December 29, 2025 • 47 mins
Matt and Wes take a trip around the NFL and look at each game that took place around the league. They take a look at big performances from certain players, which teams are looking good going into the playoffs, and which teams are possibly in trouble heading into the playoffs. The guys continue to break down yesterday's loss to the Browns, as well as read some tweets sent in from Steelers Nation.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good evening, Stealer Nation. How we doing Yeah, us two?
Our number two here not great, But Matt Williamson tells
me he's got some positivity for me here and our
number two to make me feel better. But Matt, before that,
Derek Harmon speaking just a little while ago in the
locker room, saying, you don't let a loss get to
(00:40):
your heart, and you don't let a win get to
your head. Wise words there from the rookie, and maybe
I could take maybe I could take that to heart
here on this Monday.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
He shows time and time again that he's a well
spoken young man that knows the game really well. And
you know those guys don't bust.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
He's gonna be a important player for this franchise for
the next decade. I let this loss get to my heart.
I mean, I'm not I bet. I'm making there, I'm
making I'm making no bones about it. I wanted the
rest going into the playoffs. I wanted the easy feed
up Sunday one o'clock kickoff, and now I'm a little
more doom and gloom. But I'll respond by tomorrow. But
(01:16):
you mentioned that there was something you wanted to run
by me here that might make me feel a little
bit better.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Yeah, in pursuit of brought some of the stuff up
in the show I mentioned and you know, kind of
looking forward situation that first off. And I'll say this
a lot this week, but it happens Ravens have a
rest advantage. You know, I'm not big on that yet again,
but the Steelers are at a rest disadvantage. Only one
game in your at home, so it's not that big
of the ones common opponent. But I do think the
(01:42):
fact that it's a common opponent and these teams know
each other so well probably works in your favor, not
that it doesn't work in the Ravens favor. But I'm
sure Tomlin and company will watch the Browns tape and
be like, I know exactly how hard I was going
to attack us, which isn't rocket science. It's going to
be a ton of their henry and it's gonna be
man coverage on the outside, a single.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
High yes, but they don't rush the passer as well.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I mean, they got to generate blitz to get home
against you know, but well where a pursuit of was
going with this, and I thought it was a good
angle too, though He's like, all the matters is week eighteen,
and yes, you'd love the rest.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
And it's a games you win. It's a games you win.
It's games you win. I know that.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But you at least got a test run of what
not to do and how to gain plan without Metcalf.
You know what kind of defenses you're gonna see. There'll
be different human beings doing the coverage, the pass rush,
the tackling, the play calling, but you have a pretty
good idea of how the Ravens are going to attack you,
especially because you know the organization so well. And I
(02:44):
think you learned what to do and what not to
do by kind of a practice run, you know what
I mean. Sure, I mean I think there's something to
be taken away from that, and if not, you should
be critical of the coaching staff that you didn't learn
from your mistakes in some ways, or critic goal of
Rogers for check into a past too much. I don't
need go balls of Scottie Miller against Humphrey or whatever
(03:06):
next week, you know what I mean, Let's just run
the ball and make it mooth centric and so I
think that stuff's kind of interesting, and you know, something
to take away from it at least is hey, you
did this and the other thing. And maybe it's true
for Baltimore too. Maybe they'll have them are I don't
know what their injury situation is, but.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, we'll get more clarity on that later in the week.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
But I think there's a better chance that you have Watsiamalu,
Pierre Austin this week than last. Well there's a zero
percent last week, or at least there's a chance for
getting those guys back.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
You lost Washington.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I think DK would be the one that I would
want back most in this setting. And we know the
answer to that one. I did I you know what
I mean, I will say I didn't really I wouldn't
have Peg Pursuda to be like the no, the you
know Sergeant Optimism there right right right, Well, I might
(03:58):
be major misery and he's Sergeant opt All those things
are very true. I just didn't want them to have
to be true exactly, you know, like I didn't want
to have to. Well, we have an idea of how
they're going to attack us. Well, now hopefully we we
know how we have to operate with. I didn't want
to have to worry about operating with DK Metcalf more
than one game in Cleveland yesterday. And then okay, he's
(04:19):
suspending for a game that doesn't matter. Great, we got
him back for the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
And again this is a hand on Monday, I think.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I speaking of hand as this all, you know, comes
full circle for us. I think my my biggest doom
and gloom thing to today is they keep showing Aaron
Rodgers and I want to go back and watch the broadcast,
you know, because again I'm in the booth and I'm
hyper focused on my job and all the things that
are going on. But it seemed like in that fourth quarter,
every time I looked up at the TV in our
(04:46):
in our booths, you know, we've got all the monitors
and everything, every time I looked up, it would be
Aaron Rodgers sitting on the bench with Arthur Smith, Tom
Arth even one or the other between the two of
the jacke on and always messing with his wrist, looking
at his making a look on his face, messing with
his wrist, And all I kept thinking was you have
to find a way to win this game, because your
(05:07):
quarterback needs a week off before the playoffs, and instead
now he's instead, Now he's gonna get you know, the
most physical, violent opponent that you play every single year
coming to your house with bad intentions.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
So there's no way around any of those things. Again,
your best defensive player.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Is at worst gonna probably be pretty rusty on Sunday night,
a little rusty on Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
After the oldest defensive tackle has played the most snaps
in the league, or he's you know, a free safety
that's taking a beating.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Over the like that, and there's don't get me wrong again,
by the time we get to the end of the
week and we give predictions and we picked the game
and all that, Like, I will not be doom and
gloom about the Steelers chances Sunday night against Baltimore. I'm
more doom and gloom now in the bigger picture of things,
I felt like you really needed a week eighteen off
to have a chance to make a playoff run, to
(06:02):
again not have this season feel like a call to
sack where you're just continuing to spend in a circle
and see the same thing where you're actually turning a corner. Yes,
but all that stuff that PURSUEDA said is true.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Yes, right, I mean you there's two ways of looking
at what could have been or.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And then now what you got, you got, what you
do is okay totally, but you got one game to
prepare for that ends our season.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
These are the cards in our hand, doesn't matter what.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
And then when we got then we'll worry about the
playoffs and the rest and the health and all that
stuff after the fact.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
It's not what you wanted, there's no doubt. Yeah, it's
not over.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
It is. It is not over. And that's hey, that's
what the you know, that's what the three week that's
what the three week streak afforded this team was not
much but a little bit of leeway down the stretch here.
And unfortunately they they you know, would have you would
have liked to cash that card in week eighteen, and
(06:55):
you know, and it's.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Set up really nice for you, you know, and you
didn't take advantage.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
It's it's like you ever play Uno, you ever played
the card game, you know how, like you want to
end on the end by playing the wild card, because
then you win. No matter what right you play that
wild card on the end. It doesn't matter what color
is down on the deck. Dang, here's my wild card.
I'm I'm the victor. I'm out. You know, like whereas
now it's like the Steelers just got hit with a
(07:20):
draw four, you know, right right as you were about
to empty your hand and have your feet up on
the table while everybody else played. You just got hit
with the draw four. And now you better those cards
in your hand are quite different and you got to
figure it out.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Yeah, And that's exactly what happened, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
And you're right. I like, if you want some you
want some optimism from me, I think I think the
Steelers have won like like eight of their last twelve
or nine of their last twelve against the Ravens. Maybe
it's not quite yeah, but yeah, I mean like in
the last twelve or thirteen or fourteen games that the
Steelers are played against the Ravens, their record is very good,
(07:56):
very good. I mean it's it's like nine and three,
nine and four something like that. It's in your house.
It's a primetime game where the Steelers at home in
prime time. Over the last few years, I know this
year they likesed nine of the last twelve.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Yeah, it's pretty good and hasn't been there for every
one of them.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Might be, but he might not. Yeah, exactly right. I
wonder do you think with the early line, which I've
seen at three three and a half, Baltimore favored just
depending on where you look, do you think that is
an inkling of Vegas expects Lamar to play? Am I
am I going too early? Am I jumping the gun.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
On a little too early?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
I just think one team is coming off a much
better performance than the other.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
That's true, you know.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
I mean one went on the road to beat Green
Bay or the Hall of Fame running back just destroying
a That's.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
The concerning part right now about Baltimore is if Henry
can run like that.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yes, which he often does in December and in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
His history is one of the greatest running backs in
NFL history in December.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
But they still have a lot of problems. I don't
know that the Ravens are a lot scarier now than
they were in the first meeting there two or three
weeks ago. Now, if it comes back that Lamar's perfectly
fine and he's you know, thousand percent, I'd be like
like that, you know, But I don't I don't get
an inclination that he's gonna play.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
I think there's a lot of things going on there.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
There are Baltimore currently three and a half point favorites
over the Steelers Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Maybe I totally get, you know, I mean in terms
of remember what Vegas is trying to do.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
They're trying to get the whole world to bet on
both sides.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Absolutely, And there's a taste in your mouth is a
big thing this time of year.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
You know, you have a much better taste in your
mouth about a.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
One hundred percent, Yeah, one hundred percent. And so yeah,
here we are. I think that's you know, I'm I'm
perusing back through my notes here to make sure there's
no more, you know, specific specific details and things like
that that that I wanted to get to from this one.
But I think I think we've combed about through most
of it there there. Mister Williamson thought Gioso line played well.
(09:56):
I did think the offensive line did did their job.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
D line played well.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yes, rocky start. But for the vast majority of.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Six, yeah, they get a B plus for me. Yeah,
you know, especially high Smith, who I thought.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Was I thought high Smith was very good.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Cam's playing at a really high level.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
The d in offensive lines are about to play aren't
much better than these, or in fact, they're worse than
the Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
D line for sure, you know, for sure? Yeah again,
I'll be I'll be more cheerful and optimistic by Thursday
and Friday. Yeah, certainly, certainly. As now it is all
on the line on Sunday, January fourth against the Baltimore Ravens.
Let's take a break here, we come back, Let's go
around the league, talk about some of the other Week
(10:42):
seventeen stuff that happened. Really fun game last night between
the Niners and the Bears. That set sets the Niners
up for a big one in their own right on Saturday.
We'll talk about all that moving and shaking around the
National Football League as we approach the final week of
the regular season. Well that when we return on the
other side, was Shooler. Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on
(11:03):
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
All right, Matt, I did think of one or two
more things from that loss yesterday that I wanted to
run by you. But let's do that. Let's do that
at the end of the show. Let's take a break,
let's breathe a little bit. I am glad at leave.
Every time I look over at you, I chuckle a
little bit. That we're wearing the same shirt.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
That's bound to happen.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Make a good thing. I'm not wearing jeans today too,
because if we were both same shirt and jeans, then
we'd would be quite the look. You're right, though, it
is bound to happen. We do a show together every day,
and we have the same you know, a supply polos,
We got the same polo dealer, and uh yeah, I
guess it was. It was bound to happen at some
point here. But let's go around week seventeen. Maybe not
(12:05):
as consequential as it can be this time of year,
but there were still a lot of important results yesterday.
