October 31, 2025 • 41 mins
The Drive predicts all the NFL Week 9 actions, as well as Steelers-Colts final thoughts.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We're humbled and excited to be in these five star matchups.
Five star matchup.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Somebody leaving here with the loss not gonna.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Be a good evening Stealer Nation. How we do well?
That's good us to our number two. Happy Halloween. As
you're probably rolling into or getting close to Trick or
Treating hour here. Yeah, yeah for most places you got
you got Libo Trick or treat upper. Are you technically
now up percent?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
I thought?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So we get a busy one you've been Yeah, yeah,
it's busy for two hours straight. Pretty packed.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Vers is too. We've had like over one hundred kids
the last couple of years. Yeah, my wife is real nervous.
She's always like, did we get enough? Did we get
enough candy?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
My wife will set up she sets up a huge
tent at the like at our mailbox at the top
of the driveway. We get like the fire table out. Yep,
you can like the kids like come into the tent
and it's all decorated and kneoned up and yeah, it's
it's a it's a it's a whole to you.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
It's exciting, and I know I've shared this with you too,
but it's like everyone's everyone's told me, you know, like
once your kids reach a certain age, holidays become so
much fun. And unfortunately I kind of missed out on
that on this past Christmas because the Steelers had a
one o'clock game and so I was gone from like
eight a m. Till you know, eight o'clock at night type.
(01:37):
But I'm very excited.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
You know, I've got a four.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Year old and a two year old. Now they're like
into it. They're dressing up.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I'll be getting text from University Kentucky in much different
Oh yeah, festivities. I have a feeling, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
No doubt you will you'll laugh at this. I took
my daughter's daycare today, my oldest to four year old.
All the other girls in her class are dressed as
like princesses and Disney care. She's dressed as a chocolate
chip cookie nice. I'm like, sweetheart, this is why I
love you, baby, this is this is why you are
my girl. So yeah, looking forward to it tonight. I
hope everybody has some fun and get some good pictures
(02:11):
and some good candy and all that stuff. Matt, let's
continue with five star Friday here. Yes, Like I said,
let's spin the block now and talk about Steelers offense
against this Colts defense. Okay, so not a pushover. No,
it's not a push out, but not as daunting as
the Indianapolis offense.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Agreed, So is this a I don't even think it's
one of the best defenses they faced this year? A
great I put New England, Seattle, Cleveland, probably the Packers.
I mean, yeah, and those are all really good, don't
get me wrong, But I mean it's it's a good defense.
It's not an overwhelming defense.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And we talked about this a little bit in the
in the open of the show when I was trying
not to suffocate myself in that Halloween mask. But how
do you go about what's your big personnel usage? Look
like this twelve personnel, thirteen personnel, six offensive lineman package like,
and we'll dig into it, but from a thirty thousand
foot view, from a macro view, where is the best
(03:09):
area to attack? What is the best way to attack
this Indianapolis defense?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, and again I don't have a great vibe for
that other than try to make them do what they
don't want to do. They want to be in Nickel.
I mean, they'll always went in doubt, they'll go to Nickel.
That's where they're most comfortable. And that's not uncommon. That's
their it really is. I mean there's teams that are
(03:35):
that live in Nickel no matter what.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Bufflows like that.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, and it's a nice world to live in if
you have the athletes to do it that you can
be big and little at the same time without substituting.
Like I don't know the NBA well, but people say this,
if you have a defense that doesn't have to sub
when they put their bigs in, you know, versusir little guys,
Well you're in a good spot, you know. And I
think Indie kind of looks at themselves that way. But
(04:00):
if you're gonna come out in thirteen, I mean I
would expect and this isn't uncommon any game, and this
is why teams script. But I would think you'll see
a wide variety of offensive personnel groups to see what
they what forces them to go to base. We're gonna
put twelve out there, Oh we got Nickel. What if
(04:21):
we put twelve with Friarmouth and Washington as opposed to
Friarmuth and Smith. Okay, they're still in nickel. What if
we throw all three out there, they're still a nickel. Sure,
what if we throw all three in extra offensive lineman?
They still a nickel? You know, like to the to
the point where we're gonna be bigger and badder than you,
and we want to get your big people on the field.
(04:44):
And I also think the less defensive back sail on
the field, the harder it is to help those corners
that are suspect. I mean, it's a below average group
of corners and not really their fault. They got kind
of hit by injury and retirements and things like that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, and again that's that's where I struggle with their
you know, bottom of the basement NFL pass defense rankings. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Is it the fact that you can make some hay there?
Is it the fact that, as we said in the
previous hour, they're just playing with a lead so often
that teams are throwing the ball against them, which inflations
certainly true, inflates that number. I do think it's probably
a game probably a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Of both, a little bit of both. But I think
what's most appealing other than the cornerback situation is they
definitely have a history of not really getting off the
field particularly well. I mean, as good as their offenses
and I know they score quickly at times, they're not
a great time possession team. That's stat that I cite
in my packet every week about turning a new set
of downs or a set of downs into a new
(05:39):
set of downs. They're right at the bottom of the
league with that. I mean, so they definitely allow a
lot of plays to be run, which I like that part.
I'll be honest. I mean, I think there's a chance
that there's a lot of points scored in this game.
I mean it might be like thirty eight, thirty five.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I think so too. Yeah, I'm with you on that this. Yeah,
I know you've made this joke before, so not to
step on your toes. But it feels like the proverbial,
you know, everything used to be a race to twenty
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. See the last handful of.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Years and their numbers coming into the season, like over
the last five years, if they got the twenty, that
if the defense didn't allow twenty, they almost always.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Won, correct, Whereas now it's changed drastically. You scored thirty
one in Cincinnati and it wasn't enough to get done.
You scored twenty five against Green Bay and you lost
by two possessions, by double digits, And matt it is
the third highest over under?
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
For no part of me? Second? No third? I was right?
Third highest over under of the Sunday slate? Is this
one at fifty and a half? The only ones that
are higher are Chiefs and Bills that make sense, and
Bears and Bengals they don't because they don't play.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
The Bengals are always gonna be high.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
So I am with you on that.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Obviously at the end of this hour give our final
score predictions. But yeah, it ain't gonna be seventeen fourteen.
It can be your favorite thirteen to nine joke to
make it my expense all the time.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And you just can't view it that way coming into
the game and coach that way and just assume that
that's how the game's going to go, because it's very
unlikely to right now.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
And I think you hit the You phrased it in
a perfect way when we were talking to Missy Matthews
in the first hour. The way the offensive line is
played the way Jalen Warren is played, the confidence that
they certainly have in DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin and
maybe now in Roman Wilson as well, and the tight
ends that it hasn't been consistent, but they've all had
(07:34):
their moments where they've.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Shown collectively they've been collectively been a strong room.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I don't even want to say that this is the
week that you like cut it loose, because you don't
go from the numbers. Back this up the thirty second
of thirty two teams in terms of conservative play calling
and fourth down aggressiveness and that type of thing all
of a sudden into the top five or the top ten.
But there's got to be more of a trust factor
with offensive line. Now, there's got to be more of
(08:02):
a trust factor with everybody else, all the other playmakers,
running backs, tight ends, wide receivers around Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
You got two months of working with Rogers too, Right.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Let's see it again. I'm not saying you go Dan
Campbell and every fourth down that's not fourth and long.
We're going for it and hyper aggressive. But let's meet
in the middle somewhere.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I think, yeah, I think you don't default the punting
or field goals or you know, fourth and one.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Boss can make this no problem. Let's just take the points.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, I think that's a not a losing but a
risky way to play this game, you know. And again
I might try a fake punt or something goofy. I
know you can't do like surprise on sides anymore, but
somewhere I want to steal one, especially if I haven't,
you know, been winning the turnover battle drastically. Now. I
don't mind if they throw quite a bit because a
(08:49):
lot of their quick throws, the Rogers throws are high completion.
They can keep the clock moving. But I also can't
live with you're running the ball. You come out of
the half and Warren gets three carries in a second half,
you know, like, ain't gonna got it. I mean, you're
just begging to put your defense in a bad situation
and they're already in a bad situation.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
And that's something that you and I have discussed a
couple times this week. I talked about that on DV
Today with Chad Tyson. I do this quick hitter thing,
just a short like three four minute with Chad Tyson
where he fires off a bunch of sale questions, and
one of them was on the along the lines of like,
how do you protect this defense? How do you insulate
this defense? And I was like, I understand. Every time
(09:30):
we bring this up, I was like, I might need
more than twenty seconds to answer this question.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Yeah, this is a big picture.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Because every time we bring this up, everyone's like, well,
how can you blame the offense. They're the side of
the football that's doing their job there. We're not blaming
the offense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
But you a team game.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
It's a team game. And the same way Matt I
used this example with you earlier in the season. I
always remember that it was two or three years ago
when the Steelers went down to Miami for Sunday Night
football and they lost like a seventeen to fourt team,
you know, nineteen to thirteen whatever. The final score was
a low scoring game to Miami where Kenny Pickett through
(10:07):
three interceptions, the last one really bad. When the Steelers
had a chance to win the game, and the Steelers
defense kept them in it, kept them in it. Yeah,
but they didn't force the splash plays. And Mike Tomlin
at his postgame press conference, the first thing he said was, well,
the difference in that game was their defense got takeaways
and ours did it. And in the back of my mind,
I'm like, coach, really, like, you know, like your quarterback
threw three interceptions, the last one really bad when you
(10:31):
had a chance to win the game, and we're gonna
throw the defense under the bus. But then when you
step back and think about it, it's not throwing that
He knows what it takes for them to win.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yeah, he doesn't.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
He doesn't expect the offense. He it's the defense who
has to grab the other unit by the caller, yeah,
and drag them to victory. Whereas when he spoke on
this Tuesday and he talked about we got to get
in the end zone more often as opposed to settling
for threes, I'm hoping that that shoe is on the
other foot now that it has to be the offense.
