May 22, 2025 • 41 mins
Matt and Dale breakdown the Olympic Flag Football rules and who they'd like to see play on the team. The duo also takes a look at some betting odds for the Steelers as they are underdogs in over half of their scheduled games
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
At least.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He's the drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And welcome to the drive by in Dale Lollie. He
is the Matt Williamson and Matt since we met yesterday.
I actually went and did a little research on FLA football.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Oh did you really what.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
The rules are going to be for the X.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I heard a little bit in the podcast, and I
know the field is tighter.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Field is small, Yeah, seventy five yards long. Here's the thing.
They're going to be six men's team, well, six women's
teams in the Olympics.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Okay, six different countries, or six US teams six different countries. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay,
there's only one US team.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yah, Okay, ten players per team.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
They're playing both ways.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Five players play at one time, so you don't have.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
To play books. I guess not right.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
You can't designate offensive or defensive lineman.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, so everyone's eligible.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Everyone's eligible. The defense is allowed to blitz one guy,
but he has to start seven yards off the line
of scrimmage every down.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
He can come.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
He can come every down, but he's as soon as
the ball is snapped, he's but he's gonna be.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Seven yards yeah yeah, I mean you see him coming.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
And quarterbacks and this could effect who actually plays this thing. Yeah,
are not allowed to run the ball.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah. I found that out too. They can't leave the
line of scrimmage. They have to be.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Can't cross the line of scrimmage with the balls and
ball carrier.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, yeah, I thought that was interesting.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Okay, So while Lamar Jackson would be great in terms
of the moving around stuff, maybe not so much. You
wouldn't look for necessarily look for Lamar Jackson as your quarterback.
You might want more Joe Burrow then you want Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Yeah, but I mean my next question, what I don't
know is the people designate do you keep a blocker in?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Doesn't?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You can't block, You're not allowed.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
You're not allowed to impede the blitzer.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I still want Lamar then over Burrow.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But at what point to his natural instincts take over
and he just takes off? That's flag? Yeah, crazy, I
would rather have the quick processor.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Maybe and just thinking dunk down the field like crazy.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
But I got let's say I got DK metcalf on
one side and I've got Jamar Chase on. Yeah, those
guys are going to be open boom set by the
time that Blitzer gets in here. I'm I'm set up.
What's seven yards behind the line of scrimmage when I
take the snap. That guy's gotta he's got to cover
fourteen yards. I'm gonna get rid of the football before
he gets to me.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
My impression too, of who that Blitzer is isn't t
J Watt Right, It's like Kyle Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, it's it's a bunch of defensive bout It's it's
really it's going to be a five on five passing drill.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
With a running back. Yeah. Yeah, I mean that's what
I was gonna ask you next, Like what kind of
positions you think There'll be a quarterback, a running back
who is allowed to run the ball, right, yeah, and
three pass catchers probably not a tight end probably. I
would think three quick, fast guys.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And one of those guys is gonna shoot the ball
back to the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Oh, they got to be a center, okay, yeah yeah.
And then the defense, are they all the same you
think or do you think there's kind of a linebacker
slash big safety as like your middle of the field rusher.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I might have one, Like if I were building a roster, Yeah,
with my ten players, I might have a couple of
taller taller because if I run into a team that
does have a dk metcalfe on and then when somebody's.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Able to maybe even like a McDuffie or somebody that
could be like Slottish, but they.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Better be able to run.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
But they gotta be able to run a good blitzing
defensive back Minka. Yeah, I mean those type of guys too.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Maybe you don't have any, Like, nobody's getting doubled unless
you're unless you're just not going to blitz, right, because
that blitzer is matched up with the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
And he'll just sit there and pack the ball forever
and you'll never right, I would blitz a guy every time. Yeah,
you're allowed one. You can't bring like the house, No,
and just maybe you do one. Burrow, I think I Burrow,
I guess it.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I want I want accuracy and I want quick release.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Okay, So the way we did it, and I don't
know if you know the answer to this was there's
the length of the field, the fifty yard line, which
really wasn't a fifty but the middle of the field
had a line, and that's how you got a first down.
You know, you got four downs. There's no punting, was there?
I mean there. I think you could start them at
(04:44):
their own end if you like, gave it up. But
I'm trying to think, do I have eight downs to
get the touchdown? Or do you only have four?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It's probably not. It's a seventy five yard field. You're
not getting eight downs.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
First Well, that's what I mean. Is there a first
down line.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
That I have no idea?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Look that far right, right right, because my thoughts are, I.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Would imagine if I've got NFL players out there on
a seventy five yard field. Yeah, somebody's scoring in four plays.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
My thoughts are, if I burrow it, I'm I'm nerding out.
If I go quarterback, I knew you would do that.
Oh yeah, if I'm going burrow and you know, slanting
you to death and quick hitters. How good at tacklers
are these opponents because they don't have to tackle DK
metcalf the if I have both flags, you.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Know, but if he's running away from them.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
If I if I'm a corner and this poor soul
looking at dk Metcalf and I'm from Team Italy or
Team Australia or Team Belgium or whatever, and I'm like,
I'm not used to playing against this guy. But then
the slant burrow boom slant and I only give up
eight yards. That's a win.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Well, I might have. I'm just running outside fades all
day longer right line up against these guys and try
to catch them.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I mean, no matter what, it's a dream team.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
You're telling me Chase isn't gonna beat the guy off
the line of screen. You're not gonna jam him. That's
the thing too, because you have no help over the top.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I keep looking at the other side of it too,
Like if you give me sauce, Gardeners, Stingley and certain
and I get a blitzer free from seven yards, even
if they have the most elusive quarterback ever, they're not
getting off the line of scrimmage. I mean, I'm just
jamming those dudes with Minco over the top, and eventually
I'm gonna get Kyle Hamilton's gonna get that.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
But you don't have anybody over the top. There's five guys,
five guys, there's a pass rusher, there are four eligible receivers.
One of those guys is a pass rusher. Who's your
guy standing over there?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I guess you have to play the run too. Yeah,
I mean you can still pitch it to Jamar get
Jami or Gibbs or Bijon or whatever, and yeah, he
could get a lot of space and they'd always have
a lot of space. If I'm gonna have receivers.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
The game's all about space in it, and I think.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
The field's actually a lot narrow.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Yeah, but if I can hit those slants, I don't.
I've already run ten yards. I'm fast than the guy
a cross me. He's going to try to reach from
behind and grab my flag.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Forget about it, m I mean, especially with a threat
from a go or a slug o, a slant go
that if I have, if I'm not going to bang
with those dudes, I just don't wonder. I wonder how
good at tacklers they are. That was always I mean,
these are about.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
To speed, Like if if if these guys are just
running away from people, forget about it. You're not You're
not going to tackle. You might get you might get
lucky once or twice with it, because there are so
but you're not going to get a bunch of eight
yards stops. It's just not gonna happen. I don't know,
because you can't. You still have to respect it. Again,
he runs a slant and go, yeah, I'm done. If
(07:42):
I'm going to bite on that slant every time I'm done.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
You know, I would consider having a free safety.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
But then you don't have your pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Out of a out of three cover guys, a linebacker,
slash pass rusher.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
And a free Okay, but there's four eligibles. Yeah, so
if you do that, I'm clearing out one side. I'm
dumping the ball off to the running back and he's
gonna run down the sideline until somebody gets there.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Yeah, but you don't have a lot of time to
do it with a pass rush. But that's I'm just
thinking like strategy. But I think you're right in terms
of the athletes you want out.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
I mean I would just I wouldn't. I wouldn't design
it that way. I'd put all my receivers. The two
receivers are on this side of the field, Okay, you're
in that safety. Either safety is gonna be over top. Yeah,
and then as soon as the ball snap, dump it
off to the running back in the flat, and he's
getting twenty five yards at least every time.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
See, I wonder what's even a good gain? Like is
a defense happy only giving up ten yards?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Oh, I'm sure they would.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I would imagine if there's only four downs, then there's
no first downs, you're thrilled to give up ten. Just
don't give up the huge one.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
But yeah, I don't know how you do it against
those particular athletes, right, because they're just they are very
nuanced route runners.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Oh that's the thing. I mean. I've been thinking about
this since this is this rule change happened, and I've
heard I've had some conversations. I've heard some people say, well,
USA already has really good flag football players, and I'm
sure that's disrespecting, right, But I bet Jamar Chase is better.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, you do get you do get the first down
when you cross midfield. You get four downs to go
across midfield. So really get to score in eight eight.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Plays you get a score and eight players So thinking
and duncan, I.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Don't even know that you're it's going to take eight
plays for if you put professional football players on.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
A quarterback, that's insanely accurate, but all of them are. Yeah,
I mean it could be Rudolph. I mean, it could
be a Backuy, it could be anybody. They're going to
be insanely accurate.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
The ball, even against guys who play flag football year round,
right right, It's just it's the quarterback is the difference
to me, M Because oh.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I definitely agree with you one hundred percent that the
NFL guys would kill destroy the Olympic team.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Now if you're just getting because all you're getting is
one on one coverage across the field, and I get
the best receivers in the league, Yeah, with the best
quarterback throwing to them, it's done.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
See. I looked at it through a different light, like
if I'm putting my best five defensive players orus my
best five offensive players, which certain doesn't have to cover Chase. No,
doesn't work that way. Yeah, I'm thinking that they're equal.