And I guess technically one tonight two for the Rams sake,
not so much for the Falcons, but the Rams tonight
still with with with plenty to play for.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
But let's kind of Rams can't win their division, though I.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Don't, I don't believe so with the with the Niners
win last night. I don't think the Rams can win.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
The Niners Seahawks comes down to division, correct, the number
one seed.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Correct, cham is the best team in the league, and
there can't be the one seed or division winner. They're
gonna go on the road.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
They're gonna go on the road, which is wild. And
that's also why that Rams Seahawks game is going to
be Saturday Nights primetime, UH, primetime. N It's nine sorry
it is going it is going to be UH is
going to be Saturday night's primetime game. So we obviously
had those those Thursday games that we discussed when we
were in here, the Christmas games that we discussed when
(12:57):
we were here on Friday. We had two games on
Saturday to day Matt. First, the Texans go to the
Chargers and win a close one twenty to sixteen to
put themselves in position. Now there's you know, gonna be
interesting like like them and Jacksonville still have plenty to
play for here. In the final week of the season,
(13:17):
Texans came out hot, took a lead and then kind
of held on with that with that defense that continues
to look very difficult.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I'd say a really good game, really good defense I'm
starting to have a little bit of concerns with the
Houston offense in terms of I thought that that's that
might be the best.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Team in the AFC.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I'm still kind of leaning towards Houston would be who
my least favorite opponent for the Steelers, Okay, or still
like their chances to go to Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
I think they're really good. Yeah, if they every teams flawed.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Every team is flawed, But if they if they could
just stabilize a little bit on offense, not turn the
ball over like they've got the playmakers at every level
on that offense, and they've got one of, if not
the best defenses in the new National Football League. That
a good game, Matt. You referenced the Ravens and Packers.
Obviously we kind of touched on that. But Baltimore with
(14:09):
a fourteen point fourth quarter gets a forty one to
twenty four win at Lambeau Saturday night. That of course,
you know, led to the Steelers needing to still win yesterday,
which they did not do. I thought Malik Willis was
certainly a storyline for Green Bay. He's looking like he
might be one of those guys who's going to get
(14:29):
an opportunity to go be a dude somewhere this offseason.
And of course, Derrick Henry, despite a slow start to
this season, now looking like King Henry thirty six carries
two hundred and sixteen yards and four touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
He's the obvious story in the Low Hanging Fruit and
everyone's aware what he did and it was awesome. I
also thought Hunley played a very good game. Yeah, yeah, right,
I mean, the first backup quarterback to go.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
And you know, if you and I were Ravens Nation Radio,
we'd be getting tweets from people saying, you gotta stick
with Huntley even if Lamar is available.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
I've heard this too, like it is totally.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
In I think that's insane. But he's played, He's played well.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Yeah, I mean the argument of is a super compromised
Lamar a seventy this version of hunt totally Okay.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
I'll listen to that.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
It tells me a better chance to beat the Steelers
and go to the playoffs. Okay, I'd listen to that,
But I don't want to hear anything about you know, oh,
you're just fine with Huntley blah blah. No, I mean
he played a good game.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
Packers. Yeah, I don't think they're contender.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
No they're they're not.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
I think they're holding on for dear life. That was
an embarrassing defensive performance. Remind me he's he's, he's. I'm
infatuated with Willis potentially for the Steelers, and I even
sent a tweet out that night, and I've been thinking
that for a while.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
I kind of want him to be a Steeler.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I thought we were done talking about Malik Willis and
the Steelers. I thought we did that a lot. In
twenty twenty one.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Times are changed.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
There was a local quarterback and then there's Malik Willis,
and they were the two big ones, and they went
with the local guy, and for a while everybody thought
both were were cooked. But now he's.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Come a long way and he sure has.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
He is going to be a free agent, Yes he is.
He is not cost a draft pick. He goodbye him.
We will have a lot of Malik Willis conversations. Trust me,
I am infatuated.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Eighteen of twenty one, two hundred and eighty eight yards
and a touchdown, only sacked once, nine carries for sixty
yards and two touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
And he's still as talented as he was coming out
of that tiny little school that played liberty, most remedial
offense I've ever.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Seen, liberty, liberty, liberty, Liberty. Yeah, I Malik looks like Malik.
Willis is back on the menu. Boys, I thought I
thought we were name one more name to throw in
the mix. I'm with you, and we will talk about Malik.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
Willer's plenty about Willis. I can promise you.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I was like four years ago.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Yes, I'll take this. I like what I mean.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
It's on record. Willis was my favorite quarterback in that
dreg Yes, I like them more than picket. I was
taking the more than picket day when I did eight
million mock drafts and a bazillion if you took a quarterback,
I've always voted for Willis. That didn't happen. I don't
know if the Steelers would have developed them. Who knows,
I mean different times. Sure, all I'm looking at is
this version that's going to be a free agent and
what that might cost me.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
I am highly interested. Oh other team should be too.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Oh we're gonna have plenty of those those conversations when
the when the season wraps and we get into the
winter time. Here for sure, Bengals, Matt, they do what
they do. They're pretty good now, getting pretty good at
the end of the season when it doesn't really matter
for them exactly. They've done this the last couple of years.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
The defense is an embarrassment right now. They run the ball.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Okay, you know, yep, Burrow Higgins's chase there, gonna put points.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Fifty fifty one points and what was that highest over
under of the of the of the weekend? Uh? Yeah,
I mean they are Joe Burrow. That offense, they're they're
they're they're similar. If they could keep Burrow healthy, if
they can get the defense to just average ish. Yeah,
they're a kind of dangerous team. Yeah, it is. They're
(18:06):
another kind of doing the call to sack thing, just
exactly like I see. I've seen this house before, I've
seen this before. But they are they are certainly a
dangerous team when they're when they're playing like this, And
they wouldn't shock me.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
If smart people pick them to win the North next year,
I would get it.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
If they have a good offseason, they could certainly could
certainly be a viable candidate.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Not sure what to take in Miami. They're they're kind
of spinning at the moment too. I mean when you.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Were your quarterback you know wait you mean you mean
the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
I'm sorry, yeah, yea, yeah, I was. They played Miami last.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You're thinking, yes, last week where they went down to
Miami and Cardinal.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
I thought they would score more.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I did too.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
I thought that would be start all your fantasy guys.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Actually they under just hit in that and that one
and yeah, the Cardinals with only fourteen points allowed the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
Top we go over the draft or at some point
this week.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, Speaking of which a team that is
digging themselves out of picking in the top five, maybe
even in the top ten as they continue to win,
and Tyler Shuck continues to the part, that's.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
My rookie of the year that I hope some people
you're so in it if.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You tell you what you should listen to this Matt
Williamson guy. Sometimes you know, he he he he kisses
up the Miles Garrett too much. But other than that,
he really knows what he's talking about. In a battle
of two young promising quarterbacks, I thought they both showed flashes.
And yeah, the Saints end up getting it done at
the end with a fourteen point fourth quarter as they
(19:34):
beat the Titans thirty four to twenty six.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
If I have free time, I'm going to go out
of my way to watch you all. Twenty two of
both these quarterbacks, I mean they're might.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
I like both of them more than Dart.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I think both of them have a good future. I
think both these organizations have some optimism. I mean, I
think there's something to be said here. The Saints d
isn't a joke. Right now at Laves a Star is
playing well. Yeah, and Ward's getting better and better. So
this was a This was not Raiders by any sh no, No,
I mean a whole different world.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
These are two organizations that are trending upward.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
The Arrow might not be drastically up, but it's definitely up.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
I don't think their next year's Patriots, you know, that
type of thing, but I'd be excited from where I'm
at in those worlds.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Jags get it done in Indy in a close one, Matt.
The Jags needed to get it done, and they did.
In Indianapolis. They stay at the forefront of that division.
They moved to twelve and four Jacksonville just beating everybody
twenty three to seventeen. Over the Colts. Trevor Lawrence was
efficient once again. They ran the ball well, they spread it.
(20:39):
They've got some real weapons, you know, a wide receiver there,
like even without Travis Hunter.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Yeah, guys like Brenton Strange and brent and Strange, Washington
or not Parker Washington at a big day. Yeah, they're
really well coached. I mean, I think Shanahan's probably the
coach of the year. But there's five or six really
good candidates. Cohen being the other being in one of them.
People in Tampa Bay are lived. How could you keep
bowls and not, you know, keep Liam Cohen.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Sure, they're a really hard team to nitpick right now,
and I've been I'm not a doubter, but I have
never once said Jacksonville's best team in the AFC. They
have a pretty good case.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
They might have the most impressive resume.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah, at this point, pretty good case. I'm saying I'm
there yet.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
But twelve and four, I don't think any of us
saw that coming. We could, we could have seen this
team scratching and claw on and get into the playoffs.
But but twelve and four and looking, he's playing out,
he's playing out standing. They've got some weapons, and yeah,
Liam Cohen the toast, Arthur Motes's buddy, Liam Cohen, the
toast of the town.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
There were at a relationship.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
They when Mots was a JMU, he was the quarterback
of UMass and so they were like the two darlings
of the conference. Like Cohen Cohen was like the offensive
player of the year, Motes was the defensive player of
the year. And so when they were done, they like
trained and prepared for the draft and all that stuff together.
Motes actually has a great store. Worry about how Liam
(22:03):
Cohen was supposed to get on a plane to go
visit like the Eagles, I think it was in Philadelphia,
and his like overslept his alarm or something like that,
and like came to Motes's hotel room like panicking, and
Mots was like, dude, I got you, and like drove
ninety miles an hour to get Liam Cohen into the
airport to make his to make his flight to you know,
(22:23):
to have his visit with the with the Philadelphia Eagles. So, yeah,
a little bit of a local local Steelers Audio Network
family tie here. And speaking of the Buccaneers, who, of
course Liam Cohen was with last year, they can't get
anything they have. I mean, like a Colts level type falloff. Yeah,
(22:43):
they are seven and nine now. The Bucks are Yeah,
after falling twenty to seventeen in the Battle of Florida
there in Miami to the Dolphins. Baker Mayfield is just
all over the.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Place right now.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Yeah, I mean there was clearly an offensive coordinator backward
situation there too.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
They're exposed.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
They've lost seven of their last eight games.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
The Bucks of badness.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
The only team, matt that they have that they've beat,
you know, over the last two months is the Cardinals.
Really by a field They beat the Cardinals by a
field goal at home. Other than that, lost the Patriots, lost,
the Bills, lost the Rams. Okay, those are three really
good teams, but lost to the Saints at the time.
Lost of the Saints, lost of the Falcons, lost of
the Panthers, lost to the Dolphins.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Have three division losses in the worst division in the
last month.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Yeah, not gonna go one more left. You got one
more left. Fortunately thanks to the Seahawks, the Bucks still
do have something to play for.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
But man, they are cala.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I am too. They just I don't know how Tampa
listen again, it's such a week the week league, and
you got one opportunity in front of you to win
the division, but they are just trending in the worst
possible directions.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
I mean, Steelers are one three out of four. They've
not lost seven.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Of eight, right, yes, exactly, h Matt. A team that's
feeling really good about themselves and out their hats and
their T shirts. Yesterday the New England Patriots. Oh, they
just absolutely demolished the Jets and then the Bills lose,
which clinches the division for them. Your guy Drake.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
May, who's he's right back at the MVP race.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Who's more your guy, Drake May or Tyler Shuck because
they're both, they're both your guys.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Nineteen of twenty one, two fifty six, five touchdowns for Drake.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
From the fourth quarter. It was over immediately. My two
big takeaways. I think May is right back in the
ring for MVP. The Jets could battle the Raiders now
for being the worst. They're a disgrace at this point.