It's not blaming the offense, but it's saying, hey, at
(11:00):
this point in time, we expect more from you. We
need more from.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
You, right because you're the better unit. Because you're the
better I mean, and the defense was the better unit then,
and about Miami game, I'm certain of it, absolutely, and
it's got to be hard for him, you know, because
it's been half a decade where you've had to play
a certain way week after week, seventeen games a year
and then into the playoffs. And that's a tough way
to live. But you knew we can't lose a turnover battle.
(11:25):
We can't live up twenty points. Like the numbers that
back that stuff up are crazy over a five year stretch.
Basically since Ben's elbow surgery. Is if you lose a
turnover battle, you lose. If you give up twenty you'll lose. Okay, Well,
at least I know what lane I have to stay in.
The lane have changed, yes, yeah, I mean they definitely
have one.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
And I know a lot of people that are listening
to this, whether you're listening you know, live on S
and R back in podcast mode, whether you hopped onto
YouTube to see Matt and I's Goofy Halloween intro, you're
probably thinking, well, the Steelers coaching staff, Mike Tomlin, they're stubborn,
they dig their heels in and they do it their way,
and to an extent, I'm not going to push back
(12:06):
on that, sure, but they he coached and they operated
completely like we talk about the last five years and
how it needs to to start to evolve. Before those
five years, it was when it was Ben, When it
was Ben, when it was Bell, when it was Brown,
when it was one of the best offenses in the league.
They operated as we got to score thirty some points
a game.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
To win, things like score on the opening uh drive
and go to go for two exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
When you when you have Ben, a Hall of fame quarterback,
and ab antics off the field a side, a hall
of Fame wide receiver, Lev Bell, who was you know
in the league, was the best back in the league
for a handful of years. You had a offensive line
with I don't know if Poundcier to cast her over
get into the Hall of Fame, but they're in the
Hall of really good exactly right. And and and alvil
(12:55):
Nueva was a two time pro bowler, and you know,
remote fossilers, really good Miller. I mean, they were able
to switch their philosophy from the typical Mike Tomlin way
of playing before that and after that. It's been bookended
by this score twenty points, hold them to you know,
to just one or two touchdowns. That is the one
(13:18):
part of this that gives me, gives me some optimism,
gives me some faith. I've seen Mike Tomlin change his
hand of cards before.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Yeah, I think people forget it's.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Been a while. It's been a while, but we have
seen them do it before. And I'm not even saying
again that it has to be that drastic now, but
maybe it's time to start. Hey, for five years we
had red paint, and we painted the barn red. But
now we have blue paint, and we gotta start painting
some of these panels blue.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Yeah, and in some ways that's good. You actually have
a quarterback, you know, like.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
You got an offense that can score thirty right.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
If this was the offense from that pick at Miami, goodness,
they'd be one win team, you know what I mean,
you wouldn't have the ability to change at least they do,
so they do. And oh, by the way, the defense
can play better. So I mean that's allowed to.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
That is that is absolutely allowed, and in fact it's needed.
And we're not even saying that the defense has to
get to preseason expectations or they're one of the best
units in the league. But if they can, if they
can be average on defense, and what this offense is doing.
I mean this, that's how you get back into winning
some games and feeling like we felt about this team
(14:28):
a couple of weeks ago when they were sitting at
four and one and looked like they had a clear
path the hosting a playoff game. Maybe that's getting a
little bit murkier. Baltimore Ravens took care of business last
night down in Miami. When we return on the other side,
before we finished with Steelers and Colts, thoughts and predictions,
we will go around the league talk about that big
win for the Ravens last night, these other games on
(14:50):
the Sunday slate around the NFL when we return. As
we continue to roll along here on a Friday, West Huler,
Matt Williamson, it is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio,
on the Steelers, your network, your.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Down the home stretch here and it's time to go around
the league. But before we do that, Matt, I wanted
to make sure to mention pretty cool weekend on tap
for the Steelers. Obviously, it's a big game against the
Colts on Sunday, but this is also, and this is
making me feel old. I'm sure you'll say that same.
It's the twenty year Reunion celebration weekend for the Steelers'
Super Bowl forty champion teams, the one for the Thumb
(16:07):
Jerome Bettison Detroit team twenty years. Of course, Super Bowl
sixty coming up here in February. It is alumni weekend
for the Steelers. With that they're honoring the twentieth anniversary
of the team. Myself and Rob King will be down
there at the dinner tomorrow night at five thirty cool
broadcasting on the Steelers Audio Network on Steelers Next Radio here.
(16:28):
You know, it's funny. I've done a couple of those
in the past, and it's always pretty intimidating for me. Yeah,
because you're there with all the who's who of the
mean Joe's and the mel blunts. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I did one, did one and it was like the
seventy ninth anniversary yesh, yeah, seventy nine team. It was
all the big time.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Which, as you can imagine, this is all before my lifetime.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
This is similar because like I was a pop whenever
they were awesome.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
I am so looking forward to tomorrow night because that's
my wheelhouse.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Man.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
That's a that's there was a freshman in high school
and that team won the Super Bowl, Like I had,
you know, I like I really started to fall in
love with the football and Steelers and WU when I
was in like sixth grade, and so this was like
the first team I cared about that won a championship. Age.
It was really good at a great age. These guys
(17:15):
are again, like I'm telling I've told you this before,
I've shared this before. Takes a lot to the businesses
that we work in, Like it takes a lot to
star strike me for me to get starstruck, but a
lot of these guys, Oh my goodness, Like this is
my wheelhouse. These are the guys that were my heroes
growing up. And I'm very excited to It'll just be
like it's like speed dating. Like they'll they'll pull these
(17:35):
guys like every ten minutes, one of them to sit
down with Rob King and.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Everybody else around and they're all laughing and joking with
each other.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Yeah, I'm very excited because, like I said, I mean,
this is my wheelhouse. This is when I was a
die hard sleep with my terrible towel the night before
the game Steeler fan and uh and these guys the
first team in my lifetime to Yeah, the Penguins won
some Cups when I was in diapers. The first the
first team that I could really follow and enjoy and
love to win a championship in my lifetime. So Rob
(18:05):
King and I will have the broadcast tomorrow night, five
thirty Eastern Standard time on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network. And also big shout out to the
Steelers video team Matt Yeah to watch a one for
the Thumb Steelers story documentary that I am going to
watch tonight to gear myself up for tomorrow as well.
Everybody involved with those Nate Emial our guy TV does
(18:29):
stuff there, Alec Jason, It's a whole crew of Craig,
a bunch of people that I'm probably forgetting that I
should be naming as well too.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
I get the impression they put a lot of work
into this one too. They do One's awesome.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
They do a ton of stuff behind the scenes with
all these cool interviews, cool stories. So that's up now
on the Steelers YouTube page on Steelers dot com. One
for the Thumb it's twenty years.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Man, that's the same man. It makes you feel old.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
It really makes you feel I.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Was just sitting there. I'm like, what was I doing
twenty years ago? It's thirty three, my Whitehead kids. I
bet my son was probably in his mom's womb. This
about this big probably so I'm like about to be
a dad and like, okay, that's probably about right. But
I was in this business. I mean, I was working
for ESPN.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
I was a freshman in high school living living the dream.
Baby as as my Pittsburg Stiller's got one for the thumb,
and yeah, that'll be a lot of fun. This weekend
is kind of a I mean, I was gonna say
side story, but I don't even know if it's a
side story. With everything going on, that's going to be
front and center. And obviously if you're going to the
game a half times, that's that was kind of the
(19:32):
last piece of what I was going to say. Sorry,
of course, if you're at the game Sunday, don't rush
to the bathroom or rush to grab another drink at halftime,
because you might want to see the big You might
want to see the ceremony for these guys, which is
going to be pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
And this doesn't help them block and tackle and game
plan and all that. But I do think you feel
their presence on game day. If you're even Rogers and
cam that have been around or Rodgers probably played against
somebody's They definitely played against somebody you know in some
way shape.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
It's a great point.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
But still I'm sure the players recognize who's in the building.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Absolutely. Absolutely. There's been a lot of that magic on
these alumni weekends in.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
The past, the Immacular Reception Game, the Immaculate.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Reception Game where the Steelers scored in the final minute
to win it. And hopefully we get some more of
that mojo, some more of that magic from these Super
Bowl forty champions who will be in town and being
honored for their twentieth anniversary this weekend. Matt, the Ravens
took care of business last night, twenty eight to six. Yeah,
they moved to three and five. All the sun worried
(20:33):
all of a sudden. I mean, you lose the.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Colts, so all of a sudden, it's a one game different.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
One game difference. Even if you beat the Colts, it's
only a two game difference. So we still have two
games against Baltimore. Yeah, I don't think they're going away. Unfortunately,
as much as we would have liked to have kind
of coasted here, with two losses in a row for
the Steelers, two wins in a row for Baltimore, that
margin for air is zapping up pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I posted this thing. I
just retweeted what Warren Sharp put out because to this point,
the Ravens have faced the twenty ninth easiest, so the
third hardest schedule.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yeah, I don't like this. I know you sent this
to me this morning. I don't like this.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Not great. And going forward they face the sixth easiest. Meanwhile,
in case your court curious, the Steelers were the twenty
second easiest to this point. So a hard schedule, and
it gets harder, it becomes the twenty fifth easiest. So
you never know. I mean, when the schedule came out,
(21:33):
you thought you're getting burrowed twice and you're not, et cetera,
et cetera. And obviously those Steeler raven games are gonna loom.