You know, they're not going to be equal. Team Italy
is not going to be as.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Good, right, I don't care.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I think that goes out saying.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
I don't care how well or how good they are.
Let's say again, most of your flag football players are
smaller guys. Sure, Well, again, if I get a DK
metcalf out there, I get a CD Lamb, I get
one of these bigger receivers out there, who's you know,
six one, six two, six three.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I definitely want one of them. For the rest my.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Cornerback is five foot ten. Even if he is super fast,
I still have a huge advantage with Joe Burrow throwing
him the football. He's gonna put the ball exactly where
the receiver can catch it.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I mean, it's apples to not even oranges. But like
when I my exposure was with six year olds right
and the red zone would get bogged down. Sure, but
if I have Randy Moss or Larry and you're the
best corner in Olympic history, I'm still throwing a fade
(11:34):
to you, and I'm gonna score every time.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I'm gonna throw that back pile on ball every time,
and every guy's gonna get it every time.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah. So I definitely want one big pass catcher. I
don't want all tiny It.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Doesn't even matter because again, if I'm just beating a
muffle on the scrimmage and the quarterback is throwing the
football to only where I where only I can catch it.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
The accuracy, the quarter accuracy the cornerback is huge, right,
He's not gonna have much time to throw though. No,
but he doesn't matter rightside Lamar. I mean, if Kyle
Haman again, he's on planning as Kyle Hamilton. If Italy's
rusher is chasing Lamar, He's probably still gonna get four
seconds to throw. And he's still the most accurate guy
(12:13):
at the Olympics. Even if he's not as accurate.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Most NFL quarterbacks in that situation are just going to
be able to move well enough.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, just don't get my flags. I mean, you know,
one pass rusher behind the line of scrimmage trying to
get Lamar's flags time at play after play after play
after play. No, he's never gonna do it. I mean,
I have no doubt that USA would win in a
Jordan bird magic like fashion, without question. But I am
(12:40):
interested in the strategy of who you'd pick on both
sides more defense.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
To be honest with you, I'd pick five defensive back.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Yeah, one with size like a Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
One that one that has rushed the passer before. He's
probably gonna be your pass rusher most of the time
most Yeah, yeah, does it? Kind go get yourself Mike Kilton.
You know, I was thinking to somebody, that's a good blitzer.
You know, there's just times it well and you know, but.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
You're just starting to set. You're starting seven yards back.
You're just going yeah, but you do have to know
how to break down.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I thought someone could you, like the running back could
stay in touch. If you're not allowed to even block,
that doesn't even matter that much.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
If you've rushed the passer, you have to seed be
a bit. The ability to break down, be able.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
To break down quick, you know, influence of things. And
it helped to be long maybe bad to pass down
here or there, you know, get in a passing lane.
I almost curious how what the size of the field is.
But super narrow be a phone booth thing like one
of the drills I did for the kids. I just
kind of made it up, is I could. I took
four cones and I didn't let the ball carriers get
(13:46):
out of that four cone area. It's made like a rectangle.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
That it's seventy yards long twenty five yards wide.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Okay, the width is important here though, and that's really narrow.
I mean there's not as much space as you think
on the field, so What I did was I build
a rectangle.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
You're just on the side, line down the side, like,
go ahead, try to try to stop this thing.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
If you do, all goes down the sideline with pickings
and metcalf.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Yeah. And then I run my running back underneath and
let him beat the I mean we see that drill
every year training camp.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah, the running backs on the linebackers. It's never even close.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
It's like the running back back on McCaffrey versus any linebacker.
It could be Warner, He's still gonna win with time
to throw.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
And that's I mean even defensive backs. If you don't
have any help and the receiver can go anywhere, you're done.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, real quick.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Though.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
The drill I did is I would build a four cones.
I made a rectangle that was like these are the
little kids. So it was like five yards by like
ten yards, and I'd put a tackler on one side
and I'd put a ball carry on the other, and
I didn't care if they gained yardage. I just had
a stopwatch and said stay alive as long as you can.
And it taught tackling, you know, like and like you
(14:59):
could see who I wanted to give the ball too.
I don't know what kids are good. They just gave
me a bunch of kids, you know. But tackling was
the key to Like, we won the whole thing because
we were the best tackling team because the kids just lunged.
I mean, like nobody was good at tackling, Yeah, but
we were and that was huge. Yeah, but tackling those
guys are going to be a nightmare.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Forget about it. Like again, even if they could this
pool flag, if it's Derrick Henry, they're running at.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
You, and well, these wouldn't be afraid.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Well, I'd still be afraid.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I was.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
What's a two hundred and fifty pound guy coming right
at me?
Speaker 1 (15:32):
I would hope the Olympic athlete is. And you're not
allowed to run them over.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
I understand that, But you're also not allowed to trust
the reps that you're still got to get in the
way his legs and arms that are flailing.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Like I don't think you're even allowed to stiff arm.
You're not allowed to not allowed to slap away flag.
But if his arms are turning, scar could be. But
you take the charge for the gold or for the silver.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
I took a lot of charges in my dick and
tell you right now, there were a couple of times
I get I got concussed twice, and it was I
took charges on guys that were much bigger than me. Yeah, yeah,
and didn't end.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Well. I'm not saying it's fun, but I don't think
I want a bruiser back. I don't want Henry.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I don't either. I'm just saying, but.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That'd be terrifying. Yeah, I mean even Jerome running at
I mean, it'd be terrifying that Kes running at you.
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, come on, I definitely wanted
a guy or two though. That is big for his position. Yeah,
because their cover guys won't be no, you know, they
will not know.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Anyways, that's just a little interesting aside there. That won't
happen until twenty twenty eight, but it's going to be
talked about a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Travis Hunters will be on that team.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Oh he played both ways.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, it's perfect for it, one of my first picks.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yeah. Anyways, let's get to a break. He is the
Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lelly. You're listening to the
drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt, and I'll
be back with more right after.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
This as The Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold in Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
And welcome back to the Drive. I am Dale Lolly,
he is the Matt Williamson and Matt I saw a
thing today on ESPN that the Bills are favored. They're
the only team in the NFL this season favored in
all of their games.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Wow. That always blows me away when somebody comes out
with that, Like, they do have a pretty easy schedule,
they have a very easy division. You and I several
times have mentioned that if I'm putting a chip down
for who gets the number one seed in the AFC,
I think I would take the Bills. I think you
agree from what I remember, just the way the thing
sets up. Good offseason, superstar quarterback, recent success, but favored
(17:51):
in every game. I was surprised to say, to play schedule.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Since nineteen seventy eight, twenty three teams have been favored
before the season began in every one of their games.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
That shocks me too.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
It's a little more than what I would have thought, right,
And I'm.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Making sure the Bill's the best team in the league.
I don't think they are right, right.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Twenty eight teams have been underdogs in every one of
their games.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That might not shock me as much.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
There aren't any this year. Okay, but the Giants, Browns,
and Saints are favored in just one game each this year.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
The Giants are favored by one and a half at.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
New Orleans, Okay, they play each other.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
The Browns are favored by one and a half at
home against the Titans, and the Saints are favored in
their game at home against the Jets by one.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
And a half. Like a Saints aren't even favored when
Carolina comes to town. No, right, I was thinking easy
teams in the division, but they all do play late
last play schedules as go. Well, the Saints don't.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
So it made me wonder where the Steelers are at here.
So I've looked this up here on DraftKings and the
Steelers Bills play.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
They must play the Ravens, Chiefs, and Texans. And are
they all in Buffalo? They must be at home?
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So these the Steelers favored in Week
one against the Seahawks. Yeah, Seahawks by one and a half.
I'm sorry, They're played the Jets in Week one. They're
favored by the over the Jets by two and a
half in Week one.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
In New York. In New York, Okay, that adds up
to me.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
They are then favored.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
So real quick, I was told that you couldn't bet
on Steeler games. I didn't even try because of the
Rogers situation that they were off the board.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
The odds are up here.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
So I assume they think Rogers is the quarterble.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
The odds are here. So Steelers favored by one and
a half over the Seahawks in.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Week two here.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Okay, week three, they are one and a half point
underdogs against the Patriots in New England.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
I think the betting market is overboard.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
As I said, New England's favored in eleven of their
games this year.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
They're much better than they were this time last year.
