January 5, 2026 • 43 mins
Matt and Wes continue to dive into last night's victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The guys then take a look at all the action that took place around the league during Week 18 action, and what the playoff picture looks like as Wild Card Weekend begins in a few short days.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goals Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Come Rod, just get to snap.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
We'll get the game well, sweeping right.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
And game one golf score.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
Of Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown with three forty nine remaining in
the fourth quarter.
Speaker 5 (00:24):
He sweeps around right.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
End, touchs inside a blocker and scores the touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Good evening, Steeler Nation. How we do it? Well, that's
good us too.
Speaker 6 (00:35):
I'm sure doing pretty good.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Had some fun at least they better be.
Speaker 7 (00:38):
Yeah, maybe maybe a nursing some some some headaches and
some lack of sleep and some some sore throats, and
y's that's why you play the game, baby h and
everyone there last night certainly did their part without a doubt.
As we kind of highlighted in the first hour of
the show, Matt on that call there that we just
heard to open the second hour, that, of course Kenneth
(00:59):
Gainwell touchdown to put the Steelers in the lead before
things really started to get wild there another likely part
of me another Ze Flowers touchdown and then the response
of Calvin Austin on that play there an outstanding seal
block on the right side of the line by Troy Faltanu,
and I think he's another one, and really the Steelers
(01:19):
offensive line in general. You said on Friday, the Steelers
are better in the trenches on both sides of the ball,
and so often when these teams play, that's the case.
I thought the Steelers offensive line really did an excellent.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
Job last night, that they were phenomenal.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
So I think it's the best place they've been in
collectively all year. Part of it's not just because Cook
replaced Jones, I mean because we've hat see them all
and out of line up a little bit these last
couple weeks as well. But I think that they're really
gelling together. They haven't had a lot of turnover knock
on wood, which is really important, especially for a young
group like this.
Speaker 6 (01:56):
I think they're really starting to get.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Their footing under them in terms of the variety of
run play as they run, it's not as much outside
zone things of that nature. But what was huge, and
you and I broke this down a lot, was we
knew or highly suspected the Ravens would take a similar
approach to defending the Steelers as the Browns, that they
would get out of their zone heavy back the man
(02:19):
up single.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
High, and we knew they weren't as good at it.
Speaker 7 (02:23):
As the Browns, especially sans Kyle Hamilton from that second half.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
And the numbers were distinctly different with him without him.
But I also think Rogers are starting to feel himself too,
so I think there's more things at play than that.
Speaker 6 (02:34):
But it was big.
Speaker 7 (02:34):
It was like the Steelers were taking a step forward
as they were taking a step back at the same
time at the same time.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Yeah, and you lose your best guy, obviously, no doubt
that's a problem for them.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
But I also think that even.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
If I don't think anyone's gonna I'm not going to
convince anyone to well, the Steelers wide receivers were really good. No,
they're playing with subpar unit.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
They were better than they were in Cleveland.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
They were better they were in Cleveland.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
And Mike my key here was going back to the
offensive line, is if Rogers can actually go from one
to two, maybe even to three as opposed to one
and done, I get the ball out because Cleveland's all
over me. I mean, the pass rush difference between these
defenses is night and day. I mean, Cleveland's is the
best or one of the Ravens is the worst or
(03:19):
one of now this upcoming teams the best or one
of But we'll get to that.
Speaker 6 (03:23):
We jump off that bridge. We when we come to it.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
But the fact that Rogers could could survey the scene
a little bit more, which is a mile in this league,
receivers are going to get open, you know, I mean,
and they still struggled. There was a lot of tight
man coverage, a lot of tight window throws, some force
throws that like man, I got nothing else to go
with here. But if you give Rogers time to go
(03:49):
through it, professional receivers are going to pop open. Yes,
two point seven seconds is and oppose to two point one.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Absolutely absolutely feeling had a big grab or.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Two mvs made that catch behind them.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Catch behind him on what he does.
Speaker 7 (04:06):
And you know, there were even some missed opportunities out
there for the offense, like you think of that one
that Aaron Rodgers missed it what would have been an
explosive to John new Smith missed him bad. They were
still able to progressively get better and better as the
game went along, And aside from Cleveland, we've seen a
lot of that lately where the second half the offense
(04:27):
has just exploded.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I mean they they did a good run game.
Speaker 6 (04:29):
It's better the protection gets better.
Speaker 7 (04:31):
Did a good job of that against the Dolphins. They
did a good job of that against the Lions. They
did a good job of that the first round with
the Ravens in Baltimore and.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Their physical come at you, you know, offensively too. And
I mean again you mentioned Fraser's quote, you know that
teams aren't as It's definitely was screw with Miami. They
weren't as anxious to battle you at the end of
the game as they were at the beginning, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Because those guys want to be physical.
Speaker 7 (04:54):
They they kind of they dictate the flow. And then
Jalen Warren for I'm gonna break some news here, Matt
but he's not built like Derrick Henry. No, but he
might be just as a pain in the in the
in the backside to tackle.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
I mean, he thought he was phenomenal bring down and
I still think he's under rage.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Junkyard Dog, I completely agree.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
I mean, I think he's one of the Steelers' best
players and a very good running back.
Speaker 6 (05:20):
I'm not saying he's Bejon. I mean, there's.
Speaker 7 (05:23):
Right, all the big name household running backs you take
them out of the equation.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
He's at the top of the list of the next group.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
And he does everything so well. I mean, he'd a
couple of big blitz pick ups. I mean the Ravens
had the blitz a lot to create pressure. He's great
in the passing game. He's just an absolute nightmare to tackle.
His body type works to his advantage. Rob mentioned this,
and I bring it up because he brought it up
on the other show we did. I still don't quite
understand why he's not the goal line back. I mean
(05:51):
not the game well is bad at it. But I
think they've gotten in their heads since they've had him is.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
Nause He's a goal line back. That's not really who
you are.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
But they might need to reexam in that, yeah, because
I don't think he has any weaknesses in that regard.
Speaker 7 (06:03):
And let's uh, let's let's let's let's just run behind
Zach Frasier at the goal line.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Okay, let's not.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Uh, it's not cute, stuffy.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Let's not get cute out there and try and pitch
it into open space and make Kenneth gain Well dance
around multiple defenders.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I've seen them do it before, but I don't want
them to have to do it. And and the tight
the tight windows. There of a situation.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Where maybe you're getting a little too cute here, guys
the last couple of weeks, like when the tush push
gain Well takes it, and that's that's good.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
To keep teams honest.
Speaker 6 (06:36):
But there's times where it's like, let's just muscle these dudes,
you know.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Because you got the muscle, you've got the muscle to
do it.
Speaker 7 (06:41):
And that that played out over the course of of
that game last night, and I mean it took. It
took everybody. It took every single person putting their hand
in that pile. Matt logan Lee played one defensive snap
against the Ravens, reflected a pass in a massive moment.
One snap and he gets his hand on a football
and the lexa pass intended for Derrick Henry where it
(07:02):
looked like Derrick Henry had some room. I'm kind of
watching it here now. I mean, if Henry would have
been able to make one guy miss, he would have
a lot of space. And he had a lead blocker.
I mean it's him a lead blocker and Alex Highsmith
and a whole lot of green grass.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
I mean, that's how they drew the players.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Exactly how they drew the playoff.
Speaker 7 (07:17):
Loganly doesn't get his hand on that one late in
the third quarter on what was a second and long
for Baltimore, all of a sudden that becomes either a
first down or a third in short, completely change the
tone of that drive. That's what it was. That type
of effort from everybody involved, and man did they need it.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
And gave Logan Le's another good example. But Rob briefly
wrote it, brought it up while we had him on
the phone, but he went into pretty much detail, and
he does a lot and I totally agree with him
that a lot of guys you weren't really counting on
have really contributed over the course of the year. Many
of them weren't even with the team right in training camp,
out of training camp, deep into the season. You know,
(07:58):
Dugger and those type of dude like they've continually churned
the balls. Samuel Junior, Yeah, you know, like, hey, Slay,
you know, if you're not super interested in playing, we're
not going to keep you around.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
You know that type of thing. It's easier said than done.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
You know that they've found a lot of a lot
of guys you know, buried that are bottom of the
roster type dudes, even like Connor Hayward. He's been on
the team a long time, but he was here because
not because the older brother, but he was here because
he's a great special teamer. And now he's your lead
blocking fullback. All of a sudden, he's taking snaps and like,
they've a lot of guys that can just get you
out of tough situations.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
Yes, they do, on both sides of the ball and
special teams. I thought Ben Scronick was great on special
teams last night, made a couple made a couple of
big tackles in space that you know, he like killer.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
Brew's one of the best special teams in the league,
and you don't know right early in the season.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I thought there was a couple of
times where it's like Scronic in the in the returner
in open space and he makes the tackle that you know,
keeps a three yard, four yard, five yard punt return
from being a fifteen to twenty yard yeah field up
being tight punt return super quick.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
And I think some of it's obvious, but I don't
think the Steelers won the special teams battle.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
Yesterday. No, I mean, I know they.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Maybe the last play was waited.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
The last place was great, but Boz's extra punting wasn't great.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Punting wasn't great.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
I'd be another thing like if we were in your
dissecting a loss would be like you lot of lost
a lot of field position on the punts.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
And not to mention the last kickoff was I mean
they brought back to midfield that was a problem.
Speaker 6 (09:25):
And I thought their punter was excellent. He had or
three maybe the best in the league. Hit some phenomenal
punts too.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
So I mean, in a steel a Raven battle, special
teams always is huge, and I didn't see they get
walloped on that side because Loop missing the kick was big, but.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
It wasn't the distinct advantage it normally is.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Definitely team.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
They were the loser in that small category.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
You know, we do need to just before we go
to break here.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
Kinger kind of mentioned it, but I want as we're
kind of handing out some some final roses here before
we go.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Around the league.
Speaker 7 (09:56):
With that win last night, not to be lost, Mike
Tomlin now ties Chuck Nole for most wins by a
head coach in Steelers franchise history, one hundred and ninety three.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Pretty good company, Pretty good company.
Speaker 7 (10:09):
And as long as this is not the last year
of Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, which I do not think
it's going to be. I got a feeling he's gonna
hit that two hundred mark pretty soon.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
Yeah, maybe Monday, But I mean, I assume postseason counts, And.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You know, that's a good question.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I think it's a good question.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
We'll have that.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
We'll have to look that super would be I think
it would be total, but we'll have to we'll have
to double check that. But yeah, could could climb start
climbing that list Monday and could certainly hit that two hundred.
Even if the Steelers were to go on to win
a Super Bowl, he still wouldn't hit two hundred this year.
Wouldn't have enough games right right, left. But that's gonna
be happening pretty soon. Bill Cower won forty nine. Hall
of Fame, Chuck Noll won ninety three. Hall of Fame,
(10:45):
Mike Tomlin won ninety three.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
He's gone, He's.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
Him, Cam DJ Aaron Aaron Ben still has to get in.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Yeah, I sure that guys are participating, Yes, but.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Guys who participated last night.
