December 8, 2025 • 42 mins
Matt and Wes continue to break down the Steelers big win that put them ahead in the AFC North. The guys break down the rest of the action that took place in the NFL, and preview tonight's Monday Night Football matchup.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good evening, Steeler Nation, How you doing. That's good us too,
our number two here of the Drive on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold. West
Shuler and Matt Williamson with you as we continue to
recap Stellar's twenty seven Baltimore twenty two and a much
needed win for your Pittsburgh Steelers. And it is funny, Matt,
(00:37):
You're right. I mean, it would be a completely different
show today for a lot of reasons if the Steelers
would have lost that game, but one of them would
have certainly been if some of those fifty to fifty
call moments would have gone the other way. And so
let's kind of go through them and chronologically timeline wise
here and talk about it.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Best to remember the specifics here.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yes, So fortunately I took more notes this game than usual.
We had a we had a lighter broadcast booth, and
so because of that, typically we have six people in
the booth. There was only four, and so Dan and
I were kind of pulling double duty. Dan was helping
spot and do stats. He kind of sat in between
(01:21):
Rob and Max and helped them spot with you know,
who's making the tackles, which running backs subbing in wins
Adam feeling in the game when that's just kind of
the job of the spot like Derrick Henry, Derrick Henry
checks out and like I point to the depth chart
for Rob to whichever running back the Ravens put, you know,
put it, you know, exactly right the first the first
(01:41):
play of the game, Like I'm pointing at Adam Feeling
on his on his on his card because like, hey,
he's in there. First play the game, sixteen mv S
comes in for the first time, you know, just stuff
like just basic stuff like that when you're you know,
when you're Rob King and your tunnel vision on calling
the game and you know, all of a sudden, it's
a different running back all of a sudden, and you
know who made that tackle. It's tough to tell, and
(02:02):
I could see clearly that it was Brandon Eckles, you know,
things like that. So's Dan's kind of sitting in between
Max and Rob. He's doing stats and helping spot. I'm
sitting on Rob's left, So it's like me, Rob, Dan,
Max in the booth and I'm kind of helping Rob's
spot and just keeping an eye and you know, helping
as I helping as I can. Because of that, because
(02:24):
I was doing more than I typically do on a Yeah,
I took more notes because I was just like, what
if I don't remember all the details, what if I forget?
You know, like, I'm doing a little bit more. Let's
make sure I'm keeping everything in chronological order and in
the timeline and everything here. So here's how it played out.
Second quarter was the first one. Steelers are up ten
to three and they're driving. They stall out the six
(02:46):
yard line. I have in my notes here. Uh oh wait,
sorry part of me. Steelers stall out, kick a field
goal from the six yard line that pushes their lead
to ten to three. Okay, so that was in the
second quarter of steel are up seven to three, they drive,
they stall out the six yard line, kick a field goal.
They're up ten to three. Next possession, James was the
(03:07):
James Pierre interception.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, that set the Steelers up with good field position.
And I have in my notes here another red zone
field goal thirteen to three. Wait, penalty, personal foul you
can't touch Christian Coontz. One play later, Kenneth Gainwell finds
the end zone. Instead of thirteen three, it's now seventeen
to three.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
I thought that was a little ticky tack.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I thought that was a little ticky tacking, Yeah, because
it was almost like he was making contact with whoever
was beside Coons, yes, and just kind of throughout the
nature of the play ended up bumping into him. So
I don't know, Like I get it, those guys are
a protected species, the long snappers in that in that scenario,
but is it like you literally can't touch them at all,
or the carl alarm goes off, or like you just
(03:50):
can't make.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I think football players and you're gonna get bounced around
and they're two hundred fifty pounds, and I don't know,
I mean, maybe the letter of law it was a flag,
But I even think whoever the the ref on the
air was like, I don't think I'll throw in that one,
and I agree coming to that one. To me, was
they kind of missed that call. I think they got
(04:14):
right in the end.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I thought it was a little ticky tacky. I didn't
think it was an egregious call. No, I didn't think
it was one hundred percent They got it right. I
just thought it's a little tick or in a game
like this, it's a.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Game like this on the six yard line or whatever too.
I'm that's a big swing.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
If I'm going to hand the team the ball back
in a goal to go situation, first down, it better
be a pretty clear cut egregious. I have to throw
a flag on that, But it ends up working in
the Steelers favors, so instead of thirteen to three, they
make the lead seventeen to three. The Ravens respond and
score a touchdown, but they missed the extra point, so
seventeen to nine. Big dravet for the Ravens to make
(04:49):
it a one score game before the half. But it
was also a big moment for me personally, because if
the Steelers don't end up converting a touchdown with Kenneth
Gainwell and it's thirteen to three, then the Ravens scored
that touch down, they missed the extra point, and it's
thirteen to nine, and I get you in seven hundred
other people texting me, yeah, thirteen nine thirteen nine, thirteen
nine thirteen nine. So thanks to the referee in that
moment for making sure that that didn't happen. That worked
(05:11):
out very well for me. Chris Carter would have probably
ran down from the press box to tap me on
the shoulder just to tell me thirteen to nine here.
So that was the first one that was in the
towards the back half of the second quarter, because the
Ravens had one more drive to go down to the
field to score that touchdown make it a one score
game before the half. The other two moments both happened
(05:32):
in the fourth quarter. So in the fourth quarter, Ravens
kick a field goal to make it twenty seven to nineteen,
to make it a one score game for the Steelers
once again. Steelers. I can't remember they went three and
out or got one first down, but they end up
hunting back to Baltimore. Baltimore drives and kicks another field
goal to make it twenty seven to twenty two. So
too early.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
This is where I'm starting to worry, by the way,
like same offensive stalling. It seems like the Ravens' offense
is moving the ball.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, same here, Like hey, you've you know at that point,
you've scored some points in the in the uh in
the second half, right, like you've you've scored ten points
in the second half. So it's not like you've been
completely inepp It just felt like the momentums moving in
the other direction. There's a lot of time left here
for Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Steelers defensive played too many plays and I've seen this
story before.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
And the offense was was humming for a while, but
now they're struggling.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Lamar was getting a little The crowd, which had been
relatively for a Raven's crowds harsh on the Ravens for
the broadcasting her many booze in that building.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
The first half. They were rough on the team third quarter,
Like when the Steelers went up twenty seven to sixteen
in the third quarter.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
It sounded like whoa, Yeah, there were not a.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Lot, but there were like a few Ravens fans that
got up and left at that point, right, Not a lot,
you know, but maybe a thousand or two.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
But that place was not happy.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
But that place was not happy. The vibes were low,
as they might say. But they kick back to back
field goals in quick secession, make it a one score,
one possession game again, and that place is starting to
come alive a little bit. Yeah, and then Aaron throws
the interception on the deflective. Deflected pass sets the Steelers
up in Ravens tear and sets the Ravens up part
(07:16):
of me in Steelers territory, and that place went from
angry and hostile to celebrate. I mean, you know what
I mean to like, you know how that works. You've
been in those stadiums. Everybody's been in those stadiums at
that moment where it turns.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Fast as you can imagine a lightning strike, and.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
And it was like, oh my goodness, this place is alive.
The Steelers are falling apart. You know, we're all like
at that point, and and I'm in my mind thinking,
and I said this to Max when we were in
commercial break, kind of waiting for everything to play out.
I'm like, that's our luck right there, in a nutshell.
If Aaron Rodgers has a healthy left wrist, he probably
is able to hold onto that ball. But he's got
(07:54):
a compromise left wrist, he gets it. I'm like, that's
the inches, that's the minutia, that's the margins of victory
right there.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Three weeks ago, it's better.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Than and then they review it and they overturn it,
and hey, you still go three and out back to
back three and outs there and punt the ball back
a field position difference is massive.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Yeah, it's probably points real quick on that play.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I didn't think that was a terrible call, but again
I didn't think it was an absolute slam dunk.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Oh that's the right call either. I thought it was
the right call. Initially I did not same with the
likely touchdown, by the way.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Because remember it had to be overturned, right, so which
means you need conclusively watch it.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Again the ball with a knee on the ground, which
is total fluky, and I bet Rogers would even tell you,
especially with his compromised left hand bat that thing to
the ground. I'm not sure why he tried to catch
it first of all, amongst the trees and all these
people trying to take your head off. So I don't
think that was a good decision by him. Of what
(08:55):
do I do after the bat comes back at me.
It's just what that thing the nowheresville because there's the
chances you're going to catch it and make a play,
I mean, slim and next to nothing. But frankly, I
think the Steelers got lucky because he happened to catch
it with a knee on the ground. Yes, I mean
it was down to like the mill.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
That's a that's a good way, that's a good Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Yeah, I mean you got kind of lucky. It wasn't
like it was a good play. I think there was
the right call after watching it over and over they
showed it a million times.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Yeah, again, that's one to me that in the moment,
I thought they're just going to say inconclusive evidence. Oh
I thought.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I didn't think it get overturned. Yeah, that's a lot
to overturn, but it's pretty clear.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So even at that point, it's the things aren't going well.
At this point, things are still not going well. That's
your second of back to back three and outs. Again,
the field position is a massive difference, massive, huge difference,
but you still end up putting the ball back to them.
And at that.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Clock at this point, and they're running a lot of plays.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
And at that point the crowd was alive and pissed.
Yeah yeah, yeah, they feel like we just got hard
done in the Ravens.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
That was the Ravens fifth possession of the second half.
At that point, they had gone touchdown, touchdown field goldfield goal.
Oh yeah, that was the Ravens. That was Baltimore's fifth
possession of the of the second half. They had gone touchdown, touchdown, field,
goalfield goal.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
They're playing better still and the crowd is upset that
they didn't get that call, but they still think we
got this.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
And now they're kind of upset and even more into
it in a weird.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Way, and they hate the Steelers. Weren't anybody, you know,
it's not like that's the Bears in towner.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
So they knew how big of a game it was
as well. They get a big fourth down conversion, huge
play Tosea Flowers on third and long. They're rolling Isaiah
likely touchdown, Yeah, Ravens take the lead. Oh no, here
we go. But Pasey at the end he knocks it
out there still didn't play and it ends up again.