They won four games, but they're not They're not seven games,
but right I think they're over under totals like seven
and a half or eight and a half.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
The Patriots, yeah, I get that much better now. They
were hideous. They did the words ross in the league.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
The Vikings in Ireland are favored by one and a
half right now, I would assume the Steelers favored by
six and a half over the Browns coming back.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Okay, I don't think that's crazy either.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
The Steelers are four and a half point underdogs on
that Thursday night game in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
That totally adds up. That's a brutal turnaround.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Steelers are underdogs at home coming back off of that against.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
The Packers, they're dogs one and a half points screen
based quality. I don't know problem with that.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Steelers favored by three and a half over the Colts
the following week.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
The news of the day is they just lost their owner.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah, Steelers are four and a half point point underdogs
at the Chargers.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Oh, I might put a buck on that right now,
Steeler plus four and a half with a heavy Steeler crowd.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Steelers are one and a half point underdogs against the
Bengals on November sixteenth.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
And that's here.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
That's here.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
I don't think since he's as good as Vegas six either.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
I don't think so either.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
I didn't see in New England or two the ones
I think are overrated.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Steelers are two and a half point underdogs at Chicago.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I think that one's a little off.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Steelers are four and a half point underdogs at home
against Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
I get it. The stretch, the stretch of schedule is
not much fun.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Steelers are eight and a half point underdogs at Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Oh, I'll take Steeler plus eight and a half in
Baltimore this year or twenty thirty three and not even
knowing who's going to be on the field Steelers, Ravens,
or for that matter, if you gave me Ravens plus
eight and a half in two thirty three, I'll take
the points.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Steelers are two and a half point favorites against the Dolphins.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, that adds.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
They are six point underdogs to the Lions.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
In destroy that might be their toughest game.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
They are two and a half point favorites in Cleveland, Okay, sure,
and then the final week of the season they are
four and a half point underdogs at home against the Ravens.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
I'll take both the points in the Ravens. Yeah. So,
I know the short answer is probably yes. But does
Vegas make money on these they have now they must
or they wouldn't, but.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
They only have the They have the Steelers favored in
six games this year.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, it's low.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So I wonder if they if on this particular sports book,
if they haven't factored in the Rogers stuff yet.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Oh okay, because I don't say. What if today you
went in there and put ten bucks on the Steelers
in every game, you're gonna lose some, you're gonna win some.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Yeah, but they're already saying the over unders eight and
a half, right, that's their only favorite six game.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
That doesn't jive. I think there's money to be made there.
If you just bet the Steelers in every game now
on those lines or whatever site that is, and you
still get points, You're often gonna be getting points. Yeah,
you know you have no clue how the season is
gonna go. Nobody does.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
But why is that any different than betting the over
unders win totals? Yeah, the win total probably not with.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
The lines, but if you did the over under, if
you money lined them all, because then you pay off
more with all these dogs.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
See, Like to me, there's a margin there. I'm not
a betting expert at all or very good enough at math.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
I'm just throwing it out there.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah. So for example, so hear me out real quick, Okay,
if they're if they're over underwin totals eight and a half,
but you bet every game and they're only favored in six.
But you don't, and you ignore the spreads. You just
take the money line on the Steelers in every game
across the board, knowing you're gonna lose some and you're
gonna win some. And I take the under the eight
(24:17):
and a half as a separate bet. I'm gonna win something,
and I could win both.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think if you just took the money line on
all those, you'd end up winning.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Because you're substantially right.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yeah, they're only favor they're only favored in six games,
so you're gonna get positive money and eleven of the games.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
That's what I'm saying is you're gonna win more than
you put down on many of the wins. I'm just
and if they only get to eight or nine wins,
which Vegas thinks, are gonna win eight or nine games,
So if they win eight, I still make money. If
I make win nine, I win even more money.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Even For example, in the opener, the money line is
minus one forty eight in favor of the steel for
the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
That one doesn't pay great, but okay.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
But they're only two they're two and a half. Point favorites.
Some of those other games that you look at, like
the Seahawks game in Week two, they're minus one twenty two. Okay,
if they in New England, they're plus one oh two.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
That doesn't pay as well as your think, not as
well as you think right right.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Against the Vikings they're plus one hundred.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Because they're a dog in New England. But it still
basically my dollar only makes about a dollar.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah. The one that really screws it up is the
Browns or minus two to seventy eight. The Bengals there
plus one seventy. The Packers are plus one oh two. Okay,
the Colts they're minus one seventy five.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
These folks in Vegas know a thing, pretty smart.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, the Charger the Charger game, they're plus one sixty four.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
The second time against the Bengals at home, even though
they're they're plus one point one and a half, it's
plus one hundred on the money line. In Chicago it's
plus one fourteen. Against the Bills it's plus one sixty four.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I guess this makes up for a lot of the
difference between favorites and over underwind total. There's a massive
gap there. Two and a half game gap.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
In Baltimore, they're plus three hundred. Miami, they're minus one
thirty Detroit, their plus two hundred Cleveland. In Cleveland, they're
minus one thirty. In the final game of the season
in Pittsburgh plus one seventy against Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Okay, So I mean there will be ones that hit
big for you if you just money lined it. But
some of your wins that you think are wins don't
pay off as much as.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
You still get the money back and you're still.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, But no, that's interesting.
So I just I saw that with the I always
find this betting on the NFL interesting when you can
bet on Week fifteen and you have no clue, not
that even the sharpest of betters knows who's going to
be playing quarterback that way week right, And I'm sure
Vegas just wants the whole world to bet fifty one
(27:04):
side and fifty percent on the other.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
The bill schedule as it stands, they get Baltimore at home.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
That's what they're opener.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
That's their opener.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Well, that's what they're tougher than they should be favorite
that one.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
They get Kansas City at home, they get can't go
to Houston Tampa Bay at home. They do go to
Houston with their three and a half point favorites there.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
They gets kind of weird that you'd have three now
you have four, right, Yeah, you have four games against
fellow number one seeds and three of them are in
their place. Yeah, you would think that would go be
two and two.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Every year they get Cincinnati at home. They also get
Philadelphia at home.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Wow, all their tough games at home. Then, yeah, you
could make the argument and get what they're saying.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
You could make the argument that their toughest road game
this year maybe Pittsburgh might be the Steelers. It's either
the Steelers or Houston, one of those two, and they
play them back to back.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Hmm. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
They play Tampa Bay at Houston at Steelers, then they
have Cincinnati at home again the following week.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Wow, that's odd and very fortunate. I mean all they're hard,
hard games are in Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Yeah, I'm just looking like there are only other They're
at the Jets, at the Falcons, at the Panthers, at Houston,
at Pittsburgh, at Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
They could be seven and one on the road. I mean,
they're not gonna win all those home games against Ravens, Chiefs, Eagles, Bucks,
you know, Bengals, all the for the top teams. But
I like their chance. They should be favored in all
of them in May. Yeah, but those road games are
that has to be the easiest road schedule in the league.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Their smallest their smallest margin that they're favored by is
one and a half. They're favored by one and a
half over Baltimore and one and a half against Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
From what I remember, they don't have a lot of
like rest disadvantages or anything either, Like there's not a
lot of three games in ten days and that kind
of nonsense. Either short weeks that type of thing. They
get the Saints at home one of the what's the
spread in that game? Okay, it might be twenty, but.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
It's a yeah, especially it's late in the year. I'm
just looking at this schedule, I mean, pretty nice, sets
up pretty well for them, especially they have.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
A first play schedule, so they have tough teams.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
But do you I mean the questions you have to
ask yourself, do you think they go eight to no
on the road? History would tell us no.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I definitely don't think so. But I think they win
six maybe seven, So.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
I mean, and again I'm looking at their toughest road games.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
It's like in Atlanta from what I remember in Pittsburgh,
I mean, like games that they should be favored in May, and.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Wow, they go to Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
I bet the Giants is like the polar opposite. And
they also have all kinds of like rest disadvantages too,
Like their their schedule is awful.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Yeah, so just a huh strange, a little quirk in
there scheduling.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
There sharp's the best at of Warren. But are you
know we focus on the Steeler schedules. I don't know
those loopholes in the Bills schedule, of course, but when
they start coming out and I'm not besmudging the schedule makers,
it would be an unbelievably difficult job. Especially they're like, well,
Springsteen's in your building on this Sunday. You have mons
(30:16):
right right, the baseball playoffs or whatever. But there are
some the schedules are not even close to being equal.
Every any year you look at right, when you start
to look at rest, where you play your tough teams,
where you play your your easy teams. And frankly, the Steelers,
unfortunately almost all their tough games. They're at a rest
(30:39):
disadvantage this year, you know, like in Detroit in Cincinnati,
they're the best the teams with the highest win totals.