Speaker 7 (11:00):
Yeah, yeah, as as Yeah, a big one.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
And I asked you one to now you're throughout Hall
of Fame. I give Rogers credit because in his press
conference he was asked about Lamar and he said that
guy's gonna wear a gold jacket something. Yeah, you know, like, yeah,
what a phenomenal player, which is a thousand percent by
the way, he's definitely.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
Going, Oh, he's outstanding. And I think that's part of
the greater frustration.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Of Yeah, maybe we could, maybe we could dig.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
Into some more of this from a Baltimore perspective tomorrow,
because I didn't want to spend a lot of time
doing that today.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
But they might.
Speaker 7 (11:29):
They might be the most honked off fan base in
the NFL today based off their preseason expectations and how
this season ended last night at the hands of the Steelers. Lose.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Whether your biggest rivals are a lot or not, that
is an awful taste in your mouth to end the season.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
Yes, yes, it's a all time gut punch for the
Baltimore Ravens and that does not make us sad around
these parts. But uh, but yeah, maybe that's something we'll
talk a little bit more about tomorrow and where they
go from here and what it means for John Harball.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
And yeah, they it's across it.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Sure is.
Speaker 7 (12:01):
They are kind of at the end of the window
they've had here for a few years without much to
show for it. I'm not breaking out my tiny violin though,
I'll leave that. I'll leave that in the case. Let's
talk a little bit more around the league and now
the playoff. The twenty twenty five twenty six playoffs are
all set here. We'll do that when we return on
the other side. West Shouler, Matt Williamson. It is the
(12:23):
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
Your twos.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Radio, Week eighteen.
Speaker 7 (12:44):
In the Books, the twenty five twenty six NFL regular
season in the books. Yes, I'm finishing another bite of
the donut here, break right. I had to have a
second one for Craig Wolfley, obviously. You know, the only
thing better than one donut is two donuts. You see
a donut eat a donut.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
Max actually brought him in for rob shows, so I
had leftovers. Then you came walking in. I don't know
if I could do another.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Yea, he'd be very he'd be there, he'd be very upset. Okay,
really quick funny story for you. So on one of
these Victory Mondays, this would have been last year. Okay, Wolf,
Wolf and I are in the studio. He's doing the
show with Max, you know, Max is and his his
his home studio in Arizona, and it would be like
they would do their show and right after Wolf would
(13:28):
walk in, it was like Springsteen song. Wolf would walk out,
Mots would walk in, you know, and then Mots and
I would do the show like back to back. And
Wolf left a donut on the table for Moats. There
was like one dont one donut left and Wolf is like,
I'm gonna leave it for Moats and he just sets
it on the desk table in the studio.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Motes comes in and he's like, I'm not eating that.
Put it on a plate for me or a napkin.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Mots is like, you know all the heathens that come
into these studios.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
He's like, no chance, I'm eating that.
Speaker 7 (13:57):
So we opened the We opened the show laughing about
like Wolf left this donut for Motes on the desk,
should he eat it? And I'm like, absolutely, if he
does it, I'm gonna eat it. Motes is like, there's
no chance. He's like, I'm slightly.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
He saw the history of the doughnut.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
It only went from here to there, as opposed to
sitting there all day and people sneezing on it or whatever.
Speaker 7 (14:17):
Wolf's listening in the car driving home. He's so fired up.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
He calls us that's great.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
He's like you better even notes. No, he's like, you're
a linebacker. Come on, you're afraid of some germs on
a desk?
Speaker 6 (14:30):
A present for it?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Oh, it was fantastic. It was fantastic, Matt.
Speaker 7 (14:35):
The playoff picture is set not as much druma on
a typical week a team, but there was still plenty.
And I think particularly how everything played out in the
NFC South deserves a mention.
Speaker 6 (14:46):
Yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 7 (14:47):
Because remember we came in here on Friday. I was like,
we've got it, we've got it. We've got two winning
You're in games, and you were like, well, hold on,
young fella, Actually there's still a chance.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
That's not a true win.
Speaker 7 (14:57):
And in it was for Carolina, right, and they but
then they did it, but not for Tampa. And then
that loomed large because Tampa still needed the Saints to
beat the Falcons. So Tampa wins at home sixteen fourteen
against the Panthers on Saturday, but Sunday the Falcons nineteen
to seventeen over the Saints, and so despite the loss
(15:18):
Saturday night, the Panthers back door into the playoffs truly
as eight and nine NFC South champions, first time they've
won the division in ten years since one Cam Newton
was there and taken them to the Super Bowl, and
they will host a playoff game in Charlotte this weekend.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
So in some ways, a lot of ways good for them.
I mean, that's ahead of their timeline. That's definitely better
than I expected them to be this year. Sure, I
mean I thought it could be hot seat, new quarterback.
You know, this is one of the worst defenses in
the league, et cetera, et cetera. One more year picking
super early. So they won their division. There's something to
(15:59):
be said for that. And I know some people think
if you have a losing record, you should not host
a pinot game or you know, go in, And I
couldn't disagree more because you build to win your division.
They accomplished that no matter how you do it. But
they're a very weak playoff team.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
Oh, I mean they absolutely.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
They are fourteen fourteen.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
They're fourteen of fourteen.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
And I'm sure the Vegas odds reflect that.
Speaker 6 (16:20):
Yeah, I'm sure they do.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
And I'm I don't know what the spreads are in
any of these games yet, but I'm sure it's substantial.
But they weren't very impressive against the box, and they've
been struggling quite a bit lately. But hey, I mean again,
I had a schedule and the Atlanta wins and they
get fired.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
About.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
It's also Black Monday, by the way, folks.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
That's a tough spot for the new GM coming in
there with no first round pick.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:45):
Yeah, well, we'll talk more. Let's talk tomorrow. I want
to do some like end of the season wrap up
awards and stuff like that for you. Let's also talk
about coaching changes.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
I'm gonna put.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
They're trickling in, but I bet there'll be more by
the time we're back here.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Absolutely pretty much that we'll put that on the list
for tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (17:01):
The Carolina Panthers have by far, by far the worst
odds to win the Super Binch One hundred and fifty
to one.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
For reference, the Steelers have the second worst.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
That's a pretty good payoff, though. I mean, I'm not
saying they have any chance, but I could put that
on two bucks wins. Pretty good payoff, right.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
This really paints the picture the Steelers. So the Steelers have.
Speaker 7 (17:25):
The thirteenth out of fourteenth odds to win the Super
Bowl understandable forty five to one.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
So think about that.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
It's Carolina's three times as much as the next closest
team and the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
And they might play the best team in the league too,
which doesn't help.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Correct Seahawks won in terms of best odds rams just
on their heels, then Broncos, Patriots, Eagles, Bills. That's the
top of the list there, okay. And the Seahawks thirteen
to three over the Niners on Saturday Night on the
road to earn the one seed and the bye.
Speaker 6 (18:00):
Their defense was dominant to do that.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
That's what I like.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
I this whole time, I've thought Seattle is really good.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
But can they win a Super Bowl? I don't know,
you know, do they have the quarterback? Do they have
the I still have some doubts.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
I thought that was a nice step in the right direct,
but to hold.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
That Niners offense to three points.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
If they can play, if their defense can do that,
they're going to be and every They've got a great
chance to beat.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
Anybody, right, And I think Houston's going to be a
similar mold where right now the end of week eighteen,
I think Houston's the number one defense, but nipping on
their heels is Seattle and Philly and all three are alive.
Those three stand alone. To me, Denver's not quite at
that level anymore. And it just shows because I had
(18:44):
a lot of conversations last week. I'm not exactly even
sure why can a truly dominant defense win this whole thing?
And I still have my doubts, you know, like I'm
not sure that a Trent Dilfer led team can still
can win, right or you know, the Von Miller, Peyton
Manning at the end of his career type guys that
could barely throw. I don't know that the league is
(19:05):
set up that way. But it's not like these teams,
including Houston, have nothing on offense, you know.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
I mean, they don't have to win thirteen.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Nine every week, No, they do not.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
What's Houston's odds you saw have them up there.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
They're just behind them. They're just behind the Bills.
Speaker 7 (19:19):
Okay, So Seahawks one, Rams two, Broncos three, Patriots for
Eagles five, Buffalo six. Houston and Jacksonville are tied for
seventh best odds at thirteen to one.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Okay, I mean Jacksonville's hosting the game and playing really well.
I'm a little shocked there that low, But I think
some of it's also, what have you done the playoffs lately?
You know, New England, Denver, you know Jacksonville. These teams
are Chicago, you mentioned them.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
They're yeah, they're right. They don't have playoffs? You know
success lately?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Yes, yes, the Bears are right behind the Jags.
Speaker 7 (19:53):
Then the Packers, then the Chargers, Niners, Steelers, Panthers. Okay,
Other than that, Matt, what else around the league? Hey,
Miles Garrett, that's a big deal. Set the sack record.
Did Joe Burrow pull a Brett Farv and take a dive?
Speaker 5 (20:07):
I don't think so. I know some disagree. Tyler's over
there making faces at me and things. I ain't see him.
Speaker 7 (20:14):
Tyler is at times, I think I'm a Steelers homer,
but Tyler is like he sleeps in his terrible towel
blanket every night.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
I guess some of Myles Garrett Homer, though apparently you are.
Speaker 7 (20:24):
I'm in between both of TV TV's a Homer honk,
you're a Miles Garrett honk. I'm somewhere reasonable in between.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
I mean, I don't how much time did you watch it?
But he smoked Orlando Brown, and maybe Burrow could have
fought more for it, but I think he knew inevitably
he was a dry. Why do I want to.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
Get crushed by this dude.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
I'm just going down And I don't know that if
that was in week two, I don't think anybody be like, oh,
Borrow took a dive. That's that's a good point that
I don't think he took a dive.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Everyone like you know how the far play by the way,
he took a dive.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
The far was a.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Fake handoff roll out in the slide. I mean like
that was taking a die.
Speaker 7 (21:03):
That was yes, that was about that was about his
script that his script that has been.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
TJ didn't have those by the way, No, he did not.
And he actually robbed at half a sack if you.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Really and I saw a lot of people putting that out.
A lot of people also put h like TJ.
Speaker 7 (21:20):
People were putting the amount of snaps like Miles Garrett
did it in one hundred and fifty less snaps than TJ. Okay, Well,
a lot of TJ snaps were in coverage, so his
true pass Russia.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
I'm sure it's close.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Yeah, with all due respect to TJ.
Speaker 7 (21:32):
I don't feel the need to like pooh pooh Miles
Garrett or pump up TJ.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
It's it's a heck of an accomplishment by Miles Garrett.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
Yeah, but it's one that happened on a five win
football team that is not that bad. It wasn't like
when Strahan did it against against the against the Packers.
It wasn't like when TJ did it against the Ravens. Right,
let them, let them have it, hot high highlight, highlight of.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
The downs twenty first century. Let him have it.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
Yeah, and still game is perfect example. But it wasn't
easy down the home stretch for him either. No, I
mean they could go through a gauntlet to get there.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
Matt JJ McCarthy exits. The Vikings went over the Packers
with another injury. Could that be the nail of his coffin.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
I haven't heard since because I I pooh poohed a
lot of these injuries because there were so many menials games,
you know, like if this was a playoff game with
Mark McCarthy have finished tough to value. I mean, I
found it interesting that Josh Allen's gonna play, and we
talked a bunch about that going in. Like with his foot,
I would never play him once and I didn't realize
(22:43):
he has a consecutive game thing going takes one snap,
Trubisky comes in and just they steam rolls. Get As
much as I thought the Raiders were worse in the league,
Jets made a strong case down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Here.