(10:53):
They go to review it and it gets overturned. The
original call on the field gets overturned, and then you
get your and and what was the moment of the
game not just overturned there, but then Patrick Queen breaks
up the pass at the goal line to get you
your first stop of the second half in that moment,
(11:13):
and then.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
The turn of events is it's not like they scored
next play and nobody cares, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Exactly exactly right. Like so the air and interception one
is a little different because at least you end up
punting them the ball back. It's a big field field
position discrepancy.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
But it wasn't clearly seven points.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
And it wasn't clearly taking a touchdown off the board.
And then full credit to Patrick Queen on that next play,
and he made some checks and and played probably his
best game of the season as well, not just number
eight for the Steelers playing his best, but I think
number six in that moment, need it on the road
against his old team, clearly not one hundred healthy. And
(11:50):
he makes the check there in that play to and
and and breaks up the pass at the goal line. Hey,
you still had a quick three and out after that,
and the Ravens had another opportunity. But Matt, that that
one is again, I don't think it's completely the right call.
I don't think it's completely the wrong call. Yeah, I
think I'm just surprised that they overturned it in that moment.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I'm surprised they overturned.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
And I don't think that's agregious either. I think it's
terrible that they overturned it. I was just surprised that
they did so.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So I would preface this by saying, if that was
friar muth, not likely, I'd be I'd be pretty upset
and be like, what on earth.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Were we I'd be like, this is Jesse James all over.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
And maybe the NFL even needs inspect this, you know,
because that's that looks like a touchdown. It smells like
a touchdown, It walks like a doc, it talks like
a duck, you know what I mean. Like, but we've been.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Doing this with with what's a catch and what's not
a catch for twelve years.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Now, and I was thinking the end zone, all you
got to do is just break the plane. Rules are
different in the end zone, but apparently they aren't in
that instance. You do have to complete the catch. And
I hate that the league's gotten to this extreme. But
when you break it down frame by frame, I think
it's the right call. I don't know if it's enough
to overturn, but it's that's you know what I mean.
(13:05):
But I think it's the right call. We can argue
about the rules.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
And other rules, thought it was the right call.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
The pursueder said on the morning show, he was.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Because he's a western Pennsylvania hammer.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Maybe yeah, again it's the Birdies, but that was a
huge one. I don't think the Ravens got screwed, you
know what I mean, It's not like, no, man, what
a terrible call.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I think it's fair. I think it's fair to say
we were a little unfortunate in that department. You know,
if you if you're if we're Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
We're Baltimore Nation fortunate.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Yeah, you know, I think I'd be saying, hey, two
fifty to fifty calls there in the fourth quarter, neither
went your way, but you still forced a quick three
and out, had plenty of time, got the ball back
and could have won the game. You still had the
fourth down play, you know, stop at the goal.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Yeah, And and so I just I so infrequently think
that the referees really decide a game.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I tend to agree, right right, especially in today's day
and age, when you can buzz down and even.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
That you remember the most famous of all of them,
that twenty seventeen NFC Championship game in New Orleans against
the Rams, where there was that call so bad that
that my blind dog, my dog only at home, who
can barely see. It's like blind in one eye, can
barely see out of the other eye. Could have made
that pass interference call in the Superdome in the NFC
Championship game, it doesn't get called. The game ends up
(14:25):
going to overtime, The Rams win, the Saints. You know,
Saints get eliminated and act like a bunch of babies
the entire offseason and throw a parade in New Orleans
where they're all dressing up as blind refs and all that,
all that controversy. What no one talks about is that
when the game went to overtime, the Saints won the
coin toss and had the ball first, and these were
and these were still the old overtime rules, So all
(14:46):
the Saints had to do is get a couple of
first downs to kick a field goal, and you still
win the game. What no one talks about is the
Saints had a ten point lead in the fourth to
open the fourth quarter in that game. They just hyper
focus on the one terrible call, which was which was
a terrible call, but not how New Orleans still had
ample opportunities to win that game. Yeah, exactly, And that's
kind of where I come down.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
To the Ravens still could have won this game.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
The Ravens still could have won this game. But I
will also preface it, or just follow it up or
wrap it up by saying, yeah, I'd be I'd be
a little ticked off if the shoe was on the other.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Our tone would be different if those two calls went different.
And I have a feeling now, I don't know one
hundred percent the Steelers were lost, but their chances would
have greatly diminished, would.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Have swung the other way big time.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Big time, because I mean again, in the second half,
I thought the Ravens were the better team for the game.
I thought the Steelers were the best, great team, and
the right team won. But I understand where the Ravens
are coming from.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Oh Man, not only UH some controversy and some important
results at M and T Banks Stadium in Baltimore, but
across the entire National Football League. Let's run the gam
But when we get back here on the other side,
as we now have a clear playoff picture and UH
and plenty to discuss from all of yesterday's action, we'll
(15:59):
do that when we returned. Was Shuler Matt Williamson, it's
the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
your two Weeks.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Back on the drive here on a Monday, as that
road is getting narrower and narrower, Matt Williamson, let's start.
We'll go chronological order and kind of run the gambit
here of a massive Sunday around the NFL, a huge
Week fourteen that saw some rise and some fall and
playoff pictures starting to get a little bit clear, but
still plenty to play for in Atlanta, Matt, Not a
(16:43):
lot of surprise here. The Seahawks cruise to a comfortable
victory over the Falcons thirty seven to nine, to continue
to prove that they're one of the best teams in
the NFL YEP, and that every time they play an
East Coast one o'clock game, you should take them to win,
no problem, no questions, asked a lot of.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Things, a lot of time on that one. But the
first it started out pretty back and forth and pretty even,
and then they just put the hammer down.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Jsn's a monster.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
He's a monster.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
B Jeon Robinson ran for eighty six of the more
impressive yards I've seen.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
In my life fighting for him. He was fight.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
He ran. He had like four point something yards per carried.
It's like the most impressive four point one million carry
you've ever seen in your life.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
My goodness, set he's really good.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And yeah, and I think the only thing for Seattle
that was going to hold them back from being a
real bonafide not Super Bowl contender, but Super Bowl favorite
was the form of Sam Darnold, which had been a
little down for a few weeks. Yep, he looked more
like himself. Twenty to thirty, two fifty passing three touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah. Yeah, So then the Seattle is in a really
good spot right now.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
They certainly are. I went to the grocery store this morning.
I was wearing, you know, my Steelers gear on the
On the way in here, some guys like, hey, a
big win for the Steelers yesterday.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
One of the guys work and we start chatting and
he's like, he's like, I'm I'm a Seahawks fan. He goes,
but I really love DK Metcalf. I love because I'm
from I'm from Washington. I moved out here seven or
eight years ago. I really still love DK metcalf. I
was excited to see him have a big game yesterday
and I was like, how about JSN huh. He was like, dude,
he's unbelievable. So yeah, big, big one for the Seahawks
(18:16):
and they are certainly one of the favorites here as
we get closer and closer to the postseason. A crazy
one Matt in the snow, in the weather, high scoring
up in Buffalo at Orchard.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Park, snow like didn't slow them down at all.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Thirty nine to thirty four. The Bills come back twenty
one fourth quarter points to come back and beat the Bengals.
This was one of those if you're thirty one NFL teams,
it was a lot of fun to watch. If you're
the Bengals, you're kicking yourself because it's the story of
what has happened all season. But man, quarterback masterclass from
(18:51):
both teams.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
It was like aldi frasier quarterback play.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
And again like that in that weather, that type of environment.
Just a lot of fun to watch from a neutral perspective.
And Buffalo hangs on and gets it done.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Yeah, and they made a huge defensive score, which which
was probably the difference in the game. Allen was as
good as I've ever seen him, but Burrow wasn't any worse.
And they got Higgins back and Chase back, and I
guess the bottom line is the Bengals are done.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
You know, Bengals are now done.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It'd be nice. I assume they'll still play hard and
maybe they can knock off the Ravens. Buffalo's doing some
good things at the right time too, Maybe they're maybe
they're the best team in the AFC all of a sudden,
you know, which should chock No. One.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
No, that's a crazy game, crazy game and a lot
of fun in that classic Orchard Park snowy environment up
there in New York. In Cleveland, a surprising one here.
Matt as the Titans a strong second half to take
down the Browns thirty one to twenty nine. Shudorg Sanders
(19:52):
played pretty well, they played, Miles Garrett got another sack,
They get launched closer and closer to straight and TJ's record.
And you know, in a weird way, if you're the
Browns and or maybe a Browns fan, maybe this isn't
the worst result ever, because sure just pushes you up
the draft order a little bit. But another fun one
(20:14):
between these two.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
It was actually a pretty good It wasn't fourteen.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
To ten ugly. Someone has to win type game.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I mean this was super low over under. I think
super low.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yeah, the low thirty six, like the Titans almost hit themselves. Yeah,
it's like thirty five and a half, thirty six and
a half, a fun back and forth game between two
of the worst teams in the National.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Football If this was Week one, it'd be like, oh,
these two rookie quarterbacks are fun and maybe these teams
are better than we thought. Yeah right, yeah. Yeah. The
headlines though, are Titans no longer of the first overall
pick right now goes to the Giants and did nothing
now owns number one, neither of which would probably take
a quarterback and shoudor he was an Oustay, he's gonna
(20:54):
be the start of the rest of the year. That's
not surprising. But he took a big step forward.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Leaking one that to continue with Steelers fans, I think, so, yeah,
one less team in front of you, Yeah, in the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
That would be wonderful. And maybe Shock even did it
with the.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
H a minute And that was one of the more
surprising results of the weekend, but the most lopsided result
of the weekend. Matt was in Minnesota where the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Maybe they're I mean again, maybe McCarthy can put a
couple of weeks together here to get out of the
quarterback market.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
For one, put down the Commander's thirty one to nothing.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Somehow some neptitude by Washington too incredible.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Somehow Justiels got hurt, Justin Jefferson only had two receptions
for eleven yards, And how do they score thirty one
points on it when that happens. But yeah, the big
story of this is Jayden and Daniels getting hurt again.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
It was his bad arm that he same left And
I mean there's some Monday morning quarterbacking hindsight here, But
sure you really been out there, you know if all
you had to do, I mean I think he just
braced himself on his bad arm, yes, and then he's out.
