Hr2: Rob King on Steelers Post-Bye

Voice of the Steelers Rob King joins The Drive to asses Pittsburgh and the AFC North at the bye.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Good evening, Steeler Nation, how we do it? Well, that's
good us too. Our number two It is the Drive
here on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
West Shooler and Matt Williamson on a Monday bye week,
but plenty to talk about crazy week across the league
and across the AFC North joining us now to discuss
all of this and more.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
It's our friend.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
He's the host of In the Locker Room here on
the Steelers Audio Network with Max Starksy is of course,
also the play by play voice of your Pittsburgh Steelers
on the flagship WDV, the Great Rob.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
King king Er.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
I didn't think that we would all be feeling even
better about the Steelers after a bye week, after they
didn't play a game, but man, it's hard not to
when you're just kind of in the scope of everything
that has happened to the other teams in the AFC
North through the first month or so of the season,
but especially yesterday.

Speaker 4 (01:17):
Yeah, I think that you know, I said this on
DV this morning. This is like every guy's dream, right
do nothing and get better fast, right, you know, you
had to buy and everybody in your division lost, and
everybody in your division looks lost right now now. I
don't know whether that's going to continue. You know, the
Ravens will get healthier. I don't know what to make

(01:38):
of the Bengals and the Browns. I think the Browns
are one of those teams that, you know, you better
play good football, as Green Bay found out, or they
can beat you. You know, they probably they probably shouldn't
win the Green Bay hand. They should probably be two
and three right now. But regardless, with all those teams losing,
you're in just much better shape coming out of the

(01:59):
buy than you were even going into the buy, and
you're in good shape going into the Bay.

Speaker 5 (02:02):
Yeah, Rob, we started the show really talking around the league,
and I think I startled Wes by saying it in
this light. But of those three teams, I think the
Browns is the one I would least want to face
right the second.

Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah, I mean if I don't disagree with that at all, Matt,
I think that you know, Jake Browning has been a
he has to be considered a disappointment. I think they
thought he was at least, you know, a gatekeeper type
of quarterback, you know, keep you in it and keep
your head above water. He might still be but six
touchdown data interceptions doesn't look good. Their defense. You know,

(02:36):
they keep drafting guys and not apparently getting much better
on defense. You know, they've got a lot of first
round picks and second round picks have recing vintage on
that dat's not doing the job. You know, the Browns,
I think you know, look a couple of weeks from
now when the Ravens are healthy. No, you don't want
to play it, but you're right right now. They're a
team that I think, you know, maybe gained a little

(02:58):
bit more identity offensively against Minnesota. They've got a good defense.
They probably got a little too conservative towards the end
of that game. Instead of trying to finish it off,
they left it up to their defense. That's become increasingly
difficult in the NFL to do and expect to shut down.
And they didn't get a shutdown. But you know, Judkins,

(03:19):
now he's impressive.

Speaker 5 (03:21):
Interior what that he's impressive.

Speaker 4 (03:24):
He's impressive, and that interior offensive line, those guys are
good man. I mean that that set of tackles or
that set of guards, they're good and uh and Conklin's
still good, and I left tackle is an issue and
Cam Robinson didn't play well and I think got benched
in the middle of the game.

Speaker 5 (03:41):
Because neither could do anything. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah, and Robinson, you know, look he you know, he's
hopefully they're hoping he can come in and at least
be serviceable. To me, you know, another week under his
belt and he'll be he'll be better. He's he's been
a solid enough type of player throughout his career. But
you know, if they get an identity with Judkins, they
they bring high just in the defensive lineman in on
short yarded situations. Yeah, maybe they'll just take a page

(04:06):
out of the Jets playbook and try to bludge in
the Steelers, you know, I think, and they've got it.
They've got a good defense and they've got a good
running back. That's where they stand right now. And I
don't know if Cincinnati or Baltimore can say they've got
good anything right now, no.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
No doubt.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
And sticking with that, uh, Matt, another thing that he
said to me in the first segment that was kind
of eye opening.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
But I think correct.

Speaker 2 (04:28):
Is you could very easily say of the eight offenses
and defenses in the AFC North, that Brown's defense is
the best single unit in the division right now, Kinger,
I mean you were studying Cleveland when we were on
our flight home from Dublin. I mean, you're you're a
very professional, very prepared guy. I was laughing at you.

(04:49):
I was like, you're not even taking a breather for
the bye week. You're getting right into the right into
the Browns on the flight home from Dublin. Maybe, Uh,
that that Brown's defense certainly, and I think this kind
of plays into of all the teams in the division.
Albeit they're coming back from London and going back on
the road, which is certainly a big caveat to this one.
But that Brown's defense is pretty stingy, pretty stinking good

(05:12):
right now. What have you noticed about that unit?