Speaker 7 (22:57):
I want your thoughts on two different rookie quarterbacks that
we saw in action that I thought both looked pretty good.
The first Jackson Dart, the second Riley Leonard. Let's start
with Dart.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Yeah, and I'll do more homework on these guys. But
I'm not a huge Dark believer, But I think it's
crazy to think that even.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
With the Giants earn a year or two.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Yeah, I think you stick with.
Speaker 7 (23:19):
I think you and I are in lockstep on I'm
another receiver I'm not a big Dark believer, but I
need to see he's earned twenty twenty six to be
the guy there, build around him and see how it goes.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Less Johnny Knoxville needs to be in the in the description,
but guys have done that throughout their career. They learned
to protect themselves a little better. Caleb Williams is a
good example in terms of taking sacks compared to last year.
I would roll with it. And it's not like this
class is just dripping with quarterbacks. It's like, oh, we
could take Daniels may or Caleb Williams. That might be different. Jackson, Sorry,
(23:49):
you're out. Leonard's a tough one. Houston's defense pretty darn good.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
That's why. That's what I was impressed by.
Speaker 7 (23:57):
I thought, considering the defense he was going up against
and a Texans team that still needed to win that game,
or trying to win that game, I.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
Don't think you'd get this answer, but it would be
lovely to know. And I'm not saying the Philip Rivers
things was a bad idea because they were trying to
save their season, but it'd been nice to have Riley
Leonard for like all three of those games to say, really, evaluate,
can he be there? Can he be my starter for
the first month while Daniel Jones recovers Because Daniel Jones
(24:25):
a free agent, you know, like everyone's acting like he's
going back to Indie and he might, they might have
a handshake deal in place, but I don't think he's
very start the year.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
So what do you do about that?
Speaker 5 (24:36):
I mean, it'd be great if Leonard could at least
hand it to Jonathan Taylor the first month of the season.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Or whatever till you get to October type thing.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
And I don't know. I mean, I'm not saying he can't,
but we got some evidence that be okay.
Speaker 7 (24:46):
You know, maybe it's not as because the quarterback situation
was looking real dire for the Colts with no first round.
Speaker 6 (24:52):
Pick and they don't have a lot of options.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
But maybe Riley Leonard is a decent good enough for.
Speaker 7 (24:59):
Matt the I don't know if anybody other than Steeler Nation,
I don't know if there's many fan bases happier on
this Monday morning than the Kansas City Chiefs as they
fall to the Raiders. Raiders still, Raiders still keep the
top overall picks.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
That window that works for them works for them to
but the chief the Chiefs now are picking like seventh.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
I think it is almost feels unfair.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
It almost feels unfair.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
Yeah, Pete Carroll another one of those Black Monday coaches.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Since he's picking pretty high now too. You know, like
a couple of these teams that have big time.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Kenny Picket started and got pulled for Aidan O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
I mean it just we saw a whole bunch of backups.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Milton and McKee and on and on and on.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
But I paid less attention to the rest of the
league than any other week, honestly.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
I I I'm with you on that, and I had
it on.
Speaker 6 (25:47):
I watched the red zone.
Speaker 5 (25:48):
I paid attention, but there was it's a tough week
to evaluate.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
You're kind of just looking for individual players and things
like that at that point.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
And not to mention, I was on the pregame show
Tom for two hours during you know, a while all
the games were going on.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Yeah, so there we have it.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
You're yeah, we start talking about play up matchups and
things like that.
Speaker 6 (26:09):
As the week goes on.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Oh, absolutely absolutely. Uh Seahawks first round by.
Speaker 6 (26:15):
Yeah for them, What a season they've had.
Speaker 7 (26:16):
What a season they've had. This was the one I
wanted to ask you before we went to break. So
Bears bump up, Eagles rested everybody lost to the Commanders
that knocked them from the two seed down to the
three seed. Bears up to the two seed. They get
the Packers, which the league loves, by the way.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
And Bears Pack.
Speaker 7 (26:35):
Bears Packers in Chicago in the postseason. For the Eagles, though,
are they gonna rue that opportunity? I mean, the Ers
have their issues too, but man, the Packers other other
than the Panthers, the Packers feel like the team that
you would want to play most right now.
Speaker 6 (26:52):
I agree. I think they're eight.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
I know we're limp into the finish line.
Speaker 5 (26:56):
We're on Nation Radio, but Packers would be my second
longest off to win.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
Not the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
I'm with you on that, especially because they have to
go on the road too, and they're not They're not
going to host a home game no matter what.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
I think, Packers are in trouble.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
That I bet that was a tough call for the
Eagle staff, you know, because I'm sure hurts Barkley, you know,
like it could have rushed Lane Johnson back.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I'm sure theres.
Speaker 7 (27:19):
Played a lot of football the last few yearly appreciated.
They've played a lot of the last three Super Bowls.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Right, That's that's the matters for the Chiefs and Eagles
and all those extra games that are the hardest games
of the year. By the way, they're not going to
just you know, steamroll anybody.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Now.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
I think it's very possible that Seattle loses a game
and the Eagles will be like, we could have hosted
the NFC championship and now we've got.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
To go to Chicago.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
That's when it really the ramifications might kick in, and
you'd much rather play the Packers than the Niners.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
I think.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
So.
Speaker 7 (27:53):
The Niners have their issues, they're banged up to but
they're not limping to the finish.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Line like the Packers, and they've had postseason success.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Yes, that group knows what it takes to win that
time of year.
Speaker 6 (28:04):
The Packers are a joke.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
But although I will say in the last handful of years,
there's been some really good Niners Eagles postseason games, and
this could be kind of another check that feels like
the one of those you know a lot of times
there's like temporary rivalries like the Colts and the Patriots
for those handful of years, Like Niners Eagles kind of
feels like a little temporary rivalry here over the last
five or six years.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
They both come in first place a lot, so they
played a lot.
Speaker 7 (28:27):
Of They've played a lot of important games against each
other in the regular season and postseason.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
But that was, Yeah, that was the one that I
wanted to ask you.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Yeah, I think that's one of the teams that you
could go either way on.
Speaker 6 (28:38):
Was that the right choice or not?
Speaker 7 (28:40):
I and you know how they react to these things
in Philadelphia, But I know Sirian's getting crushed for that.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Oh you know my results on this.
Speaker 5 (28:47):
I mean this goes back to before the Browns game
and people would ask us all the time, should the
Steelers rest in this one and this one? And blah
blah blah blah. I'm like, there's it's a no win
situation for the coach, no.
Speaker 7 (29:00):
Finds super Bowl again. Then everyone will be like, oh,
but they will say.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
That they will wait arrest them in week eight.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
You remember four weeks ago when we said he was
an idiot, he was actually right.
Speaker 6 (29:09):
It'll only come up if it goes wrong.
Speaker 7 (29:11):
Correct, which is unfortunately that's life as a coach in
professional sports in a lot of ways.
Speaker 6 (29:16):
That's why they're well compensated.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
They are, They certainly are. Let's get to our last break.
Speaker 7 (29:21):
We'll cross some te's dot, some eyes, some vinyl thoughts
from the Steelers triumphant night over the Ravens and across
the league as well. When we return Westhuuler Matt Williamson.
It is the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on a
Steelers audio network.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Jackson, back to pass, rot, cut it down, it picked up,
picked off by TJ want, got it down by high
spind and what somehow fun on the deflection.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
And this it's coming.
Speaker 7 (30:04):
That's another one of those massive plays in a laundry
list of key moments in this game.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
Yeah, man, Alex high Smith.
Speaker 5 (30:12):
Has been ten biggest plays. You could come up with ten,
more than in most games.
Speaker 7 (30:17):
Yeah, I mean you could come up with probably at
least six or seven in those last couple of sequences alone. Yes,
and then all the other stuff that happened in the
in the first half and in the and in the
third quarter.
Speaker 5 (30:27):
There my apologies to back to back shows, But if
the Steelers lose that game, I might have said this
in the first segment. Boy would be talking about, Man,
they missed that fourth and short when they went into
the yep, not even want the end of the half,
they first.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
And goal and plus territory.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
Bos mister field goal. You know those Tuesday flowers. You'd
harp on just a couple of plays, and I'm so
glad we're not, you know, because I do think the
better team won.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I am very glad.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
The Ravens may plays, oh they Lamar may play.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
You know, Henry may play.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Look at this again.
Speaker 7 (31:07):
These are the type of things that we would be
pulling our hair out about if you ended up losing that.
At the end of the first quarter, one hundred and
twenty five yards for Baltimore, twenty one for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Yeah, I told you at the start of the show.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
I thought Derek Henry had seventy nine yards in the
first half, and you were like, no, it was one
to eleven.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
It was Derek Carrier had seventy nine yards in the
first quarter.
Speaker 7 (31:28):
He adds up, Matt, he had ten carries for seventy
nine yards in the first quarter and then got ten
carries the rest of the game.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
The rest of the game, right, And I do think
the Steelers d had something to do with that, and
they had a lot of big bodies on the field.
But we knew that, I'm like, this was not shocking.
We knew the Ravens are gonna put out Ricard and
Cohler and all their big bodies, and Steelers had a
lot of snaps with that extra linebacker. We talked about
whether it's off the ball or an edge guy. So
you had the lead and that's your biggest dog. And
(31:58):
Lamar made plays, but he wasn't himself. Lamar had zero scrambles.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
He had a couple of design.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
Zero scrambles in that game. And there was a play
I thought was real telling. I forget the exact part,
but it was in the second half where he's out
on the left side and doesn't even try. I mean
he's hesitating to throw it behind the line of scrimmag
He's hesitating.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
Like old Lamar had been like road runner out of bounds.
Speaker 7 (32:24):
First that last drive sequence with herbig too yeah, where
normally he was one yeah yeah, is that the one
you were yeah? And he does he does a little
spinner rama to get rid of the ball to it.
But in the past, like Lamar, were put the jets
on and he's.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
Gone, yeah exactly.
Speaker 5 (32:39):
So he made some a couple really really impressive plays,
but it was not the best version of him either. No,
But but thus give the ball to Henry we all expected,
and I'm I'm sure there's some question of what's going
on with Baltimore right now.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
That's something that that's probably the top of it.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Not like, hey, that's kickers, we got to Menia new
kick or whatever. That stuff happens. But you could got
yourself maybe in a better position by feeding the big guy.
Speaker 7 (33:06):
Oh I think one that if if that, if if
our show was you know, based out of based out
of Baltimore and covered in Old Bay here today, that
would I think would have been the first thing we
were talking about. Was you went away that you know,
he just had thirty six carries last week at Lambeau.
Speaker 6 (33:24):
That was the best thing your teammate going.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
And he gets ten carries after the first quarter last night.
Speaker 6 (33:28):
After ripping the apartment.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Oh my gosh. And what's crazy too, that number was
ten for seventy nine. If the.
