Hr2: Tuesday Rewind, Power Rankings

The Drive shares final observations from the Bears game and gets into Week 13 power rankings.

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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 Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good evening, Stealer Nation. How we do it the better
and it's good.

Speaker 3 (00:39):
Yeah, okay, guys too, all right.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Our number two here, you know, matt we need everybody
deserves a Monday to commiserate. But then after that, you know,
you got to turn the page a little bit. Monty
Python always look on the bright side of life, all right,
I think, especially during a holiday week and all that thing.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yeah, yeah, give us thanks, folks.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
Give some thanks. I'm thankful for you, gentlemen.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Maybe we'll do some more of that tomorrow on a little, uh,
little little Wednesday that we got going on tomorrow. By
the way, can I just tell you, guys, uh, I'll
give him a shout out tomorrow.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
I'll go back through and look it up.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
But I shared with you guys, how you know Saturday
night went to the United Center and went to a
bullsgarch in Chicago Saturday night, and of course myself Dan
Quinnla Missy Matthews. We got our pictures taken with the
Michael Jordan statue, which was awesome, by the way, Fellas
it says Michael the statue, it says, Michael Jordan, the
best there ever is, the best there ever, the best

(01:38):
there ever was, the best there ever will be. That's
what the statue says, Michael Jordan, the best there ever was,
the best there ever will be. Any nineties kid gets
chills hanging out there at the Michael Jordan statue. I
put a picture of it up on my Instagram. Yeah,
and I'll give them credit tomorrow.

Speaker 4 (01:51):
But somebody replied and said best of the West for
this week, coolest athlete statues You've ever seen in a while,
And I was like, oh, heck.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yes, didn't build that list. That's bring it on, man.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
That sounds good. So we'll get into that a little
bit tomorrow. We'll have a busy, busy day tomorrow, some
Matt's stats around campus, the whole whole bunch going on.
But for now, let's get into our Tuesday rewatch before
we get to some fantasy football focus here, Matt, just
a couple of things that I wanted to run by
you on the Tuesday rewatch.

Speaker 4 (02:23):
And it's funny.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
I swear I wrote this down last night before Mike
Todlin's press conference today, but he started his press conference
talking about how the Steelers clearly lost the field position
battle and in a game that tight, that's costly.

Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
One of the things that I wrote down last night
in my notes. I just have a couple of bullet
points here of things we didn't talk about on Monday.
The first was field positioning struggles reared their ugly head again. Uh,
for the first time since the first few weeks of
the season, after being a big strength lately. You had
the punt issues with Corless Weightmana. The return game, particularly

(03:00):
on kickoffs, felt like a real advantage for Chicago, and
then of course that one time you had them pen
deep and you end up getting called for a penalty
and have to kick again that cost you thirty some yards.
Field positioning struggles. After we saw that a little early
in the season, like I said, against the Jets and
against Seattle, that was a real thing we talked about
then it felt like it had been a real strength.
Since I feel like that went in the wrong direction

(03:23):
Sunday at Soldier Field.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, and things of that nature certainly hard for you
and I to predict. I mean, I don't watch special
teams tape. I'm never going to I'm not gonna break
it down. I don't know that much about it, but
I do know Danny Smith's a really good special teams
coach and they have some core special teamers. Although Killerber's
missed and Scoronix banged up. You know, we talked about
that in the first segment. So frankly, those things don't

(03:48):
worry me. I just think sometimes like, oh, you look
back at the seventeen game schedule and be like Week
twelve wasn't our best day. But you know, ten of
those seventeen games we got the better of them, two
of them were draw and three of them we lost.
You know, Like, I think they'll win that more often
than not. And as we stated, the Steeler offense ends

(04:08):
up with the second best starting field position in the
league when you look at for the season, only behind
the Rams. So this is something that they've been pretty
good at it overall, and they're specialists are good players.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
It still feels like an anomaly. Yeah, it is a
varsity level punters.

Speaker 4 (04:24):
Yes, I think they're better on teams that they're above
average on teams across the National Football League, but it
was not their best outing on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (04:32):
It's definitely not worthy in a three point game. One
thousand one thing I wanted to bring up is I
do this podcast for dk Pittsburgh Sports, and usually if
the Steelers play at one, I record it Sunday right
before the night game, and there's that gap, that gap
after and it goes live midnight or whatever. So it's

(04:55):
a real reactionary one.

Speaker 4 (04:56):
I mean, that's very like, yeah, reaction.

Speaker 3 (04:59):
I mean, I flat out say, I have not watched
this a second time. I watched it on TV, like
all you These are my eight to ten minutes of thoughts,
and sometimes they're a little emotional, you know, like after
a lot of you're right right right after a loss.
I'm a little harsher than I should be. After a win.
I'm probably, Oh they're great, you know, just like everybody else,
you know. But I do like it the I don't

(05:21):
do it right when kickoff ends Simmler for a little bit, Ye.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
Think about it for three hours and then hit it.

Speaker 3 (05:26):
Yeah, and then I'll be honest, there's better analysis the
next day when I do the podcast, because it sinks in.
I hear other people's thoughts, you guys that were at
the game, I'd be like, yeah, this guy was sick
or you know or whatever, and I find a lot
more advanced analytics that you know, add up and then
I usually end that podcast just with like one sentence

(05:48):
that kind of wraps up the game to me, And
my sentence in this one was I thought the Steelers
and the numbers bear this out were the more efficient team,
so on a play by play basis on both sides
of the ball, I thought they were better than the Bears,
you know, which is basically like success rate, you know.

(06:08):
But the Bears were the more explosive team, which is
often the case in Steeler games and is a big
problem right now. And the tiebreaker to me, I don't
know if I'd rather be a fishing or explosive, you know,
but they're both great and when you get both, wonderful.
But the tiebreaker to me was the Steelers lost a
turnover battle by two if you do it properly and

(06:31):
count fourth thound conversions, and to me, that was kind
of difference in the game. And some of that field
position too. You give them the ball on a fourth
and fourth thound you don't convert, you know.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
That's a run on sentence there matter.

Speaker 3 (06:43):
It's not just that was not just one, probably three.

Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, yeah, you're spot on, You're absolutely right.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
And with that, two more things that I just wanted
to get your thoughts on real quick than we didn't
touch on yesterday.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (06:55):
The decision to punt on fourth down.

Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, I've been asked about that a lot.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
Fourth and nine, your own twenty three with a minute
and fifty three. I think it was like two oh
one when they decided to punt left in the.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
Game, and it was fourth and nine, right, it.

Speaker 4 (07:13):
Was fourth and nine.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
I know it was a long twenty three yard line, right,
and that was So there's two things that I think
playing to this in hindsight as well.