Speaker 4 (05:15):
Well, you know, and they're doing. I think Mike Hall
is a guy they're expecting. I don't know whether he's
ever gonna you know, he's yeah, I think he was
limited in practice this week. I don't know whether he'll
play against the Steelers. He's a guy that I think,
you know, Matt knows way more about the draft than
I do, and way more about the draft than anybody
I know. I don't know if Paul. I don't know
if the off the field issues caused him to be

(05:35):
a second round I don't know if he was considered
a first round talent, Matt, But you know you have
Graham next to him. Elie Collins has been fantastic, you know,
kind of a rotating group on the other side at
defensive end. Look, they had a good draft class. You know, Graham,
for whatever his ceiling is, he's going to be a
high motor guy that you feel good about plugging into

(05:57):
that defense. Whether he'll be a superstar remains to be seen.
That's what you expect out of the fifth pick. But
if he could be a tone setter, Sweassenger at inside
linebacker with the jo you know, j Ok is another guy.
They don't know whether he's ever going to play again,
you know, Sweashinger though he looks very good the secondary,
he's always been solid. So yeah, it's a it's a

(06:17):
group to be reckoned with and Matt, I don't know
where Hall was supposed to go at enough. Off field
issues out of Ohio State kept him in the second round,
but if they didn't get him back. You know, that
gives them, you know, they want to be rotational, but
that gives them a rotation up front, but headlined by
you know, uh, you know, first round pedigree kind of guys.

Speaker 5 (06:35):
Yeah, and they are deep upfront, and I think people
make the mistake of looking at their defensive line and
being like, we all know who Miles Garrett is and folks,
he's leveled up. He's playing better than he ever has.
But the rest of that group is winning a lot
of one on one matchups rob as you kind of mentioned,
and they do have some depth there where they just
like to keep bringing him in fresh and Hall's perfect

(06:56):
for that. He's a little undersize that didn't help his
draft stock either, but in a rotation he's perfect.

Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah. I mean they're clearly, you know, trying to do
the same thing the Steelers have tried to do, and
that's building the trenches, you know, and build a rout
your best players. Miles Garrett, no doubt, and so what
can you do to help make him shine the most?
It's a good philosophy. And if this draft class looks
as good as it's performed early on, you know, Fanning

(07:24):
at the tight end position, a second round pick, Sweasinger
at linebacker, a second round pick, Graham on the defensive line,
Judkins a second round pick. Did I already say him? No,
it was Fan in a third round. I think Fannon
was a third round pick. Two seconds of first You
got another first round pick coming up next year. I
mean for all of the you know, for the way

(07:46):
the mistakes of the quarterback position have set the Browns
back and they have well, you had to give up
to get Watson, the fact that you had Baker right
there and could he use those picks to build around
him and maybe been in a completely different position. Now
it's spilled milk. They have to move on. And yeah,
they got worked in a couple of games this year,
for sure, But I still see a team that if

(08:08):
you don't come to play, and if they don't have
your attention, you could be in some trouble.

Speaker 5 (08:13):
Rob use this on the air, and I said it
to you this morning, but it blows me away that
Gabriel was their tenth starting quarterback since Baker Mayfield. I
mean that's not even the jersey that starts with Tim Couch.
I mean, we're just talking about since Baker Mayfield. He's
a tenth starter.

Speaker 4 (08:29):
Yeah, and you know, and again I've said this a
couple of times, but to me it you know, when
we talk about how valuable the quarterback position is, the
Ravens are zero to five in the last five games
without Lamar, They're four and ten overall in the games
he hasn't been able to start. Look at the Bengals
without Burrow, look at the Browns without a quarterback. And
we've mentioned some of the positives that they've had. You know,

(08:53):
they've had, they've had some good players even on offense,
and they've had a What they've really had is a
good offensive line. You start with a good defense and
a good offensive line. You know, your expectation should be
to win some games. The Steelers have won games in
the post Ben Roethlisberger era without that that you know,
that elite level quarterback. And we are seeing in the

(09:14):
division what that has cost the Bengals, what that has
cost in part the Ravens and other injuries. I understand
that and what it has cost the Browns. So to me, yes,
I you know I think that you know, we'll see
on Gabriel again. You know more about him than I do.
Mad It seemed like the biggest knock on him was
his size, and he's not doesn't have the phototypical size

(09:35):
to be in the first round, but has some of
the other skills. And I think if people probably said
the same thing about Baker some degree, although I think Baker,
you know, Baker's listened. Gabriel's got ways to go before
he gets there. But they at the very least an
intriguing team, maybe heading in the right direction, maybe getting
that stability that has been lacking into quarterback position. I

(09:58):
don't know if Gabriel be that guy, but if if
he is, boy what a short cut that is to
becoming a better team.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
Rob King with us here on the Drive Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. Rob we spent probably
fifteen minutes in the first hour just talking about the
Ravens and the laundry list of injuries and the one
and four start for Baltimore. Despite all that, they are
still according to Vegas the slight favorites, very slight, but

(10:26):
still slight favorites over the Steelers to win the AFC North.
Do you see any like Matt and I were talking, Hey,
it wouldn't surprise us if Baltimore. You know, they got
to play the Rams next week, which is tough. They
could easily be one in five. But then they get
to their bye week, and I don't think it would
shock any of us if they got a little bit
healthier and you know, rattled off five or six straight

(10:46):
wins something like that and got back into a wild
card you know, fight a wild card scrap. But do
you see any scenario where they could I mean out
of the grave and get.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
Back into a division contending position.