Speaker 7 (33:37):
If the Zay Flowers personal foul penalty on Cam Hayward
doesn't happen on that first play, that number is even bigger.
Speaker 6 (33:43):
Yes, that's a good point, right because that he earned it.
Speaker 7 (33:45):
That ended up being like a twenty six yard gain
instead of a forty one day or whatever it was.
So so let's let's let's go. I mean, I know,
this is the end of the show. We got like
ten minutes left here. If you are the owner of
the Baltimore Rave and it's a tough one, are you
waking up today thinking all right, I've seen this same
script for a few years. We've been so talented, we've
(34:08):
had an MVP at quarterback, and it's the same not
being able to get it done in these close games
where it feels like in a lot it's like in
all these games almost it feels like the Ravens have
a lead and then get away from what got them there.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
That's really it's very true this year, but it's been
year after year with the Ravens squandering leads more than
most top teams or any top team, sometimes at the
most crucial moments, playoffs, et cetera. I don't know, I mean,
because it's not much different than if the Steelers lost
and we had this Tomlin conversation. I mean, like massively
(34:43):
successful organization, massively successful.
Speaker 7 (34:45):
I think it's even a little bit more like exacerbated
on their end though, Yeah, because they've had.
Speaker 5 (34:51):
I always think they've been a level ahead of the
Steelers for the last couple of years. They've had a
multi time win a playoff game, you know, right, Yes,
the quarterback. It's a lot different than Fields and Trubisky.
Speaker 7 (35:03):
I mean, they've won some playoff games in the last
handful of years. They went to an AFC championship. They've
had thirteen fourteen win seasons, so the expectations are a
little bit greater.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
It is like, what if Buffalo loses in the first round?
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Is it the same?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
I think so.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
I mean I get it. These are all time great quarterbacks.
Speaker 7 (35:22):
And I might sound like the Homer honk here now too. Yeah,
because Mike Tomlin's part of the talent evaluation and procurement
process for the Steelers. But I'm Grayton, Sean McDermott and
John Harbaugh a little bit on a tougher scale than
I am Mike Toland because of their quarterbacks. That's a thing,
and I know Mike Tomlin again is involved in the
process of selecting the Steelers quarterback, right. You know, whether
(35:45):
it was Kenny, whether it was Mitch, whether it was Ross,
whether it was Fields, whether it was Rogers. Make no mistake,
Mike Tomlin is a major factor, maybe the biggest factor
in those conversations.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
But he ain't got Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 6 (35:57):
That's the thing. He isn't the secret weapon. He doesn't
of the superhuman. Now. I was going to look at
it from.
Speaker 5 (36:01):
The other direction that I fault the front office, but
the head coaches in Buffalo and Baltimore certainly involved a
team building too. I mean, the reason that Baltimore and
Buffalo have not won a Super Bowl is not Lamar
or Allen.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
I don't believe that at all, especially in Buffalo, especially.
Speaker 6 (36:18):
In Buffalo, Like you can't tell, I mean, those guys
can't win the big one. Blah blah blah.
Speaker 7 (36:21):
Josh Allen's playoff numbers are the best, maybe the best
in league history. If you take away the wins and
losses and just look at the numbers on a per
game basis, he is or just watch a tape.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Watch the tape and Lamar.
Speaker 5 (36:33):
Is awesome too, you know. I mean, I mean again,
these are the m vps. They were neck and neck
a year ago. I have no questions about them.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
What I worry.
Speaker 5 (36:41):
About is, I mean the bills. Neither one of these
teams rosters is as good as people think, and they're
gonna have tough offseasons, especially if we just stick with Baltimore.
Linder Baum's a free agent and the rest of the
O line isn't very good.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
His extension big money kicks in point.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
Their pass rush is poor, not their fault, but they
gave Matabuque big money and he may.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Never play again or be the same.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
They've also got to make a decision Flowers.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Yeah, Henry's great, but all of a sudden, their skill
guys are a little old in terms of like andrews Henry,
you know, like they need some other playmaker, whether it's
a scatback or a second receiver.
Speaker 6 (37:24):
Bateman's kind of been a wha.
Speaker 7 (37:25):
They could use the Kenneth Gainwell type, Yeah, they could.
They don't get any ideas Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
Yeah, and they don't have a ton of resources, you know,
So it's I'm not there yet, but I could see
the window closing or slamming shut. But the fact they
have Lamar keeps it open. I mean what Burrows say,
like along as the window open as long as I'm here,
as long as I'm here, which I love and I
think is super cool. But is their window open just
(37:50):
because he's there? I mean they haven't team built around
him very well.
Speaker 7 (37:54):
All right, So who's and I guess to be fair,
we need to wait and see how it plays out
with Yeah, yeah, who's Who's off season ahead? Would you
rather have Bengals, Ravens or Bills? I mean, Bills is
the obvious answer, But so maybe of the Ravens or
the Bengals. Maybe that's an oxymoron.
Speaker 5 (38:12):
I mean, I don't know who is the best roster.
If we take quarterback out of the equation, they're not equal,
but all three quarterbacks are at least on the same tier.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
You know, like the Browns might have a better roster
than both of those teams if you take quarters.
Speaker 5 (38:25):
Good not to mention they got all the early picks,
and you know they have a lot more resources they do,
they just don't have the quarterback. I don't know. I mean,
maybe even throw the Chiefs in there too. I mean
of the four superpower quarterbacks. Now, Allen could still win
the whole thing, and then everything was great, but.
Speaker 7 (38:42):
Then that changes everything and gets a lifetime contract, and yeah.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
Sure, but all those teams have a lot of big
picture concerns other than quarterback.
Speaker 7 (38:53):
Yes, yes, I did want to make sure and mentioned Matt.
It was pretty funny. We got a bunch of tweets.
B Wiggs tweeted us, Brad tweeted us, Chris tweeted us,
Steele Curtin tweeted us. I'm trying to run through the
full gam bit here. Frank tweeted us. A couple at
(39:15):
least seven or eight people tweeted us and said that
we absolutely both have to pick the Houston Texas to
win on Monday night. Yeah, listen, we know what we're
doing here, all right, we know what we're doing here.
Speaker 6 (39:26):
It's funny. The last minute of the pregame show, r.
Speaker 5 (39:29):
J was the other one who tweeted us that Tom
picked the Steelers will win twenty seventeen. I picked the
Steers will lose twenty seventeen. And we went through all
the reasons and blah blah blah, and I kind of
set at the end I'm like, don't tell anybody. Usually
when I pick against them, they win.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
I heard you say, because we have it on in
the booth.
Speaker 7 (39:46):
Okay, so you know we can kind of follow along
with the timeline and everything and just what you guys
are talking about. Yeah, that was funny. Listen, it's I
will lean it. I'll tell you this right now. I'm
gonna pick Houston, all right, I'll tell you this right now.
Speaker 6 (40:01):
I think they're the better team.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
I'm doing my part.
Speaker 5 (40:03):
Yeah, yeah, and I think if that that's gonna propel
the Steelers with victory, I might have to do it too.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
We will.
Speaker 5 (40:10):
It's gonna be a fun game to break down too.
And this one still is done from resonating with me,
you know.
Speaker 7 (40:16):
Oh well, we'll have more on this tomorrow. I'm gonna
go home and I'm gonna rewatch tonight. I'm actually I'm
always excited to rewatch, but especially tonight because there's no
Monday night football game or.
Speaker 6 (40:25):
Yeah, no Thursday night. There's a Monday night. It's a
weird week.
Speaker 7 (40:27):
There's not like something else to take my attention tonight.
And it's gonna be a fun week, Matt because oh yeah,
Thursday Friday, we have college football playoffs semi finals, and
then Saturdays.
Speaker 6 (40:38):
There is something around campus before those. I I would think.
Speaker 3 (40:41):
Maybe maybe Thursday will do it.
Speaker 7 (40:42):
Not our typical like beefy, beefy, ten minutes on Thursday
talking about those games.
Speaker 6 (40:47):
Prospects to watch maybe or maybething like that.
Speaker 7 (40:49):
Maybe six minutes Thursday and six minutes Friday, you know,
on the on the games five six minutes.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
Saturday, play Chambliss a little bit, maybe, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (40:57):
Some of the other prospects, well, all there's very very interesting,
you know, court, all four of these quarterbacks could factor
into the Steelers equation this year or next year.
Speaker 5 (41:06):
And I get the impression too, like even like Samson
with Alabama, he has a decision to make still and
there's movement and who's going where, and so there's a
lot of college stuff to discuss.
Speaker 7 (41:17):
Got uh got that on Thursday and Friday, and then
of course Saturday Sunday NFL playoff games all day wild
Card Round and then we'll be waiting all day for
Monday night. Which uh again, like I said to you
when when that was first floated as the possibility, when
like when I got to the stadium last night, Yeah,
(41:38):
there was like some chatter of like Winter's.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
Gonna get Monday Night, and I'm like no, I'm like, one,
it's the Steelers. They're not gonna put the Steelers on.
Speaker 7 (41:47):
That's the throwaway game that they put on Monday nights. Yeah,
I mean, they're not gonna put the Steelers on Monday Night.
Speaker 6 (41:53):
Houston usually gets a bad time.
Speaker 7 (41:55):
Houston is on Saturday. It's like their birthright. He that
the Texans are on Saturday. But now I'm coming up
to it a little bit.
Speaker 5 (42:01):
The atmosphere, you know, like that doesn't short your own
rest on any way, actually gain rest.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
And they pretty good record at home on Monday Night,
Yes they do.
Speaker 7 (42:12):
Hey, the playoff streak has not gone in the Steelers way.
The Monday Night football streak has gone in the Steelers way.
Speaker 6 (42:18):
Oh yeah, the.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
Unstoppable force meets the immovable object.
Speaker 6 (42:23):
It should be fun.
Speaker 7 (42:24):
A week from today, a little over seven days from
right now, it's gonna be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
It's going to be a lot of fun this week
as we'll get geared up for it. Yes as well.
Oh it sure was.
Speaker 7 (42:34):
Again, like I said, like that's that's why you and
I wanted to get into these types of careers. That's
why if you go to the games, that's why you
show up and buy the gear and put in the
miles and the money, and you sit through some of
the disappointing losses and performances for games like that and
nights like that. It was a lot of fun and
it'll go in the time capsule forever no matter what
happens next week. It does right that last night goes
(42:55):
in the time capsule forever again.
Speaker 5 (42:58):
Episode There's many times you said the show that was
a pretty extreme fiction to write to sell your editors
on Carsese.
Speaker 7 (43:07):
I don't know if Scorsese would would have written that
into the depotted, you know, but the Steelers fans did
a great job of affecting the environment last night, and
I know they'll do a good job again On Monday
Tomorrow on the show, we'll catch up with Chris Adamski,
we'll get into our Tuesday rewind as Matt and I
have some final thoughts from this one, and we'll take
more looks at the moving and shaking of the NFL
(43:30):
coaching carousel around the National Football League. Big thanks to
Rob King for joining us today, Nathan for producing on
the radio, side TV, Tyler V on the video side,
keeping us handsome on YouTube. For Matt Williamson, I'm west Shuler.
Take care everybody, enjoy the victory Monday, and we will
talk to you tomorrow. As always, you know where to
find us. It's on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio on the
(43:52):
Steelers Audio Network.