But they've won two in a row. And I didn't
think the Ravens even played that great early in the game. Frankly, Miami,
just as usual, just blew a lot of opportunities and
self destructive things, and I do think it's noteworthy that
I want to throw us out there. They the Dolphins
(21:58):
parted ways, didn't use the word fired. Mutually decide the
part ways the third GM, but not their code. I'm
glad you brought this up because tuesday's the trade deadline deadline. Thursday,
they're done, so they have more time to deal with
this stuff than any they just lost. I assume the
Dolphins will be a seller, but I wonder if the
owner and former GM were torn on should we trade Phillip,
(22:22):
should we trade Wattle? No, I don't trade that guy.
Trade that guy.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Now.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Whoever, whoever's in charge now is gonna do whatever whatever
they want that may change their tone a little bit, I.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Would figure out. I would think it would make them
a much larger seller.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I would assume that's what I'm thinking too, because maybe
I'm not saying Jaylen Waddles would be a Steeler on Tuesday,
but yeah, right, if he's the one.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
That there's a lot of pieces on that team that
any team, any playoff team would be interested in.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Oh yeah, there's five guys you could you could pluck
off that team and make yourself better, no question about it.
But I think everyone's aware of this. The Ravens aren't
dead yet at all, not dead yet.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Not dead yet, and we're feeling better.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
It's a little worrisome too. You always lose this week,
and the math, all of a sudden, is not nearly
in your favor as it once was.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Man, things happened quickly in this league. Let's get into it.
The first November Sunday, roads starting to narrow. Turkey's gonna
be on the table here in a couple of weeks.
Before we know it. The Bears are in Cincinnata. Maybe
this is kind of an elimination type game. Yeah, teams,
since if you get back to four and five, you're
still hanging around the Bears. If you fall to four
(23:31):
and four, I gues you're not out of it, but
it's gonna be tough. That NFC playoff picture Chicagoy two
and a half point favored in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Torn on this one. Neither one's playing great defense. I
do think Flacco will do. I think there could be
a lot of points in this game.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Second highest over under it. Yeah said that before, behind
only Chiefs Bills.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I guess I'll take the Bears, but very reluctantly. I
don't love given points on the road. I think are
pretty equal teams.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I think I'm gonna take. I think I'm gonna lay
the points with Cincinnati. I'll oppose you on this one.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Yeah, I wouldn't touch it.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
I just feel like Chicago two has been much better
at home than they have been on the road, and
that's typical of a young team.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, that makes sense, young quarterback.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
You know, first time head coach. I like that number, though,
if the numbers three and a half, i'd take the
points for Chicago at two and a half. I'm gonna
lay him with Cincinnati. One of the bigger spreads of
the weekend. Tied for the second biggest spread of the weekend.
The Lions hosts the Vikings in Detroit, Matt What ad
the Lions do to bad team?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Beat him?
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Bad? A bad team? Yeah, but they're very shaky at
the quarterback position, which is not what you want to
be against this Lions group.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
And McCarthy returns McCarthy or at least get some more
data on him. I haven't loved to I have seen
this thus far. I didn't love him coming out of Michigan.
I think this is a brutal game to come back
to too. I'm gonna take the Lions.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I might. I might lay the points on this one,
just because a division game double digit, I mean nine
and a half, it means they win by ten. That's
a big number for a division game. It is, and
I could see another scenario where Detroit is up fourteen
late in the Vikings score a touchdown that doesn't matter,
and they end up back or covering something like that.
(25:18):
I don't know, though, what does Detroit doing these type
of games they blow teams out. I'm with you, I'll
lay the points with the Lions. I'll lay the points
with the Lions. Packers at home biggest spread. Uh no, sorry,
part of me. There is a couple couple big ones
this weekend, So Lions Viking's third biggest spread. This is
the second biggest spread of the weekend. The Packers hosting
the Panthers at Lambeau. Twelve and a half point favorites
(25:42):
are green Bay.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Oh seems like a lot. I am impressed though with
green Bay for sure. I think they're hitting a shride
at the right time. I thought Jordan Love played a
great game Steeler defensive side. I'll take the Packers, but
that's a big number. I mean, Carolina usually runs the
ball pretty well.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
I think I'm gonna take the points on this one.
Green Bay coming off of an emotional victory, right, come
from behind, emotional victory against their old quarterback, two of
the biggest brands in all of American sports, Sunday night football,
come back, win, all those different things. Green Bay gets
it done, but Carolina finds a way to keep it,
you know, within ten points or so, I'll take. I'll
(26:21):
take the plus twelve and a half. With the Panthers
the Titans hosting the Chargers. This is one of the
bigger road favorite spreads that you'll see all all year.
It makes sense though, in Nashville, in Music City, the
Chargers are nine and a half point favorites on the road.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
I hate taking all these big favorites this week spreads,
and I just think Tennessee's broke.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
I think that they are you know, can coon on
three yes, the reference that the athletes say, right when
you're already thinking about your offseason plans. Can coon on
three boys? I think the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Role I do too. Chargers are pretty good spot.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
They are, they have navigated I think the toughest stretch
of their schedule. They got Joe Alt backed big, They're
they're they're playing there, They're I think it's coming together
for them at the right time. Falcons are in New England.
This one kind of seems like some rat poison to me, Matt.
This feels like a line that's good, too good to
be true. The Patriots only a five and a half
point favorite over the Falcons. I thought that would have
(27:20):
been more like seven and a half.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Yeah, And I think it's because Atlanta's so up and down,
Like they've had a couple of really nice wins and
a couple nice.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Jeon plays well and they keep you off the field, and.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
They need to feature him more. And I don't quite
understand why. I still think the Patriots are a bit
of a fugazy I don't think they're as good as
a record, and they probably won't be. They're good on
both sides of the ball. I'm gonna take the Pats.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
I am too, but I worry about that. I'd like this.
I'd like this a lot more if it was, you know,
New England plus seven and a half and I could
take the points with the Falcons. But now I'll lay
five and a half. I will lay five and a half, begrudgingly.
The giants are at home. This scataboo, this giant giants. Now,
no neighbors, no scataboo.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Yeh, it's getting pretty thick.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Pet's heads are falling off. That's a dumb and dumber
reference for you, right there. Forty nine ers across the country,
Matt for one of those vaunted everybody struggles except for
the Seattle Seahawks. Right one o'clock East Coast game. San
Francisco though a two and a half point favorite.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Taking the Niners. But I do think that road trip
is challenging.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
I think it'll be ugly, it'll be low scoring.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Yeah, I just kind of trust s to get on
one here. Yeah, you know Kittle's back. I think that
they're trending kind of the right direction.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
It's the right number for me. If it was three
and a half, yeah, I'd be a little more, a
little more shy. But at two and a half, I'll
lay the points with San Francisco. It could be a stinker, certainly,
could a couple big games here. Uh, well, let's do
this first. Let's let's let's finish off the one o'clock hour.
I'll continue to do this in chronological order. This is
a huge one though, Texans hosting the Broncos. Yeah, Broncos,
(28:57):
I tell you what a special The Chiefs have to
go to Buffalo. The Broncos will continue to have an
opportunity to give themselves some cushion in that division. The
Texans looking to hang on and get back to five hundred.
Houston a one and a half point favorite, Matt in
the lowest over under game of the weekend between maybe
the two best defenses in the NFL. Just forty and
a half is the over under in this one. Houston
(29:19):
a one and a half point favorite.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
I thought Denver is gonna be favored, but I'm still
taking Houston, and again I don't feel strongly about it.
I think they are the two best defenses in the league. Usually,
if it's going to be a low slugfest, I'll take points.
But I'm a stroud believer, and I also think Nico
Returns certain is out. Yes, I think it's a bad
week for that to happen.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
If you're Denver, totally yeah, you do listen. You don't
want to lose pat certain at any time. Sure, especially
the way that the Texans are playing now on offense
and getting some reinforcements as well. Into the four o'clock hour,
Raiders Jags in Viva Las Vegas. Raiders out of their
bye week, Yeah, show any signs of life. Jacksonville at
(30:01):
four and three still in a good spot. But if
you follow four and four, you start to chase it
a little bit. Jacksonville a two and a half point
favorite in LA and.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I hate it. Here in the news, Travis Hunter got
injured in practiced yesterday and went to IR and I
was expected him to blow off the second high. I
thought that to see that, part of me is like
man Gino Smith and Pete Carroll are better than what
they showed pre by. They know how to win games league.
But then I look at like their O line and
the back seven of their defense, like they don't think
(30:31):
a good player. I'm taking Jacksonville, but I don't love
it same.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
I want to give my guy Gino and I want
to give Pete Carroll a little little grains salt coming
out of the bye week, but I just don't see
it for a Raiders team that has you got to
show me something before I start to believe in it.
Rams at home hosting the Saints this Matt is the
biggest spread of the weekend. Fourteen and a half point
favorites at home or LA can they cover?