You know, if that was all it took, should he
been out there?
Speaker 2 (22:04):
You know, probably not.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
But they're not in a good spot right now. They're
not beating anybody.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
No, they are not, and they might be in that
top pick conversation. Yeah, before it's all said and done,
Dolphins go to MetLife and continue to look impressive, continue
to win, continue to put up numbers on offense, thirty
four to ten. They trounce the Jets, the Steelers next opponent.
Matt playing as well as they have all seasons, certainly,
and you know, in one of the best, you know,
(22:31):
forms of any team in the National Football League.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Yeah, they've turned things around. So they fired their GM.
And I'm not sure if that's why it happened, because
he doesn't influence, you know, he's tack that. But they've
been four and oh since they beat the Bills, and
then they've had three bad opponents that they've beat. But
they become very run centric. They're taking a lot off
to his plate. Both lines of scrimmage are playing a
(22:56):
lot better, they're making a lot fewer errors. And frankly,
what happened here is a chan's like their entire offense.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yes, and he gets out hurt standing.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
He's an outstanding He got hurt early in the second quarter.
He was like the driving force of my fantasy team.
But it's important because they're coming town Monday. The head
coach said after the game he probably could have went
back in, but at that point I think they were
winning like twenty one nothing or twenty four to nothing.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I think it was twenty four to seven maybe A.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Yeah, that's probably right. And at that point Tyrod Taylor
was knocked out of the game, Fields was inactive, and
some dude named Cook that I had never heard of
was the quarterback. So like they were in no jeopardy.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
They were, we could see this thing out, and they.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Just ran the ball down their throat. A Chan might
have had three hundred yards if he had started and
finished a game.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
You and Rob King, both lamenting his absence potentially for
your fantasy team today, got something out of them, clear
spot and clear time in the year.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
But he had like one hundred yards on seven carries
or something. I mean, yes, yeah, Matt.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
If if the Vikings Commanders was the most lobsided result
of the weekend, I think the most surprising result of
the weekend might have been the Saints going to Tampa
Bay and beating the Buccaneers twenty four to twenty.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
I didn't pay a ton of attention to this one,
but Schuck made some plays with his legs. I think
he had two rushing touchdowns, both were long. I don't
know exactly what plagued the Bucks, why this was as
close as it was. But they can't quite can't quite
put it together lately, and they're getting guys back. I
keep thinking they're gonna run away with the division and
they're just not.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, they aren't in Carolina sitting at home liking what
they're seeing.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
He seems how to buy are happy, man.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Now that's gonna be a wild race down the stretch.
When I think a lot of us were, I mean,
we were penciling the Buccaneers in his division champs.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Back in October, I know, yeah, and.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Now they might not even make the playoffs. The Jags
comfortably and a big one between the Colts. They take
care of business thirty six to nineteen and Daniel Jones
looks like he's done for the rest of the year.
Are the Colts now on life support for their playoff hopes?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
I think so. I mean, this was a big rain
monsoon type of game. Lawrence is playing Florida weather. Absolutely yeah.
I think Lawrence might be playing the best of his career.
I mean, really, since Jacobe Meyers showed up there, young
coaches getting them on track, a lot of atn balance
good defense cults are in a really bad spot now.
(25:24):
I mean Richardson's done for the year. Jones has done
for the year. They've lost three in a row to
good teams coming out of their bye, and they may
lose lose out.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I feel I feel for Daniel Jones. Yeah, he was
in a good place to kind of reset.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
And I don't know if you saw the injury, yeah,
I mean he had. It was his bad leg, the
Achilles went. It's almost like Jaydon Daniels. Should he have
been out there at all? Maybe? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Yeah, easy to stay in hindsight.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
But they're in the playoff run. But Washington is right right.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
But now for the Colts, man, it is amazing how
quick this league can turn.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Yeah, Like I don't project them to go to the
playoffs right now.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
I would bet against it. I'd say the Jags and
the Texans.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah, they're way better teams than what the Colts are.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
I think that that's undeniable. Broncos go to Vegas a
little bit closer than everybody thought it was gonna be.
Although the Raiders kick a last second field goal to
make it a one score game instead of.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Ever really competitive, the score doesn't show.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, twenty four to seventeen. The Broncos continue to roll
eleven and two.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
This was a really pathetic performance actually by the Raiders
in terms of like effort and you know, like making
reservations for exactly they are. They're done.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Oh, Kenny Pickett got into the game for a brief moment.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, he threw a late touchdown that didn't matter much. Hey, yeah,
that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Hey, you know, he's got it. He's done that a
few times.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Actually, very nice to Row.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
It was. It was a really nice show. Actually, Packers Bears.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Huge game, huge game.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
And a crucial turnover at the end cost Chicago Bears
get it done twenty eight to twenty one to get
a half game advantage on the Bears. Now in the
NFC North.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
We described them as this when we when Steels played
these two teams, two big game hunters at the quarterback position,
chucking and playing aggressive as could be. I think green
Bays really starting to figure out their skill guys. Watson's one,
Reid came back. They didn't even really need to use Dabbs,
you know. So they're in a pretty good spot. I
(27:25):
think Green Bay's the best team in that division and
a true Super Bowl contender. But Chicago hung with them,
you know, for where they're at is an organization still great.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Yeah, I'm still picking up make the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Yeah, I am too, I am.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I know their schedule is a little tough down the
stretch here, but I think if they just get one more,
I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
It's a super successful season. First without a super success.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Even if you go one in three in these last
four games and finished ten and seven, that's still they
would have all signed for that in blood. Yes, you
go two and two and you finish eleven and six.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
I mean, they come on, they battled exactly.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
And guess what U thirteen days from now you get
the Bears that Soldier field. Maybe you can return, maybe
you can return the favor of that game and win
a close one. But yeah, I really like the Packers,
and man, if they still had Tucker Craft, they might
be my Super Bowl favorite. Right now. That's going to
be a big loss for them, But they've got some
really nice pieces coming together at the right time.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Picking them go to Super Bowl does not sound far
fetched at all. I mean, I like them.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
I was just going to say it doesn't sound far fetched.
But Seattle's tough, and we know the Rams are tough.
They bounce back after a close lost Carolina, but hey, Carolina,
Carolina right now. Rams go into Arizona. They handle business
against a Cardinals team that is very much Cancun on
(28:42):
three in their own.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Right, garbage time stuff too.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah, forty five to seventeen. The Rams get it done.
Matthew Stafford MVP.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
I think they. I think both their running backs went
over one hundred yards, controlled things on the ground, then
put the ball on harm offensive player of the year
playing great. And Arizona's in trouble. I mean, they just
keep losing and losing and losing.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
They have lost nine, Sorry, they've lost ten of their
last eleven. After starting two and zero, they are now
three and ten.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
And it's gonna be big.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Changes, gonna be massive, shutting everybody down, shutting everybody.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Down, Murray and Nolan.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I think they're gonna be in the quarterback market around
and finally, Matt along with Steelers, Ravens, along with Bears, Packers,
one of those three games that we really highlighted on
Friday that has massive playoff implications to Houston. Texans get
it done. They go to Kansas City, a defensive masterclass
(29:40):
picked off Mahomes three times, yeah, en route to a
twenty to ten victory.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
So Kansas City's in trouble.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
They're done.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
I don't think they're done.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
They're done.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
We'll talk about just throughout the week when we started
like playoff projections and those.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
TV shaking ahead. I think I've been saying they're done
for four or five weeks, and everybody mean tweets me
and it's like, you're gonna jink.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Predict them to win out and get ten wins and
then come to Pittsburgh in Week one. Great, Okay, let's go.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Even if they even let's let's know.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
They're like tie breakers and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
They have the tie breaker against well, I think if
they don't have it against Jacksonville, they don't have it
against Houston.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Well. I think here's my thought, they.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Could still get it against l A.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
But that's while they played Chargers next week, and I
think that. I think the Chargers when we get come
in tomorrow or we're gonna be like, oh, the Chargers
are in trouble. They're not in Colts level. I just
think the O line and an injured Herbert I could see.
I know the Colts are going to fall off. I
suspect the Chargers are going to fall off and the
Chiefs could win these last four and at least make
(30:40):
it very interesting. I thought that was a really really
good football game, though awesome defenses in the maydn't have
any offensive tackles. I mean, Kelsey's dropping balls, Rice is
dropping balls, and mahomes a one man show.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
I feel like sometimes this is like pepsi or coke
for people like you gotta love one and hate the other.
I like both pepsi and coke. I know a lot
of people don't. I love the juxtaposition of like a
game like Bills and Bengals that's thirty nine thirty six
and a back and forth quarterback offensive duel. In a
game like this, it was good defense, physical battle for
(31:17):
every inch. Both of those are great football games.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
To me. They were, and it was a very desperate
Chiefs team, especially coming out of halftime. Chris Jones was
just took the game over. He's just throwing offensive lineman
a round and when he turns it on, he's as
good as you ever see. And they just didn't have
quite enough. You know, a couple of drops gise guys
let them down a little bit and they're definitely in
(31:41):
a real bind. I think Houston's the best team in
the AFC, and I actually said that a week or
two ago.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
You did.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
I love how they're rolling along. Stroud's playing well.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
The Chiefs have lost for their last five. Yeah, I
mean Mahomes was their leading rusher. They just got nothing
going on.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
They got one. I mean he's he's won these.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Really bad nothing going on the ground. They host l A,
then they got.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
Believe they can't find a running back. I mean, that's
the easiest vision the world.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
They go, they host LA, then they go to Tennessee,
then they host Denver, then they go to Vegas. All right,
so at Vegas.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
But yeah, but I don't think four is crazy.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
They got They host the Broncos Christmas Night.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
That could be what the season depends on.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Denver is still gonna be playing for the one seed
at that point. With neck and neck with New England,
I just.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
Know tie breakers don't favor them. I get that part.