It doesn't set up well for the Steelers in terms
of rest.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah, but it's not again, it's not like it was
last year. One day doesn't bother me. One day doesn't
because you can adjust to that Cincinnati game. They're both
playing Thursday night, so it's it's a wash and Cincinnati's
on the road before that game.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
I mean, I don't love coming back on them from
a Monday night.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Or No, that's you know, that's terrible.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
That's terrible. But no, your point about last year, like
is one of the harder ones you're gonna see. I mean,
that's a real out liar. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
So anyways, let's get to a break. He is the
Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lollie. You're listening to the
Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I
will be back with more right after this.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Least.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
He's the Drive with Dale Lollie and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
And we are back. I'm Dale lolli. He is the
Matt Williamson and Matt Kevin Potra on NFL dot Com
has taking a look at the new quarterbacks in their
new situations and whether the numbers will be better, the same,
the worse.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Okay, some more of them, we think.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Yeah, So the presumptive starters here, you got Sam Darnald
going to the Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Donald threw for forty three hundred nineteen yards thirty five
touchdowns twelve interceptions last year.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I'll take the under.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
He's taking the under on that. He said it's going
to be worse.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Absolutely. I mean, he goes from one of the worst
situations to an okay or one of the best situations
to one of the to an okay situation, and more
is going to be demanded. I was when expectations are higher,
contracts higher. He's very, very talented. I mean, I don't
think he's a throwaway, you know. I think he has
a chance to be good for them, But that's probably
his career year in Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Gino Smith, whom he replaces in Seattle, goes to the
Raiders through for forty three hundred and twenty yards twenty
one touchdowns fifteen interceptions last year, and Patrick thinks it
will be better.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I think it's better bow and running the balls. I
don't if you'll throw as many attempts good receivers in Seattle,
but I think he's got better protection. They run the
ball a lot, run the ball a lot, Yeah, Chip,
Kelly and gent.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I don't know if his numbers will be better. The
interceptions were high from Wheen. Yeah, I bet that was lower.
I bet he's more efficient. Yeah, maybe the numbers. Yeah,
he's a better year justin fields. Well, he only played
ten ten games, made six starts, eleven hundred and six yards,
five touchdown passes, one interception, five rushing touchdowns, and six fumbles.
(33:40):
He thinks his numbers will be better.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Well, oh, sure he's a starter, right, he presumed starter
for seventeen games. But will they be I mean he's
not gonna have a five to one interception.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
That's what I was going to ask, right, No, that's
not going to happen.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
No, No, I mean I don't think he'll be four
and two extrapolated over seventeen games, or a five to
one interception ratio extrapolated over seventeen games. Yeah, you know,
I bet his rushing totals are higher per game. I
think they're gonna run him a lot.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
He had two hundred and eighty nine rushing yards in
his games last year, and again some of that was
held down. He had a little bit of a quad
injury at that point. Then he had the abdominal injury
that they couldn't use him.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
I could see him getting at like seven fifty with
the Jets this.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Year, though, Yeah, maybe because he's running for his life.
Some of the competitions Russell Wilson versus Jamis Winston, I
don't see that as a competition.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
I think Wilson's the guy. I think Wilson's the guy,
and I think Dark will eventually take over this year.
I don't think he'll be like Wilson and Winston bounce
him back and forth. I'm not sure that Winston's even necessary,
and I still kind of like Winston. But I mean,
maybe an injury factors in and he could be their
best guy. I'm not saying he's not, but he's a
(34:54):
little unnecessary for the whole process.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
His starting days are behind him. Oh yeah, I don't
think he's going to be like, yeah, twelve interceptions last year.
In seven starts that Money had twelve. He had thirteen
touchdown passes.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Like I only go beat out run.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
He's just that's who he is.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
He is.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
If he started seventeen games for somebody right now, he
would have twenty five touchdown passes, but he'd also have
twenty four interceptions. That's what he does does and you
just hope that the you know, you get him on
the good week.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Yeah, Steelers saw him on a good week. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
At one time he's Ryan Fitzpatrick. That's what he is.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
No, I don't disagree with that. The I think inevitably Wilson,
even if he plays well, will give way to Dart
and they'll still pick like in the top five. And
you have to know what you have from Dart. Their
schedule is so awful.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
They took Dart in the first round. I think they
give them. I don't see them in the quarterback mix
next year.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
I would hope, not for their sake, but if it's
a new GM and new coach, I'm.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
Not even thinking that way though. They're just not They can't.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I like the coach. Well, they go, they end up
with three wins this year. They're not gonna be bad.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
They're better than three wins. I don't care what the schedule.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
I think they're better than three wins too. But I
don't think they get the seven.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
I don't either, but you know, I think maybe they.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
That's why I didn't love trading up for Dark. I mean,
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
If the owner tells you gotta go get a quarterback,
you go get a quarter Well.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I think that's what happened too, and I think the
same thing happened in Cleveland, and it took some convincing
not to take them at two and three.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Yeah. Daniel Jones ten games last year, all starts, two
thousand and seventy yards, eight touchdown passes, seven interceptions. He
did rush for two sixty five and two more scores
with four fumbles.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
If he were to be the seventeen game starter for
the Colts, I think than that it's gonna be better
than that, and I would say it could be a
respectable quarterback twenty one finish.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
I think if he made ten starts for the Colts,
it's probably better than that. I'm not saying they have
a more diverse passing scheme than what not passing scene,
but more available options.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
They got a lot of options and they got a
good back. And yeah, I'm not saying he's good or like, oh,
the Steelers should have grabbed him. I do think he
gets a little bit of a bum wrap because he
was drafted too early. Not his fault, goes to the
biggest market on the planet and didn't live up to it. Yeah,
not fault.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
As soon as he's well, he's got success.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Got to give him a nickname, and then they give
a dumb nick game. Yeah, and then they give him
a contract that probably wasn't smart either, which he didn't
live up to. But if you analyze them for what
he is, he's okay. He's just not the savior. He's not.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Yeah, he's not. He's not Joe Namath or Phil Simms.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Like I would take him over Winston. Yeah, you know right.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
If you look at his career numbers, they're eerily similar.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
In the Trevor Laura and yeah. Yeah, and he runs more.
He's a very good runner.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
You like Lawrence more than I do?
Speaker 1 (37:57):
Oh, I do.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
I might be done with him. I'm not the can
he picket Joe Flacco train? Well, obviously if Picket starts
a game, yeah, it's going to be better than what
it was.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
I bet he does.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Last year he had two He played in five games,
he made one start, two hundred and ninety one passing yards,
two touchdowns came in and Neil the last one interception. Yeah,
fifteen rushing yards, one rushing touchdown in a fumble Flaco.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
Play. He is another one that's going to have TD
interception ratio of one to one. Good his life.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
Played in eight games, six and more starts, seventeen hundred
and sixty one passing yards, twelve touchdowns, seven interceptions, twenty
six rushing yards, four fumbles, twenty six rushing yards. That's
somebody must have fallen down.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe he had one long run that
the seeds just parted. He slid. I don't know what
to say about those guys numbers. I don't think anyone
in Cleveland's going to play I was about to say
any more than six games start. I just think they're
all going to get a shot at some point, and
it's going to be a mess. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
His wild cards here, you get the Aaron Rodgers, Mason,
Rudolph Skyler, Thompson grouping.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
I don't think Skyler's going to be in the I don't.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
Think Skyler's going to be mixing. I don't even know
Skyler makes a team, right, Rogers last year I kind
of betting against it now I think about it. Seventeen
games all starts, yeah, three eight and ninety seven yards,
twenty eight touchdown passes, eleven interceptions, one hundred and seven
rushing yards, five fumbles.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Would you take it? Twenty touchdowns twenty eight touchdowns? Is
that's actually a few more picks than he usually throws you.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
If you looked at what Russell Wilson was producing last year,
if Russell Wilson starts all seventeen games, his numbers would
have worked out the twenty five touchdown passes and I
think like eight interceptions, which.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Is a big jump in recent history, and dealer land
that twenty eight stood out to me.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Twenty eight is a big number, and I will bet,
especially if you're running the balls my which is they
want to on the ball.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean you take twenty would you
take twenty eight? Passing? Tight Rogers aside, I.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
Don't care who the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
That's what I said. Twenty touchdown twenty sign me up,
give me too, me too, so that would be great.
I am on board. Yeah, and I will bet Rogers
if he plays football this year. For whoever throws less
than thirteen interceptions, he's one of the best in the league,
best in league history of value in the football. Yeah,
(40:28):
I don't think he all of a sudden he got
risky with it.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
For Rudolph it was eight games, five starts, fifteen hundred
and thirty yards, nine touchdowns, nine interceptions, one hundred and
six rushing yards and a touchdown with five fumbles.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
I don't like the nine to nine. That shocks me. Yeah,
I think it could be better than that, especially the
interception ratio.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
And then you go through a bunch of backups here.