Speaker 2 (31:01):
I'm taking the Saints just because I keep taking all
the favorites. I think the Rams are great. I think
the Saints nineteen.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
And a half is a massive fourteen. It's that here
are remotes yelling at us.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah, crosses my mind when we have these conversations. Shuck's
gonna start, We'll see. I mean, I don't expect them'd
be great.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
I would I would love to do that, like pursuit
of does this goofy kind of stuff with baseball because
he's a gambling dork in a baseball Dirk and they
play one hundred and sixty two games. One of these years,
I should bet like five bucks on every team that
is a every underdog by two possessions or more. Just
every Sunday, every team that's you know, fourteen and a
half point dogs.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Your record at the end of the year, five bucks, YEA.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Throughout the year. That'd be an I bet you'd come
out with more money than than you started maybe not
by a crazy amount, but I bet you'd get a
little bit more than you would lose Matt the game
of the week, certainly, especially from outside of a Steeler's perspective.
I'm kind of ticked off that this one's not the
night game because I'll still be at the stadium at
four Orchard Park. That place will be rocking as the
(32:08):
Bills host the Chiefs. Chiefs a one and a half
point road favorite over Buffalo.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
And I'm taking them. I don't feel the Bill. Yeah,
they have certainly have a history. Their Bills run the
ball really, really well, but I still think the Bills
defense is by far the weakest of the four units.
I mean, clearly the other three are quite good and
two things. I think that they can all come in
(32:34):
there with their strategies, but by the fourth quarter, it's
going to be Alan versus Mahomes. Last one get the
ball wins. Yeah. I mean these two are just going
to take over and be Superman. Yes, And I'm not
saying I favor one or the other, but the fact
that one team is RACI rice now and the other
one doesn't, I think is enough. I really think the
(32:56):
Bills are a receiver.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Short quarterback master class seminar.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Coming in here, so much fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
I'm gonna I'm gonna lay the points with Kansas City too, Matt.
I told you I wavered on this a little bit
at the beginning of the season, but I'm back to
it now. The Chiefs, it's like, as long as they
have Reid and Mahomes, I'm gonna treat it like Belichick
and Brady until Monty Python, until the body's cold. I'm
not gonna They're not dead yet, and in fact that
(33:24):
I'm gonna pick them to go to the super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Still, yeah, they're my choice right now. I think there
are lines getting healthier for this game too, and I.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Know I know that place will be rocking, and you
can probably you can say Buffaloes do for one against
Kansas City. But until the Chiefs are, until the Chiefs
are out of it, I'm gonna continue to pick them.
Sunday Night Football, last one here, Matt, before we go
to break and pick the Steelers. On the other side,
the Commanders at home in a must win spot at
three years they want to stay in a wild card
(33:52):
playoff conversation. They've got the five and two Seahawks coming
to town. Seattle, a lot of road a lot of
road favorites this week.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
There's some weird lines this week.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Seattle two and a half point road favorite.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Daniels is gonna play. Yes, that's a good huge, it's huge, huge.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I still think I'm laying them with Seattle, though.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
I am too. I am too. Seattle travel travel so well.
I think their defense is superb and should do a
pretty good number against a good Washington offense. And Darnold's
playing great Smith that Jig was playing great. I don't
love the Washington corners or pass rush. Yeah, I think
Seattle is just clearly eight tier above Washington, if not too.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
I completely agree, and I think that's gonna play out
on Sunday night. Matt. One more to go, and we
have the Steelers' final practice report across the timeline. Some
not so great news in there that we will get
to when we return. On the other side, we'll also
pick Steelers Colts Sunday one o'clock at Afrosure Stadium. All
that and more before we get out of here, West
(34:48):
Huler Matt Williamson final segment of the week on the Way,
It's the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
And here we go final segment of the week. That
means we've got to predict how Steelers colts will play out.
But before we get to that, we have got the
final practice report of the week for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and Matt some less than encouraging news here ruled out
at this point already Scotty Miller with that finger injury.
(35:33):
He didn't practice all week. That's not a surprise, does
But Corey Trice has been ruled.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Out, so he's not gonna get activated.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
He is not, as has Jabro Peppers ruled out for
Sunday's matchup with a quadricep injury.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Did we know he was banged up?
Speaker 3 (35:49):
He was limited yesterday. I remember we said that he was.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
I'd be doing that.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
I did as well too. I did as well too.
Good news is Kyle Duggar has been a full practice
participant Thursday and Friday, so he's listening to no idea
what capacity he's but he's but he's gonna play. Cole
Holcomb is questionable with that illness. Still that weal that
he was dealing with yesterday, Malik Harrison is questionable. He's
been a full participant all week.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
In practice, but the action activate him or not.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Same with Will Howard. Chuck Clark listed as questionable as
well too, with an illness. So I wonder if it's
a safe thing.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
So much safety, so much Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
And again I know we're not, you know, crazy high
on the way he's been playing as of late. But
if you're down Peppers and he doesn't know what he's doing,
and Chuck Clark's dealing with an illness and you don't
have the Sean Elliott obviously, you're like, how many bodies
do we have here?
Speaker 2 (36:41):
He might be more Ramsey at safety than I even thought.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
It's starting to look at it just out of necessity.
Good news. No injury designation for Isaac Samon.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
That was the one I was most interested in.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
No injury designation for Zach Frasier. No injury designation for
Pat Froth, who remember popped up with a quadricep issue
on the practice reports.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
And we'll see them all this stuff huge, and I
do think you'll see a lot of the massive jumbo package.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
Yeah, especially if the Colts are gonna dig their heels
in and sticking nickel like they like to do. Yeah,
bring that corn beef out, baby, let's rolly Sunday, one o'clock,
Matt Akershuer Stadium. I mean, this is another one of those.
The game of the week is the Chiefs and the Bills.
But this not far behind this, This is not far
behind uh the seven to one best record in the league.
(37:29):
Indianapolis Colts the Steelers, who have lost two games in
a row and are looking to hand Indianapolis a rare loss.
The Colts three and a half point favorites on the
North Shore Sunday afternoon. You want to pick them first,
I'm going thirty one to twenty eight Indianapolis, Matt. I've
been saying this all year. I have Steelers have played
(37:51):
seven games. I've picked them to win all seven. And
I said when we were in Dublin I was gonna
pick the Vikings. The energy here switched me around at
some I'm not gonna be the ultimate Homer and pick
this team to go seventeen and zero, right, I will
pick them to lose at some point. Almost did it
last week, but I thought the Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
Man, I let emotion change me for Vikings and Packers.
One worked, one didn't.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
And I started to do some of that this week.
I was like, it's the Super Bowl forty reunion, and
this team is when everyone's written them off. When everyone's
written them off is when Mike Tomlin and his teams
typically do their best work. I just I gotta go
with Indy. I gotta go with Indy thirty one to
twenty eight. As much as I hate to do it.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I'm taking the Colts. I'm betting picking against the Steelers
for the first time as well. I just think the
Colts are a really good football team and truly are
the best offense in the league. You're gonna have to
show me more on defense for me to say anything's
fixed on that side of the ball. I just think
they're very easy to attack. Now. They could definitely play.
I expect them to play better than the last two weeks.
(38:50):
But I got to see it first, and my score
is not very kind. Uh oh, thirty six to twenty three.
I can see a lot of points in this game.
I'm more confident about the thirty six side of it
than the twenty three, because I think that twenty three
could be pretty high. I could see him getting the
twenty eight. I could see the Steelers getting a thirty.
I just don't know. No one's stopped this offense yet.
(39:11):
Now the Steelers really haven't stopped anybody lately. So I'm
going with the President.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
And it's harsh, as Bob Labriola put it, this is
a franchise that has struggled in Pittsburgh. Yeah, I like
that last fifty years. Hopefully some of that voodoo will pop.
It's it's it's head in rear, its ugly head for Indianapolis.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
And this one, i'd like see the field goal kicker
miss a kicker too, field.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
Goal kicker miss a kicker two. I'd like to see
Boswell only attempt one or two right as well? And
who knows? I had this weird feeling you said this
last week. I'm gonna reverse it this week. You said
last Friday you picked the Steelers to win, but you said,
don't be surprised if we come in here on Monday
and we're talking about a lobsided Packers win. You ready
(39:58):
for this. I'm picking the Colts to win, but don't
be surprised if we come in here talking about a
big time Steelers win.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
It would fit.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
It would a tranchise, Yeah, thirty three to twenty three,
something like that.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
And it'd be like and if that happens, I bet
we're saying Watt had three sacks Steelers and got inter
section and there were plus Hayward eight.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
Quinton Nelson's lunch for sixty minutes.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
I know he's not in the game, but Killer Brew
blocks a punt, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Right right, right right, Peyton Wilson blocks a punt or something.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
On specialtydas that would not shock me either.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
For whatever reason, I was thinking that I was the
kind of games they win. You know, I've told you
this the two times that I really think about the
show or win them in the shower. Okay, that paints
a picture. And when I'm driving here every day in
the car and I was like, you know what, I
think the Colts are gonna win. But a double digit,
two possession Steelers victory would not surprise me either.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
Even a squeaky one out. Maybe they weren't the better
team that day, even and Boz hits one from mid
field to win it.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
You know, we shall see, we shall see, but it'll
be a lot of fun regardless. Halloween weekend, Alumni weekend,
Let's get some voodoo rolling in our direction, get back
in the win column here. But regardless win, lose, or draw,
we be back to break it down for you on Monday.
As always, big thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us
today for mister TV, Tyler v our video producer, and
(41:22):
Nathan our new iHeart producer hanging out in here and
doing some training. Always good to have those guys with
us and helping us with our Halloween shenanigans. At the
start of the show. For Matt Williamson, I'm West Shouler.
Take care, everybody, eat some candy, enjoy the weekend, and
we'll talk to you soon. As always, you know where
to find us. It's on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold. It's Steelers Nation Radio
(41:43):
on the Steelers Audio Network.