Speaker 4 (11:03):
Yeah, I mean sure. So you have the Rams and
you have the Bears. Right, let's say you split before
and by the way, five of their first seven games
leading in the buy Wik at home, so that doesn't
help them either. But let's say you're let's see he
split those two games, so you go into the bye
two and five. Well, then you're at Miami, at Minnesota,
at Cleveland against the Jets, against the Bengals. Could I
see him going five and other and be seven and five?

Speaker 5 (11:25):
Sure?

Speaker 4 (11:25):
I could. And they haven't played the Steelers yet, so
could I see them getting back into contention? Yes? But
I've said all along, you know, I think that the
Steelers are a ten and seven team. A year ago,
and I think they've gotten better almost at every position,
almost across the board. They're a better team, including at
the quarterback position with Aaron Rodgers, which is as we know,

(11:48):
we've been talking a little bit about that it's the
most important position in sports. So if you're better across
the board, I think they're better than a ten and seventeen.
So that tells me. So I think that that the
you know, people are still working under the assumption and
they might be right, and I might be wrong, but
I think they're still working under the assumption that the
Steelers are are not that good of a team. I

(12:08):
think they're a better team than people think, and therefore
I think it's going to be very, very difficult for
the for the Ravens to catch them. Not because I
don't think the Ravens can turn things around, but because
I don't think the Steelers are going to falter. And
I think that's probably where my different difference in opinion
comes with others. I've thought all along. I said at
the beginning of the season, I think it's a better team,

(12:31):
but we'll see. Because there are I don't seem to
be in a vast majority of people who think that's
certainly among the national media.

Speaker 5 (12:39):
Yeah, you're right. I mean for the Ravens to get
back in the division, the Steelers would have to have
some downtimes for sure, right.

Speaker 4 (12:46):
And we'll see in the next two weeks, right, got
to the big these your division games, right, so you
know that that'll tell some of the tale for sure.

Speaker 2 (12:53):
A big difference between five and one and maybe four
and two even at this point, right, that's.

Speaker 5 (12:58):
Right, absolutely so, Rob, I don't know if it'll keep
up to the level we saw in Dublin, but do
you think the Spencer Anderson next to Washington, a high
percentage of snaps is something that's here to stay. Corn
beef package, the corn beef package.

Speaker 4 (13:14):
I you know. So a couple of things. One is
that you know Andy Widel before the preseason game last week,
he's given a press conference the last couple of years
in the preseason, and he said, we want to be
a big physical team, because big physical teams that travels,
that plays anywhere. I don't care if it's hot or cold,
you know, if it's cold and windy. The Dolphins, you know,

(13:37):
I use them as an example though they're certainly faltering now.
But the Dolphins have, say two years ago, They're not
going to perform well in that kind of condition, right,
They're not built that way. But the Seers can get
down there in the heat and still pounded at you.
It's a good style of play in any weather, in
any conditions. It is the best style of play in
for as far as being versatile in any kind of condition.

(13:58):
So I do I think they will do that. Yes,
I think it's here to stay. But I also think
that they are When you have Aaron Rodgers, it's going
to be I think it's going to be a matchup
driven approach week to week. So that's what they thought
would work that week, and it did. Ran all over

(14:20):
the Vikings. A couple of weeks before that, Atlanta had
run all over the Vikings. Maybe they said, okay, that's
a team that we can run on. You know, maybe
in another week you say, listen, let's go a little
more Aaron Rodgers. It's why, you know, other than you know,
knock on what any kind of injury happening to dk metcalf.
I think it's a better receiving core with a better
quarterback and better equipped to handle, you know, to be

(14:46):
able to throw the ball on teams without that quote
unquote proto prototypical number two receiver. I think they can
mix and match enough that they'll find the mismatch somewhere,
and Aaron Rodgers is going to help you find it
out in the field. They can game plan it for
and then when he gets out there, he's gonna say, gotcha,
it's John U. Smith time, It's Pat Pyrimouth time, it
might be Roman Wilson time. It's always going to be

(15:08):
dk metcalftime to some degree. So I think it's going
to be part of what they do moving forward. I
think I'd be a little surprised if they use it
to that frequency. Weekend, yeah, week out. I just think
it's going to be more matchup.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
Voice of the Steelers, Rob King kind enough to give
us some of his time here on a Monday. Kinger,
great stuff. Thank you for the time as always, and
uh and we'll see this weekend.

Speaker 4 (15:33):
Always a pleasure, guys, Thanks very much.

Speaker 2 (15:35):
There he goes, Rob King, great stuff from him. Pleasure
is all mine. Oh, he's like competing to be Chick
fil A employees. Here, my pleasure, Matt. We got to
get to a break here and we come back on
the other side, I've got some good news from Steelers
practice for you.

Speaker 5 (15:51):
Very cool.

Speaker 2 (15:51):
We'll get into that when we return West Wheuler, Matt Williamson.
It is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (16:24):
Steelers back on the practice field today for the of course,
first time since coming back from the Emerald Isle and
that win in Dublin at Croke Park against the Minnesota Vikings,
and Matt, I think you.

Speaker 5 (16:37):
Get that extra practice, you get one more.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
Practice, you get that one more of that Monday practice,
knock off the bye week rusts. As the Steelers get
back to it today and some I would say, mostly
good news out of practice today.