We're not going to roll through that, but then we're
gonna get to a break again. That's going to do
it for hour number one. That was interesting little it's
more new starters this year.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
And yeah, and he's not even talking about trinkies and yeah,
right right, let's get to a break.
Speaker 3 (41:05):
Well, that's gonna do for our number one, Matt, and
I'll be back with our number two. We're gonna get
the listener questions today in the second hour right after
this
At least.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He's the drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And welcome to the drive by in Dale Lollie. He
is the Matt Williamson and Matt since we met yesterday.
I actually went and did a little research on FLA football.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Oh did you really what.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
The rules are going to be for the X.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I heard a little bit in the podcast, and I
know the field is tighter.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Field is small, Yeah, seventy five yards long. Here's the thing.
They're going to be six men's team, well, six women's
teams in the Olympics.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Okay, six different countries, or six US teams six different countries. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay,
there's only one US team.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yah, Okay, ten players per team.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
They're playing both ways.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Five players play at one time, so you don't have.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
To play books. I guess not right.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
You can't designate offensive or defensive lineman.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, so everyone's eligible.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Everyone's eligible. The defense is allowed to blitz one guy,
but he has to start seven yards off the line
of scrimmage every down.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
He can come.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
He can come every down, but he's as soon as
the ball is snapped, he's but he's gonna be.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Seven yards yeah yeah, I mean you see him coming.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
And quarterbacks and this could effect who actually plays this thing. Yeah,
are not allowed to run the ball.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah. I found that out too. They can't leave the
line of scrimmage. They have to be.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Can't cross the line of scrimmage with the balls and
ball carrier.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, yeah, I thought that was interesting.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Okay, So while Lamar Jackson would be great in terms
of the moving around stuff, maybe not so much. You
wouldn't look for necessarily look for Lamar Jackson as your quarterback.
You might want more Joe Burrow then you want Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Yeah, but I mean my next question, what I don't
know is the people designate do you keep a blocker in?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Doesn't?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You can't block, You're not allowed.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
You're not allowed to impede the blitzer.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I still want Lamar then over Burrow.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But at what point to his natural instincts take over
and he just takes off? That's flag? Yeah, crazy, I
would rather have the quick processor.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Maybe and just thinking dunk down the field like crazy.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
But I got let's say I got DK metcalf on
one side and I've got Jamar Chase on. Yeah, those
guys are going to be open boom set by the
time that Blitzer gets in here. I'm I'm set up.
What's seven yards behind the line of scrimmage when I
take the snap. That guy's gotta he's got to cover
fourteen yards. I'm gonna get rid of the football before
he gets to me.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
My impression too, of who that Blitzer is isn't t
J Watt Right, It's like Kyle Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, it's it's a bunch of defensive bout It's it's
really it's going to be a five on five passing drill.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
With a running back. Yeah. Yeah, I mean that's what
I was gonna ask you next, Like what kind of
positions you think There'll be a quarterback, a running back
who is allowed to run the ball, right, yeah, and
three pass catchers probably not a tight end probably. I
would think three quick, fast guys.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And one of those guys is gonna shoot the ball
back to the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Oh, they got to be a center, okay, yeah yeah.
And then the defense, are they all the same you
think or do you think there's kind of a linebacker
slash big safety as like your middle of the field rusher.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I might have one, Like if I were building a roster, Yeah,
with my ten players, I might have a couple of
taller taller because if I run into a team that
does have a dk metcalfe on and then when somebody's.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Able to maybe even like a McDuffie or somebody that
could be like Slottish, but they.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Better be able to run.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
But they gotta be able to run a good blitzing
defensive back Minka. Yeah, I mean those type of guys too.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Maybe you don't have any, Like, nobody's getting doubled unless
you're unless you're just not going to blitz, right, because
that blitzer is matched up with the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
And he'll just sit there and pack the ball forever
and you'll never right, I would blitz a guy every time. Yeah,
you're allowed one. You can't bring like the house, No,
and just maybe you do one. Burrow, I think I Burrow,
I guess it.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I want I want accuracy and I want quick release.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Okay, So the way we did it, and I don't
know if you know the answer to this was there's
the length of the field, the fifty yard line, which
really wasn't a fifty but the middle of the field
had a line, and that's how you got a first down.
You know, you got four downs. There's no punting, was there?
I mean there. I think you could start them at
(04:44):
their own end if you like, gave it up. But
I'm trying to think, do I have eight downs to
get the touchdown? Or do you only have four?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It's probably not. It's a seventy five yard field. You're
not getting eight downs.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
First Well, that's what I mean. Is there a first
down line.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
That I have no idea?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Look that far right, right right, because my thoughts are, I.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Would imagine if I've got NFL players out there on
a seventy five yard field. Yeah, somebody's scoring in four plays.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
My thoughts are, if I burrow it, I'm I'm nerding out.
If I go quarterback, I knew you would do that.
Oh yeah, if I'm going burrow and you know, slanting
you to death and quick hitters. How good at tacklers
are these opponents because they don't have to tackle DK
metcalf the if I have both flags, you.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Know, but if he's running away from them.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
If I if I'm a corner and this poor soul
looking at dk Metcalf and I'm from Team Italy or
Team Australia or Team Belgium or whatever, and I'm like,
I'm not used to playing against this guy. But then
the slant burrow boom slant and I only give up
eight yards. That's a win.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Well, I might have. I'm just running outside fades all
day longer right line up against these guys and try
to catch them.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I mean, no matter what, it's a dream team.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
You're telling me Chase isn't gonna beat the guy off
the line of screen. You're not gonna jam him. That's
the thing too, because you have no help over the top.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I keep looking at the other side of it too,
Like if you give me sauce, Gardeners, Stingley and certain
and I get a blitzer free from seven yards, even
if they have the most elusive quarterback ever, they're not
getting off the line of scrimmage. I mean, I'm just
jamming those dudes with Minco over the top, and eventually
I'm gonna get Kyle Hamilton's gonna get that.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
But you don't have anybody over the top. There's five guys,
five guys, there's a pass rusher, there are four eligible receivers.
One of those guys is a pass rusher. Who's your
guy standing over there?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I guess you have to play the run too. Yeah,
I mean you can still pitch it to Jamar get
Jami or Gibbs or Bijon or whatever, and yeah, he
could get a lot of space and they'd always have
a lot of space. If I'm gonna have receivers.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
The game's all about space in it, and I think.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
The field's actually a lot narrow.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Yeah, but if I can hit those slants, I don't.
I've already run ten yards. I'm fast than the guy
a cross me. He's going to try to reach from
behind and grab my flag.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Forget about it, m I mean, especially with a threat
from a go or a slug o, a slant go
that if I have, if I'm not going to bang
with those dudes, I just don't wonder. I wonder how
good at tacklers they are. That was always I mean,
these are about.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
To speed, Like if if if these guys are just
running away from people, forget about it. You're not You're
not going to tackle. You might get you might get
lucky once or twice with it, because there are so
but you're not going to get a bunch of eight
yards stops. It's just not gonna happen. I don't know,
because you can't. You still have to respect it. Again,
he runs a slant and go, yeah, I'm done. If
(07:42):
I'm going to bite on that slant every time I'm done.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
You know, I would consider having a free safety.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
But then you don't have your pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Out of a out of three cover guys, a linebacker,
slash pass rusher.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
And a free Okay, but there's four eligibles. Yeah, so
if you do that, I'm clearing out one side. I'm
dumping the ball off to the running back and he's
gonna run down the sideline until somebody gets there.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Yeah, but you don't have a lot of time to
do it with a pass rush. But that's I'm just
thinking like strategy. But I think you're right in terms
of the athletes you want out.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
I mean I would just I wouldn't. I wouldn't design
it that way. I'd put all my receivers. The two
receivers are on this side of the field, Okay, you're
in that safety. Either safety is gonna be over top. Yeah,
and then as soon as the ball snap, dump it
off to the running back in the flat, and he's
getting twenty five yards at least every time.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
See, I wonder what's even a good gain? Like is
a defense happy only giving up ten yards?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Oh, I'm sure they would.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I would imagine if there's only four downs, then there's
no first downs, you're thrilled to give up ten. Just
don't give up the huge one.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
But yeah, I don't know how you do it against
those particular athletes, right, because they're just they are very
nuanced route runners.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Oh that's the thing. I mean. I've been thinking about
this since this is this rule change happened, and I've
heard I've had some conversations. I've heard some people say, well,
USA already has really good flag football players, and I'm
sure that's disrespecting, right, But I bet Jamar Chase is better.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, you do get you do get the first down
when you cross midfield. You get four downs to go
across midfield. So really get to score in eight eight.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Plays you get a score and eight players So thinking
and duncan, I.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Don't even know that you're it's going to take eight
plays for if you put professional football players on.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
A quarterback, that's insanely accurate, but all of them are. Yeah,
I mean it could be Rudolph. I mean, it could
be a Backuy, it could be anybody. They're going to
be insanely accurate.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
The ball, even against guys who play flag football year round,
right right, It's just it's the quarterback is the difference
to me, M Because oh.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I definitely agree with you one hundred percent that the
NFL guys would kill destroy the Olympic team.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Now if you're just getting because all you're getting is
one on one coverage across the field, and I get
the best receivers in the league, Yeah, with the best
quarterback throwing to them, it's done.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
See. I looked at it through a different light, like
if I'm putting my best five defensive players orus my
best five offensive players, which certain doesn't have to cover Chase. No,
doesn't work that way. Yeah, I'm thinking that they're equal.