But you don't have faith in the Chargers, and I
have no faith in the cold.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Sometimes I like to bust out my tiny violin for
the holiday schedule and all those things. That's back to
back Christmas Day games for Kansas City. That's that's rough. Yeah, listen,
I understand you take it with all the success that
they've had. But if I was a Chiefs employee in
two straight years, I gotta I gotta work all day.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Christmas Thanksgiving, I would I would not be thrilled.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
You better listen, I better get time and a half.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
They play like New Year's or something too. I mean, like,
especially with Taylor Swift around now, they are the biggest
draw in the world. They're never gonna get away from
those type of games.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Sorry, Kansas City employees. If the Steelers Steelers wanted to
go to five of the next seven Super Bowls and
win three of them, I might, I might. I might
put up with it on your.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Finger and Super and playoff checks.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
Yeah, Matt, let's take a break here, close down with
final thoughts on the other side. Maybe a quick prediction
for tonight's Monday Night football before we get up out
of here, Yu'ler Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, Your tuns.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Radio final segment here on a victory Monday.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Man, it's good to get back in the wind call
of Matt. I'll just say that it's been a little
it's a huge cheerier around here. Yes than uh than
the last couple of Mondays, that's for sure. Like mostes,
most used to make a joke like when the Steelers
lose on Mondays, my coffee tastes terrible. The Sunday the
sun doesn't shine, Nobody lets me merge in traffic. Everyone
(34:11):
cuts me in line at the like he would have
like a spiel of like my coffee was cold, you
know whatever, my driveway was icy. Nobody let me merge
in traffic. When the Steelers win, there's donuts and pizza everywhere,
the sunshine. Everyone's everyone's friendly in traffic. Go ahead and
cut me off. I've got no I'm hurry to be anywhere.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
I'm sure there's other cities like that, but the city
is definitely much different on Monday, win or loss. It's
or tone of the team whenever.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
And you know, we get a lot of these on
the Steelers Audio Network. In fact, a vast majority of
our listeners here are not from Western Pennsylvania, right right.
I've always said that, like I I don't think sometimes
people can do the Civil War thing where they're like,
I'm a Steelers fan who's from Pittsburgh, you know, as
opposed to the Steelers fan who's from California and their
(35:02):
grandpa was from Pennsylvania and they you know, that type
of thing. I don't think there's any like you go
to games, you don't go to games. You live in Pittsburgh.
Everyone's a Steeler face. But the one thing that you
can't relate to unless you live here is how different
the city is.
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Yes, that is one that is one thing, supermarket line.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Thing that you cannot feel from Texas or North Carolina,
California or Michigan or wherever unless you're here in western Pennsylvania.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Even with the world getting smaller.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
And that's the one thing though that I don't want
to hear. And yes, it is much much more cheerful,
uh here today as the Steelers take care of business
and now we get a I guess we get a
Saturday spot. We get a Saturday and Sunday to kind
of breathe and enjoy it before a big Monday. And
you're in a good spot, but you got a big
Monday night game against the dolphin.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
That's a big thing. PURSUEDA was saying in an earlier show.
He's like, okay, but what do you do with it?
You know, I knew you were gonna get up for Ravens,
and I knew you're gonna play a physical game. Totally.
I mean that implies that some games they don't give effort.
That's not what I mean. But don't wash it all
away by losing to either the Browns or Miami. You
know what I mean. And we'll see, and we'll preview
(36:18):
to Miami a lot as the week goes on. They're
an interesting team. I did want to touch one thing
with you though, is it sounds like the victuals at
in at Baltimore Stadium are pretty tasty. They got a
pretty good layout there.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
I know the crabcakes, but at BIT we didn't get
crabcakes this time.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Oh really, I thought that was an always thing.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Okay, It's a good thing the Steelers won because postgame
I was waiting for my Jimmy seafood and instead it
was catered barbecue, which is fine, Don't get me wrong.
It's not what I expected. And I think you and
I had this conversation before I might go a little
snob here for you for a minute. It's like the
Italian guy who talks about how we can't go out
to eat anywhere. Right, But five years ago, during the
(37:02):
start of COVID, During the start of COVID, how do
you like your garlic bread? During the start of COVID, UH,
my wife and I had uh this big trip to
Chicago planned and it ended up everything got canceled. We
were gonna go to a Cubs game, we were gonna
go to a concert, we had hotel reservations. Everything got canceled.
(37:23):
So a bunch of the money that we had put
down already we got refunded. So I got refunded like
a bunch of money. And I was like, sweetheart, I'm
going and buying a nice smoker. I was like, because
we're not going to be doing anything for the foreseeable future,
I'm gonna lose my mind. What am I gon? I'm
gonna sit outside on the patio and drink beers and
learn how to smoke meats. That's what I'm gonna do
(37:44):
with all this free time now, and we'll eat well.
And so now you know, fast forward what it's been
five six summers of me having a smoker. I think
I'm pretty good.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Okay, like I think I might have to pick your brain.
I don't like to learn.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I think brit skit is still the only thing that
I think, you know, like a smokehouse can Brisket's very difficult.
Anything else pulled pork, ribs, chicken wings, salmon, vidnam anyway,
and so I'm not gung ho about getting catered because
I think the stuff that I make myself at home is.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
Better, and especially if you look for to seafood.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Especially if I'm looking forward to Baltimore. Crab You ever
seen wedding crashers, crab cakes and football, That's what That's
what it was like. Every time it was disappointing. But
maybe they did that.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
Just drink dispensaries were pretty nice.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Maybe they were going to give us crab cakes, but
then we won and they were like to give these
guys pulled pork.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
I'll tell you what though. The spread in the press
box was very good. But what was the most impressive
part about it was they had a million different ways
to get your coffee and your caffeine and your electrolytes.
They had a traditional coffee machine that was just two buttons,
real easy, regular decaf wherever you want, boom, grab and go.
They had a nitro cold brew tap, which you would
(38:58):
have loved. That's right up your alley. Then they had
like a special, special fancy Foo food drink maker where
like you put your cup in, you press a button,
you could get like an Americano. You can get a latte,
you can get espresso, so three different ways to get
I had a few of each.
Speaker 3 (39:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
And then they had this water dispensing machine where you
could add probably half dozen different flavors to the water, Lemon, limes, cucumber.
I went with blood orange, and you could add electrolytes
and caffeine to the water if you wanted as well.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
That's pretty cool. That was pretty everybody access.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
That's for everyone, and so that was cool. They had
a great candy station. We will can.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Are pretty popular and they're becoming more and more popular.
Big bars.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
When the season's over, at some point, will do Best
of the West and I will rank for you all
the press box spreads throughout the season. But right now
I don't want to give anything away. But right now,
if this was the Olympics, they're not winning the gold
but they're on the podium. They're in metal position right now.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I've heard that for years the Baltimore and a lot
of it's crabcake oriented though drink yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
And I try to lead like this is this is
like trying to be a true what's in the stadium,
not what they give us right Like the crab take
things is typically like after the game when you're getting
on the bus.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
Yea yea yeah, yeah, yeah, I see that.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
The would have gotten something, you know, me, me and
mister TV when we were gallivanting around town Saturday night,
would have stopped the Jimmy's and gotten some seafood if
we would have known we weren'ting to get it on Sunday, Matt,
real quick before we go in La at beautiful Sofi
Stadium tonight. Spoiler alert there on the podium for the
press box food Power rankings right now too. Chargers host
(40:40):
the Eagles. Huge game for both, but I think bigger
for the Chargers. For the Eagles, they're gonna win their division.
It's just more so what type of momentum can you
have and how you're feeling about yourself and seating heading
into the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
Eagles need to get their offense right too.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
They need to just get They need to get their
offense right. Certainly, I could.
Speaker 3 (40:57):
See it's being a low scoring game, but I have
Philly winning pretty handily.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
It's only a forty one and a half over under,
which is on the lower side of it.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
That sounds right.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Chargers, Man, you'll win this one, and you're like, we're
nine and four, we're.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Going for them. Then I might be buying in you'll.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Lose this one, and it's like, man, we got a
tough schedule the rest of the way and we're banged up,
and we'd have no margin for air. Philly a two
and a half point favorite across the coast.
Speaker 3 (41:21):
Yeah, I'm taking the Eagles. I mean, it's not a
huge home field advantage. I think the Eagles defense causes
a lot of problems. I just keep coming back to
the CHARGERSZ line. I think that's going to be their
their downfall.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
I don't think either of these teams are in a
great spot right now. No, but two and a half
is a small enough number that i'll lay it with.
I'm with you. If it's three and a half, i'd
probably take the points.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah, that makes sense, But at.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
Two and a half, Eagles is by a field goal.
That seems about right.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
I think they win by five to seven. Got neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Yeah, I don't think it's some double digit Eagles going
there and push them around. And I just don't think
that's Philly's game right now, not at the moment. But
the Chargers I think are where Philly's a little wobbly.