Speaker 5 (16:54):
Real quick, before you do. Dale was always way better
at this than me because he knows the rules and
all that. But I mean you probably there's probably some
listeners going, well, why did they practice all weekend? Man?
Come on, it's an NFL rule they have to, like
they kick you out. I think it's for four.

Speaker 3 (17:08):
Days executive days that nothing can happen, or.

Speaker 2 (17:14):
Because I remember him saying that in the past, motes
talking about that in the past.

Speaker 5 (17:18):
You really only get like one extra practice it's all
said and done. You get a lot of extra rest
and it thought doesn't mean that they're not like glued
to their iPads or doing football stuff, but they're You
don't have to have practice for four days.

Speaker 2 (17:31):
Correct, you gotta you know, you got to close the
facility a lock out, basically the facility for for four days.

Speaker 3 (17:36):
From a players standpoint.

Speaker 5 (17:38):
Like again they'll question more, but like can Rogers go
in there with a quarterback coach and just grind tape together?
I'm sure you can go in for treatment. I mean,
anyone that's injured like that, I would, I think. And again,
can you do stuff on your own? Better question to
weight room, you know.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
And maybe like this is something we can ask like
a damn ski or when they joined us in the week, because.

Speaker 5 (17:57):
They would too if you're there a lot, you know,
But I mean.

Speaker 3 (17:59):
I think the four days applies to on field team.

Speaker 5 (18:02):
You know, it definitely does for that. Yeah, but like
you can't tell someone the bad knee, they can't come
in and get fit.

Speaker 2 (18:07):
And again, if you're Aaron Rodgers and you're not planning
on going home to California or whatever for a few
days and hey, Tom Arth, can we meet up.

Speaker 5 (18:14):
And I'm gonna get a workout in mom here.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yeah, I don't think there's I don't think there's anything
against that. Again, it can't be an official team capacity.
It can't be mandated by the coaching staff, right.

Speaker 5 (18:23):
Like I don't think there's special teams meetings everyone has
to be at. I know there is, you know, things
like that exactly if you do stuff on your own, wants.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
To come in and get a little extra rehab on
his knee and absolutely absolutely, And I got to imagine
like the equipment managers are around to things like that
to work out those guys.

Speaker 5 (18:40):
If they if they want to, or maybe there's certain
hours you know, like but I can keep you guys here.

Speaker 3 (18:46):
Good point.

Speaker 5 (18:46):
Yeah, the workout staffs, like I say, here all day
hoping somebody.

Speaker 3 (18:50):
Shows, someone shows up for an hour.

Speaker 5 (18:52):
Right, here's a windows stop by if you want.

Speaker 2 (18:54):
No, Yeah, maybe it's like uh here, it's like scheduling
like a haircut or a massage. Yeah, and you got
to tell them the exact time. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (19:02):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (19:02):
And speaking of Jalen Warren, let's start there some good
news in that regard. Back in individual drills at Steelers
practice tonight. Nice and now again this is a this
is another thing that Dale could paint the picture for.
You know, the Steelers, they have that window at the
beginning of practice where reporters are allowed to report. Yes, yeah,
and kind of the back half of practice it's you're

(19:24):
not allowed to talk about what's going on, player availability, any.

Speaker 3 (19:26):
Of that stuff.

Speaker 5 (19:27):
They're doing stuff. And yeah, so.

Speaker 2 (19:29):
In the individual drills and the public portion, if you will,
the media consumption portion, Jalen Warren was back in individual
drills at Steelers practice after missing, of course, that game
against the Vikings in Dublin.

Speaker 3 (19:41):
Great news in that regard. That's a good starting point
for this week.

Speaker 5 (19:44):
Now, some teams will even kick the reporters out. The
Steelers give you more access than any team in the league.

Speaker 3 (19:51):
Yes they do.

Speaker 5 (19:51):
I mean, or maybe there's others tied, but it's their
number one. But there are things you still can't say.
So this isn't unique to the Steelers. Assume this is
what we were hoping expecting for Warren. But it's great
to check the box. You know that he's back doing
what you expected. I didn't say it at the time,
but it crossed my mind when I think you showed

(20:12):
me the inactives when we were in Dublin, Like, if
that was a playoff game, would he have played? I'm
guessing yes.

Speaker 3 (20:20):
Maybe Joey Porter Junior would as well too.

Speaker 5 (20:22):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know high Smith Ford who knows,
but I mean at that portion, going into a buy,
resting on the side of caution made all the sense
of the world and you got to win, which you
didn't know at the time when he made the decision.

Speaker 2 (20:34):
Exactly right in Hinds the best you have all year.
Over five yards of carry for Kenneth Gainwell. And speaking
of some of those other names you mentioned, some good
news in that regard to Alex Highsmith Joey Porter Junior,
both present for that media window of the Steelers bonus
practice today. Both of those guys spoke to the media

(20:55):
after practice. Both of those guys said they will play
Sunday against the Browns.