Speaker 4 (07:21):
The first is it was not a good punt by Corless. Weightman.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yeah, you can't that factor your thoughts on Tuesday conversation.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
But neither can you. The Steelers got them three and
out just twenty four seconds and got the ball back.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
Right, right, right right. So one thing didn't work out
as you hope that you probably count on to be batter's.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
Kind of mixed bag of results. It wasn't a good punt,
but you still got them three and out. Now, you
didn't have the field position that you would have hoped
to have if it would have been a better punt,
and you forced them to go three and out real quick.
But point that all plays into the ecosystem conversation again.
So I didn't hate it like most people did.

Speaker 3 (07:50):
I didn't either, and I don't know what And frankly,
that's one of my least fair things about analytics is
when to punt, when not to when to go for.

Speaker 4 (07:58):
It when the factor in that you got a backup quarterback,
that the number one wide receiver had been banged up
ankle injury in and out the whole day. Yeah, and
that you hadn't been attacking the middle of the field.

Speaker 3 (08:09):
And as you saying what play are you gonna call?

Speaker 4 (08:11):
What?

Speaker 3 (08:11):
Tell me what play they're gonna get.

Speaker 4 (08:13):
I'm not trying to be too crass here, but you
in that moment really thought, go for it. We're gonna
get this. We got all the momentum, everything's going our direction.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
I didn't that time. Like I sat there going like
everybody else, I'm like, I, well, I might not look
at it, Okay, one else I'm like, I bet the
analytics are saying go for it, yes, But I'm sitting
there going I don't think they're gonna make it.

Speaker 4 (08:32):
I'm I'm sitting there going I would rather trust the
defense to make a play, Yeah, then to convert a
fourth and nine with your number one wide receiver hobbled
your backup quarterback in the game and you had had
next to no production. You had had no production over
the middle of the field where you would probably typically
want to attack in that sit.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
In that situation, you would want Friarmouth on a twelve
yard in break or something or other, you know what
I mean. Darnell eight yard.

Speaker 4 (08:56):
H sticks right, Darnell at the sticks.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
Right, and Mason wasn't exactly throwing the ball great downfield either.
So that's the thing that's a pet peeve of mine.
As much as I love analytics and numbers and I
do think they help tell a story, much of the
fourth down stuff I'm bothered with, you know, like they
don't account for I got a third string left guard
trying to block Aaron Donald, you know, like or it's

(09:19):
pouring or the wind is awful, or hey, what play
call do I have? You know, like I've expired everything.
Everything I thought was gonna work doesn't And they know
it's common or blah blah blah. But anyway, so I
saw both sides. I would have leaned towards punting in
that situation. One of my favorite podcasts I listened to
is The Athletic Podcast, and it's hosted by Robert Mays,

(09:40):
who's just a out of the closet Bears fan, but
he's also a really good analyst and he has good
guess but he'll I mean, he talks about the Bears
like we need, even though it's a national show. And
so I respect his opinion on this as kind of
the opponent, because I always think of these things is
what does your opponent not want you to do? And
he said when the Steelers punted, I was happy, you know,

(10:04):
like hmm, but I was happy as a Steelers fan
when they punted.

Speaker 4 (10:09):
I was good.

Speaker 2 (10:09):
I bet you if you know what I mean, if
they would have gone forward on fourth and nine, he
might be singing the same tune.

Speaker 4 (10:14):
I was happy they went forward on fourth and nine.
They had nothing. We had him frustrated, We had them
pin back in their own end zone.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
I mean, at least you had died longer. I mean,
because the game's over. If you don't get over over.

Speaker 4 (10:24):
Great point.

Speaker 3 (10:24):
I mean, at least you survived. Great, you're extended.

Speaker 4 (10:27):
It's like when you're down ten points, maybe it's ten
points and you kick a field goal with fifty seconds left.

Speaker 2 (10:34):
Right right, and still a lot at least I'm still
as opposed to if you go for it and you
don't get it and then you're still down ten.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
In the games, I was steal it out right, Yeah,
so I think that's close to a fifty to fifty
for me. But I would have punted to last one.

Speaker 4 (10:47):
Matt the decision not to kick with Chris Boswell from
sixty four yards out, Yeah, it was a fourth and
six in that moment.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
Not being with the organization on the sidelines, I think
I would have kicked it because I think I'd trust
my maybe best player or an elite player at his position,
rather than a backup quarterback and an offense that was
clearly struggling. But bos might have been standing right next
to them go and I can't make it from their coach,
you know, like I feel good from sixty one. I mean,

(11:18):
why they kick out One of the reasons they do
this stuff before the game is if I'm going this direction, Danny,
I think I can make it from sixty one in
emergency situation, Yes, And there has to be an honesty
in a back and forth. And I'm sure at this
point with a kicker and special teams and head coach,
they've all been around a long time they know these answers,

(11:40):
or they would have tried it.

Speaker 2 (11:41):
And I have to give full credit here to Max
Starks and Missy Matthews. Okay, because postgame, when we're all
commiserating in our deep dish pizza waiting for the buses
to take off, they brought up a good point of
so the way that that played out was you had
completed a two yard pass on third and eight. You

(12:02):
complete a two yard pass thirty nine seconds left clock running.

Speaker 3 (12:07):
I'm trying to think that two yard pass was that.

Speaker 4 (12:10):
It was Mason Rudolph the DK metcalf to for two
yards to the Chicago forty seven.

Speaker 3 (12:15):
Probably with the My point is, probably with the intentions
that you aren't going to pick at all up beer
to pick up a chunk and then go for it.

Speaker 4 (12:22):
That was part of the thought process.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah, there was also this and I can't remember if
it was Max or Missy that was the first to
bring it up, but they both kind of galaxy brained
this thing, but in a good way. With the way
that that played out, with the Steelers not having any timeouts,
with the completed pass on third down that now had
a running clock and you've got no way to stop it.

(12:44):
They didn't have time to get in the football that
Chris Boswell would have wanted to kick anyway.

Speaker 4 (12:49):
And that might confuse some people at home, but I.

Speaker 3 (12:51):
Think, since I can, I'd have to have the ball.

Speaker 2 (12:54):
I think since the whole the flate gate thing, everybody
realizes now there's a lot of different types of footballs
that tea keep on the sideline, the one that you
want your quarterback to throw, the one that you want
your punter to hit, the one that you want your
kicker to kick. They wouldn't have been able to get
in that Chris. They wouldn't have had the time to
get in that Chris Boswell football they would want him
to kick in that situation.

Speaker 3 (13:14):
Either this is a real long conversation that's like nerdy nerdy.

Speaker 2 (13:20):
Stuff, But they've got a specific football that's inflated and bumped.

Speaker 4 (13:23):
And bruised, and Warner's this year to.

Speaker 2 (13:26):
The exact extent that Chris Boswell wants it to give
him the most success, which is different than the balls
that Mason Rudolph is throwing or handed off on a
down in downout basis.