I think the Chargers are like the boxer who might
be one haymaker away from getting knocked out.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Possibly possibly.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
We'll be back tomorrow to break that all down. Take
a look at the playoff picture through that scope. Talk
to our buddy Chris Danski. All of that and more
on tomorrow's program. Thanks to Rob King for joining us,
Thanks to Nathan for producing the show today, and to
our video producer Slash Statistician keeping us sharp and crisp
and handsome as always, mister TV, Tyler v Fort, Matt Williamson,
(42:29):
I'm as Shuler, take care of everybody. We'll talk to
you tomorrow. You know where to find us. It's on
your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good evening, Steeler Nation, How you doing. That's good us too,
our number two here of the Drive on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold. West
Shuler and Matt Williamson with you as we continue to
recap Stellar's twenty seven Baltimore twenty two and a much
needed win for your Pittsburgh Steelers. And it is funny, Matt,
(00:37):
You're right. I mean, it would be a completely different
show today for a lot of reasons if the Steelers
would have lost that game, but one of them would
have certainly been if some of those fifty to fifty
call moments would have gone the other way. And so
let's kind of go through them and chronologically timeline wise
here and talk about it.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Best to remember the specifics here.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yes, So fortunately I took more notes this game than usual.
We had a we had a lighter broadcast booth, and
so because of that, typically we have six people in
the booth. There was only four, and so Dan and
I were kind of pulling double duty. Dan was helping
spot and do stats. He kind of sat in between
(01:21):
Rob and Max and helped them spot with you know,
who's making the tackles, which running backs subbing in wins
Adam feeling in the game when that's just kind of
the job of the spot like Derrick Henry, Derrick Henry
checks out and like I point to the depth chart
for Rob to whichever running back the Ravens put, you know,
put it, you know, exactly right the first the first
(01:41):
play of the game, Like I'm pointing at Adam Feeling
on his on his on his card because like, hey,
he's in there. First play the game, sixteen mv S
comes in for the first time, you know, just stuff
like just basic stuff like that when you're you know,
when you're Rob King and your tunnel vision on calling
the game and you know, all of a sudden, it's
a different running back all of a sudden, and you
know who made that tackle. It's tough to tell, and
(02:02):
I could see clearly that it was Brandon Eckles, you know,
things like that. So's Dan's kind of sitting in between
Max and Rob. He's doing stats and helping spot. I'm
sitting on Rob's left, So it's like me, Rob, Dan,
Max in the booth and I'm kind of helping Rob's
spot and just keeping an eye and you know, helping
as I helping as I can. Because of that, because
(02:24):
I was doing more than I typically do on a Yeah,
I took more notes because I was just like, what
if I don't remember all the details, what if I forget?
You know, like, I'm doing a little bit more. Let's
make sure I'm keeping everything in chronological order and in
the timeline and everything here. So here's how it played out.
Second quarter was the first one. Steelers are up ten
to three and they're driving. They stall out the six
(02:46):
yard line. I have in my notes here. Uh oh wait,
sorry part of me. Steelers stall out, kick a field
goal from the six yard line that pushes their lead
to ten to three. Okay, so that was in the
second quarter of steel are up seven to three, they drive,
they stall out the six yard line, kick a field goal.
They're up ten to three. Next possession, James was the
(03:07):
James Pierre interception.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, that set the Steelers up with good field position.
And I have in my notes here another red zone
field goal thirteen to three. Wait, penalty, personal foul you
can't touch Christian Coontz. One play later, Kenneth Gainwell finds
the end zone. Instead of thirteen three, it's now seventeen
to three.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
I thought that was a little ticky tack.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I thought that was a little ticky tacking, Yeah, because
it was almost like he was making contact with whoever
was beside Coons, yes, and just kind of throughout the
nature of the play ended up bumping into him. So
I don't know, Like I get it, those guys are
a protected species, the long snappers in that in that scenario,
but is it like you literally can't touch them at all,
or the carl alarm goes off, or like you just
(03:50):
can't make.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I think football players and you're gonna get bounced around
and they're two hundred fifty pounds, and I don't know,
I mean, maybe the letter of law it was a flag,
But I even think whoever the the ref on the
air was like, I don't think I'll throw in that one,
and I agree coming to that one. To me, was
they kind of missed that call. I think they got
(04:14):
right in the end.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I thought it was a little ticky tacky. I didn't
think it was an egregious call. No, I didn't think
it was one hundred percent They got it right. I
just thought it's a little tick or in a game
like this, it's a.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Game like this on the six yard line or whatever too.
I'm that's a big swing.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
If I'm going to hand the team the ball back
in a goal to go situation, first down, it better
be a pretty clear cut egregious. I have to throw
a flag on that, But it ends up working in
the Steelers favors, so instead of thirteen to three, they
make the lead seventeen to three. The Ravens respond and
score a touchdown, but they missed the extra point, so
seventeen to nine. Big dravet for the Ravens to make
(04:49):
it a one score game before the half. But it
was also a big moment for me personally, because if
the Steelers don't end up converting a touchdown with Kenneth
Gainwell and it's thirteen to three, then the Ravens scored
that touch down, they missed the extra point, and it's
thirteen to nine, and I get you in seven hundred
other people texting me, yeah, thirteen nine thirteen nine, thirteen
nine thirteen nine. So thanks to the referee in that
moment for making sure that that didn't happen. That worked
(05:11):
out very well for me. Chris Carter would have probably
ran down from the press box to tap me on
the shoulder just to tell me thirteen to nine here.
So that was the first one that was in the
towards the back half of the second quarter, because the
Ravens had one more drive to go down to the
field to score that touchdown make it a one score
game before the half. The other two moments both happened
(05:32):
in the fourth quarter. So in the fourth quarter, Ravens
kick a field goal to make it twenty seven to nineteen,
to make it a one score game for the Steelers
once again. Steelers. I can't remember they went three and
out or got one first down, but they end up
hunting back to Baltimore. Baltimore drives and kicks another field
goal to make it twenty seven to twenty two. So
too early.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
This is where I'm starting to worry, by the way,
like same offensive stalling. It seems like the Ravens' offense
is moving the ball.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, same here, Like hey, you've you know at that point,
you've scored some points in the in the uh in
the second half, right, like you've you've scored ten points
in the second half. So it's not like you've been
completely inepp It just felt like the momentums moving in
the other direction. There's a lot of time left here
for Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Steelers defensive played too many plays and I've seen this
story before.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
And the offense was was humming for a while, but
now they're struggling.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Lamar was getting a little The crowd, which had been
relatively for a Raven's crowds harsh on the Ravens for
the broadcasting her many booze in that building.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
The first half. They were rough on the team third quarter,
Like when the Steelers went up twenty seven to sixteen
in the third quarter.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
It sounded like whoa, Yeah, there were not a.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Lot, but there were like a few Ravens fans that
got up and left at that point, right, Not a lot,
you know, but maybe a thousand or two.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
But that place was not happy.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
But that place was not happy. The vibes were low,
as they might say. But they kick back to back
field goals in quick secession, make it a one score,
one possession game again, and that place is starting to
come alive a little bit. Yeah, and then Aaron throws
the interception on the deflective. Deflected pass sets the Steelers
up in Ravens tear and sets the Ravens up part
(07:16):
of me in Steelers territory, and that place went from
angry and hostile to celebrate. I mean, you know what
I mean to like, you know how that works. You've
been in those stadiums. Everybody's been in those stadiums at
that moment where it turns.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Fast as you can imagine a lightning strike, and.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
And it was like, oh my goodness, this place is alive.
The Steelers are falling apart. You know, we're all like
at that point, and and I'm in my mind thinking,
and I said this to Max when we were in
commercial break, kind of waiting for everything to play out.
I'm like, that's our luck right there, in a nutshell.
If Aaron Rodgers has a healthy left wrist, he probably
is able to hold onto that ball. But he's got
(07:54):
a compromise left wrist, he gets it. I'm like, that's
the inches, that's the minutia, that's the margins of victory
right there.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Three weeks ago, it's better.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Than and then they review it and they overturn it,
and hey, you still go three and out back to
back three and outs there and punt the ball back
a field position difference is massive.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Yeah, it's probably points real quick on that play.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I didn't think that was a terrible call, but again
I didn't think it was an absolute slam dunk.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Oh that's the right call either. I thought it was
the right call. Initially I did not same with the
likely touchdown, by the way.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Because remember it had to be overturned, right, so which
means you need conclusively watch it.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Again the ball with a knee on the ground, which
is total fluky, and I bet Rogers would even tell you,
especially with his compromised left hand bat that thing to
the ground. I'm not sure why he tried to catch
it first of all, amongst the trees and all these
people trying to take your head off. So I don't
think that was a good decision by him. Of what
(08:55):
do I do after the bat comes back at me.
It's just what that thing the nowheresville because there's the
chances you're going to catch it and make a play,
I mean, slim and next to nothing. But frankly, I
think the Steelers got lucky because he happened to catch
it with a knee on the ground. Yes, I mean
it was down to like the mill.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
That's a that's a good way, that's a good Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Yeah, I mean you got kind of lucky. It wasn't
like it was a good play. I think there was
the right call after watching it over and over they
showed it a million times.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Yeah, again, that's one to me that in the moment,
I thought they're just going to say inconclusive evidence. Oh
I thought.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I didn't think it get overturned. Yeah, that's a lot
to overturn, but it's pretty clear.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So even at that point, it's the things aren't going well.
At this point, things are still not going well. That's
your second of back to back three and outs. Again,
the field position is a massive difference, massive, huge difference,
but you still end up putting the ball back to them.
And at that.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Clock at this point, and they're running a lot of plays.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
And at that point the crowd was alive and pissed.
Yeah yeah, yeah, they feel like we just got hard
done in the Ravens.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
That was the Ravens fifth possession of the second half.
At that point, they had gone touchdown, touchdown field goldfield goal.
Oh yeah, that was the Ravens. That was Baltimore's fifth
possession of the of the second half. They had gone touchdown, touchdown, field,
goalfield goal.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
They're playing better still and the crowd is upset that
they didn't get that call, but they still think we
got this.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
And now they're kind of upset and even more into
it in a weird.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Way, and they hate the Steelers. Weren't anybody, you know,
it's not like that's the Bears in towner.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
So they knew how big of a game it was
as well. They get a big fourth down conversion, huge
play Tosea Flowers on third and long. They're rolling Isaiah
likely touchdown, Yeah, Ravens take the lead. Oh no, here
we go. But Pasey at the end he knocks it
out there still didn't play and it ends up again.