Speaker 5 (21:00):
Wow that okay, yes, just say this with Warren. This
is probably going to be a low scoring game. I
haven't seen the over hunders, but it's just a Browns thing.
It's kind of a Steelers thing that I would think
the Browns as as rob Mentioned are going to be
very Judkins central centric and win with defense, keep us

(21:25):
in closed and don't ask a ton from a rookie quarterback.
So I think in a game like that, you should
have ample opportunities to quote establish the run, you know,
whether it's a lot of Warren or Warren and Gainwell
or big o'lignment or whatever. But I don't think you're
gonna have to be throwing left and right in a
game like this. So Great. We mentioned before Brown's left

(21:47):
tackle situation is massively problematic right now. They traded, you know,
rob threw us out, like everyone knew. They traded for
Cam Robinson a week or two ago from the Jags,
who's very borderline and was on their just because they're
so well, we need a body, they need a body,
and at least he's been a warm body that's played
some snaps here. And from what I was watching in

(22:08):
that that London game, they were rotating left tackles. I
mean had streams and we know Herbig's really good, but
Highsmith's gonna line up there a lot too. So great,
if you're going to rotate left tackles, we'll rotate edge
rushers that are way better than your rotating left tackles.
Great now, not to downplay the Porter situation, I was shocked,

(22:31):
you know, looking into a lot of this is like
fantasy related snap counts and target shaars and things like that.
Almost every pass went to tight ends with Gabriel it
was fanning in the djoku and they really have not
used their receivers much at all this year, and way
less with the rookie quarterback Flaco through to the more.

(22:52):
Tilman's a good player, he's out. Judy to me is
kind of overrated, So I don't know.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
It.

Speaker 5 (23:00):
It's great to get Joey back and sounds like he's
playing either way, but I don't know that he's as
big a deal as the other ones, just because the
position they play and who the opponent is, you know
what I mean.

Speaker 2 (23:08):
Big week to have the Shawn Elliott back, yes, and
healthy and a game under his belt as well too.
So sounds like for Warren high Smith and Joey Porter Junior.
Good news trending in the right direction, all those things.
That's what you want to hear coming out of bye week.
Not quite the same for Calvin Austin the third. I
don't think that surprises anybody. I think we had a
feeling his was going to be a little bit longer term.

(23:31):
He did not go into great detail, but said he's
still not sure if injured reserve is a possibility for
him with his shoulder injury, just.

Speaker 5 (23:40):
Taking him to have to make that decision right now, take.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
It in the next day or two, taking it day
by day. At this point for Calvin Austin, it's.

Speaker 5 (23:47):
A little worrisome. I mean, again, their corners are good,
their pass rush is really good. I just don't know
if I trust wide receiver three four five, Yeah, you
know what I mean. They're gonna have to play a
fair amount and I'm sure you'll be very tight end
centric and you're gonna need a lot of big bodies
on the field to make up for it. But it
makes it a little easier to put Ward on metcalf

(24:08):
or role coverages his direction, which he better used to
if he hasn't already. I mean, that's gonna happen no
matter what. Is Roman ready to step up? Is Scotty
Miller way to step up? I like them much more
as threes and fours. You know, without question, I'm not
saying the wide receiver trade train has left but left
the station, but that could still be the mix.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
Who knows, certainly could and I would imagine too kind
of piggybacking off of what you just said about. I
think the way that we all expect Sunday's game to
play out, this is probably an okay week to not
feel as confident about your wide receiver.

Speaker 5 (24:44):
Two.

Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yeah, if you want to, Okay, let's see what Roman
can do, Let's see what Scotty can do. We'll reassess,
maybe we'll know more about the injury at that standpoint.
Trade still on the board at that standpoint, because like
you said, this feels like a play it close to
the vest, run the football, hopefully DK and your tight
end make a couple of plays.

Speaker 5 (25:01):
Yeah, and I think you want to ball all your
hands quick against thirteen, you know, yeah, yeah, trying to
control the game. Yeah, lean on Bosworth a little bit
more than you have. You know, bos Well, I do
that all the time.

Speaker 3 (25:12):
By the way, we both it's the thing that we
both style Thompson.

Speaker 2 (25:16):
Tristan Thompson started training camp soorry.

Speaker 5 (25:20):
But bos is way better than Tristan Thompson. You know
what I mean? I should have that one down. It
goes back to like Brian Boswell, I mean, yeah, I
do that all the time anyway. They they even't even
had to ask Card of anything out of Boss here,
which is kind of remarkablehich.

Speaker 3 (25:34):
Is other than the Jets game, kind of kind of remarkable.

Speaker 5 (25:37):
You still got that, you know, ace up your sleep.

Speaker 3 (25:39):
It's a good ace to have up your sleeve.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
That's a nice guy to call out of the bullpen,
certainly when when the time, when the time calls for it.

Speaker 5 (25:45):
That's great news with them with all the injuries.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
Outstanding Again, I think we all knew Ramsey and Calvin
Austin there was gonna be some time there, but for
the other and nothing yet okay, haven't so so I
haven't seen anything from anybody who was down there today.

Speaker 3 (26:00):
But of course.

Speaker 5 (26:00):
We're coming back, though I might not rush him for
this one again, it's not it.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
You'd love to have them both healthy at the same time.
But in the meantime beal.

Speaker 3 (26:10):
Bengals well I guess what nine or ten days after,
But yes.

Speaker 5 (26:15):
I much have Ramsey make sure he's healthy for the
Bengals total, even though they're a disaster. But they got
two studs.

