, but
knowing here on a Friday afternoon evening time frame that
(23:49):
Aaron Rodgers will play for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday,
I know it changes your thought process on the game.
How much though, like how much of a shift is
this and what maybe you had kind of coming into
the show today.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Are we doing Steeler predictions now or do you.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Want to do around the league first? Or do you
want to don't.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Go around the league and end with it, because yeah,
I'm gonna shut up for a minute.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
But I wonder, like I wonder how much this moves
the needle from a Vegas standpoint.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
I want to see, if anything, I don't think it
changed a ton two points towards the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Really, because I don't think it changed a ton when
Rudolph was announced in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Last week, it did not. I think it got there.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
But then you watch it and be like, like a
point or a half. Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
That was also on the road, though, which is a
little different as opposed to Matt Now it's Buffalo a
three point favorite, and it was four and a half.
I think it was five. Was it last last I
looked so Buffalo now a three point favorite.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Adds up. Yeah, I mean she should change the line.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I think absolutely so. So we'll get to that at
the end. But let's start and we'll kind of run
the game.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
But here, like we typically, yeah, we could bus through
some of these pretty quick, but.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Fought on thought on on each of these games, and
a prediction before we before we get on up at
a here. Brown's hosting the forty nine ers in Cleveland,
San Francisco, WA. Four and a half point favorite. Matt
one of the lowest over unders I've seen this year.
Just thirty five and a half is the over under
(25:24):
in this one.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Yeah, which makes me want to take the points. I mean,
I think they're expecting weather. Shanahan does have a really
good history of limiting like stud pass rushers, you know,
so maybe Garrett doesn't wreck things, which I would one
hundred percent understand, But perty's not a very strong arm
guy period of seventh round pick.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Especially in those weather windy weather.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Conditions, doesn't and he's throwing the ball worse than ever.
I mean, I think he may have even come back early.
I just think that it's going to be a tough
sledding for points in this game.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think that's a brilliant thought process. Four and a
half is a pretty big number for a game that
feels like it's going to be low scoring.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
In this it'll be playing in the team.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
It's three and a half, I'd think about laying them.
If it was two and a half, I definitely lay them.
At four and a half, I'm taking the point which
the Browns plus four and a half.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
I have a lot of respect for the Browns defense, Matt.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Everybody in our comments will not stop talking about how
much respect you have for the bat.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I'm sure they brought it up right.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
I I also though, I think there's at least a
little life there with the offense with Schador. There's at
least something they're not asking of them, but you know,
it's something. And the Niners, you know, eight defense, eight
and four, their defenses beat up, you know, are they
gonna maybe try and play in that weather on the
road against that defense. Let's have a conservative game plan
(26:37):
and I don't care if we win seven to six.
Let's just get out of here with the victory. No turnovers,
you know, we're fine with punting the ball away will
be good. Yeah, one point that that's a bit for
such a low over under. That's a big spread number.
It give me Cleveland play. I think San Francisco wins,
but give me Cleveland plus four and a half. In Tennessee,
(26:59):
the jag looking to stay. Hey, they'd be in the
playoffs if it started today. They've got some tie breakers
in their favor and still a chance that they could
win that division. They're not that far off of the Colts.
The seven and four Jags in Music City in Nashville
to take on the one and ten Tennessee Titans, who
have still not won a home game all year.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Bad.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
What means Jacksonville minus five and a half If the
Titans end up going oh for at home miserble. First
season ticket holders should get like a bar crawl down
Broad Street on the front paid for a franchise or something. Man,
that's I think I've had a couple of rough years
as a WU season ticket holder, but man, oh and
six at home? That's rough. Uh. Jacksonville able to win
(27:40):
by more than five and a half and cover the spread.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I guess don't have a lot of faith in them,
But clearly Tennessee doesn't have a great home field advantage.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Tickets as low as twelve dollars to get in.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
I thought this game would be over a touchdown. And
I don't even think Jacksonville's great.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Tennessee dam the one thing.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Guess I'll take the Jags, but I don't feel great
about it.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
It is used to be chilly and rainy, so the
weather's not going to be great.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I think a lot of Midwestern through the East is
going to get a lot.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Of weather that you get any snow last night, by
the way.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yeah, like when I came out of my parents' house,
I had to win. You'll wipe the snow.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
We had a decent like nothing that really stuck, but
we had a decent amount that fell yesterday, and we
were facetiming with our family from Nashville, actually my my
you know, my mom's sister and my aunt and uncle,
my cousins, and we got family in Tennessee and we
were facetiming with them and they always just get tickled
to death when they see snow. Imagine I'm with you.