(10:53):
They go to review it and it gets overturned. The
original call on the field gets overturned, and then you
get your and and what was the moment of the
game not just overturned there, but then Patrick Queen breaks
up the pass at the goal line to get you
your first stop of the second half in that moment,
(11:13):
and then.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
The turn of events is it's not like they scored
next play and nobody cares, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Exactly exactly right. Like so the air and interception one
is a little different because at least you end up
punting them the ball back. It's a big field field
position discrepancy.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
But it wasn't clearly seven points.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
And it wasn't clearly taking a touchdown off the board.
And then full credit to Patrick Queen on that next play,
and he made some checks and and played probably his
best game of the season as well, not just number
eight for the Steelers playing his best, but I think
number six in that moment, need it on the road
against his old team, clearly not one hundred healthy. And
(11:50):
he makes the check there in that play to and
and and breaks up the pass at the goal line. Hey,
you still had a quick three and out after that,
and the Ravens had another opportunity. But Matt, that that
one is again, I don't think it's completely the right call.
I don't think it's completely the wrong call. Yeah, I
think I'm just surprised that they overturned it in that moment.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I'm surprised they overturned.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
And I don't think that's agregious either. I think it's
terrible that they overturned it. I was just surprised that
they did so.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So I would preface this by saying, if that was
friar muth, not likely, I'd be I'd be pretty upset
and be like, what on earth.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Were we I'd be like, this is Jesse James all over.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
And maybe the NFL even needs inspect this, you know,
because that's that looks like a touchdown. It smells like
a touchdown, It walks like a doc, it talks like
a duck, you know what I mean. Like, but we've been.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Doing this with with what's a catch and what's not
a catch for twelve years.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Now, and I was thinking the end zone, all you
got to do is just break the plane. Rules are
different in the end zone, but apparently they aren't in
that instance. You do have to complete the catch. And
I hate that the league's gotten to this extreme. But
when you break it down frame by frame, I think
it's the right call. I don't know if it's enough
to overturn, but it's that's you know what I mean.
(13:05):
But I think it's the right call. We can argue
about the rules.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
And other rules, thought it was the right call.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
The pursueder said on the morning show, he was.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Because he's a western Pennsylvania hammer.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Maybe yeah, again it's the Birdies, but that was a
huge one. I don't think the Ravens got screwed, you
know what I mean, It's not like, no, man, what
a terrible call.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I think it's fair. I think it's fair to say
we were a little unfortunate in that department. You know,
if you if you're if we're Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
We're Baltimore Nation fortunate.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Yeah, you know, I think I'd be saying, hey, two
fifty to fifty calls there in the fourth quarter, neither
went your way, but you still forced a quick three
and out, had plenty of time, got the ball back
and could have won the game. You still had the
fourth down play, you know, stop at the goal.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Yeah, And and so I just I so infrequently think
that the referees really decide a game.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I tend to agree, right right, especially in today's day
and age, when you can buzz down and even.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
That you remember the most famous of all of them,
that twenty seventeen NFC Championship game in New Orleans against
the Rams, where there was that call so bad that
that my blind dog, my dog only at home, who
can barely see. It's like blind in one eye, can
barely see out of the other eye. Could have made
that pass interference call in the Superdome in the NFC
Championship game, it doesn't get called. The game ends up
(14:25):
going to overtime, The Rams win, the Saints. You know,
Saints get eliminated and act like a bunch of babies
the entire offseason and throw a parade in New Orleans
where they're all dressing up as blind refs and all that,
all that controversy. What no one talks about is that
when the game went to overtime, the Saints won the
coin toss and had the ball first, and these were
and these were still the old overtime rules, So all
(14:46):
the Saints had to do is get a couple of
first downs to kick a field goal, and you still
win the game. What no one talks about is the
Saints had a ten point lead in the fourth to
open the fourth quarter in that game. They just hyper
focus on the one terrible call, which was which was
a terrible call, but not how New Orleans still had
ample opportunities to win that game. Yeah, exactly, And that's
kind of where I come down.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
To the Ravens still could have won this game.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
The Ravens still could have won this game. But I
will also preface it, or just follow it up or
wrap it up by saying, yeah, I'd be I'd be
a little ticked off if the shoe was on the other.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Our tone would be different if those two calls went different.
And I have a feeling now, I don't know one
hundred percent the Steelers were lost, but their chances would
have greatly diminished, would.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Have swung the other way big time.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Big time, because I mean again, in the second half,
I thought the Ravens were the better team for the game.
I thought the Steelers were the best, great team, and
the right team won. But I understand where the Ravens
are coming from.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Oh Man, not only UH some controversy and some important
results at M and T Banks Stadium in Baltimore, but
across the entire National Football League. Let's run the gam
But when we get back here on the other side,
as we now have a clear playoff picture and UH
and plenty to discuss from all of yesterday's action, we'll
(15:59):
do that when we returned. Was Shuler Matt Williamson, it's
the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
your two Weeks.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Back on the drive here on a Monday, as that
road is getting narrower and narrower, Matt Williamson, let's start.
We'll go chronological order and kind of run the gambit
here of a massive Sunday around the NFL, a huge
Week fourteen that saw some rise and some fall and
playoff pictures starting to get a little bit clear, but
still plenty to play for in Atlanta, Matt, Not a
(16:43):
lot of surprise here. The Seahawks cruise to a comfortable
victory over the Falcons thirty seven to nine, to continue
to prove that they're one of the best teams in
the NFL YEP, and that every time they play an
East Coast one o'clock game, you should take them to win,
no problem, no questions, asked a lot of.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Things, a lot of time on that one. But the
first it started out pretty back and forth and pretty even,
and then they just put the hammer down.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Jsn's a monster.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
He's a monster.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
B Jeon Robinson ran for eighty six of the more
impressive yards I've seen.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
In my life fighting for him. He was fight.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
He ran. He had like four point something yards per carried.
It's like the most impressive four point one million carry
you've ever seen in your life.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
My goodness, set he's really good.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And yeah, and I think the only thing for Seattle
that was going to hold them back from being a
real bonafide not Super Bowl contender, but Super Bowl favorite
was the form of Sam Darnold, which had been a
little down for a few weeks. Yep, he looked more
like himself. Twenty to thirty, two fifty passing three touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah. Yeah, So then the Seattle is in a really
good spot right now.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
They certainly are. I went to the grocery store this morning.
I was wearing, you know, my Steelers gear on the
On the way in here, some guys like, hey, a
big win for the Steelers yesterday.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
One of the guys work and we start chatting and
he's like, he's like, I'm I'm a Seahawks fan. He goes,
but I really love DK Metcalf. I love because I'm
from I'm from Washington. I moved out here seven or
eight years ago. I really still love DK metcalf. I
was excited to see him have a big game yesterday
and I was like, how about JSN huh. He was like, dude,
he's unbelievable. So yeah, big, big one for the Seahawks
(18:16):
and they are certainly one of the favorites here as
we get closer and closer to the postseason. A crazy
one Matt in the snow, in the weather, high scoring
up in Buffalo at Orchard.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Park, snow like didn't slow them down at all.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Thirty nine to thirty four. The Bills come back twenty
one fourth quarter points to come back and beat the Bengals.
This was one of those if you're thirty one NFL teams,
it was a lot of fun to watch. If you're
the Bengals, you're kicking yourself because it's the story of
what has happened all season. But man, quarterback masterclass from
(18:51):
both teams.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
It was like aldi frasier quarterback play.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
And again like that in that weather, that type of environment.
Just a lot of fun to watch from a neutral perspective.
And Buffalo hangs on and gets it done.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Yeah, and they made a huge defensive score, which which
was probably the difference in the game. Allen was as
good as I've ever seen him, but Burrow wasn't any worse.
And they got Higgins back and Chase back, and I
guess the bottom line is the Bengals are done.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
You know, Bengals are now done.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It'd be nice. I assume they'll still play hard and
maybe they can knock off the Ravens. Buffalo's doing some
good things at the right time too, Maybe they're maybe
they're the best team in the AFC all of a sudden,
you know, which should chock No. One.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
No, that's a crazy game, crazy game and a lot
of fun in that classic Orchard Park snowy environment up
there in New York. In Cleveland, a surprising one here.
Matt as the Titans a strong second half to take
down the Browns thirty one to twenty nine. Shudorg Sanders
(19:52):
played pretty well, they played, Miles Garrett got another sack,
They get launched closer and closer to straight and TJ's record.
And you know, in a weird way, if you're the
Browns and or maybe a Browns fan, maybe this isn't
the worst result ever, because sure just pushes you up
the draft order a little bit. But another fun one
(20:14):
between these two.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
It was actually a pretty good It wasn't fourteen.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
To ten ugly. Someone has to win type game.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I mean this was super low over under. I think
super low.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yeah, the low thirty six, like the Titans almost hit themselves. Yeah,
it's like thirty five and a half, thirty six and
a half, a fun back and forth game between two
of the worst teams in the National.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Football If this was Week one, it'd be like, oh,
these two rookie quarterbacks are fun and maybe these teams
are better than we thought. Yeah right, yeah. Yeah. The
headlines though, are Titans no longer of the first overall
pick right now goes to the Giants and did nothing
now owns number one, neither of which would probably take
a quarterback and shoudor he was an Oustay, he's gonna
(20:54):
be the start of the rest of the year. That's
not surprising. But he took a big step forward.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Leaking one that to continue with Steelers fans, I think, so, yeah,
one less team in front of you, Yeah, in the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
That would be wonderful. And maybe Shock even did it
with the.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
H a minute And that was one of the more
surprising results of the weekend, but the most lopsided result
of the weekend. Matt was in Minnesota where the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Maybe they're I mean again, maybe McCarthy can put a
couple of weeks together here to get out of the
quarterback market.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
For one, put down the Commander's thirty one to nothing.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Somehow some neptitude by Washington too incredible.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Somehow Justiels got hurt, Justin Jefferson only had two receptions
for eleven yards, And how do they score thirty one
points on it when that happens. But yeah, the big
story of this is Jayden and Daniels getting hurt again.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
It was his bad arm that he same left And
I mean there's some Monday morning quarterbacking hindsight here, But
sure you really been out there, you know if all
you had to do, I mean I think he just
braced himself on his bad arm, yes, and then he's out.