Speaker 3 (26:20):
Totally right, right, totally.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
But well, I would also think get a little bit
more clarity on this tomorrow, of course, when we have
the Mike Tomlin press conference at noon right here on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt, what
do you say we go into our final break here.
We'll have a kind of beefier segment to shut this
thing down. We can do a kind of final whip
around the league of everything that happened yesterday and give

(26:43):
some thoughts on tonight's a big Monday night football contest
in the AFC between the Chiefs and the Jags. We'll
get it all that as we wrap up the show
on the other side, West Shouler Matt Williams sentence of
the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (27:07):
Your tums about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers.

Speaker 5 (27:12):
Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (27:21):
Final segment Here on a Monday, we have got a
big Monday night football game to look ahead to and
give some thoughts on. But before that, Matt, uh, some
of these NFL games that we haven't quite touched on
or mentioned yet today on a Monday, So what do
you say we do a little little whip around the
league here.

Speaker 5 (27:39):
Yeah. Yeah, there's some very notable games. There are some blowouts.
I mean there's like.

Speaker 3 (27:43):
Colts Raiders, which there's a couple of teams like that.

Speaker 5 (27:46):
There's an handful of teams.

Speaker 3 (27:47):
I got Geno Smith is struggling out here. Good lord.

Speaker 5 (27:50):
Yeah, that's been bad.

Speaker 2 (27:52):
Vikings get it done against Cleveland. Did you see the
issue with the tickets at that game?

Speaker 5 (27:55):
By the way, No, I didn't know. There was something.

Speaker 2 (27:57):
I guess like the NFL ticketing app or whatever crashed.
Oh wow, And so there were like thousands of fans
like trying to get in that it took them.

Speaker 5 (28:07):
Like like a lot had tickets, like.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
Didn't get into the second quarter type. Yeah, so there
was some there was some angst over there.

Speaker 5 (28:15):
And I can imagine in London, imagine if it was
a week before.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
Yeah, that would not have been good. But the Vikings
get that one done.

Speaker 2 (28:22):
Like we mentioned, the Colts blow out the Raiders, and
a tale of two franchises headed in opposite directions, Saints
getting it done at home against the Giants for their
first season.

Speaker 5 (28:33):
That game and the Panthers Dolphins I thought were good
games between bad teams. You know, they were just evenly. Matt, Yes,
you know, and that's entertaining. I don't think Spencer Ratler
is terrible.

Speaker 3 (28:45):
I don't either.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah, I thought Jackson Dart looked pretty good in his
second second action in the league.

Speaker 5 (28:49):
And I say, I'm warming up to Dart a lot.
But you can tell how ray he is too, Like
if things don't go as planned, I'm just talking and
running and trying to make a play and you know,
turn them all over and you know, but there's a
lot of there.

Speaker 2 (29:01):
Cowboys comfortably beat the Jets by fifteen at MetLife. Jets
the lone winless team in the NFLER and five on
the season. Justin Fields falls to oh and twenty six
when the opposition scores twenty one or more points.

Speaker 5 (29:15):
And a lot of their late production was garbage time.
This game was over early. Dallas puts points up on everybody.

Speaker 3 (29:22):
I got to give Dak Prescott a ton of credit.

Speaker 5 (29:24):
He's playing like an MVP.

Speaker 2 (29:26):
He's I think, one of the most kind of enigmas
in the league. Like everybody has an opinion on Dak Prescott.
I know, man, he has been without most of his
top weapons and without a big chunk of his offensive
line and a defense that can't stop a nosebleed.

Speaker 5 (29:42):
They put up forty every week.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
They're two two and one. I mean like they're keeping
their head above water. And he's the reason why.

Speaker 5 (29:47):
He's the reason why. Now the Jets. I don't wish
this upon anyone, but I wonder if they're going to
be a one and done on fields and the head coach.
Defense should be better.

Speaker 3 (29:58):
The defense should be better. And I think Jets.

Speaker 5 (30:01):
Looked pretty good in Week one. Maybe I was just crazy, but.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
I'm shocked that one, certainly.

Speaker 2 (30:06):
But I don't think any of us thought that it
would be four weeks later and they'd still be winless
right after that opener met Life, I.

Speaker 5 (30:13):
Mean, deep down, I don't know if they're the worst
team in the league just because they don't have a
win like they played the Titans. I'd probably pick the Jets,
but I mean still.

Speaker 3 (30:19):
But they're in that conversation.

Speaker 5 (30:20):
It's not anything that can be optimistic about.

Speaker 2 (30:23):
Eagles lose their first game in ten months, Matt, Yeah,
and a thrilling one. The Broncos scored eighteen points in
the fourth quarter to win that game in Philly.

Speaker 5 (30:32):
Yeah, And I think Denver's a legit team. Benito's awesome,
the defense is awesome. Nicks is starting to a slow start,
but he's looking more and more like the player he
did last year. Just really promising. I think Denver's well coached,
I know that. But the thing that stood out to
me from that game is the Eagles always played with
I mean during that stretch of you know, winning all

(30:53):
those games, they didn't play from behind very often, and
they didn't in this game either. Still sake one guy
six carries in this game, how do you do that
with a big lead late in the game when you.