(28:33):
I don't love it because that is a pretty big
number for Jacksonville. But I will lay the five and
a half. This might be one of those you know
I always say say this, but if I could have
that as part of a parlay and tease it down,
yea three and a half, I'd like it much more.
The Colts and the Texans, Matt, I think, along with
these Steelers and the Bills, this is the game this
(28:56):
week on Sunday that has the most playoff implications. The
Colts at eight and three hosting the hot Houston Texans
at six and five in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts are a three point favorite.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
I like the Colts. This does sound like I don't,
but I think they should be a pick them. I
think Texans are playing better. I don't think Stroud was
the problem. And now he comes back into a situation
that's actually blocking and running the ball, and the receivers
are stepping up, and you know, the defense is great.
So I think it's a coin flip game. So I'll
take points.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Ooh, I thought you were gonna lay him with the
Colts there, and I was gonna be different than you.
I don't know if you saw the videos yesterday, but
videos of Daniel Jones at practice yesterday and he.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Looked he's got a broken bone.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
He looked laboring.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, yeah, he.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Did not look like he was getting along. Well, he's
got a broken bone in his leg, and I.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Guess you can play with it. I mean, he's for
me to say, but I mean, right.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
It's a long broken bones, a long way from the heart.
To use a Herb Brooks Miracle on ice reference there,
I just and maybe it's an overall vibe shift. I
think the vibes have shifted a little shifted a little
bit on the Colts. I still think they find a
way to make the playoffs. Yeah, yeah, I think they're good,
but their schedules really difficult, and Daniel Jones is banged up, and.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
I think you could definitely argue that Houston's playing better
right now.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I might pick Houston to win a pick them. I'll
definitely take plus three another one. Maybe I'd like this
is part of a parlay tease that up to like
three and a half, four four and a half. If
you can for Houston, then I'd really love it. But
I will take the points with the Texans against a
Colts team that feels like it's a big crossroads moment
for them of if they can stay in that. Yeah,
hey they are, though I'll give them this. They're six
(30:33):
and zero at home this season, haven't lost at home,
so that's a substantial advantage for them at Lucas Oil.
The lad hass As, Pat McAfee and company call it
the Dolphins, the suddenly hot Miami Dolphins in Miami, Matt,
we're speaking of hot. It's supposed to be eighty one
degrees way kickoff in Miami as they host the New
(30:53):
Orleans Saints four and seven against two and nine. Although
a tale of two teams that I think are feeling
much differently about themselves. Like we mentioned, really good chance
that Miami is rolling up here in a couple of
weeks about five hundred or one game off of five hundred.
They are five and a half point favorites, though that's
a big number at home against New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Truck's been okay too.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Got your boy.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
I think I'll take Miami at home. But again, don't
I think that line's just about right. That's a slow
Saints defense though, and they still have waddle on a
chan and fast track and all that stuff I think
they cover. But again I wouldn't. I wouldn't touch it.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Another one that I'd like to tease it down a
little bit, but I will lay the points with Miami
if I have to. They're just they're playing much better.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
They're playing much better.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
They're at home. The weather's gonna be nice, so those
four Marri's are gonna be out and able to run.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
They might save his drum.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
They just might. At MetLife Stadium, the two to nine
j Ets hosting the four and seven Falcons in a
CanCon On three Bowl. Between these two teams, Atlanta two
and a half point favorites on the road.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I don't feel good about this one either.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
This is like I wouldn't want to know.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
I don't even really want to watch it, period.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Don't want to watch it, don't want to touch it,
stay away from it. I'm gonna be give me. I
was gonna say, give me a cut up of both
running backs after the games. Oh yeah, I'll take that.