I mean they trade away that they have more excuses though,
sure they're in a third quarterback and you know, trade
(24:44):
away quit traded away in sauce. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Uh, speaking of the Panthers, Matt, they did have an
opportunity to clinch at home, but they end up falling
to the Seahawks. Not a shock or there. I mean,
that's just two different class of teams. But for Seattle
gives them the opportunity to have a chance at the
one seed in the in the NFC West Division title.
They'll play for that Saturday. Like we mentioned against the Niners.
(25:09):
For the Panthers, it's a bummer, but not all is lost.
You still have an opportunity to finish with a winning record,
win the division. You get the job done against Tampa
on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
It's not the.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Same as losing the Browns because you lost the Seattle.
And we said that, well, there are two different classes
of NFC potential playoff teams.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Seattle's go when Seattle could win the whole thing, where.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
The Panthers would just be a year ahead of schedule,
happy to be there.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Yeah, I was. I was not starting to come around
on Bryce Young, but I was open to the that
he's a little better than I thought. But then he
played defense like this, and all of a sudden, it's like, man,
I don't know how far this guy can.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Think hard hard to ignore the limitations. Yes, against an opponent,
lakes are a little higher. I'm with you on that, Matt.
The In the Battle of the Bad in Las Vegas,
the Giants steam rolled Yeahs. The Raiders Dart looked okay,
l A continued to look terrible. Pick it got in
(26:10):
at the little in a little bit at the end.
I bet you, yeah, Gino got hurt again. I think
Kenny will probably get the final start there in week eighteen, but.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Raiders lose it. I think they're all there. They have
a very high percent chance to get.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
The first over to get the first overall US loss.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yes, I mean there's some funny business going on. We're
gonna shut down Andrew Thomas, our best offensive lineman. We
I'm gonna shut down Max Crosby, you know, like you
know Crosby taking videos.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
A lot of him playing basketball.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Yeah, and he really wanted to play, and you know,
I wonder if he like the man's a trade.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
But this was the Battle of the Bad.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
But the bottom line is the Raiders are really in
line to get that first overall.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
As we've been saying for probably the last six seven
eight weeks, Like there's some very poor teams in the NFL.
But the Raiders are they take the cake right now.
They are the emperor of the bad.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Short screams Mendoza, And then there ends up to the conversation,
which is an off season conversation, is would you add
would you take Jalen Moore if you even have if
you have dark hm hm. You know, like that's something
that's gonna be talked about a lot.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Yeah. Interesting, interesting offseason for both of these teams. But
at least maybe the Giants have a young co well
they at least they're going to uh, you know, whether.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
They they can make a move away from them or
what's the new staff thing they could do?
Speaker 4 (27:28):
The ownership think, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
They certainly could, But the Giants get it done there
in Vegas and convincing fashion. A wild one, a low
scoring thriller at Orchard Park where the Bills score on
the very last play of the game, they decide to
go for two, they do not convert. The Eagles hold on.
Uh So Buffalo now will be a wild card. They've
(27:51):
got no chance to win the division as they fall
thirteen to twelve at home to Philly.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
They're currently the seventh seed.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
They're currently that, that's right, I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
They lock and move. But as it stands right now,
they're the seventh seed. Right now, they're in.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
So that would put them in what new in they'd
go to New England for the first round of the
play Denver right now is one I believe. So this
is more of.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
A tomorrow conversation.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, well I wouldn't like that if I
was the Patriots. That's not who I want to see
after my great season and earning the number two seed.
Is Josh Allen and the Bills.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
This was very weather yeah, influenced, to say the least.
I mean, it wasn't a blizzard, but it was massive
wins and all that stuff. And it did not look
like a super Bowl matchup. No, they both look like
pretty flawed teams.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
They didn't look like eleven win teams.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
No, no, you know, but I do think both these
teams know how to win. They've got a lot of
recent playoff experience. Keep an eye on Josh Allen's foot
though it's a problem. He's limping around a lot.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
He doesn't he doesn't look took a couple of really
bad sacks characteristic of him.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
I think it's injury related.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Missed that throw at the end?
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah yeah, I mean, oh again later in the week conversations.
But like, if you're the Bills, you know you're in.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I was just gonna ask you that you just sit
them down, you play the Jets.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
I mean, you might win without them. I didn't think
of that, but I mean.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
And if you can't, I would have to look at
it and see, like what are their chances to move
up in the wild card pecking order? But is that
that much of a difference.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Much of a difference to you to you know, seven.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
New England or Jacksonville or best Pittsburg Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
The worst you get seven, you're.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Not gonna have a home game regardless. Now, the one
angle of that is last game ever for Orchard Park.
Is he gonna want to be in street clothes or.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Does he play a series?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Yeah, it's a fair question. It's a fair question to ask, though,
Like maybe you should give Josh Allen a breather here,
since Week.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Eight teams are gonna have interesting conversations like that, do
I really care about being.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
The five seed versus six seeds?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You know, yes? You know yes?
Speaker 3 (29:50):
And the NFC I might like I want to go
to the NFC. You South Champ, right, should people like
I want to go to Pittsburgh or Baltimore or Baltimore. Yeah,
but you don't know that answer. They're playing last and
Allen's got a foot. You know, I can't have that
guy compromise at all.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
No, He's the one guy that you have to have
ready to go if you're Buffalo. And then finally, Matt
last night. This is another one that we mentioned briefly,
but I mean, I think was right up there with
the Rams Seahawks Thursday night, or from a couple of
weeks ago, is game of the year.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
It started to feel better about both teams than I
did going in, and I feel better about totally games.
I knew both defenses were bad. The fact that the
Bears should go toe to toe with that offense that
never punts and even without Kittle is a machine right.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Now, unbelievable, fire, unbelievable. McCaffrey and Party were just outstanding there.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
It's after a week lately.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
They're you know, they first play the game, Party throws
a pick six to Chicago and it's like, all right,
no worries, we're good, We're fun. It drives him right
back down the field a couple of minutes later, and
over and over and ties the game.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Uh, while watching the game, but this is a first
game in history that the score went seven to seven
fourteen seven, fourteen, fourteen, twenty one, fourteen, twenty one, twenty one,
twenty eight, twenty one, twenty eight, twenty eight, thirty five,
twenty you know, like just seven seven seven seven seven
seven seven.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
I mean that's what it felt like.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
It did.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
Guys, just gonna score again.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
It was a lot of fun. There was a lot
of times last night and you know this, like just
with working the games and travel, you know, being gone
Saturday night and she work the game Sunday, travel back
home all that. I've got two young kids. I'm just
typically exhausted. Yeah, like those we see them and those
Sunday night games. I'm looking for an excuse to go
to bed.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Sure you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
And like that whole game, I'm like I can't go
to bed, Like this is great, Like I.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Gotta keep watching this batch out and watch it with Yeah, could.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
One of these teams like pull away please? I could
go to bed.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
No down on the wire.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
And if you're Chicago man, Caleb Williams continue to kind
of answer the bell and keep you in that game.
Luther Burnon might be blossoming into a star.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
That's something I was talking my buds about it. I'm like,
Burden and Loveland outstanding.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
We're going to be Loveland too, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
On this offense for years to come. And Williams too.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
I mean, I didn't want to talk about the they
missed those two guys too.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
If if I'm a Chicago fan, I'm still happy because
I'm like, we're we're for real.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Oh, You're for real?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
You know, like this this might not be the Super
Bowl year. The NFC's loaded and we're still young, but
we are for real. We're going to be in this
conversation now for a long time going forward. If you're
the Niners, It's like, Man, if we can get a
little bit of luck in the injury department here in
the playoffs, we might we might find ourselves in an
NFC championship game.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Any I trust and maybe Warner comes back. Yeah, I
still might doubts about their defense, but same score every
time with the ball. What's the difference? I mean, they
did that without Kittle, you know, I mean it's craziness.
I mean, I really think New England, Jacksonville, Chicago should
all be like, yeah, we're real.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
One of my one of my buddies texted me last
night during the game and he was like, this reminds this, uh,
this Bears Niners game reminds me of watching like Patrick
Mahomes Texas Tech against Baker Mayfield's Oklahoma and like when
they would meet up in the Big Twelve and it
would just be toucheddown, touch down, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown,
you know, just kind of who blinks and who has
the ball lass and who's able to survive at the
(33:13):
ball situation. Yeah, that was a lot of a lot
of fun last night and what I thought was one
of the more entertaining, one of the better games of
the year. But you said it perfectly. If I'm both
of those teams, I'm feeling good about about where we're
at right now. We have what yeah, one more segment
to guy was like thinking, I was like, wait, do
you have two more segments? One more segment? One more
segment to go on the other side, couple final Steelers,
(33:35):
I don't think yeah, because now that you mentioned it,
the Rams can't win the division.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
So I'm sure they want to be the five.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
They want to be the five seed and go to
Tampa or Carolina. But we'll look we'll look more at
that stuff tomorrow and as the week rolls along and
we get closer and closer to the conclusive Week eighteen
results in final week of the regular season coming up
this weekend after tonight's Monday Night Full Ball Action will
officially put Week seventeen in the books. One more segment
(34:03):
to go on the other side to close this thing down.
Wet Hueler Matt Williamson. It is the Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
You know, man, I'm laughing here. I'm kind of perusing
back through tweets that we got during the game and
after the game and all those things, and they are
it is funny, you know, a win versus loss.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
It's so harsh.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's it's it is, it is crazy, and I get it.
I mean, I'm listen, I have I have not been
the typical cheery, happy, happy, go lucky West that I
that I that I have been here.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Today, last play the game, so many sins are forgotten.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
You know the score on the last play of the game.
It's like you had you didn't have DK, you didn't
have Calvin Austin, you didn't have you didn't have TJ. Watt.
Nothing went your way. You were on the road in
a place where you've had some voodoo go against you.
The wind, the wind was crazy and I I do
and King are kind of touched on. This place was
(35:19):
like half empty when the game started, but by midway
through the first quarter it was probably seventy five eighty
percent full. And I gotta be honest, it was I mean,
I know we've talked about this before, and you worked
for the organization for a year. I'm not trying to
be nice to Browns fans in Cleveland here, but if
they ever actually did have like a legit contending winning team,
(35:40):
that would be maybe the hardest place to play in
the league.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
I don't know what they bang on that makes that
crazy noise and that kind of shuf it's not passionate.
Speaker 4 (35:47):
And they handle the weather.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
It's nut And like again, I I think I had
told you the exact moment, but I have it in
my notes here. Fourth quarter, you open up with an
eight minute drive, Bos missus that field goal, no points,
It's still ten to six. At that moment. When Bos
missed that field goal, at place came alive really, and
I mean it had been kind of building to that point, yeah,
(36:11):
but it was like, Okay, we're really gonna win this.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
And then every commercial break, the whole stadium is channing
Miles Garrett clap clap, cloup, clup clapp, and he's like
they keep showing him on the jumbo tron and he's like,
you know, like putting his hand up to his ear,
and the place is just going nuts. I mean, like,
if you if you're able to navigate that and get away,
it's like, hey, that sucked, then you should have should
have been you know, it was way too close for
(36:36):
comfort and all those things. But the sins are forgiven.