Speaker 3 (31:04):
Have that guy that's yeah, that's no other way around.

Speaker 5 (31:08):
I mean, you're begging for it, to let a team
back into it. You got that guy, give him the ball.

Speaker 2 (31:13):
Crazy And I tell you what, hard to hard to
complain if you're Philly, And again it's the first time
you've lost a game in ten months. But yeah, that
one certainly a lot of decisions that they would want back. Yeah,
in that one, Panthers, as you mentioned, take care of
the Dolphins. Yeah, but you know, could be it for
Mike McDaniel. But the Panthers, hey two and three, hanging around,

(31:34):
not falling apart.

Speaker 5 (31:36):
They have some fun games.

Speaker 3 (31:37):
They did, they do.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
Bryce Young is still tough to evaluate. I don't think
so either, but hey, he made some plays in that one.
Certainly we talked about Texans and Ravens and that blowout
in Baltimore. Uh, Tennessee gets their first win, cam Ward
gets his first win. Crazy one against the Cardinals. A
lot of bizarre flukey turnovers. Terrible Arizona though, definitely, I

(32:03):
mean kicking themselves today that they let that one get away.

Speaker 5 (32:06):
Yeah, I can't remember if we talked about this on
the air off the air, but I mean there were
three or four plays of just neither team wants to
win that game. And the most notable is he drops
the ball before he goes over the goal line. I mean,
that's the second time that's happened in the league in
a couple of weeks. And they win that game if
he at least just scores the touchdown and doesn't drop
the ball at the one inch line. But good for Ward.

(32:29):
He's very impressive in terms of tools, and the Titans
need to win any way they possibly could. And that
knocked me out of my eliminator. I think a lot
of people had Arizona in that one.

Speaker 3 (32:41):
Yeah, I had the Cardinals in that one as well,
with you.

Speaker 2 (32:45):
Hey, we made it to October and what might have
been the most exciting game of the weekend, thrilling one
in Seattle, Oh yeah, as the Bucks beat the Seahawks
thirty eight to thirty five.

Speaker 5 (32:57):
I think it's two playoff teams. Maybe they'll meet again.
I mean, those teams should be really happy with where
they're at.

Speaker 2 (33:02):
Good quarterback playing that I was gonna say is Sam
Donald's playing well, really well.

Speaker 5 (33:06):
And the Steelers lost of Seattle does not look bad
at all right now, by the way, they're a top
eight type of team, and this is really evenly matched.
And what I got a kick out of was Baker
and Donald, same draft class, weird pass to get where
they are, but they look like they're home and just
couldn't do anything wrong. And they're throwing to these two

(33:27):
young Ohio State receivers that are just lighting up the defense.
Abukah's unbelievable right.

Speaker 3 (33:33):
Now, he really is.

Speaker 5 (33:34):
And I felt for Donald because the play that quote
lost in the game gets tipped hits off, someone's helmet
picked off, and that was like the only bad thing
that either quarterback did. The whole day. I think there
were there might have been more touchdowns scored than incompletions
in that game. It was really good. I heard that today,
but I didn't fact.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
Check it, which I think was a little surprising, just
because how good that Seahawks defense.

Speaker 5 (33:57):
Had been expected more from both defenses.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
Yeah, but you know, but a great game between like
you said, I think two playoff teams and teams that
could meet up once again sometime in January. Lions get
it done much more convincing than the final score looked.
I mean, they still won match thirteen, but it took
a twenty one point garbage time fourth quarter from the
Bengals to make that even look a little respectable. The Lions,

(34:22):
you know, at one point in the driver's seat, Like
you mentioned this last week. I mean that's what they
do with Dan Campbell. They beat up on bad.

Speaker 5 (34:28):
Team ash bad teams.

Speaker 2 (34:29):
Yeah, and again, I think after Week one, a lot
of people thought, Okay, the Lions are unraveling a little bit.
That Super Bowl window was closed after they went to
Lambeau and got beat up by the Packers. Four straight
wins and looking much more like the team that they've
been over the last handfull of years.

Speaker 5 (34:45):
Yeah, and should have even mentioned this with Baker, But
I think Baker and Golf and we threw out that
MVP issue votes for all those guys. Yeah, I mean
it's not the obvious lamarut. You know, like like those
guys are in that conversation right now.

Speaker 3 (34:59):
They sure are, They sure are.

Speaker 2 (35:01):
One guy who was in that conversation now the team
and himself coming back to earth a little bit, justin Herbert.
Chargers went up ten to nothing in the first quarter. Yeah,
and then twenty seven unanswered for the Commanders to win
there in La twenty seven to ten.

Speaker 5 (35:15):
Chargers defense let him down. I mean, the Crossy Merrit
was really really good in this really good and Daniel's
coming back went a long way. Debo's went a really
nice acquisition for them. I also just think the Chargers
are kind of unraveling.

Speaker 2 (35:31):
Yeah, after a really successful start to the season. It's
done the opposite way for them. And then Matt and
hey what of them? Might have been the most surprising
result of the weekend. The Buffalo Bills fall at home
the last time they'll face Well, I guess it could
happen in the playoffs. Still, to be fair, but the
last time in the regular season that they will host
the Patriots there in Orchard Park building, in that building

(35:53):
before moving across the street next year, the Bills dropped
their first one great game from Drake May, great avenge
game from Stefan dis.