You know, they're not going to be equal. Team Italy
is not going to be as.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Good, right, I don't care.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I think that goes out saying.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
I don't care how well or how good they are.
Let's say again, most of your flag football players are
smaller guys. Sure, Well, again, if I get a DK
metcalf out there, I get a CD Lamb, I get
one of these bigger receivers out there, who's you know,
six one, six two, six three.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I definitely want one of them. For the rest my.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Cornerback is five foot ten. Even if he is super fast,
I still have a huge advantage with Joe Burrow throwing
him the football. He's gonna put the ball exactly where
the receiver can catch it.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I mean, it's apples to not even oranges. But like
when I my exposure was with six year olds right
and the red zone would get bogged down. Sure, but
if I have Randy Moss or Larry and you're the
best corner in Olympic history, I'm still throwing a fade
(11:34):
to you, and I'm gonna score every time.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I'm gonna throw that back pile on ball every time,
and every guy's gonna get it every time.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah. So I definitely want one big pass catcher. I
don't want all tiny It.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Doesn't even matter because again, if I'm just beating a
muffle on the scrimmage and the quarterback is throwing the
football to only where I where only I can catch it.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
The accuracy, the quarter accuracy the cornerback is huge, right,
He's not gonna have much time to throw though. No,
but he doesn't matter rightside Lamar. I mean, if Kyle
Haman again, he's on planning as Kyle Hamilton. If Italy's
rusher is chasing Lamar, He's probably still gonna get four
seconds to throw. And he's still the most accurate guy
(12:13):
at the Olympics. Even if he's not as accurate.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Most NFL quarterbacks in that situation are just going to
be able to move well enough.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, just don't get my flags. I mean, you know,
one pass rusher behind the line of scrimmage trying to
get Lamar's flags time at play after play after play
after play. No, he's never gonna do it. I mean,
I have no doubt that USA would win in a
Jordan bird magic like fashion, without question. But I am
(12:40):
interested in the strategy of who you'd pick on both
sides more defense.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
To be honest with you, I'd pick five defensive back.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Yeah, one with size like a Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
One that one that has rushed the passer before. He's
probably gonna be your pass rusher most of the time
most Yeah, yeah, does it? Kind go get yourself Mike Kilton.
You know, I was thinking to somebody, that's a good blitzer.
You know, there's just times it well and you know, but.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
You're just starting to set. You're starting seven yards back.
You're just going yeah, but you do have to know
how to break down.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I thought someone could you, like the running back could
stay in touch. If you're not allowed to even block,
that doesn't even matter that much.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
If you've rushed the passer, you have to seed be
a bit. The ability to break down, be able.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
To break down quick, you know, influence of things. And
it helped to be long maybe bad to pass down
here or there, you know, get in a passing lane.
I almost curious how what the size of the field is.
But super narrow be a phone booth thing like one
of the drills I did for the kids. I just
kind of made it up, is I could. I took
four cones and I didn't let the ball carriers get
(13:46):
out of that four cone area. It's made like a rectangle.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
That it's seventy yards long twenty five yards wide.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Okay, the width is important here though, and that's really narrow.
I mean there's not as much space as you think
on the field, so What I did was I build
a rectangle.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
You're just on the side, line down the side, like,
go ahead, try to try to stop this thing.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
If you do, all goes down the sideline with pickings
and metcalf.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Yeah. And then I run my running back underneath and
let him beat the I mean we see that drill
every year training camp.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah, the running backs on the linebackers. It's never even close.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
It's like the running back back on McCaffrey versus any linebacker.
It could be Warner, He's still gonna win with time
to throw.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
And that's I mean even defensive backs. If you don't
have any help and the receiver can go anywhere, you're done.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, real quick.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Though.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
The drill I did is I would build a four cones.
I made a rectangle that was like these are the
little kids. So it was like five yards by like
ten yards, and I'd put a tackler on one side
and I'd put a ball carry on the other, and
I didn't care if they gained yardage. I just had
a stopwatch and said stay alive as long as you can.
And it taught tackling, you know, like and like you
(14:59):
could see who I wanted to give the ball too.
I don't know what kids are good. They just gave
me a bunch of kids, you know. But tackling was
the key to Like, we won the whole thing because
we were the best tackling team because the kids just lunged.
I mean, like nobody was good at tackling, Yeah, but
we were and that was huge. Yeah, but tackling those
guys are going to be a nightmare.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Forget about it. Like again, even if they could this
pool flag, if it's Derrick Henry, they're running at.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
You, and well, these wouldn't be afraid.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Well, I'd still be afraid.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I was.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
What's a two hundred and fifty pound guy coming right
at me?
Speaker 1 (15:32):
I would hope the Olympic athlete is. And you're not
allowed to run them over.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
I understand that, But you're also not allowed to trust
the reps that you're still got to get in the
way his legs and arms that are flailing.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Like I don't think you're even allowed to stiff arm.
You're not allowed to not allowed to slap away flag.
But if his arms are turning, scar could be. But
you take the charge for the gold or for the silver.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
I took a lot of charges in my dick and
tell you right now, there were a couple of times
I get I got concussed twice, and it was I
took charges on guys that were much bigger than me. Yeah, yeah,
and didn't end.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Well. I'm not saying it's fun, but I don't think
I want a bruiser back. I don't want Henry.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I don't either. I'm just saying, but.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That'd be terrifying. Yeah, I mean even Jerome running at
I mean, it'd be terrifying that Kes running at you.
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, come on, I definitely wanted
a guy or two though. That is big for his position. Yeah,
because their cover guys won't be no, you know, they
will not know.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Anyways, that's just a little interesting aside there. That won't
happen until twenty twenty eight, but it's going to be
talked about a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Travis Hunters will be on that team.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Oh he played both ways.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, it's perfect for it, one of my first picks.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yeah. Anyways, let's get to a break. He is the
Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lelly. You're listening to the
drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt, and I'll
be back with more right after.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
This as The Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold in Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
And welcome back to the Drive. I am Dale Lolly,
he is the Matt Williamson and Matt I saw a
thing today on ESPN that the Bills are favored. They're
the only team in the NFL this season favored in
all of their games.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Wow. That always blows me away when somebody comes out
with that, Like, they do have a pretty easy schedule,
they have a very easy division. You and I several
times have mentioned that if I'm putting a chip down
for who gets the number one seed in the AFC,
I think I would take the Bills. I think you
agree from what I remember, just the way the thing
sets up. Good offseason, superstar quarterback, recent success, but favored
(17:51):
in every game. I was surprised to say, to play schedule.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Since nineteen seventy eight, twenty three teams have been favored
before the season began in every one of their games.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
That shocks me too.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
It's a little more than what I would have thought, right,
And I'm.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Making sure the Bill's the best team in the league.
I don't think they are right, right.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Twenty eight teams have been underdogs in every one of
their games.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That might not shock me as much.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
There aren't any this year. Okay, but the Giants, Browns,
and Saints are favored in just one game each this year.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
The Giants are favored by one and a half at.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
New Orleans, Okay, they play each other.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
The Browns are favored by one and a half at
home against the Titans, and the Saints are favored in
their game at home against the Jets by one.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
And a half. Like a Saints aren't even favored when
Carolina comes to town. No, right, I was thinking easy
teams in the division, but they all do play late
last play schedules as go. Well, the Saints don't.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
So it made me wonder where the Steelers are at here.
So I've looked this up here on DraftKings and the
Steelers Bills play.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
They must play the Ravens, Chiefs, and Texans. And are
they all in Buffalo? They must be at home?
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So these the Steelers favored in Week
one against the Seahawks. Yeah, Seahawks by one and a half.