And there's two good running backs in this game. But
that's about all. From a neutral interest factor.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Jets are playing hard, though, I would give them that.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
Yeah, they are a total pushover anymore.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
The Falcons kind of might be a total pushover, but
I think they have a much better roster. Maybe Kirk
Cousins has found a little something after a decent performance
last week.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I haven't seen what London status is. I mean that's
a big deal in that game. They're much different team
with him without him. But I'm gonna bet on Bijeon.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
I think i'll lay him With the Falcons at two
and a half. It's a three and a half, I'd
take the Oh, I definitely two and a half. I
think I'll lay them. Falcons win by a field goal,
Matt the Bucks. The Bucks need a win. The Troubles
are in trouble.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
So fortunate the division there.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
About the Steelers too, Yeah, Tampa in the same boat
back home, needing a win and getting an opponent kind
of right for the picking in that regard the Arizona
Cardinals in Tampa where it's gonna be seventy nine and
Sonny Tampa a four point favorite. That might seem a
little low. I might think that that was more five
(33:16):
five and a half. But Tampa a four point favorite
at home against the Cardinals. Is that an easy lay
them and take the Bucks minus the points.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
No, I think I'm taking it in Arizona. Yeah, I mean,
they're records worse than they are.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
They've won or lost eight of their last nine games
to Car. I know they always are the opposite of
the of the Bears.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Yeah, always lose, but they're not a terrible football team.
To me, They're not a bottom rung team. I do
think Tampa's desperate sounds like Mayfield's gonna play. That was
in question for a while here. I mean another game
I don't feel real confident about, but I'm gonna take points.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I'm gonna lay points because I just I think the
Buccaneers are better than what we've seen the last few weeks.
I know that they've been I.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Think Bucky Irving's back it could be helpful.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
They've had some very poor in the injury department.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
This hit really hard.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
They've been hit very hard by injuries, and to their credit,
they have navigated it pretty well until the last couple
of weeks.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
Maybe a guy like Godwin's getting his feet under him
and started to see what you know.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
I just think I think Tampa's much better than a
six and six team they would fall to if they
lost this game. I'm looking for the Bucks to respond.
I'll lay the four. Uh sticking in the South, although
I'll tell you what the weather in Charlotte not looking
nearly as good as it is in Florida as six
and six Panthers. Hey, big one for them hosting the Rams,
(34:33):
maybe the best team in the NFL. Second biggest spread
of the weekend, matt in Charlotte at Bank of America
Stadium on the road, the Rams ten point favorites.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Is this a one game or four game?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
This is a one o'clock on Fox, last of the
one o'clock slate here.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Ugh, it's a big number.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
A big number man for a cross country one o'clock
on the road, one o'clock for a West Coast team. Yeah,
that's a big number.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
I guess I'll take the Rams. I mean, they're they're
playing exceptional football right now. But covering again, covering ten
plus is asking a lot.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
It's a lot. I can hear Arthur Motes yelling at
me in the back. I think I'm gonna lay them
because I think Carolina has enough to play for. I
think the Rams are clearly the better team, right, but
the cross country travel, I think Carolina has a lot
to play for.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
And can they run the ball and keep it close?
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Can they run the ball and just hang around?
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Right?
Speaker 2 (35:29):
I think they can ten out?
Speaker 3 (35:31):
They run the ball pretty consistently that.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I'll take the plus ten. I'm not overly confident about it,
but I'm gonna lean that way. Biggest spread of the weekend,
Matt is in Seattle, where the Seahawks host the Vikings
twelve and a half point favorites. Is Seattle at home.
But that's against Minnesota, not the Raiders or you know,
the Browns. We're getting Brosmer at quarterback. We are getting
(35:57):
could be better than.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
What McCarthy's been. I mean, really could.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I mean, unless you're trotting out, unless you're trotting out
JaMarcus Russell out there, I don't know how it could
get worse.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
Yeah, Seattle twelve and a half, man, there's some big spreads, man.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
And like, remember, Seattle is not great at home. They're
only three and two at home this year. There's seven
and one on the road, only three and two. Give
me the points, seven and yees seven and one on
the No. Five and one on the road.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
They wouldn't be done yet.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Three and two at home. I'm gonna take the points.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
I'm gonna take the points. It's just too much. I
know everyone's gonna be down ten.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
I might take the points.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
Yeah, double digit seems like a lot. King is not
junk and Aaron Jones.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
And Seattle's really good, but like they haven't necessarily done
the Lions thing either, where they've blown a bunch of
teams out.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
I mean, still have to cover Jefferson, justin Jefferson, and
you know I'll take the points.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
I'm taking twelve and a half all day in this one.