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We're humbled and excited to be in these five star matchups.
Five star matchup.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Somebody leaving here with the loss not gonna.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Be a good evening Stealer Nation. How we do well?
That's good us to our number two. Happy Halloween. As
you're probably rolling into or getting close to Trick or
Treating hour here. Yeah, yeah for most places you got
you got Libo Trick or treat upper. Are you technically
now up percent?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
I thought?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So we get a busy one you've been Yeah, yeah,
it's busy for two hours straight. Pretty packed.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Vers is too. We've had like over one hundred kids
the last couple of years. Yeah, my wife is real nervous.
She's always like, did we get enough? Did we get
enough candy?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
My wife will set up she sets up a huge
tent at the like at our mailbox at the top
of the driveway. We get like the fire table out. Yep,
you can like the kids like come into the tent
and it's all decorated and kneoned up and yeah, it's
it's a it's a it's a whole to you.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
It's exciting, and I know I've shared this with you too,
but it's like everyone's everyone's told me, you know, like
once your kids reach a certain age, holidays become so
much fun. And unfortunately I kind of missed out on
that on this past Christmas because the Steelers had a
one o'clock game and so I was gone from like
eight a m. Till you know, eight o'clock at night type.
(01:37):
But I'm very excited.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
You know, I've got a four.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Year old and a two year old. Now they're like
into it. They're dressing up.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I'll be getting text from University Kentucky in much different
Oh yeah, festivities. I have a feeling, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
No doubt you will you'll laugh at this. I took
my daughter's daycare today, my oldest to four year old.
All the other girls in her class are dressed as
like princesses and Disney care. She's dressed as a chocolate
chip cookie nice. I'm like, sweetheart, this is why I
love you, baby, this is this is why you are
my girl. So yeah, looking forward to it tonight. I
hope everybody has some fun and get some good pictures
(02:11):
and some good candy and all that stuff. Matt, let's
continue with five star Friday here. Yes, Like I said,
let's spin the block now and talk about Steelers offense
against this Colts defense. Okay, so not a pushover. No,
it's not a push out, but not as daunting as
the Indianapolis offense.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Agreed, So is this a I don't even think it's
one of the best defenses they faced this year? A
great I put New England, Seattle, Cleveland, probably the Packers.
I mean, yeah, and those are all really good, don't
get me wrong, But I mean it's it's a good defense.
It's not an overwhelming defense.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And we talked about this a little bit in the
in the open of the show when I was trying
not to suffocate myself in that Halloween mask. But how
do you go about what's your big personnel usage? Look
like this twelve personnel, thirteen personnel, six offensive lineman package like,
and we'll dig into it, but from a thirty thousand
foot view, from a macro view, where is the best
(03:09):
area to attack? What is the best way to attack
this Indianapolis defense?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, and again I don't have a great vibe for
that other than try to make them do what they
don't want to do. They want to be in Nickel.
I mean, they'll always went in doubt, they'll go to Nickel.
That's where they're most comfortable. And that's not uncommon. That's
their it really is. I mean there's teams that are
(03:35):
that live in Nickel no matter what.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Bufflows like that.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, and it's a nice world to live in if
you have the athletes to do it that you can
be big and little at the same time without substituting.
Like I don't know the NBA well, but people say this,
if you have a defense that doesn't have to sub
when they put their bigs in, you know, versusir little guys,
Well you're in a good spot, you know. And I
think Indie kind of looks at themselves that way. But
(04:00):
if you're gonna come out in thirteen, I mean I
would expect and this isn't uncommon any game, and this
is why teams script. But I would think you'll see
a wide variety of offensive personnel groups to see what
they what forces them to go to base. We're gonna
put twelve out there, Oh we got Nickel. What if
(04:21):
we put twelve with Friarmouth and Washington as opposed to
Friarmuth and Smith. Okay, they're still in nickel. What if
we throw all three out there, they're still a nickel. Sure,
what if we throw all three in extra offensive lineman?
They still a nickel? You know, like to the to
the point where we're gonna be bigger and badder than you,
and we want to get your big people on the field.
(04:44):
And I also think the less defensive back sail on
the field, the harder it is to help those corners
that are suspect. I mean, it's a below average group
of corners and not really their fault. They got kind
of hit by injury and retirements and things like that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, and again that's that's where I struggle with their
you know, bottom of the basement NFL pass defense rankings. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Is it the fact that you can make some hay there?
Is it the fact that, as we said in the
previous hour, they're just playing with a lead so often
that teams are throwing the ball against them, which inflations
certainly true, inflates that number. I do think it's probably
a game probably a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Of both, a little bit of both. But I think
what's most appealing other than the cornerback situation is they
definitely have a history of not really getting off the
field particularly well. I mean, as good as their offenses
and I know they score quickly at times, they're not
a great time possession team. That's stat that I cite
in my packet every week about turning a new set
of downs or a set of downs into a new
(05:39):
set of downs. They're right at the bottom of the
league with that. I mean, so they definitely allow a
lot of plays to be run, which I like that part.
I'll be honest. I mean, I think there's a chance
that there's a lot of points scored in this game.
I mean it might be like thirty eight, thirty five.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I think so too. Yeah, I'm with you on that this. Yeah,
I know you've made this joke before, so not to
step on your toes. But it feels like the proverbial,
you know, everything used to be a race to twenty
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. See the last handful of.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Years and their numbers coming into the season, like over
the last five years, if they got the twenty, that
if the defense didn't allow twenty, they almost always.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Won, correct, Whereas now it's changed drastically. You scored thirty
one in Cincinnati and it wasn't enough to get done.
You scored twenty five against Green Bay and you lost
by two possessions, by double digits, And matt it is
the third highest over under?
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
For no part of me? Second? No third? I was right?
Third highest over under of the Sunday slate? Is this
one at fifty and a half? The only ones that
are higher are Chiefs and Bills that make sense, and
Bears and Bengals they don't because they don't play.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
The Bengals are always gonna be high.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
So I am with you on that.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Obviously at the end of this hour give our final
score predictions. But yeah, it ain't gonna be seventeen fourteen.
It can be your favorite thirteen to nine joke to
make it my expense all the time.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And you just can't view it that way coming into
the game and coach that way and just assume that
that's how the game's going to go, because it's very
unlikely to right now.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
And I think you hit the You phrased it in
a perfect way when we were talking to Missy Matthews
in the first hour. The way the offensive line is
played the way Jalen Warren is played, the confidence that
they certainly have in DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin and
maybe now in Roman Wilson as well, and the tight
ends that it hasn't been consistent, but they've all had
(07:34):
their moments where they've.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Shown collectively they've been collectively been a strong room.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I don't even want to say that this is the
week that you like cut it loose, because you don't
go from the numbers. Back this up the thirty second
of thirty two teams in terms of conservative play calling
and fourth down aggressiveness and that type of thing all
of a sudden into the top five or the top ten.
But there's got to be more of a trust factor
with offensive line. Now, there's got to be more of
(08:02):
a trust factor with everybody else, all the other playmakers,
running backs, tight ends, wide receivers around Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
You got two months of working with Rogers too, Right.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Let's see it again. I'm not saying you go Dan
Campbell and every fourth down that's not fourth and long.
We're going for it and hyper aggressive. But let's meet
in the middle somewhere.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I think, yeah, I think you don't default the punting
or field goals or you know, fourth and one.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Boss can make this no problem. Let's just take the points.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, I think that's a not a losing but a
risky way to play this game, you know. And again
I might try a fake punt or something goofy. I
know you can't do like surprise on sides anymore, but
somewhere I want to steal one, especially if I haven't,
you know, been winning the turnover battle drastically. Now. I
don't mind if they throw quite a bit because a
(08:49):
lot of their quick throws, the Rogers throws are high completion.
They can keep the clock moving. But I also can't
live with you're running the ball. You come out of
the half and Warren gets three carries in a second half,
you know, like, ain't gonna got it. I mean, you're
just begging to put your defense in a bad situation
and they're already in a bad situation.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
And that's something that you and I have discussed a
couple times this week. I talked about that on DV
Today with Chad Tyson. I do this quick hitter thing,
just a short like three four minute with Chad Tyson
where he fires off a bunch of sale questions, and
one of them was on the along the lines of like,
how do you protect this defense? How do you insulate
this defense? And I was like, I understand. Every time
(09:30):
we bring this up, I was like, I might need
more than twenty seconds to answer this question.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Yeah, this is a big picture.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Because every time we bring this up, everyone's like, well,
how can you blame the offense. They're the side of
the football that's doing their job there. We're not blaming
the offense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
But you a team game.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
It's a team game. And the same way Matt I
used this example with you earlier in the season. I
always remember that it was two or three years ago
when the Steelers went down to Miami for Sunday Night
football and they lost like a seventeen to fourt team,
you know, nineteen to thirteen whatever. The final score was
a low scoring game to Miami where Kenny Pickett through
(10:07):
three interceptions, the last one really bad. When the Steelers
had a chance to win the game, and the Steelers
defense kept them in it, kept them in it. Yeah,
but they didn't force the splash plays. And Mike Tomlin
at his postgame press conference, the first thing he said was, well,
the difference in that game was their defense got takeaways
and ours did it. And in the back of my mind,
I'm like, coach, really, like, you know, like your quarterback
threw three interceptions, the last one really bad when you
(10:31):
had a chance to win the game, and we're gonna
throw the defense under the bus. But then when you
step back and think about it, it's not throwing that
He knows what it takes for them to win.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yeah, he doesn't.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
He doesn't expect the offense. He it's the defense who
has to grab the other unit by the caller, yeah,
and drag them to victory. Whereas when he spoke on
this Tuesday and he talked about we got to get
in the end zone more often as opposed to settling
for threes, I'm hoping that that shoe is on the
other foot now that it has to be the offense.