I'm sorry, They're played the Jets in Week one. They're
favored by the over the Jets by two and a
half in Week one.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
In New York. In New York, Okay, that adds up
to me.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
They are then favored.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
So real quick, I was told that you couldn't bet
on Steeler games. I didn't even try because of the
Rogers situation that they were off the board.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
The odds are up here.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
So I assume they think Rogers is the quarterble.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
The odds are here. So Steelers favored by one and
a half over the Seahawks in.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Week two here.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Okay, week three, they are one and a half point
underdogs against the Patriots in New England.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
I think the betting market is overboard.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
As I said, New England's favored in eleven of their
games this year.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
They're much better than they were this time last year.
They won four games, but they're not They're not seven games,
but right I think they're over under totals like seven
and a half or eight and a half.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
The Patriots, yeah, I get that much better now. They
were hideous. They did the words ross in the league.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
The Vikings in Ireland are favored by one and a
half right now, I would assume the Steelers favored by
six and a half over the Browns coming back.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Okay, I don't think that's crazy either.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
The Steelers are four and a half point underdogs on
that Thursday night game in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
That totally adds up. That's a brutal turnaround.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Steelers are underdogs at home coming back off of that against.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
The Packers, they're dogs one and a half points screen
based quality. I don't know problem with that.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Steelers favored by three and a half over the Colts
the following week.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
The news of the day is they just lost their owner.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah, Steelers are four and a half point point underdogs
at the Chargers.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Oh, I might put a buck on that right now,
Steeler plus four and a half with a heavy Steeler crowd.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Steelers are one and a half point underdogs against the
Bengals on November sixteenth.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
And that's here.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
That's here.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
I don't think since he's as good as Vegas six either.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
I don't think so either.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
I didn't see in New England or two the ones
I think are overrated.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Steelers are two and a half point underdogs at Chicago.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I think that one's a little off.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Steelers are four and a half point underdogs at home
against Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
I get it. The stretch, the stretch of schedule is
not much fun.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Steelers are eight and a half point underdogs at Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Oh, I'll take Steeler plus eight and a half in
Baltimore this year or twenty thirty three and not even
knowing who's going to be on the field Steelers, Ravens,
or for that matter, if you gave me Ravens plus
eight and a half in two thirty three, I'll take
the points.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Steelers are two and a half point favorites against the Dolphins.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, that adds.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
They are six point underdogs to the Lions.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
In destroy that might be their toughest game.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
They are two and a half point favorites in Cleveland, Okay, sure,
and then the final week of the season they are
four and a half point underdogs at home against the Ravens.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
I'll take both the points in the Ravens. Yeah. So,
I know the short answer is probably yes. But does
Vegas make money on these they have now they must
or they wouldn't, but.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
They only have the They have the Steelers favored in
six games this year.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, it's low.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So I wonder if they if on this particular sports book,
if they haven't factored in the Rogers stuff yet.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Oh okay, because I don't say. What if today you
went in there and put ten bucks on the Steelers
in every game, you're gonna lose some, you're gonna win some.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Yeah, but they're already saying the over unders eight and
a half, right, that's their only favorite six game.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
That doesn't jive. I think there's money to be made there.
If you just bet the Steelers in every game now
on those lines or whatever site that is, and you
still get points, You're often gonna be getting points. Yeah,
you know you have no clue how the season is
gonna go. Nobody does.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
But why is that any different than betting the over
unders win totals? Yeah, the win total probably not with.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
The lines, but if you did the over under, if
you money lined them all, because then you pay off
more with all these dogs.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
See, Like to me, there's a margin there. I'm not
a betting expert at all or very good enough at math.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
I'm just throwing it out there.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah. So for example, so hear me out real quick, Okay,
if they're if they're over underwin totals eight and a half,
but you bet every game and they're only favored in six.
But you don't, and you ignore the spreads. You just
take the money line on the Steelers in every game
across the board, knowing you're gonna lose some and you're
gonna win some. And I take the under the eight
(24:17):
and a half as a separate bet. I'm gonna win something,
and I could win both.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think if you just took the money line on
all those, you'd end up winning.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Because you're substantially right.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yeah, they're only favor they're only favored in six games,
so you're gonna get positive money and eleven of the games.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
That's what I'm saying is you're gonna win more than
you put down on many of the wins. I'm just
and if they only get to eight or nine wins,
which Vegas thinks, are gonna win eight or nine games,
So if they win eight, I still make money. If
I make win nine, I win even more money.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Even For example, in the opener, the money line is
minus one forty eight in favor of the steel for
the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
That one doesn't pay great, but okay.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
But they're only two they're two and a half. Point favorites.
Some of those other games that you look at, like
the Seahawks game in Week two, they're minus one twenty two. Okay,
if they in New England, they're plus one oh two.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
That doesn't pay as well as your think, not as
well as you think right right.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Against the Vikings they're plus one hundred.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Because they're a dog in New England. But it still
basically my dollar only makes about a dollar.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah. The one that really screws it up is the
Browns or minus two to seventy eight. The Bengals there
plus one seventy. The Packers are plus one oh two. Okay,
the Colts they're minus one seventy five.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
These folks in Vegas know a thing, pretty smart.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, the Charger the Charger game, they're plus one sixty four.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
The second time against the Bengals at home, even though
they're they're plus one point one and a half, it's
plus one hundred on the money line. In Chicago it's
plus one fourteen. Against the Bills it's plus one sixty four.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I guess this makes up for a lot of the
difference between favorites and over underwind total. There's a massive
gap there. Two and a half game gap.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
In Baltimore, they're plus three hundred. Miami, they're minus one
thirty Detroit, their plus two hundred Cleveland. In Cleveland, they're
minus one thirty. In the final game of the season
in Pittsburgh plus one seventy against Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Okay, So I mean there will be ones that hit
big for you if you just money lined it. But
some of your wins that you think are wins don't
pay off as much as.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
You still get the money back and you're still.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, But no, that's interesting.
So I just I saw that with the I always
find this betting on the NFL interesting when you can
bet on Week fifteen and you have no clue, not
that even the sharpest of betters knows who's going to
be playing quarterback that way week right, And I'm sure
Vegas just wants the whole world to bet fifty one
(27:04):
side and fifty percent on the other.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
The bill schedule as it stands, they get Baltimore at home.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
That's what they're opener.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
That's their opener.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Well, that's what they're tougher than they should be favorite
that one.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
They get Kansas City at home, they get can't go
to Houston Tampa Bay at home. They do go to
Houston with their three and a half point favorites there.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
They gets kind of weird that you'd have three now
you have four, right, Yeah, you have four games against
fellow number one seeds and three of them are in
their place. Yeah, you would think that would go be
two and two.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Every year they get Cincinnati at home. They also get
Philadelphia at home.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Wow, all their tough games at home. Then, yeah, you
could make the argument and get what they're saying.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
You could make the argument that their toughest road game
this year maybe Pittsburgh might be the Steelers. It's either
the Steelers or Houston, one of those two, and they
play them back to back.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Hmm. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
They play Tampa Bay at Houston at Steelers, then they
have Cincinnati at home again the following week.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Wow, that's odd and very fortunate. I mean all they're hard,
hard games are in Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Yeah, I'm just looking like there are only other They're
at the Jets, at the Falcons, at the Panthers, at Houston,
at Pittsburgh, at Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
They could be seven and one on the road. I mean,
they're not gonna win all those home games against Ravens, Chiefs, Eagles, Bucks,
you know, Bengals, all the for the top teams. But
I like their chance. They should be favored in all
of them in May. Yeah, but those road games are
that has to be the easiest road schedule in the league.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Their smallest their smallest margin that they're favored by is
one and a half. They're favored by one and a
half over Baltimore and one and a half against Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
From what I remember, they don't have a lot of
like rest disadvantages or anything either, Like there's not a
lot of three games in ten days and that kind
of nonsense. Either short weeks that type of thing. They
get the Saints at home one of the what's the
spread in that game? Okay, it might be twenty, but.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
It's a yeah, especially it's late in the year. I'm
just looking at this schedule, I mean, pretty nice, sets
up pretty well for them, especially they have.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
A first play schedule, so they have tough teams.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
But do you I mean the questions you have to
ask yourself, do you think they go eight to no
on the road? History would tell us no.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I definitely don't think so. But I think they win
six maybe seven, So.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
I mean, and again I'm looking at their toughest road games.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
It's like in Atlanta from what I remember in Pittsburgh,
I mean, like games that they should be favored in May, and.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Wow, they go to Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
I bet the Giants is like the polar opposite. And
they also have all kinds of like rest disadvantages too,
Like their their schedule is awful.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Yeah, so just a huh strange, a little quirk in
there scheduling.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
There sharp's the best at of Warren. But are you
know we focus on the Steeler schedules. I don't know
those loopholes in the Bills schedule, of course, but when
they start coming out and I'm not besmudging the schedule makers,
it would be an unbelievably difficult job. Especially they're like, well,
Springsteen's in your building on this Sunday. You have mons
(30:16):
right right, the baseball playoffs or whatever. But there are
some the schedules are not even close to being equal.