Speaker 3 (13:36):
I'll give you the quickest version I can. There's a
kicking ball and there's a regular ball. Yeah, we know that,
and they're not the same. The kicking ball is rounder,
from what I understand, so it travels further and over,
you know, there's less resistance, et cetera. Side note, I
think it was a Sunday night game, but it was
one of the national games recently where a quarterback threw
a pick and it was like the young corners first

(13:56):
ever interception. He wanted to keep the ball, and the
quarterbacks like, I want that football. That's my buddy. You know,
that's like a pitcher that has the ball exactly like
you want.

Speaker 4 (14:06):
To seem worn just right.

Speaker 3 (14:08):
You can snap it off that curve ball or whatever, right,
But it's along those lines. So it used to be
the rule. And there's an article deep somewhere in the
Athletic about this too, because I heard I listened to
a whole podcast about why is our kickers so good? Now,
first of all, there's a lot of kicking camps and
people are better at it, but a lot of it's
the balls in that there's a kicking ball, and back

(14:29):
in the day there wasn't a kicking ball, but there
used to be. You could do anything to the balls
you wanted all week, Like people would like smear stuff
on them. Yeah, put them in the dryer. There's all
these them.

Speaker 4 (14:39):
Around on the ass fall you smooth them out.

Speaker 3 (14:42):
Yeah, I mean like the interns would be like, your
job is just to beat up balls all week, you know,
so this skin goes further and then they're like this
is crazy. I mean, it's almost like a spitball, Like
all these these balls are gross, Like what did you
put on them? And like what do you smear? What'd
you do to them? So then they said we're just
gonna pull them right out and you're gonna have to
kick them brand new ball and it's like a rock.

(15:02):
So this year they switched the rule that you can
doctor it for a half hour before kickoff. Yep, So
these guys work the ball like crazy for having an hour.

Speaker 4 (15:12):
Into the equipment room and bing bong bo right right, yeah, yeah, yeah.
It sounds like a Kendrick Lamar song. Boom bing ba
BM rob it.

Speaker 3 (15:20):
I don't think you can like put anything on it.
There's some rules, but this year you can do something
to it. So not only is it a kicking ball
not the other ball, but it's his.

Speaker 4 (15:29):
You know, I didn't have time to get that out there.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
And if you're asking him to kick a twenty four yarder,
maybe that's not the I'll put sixty four yarder.

Speaker 4 (15:38):
You need everything in line to attempt.

Speaker 3 (15:41):
I urge people do a Google sart so about it.
I think there's a deep article on the athletic and
there is a good podcast or two where it's like, yes,
kickers are better and no matter what the ball is,
it'd be better than they were at any point in
NFL history. But there's a recent rule change that nobody
really knows about that helps them a lot, a whole bunch. Yeah,
like pictures want a doctor of baseball.

Speaker 2 (16:03):
But absolutely, and you can totally get it in those
in those two sports, for a quarterback, for a pitcher,
for a kicker, it.

Speaker 3 (16:09):
Makes a ton of sense.

Speaker 4 (16:11):
I don't think that's really like, I don't think that's.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers will not throw the same football. No,
there's minding, there's yours.

Speaker 4 (16:18):
Tom Brady wanted it a little deflated famous famous.

Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yeah, it's almost like a baseball bat, like the same
one you do I stick, Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
Right, uses a different one than Crystal Tank, Yeah, exactly.
Everyone's got their personal there. Allowed to do that now? Yeah,
I wonder yes, and so that. Like I said, it
was either Max or Missy kind of both of them
together talking through it. But I wanted to give them
some credit for bringing that to the forefront as well.

Speaker 3 (16:42):
Matt.

Speaker 2 (16:42):
We only have about two minutes left for our Fantasy
football focus here. I thought that was a good Tuesday
rewind though, Yeah, and Wire.

Speaker 4 (16:49):
It's not. So I'm just gonna throw at you a couple.
Would you rather for exposition? If you need a quarterback
for this week? Would you rather see j Stroud at Indianapolis,
Trevor Lawrence at Tennessee, to attag of Viola versus New Orleans.

Speaker 3 (17:05):
None of them are wonderful, but probably Shroud. There's no
buys this week, by the week, and by the way,
and there's four next week and then we're done. Just
a little tidbit for people to know because Thanksgiving, there's
no bye weeks. Probably Shroud. I know he's returning from injury,
but his receivers are starting to step up, and I
think the offense is coming around.

Speaker 4 (17:25):
Running backs Devin Neil of the Saints at Miami, Chris
Rodriguez Junior of the Commanders against the Broncos where he
mostered of the Raiders against the Chargers.

Speaker 3 (17:38):
These are pretty deep.

Speaker 2 (17:39):
They're kind of leaving morning Guy and gain Well out
because they're owned now in sixty percent league.

Speaker 3 (17:45):
They've probably been picked.

Speaker 2 (17:46):
Teuton at Tennessee forty eight percent of league. Still, that's
probably the answer, right.

Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah, Tuton and Rodriguez cau this year for Rostered at
the Jets. Yeah, that's not terrible. If it was like
a bye week injury situation, I think there's a chance
Tooton takes over as a lead back sooner than later.
Rodriguez is the one, though, like I sneakily picked him
up in our league two weeks ago because they were

(18:12):
in a bye last week. No one thought about it.

Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (18:15):
I don't think he's even good, but if he's the
number one back in Washington, you know you might need him.

Speaker 4 (18:21):
And indeed, indeed it's that's that's the name of the
game at this stage.

Speaker 3 (18:25):
Yeah, running backs to get touches are valuable.

Speaker 2 (18:27):
Wide receivers here to close this down. Jaden Higgins of
the Texans at Indy.

Speaker 3 (18:32):
He's one of those guys that's kind of emerging.

Speaker 4 (18:33):
I mentioned, you know, Parker Washington of the Jags at Tennessee,
Luther Burden of the Bears at Philadelphia.

Speaker 3 (18:43):
Probably Washington. I mean he plays a lot, He's had a.

Speaker 4 (18:46):
Couple He's had a couple like significant weeks.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
Yeah, he's good with the ball in his hands. He's
also has a good return ability. If your league has that,
I know it's a cherry on top. Got a touchdown
last week. He's on the field I think more than
both those guys. So I would go with Washingrington. He
should be probably in all leagues.

Speaker 2 (19:03):
I think he's getting to that point. I think he's
getting to that point. Tight ends. I mean, Colson Lovelin's
still just forty three percent. I feel like he's probably
the answer.

Speaker 3 (19:12):
He's very impressive in person too. I think he's going
to be a star.

Speaker 4 (19:16):
I think so too.

Speaker 2 (19:16):
I think I think this year Tyler Warren's having the
great year. Yeah, and he's I think gonna have a
great career, but I feel like ten years from now
will give the slight nod to Loveland.