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goals Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Come Rod, just get to snap.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
We'll get the game well, sweeping right.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
And game one golf score.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
Of Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown with three forty nine remaining in
the fourth quarter.
Speaker 5 (00:24):
He sweeps around right.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
End, touchs inside a blocker and scores the touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Good evening, Steeler Nation. How we do it? Well, that's
good us too.
Speaker 6 (00:35):
I'm sure doing pretty good.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Had some fun at least they better be.
Speaker 7 (00:38):
Yeah, maybe maybe a nursing some some some headaches and
some lack of sleep and some some sore throats, and
y's that's why you play the game, baby h and
everyone there last night certainly did their part without a doubt.
As we kind of highlighted in the first hour of
the show, Matt on that call there that we just
heard to open the second hour, that, of course Kenneth
(00:59):
Gainwell touchdown to put the Steelers in the lead before
things really started to get wild there another likely part
of me another Ze Flowers touchdown and then the response
of Calvin Austin on that play there an outstanding seal
block on the right side of the line by Troy Faltanu,
and I think he's another one, and really the Steelers
(01:19):
offensive line in general. You said on Friday, the Steelers
are better in the trenches on both sides of the ball,
and so often when these teams play, that's the case.
I thought the Steelers offensive line really did an excellent.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
Job last night, that they were phenomenal.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
So I think it's the best place they've been in
collectively all year. Part of it's not just because Cook
replaced Jones, I mean because we've hat see them all
and out of line up a little bit these last
couple weeks as well. But I think that they're really
gelling together. They haven't had a lot of turnover knock
on wood, which is really important, especially for a young
group like this.
Speaker 6 (01:56):
I think they're really starting to get.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Their footing under them in terms of the variety of
run play as they run, it's not as much outside
zone things of that nature. But what was huge, and
you and I broke this down a lot, was we
knew or highly suspected the Ravens would take a similar
approach to defending the Steelers as the Browns, that they
would get out of their zone heavy back the man
(02:19):
up single.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
High, and we knew they weren't as good at it.
Speaker 7 (02:23):
As the Browns, especially sans Kyle Hamilton from that second half.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
And the numbers were distinctly different with him without him.
But I also think Rogers are starting to feel himself too,
so I think there's more things at play than that.
Speaker 6 (02:34):
But it was big.
Speaker 7 (02:34):
It was like the Steelers were taking a step forward
as they were taking a step back at the same
time at the same time.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Yeah, and you lose your best guy, obviously, no doubt
that's a problem for them.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
But I also think that even.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
If I don't think anyone's gonna I'm not going to
convince anyone to well, the Steelers wide receivers were really good. No,
they're playing with subpar unit.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
They were better than they were in Cleveland.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
They were better they were in Cleveland.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
And Mike my key here was going back to the
offensive line, is if Rogers can actually go from one
to two, maybe even to three as opposed to one
and done, I get the ball out because Cleveland's all
over me. I mean, the pass rush difference between these
defenses is night and day. I mean, Cleveland's is the
best or one of the Ravens is the worst or
(03:19):
one of now this upcoming teams the best or one
of But we'll get to that.
Speaker 6 (03:23):
We jump off that bridge. We when we come to it.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
But the fact that Rogers could could survey the scene
a little bit more, which is a mile in this league,
receivers are going to get open, you know, I mean,
and they still struggled. There was a lot of tight
man coverage, a lot of tight window throws, some force
throws that like man, I got nothing else to go
with here. But if you give Rogers time to go
(03:49):
through it, professional receivers are going to pop open. Yes,
two point seven seconds is and oppose to two point one.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Absolutely absolutely feeling had a big grab or.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Two mvs made that catch behind them.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Catch behind him on what he does.
Speaker 7 (04:06):
And you know, there were even some missed opportunities out
there for the offense, like you think of that one
that Aaron Rodgers missed it what would have been an
explosive to John new Smith missed him bad. They were
still able to progressively get better and better as the
game went along, And aside from Cleveland, we've seen a
lot of that lately where the second half the offense
(04:27):
has just exploded.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I mean they they did a good run game.
Speaker 6 (04:29):
It's better the protection gets better.
Speaker 7 (04:31):
Did a good job of that against the Dolphins. They
did a good job of that against the Lions. They
did a good job of that the first round with
the Ravens in Baltimore and.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Their physical come at you, you know, offensively too. And
I mean again you mentioned Fraser's quote, you know that
teams aren't as It's definitely was screw with Miami. They
weren't as anxious to battle you at the end of
the game as they were at the beginning, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Because those guys want to be physical.
Speaker 7 (04:54):
They they kind of they dictate the flow. And then
Jalen Warren for I'm gonna break some news here, Matt
but he's not built like Derrick Henry. No, but he
might be just as a pain in the in the
in the backside to tackle.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
I mean, he thought he was phenomenal bring down and
I still think he's under rage.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Junkyard Dog, I completely agree.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
I mean, I think he's one of the Steelers' best
players and a very good running back.
Speaker 6 (05:20):
I'm not saying he's Bejon. I mean, there's.
Speaker 7 (05:23):
Right, all the big name household running backs you take
them out of the equation.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
He's at the top of the list of the next group.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
And he does everything so well. I mean, he'd a
couple of big blitz pick ups. I mean the Ravens
had the blitz a lot to create pressure. He's great
in the passing game. He's just an absolute nightmare to tackle.
His body type works to his advantage. Rob mentioned this,
and I bring it up because he brought it up
on the other show we did. I still don't quite
understand why he's not the goal line back. I mean
(05:51):
not the game well is bad at it. But I
think they've gotten in their heads since they've had him is.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
Nause He's a goal line back. That's not really who
you are.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
But they might need to reexam in that, yeah, because
I don't think he has any weaknesses in that regard.
Speaker 7 (06:03):
And let's uh, let's let's let's let's just run behind
Zach Frasier at the goal line.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Okay, let's not.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Uh, it's not cute, stuffy.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Let's not get cute out there and try and pitch
it into open space and make Kenneth gain Well dance
around multiple defenders.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I've seen them do it before, but I don't want
them to have to do it. And and the tight
the tight windows. There of a situation.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Where maybe you're getting a little too cute here, guys
the last couple of weeks, like when the tush push
gain Well takes it, and that's that's good.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
To keep teams honest.
Speaker 6 (06:36):
But there's times where it's like, let's just muscle these dudes,
you know.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Because you got the muscle, you've got the muscle to
do it.
Speaker 7 (06:41):
And that that played out over the course of of
that game last night, and I mean it took. It
took everybody. It took every single person putting their hand
in that pile. Matt logan Lee played one defensive snap
against the Ravens, reflected a pass in a massive moment.
One snap and he gets his hand on a football
and the lexa pass intended for Derrick Henry where it
(07:02):
looked like Derrick Henry had some room. I'm kind of
watching it here now. I mean, if Henry would have
been able to make one guy miss, he would have
a lot of space. And he had a lead blocker.
I mean it's him a lead blocker and Alex Highsmith
and a whole lot of green grass.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
I mean, that's how they drew the players.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Exactly how they drew the playoff.
Speaker 7 (07:17):
Loganly doesn't get his hand on that one late in
the third quarter on what was a second and long
for Baltimore, all of a sudden that becomes either a
first down or a third in short, completely change the
tone of that drive. That's what it was. That type
of effort from everybody involved, and man did they need it.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
And gave Logan Le's another good example. But Rob briefly
wrote it, brought it up while we had him on
the phone, but he went into pretty much detail, and
he does a lot and I totally agree with him
that a lot of guys you weren't really counting on
have really contributed over the course of the year. Many
of them weren't even with the team right in training camp,
out of training camp, deep into the season. You know,
(07:58):
Dugger and those type of dude like they've continually churned
the balls. Samuel Junior, Yeah, you know, like, hey, Slay,
you know, if you're not super interested in playing, we're
not going to keep you around.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
You know that type of thing. It's easier said than done.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
You know that they've found a lot of a lot
of guys you know, buried that are bottom of the
roster type dudes, even like Connor Hayward. He's been on
the team a long time, but he was here because
not because the older brother, but he was here because
he's a great special teamer. And now he's your lead
blocking fullback. All of a sudden, he's taking snaps and like,
they've a lot of guys that can just get you
out of tough situations.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
Yes, they do, on both sides of the ball and
special teams. I thought Ben Scronick was great on special
teams last night, made a couple made a couple of
big tackles in space that you know, he like killer.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
Brew's one of the best special teams in the league,
and you don't know right early in the season.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I thought there was a couple of
times where it's like Scronic in the in the returner
in open space and he makes the tackle that you know,
keeps a three yard, four yard, five yard punt return
from being a fifteen to twenty yard yeah field up
being tight punt return super quick.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
And I think some of it's obvious, but I don't
think the Steelers won the special teams battle.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
Yesterday. No, I mean, I know they.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Maybe the last play was waited.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
The last place was great, but Boz's extra punting wasn't great.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Punting wasn't great.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
I'd be another thing like if we were in your
dissecting a loss would be like you lot of lost
a lot of field position on the punts.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
And not to mention the last kickoff was I mean
they brought back to midfield that was a problem.
Speaker 6 (09:25):
And I thought their punter was excellent. He had or
three maybe the best in the league. Hit some phenomenal
punts too.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
So I mean, in a steel a Raven battle, special
teams always is huge, and I didn't see they get
walloped on that side because Loop missing the kick was big, but.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
It wasn't the distinct advantage it normally is.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Definitely team.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
They were the loser in that small category.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
You know, we do need to just before we go
to break here.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
Kinger kind of mentioned it, but I want as we're
kind of handing out some some final roses here before
we go.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Around the league.
Speaker 7 (09:56):
With that win last night, not to be lost, Mike
Tomlin now ties Chuck Nole for most wins by a
head coach in Steelers franchise history, one hundred and ninety three.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Pretty good company, Pretty good company.
Speaker 7 (10:09):
And as long as this is not the last year
of Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, which I do not think
it's going to be. I got a feeling he's gonna
hit that two hundred mark pretty soon.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
Yeah, maybe Monday, But I mean, I assume postseason counts, And.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You know, that's a good question.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I think it's a good question.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
We'll have that.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
We'll have to look that super would be I think
it would be total, but we'll have to we'll have
to double check that. But yeah, could could climb start
climbing that list Monday and could certainly hit that two hundred.
Even if the Steelers were to go on to win
a Super Bowl, he still wouldn't hit two hundred this year.
Wouldn't have enough games right right, left. But that's gonna
be happening pretty soon. Bill Cower won forty nine. Hall
of Fame, Chuck Noll won ninety three. Hall of Fame,
(10:45):
Mike Tomlin won ninety three.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
He's gone, He's.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
Him, Cam DJ Aaron Aaron Ben still has to get in.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Yeah, I sure that guys are participating, Yes, but.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Guys who participated last night.