As you say, Now it's the opposite. Now you gotta go. Now,
you got to go repent for your sins on Sunday
night against your biggest rival.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
If they lose, how could they choke the season away?
Blah blah blah blah blah. But meanwhile, if they just
can you know, happen to throw a touchdown pass on
the last final player or two of the game.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
Wow, what a great year, do you know? Yeah, look
out at the AFC, you know right.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
John tweeted us and said, this was let's see here,
this was. Let me see exactly when this was because
the time stamp will matter. This was Saturday night. Uh.
Do you guys think that we should take a run
at Malik Willis this offseason since since the quarterback draft
class won't be as good as we originally thought.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Might it probably follows me on Twitter and there was
deep into the game, I wrote, I want Malik Willis
in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Did you did you? Did you put that out? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Yeah, yeah, I mean that it's cut in the chase.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
We'll talk, we'll talk, we'll talk more about that.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
A lot of people like, oh, you're just chasing the
fancy object. Look, I didn't just meet him today. I've
been following this subject for a while. More on that later, folks.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
I was so sick and what would it have been
just hear of them in the in the winter and
spring of twenty one. You know how sick I was
about talking about Malik Willison. Kenny Pickett, That's all we
talked about every day. It was Malik Willison, Kenny Pickett,
That's all anybody talked about every day. And you know
what's funny is I'm really excited to like get to
the point that we start talking about these draft prospects. Yeah,
but by the time we get to April, I'll be
(38:03):
sick about talking about Fernando Mendoza and Dante More and
Caleb Downs and Rvel Reeves. And it's it's very cyclical
in that regard. Uh. John Harbaugh just spoke a few
minutes ago said, Tyler Huntley's strong performance will not affect
who starts Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Quote. If Lamar is
ready to go, he's playing end quote. Jim Harboss said,
(38:24):
so not shocker there, But I think that was kind
of to bring it up, kind of yes, kind of noteworthy.
Speaker 4 (38:30):
It was a strong performance.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
It absolutely was, absolutely was.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
I don't know how they ever got away from him.
There was that stretch where he wasn't the Backup's custom
made to be Baltimore's backup. Why did he ever drift
away from that?
Speaker 2 (38:42):
It reminds me like that's what you while you know,
that's what you want is your and I don't mean
I don't mean this as like disrespect, but you want
your backup quarterback to be like great value brand of
your starting quarterback.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
Yeah right right.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
You you don't want to have a Lamar Jackson and
then a statue pocket passer, right, you know.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
Like the Colt said Flacco and Anthony Richardson, I'm like this,
if one gets hurt, you gotta just take the game
plan and throw it apart exactly right.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
It was kind of like when Dennis Dixon was in Pittsburgh,
you know what I mean, Like he was so much
different than the other pieces and what they were doing.
It's and some of that's very difficult. Like you could
be the Buffalo Bills and you can say, okay, we
want a great value you know, Walmart brand Lamar Jackson. Okay,
well good luck, you know, but Trubisky.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Was a highly talented second overall pick didn't work out
as much, you know, but.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
Yeah, if you uh, you know, if you've got an athletic,
mobile guy, you don't want some more traditional pocket passer
type as your backup.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
And and vice versa very much in your camp. Yeah,
he seems like the perfect Lamar backup and he did
and showed it in this game.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Charlie Batch and Ben Roethlisberger. Yeah right, you know Gikowski,
similar body type, similar skill set. Obviously not as good
as the starter, but you don't have to completely throw
out the game plan and something new when you put
that guy in. A couple all right, A couple more
things here for you, Matt, Jalen success like you a
lot of times like the reference EPA success rate, some
(40:10):
of these things. So you ready for this. Jalen Moren
on his twelve carries fifty eight percent success rate.
Speaker 4 (40:16):
That's really really good.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Pat Fryarmouth sixty percent success rate. Now that's a small
sample size because it was only three catches, but three
catches for sixty three yards. So when I look at it, yeah,
you're down DK metcalf and in a game like this,
that was the biggest possible absence, and he is your
biggest playmaker on an offense that is already kind of
(40:38):
thin in that department, especially at the wide receiver, especially
at the wide receiver position. But like, you've still got
playmakers that you need to use. I don't want to
be in here no matter what happens. Sunday night at
Akershurst Stadium against Baltimore. The one thing that will drive
me nuts is if we're in here Monday, low on
sleep and honked off and all that about a loss,
(41:00):
and we're saying again that they failed to utilize their
best players, Like, yeah, there's got to be more than
twelve carries for Jalen Warren and there's got to be
more than three catches for Pat Fryermuth, especially now in
light of Darnell Washington having a broken arm.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
Yeah, you beat me to it on that.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Like, I understand playing Washington over any of the other
tight ends, totally totally wants to play against some all
that good stuff. But when you lost him, now Friar
mouse snaps spiked dramatically, and he was playing before, but
when Washington went out, he basically was a full time player,
and he has to be in this game.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
I'm sure. I mean, he's going to be a full
time player, but I need him featured more.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
I do.
Speaker 4 (41:35):
Carci even featured Jonny Smith, a Smidge Moore feature game.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
Bowmore's receivers point that points in that game Carston Sweessinger
was like struggling to walk and get back in and out.
Speaker 4 (41:44):
Of the huddle I'm glad you brought that up.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
And I don't know how it How did it take
us to the very end of the two hour show
to mention that at.
Speaker 4 (41:50):
The end of the first half, Like, why is he
on the field one?
Speaker 2 (41:52):
Why are the Browns leaving him out.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
Right like that linebacker? Coach, that's the.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Best rookie linebacker in football. Why are you risking something happening?
He could barely get back to the huddle in certain plays.
Why aren't you taking Pat Fryarmouth and going right up
to seem and attacking him. Both of those things drove
me nuts from the Steelers point and the Browns point.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
Yeah, exactly why.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
And then he started the second half and we maybe
shot it up or taped it up he did something. Yeah,
but still it's like this guy's still playing. Good for him,
but attack the heck out of him. There was one
play that I think it was his coverage possibility where
that Steelers had successful play. Yeah, and it wasn't a
ton of time at the end of the second half,
but he was obviously massively compromised.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
He was. He totally was.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
And we saw what could do late in the game too.
We know what he can we know what I mean.
It's one of those things. Yeah, he's not a mystery.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
He's not a mystery. The only mystery is why his
role has been so limited except for in very limited spots. Yeah,
like in Cincinnati and a couple times.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
Where here and there.
Speaker 2 (42:51):
Yeah, and then uh oh, I guess too. While sticking
on Carsion Sweessenger, it reminded me of this one thing
we should probably mention today in honor of our buddy
Dale Lawley. Guys are allowed to get better. Yeah, Devin
Bush is a pretty good, pretty good, pretty good player.
He's not pretty good player. He played pretty well yesterday.
(43:11):
Hated to see that, but he played pretty well.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
Yes, I mean it's not like, oh he's okay, he's
a borderline starter.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
No, like he's the answer next to the questions.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
That's a really good tandem. Yeah, there could be one
of the better tandem. If Sweessinger takes that sophomore step
forward linebacker, they could they could be one of the
better tandems.
Speaker 4 (43:30):
Contractation. Yeah, it's a good that's good.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (43:33):
He's going to be a starter from now on, Yes, yes, yes, player.
Good for him. You know, I don't think the Steelers
did him wrong or anything. I mean, he wasn't good.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
Here correct, correct? Uh, here you go, Matt kind of
final one to drive this home. Uh. This is from
Jerry Dulac DK Metcalf and the Steelers win in Baltimore
a couple of weeks ago. DK metcalf seven catches one
hundred and forty eight yards, including fifty two yard reception
(44:05):
forty one yard reception in each half in the win
against the Browns twenty three to nine. Earlier in the
season October twelfth. Was that day he had three separate
catches of twenty five or more yards, one that went
for a touchdown. Yeah, if you thought having him, not
having him in Cleveland was harmful, guess what that's gonna
be the case once again here against Baltimore. You've got
(44:28):
to find a way to overcome. And I think again
getting back to the mic pursuit of this sliver of
optimism as it relates for Sunday, is now the film's
out there and how teams are going to defend.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
You, and there's not a lot.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Of mystery and in the game planning for this, but
you have got to find ways to get the ball
in the hands of your playmakers. You need more moveth.
You need more Warren john Usmith too, like you mentioned,
because you can. You can't just run it back and
think that you're kind of you know, tree of veteran
wide receivers and mvs stealing and Scottie Miller and the
(45:04):
young kind of unproven still trying to hop on the
moving train guy and Roman Wilson. You can't. You know,
those dogs are not going to change their spots by
by by Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
You may make more plays for you, they may have
better games, but you can't count on them.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
You need to change your spots from a schematic and
play calling perspective.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
More so, learn some lessons. Hopefully that's clearly that's what
I'm hoping now.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
I don't need to harp on this, but Jerry put
out those stats against division rivals and Metcalf did a
stupid thing interacting with a fan.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
Oh yeah, nobody's fault other than metcalfs this. He's not
out there. Yeah, be clear about.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
That exactly, you know, right, like he's hurting the team?
Speaker 2 (45:47):
Yes? And boy did that really? It could have that
suspension could have gone one of two ways where you
take care of business against a bad Browns team, and
it's an afterthought. No one even really thinks about it.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Five years from now and even brings it up, or
it ends up.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
These last two games go south and it becomes a
major catalyst moment in that that's.
Speaker 4 (46:06):
A yeah, yes, and so far you didn't get over
the first hurdle.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
No you did not. Now you've got one more opportunity
to do so, Matt, good conversation today. Enjoyed it as
always as much as I wasn't looking forward to it.
You did make it a little, uh, a little more palatable.
Maybe that should have been a new thing. Maybe every
Monday that the Steelers lost a game, we should have
came in here wearing the same outfits, so we could
have we could have had a little chuckle and lightened
the mood. But thanks to teamwork makes the dream work baby.
(46:34):
Thanks to Rob King for joining us. Thanks to Nathan
for producing TV on the video side of things, mister
TV for keeping us handsome on YouTube as always, how
about TV yesterday down there on the sidelines in Cleveland,
our dude was I was sending you pictures. I was
scoping scoping pictures out from him for me up in
the booth. I'm all dry, and I mean the windows
(46:54):
are open, so it's a little chilly, but I'm not
feeling the wind in the ring. TV is down there
fighting for his life elements, and I'm sending pictures. I'm
like zooming in all the way on my camera and
taking pictures of him and sending it to him and Matt.
Big thanks to TV for today, but also for you know,
big tip of the cap for him for battling the
elements yesterday there at Huntington bank Field. We'll be back
(47:16):
tomorrow more on you know, some final some some Tuesday
rewatch Tuesday rewind thoughts and more on Steelers and Ravens.
As we look ahead through the week, we'll also take
a look at some playoff scenarios and draft scenarios and
some things like that. Is all of that is coming
more and more into focus. But that will do it
for us for today. For Matt Williamson, I'm what shooler.