Speaker 3 (19:26):
And both of them could be really they could.

Speaker 4 (19:29):
Be all future, all pros.

Speaker 2 (19:30):
We could be having them in these semi finalist Hall
of Fame talks one day. It's still very early doors
for that, but I do.

Speaker 3 (19:36):
Think that they're very, very prospect.

Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yes, I'm completely with you on that. Let's take a
break here when we return Power Rankings time. As the
road continues to narrow, Week thirteen edition. The Turkey is
on the table for the Power rankings. We'll discuss when
we return. Matt Williamson, Wes Euler, It's the Drive here
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (20:04):
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (20:51):
Back on the drive here as we roll along on
a Tuesday, and it is time for our Tuesday Power Rankings,
and Matt Williamson, I think you're going to be happy
because you've been calling for it.

Speaker 4 (21:02):
Finally, the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of the Tennessee Titans.

Speaker 3 (21:06):
They should be last dead last.

Speaker 4 (21:07):
In thirty second place.

Speaker 3 (21:08):
Said last I think that's an easy one. That they're
almost like not playing with any pride anymore, like that
they're embarrassing on the field lately, Cancun on three, Yeah exactly.
I mean that that pass protection against the Browns, Come on, man.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
And I know the Browns have a good defensive front.
And you called it a couple of weeks ago.

Speaker 4 (21:24):
My goodness, it does really look like Miles Garrett has
an inside track to break the sack.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
Record skyrocketing towards you. Yeah, four and.

Speaker 4 (21:31):
A half to tie it.

Speaker 3 (21:33):
I think it's twelve sacks of four games. It's pretty
right in that neighborhood.

Speaker 2 (21:38):
He's got eighteen right now. I think twenty two and
a half is the record, right stats man TV, yeska,
less than once a game, less.

Speaker 4 (21:46):
Than one well to tie would be four and a
half to tie, five or more to pass.

Speaker 3 (21:50):
With five games ago, five games to go. Yeah, yeah.
He plays the Raiders every week.

Speaker 2 (21:57):
The Browns would be going to the playoffs. Yeah, play
the Raiders every single week. The Titans check in at
number thirty one.

Speaker 3 (22:02):
I'm not gonna fight.

Speaker 4 (22:03):
I'm not gonna fight on that yeah either, right.

Speaker 3 (22:06):
I do think it's noteworthy that Ward played really well
in the loss last week, there's an Emmy's throw into
rookies that shouldn't be there.

Speaker 2 (22:13):
And I mean, like like you and I think we
said this maybe yesterday when we were kind of just
running the game bit of results of the league from
the Titans. Right now, I'm thinking, Okay, if we hit,
if we nail this offseason, we could be in a
pretty good spot quick. We could turn this around pretty
quick if we hire the right coach, if we make
the right moves draft the raft.

Speaker 4 (22:29):
Right, guys, we got.

Speaker 3 (22:30):
Its attractive draft job for the coach.

Speaker 4 (22:31):
Too attractive job everybody.

Speaker 2 (22:33):
Every no one's gonna say no to living in Tennessee
and Nashville. I'm sure they're building a brand new gazillion
dollars stadium that's going to be done in the next
couple of years.

Speaker 3 (22:42):
I don't know like their cap space situation, but all that,
but it's got to be pretty good, right. They don't
have big contracts.

Speaker 2 (22:47):
You've got a lot of draft capital. You've got if
you if you can nail it this summer, I think
they can turn that thing around pretty quickly.

Speaker 4 (22:54):
Number thirty the New Orleans Saints.

Speaker 3 (22:58):
That's fair. They're still playing hard, but that's fair.

Speaker 2 (23:01):
You like, I don't know about having them behind the Jets.
The Jets check in at twenty nine. But the Jets
I think are playing hard and showing some signs of
life too.

Speaker 3 (23:08):
They hung against the Ravens, you know, I mean that
a lade at halftime. Yeah, I mean, even after trading
their best players, they're still playing hard and they're not
a pushover. The bottom ones are always tough. Like to me,
the Raiders are clearly thirty two, and then there's four
or five teams in this neighborhood that are kind of
equally bad. You know that. Don't have any hope.

Speaker 4 (23:29):
With you on that one. I'm with you on that one.

Speaker 2 (23:32):
So yeah, Saints at thirty, Jets at twenty nine, staying
at MetLife Stadium.

Speaker 4 (23:37):
The Giants check in at twenty eight.

Speaker 3 (23:39):
They probably should have beat the Lions. I mean that
was real close, you know, and they battled to the end,
and the offense, despite not having some of their best players,
were a handful against Detroit. I mean, the Giants d
has been problematic, but they're better. They're the best one
we mentioned yet I think, so yeah, yeah.

Speaker 4 (24:01):
They're fighting, They're not rolling over and Cancun on three
just yet.

Speaker 3 (24:06):
It's not a bad job either. If you like Dart,
you know, they.

Speaker 4 (24:10):
Have some nice pieces on defense. They got some nice
neighbors coming back.

Speaker 2 (24:16):
I was gonna say Thomas and you know, yeah, uh,
Cleveland moving up a couple spots.

Speaker 4 (24:20):
They check in at twenty seven.

Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think it's safe to have them. Over All these
teams mostly based on a defense, Like.

Speaker 2 (24:26):
Yeah, I mean, like if the Giants are that weren't
so banged up, you know what I mean?

Speaker 4 (24:30):
Yeah, but like the Jets traded everybody away.

Speaker 2 (24:33):
But yeah, I don't mind Cleveland in this spot right
now because I think of all these teams we've named,
their defense is the best unit.

Speaker 3 (24:38):
That's what you say, too, Like if you're talking about
the bad teams, if you can at least say something
is top ten in the league, Okay, I mean that's something.
Their defense is clearly top ten. It might be five.

Speaker 4 (24:51):
It's just tough to argue at this point.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
I mean, the offense is I'm not gonna put a
lot of stock in one.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
Game, but you know, the commis the Commanders check in
at twenty six, Matt, they're three and eight.

Speaker 3 (25:01):
That's pretty disappointing.

Speaker 2 (25:03):
After bye week, I think yeah, just kind of staying
at twenty six. But yeah, it's been a disappointing year
for them. They're one of those that can't wait to
get to the offseason and burn the tape and put
this season by.

Speaker 3 (25:13):
I'm curious what they do with Daniels with the severity
of his injury and all those things too, But just
shut him down or do you try to get some
momentum going in the offseason.

Speaker 2 (25:23):
Wait and see if we get an answer to that
sometime maybe here in the month of December. Cincinnata at
twenty six. Joe Burrow now expected, according to sources in Cincinnati,
to return Thursday night against that Ravens.

Speaker 3 (25:37):
Are you rooting for him, guys?

Speaker 4 (25:38):
Heck yeah, I love you, dude. You're my favorite quarterback.