You know, if that was all it took, should he
been out there?
Speaker 2 (22:04):
You know, probably not.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
But they're not in a good spot right now. They're
not beating anybody.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
No, they are not, and they might be in that
top pick conversation. Yeah, before it's all said and done,
Dolphins go to MetLife and continue to look impressive, continue
to win, continue to put up numbers on offense, thirty
four to ten. They trounce the Jets, the Steelers next opponent.
Matt playing as well as they have all seasons, certainly,
and you know, in one of the best, you know,
(22:31):
forms of any team in the National Football League.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Yeah, they've turned things around. So they fired their GM.
And I'm not sure if that's why it happened, because
he doesn't influence, you know, he's tack that. But they've
been four and oh since they beat the Bills, and
then they've had three bad opponents that they've beat. But
they become very run centric. They're taking a lot off
to his plate. Both lines of scrimmage are playing a
(22:56):
lot better, they're making a lot fewer errors. And frankly,
what happened here is a chan's like their entire offense.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yes, and he gets out hurt standing.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
He's an outstanding He got hurt early in the second quarter.
He was like the driving force of my fantasy team.
But it's important because they're coming town Monday. The head
coach said after the game he probably could have went
back in, but at that point I think they were
winning like twenty one nothing or twenty four to nothing.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
I think it was twenty four to seven maybe A.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Yeah, that's probably right. And at that point Tyrod Taylor
was knocked out of the game, Fields was inactive, and
some dude named Cook that I had never heard of
was the quarterback. So like they were in no jeopardy.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
They were, we could see this thing out, and they.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Just ran the ball down their throat. A Chan might
have had three hundred yards if he had started and
finished a game.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
You and Rob King, both lamenting his absence potentially for
your fantasy team today, got something out of them, clear
spot and clear time in the year.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
But he had like one hundred yards on seven carries
or something. I mean, yes, yeah, Matt.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
If if the Vikings Commanders was the most lobsided result
of the weekend, I think the most surprising result of
the weekend might have been the Saints going to Tampa
Bay and beating the Buccaneers twenty four to twenty.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
I didn't pay a ton of attention to this one,
but Schuck made some plays with his legs. I think
he had two rushing touchdowns, both were long. I don't
know exactly what plagued the Bucks, why this was as
close as it was. But they can't quite can't quite
put it together lately, and they're getting guys back. I
keep thinking they're gonna run away with the division and
they're just not.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, they aren't in Carolina sitting at home liking what
they're seeing.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
He seems how to buy are happy, man.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Now that's gonna be a wild race down the stretch.
When I think a lot of us were, I mean,
we were penciling the Buccaneers in his division champs.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Back in October, I know, yeah, and.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Now they might not even make the playoffs. The Jags
comfortably and a big one between the Colts. They take
care of business thirty six to nineteen and Daniel Jones
looks like he's done for the rest of the year.
Are the Colts now on life support for their playoff hopes?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
I think so. I mean, this was a big rain
monsoon type of game. Lawrence is playing Florida weather. Absolutely yeah.
I think Lawrence might be playing the best of his career.
I mean, really, since Jacobe Meyers showed up there, young
coaches getting them on track, a lot of atn balance
good defense cults are in a really bad spot now.
(25:24):
I mean Richardson's done for the year. Jones has done
for the year. They've lost three in a row to
good teams coming out of their bye, and they may
lose lose out.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I feel I feel for Daniel Jones. Yeah, he was
in a good place to kind of reset.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
And I don't know if you saw the injury, yeah,
I mean he had. It was his bad leg, the
Achilles went. It's almost like Jaydon Daniels. Should he have
been out there at all? Maybe? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Yeah, easy to stay in hindsight.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
But they're in the playoff run. But Washington is right right.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
But now for the Colts, man, it is amazing how
quick this league can turn.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Yeah, Like I don't project them to go to the
playoffs right now.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
I would bet against it. I'd say the Jags and
the Texans.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah, they're way better teams than what the Colts are.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
I think that that's undeniable. Broncos go to Vegas a
little bit closer than everybody thought it was gonna be.
Although the Raiders kick a last second field goal to
make it a one score game instead of.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Ever really competitive, the score doesn't show.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, twenty four to seventeen. The Broncos continue to roll
eleven and two.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
This was a really pathetic performance actually by the Raiders
in terms of like effort and you know, like making
reservations for exactly they are. They're done.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Oh, Kenny Pickett got into the game for a brief moment.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, he threw a late touchdown that didn't matter much. Hey, yeah,
that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Hey, you know, he's got it. He's done that a
few times.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Actually, very nice to Row.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
It was. It was a really nice show. Actually, Packers Bears.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Huge game, huge game.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
And a crucial turnover at the end cost Chicago Bears
get it done twenty eight to twenty one to get
a half game advantage on the Bears. Now in the
NFC North.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
We described them as this when we when Steels played
these two teams, two big game hunters at the quarterback position,
chucking and playing aggressive as could be. I think green
Bays really starting to figure out their skill guys. Watson's one,
Reid came back. They didn't even really need to use Dabbs,
you know. So they're in a pretty good spot. I
(27:25):
think Green Bay's the best team in that division and
a true Super Bowl contender. But Chicago hung with them,
you know, for where they're at is an organization still great.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Yeah, I'm still picking up make the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Yeah, I am too, I am.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I know their schedule is a little tough down the
stretch here, but I think if they just get one more,
I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
It's a super successful season. First without a super success.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Even if you go one in three in these last
four games and finished ten and seven, that's still they
would have all signed for that in blood. Yes, you
go two and two and you finish eleven and six.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
I mean, they come on, they battled exactly.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
And guess what U thirteen days from now you get
the Bears that Soldier field. Maybe you can return, maybe
you can return the favor of that game and win
a close one. But yeah, I really like the Packers,
and man, if they still had Tucker Craft, they might
be my Super Bowl favorite. Right now. That's going to
be a big loss for them, But they've got some
really nice pieces coming together at the right time.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Picking them go to Super Bowl does not sound far
fetched at all. I mean, I like them.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
I was just going to say it doesn't sound far fetched.
But Seattle's tough, and we know the Rams are tough.
They bounce back after a close lost Carolina, but hey, Carolina,
Carolina right now. Rams go into Arizona. They handle business
against a Cardinals team that is very much Cancun on
(28:42):
three in their own.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Right, garbage time stuff too.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah, forty five to seventeen. The Rams get it done.
Matthew Stafford MVP.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
I think they. I think both their running backs went
over one hundred yards, controlled things on the ground, then
put the ball on harm offensive player of the year
playing great. And Arizona's in trouble. I mean, they just
keep losing and losing and losing.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
They have lost nine, Sorry, they've lost ten of their
last eleven. After starting two and zero, they are now
three and ten.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
And it's gonna be big.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Changes, gonna be massive, shutting everybody down, shutting everybody.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Down, Murray and Nolan.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I think they're gonna be in the quarterback market around
and finally, Matt along with Steelers, Ravens, along with Bears, Packers,
one of those three games that we really highlighted on
Friday that has massive playoff implications to Houston. Texans get
it done. They go to Kansas City, a defensive masterclass
(29:40):
picked off Mahomes three times, yeah, en route to a
twenty to ten victory.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
So Kansas City's in trouble.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
They're done.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
I don't think they're done.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
They're done.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
We'll talk about just throughout the week when we started
like playoff projections and those.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
TV shaking ahead. I think I've been saying they're done
for four or five weeks, and everybody mean tweets me
and it's like, you're gonna jink.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Predict them to win out and get ten wins and
then come to Pittsburgh in Week one. Great, Okay, let's go.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Even if they even let's let's know.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
They're like tie breakers and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
They have the tie breaker against well, I think if
they don't have it against Jacksonville, they don't have it
against Houston.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Well. I think here's my thought, they.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Could still get it against l A.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
But that's while they played Chargers next week, and I
think that. I think the Chargers when we get come
in tomorrow or we're gonna be like, oh, the Chargers
are in trouble. They're not in Colts level. I just
think the O line and an injured Herbert I could see.
I know the Colts are going to fall off. I
suspect the Chargers are going to fall off and the
Chiefs could win these last four and at least make
(30:40):
it very interesting. I thought that was a really really
good football game, though awesome defenses in the maydn't have
any offensive tackles. I mean, Kelsey's dropping balls, Rice is
dropping balls, and mahomes a one man show.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
I feel like sometimes this is like pepsi or coke
for people like you gotta love one and hate the other.
I like both pepsi and coke. I know a lot
of people don't. I love the juxtaposition of like a
game like Bills and Bengals that's thirty nine thirty six
and a back and forth quarterback offensive duel. In a
game like this, it was good defense, physical battle for
(31:17):
every inch. Both of those are great football games.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
To me. They were, and it was a very desperate
Chiefs team, especially coming out of halftime. Chris Jones was
just took the game over. He's just throwing offensive lineman
a round and when he turns it on, he's as
good as you ever see. And they just didn't have
quite enough. You know, a couple of drops gise guys
let them down a little bit and they're definitely in
(31:41):
a real bind. I think Houston's the best team in
the AFC, and I actually said that a week or
two ago.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
You did.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
I love how they're rolling along. Stroud's playing well.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
The Chiefs have lost for their last five. Yeah, I
mean Mahomes was their leading rusher. They just got nothing
going on.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
They got one. I mean he's he's won these.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Really bad nothing going on the ground. They host l A,
then they got.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
Believe they can't find a running back. I mean, that's
the easiest vision the world.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
They go, they host LA, then they go to Tennessee,
then they host Denver, then they go to Vegas. All right,
so at Vegas.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
But yeah, but I don't think four is crazy.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
They got They host the Broncos Christmas Night.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
That could be what the season depends on.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Denver is still gonna be playing for the one seed
at that point. With neck and neck with New England,
I just.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
Know tie breakers don't favor them. I get that part.