It's not blaming the offense, but it's saying, hey, at
(11:00):
this point in time, we expect more from you. We
need more from.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
You, right because you're the better unit. Because you're the
better I mean, and the defense was the better unit then,
and about Miami game, I'm certain of it, absolutely, and
it's got to be hard for him, you know, because
it's been half a decade where you've had to play
a certain way week after week, seventeen games a year
and then into the playoffs. And that's a tough way
to live. But you knew we can't lose a turnover battle.
(11:25):
We can't live up twenty points. Like the numbers that
back that stuff up are crazy over a five year stretch.
Basically since Ben's elbow surgery. Is if you lose a
turnover battle, you lose. If you give up twenty you'll lose. Okay, Well,
at least I know what lane I have to stay in.
The lane have changed, yes, yeah, I mean they definitely
have one.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
And I know a lot of people that are listening
to this, whether you're listening you know, live on S
and R back in podcast mode, whether you hopped onto
YouTube to see Matt and I's Goofy Halloween intro, you're
probably thinking, well, the Steelers coaching staff, Mike Tomlin, they're stubborn,
they dig their heels in and they do it their way,
and to an extent, I'm not going to push back
(12:06):
on that, sure, but they he coached and they operated
completely like we talk about the last five years and
how it needs to to start to evolve. Before those
five years, it was when it was Ben, When it
was Ben, when it was Bell, when it was Brown,
when it was one of the best offenses in the league.
They operated as we got to score thirty some points
a game.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
To win, things like score on the opening uh drive
and go to go for two exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
When you when you have Ben, a Hall of fame quarterback,
and ab antics off the field a side, a hall
of Fame wide receiver, Lev Bell, who was you know
in the league, was the best back in the league
for a handful of years. You had a offensive line
with I don't know if Poundcier to cast her over
get into the Hall of Fame, but they're in the
Hall of really good exactly right. And and and alvil
(12:55):
Nueva was a two time pro bowler, and you know,
remote fossilers, really good Miller. I mean, they were able
to switch their philosophy from the typical Mike Tomlin way
of playing before that and after that. It's been bookended
by this score twenty points, hold them to you know,
to just one or two touchdowns. That is the one
(13:18):
part of this that gives me, gives me some optimism,
gives me some faith. I've seen Mike Tomlin change his
hand of cards before.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Yeah, I think people forget it's.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Been a while. It's been a while, but we have
seen them do it before. And I'm not even saying
again that it has to be that drastic now, but
maybe it's time to start. Hey, for five years we
had red paint, and we painted the barn red. But
now we have blue paint, and we gotta start painting
some of these panels blue.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Yeah, and in some ways that's good. You actually have
a quarterback, you know, like.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
You got an offense that can score thirty right.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
If this was the offense from that pick at Miami, goodness,
they'd be one win team, you know what I mean,
you wouldn't have the ability to change at least they do,
so they do. And oh, by the way, the defense
can play better. So I mean that's allowed to.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
That is that is absolutely allowed, and in fact it's needed.
And we're not even saying that the defense has to
get to preseason expectations or they're one of the best
units in the league. But if they can, if they
can be average on defense, and what this offense is doing.
I mean this, that's how you get back into winning
some games and feeling like we felt about this team
(14:28):
a couple of weeks ago when they were sitting at
four and one and looked like they had a clear
path the hosting a playoff game. Maybe that's getting a
little bit murkier. Baltimore Ravens took care of business last
night down in Miami. When we return on the other side,
before we finished with Steelers and Colts, thoughts and predictions,
we will go around the league talk about that big
win for the Ravens last night, these other games on
(14:50):
the Sunday slate around the NFL when we return. As
we continue to roll along here on a Friday, West Huler,
Matt Williamson, it is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio,
on the Steelers, your network, your.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Down the home stretch here and it's time to go around
the league. But before we do that, Matt, I wanted
to make sure to mention pretty cool weekend on tap
for the Steelers. Obviously, it's a big game against the
Colts on Sunday, but this is also, and this is
making me feel old. I'm sure you'll say that same.
It's the twenty year Reunion celebration weekend for the Steelers'
Super Bowl forty champion teams, the one for the Thumb
(16:07):
Jerome Bettison Detroit team twenty years. Of course, Super Bowl
sixty coming up here in February. It is alumni weekend
for the Steelers. With that they're honoring the twentieth anniversary
of the team. Myself and Rob King will be down
there at the dinner tomorrow night at five thirty cool
broadcasting on the Steelers Audio Network on Steelers Next Radio here.
(16:28):
You know, it's funny. I've done a couple of those
in the past, and it's always pretty intimidating for me. Yeah,
because you're there with all the who's who of the
mean Joe's and the mel blunts. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I did one, did one and it was like the
seventy ninth anniversary yesh, yeah, seventy nine team. It was
all the big time.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Which, as you can imagine, this is all before my lifetime.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
This is similar because like I was a pop whenever
they were awesome.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
I am so looking forward to tomorrow night because that's
my wheelhouse.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Man.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
That's a that's there was a freshman in high school
and that team won the Super Bowl, Like I had,
you know, I like I really started to fall in
love with the football and Steelers and WU when I
was in like sixth grade, and so this was like
the first team I cared about that won a championship. Age.
It was really good at a great age. These guys
(17:15):
are again, like I'm telling I've told you this before,
I've shared this before. Takes a lot to the businesses
that we work in, Like it takes a lot to
star strike me for me to get starstruck, but a
lot of these guys, Oh my goodness, Like this is
my wheelhouse. These are the guys that were my heroes
growing up. And I'm very excited to It'll just be
like it's like speed dating. Like they'll they'll pull these
(17:35):
guys like every ten minutes, one of them to sit
down with Rob King and.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Everybody else around and they're all laughing and joking with
each other.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Yeah, I'm very excited because, like I said, I mean,
this is my wheelhouse. This is when I was a
die hard sleep with my terrible towel the night before
the game Steeler fan and uh and these guys the
first team in my lifetime to Yeah, the Penguins won
some Cups when I was in diapers. The first the
first team that I could really follow and enjoy and
love to win a championship in my lifetime. So Rob
(18:05):
King and I will have the broadcast tomorrow night, five
thirty Eastern Standard time on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network. And also big shout out to the
Steelers video team Matt Yeah to watch a one for
the Thumb Steelers story documentary that I am going to
watch tonight to gear myself up for tomorrow as well.
Everybody involved with those Nate Emial our guy TV does
(18:29):
stuff there, Alec Jason, It's a whole crew of Craig,
a bunch of people that I'm probably forgetting that I
should be naming as well too.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
I get the impression they put a lot of work
into this one too. They do One's awesome.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
They do a ton of stuff behind the scenes with
all these cool interviews, cool stories. So that's up now
on the Steelers YouTube page on Steelers dot com. One
for the Thumb it's twenty years.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Man, that's the same man. It makes you feel old.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
It really makes you feel I.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Was just sitting there. I'm like, what was I doing
twenty years ago? It's thirty three, my Whitehead kids. I
bet my son was probably in his mom's womb. This
about this big probably so I'm like about to be
a dad and like, okay, that's probably about right. But
I was in this business. I mean, I was working
for ESPN.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
I was a freshman in high school living living the dream.
Baby as as my Pittsburg Stiller's got one for the thumb,
and yeah, that'll be a lot of fun. This weekend
is kind of a I mean, I was gonna say
side story, but I don't even know if it's a
side story. With everything going on, that's going to be
front and center. And obviously if you're going to the
game a half times, that's that was kind of the
(19:32):
last piece of what I was going to say. Sorry,
of course, if you're at the game Sunday, don't rush
to the bathroom or rush to grab another drink at halftime,
because you might want to see the big You might
want to see the ceremony for these guys, which is
going to be pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
And this doesn't help them block and tackle and game
plan and all that. But I do think you feel
their presence on game day. If you're even Rogers and
cam that have been around or Rodgers probably played against
somebody's They definitely played against somebody you know in some
way shape.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
It's a great point.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
But still I'm sure the players recognize who's in the building.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Absolutely. Absolutely. There's been a lot of that magic on
these alumni weekends in.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
The past, the Immacular Reception Game, the Immaculate.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Reception Game where the Steelers scored in the final minute
to win it. And hopefully we get some more of
that mojo, some more of that magic from these Super
Bowl forty champions who will be in town and being
honored for their twentieth anniversary this weekend. Matt, the Ravens
took care of business last night, twenty eight to six. Yeah,
they moved to three and five. All the sun worried
(20:33):
all of a sudden. I mean, you lose the.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Colts, so all of a sudden, it's a one game different.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
One game difference. Even if you beat the Colts, it's
only a two game difference. So we still have two
games against Baltimore. Yeah, I don't think they're going away. Unfortunately,
as much as we would have liked to have kind
of coasted here, with two losses in a row for
the Steelers, two wins in a row for Baltimore, that
margin for air is zapping up pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I posted this thing. I
just retweeted what Warren Sharp put out because to this point,
the Ravens have faced the twenty ninth easiest, so the
third hardest schedule.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yeah, I don't like this. I know you sent this
to me this morning. I don't like this.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Not great. And going forward they face the sixth easiest. Meanwhile,
in case your court curious, the Steelers were the twenty
second easiest to this point. So a hard schedule, and
it gets harder, it becomes the twenty fifth easiest. So
you never know. I mean, when the schedule came out,
(21:33):
you thought you're getting burrowed twice and you're not, et cetera,
et cetera. And obviously those Steeler raven games are gonna loom.