Speaker 3 (25:41):
I don't think you're gonna get Higgins, but you'll get
chased back. You'll get Burrow back. Start.

Speaker 4 (25:45):
That could be enough.

Speaker 3 (25:46):
I know it's the lowest bar of all time, but
it was the best their defense played all year was
this past week.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
With I think without a doubt, then you're right, that
is the lowest bar of all But that had been
a Patriots team that had.

Speaker 4 (25:58):
Been scoring a lot of points and moving the ball
and they frustrated.

Speaker 3 (26:01):
Okay, yeah, yeah, Matt checking in.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
At number twenty four, they started. This is one for
me that I think I'd have these guys.

Speaker 3 (26:08):
A lot lower.

Speaker 4 (26:09):
It's hard to beef with the bottom of this list.

Speaker 3 (26:11):
I really split back games, right.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
But the Arizona Cardinals checking at twenty four, they started
two and zero. They've now lost eight of their last
nine games.

Speaker 3 (26:19):
They just never win. How there's a lot of heartbreakers.
There's a lot of excuses slash good reasons.

Speaker 4 (26:25):
I have Cleveland ahead of them. I might even have Cincinnati.
I think CNSIA think I have the Giants ahead of them,
one and eight in their last nine.

Speaker 3 (26:33):
Said, they just never win. Are they favored in Washington?

Speaker 1 (26:38):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (26:38):
Boy, I bet not.

Speaker 4 (26:40):
That's a good question.

Speaker 3 (26:41):
Yeah, I bet they wouldn't. I'm just thinking of teams
in that neighborhood, you know, Like, I don't think they
would be favored against the Commanders.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
I don't think they never win. Terrible in their last
nine games. Yeah, I'm sorry. Eventually you got to start
falling falling far. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (27:01):
You could be like, oh you lost a squeaker at
the end, or for.

Speaker 4 (27:04):
The Saints for a while, but like I think I
take the Saints over the Cardinals in a neutral side matchup.

Speaker 3 (27:09):
Right now, I'm not sure and go that far, but
they have.

Speaker 2 (27:12):
Been they have been trailing off the last couple of weeks.
Vikings checking in at number twenty three.

Speaker 4 (27:17):
Can coon on three for.

Speaker 2 (27:18):
Minnesota, Yeah, I mean, I mean they're on the short
list of I think more disappointing teams in the NFL
this year.

Speaker 3 (27:24):
And what thinks for them is it's one reason yep.
Everyone else is going to get a year older and
with a wasted year, you know, like the Justin Jefferson's
of the world and O'Neill the right tackles, you know,
like it's why you don't tank, like the Cam Hayward
can't just afford to throw a.

Speaker 4 (27:39):
Year away, you know what I mean Justin Jefferson.

Speaker 3 (27:41):
Exactly, these guys basically just threw in a year because
they don't have a quarterback all year.

Speaker 2 (27:47):
Tough slide in Minnesota. I think right there with the
Raiders in terms of disappointing teams this season.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (27:54):
I didn't think the Raiders were going to the playoffs
or anything. I thought they'd win seven.

Speaker 4 (27:57):
Or eight games and you know, be better than they've
fact they're into some conversation. I thought Minnesota had a
chance to win the division.

Speaker 3 (28:04):
I think like Mac Jones or Kyler Murray ends up
in the Yesota.

Speaker 2 (28:08):
Makes a ton of sense. Yeah, checking in just ahead
of the Vikings. Also at four and seven, three wins
in their last four games coming out of the bye week.
It's the Miami Dolphins.

Speaker 3 (28:18):
I give them credit like they they're not, like they
saved their season. I don't even know if they saved
their jobs.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
But are you ready for this? They're gonna be when
they come to Pittsburgh here in a few weeks for
Monday Night Football. Yeah, they're gonna be playing to go
five hundred in that game. They're four and seven right now.
They've got the Saints and the Jets in their next two. Wow,
they'll be six and seven coming here to Monday Night Football.
And I don't think any of us saw that coming.

Speaker 3 (28:39):
And they maybe not this week, but after they win
one more of them, they're going to be in the hunt.
Yeah right, I mean, we looked like they were the
worst team.

Speaker 4 (28:47):
And they were going to fire their be the first
team to fire their coach back.

Speaker 3 (28:49):
In right, right, right, right? No, I give them credit
or they did not throw in the towel at all.
I mean they traded a couple guys.

Speaker 2 (28:54):
But a team that we thought they might be thrown
in the towel, they pulled it together and beat the
Saints on Sunday. The Atlanta Falcons at four and seven,
Chicken at twenty one. I'd have them lower, I think
I am in Miamie.

Speaker 3 (29:06):
Miami beats them.

Speaker 4 (29:08):
I don't know what I'd put them ahead of Arizona,
I'll tell you that, yeah, but I would. I would
swap them with Miami.

Speaker 3 (29:14):
Beating the Saints is enough for me to be excited
about them. Max. Maybe the vision's a nightmare right now.
After watching Carolina last night, brutal, brutal.

Speaker 2 (29:23):
Brutal, and speaking of which the highest ranked, well, I
guess Carolina is still going to be ranked higher.

Speaker 4 (29:27):
But just in a spot.

Speaker 3 (29:29):
Oh they're both next to.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
At twenty Carolina at nineteen, Tampa Bay falls eight spots.
That might be a little bit harsh.

Speaker 3 (29:36):
To Memp over all, but again like they're in a
bad place.

Speaker 4 (29:40):
That bad place. What three in a row, I think,
and four of their last five.

Speaker 3 (29:44):
Guys just keep getting hurt, and they got demolished.

Speaker 2 (29:47):
By the Ram demolish are going to be one would
be one thing though, if they went and they lost
the Rams by seven or ten or I mean they
really in that.

Speaker 3 (29:55):
Game that were game. The Rams are going to be
one on this list.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
I'm assuming they are too, but down eight spots, Tampa
Bay by far the lowest they've been at twenty, and
then Carolina at nineteen.

Speaker 3 (30:07):
Okay, I mean Carolina wasn't exactly impressive last night either, No,
I mean they looked really and.

Speaker 4 (30:11):
Now Tampa is a half game ahead of Carolina.

Speaker 3 (30:15):
I mean Brock Purdy tried to hand them the ball
several times. Oh boy did he ever out of Tampa
over Carolina.

Speaker 2 (30:21):
Number eighteen Rising, I'm with you on that, Yeah. Rising
is the Dallas Cowboys at five to five and one
at number eighteen.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
See who's around them, but I bet i'd have them
noticeably higher.

Speaker 4 (30:31):
Chargers ahead of them at seventeen. Dallas is right now.
They might change in two days. I think Dallas is
playing really well. I think for how they are today,
I'm with you.