Speaker 7 (11:00):
Yeah, yeah, as as Yeah, a big one.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
And I asked you one to now you're throughout Hall
of Fame. I give Rogers credit because in his press
conference he was asked about Lamar and he said that
guy's gonna wear a gold jacket something. Yeah, you know, like, yeah,
what a phenomenal player, which is a thousand percent by
the way, he's definitely.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
Going, Oh, he's outstanding. And I think that's part of
the greater frustration.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Of Yeah, maybe we could, maybe we could dig.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
Into some more of this from a Baltimore perspective tomorrow,
because I didn't want to spend a lot of time
doing that today.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
But they might.
Speaker 7 (11:29):
They might be the most honked off fan base in
the NFL today based off their preseason expectations and how
this season ended last night at the hands of the Steelers. Lose.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Whether your biggest rivals are a lot or not, that
is an awful taste in your mouth to end the season.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
Yes, yes, it's a all time gut punch for the
Baltimore Ravens and that does not make us sad around
these parts. But uh, but yeah, maybe that's something we'll
talk a little bit more about tomorrow and where they
go from here and what it means for John Harball.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
And yeah, they it's across it.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Sure is.
Speaker 7 (12:01):
They are kind of at the end of the window
they've had here for a few years without much to
show for it. I'm not breaking out my tiny violin though,
I'll leave that. I'll leave that in the case. Let's
talk a little bit more around the league and now
the playoff. The twenty twenty five twenty six playoffs are
all set here. We'll do that when we return on
the other side. West Shouler, Matt Williamson. It is the
(12:23):
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
Your twos.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Radio, Week eighteen.
Speaker 7 (12:44):
In the Books, the twenty five twenty six NFL regular
season in the books. Yes, I'm finishing another bite of
the donut here, break right. I had to have a
second one for Craig Wolfley, obviously. You know, the only
thing better than one donut is two donuts. You see
a donut eat a donut.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
Max actually brought him in for rob shows, so I
had leftovers. Then you came walking in. I don't know
if I could do another.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Yea, he'd be very he'd be there, he'd be very upset. Okay,
really quick funny story for you. So on one of
these Victory Mondays, this would have been last year. Okay, Wolf,
Wolf and I are in the studio. He's doing the
show with Max, you know, Max is and his his
his home studio in Arizona, and it would be like
they would do their show and right after Wolf would
(13:28):
walk in, it was like Springsteen song. Wolf would walk out,
Mots would walk in, you know, and then Mots and
I would do the show like back to back. And
Wolf left a donut on the table for Moats. There
was like one dont one donut left and Wolf is like,
I'm gonna leave it for Moats and he just sets
it on the desk table in the studio.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Motes comes in and he's like, I'm not eating that.
Put it on a plate for me or a napkin.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Mots is like, you know all the heathens that come
into these studios.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
He's like, no chance, I'm eating that.
Speaker 7 (13:57):
So we opened the We opened the show laughing about
like Wolf left this donut for Motes on the desk,
should he eat it? And I'm like, absolutely, if he
does it, I'm gonna eat it. Motes is like, there's
no chance. He's like, I'm slightly.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
He saw the history of the doughnut.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
It only went from here to there, as opposed to
sitting there all day and people sneezing on it or whatever.
Speaker 7 (14:17):
Wolf's listening in the car driving home. He's so fired up.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
He calls us that's great.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
He's like you better even notes. No, he's like, you're
a linebacker. Come on, you're afraid of some germs on
a desk?
Speaker 6 (14:30):
A present for it?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Oh, it was fantastic. It was fantastic, Matt.
Speaker 7 (14:35):
The playoff picture is set not as much druma on
a typical week a team, but there was still plenty.
And I think particularly how everything played out in the
NFC South deserves a mention.
Speaker 6 (14:46):
Yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 7 (14:47):
Because remember we came in here on Friday. I was like,
we've got it, we've got it. We've got two winning
You're in games, and you were like, well, hold on,
young fella, Actually there's still a chance.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
That's not a true win.
Speaker 7 (14:57):
And in it was for Carolina, right, and they but
then they did it, but not for Tampa. And then
that loomed large because Tampa still needed the Saints to
beat the Falcons. So Tampa wins at home sixteen fourteen
against the Panthers on Saturday, but Sunday the Falcons nineteen
to seventeen over the Saints, and so despite the loss
(15:18):
Saturday night, the Panthers back door into the playoffs truly
as eight and nine NFC South champions, first time they've
won the division in ten years since one Cam Newton
was there and taken them to the Super Bowl, and
they will host a playoff game in Charlotte this weekend.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
So in some ways, a lot of ways good for them.
I mean, that's ahead of their timeline. That's definitely better
than I expected them to be this year. Sure, I
mean I thought it could be hot seat, new quarterback.
You know, this is one of the worst defenses in
the league, et cetera, et cetera. One more year picking
super early. So they won their division. There's something to
(15:59):
be said for that. And I know some people think
if you have a losing record, you should not host
a pinot game or you know, go in, And I
couldn't disagree more because you build to win your division.
They accomplished that no matter how you do it. But
they're a very weak playoff team.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
Oh, I mean they absolutely.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
They are fourteen fourteen.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
They're fourteen of fourteen.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
And I'm sure the Vegas odds reflect that.
Speaker 6 (16:20):
Yeah, I'm sure they do.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
And I'm I don't know what the spreads are in
any of these games yet, but I'm sure it's substantial.
But they weren't very impressive against the box, and they've
been struggling quite a bit lately. But hey, I mean again,
I had a schedule and the Atlanta wins and they
get fired.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
About.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
It's also Black Monday, by the way, folks.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
That's a tough spot for the new GM coming in
there with no first round pick.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:45):
Yeah, well, we'll talk more. Let's talk tomorrow. I want
to do some like end of the season wrap up
awards and stuff like that for you. Let's also talk
about coaching changes.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
I'm gonna put.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
They're trickling in, but I bet there'll be more by
the time we're back here.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Absolutely pretty much that we'll put that on the list
for tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (17:01):
The Carolina Panthers have by far, by far the worst
odds to win the Super Binch One hundred and fifty
to one.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
For reference, the Steelers have the second worst.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
That's a pretty good payoff, though. I mean, I'm not
saying they have any chance, but I could put that
on two bucks wins. Pretty good payoff, right.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
This really paints the picture the Steelers. So the Steelers have.
Speaker 7 (17:25):
The thirteenth out of fourteenth odds to win the Super
Bowl understandable forty five to one.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
So think about that.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
It's Carolina's three times as much as the next closest
team and the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
And they might play the best team in the league too,
which doesn't help.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Correct Seahawks won in terms of best odds rams just
on their heels, then Broncos, Patriots, Eagles, Bills. That's the
top of the list there, okay. And the Seahawks thirteen
to three over the Niners on Saturday Night on the
road to earn the one seed and the bye.
Speaker 6 (18:00):
Their defense was dominant to do that.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
That's what I like.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
I this whole time, I've thought Seattle is really good.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
But can they win a Super Bowl? I don't know,
you know, do they have the quarterback? Do they have
the I still have some doubts.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
I thought that was a nice step in the right direct,
but to hold.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
That Niners offense to three points.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
If they can play, if their defense can do that,
they're going to be and every They've got a great
chance to beat.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
Anybody, right, And I think Houston's going to be a
similar mold where right now the end of week eighteen,
I think Houston's the number one defense, but nipping on
their heels is Seattle and Philly and all three are alive.
Those three stand alone. To me, Denver's not quite at
that level anymore. And it just shows because I had
(18:44):
a lot of conversations last week. I'm not exactly even
sure why can a truly dominant defense win this whole thing?
And I still have my doubts, you know, like I'm
not sure that a Trent Dilfer led team can still
can win, right or you know, the Von Miller, Peyton
Manning at the end of his career type guys that
could barely throw. I don't know that the league is
(19:05):
set up that way. But it's not like these teams,
including Houston, have nothing on offense, you know.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
I mean, they don't have to win thirteen.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Nine every week, No, they do not.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
What's Houston's odds you saw have them up there.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
They're just behind them. They're just behind the Bills.
Speaker 7 (19:19):
Okay, So Seahawks one, Rams two, Broncos three, Patriots for
Eagles five, Buffalo six. Houston and Jacksonville are tied for
seventh best odds at thirteen to one.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Okay, I mean Jacksonville's hosting the game and playing really well.
I'm a little shocked there that low, But I think
some of it's also, what have you done the playoffs lately?
You know, New England, Denver, you know Jacksonville. These teams
are Chicago, you mentioned them.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
They're yeah, they're right. They don't have playoffs? You know
success lately?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Yes, yes, the Bears are right behind the Jags.
Speaker 7 (19:53):
Then the Packers, then the Chargers, Niners, Steelers, Panthers. Okay,
Other than that, Matt, what else around the league? Hey,
Miles Garrett, that's a big deal. Set the sack record.
Did Joe Burrow pull a Brett Farv and take a dive?
Speaker 5 (20:07):
I don't think so. I know some disagree. Tyler's over
there making faces at me and things. I ain't see him.
Speaker 7 (20:14):
Tyler is at times, I think I'm a Steelers homer,
but Tyler is like he sleeps in his terrible towel
blanket every night.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
I guess some of Myles Garrett Homer, though apparently you are.
Speaker 7 (20:24):
I'm in between both of TV TV's a Homer honk,
you're a Miles Garrett honk. I'm somewhere reasonable in between.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
I mean, I don't how much time did you watch it?
But he smoked Orlando Brown, and maybe Burrow could have
fought more for it, but I think he knew inevitably
he was a dry. Why do I want to.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
Get crushed by this dude.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
I'm just going down And I don't know that if
that was in week two, I don't think anybody be like, oh,
Borrow took a dive. That's that's a good point that
I don't think he took a dive.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Everyone like you know how the far play by the way,
he took a dive.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
The far was a.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Fake handoff roll out in the slide. I mean like
that was taking a die.
Speaker 7 (21:03):
That was yes, that was about that was about his
script that his script that has been.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
TJ didn't have those by the way, No, he did not.
And he actually robbed at half a sack if you.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Really and I saw a lot of people putting that out.
A lot of people also put h like TJ.
Speaker 7 (21:20):
People were putting the amount of snaps like Miles Garrett
did it in one hundred and fifty less snaps than TJ. Okay, Well,
a lot of TJ snaps were in coverage, so his
true pass Russia.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
I'm sure it's close.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Yeah, with all due respect to TJ.
Speaker 7 (21:32):
I don't feel the need to like pooh pooh Miles
Garrett or pump up TJ.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
It's it's a heck of an accomplishment by Miles Garrett.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
Yeah, but it's one that happened on a five win
football team that is not that bad. It wasn't like
when Strahan did it against against the against the Packers.
It wasn't like when TJ did it against the Ravens. Right,
let them, let them have it, hot high highlight, highlight of.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
The downs twenty first century. Let him have it.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
Yeah, and still game is perfect example. But it wasn't
easy down the home stretch for him either. No, I
mean they could go through a gauntlet to get there.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
Matt JJ McCarthy exits. The Vikings went over the Packers
with another injury. Could that be the nail of his coffin.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
I haven't heard since because I I pooh poohed a
lot of these injuries because there were so many menials games,
you know, like if this was a playoff game with
Mark McCarthy have finished tough to value. I mean, I
found it interesting that Josh Allen's gonna play, and we
talked a bunch about that going in. Like with his foot,
I would never play him once and I didn't realize
(22:43):
he has a consecutive game thing going takes one snap,
Trubisky comes in and just they steam rolls. Get As
much as I thought the Raiders were worse in the league,
Jets made a strong case down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Here.