But they've won two in a row. And I didn't
think the Ravens even played that great early in the game. Frankly, Miami,
just as usual, just blew a lot of opportunities and
self destructive things, and I do think it's noteworthy that
I want to throw us out there. They the Dolphins
(21:58):
parted ways, didn't use the word fired. Mutually decide the
part ways the third GM, but not their code. I'm
glad you brought this up because tuesday's the trade deadline deadline. Thursday,
they're done, so they have more time to deal with
this stuff than any they just lost. I assume the
Dolphins will be a seller, but I wonder if the
owner and former GM were torn on should we trade Phillip,
(22:22):
should we trade Wattle? No, I don't trade that guy.
Trade that guy.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Now.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Whoever, whoever's in charge now is gonna do whatever whatever
they want that may change their tone a little bit, I.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Would figure out. I would think it would make them
a much larger seller.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I would assume that's what I'm thinking too, because maybe
I'm not saying Jaylen Waddles would be a Steeler on Tuesday,
but yeah, right, if he's the one.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
That there's a lot of pieces on that team that
any team, any playoff team would be interested in.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Oh yeah, there's five guys you could you could pluck
off that team and make yourself better, no question about it.
But I think everyone's aware of this. The Ravens aren't
dead yet at all, not dead yet.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Not dead yet, and we're feeling better.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
It's a little worrisome too. You always lose this week,
and the math, all of a sudden, is not nearly
in your favor as it once was.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Man, things happened quickly in this league. Let's get into it.
The first November Sunday, roads starting to narrow. Turkey's gonna
be on the table here in a couple of weeks.
Before we know it. The Bears are in Cincinnata. Maybe
this is kind of an elimination type game. Yeah, teams,
since if you get back to four and five, you're
still hanging around the Bears. If you fall to four
(23:31):
and four, I gues you're not out of it, but
it's gonna be tough. That NFC playoff picture Chicagoy two
and a half point favored in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Torn on this one. Neither one's playing great defense. I
do think Flacco will do. I think there could be
a lot of points in this game.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Second highest over under it. Yeah said that before, behind
only Chiefs Bills.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I guess I'll take the Bears, but very reluctantly. I
don't love given points on the road. I think are
pretty equal teams.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I think I'm gonna take. I think I'm gonna lay
the points with Cincinnati. I'll oppose you on this one.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Yeah, I wouldn't touch it.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
I just feel like Chicago two has been much better
at home than they have been on the road, and
that's typical of a young team.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, that makes sense, young quarterback.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
You know, first time head coach. I like that number, though,
if the numbers three and a half, i'd take the
points for Chicago at two and a half. I'm gonna
lay him with Cincinnati. One of the bigger spreads of
the weekend. Tied for the second biggest spread of the weekend.
The Lions hosts the Vikings in Detroit, Matt What ad
the Lions do to bad team?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Beat him?
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Bad? A bad team? Yeah, but they're very shaky at
the quarterback position, which is not what you want to
be against this Lions group.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
And McCarthy returns McCarthy or at least get some more
data on him. I haven't loved to I have seen
this thus far. I didn't love him coming out of Michigan.
I think this is a brutal game to come back
to too. I'm gonna take the Lions.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I might. I might lay the points on this one,
just because a division game double digit, I mean nine
and a half, it means they win by ten. That's
a big number for a division game. It is, and
I could see another scenario where Detroit is up fourteen
late in the Vikings score a touchdown that doesn't matter,
and they end up back or covering something like that.
(25:18):
I don't know, though, what does Detroit doing these type
of games they blow teams out. I'm with you, I'll
lay the points with the Lions. I'll lay the points
with the Lions. Packers at home biggest spread. Uh no, sorry,
part of me. There is a couple couple big ones
this weekend, So Lions Viking's third biggest spread. This is
the second biggest spread of the weekend. The Packers hosting
the Panthers at Lambeau. Twelve and a half point favorites
(25:42):
are green Bay.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Oh seems like a lot. I am impressed though with
green Bay for sure. I think they're hitting a shride
at the right time. I thought Jordan Love played a
great game Steeler defensive side. I'll take the Packers, but
that's a big number. I mean, Carolina usually runs the
ball pretty well.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
I think I'm gonna take the points on this one.
Green Bay coming off of an emotional victory, right, come
from behind, emotional victory against their old quarterback, two of
the biggest brands in all of American sports, Sunday night football,
come back, win, all those different things. Green Bay gets
it done, but Carolina finds a way to keep it,
you know, within ten points or so, I'll take. I'll
(26:21):
take the plus twelve and a half. With the Panthers
the Titans hosting the Chargers. This is one of the
bigger road favorite spreads that you'll see all all year.
It makes sense though, in Nashville, in Music City, the
Chargers are nine and a half point favorites on the road.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
I hate taking all these big favorites this week spreads,
and I just think Tennessee's broke.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
I think that they are you know, can coon on
three yes, the reference that the athletes say, right when
you're already thinking about your offseason plans. Can coon on
three boys? I think the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Role I do too. Chargers are pretty good spot.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
They are, they have navigated I think the toughest stretch
of their schedule. They got Joe Alt backed big, They're
they're they're playing there, They're I think it's coming together
for them at the right time. Falcons are in New England.
This one kind of seems like some rat poison to me, Matt.
This feels like a line that's good, too good to
be true. The Patriots only a five and a half
point favorite over the Falcons. I thought that would have
(27:20):
been more like seven and a half.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Yeah, And I think it's because Atlanta's so up and down,
Like they've had a couple of really nice wins and
a couple nice.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Jeon plays well and they keep you off the field, and.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
They need to feature him more. And I don't quite
understand why. I still think the Patriots are a bit
of a fugazy I don't think they're as good as
a record, and they probably won't be. They're good on
both sides of the ball. I'm gonna take the Pats.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
I am too, but I worry about that. I'd like this.
I'd like this a lot more if it was, you know,
New England plus seven and a half and I could
take the points with the Falcons. But now I'll lay
five and a half. I will lay five and a half, begrudgingly.
The giants are at home. This scataboo, this giant giants. Now,
no neighbors, no scataboo.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Yeh, it's getting pretty thick.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Pet's heads are falling off. That's a dumb and dumber
reference for you, right there. Forty nine ers across the country,
Matt for one of those vaunted everybody struggles except for
the Seattle Seahawks. Right one o'clock East Coast game. San
Francisco though a two and a half point favorite.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Taking the Niners. But I do think that road trip
is challenging.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
I think it'll be ugly, it'll be low scoring.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Yeah, I just kind of trust s to get on
one here. Yeah, you know Kittle's back. I think that
they're trending kind of the right direction.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
It's the right number for me. If it was three
and a half, yeah, I'd be a little more, a
little more shy. But at two and a half, I'll
lay the points with San Francisco. It could be a stinker, certainly,
could a couple big games here. Uh, well, let's do
this first. Let's let's let's finish off the one o'clock hour.
I'll continue to do this in chronological order. This is
a huge one though, Texans hosting the Broncos. Yeah, Broncos,
(28:57):
I tell you what a special The Chiefs have to
go to Buffalo. The Broncos will continue to have an
opportunity to give themselves some cushion in that division. The
Texans looking to hang on and get back to five hundred.
Houston a one and a half point favorite, Matt in
the lowest over under game of the weekend between maybe
the two best defenses in the NFL. Just forty and
a half is the over under in this one. Houston
(29:19):
a one and a half point favorite.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
I thought Denver is gonna be favored, but I'm still
taking Houston, and again I don't feel strongly about it.
I think they are the two best defenses in the league. Usually,
if it's going to be a low slugfest, I'll take points.
But I'm a stroud believer, and I also think Nico
Returns certain is out. Yes, I think it's a bad
week for that to happen.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
If you're Denver, totally yeah, you do listen. You don't
want to lose pat certain at any time. Sure, especially
the way that the Texans are playing now on offense
and getting some reinforcements as well. Into the four o'clock hour,
Raiders Jags in Viva Las Vegas. Raiders out of their
bye week, Yeah, show any signs of life. Jacksonville at
(30:01):
four and three still in a good spot. But if
you follow four and four, you start to chase it
a little bit. Jacksonville a two and a half point
favorite in LA and.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I hate it. Here in the news, Travis Hunter got
injured in practiced yesterday and went to IR and I
was expected him to blow off the second high. I
thought that to see that, part of me is like
man Gino Smith and Pete Carroll are better than what
they showed pre by. They know how to win games league.
But then I look at like their O line and
the back seven of their defense, like they don't think
(30:31):
a good player. I'm taking Jacksonville, but I don't love
it same.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
I want to give my guy Gino and I want
to give Pete Carroll a little little grains salt coming
out of the bye week, but I just don't see
it for a Raiders team that has you got to
show me something before I start to believe in it.
Rams at home hosting the Saints this Matt is the
biggest spread of the weekend. Fourteen and a half point
favorites at home or LA can they cover?