Speaker 2 (30:44):
I think Tampa Bay might be the hardest team to
evaluate in the league right now. Dallas for everyone on YouTube,
same Church, different pew, but in a good way. For Dallas, hardest.

Speaker 3 (30:54):
To go in their direction. I think they could be
a real team next year.

Speaker 2 (30:59):
Chargers seventeen. They're tough to evaluate currently because of injury situations.

Speaker 4 (31:03):
And then, Matt, I think i'd put real.

Speaker 3 (31:05):
Quick note on the Chargers. I just saw when I
was getting the water a minute ago. A Marion Hampton's
window just opened today too, so maybe they'll get him back.
At least there's some good.

Speaker 4 (31:12):
Be important for them. That'll also be important for my
fantasy football.

Speaker 3 (31:15):
Team stashing them.

Speaker 2 (31:17):
I've been stashing them for a long time, and you
had to pay off here checking in at number sixteen. Matt,
I think right there with Tampa and Dallas is the
hardest teams to pinpoint right now in the National Football League.

Speaker 4 (31:28):
It's your Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 3 (31:29):
Yeah, it's been pretty weak the week lately, and therefore
you can't put a lot of stock in them an
exercise like this sixteen. You said, yeah, there the league
league gaverage, right.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
If they were at fourteen, I wouldn't fight it. If
they were at seventeen, I wouldn't fight it. I think
right in that kind of mushy middle is where they're
at right now. It's six and five.

Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeap, Yeah, I think that's fair.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
Let's see the teams ahead of them. Fifteen the Houston Texans,
I think that's fair.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (31:56):
They won what like four of their last five and
should be getting CJ. Stroud back.

Speaker 1 (32:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (32:00):
I like where they're at right now. I mean they
got some.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
Big two Indy this weekend and then they host Kansas City.
I mean that's that's a tough stretch.

Speaker 3 (32:08):
I mean, they're gonna be a tough road to get
to the playoffs. But I like how they're playing right now. Agreed.

Speaker 4 (32:12):
Number fourteen the Jacks Jags. They're a tough one for
me because they're Jaguars.

Speaker 2 (32:18):
For that guy on Facebook who keeps sending me nasty
becuse Jackal how I pronounced the Jaguars.

Speaker 3 (32:23):
There only a game behind the course?

Speaker 4 (32:25):
What this is? Steelers? That's where I'm.

Speaker 3 (32:27):
From, brother, they're only a game behind me.

Speaker 4 (32:30):
Sound like I'm from Boston.

Speaker 3 (32:34):
They I guess, you gotta put him ahead of the Steelers.
You gotta put him ahead of the Chargers. And they
just crushed the Chargers. They did. I don't really trust
them though.

Speaker 4 (32:41):
They're another tough to evaluate.

Speaker 3 (32:43):
Yeah, I mean the team the middle is always the hardest.

Speaker 2 (32:46):
Number thirteen, the Baltimore Ravens might be a little rich
for my blood.

Speaker 3 (32:51):
Yeah, I might have Houston ahead of them. Ahead of them,
I wouldn't have the Jags.

Speaker 2 (32:56):
There's a lot of questions about Lamar hasn't looked. They're winning,
but he does not look like himself, right.

Speaker 3 (33:00):
I mean, five game winning streak is a five game
winning streak, but they don't look like a juggernaut at all.

Speaker 2 (33:06):
Number twelve, This is going to be a fun game
to play. Kansas City Chiefs check in at twelve. I
don't hate that either, but I'm interested to see a
couple teams ahead of them as well, because I don't
think there's any of the teams behind them that I
would put ahead of them right now.

Speaker 3 (33:19):
We did a deep dive on the AFC playoff picture,
and they lose like all tie breakers because the records
are really bad, bad, so they can't have like ten
wins tied with the Steelers for a while. Agod they
got right.

Speaker 4 (33:31):
They got an opportunity to beat Houston, which would help
them in this.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
Help them a lot, but they can probably afford to
lose like one more game. Yeah, yeah, I mean if
they were lost of cold.

Speaker 4 (33:41):
They've still got the Chargers again, They've still got the
Broncos again.

Speaker 3 (33:43):
They could lose in Dallas and Dallas.

Speaker 4 (33:46):
Right, they're in a better spot than last week.

Speaker 3 (33:50):
But man, do you imagine the playoffs without the Chiefs?
Very well? Could happen?

Speaker 4 (33:54):
It very well could happen. Kelsey and his Swans not
making the postseason. You can get back on tour with
Taylor quicker.

Speaker 3 (34:03):
You know what I heard today is they expect Chiefs
at Dallas on Thanksgiving to be the most viewed game
in NFL history, regular sazor season.

Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, certainly possible.

Speaker 3 (34:15):
Yeah, I'm sure Taylor will be there or whatever too,
which helps.

Speaker 4 (34:18):
Certainly possible.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
Yeah, I wonder because you we all know this. The
sports viewership numbers just from like the seventies and the
eighties when there were only five channels on TV and
not much to watch. Like you look at some of
the numbers of some of the Super Bowls and some
of the National Championship game like it'll never be tough.
The nineteen seventy nine college basketball National Championship game between

(34:39):
Michigan State and Magic in Indiana State and Larry Bird.
There's never going to be another college basketball game that
even comes close to that one, Okay, because because of
some of the underlying let's be honest, some of the
underlying racial storylines and that too, and because there were
only five things on TV.

Speaker 4 (34:54):
At the game.

Speaker 3 (34:55):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know your four picks, So that's
better than all of them.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
That's the only thing that in my mind worked against it.
But I certainly think it's going to do a massive
all time.

Speaker 3 (35:05):
Oh yeah, yeah. On Thanksgiving the.

Speaker 2 (35:07):
Saks giving two of the biggest brands, right, Chiefs who
have been the NFL forefront for the last decade, the
Cowboys who were always in that realm and playing really
well right now, Yes, you throw in the swifty factor
number eleven. The Chicago Bears up to up three spots,
part of me moving to eight and three. They've won
seven of their last eight games as they take down

(35:28):
the Stellars.

Speaker 3 (35:29):
Yeah, you knows how Warren Sharp does his strength of
schedule stuff, and so they've basically had the easiest schedule
to date and they have the second hardest one from
now on now the rest of the way, So it's
rubber hitting the road for them all of a sudden.
I love what they're how they're playing, but we also
broke down the NFC playoff picture, and with the Niners

(35:50):
winning last night, they're at like ninety two percent to go,
which basically means Ram Seattle Niners are in and that
only leaves two teams in the So it's going to
be a real battle between Packers and Lions, who played
yep Thursday, which is awesome.

Speaker 4 (36:07):
Good games on Thursday.

Speaker 3 (36:08):
And I bet the Bears are going to be the
third one, the one looking.

Speaker 4 (36:11):
Out, you know, even at eight and three.