Speaker 7 (22:57):
I want your thoughts on two different rookie quarterbacks that
we saw in action that I thought both looked pretty good.
The first Jackson Dart, the second Riley Leonard. Let's start
with Dart.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Yeah, and I'll do more homework on these guys. But
I'm not a huge Dark believer, But I think it's
crazy to think that even.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
With the Giants earn a year or two.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Yeah, I think you stick with.
Speaker 7 (23:19):
I think you and I are in lockstep on I'm
another receiver I'm not a big Dark believer, but I
need to see he's earned twenty twenty six to be
the guy there, build around him and see how it goes.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
Less Johnny Knoxville needs to be in the in the description,
but guys have done that throughout their career. They learned
to protect themselves a little better. Caleb Williams is a
good example in terms of taking sacks compared to last year.
I would roll with it. And it's not like this
class is just dripping with quarterbacks. It's like, oh, we
could take Daniels may or Caleb Williams. That might be different. Jackson, Sorry,
(23:49):
you're out. Leonard's a tough one. Houston's defense pretty darn good.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
That's why. That's what I was impressed by.
Speaker 7 (23:57):
I thought, considering the defense he was going up against
and a Texans team that still needed to win that game,
or trying to win that game, I.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
Don't think you'd get this answer, but it would be
lovely to know. And I'm not saying the Philip Rivers
things was a bad idea because they were trying to
save their season, but it'd been nice to have Riley
Leonard for like all three of those games to say, really, evaluate,
can he be there? Can he be my starter for
the first month while Daniel Jones recovers Because Daniel Jones
(24:25):
a free agent, you know, like everyone's acting like he's
going back to Indie and he might, they might have
a handshake deal in place, but I don't think he's
very start the year.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
So what do you do about that?
Speaker 5 (24:36):
I mean, it'd be great if Leonard could at least
hand it to Jonathan Taylor the first month of the season.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Or whatever till you get to October type thing.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
And I don't know. I mean, I'm not saying he can't,
but we got some evidence that be okay.
Speaker 7 (24:46):
You know, maybe it's not as because the quarterback situation
was looking real dire for the Colts with no first round.
Speaker 6 (24:52):
Pick and they don't have a lot of options.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
But maybe Riley Leonard is a decent good enough for.
Speaker 7 (24:59):
Matt the I don't know if anybody other than Steeler Nation,
I don't know if there's many fan bases happier on
this Monday morning than the Kansas City Chiefs as they
fall to the Raiders. Raiders still, Raiders still keep the
top overall picks.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
That window that works for them works for them to
but the chief the Chiefs now are picking like seventh.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
I think it is almost feels unfair.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
It almost feels unfair.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
Yeah, Pete Carroll another one of those Black Monday coaches.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Since he's picking pretty high now too. You know, like
a couple of these teams that have big time.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Kenny Picket started and got pulled for Aidan O'Connell.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
I mean it just we saw a whole bunch of backups.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Milton and McKee and on and on and on.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
But I paid less attention to the rest of the
league than any other week, honestly.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
I I I'm with you on that, and I had
it on.
Speaker 6 (25:47):
I watched the red zone.
Speaker 5 (25:48):
I paid attention, but there was it's a tough week
to evaluate.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
You're kind of just looking for individual players and things
like that at that point.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
And not to mention, I was on the pregame show
Tom for two hours during you know, a while all
the games were going on.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Yeah, so there we have it.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
You're yeah, we start talking about play up matchups and
things like that.
Speaker 6 (26:09):
As the week goes on.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Oh, absolutely absolutely. Uh Seahawks first round by.
Speaker 6 (26:15):
Yeah for them, What a season they've had.
Speaker 7 (26:16):
What a season they've had. This was the one I
wanted to ask you before we went to break. So
Bears bump up, Eagles rested everybody lost to the Commanders
that knocked them from the two seed down to the
three seed. Bears up to the two seed. They get
the Packers, which the league loves, by the way.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
And Bears Pack.
Speaker 7 (26:35):
Bears Packers in Chicago in the postseason. For the Eagles, though,
are they gonna rue that opportunity? I mean, the Ers
have their issues too, but man, the Packers other other
than the Panthers, the Packers feel like the team that
you would want to play most right now.
Speaker 6 (26:52):
I agree. I think they're eight.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
I know we're limp into the finish line.
Speaker 5 (26:56):
We're on Nation Radio, but Packers would be my second
longest off to win.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
Not the Steelers.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
I'm with you on that, especially because they have to
go on the road too, and they're not They're not
going to host a home game no matter what.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
I think, Packers are in trouble.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
That I bet that was a tough call for the
Eagle staff, you know, because I'm sure hurts Barkley, you know,
like it could have rushed Lane Johnson back.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I'm sure theres.
Speaker 7 (27:19):
Played a lot of football the last few yearly appreciated.
They've played a lot of the last three Super Bowls.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Right, That's that's the matters for the Chiefs and Eagles
and all those extra games that are the hardest games
of the year. By the way, they're not going to
just you know, steamroll anybody.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Now.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
I think it's very possible that Seattle loses a game
and the Eagles will be like, we could have hosted
the NFC championship and now we've got.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
To go to Chicago.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
That's when it really the ramifications might kick in, and
you'd much rather play the Packers than the Niners.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
I think.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
So.
Speaker 7 (27:53):
The Niners have their issues, they're banged up to but
they're not limping to the finish.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Line like the Packers, and they've had postseason success.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Yes, that group knows what it takes to win that
time of year.
Speaker 6 (28:04):
The Packers are a joke.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
But although I will say in the last handful of years,
there's been some really good Niners Eagles postseason games, and
this could be kind of another check that feels like
the one of those you know a lot of times
there's like temporary rivalries like the Colts and the Patriots
for those handful of years, Like Niners Eagles kind of
feels like a little temporary rivalry here over the last
five or six years.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
They both come in first place a lot, so they
played a lot.
Speaker 7 (28:27):
Of They've played a lot of important games against each
other in the regular season and postseason.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
But that was, Yeah, that was the one that I
wanted to ask you.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Yeah, I think that's one of the teams that you
could go either way on.
Speaker 6 (28:38):
Was that the right choice or not?
Speaker 7 (28:40):
I and you know how they react to these things
in Philadelphia, But I know Sirian's getting crushed for that.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Oh you know my results on this.
Speaker 5 (28:47):
I mean this goes back to before the Browns game
and people would ask us all the time, should the
Steelers rest in this one and this one? And blah
blah blah blah. I'm like, there's it's a no win
situation for the coach, no.
Speaker 7 (29:00):
Finds super Bowl again. Then everyone will be like, oh,
but they will say.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
That they will wait arrest them in week eight.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
You remember four weeks ago when we said he was
an idiot, he was actually right.
Speaker 6 (29:09):
It'll only come up if it goes wrong.
Speaker 7 (29:11):
Correct, which is unfortunately that's life as a coach in
professional sports in a lot of ways.
Speaker 6 (29:16):
That's why they're well compensated.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
They are, They certainly are. Let's get to our last break.
Speaker 7 (29:21):
We'll cross some te's dot, some eyes, some vinyl thoughts
from the Steelers triumphant night over the Ravens and across
the league as well. When we return Westhuuler Matt Williamson.
It is the drive on Steelers Nation Radio on a
Steelers audio network.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Jackson, back to pass, rot, cut it down, it picked up,
picked off by TJ want, got it down by high
spind and what somehow fun on the deflection.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
And this it's coming.
Speaker 7 (30:04):
That's another one of those massive plays in a laundry
list of key moments in this game.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
Yeah, man, Alex high Smith.
Speaker 5 (30:12):
Has been ten biggest plays. You could come up with ten,
more than in most games.
Speaker 7 (30:17):
Yeah, I mean you could come up with probably at
least six or seven in those last couple of sequences alone. Yes,
and then all the other stuff that happened in the
in the first half and in the and in the
third quarter.
Speaker 5 (30:27):
There my apologies to back to back shows, But if
the Steelers lose that game, I might have said this
in the first segment. Boy would be talking about, Man,
they missed that fourth and short when they went into
the yep, not even want the end of the half,
they first.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
And goal and plus territory.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
Bos mister field goal. You know those Tuesday flowers. You'd
harp on just a couple of plays, and I'm so
glad we're not, you know, because I do think the
better team won.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I am very glad.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
The Ravens may plays, oh they Lamar may play.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
You know, Henry may play.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Look at this again.
Speaker 7 (31:07):
These are the type of things that we would be
pulling our hair out about if you ended up losing that.
At the end of the first quarter, one hundred and
twenty five yards for Baltimore, twenty one for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Yeah, I told you at the start of the show.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
I thought Derek Henry had seventy nine yards in the
first half, and you were like, no, it was one
to eleven.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
It was Derek Carrier had seventy nine yards in the
first quarter.
Speaker 7 (31:28):
He adds up, Matt, he had ten carries for seventy
nine yards in the first quarter and then got ten
carries the rest of the game.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
The rest of the game, right, And I do think
the Steelers d had something to do with that, and
they had a lot of big bodies on the field.
But we knew that, I'm like, this was not shocking.
We knew the Ravens are gonna put out Ricard and
Cohler and all their big bodies, and Steelers had a
lot of snaps with that extra linebacker. We talked about
whether it's off the ball or an edge guy. So
you had the lead and that's your biggest dog. And
(31:58):
Lamar made plays, but he wasn't himself. Lamar had zero scrambles.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
He had a couple of design.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
Zero scrambles in that game. And there was a play
I thought was real telling. I forget the exact part,
but it was in the second half where he's out
on the left side and doesn't even try. I mean
he's hesitating to throw it behind the line of scrimmag
He's hesitating.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
Like old Lamar had been like road runner out of bounds.
Speaker 7 (32:24):
First that last drive sequence with herbig too yeah, where
normally he was one yeah yeah, is that the one
you were yeah? And he does he does a little
spinner rama to get rid of the ball to it.
But in the past, like Lamar, were put the jets
on and he's.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
Gone, yeah exactly.
Speaker 5 (32:39):
So he made some a couple really really impressive plays,
but it was not the best version of him either. No,
But but thus give the ball to Henry we all expected,
and I'm I'm sure there's some question of what's going
on with Baltimore right now.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
That's something that that's probably the top of it.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Not like, hey, that's kickers, we got to Menia new
kick or whatever. That stuff happens. But you could got
yourself maybe in a better position by feeding the big guy.
Speaker 7 (33:06):
Oh I think one that if if that, if if
our show was you know, based out of based out
of Baltimore and covered in Old Bay here today, that
would I think would have been the first thing we
were talking about. Was you went away that you know,
he just had thirty six carries last week at Lambeau.
Speaker 6 (33:24):
That was the best thing your teammate going.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
And he gets ten carries after the first quarter last night.
Speaker 6 (33:28):
After ripping the apartment.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Oh my gosh. And what's crazy too, that number was
ten for seventy nine. If the.
Speaker 7 (33:37):
If the Zay Flowers personal foul penalty on Cam Hayward
doesn't happen on that first play, that number is even bigger.