(47:38):
Take care. Everybody will talk to you tomorrow. You know
where to find us. As always, it's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold. It's
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio note
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good evening, Stealer Nation. How we doing Yeah, us two?
Our number two here not great, But Matt Williamson tells
me he's got some positivity for me here and our
number two to make me feel better. But Matt, before that,
Derek Harmon speaking just a little while ago in the
locker room, saying, you don't let a loss get to
(00:40):
your heart, and you don't let a win get to
your head. Wise words there from the rookie, and maybe
I could take maybe I could take that to heart
here on this Monday.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
He shows time and time again that he's a well
spoken young man that knows the game really well. And
you know those guys don't bust.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
He's gonna be a important player for this franchise for
the next decade. I let this loss get to my heart.
I mean, I'm not I bet. I'm making there, I'm
making I'm making no bones about it. I wanted the
rest going into the playoffs. I wanted the easy feed
up Sunday one o'clock kickoff, and now I'm a little
more doom and gloom. But I'll respond by tomorrow. But
(01:16):
you mentioned that there was something you wanted to run
by me here that might make me feel a little
bit better.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Yeah, in pursuit of brought some of the stuff up
in the show I mentioned and you know, kind of
looking forward situation that first off. And I'll say this
a lot this week, but it happens Ravens have a
rest advantage. You know, I'm not big on that yet again,
but the Steelers are at a rest disadvantage. Only one
game in your at home, so it's not that big
of the ones common opponent. But I do think the
(01:42):
fact that it's a common opponent and these teams know
each other so well probably works in your favor, not
that it doesn't work in the Ravens favor. But I'm
sure Tomlin and company will watch the Browns tape and
be like, I know exactly how hard I was going
to attack us, which isn't rocket science. It's going to
be a ton of their henry and it's gonna be
man coverage on the outside, a single.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
High yes, but they don't rush the passer as well.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I mean, they got to generate blitz to get home
against you know, but well where a pursuit of was
going with this, and I thought it was a good
angle too, though He's like, all the matters is week eighteen,
and yes, you'd love the rest.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
And it's a games you win. It's a games you win.
It's games you win. I know that.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But you at least got a test run of what
not to do and how to gain plan without Metcalf.
You know what kind of defenses you're gonna see. There'll
be different human beings doing the coverage, the pass rush,
the tackling, the play calling, but you have a pretty
good idea of how the Ravens are going to attack you,
especially because you know the organization so well. And I
(02:44):
think you learned what to do and what not to
do by kind of a practice run, you know what
I mean. Sure, I mean I think there's something to
be taken away from that, and if not, you should
be critical of the coaching staff that you didn't learn
from your mistakes in some ways, or critic goal of
Rogers for check into a past too much. I don't
need go balls of Scottie Miller against Humphrey or whatever
(03:06):
next week, you know what I mean, Let's just run
the ball and make it mooth centric and so I
think that stuff's kind of interesting, and you know, something
to take away from it at least is hey, you
did this and the other thing. And maybe it's true
for Baltimore too. Maybe they'll have them are I don't
know what their injury situation is, but.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, we'll get more clarity on that later in the week.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
But I think there's a better chance that you have Watsiamalu,
Pierre Austin this week than last. Well there's a zero
percent last week, or at least there's a chance for
getting those guys back.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
You lost Washington.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I think DK would be the one that I would
want back most in this setting. And we know the
answer to that one. I did I you know what
I mean, I will say I didn't really I wouldn't
have Peg Pursuda to be like the no, the you
know Sergeant Optimism there right right right, Well, I might
(03:58):
be major misery and he's Sergeant opt All those things
are very true. I just didn't want them to have
to be true exactly, you know, like I didn't want
to have to. Well, we have an idea of how
they're going to attack us. Well, now hopefully we we
know how we have to operate with. I didn't want
to have to worry about operating with DK Metcalf more
than one game in Cleveland yesterday. And then okay, he's
(04:19):
suspending for a game that doesn't matter. Great, we got
him back for the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
And again this is a hand on Monday, I think.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I speaking of hand as this all, you know, comes
full circle for us. I think my my biggest doom
and gloom thing to today is they keep showing Aaron
Rodgers and I want to go back and watch the broadcast,
you know, because again I'm in the booth and I'm
hyper focused on my job and all the things that
are going on. But it seemed like in that fourth quarter,
every time I looked up at the TV in our
(04:46):
in our booths, you know, we've got all the monitors
and everything, every time I looked up, it would be
Aaron Rodgers sitting on the bench with Arthur Smith, Tom
Arth even one or the other between the two of
the jacke on and always messing with his wrist, looking
at his making a look on his face, messing with
his wrist, And all I kept thinking was you have
to find a way to win this game, because your
(05:07):
quarterback needs a week off before the playoffs, and instead
now he's instead, Now he's gonna get you know, the
most physical, violent opponent that you play every single year
coming to your house with bad intentions.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
So there's no way around any of those things. Again,
your best defensive player.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Is at worst gonna probably be pretty rusty on Sunday night,
a little rusty on Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
After the oldest defensive tackle has played the most snaps
in the league, or he's you know, a free safety
that's taking a beating.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Over the like that, and there's don't get me wrong again,
by the time we get to the end of the
week and we give predictions and we picked the game
and all that, Like, I will not be doom and
gloom about the Steelers chances Sunday night against Baltimore. I'm
more doom and gloom now in the bigger picture of things,
I felt like you really needed a week eighteen off
to have a chance to make a playoff run, to
(06:02):
again not have this season feel like a call to
sack where you're just continuing to spend in a circle
and see the same thing where you're actually turning a corner. Yes,
but all that stuff that PURSUEDA said is true.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Yes, right, I mean you there's two ways of looking
at what could have been or.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And then now what you got, you got, what you
do is okay totally, but you got one game to
prepare for that ends our season.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
These are the cards in our hand, doesn't matter what.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
And then when we got then we'll worry about the
playoffs and the rest and the health and all that
stuff after the fact.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
It's not what you wanted, there's no doubt. Yeah, it's
not over.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
It is. It is not over. And that's hey, that's
what the you know, that's what the three week that's
what the three week streak afforded this team was not
much but a little bit of leeway down the stretch here.
And unfortunately they they you know, would have you would
have liked to cash that card in week eighteen, and
(06:55):
you know, and it's.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Set up really nice for you, you know, and you
didn't take advantage.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
It's it's like you ever play Uno, you ever played
the card game, you know how, like you want to
end on the end by playing the wild card, because
then you win. No matter what right you play that
wild card on the end. It doesn't matter what color
is down on the deck. Dang, here's my wild card.
I'm I'm the victor. I'm out. You know, like whereas
now it's like the Steelers just got hit with a
(07:20):
draw four, you know, right right as you were about
to empty your hand and have your feet up on
the table while everybody else played. You just got hit
with the draw four. And now you better those cards
in your hand are quite different and you got to
figure it out.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Yeah, And that's exactly what happened, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
And you're right. I like, if you want some you
want some optimism from me, I think I think the
Steelers have won like like eight of their last twelve
or nine of their last twelve against the Ravens. Maybe
it's not quite yeah, but yeah, I mean like in
the last twelve or thirteen or fourteen games that the
Steelers are played against the Ravens, their record is very good,
(07:56):
very good. I mean it's it's like nine and three,
nine and four something like that. It's in your house.
It's a primetime game where the Steelers at home in
prime time. Over the last few years, I know this
year they likesed nine of the last twelve.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Yeah, it's pretty good and hasn't been there for every
one of them.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Might be, but he might not. Yeah, exactly right. I
wonder do you think with the early line, which I've
seen at three three and a half, Baltimore favored just
depending on where you look, do you think that is
an inkling of Vegas expects Lamar to play? Am I
am I going too early? Am I jumping the gun.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
On a little too early?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
I just think one team is coming off a much
better performance than the other.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
That's true, you know.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
I mean one went on the road to beat Green
Bay or the Hall of Fame running back just destroying
a That's.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
The concerning part right now about Baltimore is if Henry
can run like that.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yes, which he often does in December and in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
His history is one of the greatest running backs in
NFL history in December.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
But they still have a lot of problems. I don't
know that the Ravens are a lot scarier now than
they were in the first meeting there two or three
weeks ago. Now, if it comes back that Lamar's perfectly
fine and he's you know, thousand percent, I'd be like
like that, you know, But I don't I don't get
an inclination that he's gonna play.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
I think there's a lot of things going on there.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
There are Baltimore currently three and a half point favorites
over the Steelers Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Maybe I totally get, you know, I mean in terms
of remember what Vegas is trying to do.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
They're trying to get the whole world to bet on
both sides.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Absolutely, And there's a taste in your mouth is a
big thing this time of year.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
You know, you have a much better taste in your
mouth about a.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
One hundred percent, Yeah, one hundred percent. And so yeah,
here we are. I think that's you know, I'm I'm
perusing back through my notes here to make sure there's
no more, you know, specific specific details and things like
that that that I wanted to get to from this one.
But I think I think we've combed about through most
of it there there. Mister Williamson thought Gioso line played well.
(09:56):
I did think the offensive line did did their job.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
D line played well.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yes, rocky start. But for the vast majority of.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Six, yeah, they get a B plus for me. Yeah,
you know, especially high Smith, who I thought.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Was I thought high Smith was very good.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Cam's playing at a really high level.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
The d in offensive lines are about to play aren't
much better than these, or in fact, they're worse than
the Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
D line for sure, you know, for sure? Yeah again,
I'll be I'll be more cheerful and optimistic by Thursday
and Friday. Yeah, certainly, certainly. As now it is all
on the line on Sunday, January fourth against the Baltimore Ravens.
Let's take a break here, we come back, Let's go
around the league, talk about some of the other Week
(10:42):
seventeen stuff that happened. Really fun game last night between
the Niners and the Bears. That set sets the Niners
up for a big one in their own right on Saturday.
We'll talk about all that moving and shaking around the
National Football League as we approach the final week of
the regular season. Well that when we return on the
other side, was Shooler. Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on
(11:03):
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
All right, Matt, I did think of one or two
more things from that loss yesterday that I wanted to
run by you. But let's do that. Let's do that
at the end of the show. Let's take a break,
let's breathe a little bit. I am glad at leave.
Every time I look over at you, I chuckle a
little bit. That we're wearing the same shirt.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
That's bound to happen.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Make a good thing. I'm not wearing jeans today too,
because if we were both same shirt and jeans, then
we'd would be quite the look. You're right, though, it
is bound to happen. We do a show together every day,
and we have the same you know, a supply polos,
We got the same polo dealer, and uh yeah, I
guess it was. It was bound to happen at some
point here. But let's go around week seventeen. Maybe not
(12:05):
as consequential as it can be this time of year,
but there were still a lot of important results yesterday.