Speaker 5 (36:01):
Yeah, and good for them that they hunt. You know,
another podcast, I talked a lot about how, you know,
the Patriots always owned that division and they would smash
all the Little Brothers before they could ever grow up.
And I thought maybe the Bills would do that to
the Patriots, Like who's going to be the scariest team
to challenge Josh Allen in the next couple of years.
It's definitely the Patriots in that division. And Little Brother

(36:23):
landed a few punches there, you know what I mean,
they're like, okay, yeah, and May is my guy. I
think he's great. But to me, the biggest thing that happened,
which is very Unbills like, was a lot of mistakes
from the Bills. I mean, they're always a top of
the league and turnover differential Alan team. Yeah, they don't
ever beat themselves, and last night they did a little bit.

Speaker 2 (36:44):
They they sure did, And yeah, I tell you what,
probably definitely feeling as good in New England as they
have in the post era. I think they got a
dude in Drake May they do so one of their
uh so, did you, I don't know if you saw this.
One of the Patriots fans who was there if the
game had a sign The Bills wore those like icy uniforms.

(37:05):
They called them like the ice white uniforms. There was
a Patriots fan that they showed postgame holding up a
sign that says ice melts in May, and it was
a I thought that was pretty good. Thought that was
pretty good. Finally, man tonight, A man, a good one
on Monday Night Football tonight down in Jacksonville the three
and one Jags, who all of a sudden, I mean,

(37:27):
there's a real race in that division with obviously keeping
up with Indy and the Texans look like they're back
to life. That could be one of the more fun
I think division races to watch here in the NFL
this season.

Speaker 5 (37:37):
One of the divisions you can see three teams really.

Speaker 2 (37:40):
Yeah, absolutely, and it could come down to tiebreaker scenarios
as to who wins and gets the home playoff game
against the Chiefs, who you know, first two weeks did
not go their way. They've responded and won two in
a row since then. Game, like I mentioned in Jacksonville,
tonight at EverBank Stadium, Kansas City, three and a half
point favorites on the road.

Speaker 5 (37:59):
Now, there's one organization I trust to no end, and
there's one that always lets you down. And maybe Casey
just steam rolls them to night and we're like, same
old chief same old Jags. But I also look at
it like the Jags never host primetime games anymore. The
Chiefs is.

Speaker 3 (38:15):
And this is kind of the third one they've played
in already this year.

Speaker 5 (38:17):
Kind of their super Bowl a little bit, you know,
like are we legit or not? The whole world's watching
Trevor new coach, Hunter Thomas, all these guys. Are they
ready to be legit?

Speaker 3 (38:28):
Winn? Yeah, right right, blocking step with the Colts.

Speaker 5 (38:32):
And I know it's one game. I always hesitate to
do this, but my opinion one way or another on
the Jags could train could change pretty drastically.

Speaker 2 (38:41):
That's the beauty of football, Yeah, it is at every level.
One game can have such an impact on how you
feel about yourself, on the perception of you around the league,
And tonight, certainly that from Jacksonville. You're right, they win
and it's like they're four and one. You.

Speaker 5 (38:54):
They just do battle with them to the end and
Mahomes is tearing them up and Lawrence's answering, and they say, oh, okay.

Speaker 3 (39:00):
These guys are legit. These guys can make some noise.

Speaker 5 (39:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (39:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (39:02):
If Kansas City goes in there and wins by thirteen,
then it's like, okay, here come the Chiefs and same
old jags.

Speaker 3 (39:09):
That's a very intriguing chief.

Speaker 5 (39:11):
Star turn in the corner and getting dangerous again.

Speaker 2 (39:13):
I think so too, geting, getting some health, getting some
guys back.

Speaker 5 (39:16):
They actually have some guys that can run now, they're
not relying on Juju and Michelle A. Kelsey and bad
running backs. I mean, they got some guys that can
move a little bit now.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
Yeah, we will absolutely recap that one and give some
thoughts on that one Tomorrow on the show. We'll also
do our Tuesday Power rankings. Yeah, we'll have everything from
the Mike Tomlin press conference. A lot of these injuries
that we've discussed and speculated upon since Dublin. We'll get
some clarity from from the head coach tomorrow. We'll also
talk to our buddy Chris Danski as well too, So

(39:48):
a jam packed Tuesday for you coming out of the
bye week. Matt and I want to do a little
almost like quarter pole conversation.

Speaker 5 (39:57):
Yes, yeah, by week two, and it'll give us a
little ex.

Speaker 2 (40:00):
Yeah, some some awards and some some division winners and
some predictions as well too. We'll get into all of
that and more on the show tomorrow, man, good stuff today.
Enjoyed this today.

Speaker 5 (40:10):
It was fine, unusual, but yes, yours be doing this weekend.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
And there was plenty to talk about on the a
FC North.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
Yeah, sure, man, big thanks to Rob King for joining us,
and to our video producer Tyler V mister TV as
always for making us look good on YouTube. That'll do
it for today. Take care of everybody. We'll 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 Steelers Audio
Network