Speaker 6 (33:43):
Yes, that's a good point, right because that he earned it.
Speaker 7 (33:45):
That ended up being like a twenty six yard gain
instead of a forty one day or whatever it was.
So so let's let's let's go. I mean, I know,
this is the end of the show. We got like
ten minutes left here. If you are the owner of
the Baltimore Rave and it's a tough one, are you
waking up today thinking all right, I've seen this same
script for a few years. We've been so talented, we've
(34:08):
had an MVP at quarterback, and it's the same not
being able to get it done in these close games
where it feels like in a lot it's like in
all these games almost it feels like the Ravens have
a lead and then get away from what got them there.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
That's really it's very true this year, but it's been
year after year with the Ravens squandering leads more than
most top teams or any top team, sometimes at the
most crucial moments, playoffs, et cetera. I don't know, I mean,
because it's not much different than if the Steelers lost
and we had this Tomlin conversation. I mean, like massively
(34:43):
successful organization, massively successful.
Speaker 7 (34:45):
I think it's even a little bit more like exacerbated
on their end though, Yeah, because they've had.
Speaker 5 (34:51):
I always think they've been a level ahead of the
Steelers for the last couple of years. They've had a
multi time win a playoff game, you know, right, Yes,
the quarterback. It's a lot different than Fields and Trubisky.
Speaker 7 (35:03):
I mean, they've won some playoff games in the last
handful of years. They went to an AFC championship. They've
had thirteen fourteen win seasons, so the expectations are a
little bit greater.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
It is like, what if Buffalo loses in the first round?
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Is it the same?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
I think so.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
I mean I get it. These are all time great quarterbacks.
Speaker 7 (35:22):
And I might sound like the Homer honk here now too. Yeah,
because Mike Tomlin's part of the talent evaluation and procurement
process for the Steelers. But I'm Grayton, Sean McDermott and
John Harbaugh a little bit on a tougher scale than
I am Mike Toland because of their quarterbacks. That's a thing,
and I know Mike Tomlin again is involved in the
process of selecting the Steelers quarterback, right. You know, whether
(35:45):
it was Kenny, whether it was Mitch, whether it was Ross,
whether it was Fields, whether it was Rogers. Make no mistake,
Mike Tomlin is a major factor, maybe the biggest factor
in those conversations.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
But he ain't got Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 6 (35:57):
That's the thing. He isn't the secret weapon. He doesn't
of the superhuman. Now. I was going to look at
it from.
Speaker 5 (36:01):
The other direction that I fault the front office, but
the head coaches in Buffalo and Baltimore certainly involved a
team building too. I mean, the reason that Baltimore and
Buffalo have not won a Super Bowl is not Lamar
or Allen.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
I don't believe that at all, especially in Buffalo, especially.
Speaker 6 (36:18):
In Buffalo, Like you can't tell, I mean, those guys
can't win the big one. Blah blah blah.
Speaker 7 (36:21):
Josh Allen's playoff numbers are the best, maybe the best
in league history. If you take away the wins and
losses and just look at the numbers on a per
game basis, he is or just watch a tape.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Watch the tape and Lamar.
Speaker 5 (36:33):
Is awesome too, you know. I mean, I mean again,
these are the m vps. They were neck and neck
a year ago. I have no questions about them.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
What I worry.
Speaker 5 (36:41):
About is, I mean the bills. Neither one of these
teams rosters is as good as people think, and they're
gonna have tough offseasons, especially if we just stick with Baltimore.
Linder Baum's a free agent and the rest of the
O line isn't very good.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
His extension big money kicks in point.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
Their pass rush is poor, not their fault, but they
gave Matabuque big money and he may.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Never play again or be the same.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
They've also got to make a decision Flowers.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Yeah, Henry's great, but all of a sudden, their skill
guys are a little old in terms of like andrews Henry,
you know, like they need some other playmaker, whether it's
a scatback or a second receiver.
Speaker 6 (37:24):
Bateman's kind of been a wha.
Speaker 7 (37:25):
They could use the Kenneth Gainwell type, Yeah, they could.
They don't get any ideas Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
Yeah, and they don't have a ton of resources, you know,
So it's I'm not there yet, but I could see
the window closing or slamming shut. But the fact they
have Lamar keeps it open. I mean what Burrows say,
like along as the window open as long as I'm here,
as long as I'm here, which I love and I
think is super cool. But is their window open just
(37:50):
because he's there? I mean they haven't team built around
him very well.
Speaker 7 (37:54):
All right, So who's and I guess to be fair,
we need to wait and see how it plays out
with Yeah, yeah, who's Who's off season ahead? Would you
rather have Bengals, Ravens or Bills? I mean, Bills is
the obvious answer, But so maybe of the Ravens or
the Bengals. Maybe that's an oxymoron.
Speaker 5 (38:12):
I mean, I don't know who is the best roster.
If we take quarterback out of the equation, they're not equal,
but all three quarterbacks are at least on the same tier.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
You know, like the Browns might have a better roster
than both of those teams if you take quarters.
Speaker 5 (38:25):
Good not to mention they got all the early picks,
and you know they have a lot more resources they do,
they just don't have the quarterback. I don't know. I mean,
maybe even throw the Chiefs in there too. I mean
of the four superpower quarterbacks. Now, Allen could still win
the whole thing, and then everything was great, but.
Speaker 7 (38:42):
Then that changes everything and gets a lifetime contract, and yeah.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
Sure, but all those teams have a lot of big
picture concerns other than quarterback.
Speaker 7 (38:53):
Yes, yes, I did want to make sure and mentioned Matt.
It was pretty funny. We got a bunch of tweets.
B Wiggs tweeted us, Brad tweeted us, Chris tweeted us,
Steele Curtin tweeted us. I'm trying to run through the
full gam bit here. Frank tweeted us. A couple at
(39:15):
least seven or eight people tweeted us and said that
we absolutely both have to pick the Houston Texas to
win on Monday night. Yeah, listen, we know what we're
doing here, all right, we know what we're doing here.
Speaker 6 (39:26):
It's funny. The last minute of the pregame show, r.
Speaker 5 (39:29):
J was the other one who tweeted us that Tom
picked the Steelers will win twenty seventeen. I picked the
Steers will lose twenty seventeen. And we went through all
the reasons and blah blah blah, and I kind of
set at the end I'm like, don't tell anybody. Usually
when I pick against them, they win.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
I heard you say, because we have it on in
the booth.
Speaker 7 (39:46):
Okay, so you know we can kind of follow along
with the timeline and everything and just what you guys
are talking about. Yeah, that was funny. Listen, it's I
will lean it. I'll tell you this right now. I'm
gonna pick Houston, all right, I'll tell you this right now.
Speaker 6 (40:01):
I think they're the better team.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
I'm doing my part.
Speaker 5 (40:03):
Yeah, yeah, and I think if that that's gonna propel
the Steelers with victory, I might have to do it too.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
We will.
Speaker 5 (40:10):
It's gonna be a fun game to break down too.
And this one still is done from resonating with me,
you know.
Speaker 7 (40:16):
Oh well, we'll have more on this tomorrow. I'm gonna
go home and I'm gonna rewatch tonight. I'm actually I'm
always excited to rewatch, but especially tonight because there's no
Monday night football game or.
Speaker 6 (40:25):
Yeah, no Thursday night. There's a Monday night. It's a
weird week.
Speaker 7 (40:27):
There's not like something else to take my attention tonight.
And it's gonna be a fun week, Matt because oh yeah,
Thursday Friday, we have college football playoffs semi finals, and
then Saturdays.
Speaker 6 (40:38):
There is something around campus before those. I I would think.
Speaker 3 (40:41):
Maybe maybe Thursday will do it.
Speaker 7 (40:42):
Not our typical like beefy, beefy, ten minutes on Thursday
talking about those games.
Speaker 6 (40:47):
Prospects to watch maybe or maybething like that.
Speaker 7 (40:49):
Maybe six minutes Thursday and six minutes Friday, you know,
on the on the games five six minutes.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
Saturday, play Chambliss a little bit, maybe, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (40:57):
Some of the other prospects, well, all there's very very interesting,
you know, court, all four of these quarterbacks could factor
into the Steelers equation this year or next year.
Speaker 5 (41:06):
And I get the impression too, like even like Samson
with Alabama, he has a decision to make still and
there's movement and who's going where, and so there's a
lot of college stuff to discuss.
Speaker 7 (41:17):
Got uh got that on Thursday and Friday, and then
of course Saturday Sunday NFL playoff games all day wild
Card Round and then we'll be waiting all day for
Monday night. Which uh again, like I said to you
when when that was first floated as the possibility, when
like when I got to the stadium last night, Yeah,
(41:38):
there was like some chatter of like Winter's.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
Gonna get Monday Night, and I'm like no, I'm like, one,
it's the Steelers. They're not gonna put the Steelers on.
Speaker 7 (41:47):
That's the throwaway game that they put on Monday nights. Yeah,
I mean, they're not gonna put the Steelers on Monday Night.
Speaker 6 (41:53):
Houston usually gets a bad time.
Speaker 7 (41:55):
Houston is on Saturday. It's like their birthright. He that
the Texans are on Saturday. But now I'm coming up
to it a little bit.
Speaker 5 (42:01):
The atmosphere, you know, like that doesn't short your own
rest on any way, actually gain rest.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
And they pretty good record at home on Monday Night,
Yes they do.
Speaker 7 (42:12):
Hey, the playoff streak has not gone in the Steelers way.
The Monday Night football streak has gone in the Steelers way.
Speaker 6 (42:18):
Oh yeah, the.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
Unstoppable force meets the immovable object.
Speaker 6 (42:23):
It should be fun.
Speaker 7 (42:24):
A week from today, a little over seven days from
right now, it's gonna be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
It's going to be a lot of fun this week
as we'll get geared up for it. Yes as well.
Oh it sure was.
Speaker 7 (42:34):
Again, like I said, like that's that's why you and
I wanted to get into these types of careers. That's
why if you go to the games, that's why you
show up and buy the gear and put in the
miles and the money, and you sit through some of
the disappointing losses and performances for games like that and
nights like that. It was a lot of fun and
it'll go in the time capsule forever no matter what
happens next week. It does right that last night goes
(42:55):
in the time capsule forever again.
Speaker 5 (42:58):
Episode There's many times you said the show that was
a pretty extreme fiction to write to sell your editors
on Carsese.
Speaker 7 (43:07):
I don't know if Scorsese would would have written that
into the depotted, you know, but the Steelers fans did
a great job of affecting the environment last night, and
I know they'll do a good job again On Monday
Tomorrow on the show, we'll catch up with Chris Adamski,
we'll get into our Tuesday rewind as Matt and I
have some final thoughts from this one, and we'll take
more looks at the moving and shaking of the NFL
(43:30):
coaching carousel around the National Football League. Big thanks to
Rob King for joining us today, Nathan for producing on
the radio, side TV, Tyler V on the video side,
keeping us handsome on YouTube. For Matt Williamson, I'm west Shuler.
Take care everybody, enjoy the victory Monday, and we will
talk to you tomorrow. As always, you know where to
find us. It's on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio on the
(43:52):
Steelers Audio Network.
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