And I guess technically one tonight two for the Rams sake,
not so much for the Falcons, but the Rams tonight
still with with with plenty to play for.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
But let's kind of Rams can't win their division, though I.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Don't, I don't believe so with the with the Niners
win last night. I don't think the Rams can win.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
The Niners Seahawks comes down to division, correct, the number
one seed.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Correct, cham is the best team in the league, and
there can't be the one seed or division winner. They're
gonna go on the road.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
They're gonna go on the road, which is wild. And
that's also why that Rams Seahawks game is going to
be Saturday Nights primetime, UH, primetime. N It's nine sorry
it is going it is going to be UH is
going to be Saturday night's primetime game. So we obviously
had those those Thursday games that we discussed when we
were in here, the Christmas games that we discussed when
(12:57):
we were here on Friday. We had two games on
Saturday to day Matt. First, the Texans go to the
Chargers and win a close one twenty to sixteen to
put themselves in position. Now there's you know, gonna be
interesting like like them and Jacksonville still have plenty to
play for here. In the final week of the season,
(13:17):
Texans came out hot, took a lead and then kind
of held on with that with that defense that continues
to look very difficult.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I'd say a really good game, really good defense I'm
starting to have a little bit of concerns with the
Houston offense in terms of I thought that that's that
might be the best.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Team in the AFC.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I'm still kind of leaning towards Houston would be who
my least favorite opponent for the Steelers, Okay, or still
like their chances to go to Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
I think they're really good. Yeah, if they every teams flawed.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Every team is flawed, But if they if they could
just stabilize a little bit on offense, not turn the
ball over like they've got the playmakers at every level
on that offense, and they've got one of, if not
the best defenses in the new National Football League. That
a good game, Matt. You referenced the Ravens and Packers.
Obviously we kind of touched on that. But Baltimore with
(14:09):
a fourteen point fourth quarter gets a forty one to
twenty four win at Lambeau Saturday night. That of course,
you know, led to the Steelers needing to still win yesterday,
which they did not do. I thought Malik Willis was
certainly a storyline for Green Bay. He's looking like he
might be one of those guys who's going to get
(14:29):
an opportunity to go be a dude somewhere this offseason.
And of course, Derrick Henry, despite a slow start to
this season, now looking like King Henry thirty six carries
two hundred and sixteen yards and four touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
He's the obvious story in the Low Hanging Fruit and
everyone's aware what he did and it was awesome. I
also thought Hunley played a very good game. Yeah, yeah, right,
I mean, the first backup quarterback to go.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
And you know, if you and I were Ravens Nation Radio,
we'd be getting tweets from people saying, you gotta stick
with Huntley even if Lamar is available.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
I've heard this too, like it is totally.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
In I think that's insane. But he's played, He's played well.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Yeah, I mean the argument of is a super compromised
Lamar a seventy this version of hunt totally Okay.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
I'll listen to that.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
It tells me a better chance to beat the Steelers
and go to the playoffs. Okay, I'd listen to that,
But I don't want to hear anything about you know, oh,
you're just fine with Huntley blah blah. No, I mean
he played a good game.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
Packers. Yeah, I don't think they're contender.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
No they're they're not.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
I think they're holding on for dear life. That was
an embarrassing defensive performance. Remind me he's he's, he's. I'm
infatuated with Willis potentially for the Steelers, and I even
sent a tweet out that night, and I've been thinking
that for a while.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
I kind of want him to be a Steeler.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I thought we were done talking about Malik Willis and
the Steelers. I thought we did that a lot. In
twenty twenty one.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Times are changed.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
There was a local quarterback and then there's Malik Willis,
and they were the two big ones, and they went
with the local guy, and for a while everybody thought
both were were cooked. But now he's.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Come a long way and he sure has.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
He is going to be a free agent, Yes he is.
He is not cost a draft pick. He goodbye him.
We will have a lot of Malik Willis conversations. Trust me,
I am infatuated.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Eighteen of twenty one, two hundred and eighty eight yards
and a touchdown, only sacked once, nine carries for sixty
yards and two touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
And he's still as talented as he was coming out
of that tiny little school that played liberty, most remedial
offense I've ever.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Seen, liberty, liberty, liberty, Liberty. Yeah, I Malik looks like Malik.
Willis is back on the menu. Boys, I thought I
thought we were name one more name to throw in
the mix. I'm with you, and we will talk about Malik.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
Willer's plenty about Willis. I can promise you.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I was like four years ago.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Yes, I'll take this. I like what I mean.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
It's on record. Willis was my favorite quarterback in that
dreg Yes, I like them more than picket. I was
taking the more than picket day when I did eight
million mock drafts and a bazillion if you took a quarterback,
I've always voted for Willis. That didn't happen. I don't
know if the Steelers would have developed them. Who knows,
I mean different times. Sure, all I'm looking at is
this version that's going to be a free agent and
what that might cost me.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
I am highly interested. Oh other team should be too.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Oh we're gonna have plenty of those those conversations when
the when the season wraps and we get into the
winter time. Here for sure, Bengals, Matt, they do what
they do. They're pretty good now, getting pretty good at
the end of the season when it doesn't really matter
for them exactly. They've done this the last couple of years.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
The defense is an embarrassment right now. They run the ball.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Okay, you know, yep, Burrow Higgins's chase there, gonna put points.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Fifty fifty one points and what was that highest over
under of the of the of the weekend? Uh? Yeah,
I mean they are Joe Burrow. That offense, they're they're
they're they're similar. If they could keep Burrow healthy, if
they can get the defense to just average ish. Yeah,
they're a kind of dangerous team. Yeah, it is. They're
(18:06):
another kind of doing the call to sack thing, just
exactly like I see. I've seen this house before, I've
seen this before. But they are they are certainly a
dangerous team when they're when they're playing like this, And
they wouldn't shock me.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
If smart people pick them to win the North next year,
I would get it.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
If they have a good offseason, they could certainly could
certainly be a viable candidate.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Not sure what to take in Miami. They're they're kind
of spinning at the moment too. I mean when you.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Were your quarterback you know wait you mean you mean
the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
I'm sorry, yeah, yea, yeah, I was. They played Miami last.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You're thinking, yes, last week where they went down to
Miami and Cardinal.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
I thought they would score more.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I did too.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
I thought that would be start all your fantasy guys.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Actually they under just hit in that and that one
and yeah, the Cardinals with only fourteen points allowed the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
Top we go over the draft or at some point
this week.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, Speaking of which a team that is
digging themselves out of picking in the top five, maybe
even in the top ten as they continue to win,
and Tyler Shuck continues to the part, that's.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
My rookie of the year that I hope some people
you're so in it if.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You tell you what you should listen to this Matt
Williamson guy. Sometimes you know, he he he he kisses
up the Miles Garrett too much. But other than that,
he really knows what he's talking about. In a battle
of two young promising quarterbacks, I thought they both showed flashes.
And yeah, the Saints end up getting it done at
the end with a fourteen point fourth quarter as they
(19:34):
beat the Titans thirty four to twenty six.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
If I have free time, I'm going to go out
of my way to watch you all. Twenty two of
both these quarterbacks, I mean they're might.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
I like both of them more than Dart.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I think both of them have a good future. I
think both these organizations have some optimism. I mean, I
think there's something to be said here. The Saints d
isn't a joke. Right now at Laves a Star is
playing well. Yeah, and Ward's getting better and better. So
this was a This was not Raiders by any sh no, No,
I mean a whole different world.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
These are two organizations that are trending upward.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
The Arrow might not be drastically up, but it's definitely up.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
I don't think their next year's Patriots, you know, that
type of thing, but I'd be excited from where I'm
at in those worlds.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Jags get it done in Indy in a close one, Matt.
The Jags needed to get it done, and they did.
In Indianapolis. They stay at the forefront of that division.
They moved to twelve and four Jacksonville just beating everybody
twenty three to seventeen. Over the Colts. Trevor Lawrence was
efficient once again. They ran the ball well, they spread it.
(20:39):
They've got some real weapons, you know, a wide receiver there,
like even without Travis Hunter.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Yeah, guys like Brenton Strange and brent and Strange, Washington
or not Parker Washington at a big day. Yeah, they're
really well coached. I mean, I think Shanahan's probably the
coach of the year. But there's five or six really
good candidates. Cohen being the other being in one of them.
People in Tampa Bay are lived. How could you keep
bowls and not, you know, keep Liam Cohen.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Sure, they're a really hard team to nitpick right now,
and I've been I'm not a doubter, but I have
never once said Jacksonville's best team in the AFC. They
have a pretty good case.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
They might have the most impressive resume.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah, at this point, pretty good case. I'm saying I'm
there yet.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
But twelve and four, I don't think any of us
saw that coming. We could, we could have seen this
team scratching and claw on and get into the playoffs.
But but twelve and four and looking, he's playing out,
he's playing out standing. They've got some weapons, and yeah,
Liam Cohen the toast, Arthur Motes's buddy, Liam Cohen, the
toast of the town.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
There were at a relationship.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
They when Mots was a JMU, he was the quarterback
of UMass and so they were like the two darlings
of the conference. Like Cohen Cohen was like the offensive
player of the year, Motes was the defensive player of
the year. And so when they were done, they like
trained and prepared for the draft and all that stuff together.
Motes actually has a great store. Worry about how Liam
(22:03):
Cohen was supposed to get on a plane to go
visit like the Eagles, I think it was in Philadelphia,
and his like overslept his alarm or something like that,
and like came to Motes's hotel room like panicking, and
Mots was like, dude, I got you, and like drove
ninety miles an hour to get Liam Cohen into the
airport to make his to make his flight to you know,
(22:23):
to have his visit with the with the Philadelphia Eagles. So, yeah,
a little bit of a local local Steelers Audio Network
family tie here. And speaking of the Buccaneers, who, of
course Liam Cohen was with last year, they can't get
anything they have. I mean, like a Colts level type falloff. Yeah,
(22:43):
they are seven and nine now. The Bucks are Yeah,
after falling twenty to seventeen in the Battle of Florida
there in Miami to the Dolphins. Baker Mayfield is just
all over the.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Place right now.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Yeah, I mean there was clearly an offensive coordinator backward
situation there too.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
They're exposed.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
They've lost seven of their last eight games.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
The Bucks of badness.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
The only team, matt that they have that they've beat,
you know, over the last two months is the Cardinals.
Really by a field They beat the Cardinals by a
field goal at home. Other than that, lost the Patriots, lost,
the Bills, lost the Rams. Okay, those are three really
good teams, but lost to the Saints at the time.
Lost of the Saints, lost of the Falcons, lost of
the Panthers, lost to the Dolphins.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Have three division losses in the worst division in the
last month.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Yeah, not gonna go one more left. You got one
more left. Fortunately thanks to the Seahawks, the Bucks still
do have something to play for.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
But man, they are cala.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I am too. They just I don't know how Tampa
listen again, it's such a week the week league, and
you got one opportunity in front of you to win
the division, but they are just trending in the worst
possible directions.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
I mean, Steelers are one three out of four. They've
not lost seven.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Of eight, right, yes, exactly, h Matt. A team that's
feeling really good about themselves and out their hats and
their T shirts. Yesterday the New England Patriots. Oh, they
just absolutely demolished the Jets and then the Bills lose,
which clinches the division for them. Your guy Drake.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
May, who's he's right back at the MVP race.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Who's more your guy, Drake May or Tyler Shuck because
they're both, they're both your guys.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Nineteen of twenty one, two fifty six, five touchdowns for Drake.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
From the fourth quarter. It was over immediately. My two
big takeaways. I think May is right back in the
ring for MVP. The Jets could battle the Raiders now
for being the worst. They're a disgrace at this point.