Speaker 3 (36:13):
I know, if you look at their upcoming.

Speaker 4 (36:15):
Slate, it's it is really tough.

Speaker 3 (36:16):
But that doesn't influence where're putting Power Rise today.

Speaker 4 (36:19):
Number ten.

Speaker 2 (36:20):
The Buffalo Bills down three spots, Matt. They started four
and oh they have since lost four of their last seven.
Not looking like the Buffalo that we've seen the last
few years.

Speaker 3 (36:29):
They're very formidable, and we'll talk about them a ton
the next.

Speaker 4 (36:31):
Are also coming off a few extra days of rest
for the Stealers.

Speaker 3 (36:34):
I don't love it. Yeah, I haven't seen their injury stuff,
but I'm sure it's better than the Steelers all things considered.
I don't know if they're better than the Bears, though,
how they're playing right this minute, none, they're both next
to each other.

Speaker 4 (36:47):
That's a little you're giving them a little Josh Allen
in past history benefit of.

Speaker 3 (36:51):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, which I I mean a lot of
that's warranted.

Speaker 2 (36:54):
Of course, but that's also kind of the point of
power rankings is the right here, I probably swapped them
with Chicago.

Speaker 4 (36:59):
I'm with you on that. Number nine to the top
ten the San Francisco forty nine ers, Matt. Somehow, despite
despite being decimated on defense, despite three Brock Party interceptions,
the Niners moved eight.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
And four and just keep winning. Man, They're impressive. Shanahan
deserves a ton of credit.

Speaker 3 (37:15):
Ton of credit, and so does Robert Salah. You got
a former head coach. That was a great play with
the team that they grabbed the defenses, all backups and rookies.
And I know Carolina's offense isn't great, but that Panther
offense couldn't do a thing.

Speaker 4 (37:29):
No, no, it could not. It was frustrated all night long.
Number eight the Detroit Lions, overtime winners over the Giants.
They moved to seven and four. I don't know, Matt
that might be a little too high for me. They
deserve They're a team that deserves benefit of the doubt.
But again, if you're talking just now power rankings, I.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
Wasn't the best performance performance that's especially defensively.

Speaker 4 (37:54):
Was that in New York? Was that in Detroit? I
thought that was in Detroit.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
I was in Detroit.

Speaker 2 (37:58):
I think it was in Detroit. Thinking not computing good team,
dangerous team. I might have them a couple of spots lower,
but I'm not.

Speaker 3 (38:07):
Them versus Packers is a tough one for me. Packers
are at seven, Okay, have them right next to each other.
I'm not sure what.

Speaker 2 (38:12):
Order Eagles falling three spots, checking in at number six
after a wow blowing a twenty one point lead to
their arch rival Dallas Cowboys. I was gonna say bumping
the road or is there maybe some real issues for
the Iggles.

Speaker 3 (38:29):
I worry if they can win the Super Bowl, not like,
can they win the division or are they going to,
you know, win a playoff game or so. I don't
know that offense can win the Super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (38:37):
They are not running the football nearly as effectively as
they did last year, and the past game continues.

Speaker 3 (38:42):
To be an lines not dominant. Past game is an
issue and the loss of coordinator hurt them a lot.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
Highest We've seen the New England Patriots checking in at
number five nine straight wins, ten and two. But I
tell you what, Sunday didn't feel like all that impressive. No,
you lose Will Campbell in the process as well.

Speaker 3 (39:00):
I don't think it's the beginning of the end or anything,
but I am curious what they look like the next
go right.

Speaker 4 (39:06):
They need to get Milton Williams back and healthy.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
YELP way be helpful, but they.

Speaker 2 (39:11):
Are tending to and continue to win nine straight. Number
four down a couple of spots after that loss of
the Chiefs.

Speaker 4 (39:16):
It's the Colts.

Speaker 3 (39:17):
I'd have them over the Chiefs. So yeah, people have.

Speaker 4 (39:21):
A little rich for my blood. At four.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
I might have them closer to six or seven. But
I still think they're a really good team. But I
think the Chiefs prove that if you can, if you
can stymy that run game and make them th same
thing the Steelers did. If you can stymy that run
game and make them have to throw the ball, win
on first and second down, make them have to throw
the ball on long situations, you got shot, you can
cause them some issues.

Speaker 3 (39:42):
Yep. I think they have both their games against Houston
and Jacksonville still on the slate. If not that Soria
the four sounds right, I mean, so that division is
far from settled as strong as they started.

Speaker 2 (39:55):
See here they have the Texans coming up, and then
they have the Jags, and then they go to Seattle,
San Francisco, Jacksonville, Houston.

Speaker 3 (40:03):
Goodness. Yeah, that's rough because they had a really easy
schedule hard and now they're like the Bears.

Speaker 2 (40:09):
I mean, you take it back a week coming out
of their by they go they go to Kansas City,
then they host Houston, then they go to Jacksonville, and
then they go to Seattle. Then they host the Niners,
and they host the Jags, and they host the Texans.
They get the last three at home, which is big,
but that's a playoff teams, really good teams the rest
of the.

Speaker 3 (40:25):
Way, and four of them are for the division. I mean,
they're the I mean, they're the top teams in your division.

Speaker 4 (40:30):
Oh that's tough. That's tough for Indy.

Speaker 3 (40:33):
They they I mean, I think they early.

Speaker 2 (40:35):
In the schedule when they needed to, and I do
still think they make the playoffs, but.

Speaker 3 (40:39):
Like on Power Ranking Tuesday, this might be the highest
they are.

Speaker 4 (40:42):
Might be the highest they are the rest of the way.

Speaker 3 (40:44):
They got some losses ahead of them.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
Checking in at number three and number one in the
a f C. It's the nine and two Denver Broncos.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
I guess, I mean, I kind of think that's just
the shows that the AFC is for the taking, if
that's your best team for the taking.

Speaker 2 (40:59):
It is funny coming into this season, we thought the
NFC was for the taking and wide open, and that
the NFC or the NFC was drilled down.

Speaker 4 (41:06):
You got the Chiefs, you got the Bells, you got
the Ravens Burrow Bar where it was like the NFC
was like, yeah, we know the Eagles are going to
be great, but you know, Lions are probably going to
be great.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
But after that it was a lot of unknown. Yeah,
it's kind of flip flopped.

Speaker 4 (41:21):
Whereas the AFC feels wide open, the NFC feels like
murderers friggin row.

Speaker 3 (41:25):
Could one team in the AFC, maybe the Steelers, you know,
just get really hot the rest of the way, and
you know, right, Houston Texans, the teams ahead of you
aren't great right.

Speaker 2 (41:35):
Now, Kansas City Chiefs, as much as I hate to
say it, although that wouldn't surprise anybody because they I
don't know, you know, don't say that.