I think Seattle wins, but I will tell you Minnesota
plus twelve and a half.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
Donald Revenge game.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Donald Revenge Game, that's a good point. Matt, Who do
I real quick? I've been asking you this like every week.
Who do I start in Fantasy Sam Darnold against Vikings
at home or bow Knicks against the Commanders on the road.
Who do I start at quarterback? I think I'm leaning
towards Nixon.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
Ye, I'm leaning towards next because he runs.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
More, he runs more, and the Commanders defense is bad defense.
Speaker 4 (37:13):
Right.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Donald's been a little down the last two weeks. I
think he'll get it back this week, but he's been
a little down the last two weeks. Chargers Raiders in
la at so far, I'm surprised this one isn't a
little bit bigger of a spread. I know the Chargers
are still beat up on offense, but I think the
Raiders might be the worst team in the NFL. Chargers
at home eight and a half point favorites. I'm surprised
(37:34):
that's not closer to ten.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Mm hmm, Like that's I don't think the Raiders put
any point.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
If you would have like blind tested me ahead of
this and said, Vikings Seahawks, Raiders, Chargers, which one's the
twelve and a half point spread? Raiders, Chargers, which one's
the eight and a half point spread? Viking Seahawks. Raiders
are a terrible place, right terrible place.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
They are the worst in the league. I'll tell I'll
take LA.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
I still might pick the Raiders if they played the
Titans on a neutral field, just because I think that
they're right. I know that their roster is better, but
they have been playing like the worst team in the
NFL for a long time now.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
I haven't even seen like who's gonna be calling plays,
and I mean they've the offensive coordinator change. I don't
know if that works for the better.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
I'm going to lay the eight and a half with LA,
and I don't love that because I don't love the
Chargers right now.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
No, and I don't like trying to block back Scrosby either,
but still I just don't. I'd have a hard time
putting money on the Raiders, no matter what the spread is,
no matter who they're playing, I think they're in the
worst place right now in the league.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
This is another one of those to work into a teaser.
I I would like this much more if it was
six and a half as opposed to eight and a half.
But I'm not giving the Raiders any benefit of the
doubt anymore. No, I'm just not right way past that point.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
I'm picking against the Raiders. I'm not picking the.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Chargers exactly right. Finally, Sunday Night in prime time, the Commanders, Man,
they got a lot of these primetime games lately, and
people were not expecting them to be out of the
seas were getting a tail all of two different franchises
going in op opposite directions this year, the three and
eight Commanders host the nine and two broncos yonkos Is
(39:08):
Myron Cope would have called him Denver a five and
a half point favorite on the road in land Over, Maryland.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
I would think a lot of running including Knicks as
a runner, but that defense is nasty. I'll take Denver.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
This feels a little bit like rat poison one for
me because I think this should be a bigger spread
than just five and are yes, this should be seven.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Usually I know the lines before we pick on Friday,
and my podcast schedule got messed up, so I did
hearing these for the first time, and I immediately thought,
this one's gonna be over a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Or at least a touchdown. Yeah, yeah, give me Broncos
minus five and a half. Yeah, Matt Steelers Bills before
we do, just real quick final what are they called?
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Injury report?
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Injury reports? Yes, reminder, Aaron Rodgers good to go, Alex
high Smith, good to go. Pete going to start at
left tackle for the Steelers. Looking good for DK Metcalf.
Still waiting a little bit more on Joey Porter, but
he has continued to practice, so good news in that regard.
For the Bills. You can rule out Bernard the linebacker.