I mean they trade away that they have more excuses though,
sure they're in a third quarterback and you know, trade
(24:44):
away quit traded away in sauce. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Uh, speaking of the Panthers, Matt, they did have an
opportunity to clinch at home, but they end up falling
to the Seahawks. Not a shock or there. I mean,
that's just two different class of teams. But for Seattle
gives them the opportunity to have a chance at the
one seed in the in the NFC West Division title.
They'll play for that Saturday. Like we mentioned against the Niners.
(25:09):
For the Panthers, it's a bummer, but not all is lost.
You still have an opportunity to finish with a winning record,
win the division. You get the job done against Tampa
on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
It's not the.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Same as losing the Browns because you lost the Seattle.
And we said that, well, there are two different classes
of NFC potential playoff teams.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Seattle's go when Seattle could win the whole thing, where.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
The Panthers would just be a year ahead of schedule,
happy to be there.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Yeah, I was. I was not starting to come around
on Bryce Young, but I was open to the that
he's a little better than I thought. But then he
played defense like this, and all of a sudden, it's like, man,
I don't know how far this guy can.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Think hard hard to ignore the limitations. Yes, against an opponent,
lakes are a little higher. I'm with you on that, Matt.
The In the Battle of the Bad in Las Vegas,
the Giants steam rolled Yeahs. The Raiders Dart looked okay,
l A continued to look terrible. Pick it got in
(26:10):
at the little in a little bit at the end.
I bet you, yeah, Gino got hurt again. I think
Kenny will probably get the final start there in week eighteen, but.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Raiders lose it. I think they're all there. They have
a very high percent chance to get.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
The first over to get the first overall US loss.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yes, I mean there's some funny business going on. We're
gonna shut down Andrew Thomas, our best offensive lineman. We
I'm gonna shut down Max Crosby, you know, like you
know Crosby taking videos.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
A lot of him playing basketball.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Yeah, and he really wanted to play, and you know,
I wonder if he like the man's a trade.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
But this was the Battle of the Bad.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
But the bottom line is the Raiders are really in
line to get that first overall.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
As we've been saying for probably the last six seven
eight weeks, Like there's some very poor teams in the NFL.
But the Raiders are they take the cake right now.
They are the emperor of the bad.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Short screams Mendoza, And then there ends up to the conversation,
which is an off season conversation, is would you add
would you take Jalen Moore if you even have if
you have dark hm hm. You know, like that's something
that's gonna be talked about a lot.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Yeah. Interesting, interesting offseason for both of these teams. But
at least maybe the Giants have a young co well
they at least they're going to uh, you know, whether.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
They they can make a move away from them or
what's the new staff thing they could do?
Speaker 4 (27:28):
The ownership think, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
They certainly could, But the Giants get it done there
in Vegas and convincing fashion. A wild one, a low
scoring thriller at Orchard Park where the Bills score on
the very last play of the game, they decide to
go for two, they do not convert. The Eagles hold on.
Uh So Buffalo now will be a wild card. They've
(27:51):
got no chance to win the division as they fall
thirteen to twelve at home to Philly.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
They're currently the seventh seed.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
They're currently that, that's right, I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
They lock and move. But as it stands right now,
they're the seventh seed. Right now, they're in.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
So that would put them in what new in they'd
go to New England for the first round of the
play Denver right now is one I believe. So this
is more of.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
A tomorrow conversation.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, well I wouldn't like that if I
was the Patriots. That's not who I want to see
after my great season and earning the number two seed.
Is Josh Allen and the Bills.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
This was very weather yeah, influenced, to say the least.
I mean, it wasn't a blizzard, but it was massive
wins and all that stuff. And it did not look
like a super Bowl matchup. No, they both look like
pretty flawed teams.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
They didn't look like eleven win teams.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
No, no, you know, but I do think both these
teams know how to win. They've got a lot of
recent playoff experience. Keep an eye on Josh Allen's foot
though it's a problem. He's limping around a lot.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
He doesn't he doesn't look took a couple of really
bad sacks characteristic of him.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
I think it's injury related.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Missed that throw at the end?
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah yeah, I mean, oh again later in the week conversations.
But like, if you're the Bills, you know you're in.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I was just gonna ask you that you just sit
them down, you play the Jets.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
I mean, you might win without them. I didn't think
of that, but I mean.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
And if you can't, I would have to look at
it and see, like what are their chances to move
up in the wild card pecking order? But is that
that much of a difference.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Much of a difference to you to you know, seven.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
New England or Jacksonville or best Pittsburg Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
The worst you get seven, you're.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Not gonna have a home game regardless. Now, the one
angle of that is last game ever for Orchard Park.
Is he gonna want to be in street clothes or.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Does he play a series?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Yeah, it's a fair question. It's a fair question to ask, though,
Like maybe you should give Josh Allen a breather here,
since Week.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Eight teams are gonna have interesting conversations like that, do
I really care about being.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
The five seed versus six seeds?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You know, yes? You know yes?
Speaker 3 (29:50):
And the NFC I might like I want to go
to the NFC. You South Champ, right, should people like
I want to go to Pittsburgh or Baltimore or Baltimore. Yeah,
but you don't know that answer. They're playing last and
Allen's got a foot. You know, I can't have that
guy compromise at all.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
No, He's the one guy that you have to have
ready to go if you're Buffalo. And then finally, Matt
last night. This is another one that we mentioned briefly,
but I mean, I think was right up there with
the Rams Seahawks Thursday night, or from a couple of
weeks ago, is game of the year.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
It started to feel better about both teams than I
did going in, and I feel better about totally games.
I knew both defenses were bad. The fact that the
Bears should go toe to toe with that offense that
never punts and even without Kittle is a machine right.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Now, unbelievable, fire, unbelievable. McCaffrey and Party were just outstanding there.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
It's after a week lately.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
They're you know, they first play the game, Party throws
a pick six to Chicago and it's like, all right,
no worries, we're good, We're fun. It drives him right
back down the field a couple of minutes later, and
over and over and ties the game.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Uh, while watching the game, but this is a first
game in history that the score went seven to seven
fourteen seven, fourteen, fourteen, twenty one, fourteen, twenty one, twenty one,
twenty eight, twenty one, twenty eight, twenty eight, thirty five,
twenty you know, like just seven seven seven seven seven
seven seven.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
I mean that's what it felt like.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
It did.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
Guys, just gonna score again.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
It was a lot of fun. There was a lot
of times last night and you know this, like just
with working the games and travel, you know, being gone
Saturday night and she work the game Sunday, travel back
home all that. I've got two young kids. I'm just
typically exhausted. Yeah, like those we see them and those
Sunday night games. I'm looking for an excuse to go
to bed.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Sure you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
And like that whole game, I'm like I can't go
to bed, Like this is great, Like I.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Gotta keep watching this batch out and watch it with Yeah, could.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
One of these teams like pull away please? I could
go to bed.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
No down on the wire.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
And if you're Chicago man, Caleb Williams continue to kind
of answer the bell and keep you in that game.
Luther Burnon might be blossoming into a star.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
That's something I was talking my buds about it. I'm like,
Burden and Loveland outstanding.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
We're going to be Loveland too, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
On this offense for years to come. And Williams too.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
I mean, I didn't want to talk about the they
missed those two guys too.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
If if I'm a Chicago fan, I'm still happy because
I'm like, we're we're for real.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Oh, You're for real?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
You know, like this this might not be the Super
Bowl year. The NFC's loaded and we're still young, but
we are for real. We're going to be in this
conversation now for a long time going forward. If you're
the Niners, It's like, Man, if we can get a
little bit of luck in the injury department here in
the playoffs, we might we might find ourselves in an
NFC championship game.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Any I trust and maybe Warner comes back. Yeah, I
still might doubts about their defense, but same score every
time with the ball. What's the difference? I mean, they
did that without Kittle, you know, I mean it's craziness.
I mean, I really think New England, Jacksonville, Chicago should
all be like, yeah, we're real.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
One of my one of my buddies texted me last
night during the game and he was like, this reminds this, uh,
this Bears Niners game reminds me of watching like Patrick
Mahomes Texas Tech against Baker Mayfield's Oklahoma and like when
they would meet up in the Big Twelve and it
would just be toucheddown, touch down, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown,
you know, just kind of who blinks and who has
the ball lass and who's able to survive at the
(33:13):
ball situation. Yeah, that was a lot of a lot
of fun last night and what I thought was one
of the more entertaining, one of the better games of
the year. But you said it perfectly. If I'm both
of those teams, I'm feeling good about about where we're
at right now. We have what yeah, one more segment
to guy was like thinking, I was like, wait, do
you have two more segments? One more segment? One more
segment to go on the other side, couple final Steelers,
(33:35):
I don't think yeah, because now that you mentioned it,
the Rams can't win the division.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
So I'm sure they want to be the five.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
They want to be the five seed and go to
Tampa or Carolina. But we'll look we'll look more at
that stuff tomorrow and as the week rolls along and
we get closer and closer to the conclusive Week eighteen
results in final week of the regular season coming up
this weekend after tonight's Monday Night Full Ball Action will
officially put Week seventeen in the books. One more segment
(34:03):
to go on the other side to close this thing down.
Wet Hueler Matt Williamson. It is the Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
You know, man, I'm laughing here. I'm kind of perusing
back through tweets that we got during the game and
after the game and all those things, and they are
it is funny, you know, a win versus loss.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
It's so harsh.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's it's it is, it is crazy, and I get it.
I mean, I'm listen, I have I have not been
the typical cheery, happy, happy, go lucky West that I
that I that I have been here.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Today, last play the game, so many sins are forgotten.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
You know the score on the last play of the game.
It's like you had you didn't have DK, you didn't
have Calvin Austin, you didn't have you didn't have TJ. Watt.
Nothing went your way. You were on the road in
a place where you've had some voodoo go against you.
The wind, the wind was crazy and I I do
and King are kind of touched on. This place was
(35:19):
like half empty when the game started, but by midway
through the first quarter it was probably seventy five eighty
percent full. And I gotta be honest, it was I mean,
I know we've talked about this before, and you worked
for the organization for a year. I'm not trying to
be nice to Browns fans in Cleveland here, but if
they ever actually did have like a legit contending winning team,
(35:40):
that would be maybe the hardest place to play in
the league.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
I don't know what they bang on that makes that
crazy noise and that kind of shuf it's not passionate.
Speaker 4 (35:47):
And they handle the weather.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
It's nut And like again, I I think I had
told you the exact moment, but I have it in
my notes here. Fourth quarter, you open up with an
eight minute drive, Bos missus that field goal, no points,
It's still ten to six. At that moment. When Bos
missed that field goal, at place came alive really, and
I mean it had been kind of building to that point, yeah,
(36:11):
but it was like, Okay, we're really gonna win this.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
And then every commercial break, the whole stadium is channing
Miles Garrett clap clap, cloup, clup clapp, and he's like
they keep showing him on the jumbo tron and he's like,
you know, like putting his hand up to his ear,
and the place is just going nuts. I mean, like,
if you if you're able to navigate that and get away,
it's like, hey, that sucked, then you should have should
have been you know, it was way too close for
(36:36):
comfort and all those things. But the sins are forgiven.