Speaker 3 (41:41):
Man, they're not showing signs of it.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
But number two, the Seattle Seahawks.

Speaker 3 (41:46):
They're two.

Speaker 4 (41:47):
They are two.

Speaker 3 (41:47):
Yeah, and the Rams at one. Okay, I'm cool with that,
I am yeah. Yeah, that was a pretty equal battle
despite Darnold throwing a bunch of picks, and Seattle's really good.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
And then you know the Rams coming off that big
win against Seattle, they blow out Tampa Bay, which is impressive.

Speaker 4 (42:01):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (42:02):
Yeah, I think this is maybe the easiest point to
pick the number one team. Yeah, in the least the
last couple of months. I'm this late in the year usually.

Speaker 2 (42:10):
You know, completely with you on that one. Maybe since
the first couple weeks of the season, when like the
Bills were still light in the world on fire.

Speaker 4 (42:16):
Yeah, yeah, Eagles were still light.

Speaker 2 (42:18):
But yeah, I think right now it's clearly I would
be shocked if anybody out there wanted to make a
compelling case for anybody else at number one besides I.

Speaker 3 (42:26):
Am rambiatle Rams Part two though, and maybe even part three.

Speaker 4 (42:31):
Same that'd be a lot of fun. Yeah, it'd be
a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
We'll wrap this thing up on the other side when
we return West Wheeler. Matt Williamson, it's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers' audio network, your tunes.

Speaker 1 (42:50):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (43:02):
All right, Matt, we got about ninety seconds to close
this thing down after a couple of beefy two beefy segment.

Speaker 4 (43:07):
I mean we're talking like beefy five layer segments there.

Speaker 3 (43:11):
They got a little bit of breaking news. It's super
quick that bills just signed Brandon Cooks. That wouldn't bring
it upf it wasn't the bills. But okay, okay, and
I'm not like disappointed.

Speaker 4 (43:21):
Yeah, getting more into that tomorrow, Matt. I like this
tweet from AJ. You know, I like these type of
kind of open ended conversational tweets. So AJ wants to know,
start bench cut on a couple of debates here, start
bench cut Herbert May Nicks. That one's pretty easy, cutting Nicks,
cutting Nicks, starting May right now.

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Yeah, but but I'm letting.

Speaker 2 (43:45):
Herbertly cutting Nicks. That's the easy part of conversation. But
I think I'll start May and bench Herbert. But that
one there's no wrong answer, right, Oh no, Aj, why
are you gonna do this to us? Start bench cut
Miles Garrett, Michael Parsons, t J.

Speaker 1 (44:00):
Watt.

Speaker 4 (44:01):
Now we're skipping that one, all right. We don't want
death threats. In the comments on number three, Pickens, Smith
and Jigba, I'm on Ross Saint Brown. Oh, that's a
really good one.

Speaker 3 (44:10):
Starting Smith and.

Speaker 4 (44:12):
Yes, Pickens off the bench.

Speaker 3 (44:15):
Pickens on the bench, cutting Saint browne.

Speaker 4 (44:18):
Player, you'll ever cut?

Speaker 3 (44:19):
But right, but preseason would be the opposite.

Speaker 2 (44:21):
But there's not many that I would start over Pickens
right now. But I think Jackson Smith and Jigbas.

Speaker 3 (44:26):
I think he's wide receiver one for the season. He's
had the best year of any wide.

Speaker 2 (44:30):
If I'm still if I have a game on Sunday
that I have to win, I still want Jamar Chase,
But I.

Speaker 3 (44:35):
Think the better football right now.

Speaker 4 (44:37):
It's tough to argue against JSN and Pickens.

Speaker 3 (44:40):
They may have had the best two years of any
receivers in the league.

Speaker 2 (44:43):
Yes, yes, I think they have. And last one to
kind of tee us up for some Thanksgiving talk. Maybe
we'll do a little bit more of that. Maybe I
didn't even think about this. Maybe best of Best of
the West should have been a thank topic. Maybe we'll
do a little bit of both statues and turkey start
bench cut, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing.

Speaker 3 (45:05):
Oh, cranberry sauce gets cut all day long.

Speaker 4 (45:07):
Brother, we are on the same page.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
And I don't even like hate cranberry sauce, but it's
to me, it's not an if I if I showed
up to Thanksgiving on Thursday and we didn't have cranberry sauce,
I wouldn't be that bothered.

Speaker 3 (45:16):
I never even touch it, and it's just weird to me.
It's this gelatinous mess.

Speaker 2 (45:20):
I usually like either late Thursday night when it's like
halftime of the late football game, or like I might
do a little bit of cranberry sauce late Thursday night
or Friday morning or something just to change a palette.

Speaker 3 (45:34):
But it kind of doesn't go with the other things.
It's easy to cut for me. Everything's kind of the
same color and that's red, and it just doesn't look
the same. And I don't want my gravy hitting it.
By accident. And you know, like I've stuffing's won.

Speaker 2 (45:48):
I've never met a spud in my life that I
don't like. Sure, but just for the exercise of Thanksgiving,
stuffing is starting because it's the only time of year
I eat stuffing. I eat mashed potatoes all the time, like.

Speaker 3 (45:58):
Once in a while, Okay, I don't, but oh we love.

Speaker 4 (46:01):
Mash pot we do like.

Speaker 2 (46:02):
We'll have them once a week if we're doing like
steaks or a lot of times. My wife has been
doing this rotissery chicken, okay, and then do like and
then do it with like because the girls love this.
Do it with like a like a like in a
bowl with like mashed potatoes or mac and cheese or.

Speaker 3 (46:20):
Something like that. I could get it like or something
like a bowl.

Speaker 4 (46:22):
Exact stuff exactly like pull apart the rotissery chicken and
put it on top of.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
Some get they getting? But yeah, stuffings number.

Speaker 4 (46:32):
One, I'm starting stuffing potato.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
Who Thanksgiving side stuff agreed, especially your little sausage involved.

Speaker 2 (46:41):
Let's get into that a little bit more tomorrow. But good,
good question there from aj Happy Thanksgiving UH to everybody.

Speaker 4 (46:47):
We will we got to do some more Thanksgiving conversation.

Speaker 3 (46:50):
Bring it on, guys.

Speaker 2 (46:51):
Yeah, it's like if you if you work in football radio,
you gotta do Hall of Fame conversation from time to time,
you gotta do Thanksgiving conversation.

Speaker 4 (46:59):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
Great stuff. Today, fellas had a lot of fun. Big
thanks to Chris Adamski for joining us. Shout out to
Tyler V mister TV our video producer, and a big
thank you as always to the Oracle himself, Matt Williamson.
I'm Wes Huhler. Take care everybody. We will talk to
you tomorrow to get all you fix's ready for Thanksgiving.
As always, you know where to find us. It's on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold.

(47:21):
It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.