But you don't have faith in the Chargers, and I
have no faith in the cold.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Sometimes I like to bust out my tiny violin for
the holiday schedule and all those things. That's back to
back Christmas Day games for Kansas City. That's that's rough. Yeah, listen,
I understand you take it with all the success that
they've had. But if I was a Chiefs employee in
two straight years, I gotta I gotta work all day.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Christmas Thanksgiving, I would I would not be thrilled.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
You better listen, I better get time and a half.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
They play like New Year's or something too. I mean, like,
especially with Taylor Swift around now, they are the biggest
draw in the world. They're never gonna get away from
those type of games.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Sorry, Kansas City employees. If the Steelers Steelers wanted to
go to five of the next seven Super Bowls and
win three of them, I might, I might. I might
put up with it on your.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Finger and Super and playoff checks.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
Yeah, Matt, let's take a break here, close down with
final thoughts on the other side. Maybe a quick prediction
for tonight's Monday Night football before we get up out
of here, Yu'ler Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, Your tuns.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Radio final segment here on a victory Monday.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Man, it's good to get back in the wind call
of Matt. I'll just say that it's been a little
it's a huge cheerier around here. Yes than uh than
the last couple of Mondays, that's for sure. Like mostes,
most used to make a joke like when the Steelers
lose on Mondays, my coffee tastes terrible. The Sunday the
sun doesn't shine, Nobody lets me merge in traffic. Everyone
(34:11):
cuts me in line at the like he would have
like a spiel of like my coffee was cold, you
know whatever, my driveway was icy. Nobody let me merge
in traffic. When the Steelers win, there's donuts and pizza everywhere,
the sunshine. Everyone's everyone's friendly in traffic. Go ahead and
cut me off. I've got no I'm hurry to be anywhere.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
I'm sure there's other cities like that, but the city
is definitely much different on Monday, win or loss. It's
or tone of the team whenever.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
And you know, we get a lot of these on
the Steelers Audio Network. In fact, a vast majority of
our listeners here are not from Western Pennsylvania, right right.
I've always said that, like I I don't think sometimes
people can do the Civil War thing where they're like,
I'm a Steelers fan who's from Pittsburgh, you know, as
opposed to the Steelers fan who's from California and their
(35:02):
grandpa was from Pennsylvania and they you know, that type
of thing. I don't think there's any like you go
to games, you don't go to games. You live in Pittsburgh.
Everyone's a Steeler face. But the one thing that you
can't relate to unless you live here is how different
the city is.
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Yes, that is one that is one thing, supermarket line.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Thing that you cannot feel from Texas or North Carolina,
California or Michigan or wherever unless you're here in western Pennsylvania.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Even with the world getting smaller.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
And that's the one thing though that I don't want
to hear. And yes, it is much much more cheerful,
uh here today as the Steelers take care of business
and now we get a I guess we get a
Saturday spot. We get a Saturday and Sunday to kind
of breathe and enjoy it before a big Monday. And
you're in a good spot, but you got a big
Monday night game against the dolphin.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
That's a big thing. PURSUEDA was saying in an earlier show.
He's like, okay, but what do you do with it?
You know, I knew you were gonna get up for Ravens,
and I knew you're gonna play a physical game. Totally.
I mean that implies that some games they don't give effort.
That's not what I mean. But don't wash it all
away by losing to either the Browns or Miami. You
know what I mean. And we'll see, and we'll preview
(36:18):
to Miami a lot as the week goes on. They're
an interesting team. I did want to touch one thing
with you though, is it sounds like the victuals at
in at Baltimore Stadium are pretty tasty. They got a
pretty good layout there.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
I know the crabcakes, but at BIT we didn't get
crabcakes this time.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Oh really, I thought that was an always thing.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Okay, It's a good thing the Steelers won because postgame
I was waiting for my Jimmy seafood and instead it
was catered barbecue, which is fine, Don't get me wrong.
It's not what I expected. And I think you and
I had this conversation before I might go a little
snob here for you for a minute. It's like the
Italian guy who talks about how we can't go out
to eat anywhere. Right, But five years ago, during the
(37:02):
start of COVID, During the start of COVID, how do
you like your garlic bread? During the start of COVID, UH,
my wife and I had uh this big trip to
Chicago planned and it ended up everything got canceled. We
were gonna go to a Cubs game, we were gonna
go to a concert, we had hotel reservations. Everything got canceled.
(37:23):
So a bunch of the money that we had put
down already we got refunded. So I got refunded like
a bunch of money. And I was like, sweetheart, I'm
going and buying a nice smoker. I was like, because
we're not going to be doing anything for the foreseeable future,
I'm gonna lose my mind. What am I gon? I'm
gonna sit outside on the patio and drink beers and
learn how to smoke meats. That's what I'm gonna do
(37:44):
with all this free time now, and we'll eat well.
And so now you know, fast forward what it's been
five six summers of me having a smoker. I think
I'm pretty good.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Okay, like I think I might have to pick your brain.
I don't like to learn.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I think brit skit is still the only thing that
I think, you know, like a smokehouse can Brisket's very difficult.
Anything else pulled pork, ribs, chicken wings, salmon, vidnam anyway,
and so I'm not gung ho about getting catered because
I think the stuff that I make myself at home is.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
Better, and especially if you look for to seafood.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Especially if I'm looking forward to Baltimore. Crab You ever
seen wedding crashers, crab cakes and football, That's what That's
what it was like. Every time it was disappointing. But
maybe they did that.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
Just drink dispensaries were pretty nice.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Maybe they were going to give us crab cakes, but
then we won and they were like to give these
guys pulled pork.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
I'll tell you what though. The spread in the press
box was very good. But what was the most impressive
part about it was they had a million different ways
to get your coffee and your caffeine and your electrolytes.
They had a traditional coffee machine that was just two buttons,
real easy, regular decaf wherever you want, boom, grab and go.
They had a nitro cold brew tap, which you would
(38:58):
have loved. That's right up your alley. Then they had
like a special, special fancy Foo food drink maker where
like you put your cup in, you press a button,
you could get like an Americano. You can get a latte,
you can get espresso, so three different ways to get
I had a few of each.
Speaker 3 (39:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
And then they had this water dispensing machine where you
could add probably half dozen different flavors to the water, Lemon, limes, cucumber.
I went with blood orange, and you could add electrolytes
and caffeine to the water if you wanted as well.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
That's pretty cool. That was pretty everybody access.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
That's for everyone, and so that was cool. They had
a great candy station. We will can.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Are pretty popular and they're becoming more and more popular.
Big bars.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
When the season's over, at some point, will do Best
of the West and I will rank for you all
the press box spreads throughout the season. But right now
I don't want to give anything away. But right now,
if this was the Olympics, they're not winning the gold
but they're on the podium. They're in metal position right now.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I've heard that for years the Baltimore and a lot
of it's crabcake oriented though drink yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
And I try to lead like this is this is
like trying to be a true what's in the stadium,
not what they give us right Like the crab take
things is typically like after the game when you're getting
on the bus.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
Yea yea yeah, yeah, yeah, I see that.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
The would have gotten something, you know, me, me and
mister TV when we were gallivanting around town Saturday night,
would have stopped the Jimmy's and gotten some seafood if
we would have known we weren'ting to get it on Sunday, Matt,
real quick before we go in La at beautiful Sofi
Stadium tonight. Spoiler alert there on the podium for the
press box food Power rankings right now too. Chargers host
(40:40):
the Eagles. Huge game for both, but I think bigger
for the Chargers. For the Eagles, they're gonna win their division.
It's just more so what type of momentum can you
have and how you're feeling about yourself and seating heading
into the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
Eagles need to get their offense right too.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
They need to just get They need to get their
offense right. Certainly, I could.
Speaker 3 (40:57):
See it's being a low scoring game, but I have
Philly winning pretty handily.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
It's only a forty one and a half over under,
which is on the lower side of it.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
That sounds right.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Chargers, Man, you'll win this one, and you're like, we're
nine and four, we're.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Going for them. Then I might be buying in you'll.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Lose this one, and it's like, man, we got a
tough schedule the rest of the way and we're banged up,
and we'd have no margin for air. Philly a two
and a half point favorite across the coast.
Speaker 3 (41:21):
Yeah, I'm taking the Eagles. I mean, it's not a
huge home field advantage. I think the Eagles defense causes
a lot of problems. I just keep coming back to
the CHARGERSZ line. I think that's going to be their
their downfall.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
I don't think either of these teams are in a
great spot right now. No, but two and a half
is a small enough number that i'll lay it with.
I'm with you. If it's three and a half, i'd
probably take the points.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah, that makes sense, But at.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
Two and a half, Eagles is by a field goal.
That seems about right.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
I think they win by five to seven. Got neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Yeah, I don't think it's some double digit Eagles going
there and push them around. And I just don't think
that's Philly's game right now, not at the moment. But
the Chargers I think are where Philly's a little wobbly.
I think the Chargers are like the boxer who might
be one haymaker away from getting knocked out.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Possibly possibly.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
We'll be back tomorrow to break that all down. Take
a look at the playoff picture through that scope. Talk
to our buddy Chris Danski. All of that and more
on tomorrow's program. Thanks to Rob King for joining us,
Thanks to Nathan for producing the show today, and to
our video producer Slash Statistician keeping us sharp and crisp
and handsome as always, mister TV, Tyler v Fort, Matt Williamson,
(42:29):
I'm as Shuler, take care of everybody. We'll talk to
you tomorrow. You know where to find us. It's on
your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
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