As you say, Now it's the opposite. Now you gotta go. Now,
you got to go repent for your sins on Sunday
night against your biggest rival.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
If they lose, how could they choke the season away?
Blah blah blah blah blah. But meanwhile, if they just
can you know, happen to throw a touchdown pass on
the last final player or two of the game.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
Wow, what a great year, do you know? Yeah, look
out at the AFC, you know right.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
John tweeted us and said, this was let's see here,
this was. Let me see exactly when this was because
the time stamp will matter. This was Saturday night. Uh.
Do you guys think that we should take a run
at Malik Willis this offseason since since the quarterback draft
class won't be as good as we originally thought.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Might it probably follows me on Twitter and there was
deep into the game, I wrote, I want Malik Willis
in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Did you did you? Did you put that out? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Yeah, yeah, I mean that it's cut in the chase.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
We'll talk, we'll talk, we'll talk more about that.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
A lot of people like, oh, you're just chasing the
fancy object. Look, I didn't just meet him today. I've
been following this subject for a while. More on that later, folks.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
I was so sick and what would it have been
just hear of them in the in the winter and
spring of twenty one. You know how sick I was
about talking about Malik Willison. Kenny Pickett, That's all we
talked about every day. It was Malik Willison, Kenny Pickett,
That's all anybody talked about every day. And you know
what's funny is I'm really excited to like get to
the point that we start talking about these draft prospects. Yeah,
but by the time we get to April, I'll be
(38:03):
sick about talking about Fernando Mendoza and Dante More and
Caleb Downs and Rvel Reeves. And it's it's very cyclical
in that regard. Uh. John Harbaugh just spoke a few
minutes ago said, Tyler Huntley's strong performance will not affect
who starts Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Quote. If Lamar is
ready to go, he's playing end quote. Jim Harboss said,
(38:24):
so not shocker there, But I think that was kind
of to bring it up, kind of yes, kind of noteworthy.
Speaker 4 (38:30):
It was a strong performance.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
It absolutely was, absolutely was.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
I don't know how they ever got away from him.
There was that stretch where he wasn't the Backup's custom
made to be Baltimore's backup. Why did he ever drift
away from that?
Speaker 2 (38:42):
It reminds me like that's what you while you know,
that's what you want is your and I don't mean
I don't mean this as like disrespect, but you want
your backup quarterback to be like great value brand of
your starting quarterback.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
Yeah right right.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
You you don't want to have a Lamar Jackson and
then a statue pocket passer, right, you know.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
Like the Colt said Flacco and Anthony Richardson, I'm like this,
if one gets hurt, you gotta just take the game
plan and throw it apart exactly right.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
It was kind of like when Dennis Dixon was in Pittsburgh,
you know what I mean, Like he was so much
different than the other pieces and what they were doing.
It's and some of that's very difficult. Like you could
be the Buffalo Bills and you can say, okay, we
want a great value you know, Walmart brand Lamar Jackson. Okay,
well good luck, you know, but Trubisky.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Was a highly talented second overall pick didn't work out
as much, you know, but.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
Yeah, if you uh, you know, if you've got an athletic,
mobile guy, you don't want some more traditional pocket passer
type as your backup.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
And and vice versa very much in your camp. Yeah,
he seems like the perfect Lamar backup and he did
and showed it in this game.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Charlie Batch and Ben Roethlisberger. Yeah right, you know Gikowski,
similar body type, similar skill set. Obviously not as good
as the starter, but you don't have to completely throw
out the game plan and something new when you put
that guy in. A couple all right, A couple more
things here for you, Matt, Jalen success like you a
lot of times like the reference EPA success rate, some
(40:10):
of these things. So you ready for this. Jalen Moren
on his twelve carries fifty eight percent success rate.
Speaker 4 (40:16):
That's really really good.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Pat Fryarmouth sixty percent success rate. Now that's a small
sample size because it was only three catches, but three
catches for sixty three yards. So when I look at it, yeah,
you're down DK metcalf and in a game like this,
that was the biggest possible absence, and he is your
biggest playmaker on an offense that is already kind of
(40:38):
thin in that department, especially at the wide receiver, especially
at the wide receiver position. But like, you've still got
playmakers that you need to use. I don't want to
be in here no matter what happens. Sunday night at
Akershurst Stadium against Baltimore. The one thing that will drive
me nuts is if we're in here Monday, low on
sleep and honked off and all that about a loss,
(41:00):
and we're saying again that they failed to utilize their
best players, Like, yeah, there's got to be more than
twelve carries for Jalen Warren and there's got to be
more than three catches for Pat Fryermuth, especially now in
light of Darnell Washington having a broken arm.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
Yeah, you beat me to it on that.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Like, I understand playing Washington over any of the other
tight ends, totally totally wants to play against some all
that good stuff. But when you lost him, now Friar
mouse snaps spiked dramatically, and he was playing before, but
when Washington went out, he basically was a full time player,
and he has to be in this game.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
I'm sure. I mean, he's going to be a full
time player, but I need him featured more.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
I do.
Speaker 4 (41:35):
Carci even featured Jonny Smith, a Smidge Moore feature game.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
Bowmore's receivers point that points in that game Carston Sweessinger
was like struggling to walk and get back in and out.
Speaker 4 (41:44):
Of the huddle I'm glad you brought that up.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
And I don't know how it How did it take
us to the very end of the two hour show
to mention that at.
Speaker 4 (41:50):
The end of the first half, Like, why is he
on the field one?
Speaker 2 (41:52):
Why are the Browns leaving him out.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
Right like that linebacker? Coach, that's the.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Best rookie linebacker in football. Why are you risking something happening?
He could barely get back to the huddle in certain plays.
Why aren't you taking Pat Fryarmouth and going right up
to seem and attacking him. Both of those things drove
me nuts from the Steelers point and the Browns point.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
Yeah, exactly why.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
And then he started the second half and we maybe
shot it up or taped it up he did something. Yeah,
but still it's like this guy's still playing. Good for him,
but attack the heck out of him. There was one
play that I think it was his coverage possibility where
that Steelers had successful play. Yeah, and it wasn't a
ton of time at the end of the second half,
but he was obviously massively compromised.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
He was. He totally was.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
And we saw what could do late in the game too.
We know what he can we know what I mean.
It's one of those things. Yeah, he's not a mystery.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
He's not a mystery. The only mystery is why his
role has been so limited except for in very limited spots. Yeah,
like in Cincinnati and a couple times.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
Where here and there.
Speaker 2 (42:51):
Yeah, and then uh oh, I guess too. While sticking
on Carsion Sweessenger, it reminded me of this one thing
we should probably mention today in honor of our buddy
Dale Lawley. Guys are allowed to get better. Yeah, Devin
Bush is a pretty good, pretty good, pretty good player.
He's not pretty good player. He played pretty well yesterday.
(43:11):
Hated to see that, but he played pretty well.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
Yes, I mean it's not like, oh he's okay, he's
a borderline starter.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
No, like he's the answer next to the questions.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
That's a really good tandem. Yeah, there could be one
of the better tandem. If Sweessinger takes that sophomore step
forward linebacker, they could they could be one of the
better tandems.
Speaker 4 (43:30):
Contractation. Yeah, it's a good that's good.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (43:33):
He's going to be a starter from now on, Yes, yes, yes, player.
Good for him. You know, I don't think the Steelers
did him wrong or anything. I mean, he wasn't good.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
Here correct, correct? Uh, here you go, Matt kind of
final one to drive this home. Uh. This is from
Jerry Dulac DK Metcalf and the Steelers win in Baltimore
a couple of weeks ago. DK metcalf seven catches one
hundred and forty eight yards, including fifty two yard reception
(44:05):
forty one yard reception in each half in the win
against the Browns twenty three to nine. Earlier in the
season October twelfth. Was that day he had three separate
catches of twenty five or more yards, one that went
for a touchdown. Yeah, if you thought having him, not
having him in Cleveland was harmful, guess what that's gonna
be the case once again here against Baltimore. You've got
(44:28):
to find a way to overcome. And I think again
getting back to the mic pursuit of this sliver of
optimism as it relates for Sunday, is now the film's
out there and how teams are going to defend.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
You, and there's not a lot.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Of mystery and in the game planning for this, but
you have got to find ways to get the ball
in the hands of your playmakers. You need more moveth.
You need more Warren john Usmith too, like you mentioned,
because you can. You can't just run it back and
think that you're kind of you know, tree of veteran
wide receivers and mvs stealing and Scottie Miller and the
(45:04):
young kind of unproven still trying to hop on the
moving train guy and Roman Wilson. You can't. You know,
those dogs are not going to change their spots by
by by Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
You may make more plays for you, they may have
better games, but you can't count on them.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
You need to change your spots from a schematic and
play calling perspective.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
More so, learn some lessons. Hopefully that's clearly that's what
I'm hoping now.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
I don't need to harp on this, but Jerry put
out those stats against division rivals and Metcalf did a
stupid thing interacting with a fan.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
Oh yeah, nobody's fault other than metcalfs this. He's not
out there. Yeah, be clear about.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
That exactly, you know, right, like he's hurting the team?
Speaker 2 (45:47):
Yes? And boy did that really? It could have that
suspension could have gone one of two ways where you
take care of business against a bad Browns team, and
it's an afterthought. No one even really thinks about it.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Five years from now and even brings it up, or
it ends up.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
These last two games go south and it becomes a
major catalyst moment in that that's.
Speaker 4 (46:06):
A yeah, yes, and so far you didn't get over
the first hurdle.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
No you did not. Now you've got one more opportunity
to do so, Matt, good conversation today. Enjoyed it as
always as much as I wasn't looking forward to it.
You did make it a little, uh, a little more palatable.
Maybe that should have been a new thing. Maybe every
Monday that the Steelers lost a game, we should have
came in here wearing the same outfits, so we could
have we could have had a little chuckle and lightened
the mood. But thanks to teamwork makes the dream work baby.
(46:34):
Thanks to Rob King for joining us. Thanks to Nathan
for producing TV on the video side of things, mister
TV for keeping us handsome on YouTube as always, how
about TV yesterday down there on the sidelines in Cleveland,
our dude was I was sending you pictures. I was
scoping scoping pictures out from him for me up in
the booth. I'm all dry, and I mean the windows
(46:54):
are open, so it's a little chilly, but I'm not
feeling the wind in the ring. TV is down there
fighting for his life elements, and I'm sending pictures. I'm
like zooming in all the way on my camera and
taking pictures of him and sending it to him and Matt.
Big thanks to TV for today, but also for you know,
big tip of the cap for him for battling the
elements yesterday there at Huntington bank Field. We'll be back
(47:16):
tomorrow more on you know, some final some some Tuesday
rewatch Tuesday rewind thoughts and more on Steelers and Ravens.
As we look ahead through the week, we'll also take
a look at some playoff scenarios and draft scenarios and
some things like that. Is all of that is coming
more and more into focus. But that will do it
for us for today. For Matt Williamson, I'm what shooler.
(47:38):
Take care. Everybody will talk to you tomorrow. You know
where to find us. As always, it's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold. It's
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio note
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