Speaker 2 (31:01):
I'm taking the Saints just because I keep taking all
the favorites. I think the Rams are great. I think
the Saints nineteen.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
And a half is a massive fourteen. It's that here
are remotes yelling at us.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah, crosses my mind when we have these conversations. Shuck's
gonna start, We'll see. I mean, I don't expect them'd
be great.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
I would I would love to do that, like pursuit
of does this goofy kind of stuff with baseball because
he's a gambling dork in a baseball Dirk and they
play one hundred and sixty two games. One of these years,
I should bet like five bucks on every team that
is a every underdog by two possessions or more. Just
every Sunday, every team that's you know, fourteen and a
half point dogs.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Your record at the end of the year, five bucks, YEA.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Throughout the year. That'd be an I bet you'd come
out with more money than than you started maybe not
by a crazy amount, but I bet you'd get a
little bit more than you would lose Matt the game
of the week, certainly, especially from outside of a Steeler's perspective.
I'm kind of ticked off that this one's not the
night game because I'll still be at the stadium at
four Orchard Park. That place will be rocking as the
(32:08):
Bills host the Chiefs. Chiefs a one and a half
point road favorite over Buffalo.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
And I'm taking them. I don't feel the Bill. Yeah,
they have certainly have a history. Their Bills run the
ball really, really well, but I still think the Bills
defense is by far the weakest of the four units.
I mean, clearly the other three are quite good and
two things. I think that they can all come in
(32:34):
there with their strategies, but by the fourth quarter, it's
going to be Alan versus Mahomes. Last one get the
ball wins. Yeah. I mean these two are just going
to take over and be Superman. Yes, And I'm not
saying I favor one or the other, but the fact
that one team is RACI rice now and the other
one doesn't, I think is enough. I really think the
(32:56):
Bills are a receiver.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Short quarterback master class seminar.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Coming in here, so much fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
I'm gonna I'm gonna lay the points with Kansas City too, Matt.
I told you I wavered on this a little bit
at the beginning of the season, but I'm back to
it now. The Chiefs, it's like, as long as they
have Reid and Mahomes, I'm gonna treat it like Belichick
and Brady until Monty Python, until the body's cold. I'm
not gonna They're not dead yet, and in fact that
(33:24):
I'm gonna pick them to go to the super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Still, yeah, they're my choice right now. I think there
are lines getting healthier for this game too, and I.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Know I know that place will be rocking, and you
can probably you can say Buffaloes do for one against
Kansas City. But until the Chiefs are, until the Chiefs
are out of it, I'm gonna continue to pick them.
Sunday Night Football, last one here, Matt, before we go
to break and pick the Steelers. On the other side,
the Commanders at home in a must win spot at
three years they want to stay in a wild card
(33:52):
playoff conversation. They've got the five and two Seahawks coming
to town. Seattle, a lot of road a lot of
road favorites this week.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
There's some weird lines this week.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Seattle two and a half point road favorite.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Daniels is gonna play. Yes, that's a good huge, it's huge, huge.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I still think I'm laying them with Seattle, though.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
I am too. I am too. Seattle travel travel so well.
I think their defense is superb and should do a
pretty good number against a good Washington offense. And Darnold's
playing great Smith that Jig was playing great. I don't
love the Washington corners or pass rush. Yeah, I think
Seattle is just clearly eight tier above Washington, if not too.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
I completely agree, and I think that's gonna play out
on Sunday night. Matt. One more to go, and we
have the Steelers' final practice report across the timeline. Some
not so great news in there that we will get
to when we return. On the other side, we'll also
pick Steelers Colts Sunday one o'clock at Afrosure Stadium. All
that and more before we get out of here, West
(34:48):
Huler Matt Williamson final segment of the week on the Way,
It's the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
And here we go final segment of the week. That
means we've got to predict how Steelers colts will play out.
But before we get to that, we have got the
final practice report of the week for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and Matt some less than encouraging news here ruled out
at this point already Scotty Miller with that finger injury.
(35:33):
He didn't practice all week. That's not a surprise, does
But Corey Trice has been ruled.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Out, so he's not gonna get activated.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
He is not, as has Jabro Peppers ruled out for
Sunday's matchup with a quadricep injury.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Did we know he was banged up?
Speaker 3 (35:49):
He was limited yesterday. I remember we said that he was.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
I'd be doing that.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
I did as well too. I did as well too.
Good news is Kyle Duggar has been a full practice
participant Thursday and Friday, so he's listening to no idea
what capacity he's but he's but he's gonna play. Cole
Holcomb is questionable with that illness. Still that weal that
he was dealing with yesterday, Malik Harrison is questionable. He's
been a full participant all week.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
In practice, but the action activate him or not.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Same with Will Howard. Chuck Clark listed as questionable as
well too, with an illness. So I wonder if it's
a safe thing.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
So much safety, so much Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
And again I know we're not, you know, crazy high
on the way he's been playing as of late. But
if you're down Peppers and he doesn't know what he's doing,
and Chuck Clark's dealing with an illness and you don't
have the Sean Elliott obviously, you're like, how many bodies
do we have here?
Speaker 2 (36:41):
He might be more Ramsey at safety than I even thought.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
It's starting to look at it just out of necessity.
Good news. No injury designation for Isaac Samon.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
That was the one I was most interested in.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
No injury designation for Zach Frasier. No injury designation for
Pat Froth, who remember popped up with a quadricep issue
on the practice reports.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
And we'll see them all this stuff huge, and I
do think you'll see a lot of the massive jumbo package.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
Yeah, especially if the Colts are gonna dig their heels
in and sticking nickel like they like to do. Yeah,
bring that corn beef out, baby, let's rolly Sunday, one o'clock,
Matt Akershuer Stadium. I mean, this is another one of those.
The game of the week is the Chiefs and the Bills.
But this not far behind this, This is not far
behind uh the seven to one best record in the league.
(37:29):
Indianapolis Colts the Steelers, who have lost two games in
a row and are looking to hand Indianapolis a rare loss.
The Colts three and a half point favorites on the
North Shore Sunday afternoon. You want to pick them first,
I'm going thirty one to twenty eight Indianapolis, Matt. I've
been saying this all year. I have Steelers have played
(37:51):
seven games. I've picked them to win all seven. And
I said when we were in Dublin I was gonna
pick the Vikings. The energy here switched me around at
some I'm not gonna be the ultimate Homer and pick
this team to go seventeen and zero, right, I will
pick them to lose at some point. Almost did it
last week, but I thought the Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
Man, I let emotion change me for Vikings and Packers.
One worked, one didn't.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
And I started to do some of that this week.
I was like, it's the Super Bowl forty reunion, and
this team is when everyone's written them off. When everyone's
written them off is when Mike Tomlin and his teams
typically do their best work. I just I gotta go
with Indy. I gotta go with Indy thirty one to
twenty eight. As much as I hate to do it.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I'm taking the Colts. I'm betting picking against the Steelers
for the first time as well. I just think the
Colts are a really good football team and truly are
the best offense in the league. You're gonna have to
show me more on defense for me to say anything's
fixed on that side of the ball. I just think
they're very easy to attack. Now. They could definitely play.
I expect them to play better than the last two weeks.
(38:50):
But I got to see it first, and my score
is not very kind. Uh oh, thirty six to twenty three.
I can see a lot of points in this game.
I'm more confident about the thirty six side of it
than the twenty three, because I think that twenty three
could be pretty high. I could see him getting the
twenty eight. I could see the Steelers getting a thirty.
I just don't know. No one's stopped this offense yet.
(39:11):
Now the Steelers really haven't stopped anybody lately. So I'm
going with the President.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
And it's harsh, as Bob Labriola put it, this is
a franchise that has struggled in Pittsburgh. Yeah, I like
that last fifty years. Hopefully some of that voodoo will pop.
It's it's it's head in rear, its ugly head for Indianapolis.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
And this one, i'd like see the field goal kicker
miss a kicker too, field.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
Goal kicker miss a kicker two. I'd like to see
Boswell only attempt one or two right as well? And
who knows? I had this weird feeling you said this
last week. I'm gonna reverse it this week. You said
last Friday you picked the Steelers to win, but you said,
don't be surprised if we come in here on Monday
and we're talking about a lobsided Packers win. You ready
(39:58):
for this. I'm picking the Colts to win, but don't
be surprised if we come in here talking about a
big time Steelers win.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
It would fit.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
It would a tranchise, Yeah, thirty three to twenty three,
something like that.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
And it'd be like and if that happens, I bet
we're saying Watt had three sacks Steelers and got inter
section and there were plus Hayward eight.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
Quinton Nelson's lunch for sixty minutes.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
I know he's not in the game, but Killer Brew
blocks a punt, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Right right, right right, Peyton Wilson blocks a punt or something.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
On specialtydas that would not shock me either.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
For whatever reason, I was thinking that I was the
kind of games they win. You know, I've told you
this the two times that I really think about the
show or win them in the shower. Okay, that paints
a picture. And when I'm driving here every day in
the car and I was like, you know what, I
think the Colts are gonna win. But a double digit,
two possession Steelers victory would not surprise me either.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
Even a squeaky one out. Maybe they weren't the better
team that day, even and Boz hits one from mid
field to win it.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
You know, we shall see, we shall see, but it'll
be a lot of fun regardless. Halloween weekend, Alumni weekend,
Let's get some voodoo rolling in our direction, get back
in the win column here. But regardless win, lose, or draw,
we be back to break it down for you on Monday.
As always, big thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us
today for mister TV, Tyler v our video producer, and
(41:22):
Nathan our new iHeart producer hanging out in here and
doing some training. Always good to have those guys with
us and helping us with our Halloween shenanigans. At the
start of the show. For Matt Williamson, I'm West Shouler.
Take care, everybody, eat some candy, enjoy the weekend, and
we'll talk to you soon. As always, you know where
to find us. It's on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold. It's Steelers Nation Radio
(41:43):
on the Steelers Audio Network.
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