(40:17):
You can rule out both tackles Dawkins and Brown. You
can also rule out Curtis Samuel the wide receiver. Kinkaid
gonna be questionable with that hamstring that has had him
limited all week. Joey Bosa back to a full participant
after having some wrist stuff. Yeah, so yeah, sounds sounds
good for him. That is the latest on the injury
(40:39):
front for both of these teams that we have been
kind of keeping an eye on. But we do know
Aaron Rodgers and kind of the biggest piece of that
news will be under center for your Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
I wish you knew more about Kincaid and that's the
only ones kind of him and Porter then one still
hovering out there.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Again, and those are significant for both teams. Absolutely, Matt
the Steelers three point home against the Buffalo Bills. How
does this play How does this one play out?
Speaker 3 (41:04):
I've gone back and forth on this one. Originally, I'm like,
I'm such a believer in rest advantages, especially late in
the year.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Next week. You haven't talked about that. You're right, they
got they got dealta crap hand.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
By the way, that's not cool for the NFL's It's
late in the year against.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Week the first possible week of the season, right.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
I think that is I would have a complaint if
I were mister Rooney and like, what are you doing here?
I mean, you could have worked around this. You're you're
stinging us there. That's sorry for another day. But we
haven't talked enough about the rest advantage this week. We
only have four days, but still I think that's a
big deal, especially getting embarrassed and all the protection issues
(41:46):
they had, even with their tackles when they were in there.
I'm sure that it won't be that crazy. And this
is a proud franchise with an awesome quarterback with extra
time to prepare. And for that reason, I was lean
then Bills pretty much every step of the way. Like
even when the Bills lost Thursday night, I'm like, they'll
(42:06):
come to Pittsburgh and win, you know. But I hate
the bills injury situation for them, and Bernard's a pretty
big deal. Kincaid would be a huge deal. They don't
have receivers that are threatening. But this tackle situation, to
me is a nightmare, nightmare, nightmare.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I Mean, the only thing that gives me pause is
we were saying the same thing a few weeks ago
about La and that was the Steelers worst offensive performance
of the season. The defense was okay, but their worst
offensive performance of the season came at a very inopportune time. Yeah,
when you thought the defense was gonna feast and they
did it. I don't think the defense was a disaster
in that game against the Chargers, but they didn't feast
(42:43):
like you wanted them to. The turkey was not on
the table like seconds. Yeah, you need to do that.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
This week, Bills of Arrest advantage and if I were
to do a power ranking, I would have the bills
ahead of the Steelers. I think most people would. I'm
still don't think the Steelers close one though. I do
think there is something to Tomlin after a loss, and
I'm sure there is to Allen as well.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Don't get me wrong.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
I got this like twenty four to twenty three.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Come. I would definitely take the points Matt. I when
I left this morning in my house, I have it
in my notes here because I I put a couple
you know, the good times, bad times. I wanted to
make sure I pulled the stuff out of the because,
like I said, Matt's stats packice packet was outstanding this week.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Go check it out.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Ons that, so I wanted to pull some stuff out
of there. I wrote down in my notes here my prediction.
This was before I left the house, this before the
injury news came out for both teams. I had twenty
seven to twenty four Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
Totally get it.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
I'm gonna go twenty seven to twenty four Steelers, all right,
because I think we got good news. We got good
news for the Steelers and the injury department. We got
bad news for Buffalo and a game that I think
was already on Razor margins. I'm gonna flip that margin
to Pittsburgh's side. I left my house a few hours
ago with twenty seven to twenty four Bills to change
it to twenty seven to twenty four Steelers here at
(44:02):
the eleventh hour.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Yeah, I expect a very close game. I just don't
think the Bills have gotten a lot of good news lately.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Same yeah, and they're gonna get some more bad news
Sunday afternoon in the evening at Acrituur Stadium. Good stuff
this week, matt I enjoyed the shows. Thanks to all
of our guests who joined us. Thanks to Missy Matthews
for being there with us today. All of you, if
you're you know, listening to this on Saturday or Sunday
to get you ready for the game as you're heading
home from Thanksgiving travels and all that. Hope you all
(44:29):
had a great holiday. Everybody, stay safe and be safe
out there traveling. For mister TV Tyler V. Big shout
out to him as always our resident YouTube video producer
and our statistician here on site with us for Matt Williamson,
um Wes Shueler, take care, everybody, enjoy the rest of
the weekend and we win loser draw. We back here
(44:51):
on Monday to break it all down for you. As always,
you know where to find us. It's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
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