Every any year you look at right, when you start
to look at rest, where you play your tough teams,
where you play your your easy teams. And frankly, the Steelers,
unfortunately almost all their tough games. They're at a rest
(30:39):
disadvantage this year, you know, like in Detroit in Cincinnati,
they're the best the teams with the highest win totals.
It doesn't set up well for the Steelers in terms
of rest.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah, but it's not again, it's not like it was
last year. One day doesn't bother me. One day doesn't
because you can adjust to that Cincinnati game. They're both
playing Thursday night, so it's it's a wash and Cincinnati's
on the road before that game.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
I mean, I don't love coming back on them from
a Monday night.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Or No, that's you know, that's terrible.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
That's terrible. But no, your point about last year, like
is one of the harder ones you're gonna see. I mean,
that's a real out liar. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
So anyways, let's get to a break. He is the
Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lollie. You're listening to the
Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I
will be back with more right after this.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Least.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
He's the Drive with Dale Lollie and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
And we are back. I'm Dale lolli. He is the
Matt Williamson and Matt Kevin Potra on NFL dot Com
has taking a look at the new quarterbacks in their
new situations and whether the numbers will be better, the same,
the worse.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Okay, some more of them, we think.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Yeah, So the presumptive starters here, you got Sam Darnald
going to the Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Donald threw for forty three hundred nineteen yards thirty five
touchdowns twelve interceptions last year.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I'll take the under.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
He's taking the under on that. He said it's going
to be worse.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Absolutely. I mean, he goes from one of the worst
situations to an okay or one of the best situations
to one of the to an okay situation, and more
is going to be demanded. I was when expectations are higher,
contracts higher. He's very, very talented. I mean, I don't
think he's a throwaway, you know. I think he has
a chance to be good for them, But that's probably
his career year in Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Gino Smith, whom he replaces in Seattle, goes to the
Raiders through for forty three hundred and twenty yards twenty
one touchdowns fifteen interceptions last year, and Patrick thinks it
will be better.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I think it's better bow and running the balls. I
don't if you'll throw as many attempts good receivers in Seattle,
but I think he's got better protection. They run the
ball a lot, run the ball a lot, Yeah, Chip,
Kelly and gent.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I don't know if his numbers will be better. The
interceptions were high from Wheen. Yeah, I bet that was lower.
I bet he's more efficient. Yeah, maybe the numbers. Yeah,
he's a better year justin fields. Well, he only played
ten ten games, made six starts, eleven hundred and six yards,
five touchdown passes, one interception, five rushing touchdowns, and six fumbles.
(33:40):
He thinks his numbers will be better.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Well, oh, sure he's a starter, right, he presumed starter
for seventeen games. But will they be I mean he's
not gonna have a five to one interception.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
That's what I was going to ask, right, No, that's
not going to happen.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
No, No, I mean I don't think he'll be four
and two extrapolated over seventeen games, or a five to
one interception ratio extrapolated over seventeen games. Yeah, you know,
I bet his rushing totals are higher per game. I
think they're gonna run him a lot.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
He had two hundred and eighty nine rushing yards in
his games last year, and again some of that was
held down. He had a little bit of a quad
injury at that point. Then he had the abdominal injury
that they couldn't use him.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
I could see him getting at like seven fifty with
the Jets this.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Year, though, Yeah, maybe because he's running for his life.
Some of the competitions Russell Wilson versus Jamis Winston, I
don't see that as a competition.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
I think Wilson's the guy. I think Wilson's the guy,
and I think Dark will eventually take over this year.
I don't think he'll be like Wilson and Winston bounce
him back and forth. I'm not sure that Winston's even necessary,
and I still kind of like Winston. But I mean,
maybe an injury factors in and he could be their
best guy. I'm not saying he's not, but he's a
(34:54):
little unnecessary for the whole process.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
His starting days are behind him. Oh yeah, I don't
think he's going to be like, yeah, twelve interceptions last year.
In seven starts that Money had twelve. He had thirteen
touchdown passes.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Like I only go beat out run.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
He's just that's who he is.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
He is.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
If he started seventeen games for somebody right now, he
would have twenty five touchdown passes, but he'd also have
twenty four interceptions. That's what he does does and you
just hope that the you know, you get him on
the good week.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Yeah, Steelers saw him on a good week. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
At one time he's Ryan Fitzpatrick. That's what he is.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
No, I don't disagree with that. The I think inevitably Wilson,
even if he plays well, will give way to Dart
and they'll still pick like in the top five. And
you have to know what you have from Dart. Their
schedule is so awful.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
They took Dart in the first round. I think they
give them. I don't see them in the quarterback mix
next year.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
I would hope, not for their sake, but if it's
a new GM and new coach, I'm.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
Not even thinking that way though. They're just not They can't.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I like the coach. Well, they go, they end up
with three wins this year. They're not gonna be bad.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
They're better than three wins. I don't care what the schedule.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
I think they're better than three wins too. But I
don't think they get the seven.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
I don't either, but you know, I think maybe they.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
That's why I didn't love trading up for Dark. I mean,
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
If the owner tells you gotta go get a quarterback,
you go get a quarter Well.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I think that's what happened too, and I think the
same thing happened in Cleveland, and it took some convincing
not to take them at two and three.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Yeah. Daniel Jones ten games last year, all starts, two
thousand and seventy yards, eight touchdown passes, seven interceptions. He
did rush for two sixty five and two more scores
with four fumbles.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
If he were to be the seventeen game starter for
the Colts, I think than that it's gonna be better
than that, and I would say it could be a
respectable quarterback twenty one finish.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
I think if he made ten starts for the Colts,
it's probably better than that. I'm not saying they have
a more diverse passing scheme than what not passing scene,
but more available options.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
They got a lot of options and they got a
good back. And yeah, I'm not saying he's good or like, oh,
the Steelers should have grabbed him. I do think he
gets a little bit of a bum wrap because he
was drafted too early. Not his fault, goes to the
biggest market on the planet and didn't live up to it. Yeah,
not fault.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
As soon as he's well, he's got success.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Got to give him a nickname, and then they give
a dumb nick game. Yeah, and then they give him
a contract that probably wasn't smart either, which he didn't
live up to. But if you analyze them for what
he is, he's okay. He's just not the savior. He's not.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Yeah, he's not. He's not Joe Namath or Phil Simms.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Like I would take him over Winston. Yeah, you know right.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
If you look at his career numbers, they're eerily similar.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
In the Trevor Laura and yeah. Yeah, and he runs more.
He's a very good runner.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
You like Lawrence more than I do?
Speaker 1 (37:57):
Oh, I do.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
I might be done with him. I'm not the can
he picket Joe Flacco train? Well, obviously if Picket starts
a game, yeah, it's going to be better than what
it was.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
I bet he does.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Last year he had two He played in five games,
he made one start, two hundred and ninety one passing yards,
two touchdowns came in and Neil the last one interception. Yeah,
fifteen rushing yards, one rushing touchdown in a fumble Flaco.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
Play. He is another one that's going to have TD
interception ratio of one to one. Good his life.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
Played in eight games, six and more starts, seventeen hundred
and sixty one passing yards, twelve touchdowns, seven interceptions, twenty
six rushing yards, four fumbles, twenty six rushing yards. That's
somebody must have fallen down.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe he had one long run that
the seeds just parted. He slid. I don't know what
to say about those guys numbers. I don't think anyone
in Cleveland's going to play I was about to say
any more than six games start. I just think they're
all going to get a shot at some point, and
it's going to be a mess. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
His wild cards here, you get the Aaron Rodgers, Mason,
Rudolph Skyler, Thompson grouping.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
I don't think Skyler's going to be in the I don't.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
Think Skyler's going to be mixing. I don't even know
Skyler makes a team, right, Rogers last year I kind
of betting against it now I think about it. Seventeen
games all starts, yeah, three eight and ninety seven yards,
twenty eight touchdown passes, eleven interceptions, one hundred and seven
rushing yards, five fumbles.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Would you take it? Twenty touchdowns twenty eight touchdowns? Is
that's actually a few more picks than he usually throws you.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
If you looked at what Russell Wilson was producing last year,
if Russell Wilson starts all seventeen games, his numbers would
have worked out the twenty five touchdown passes and I
think like eight interceptions, which.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Is a big jump in recent history, and dealer land
that twenty eight stood out to me.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Twenty eight is a big number, and I will bet,
especially if you're running the balls my which is they
want to on the ball.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean you take twenty would you
take twenty eight? Passing? Tight Rogers aside, I.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
Don't care who the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
That's what I said. Twenty touchdown twenty sign me up,
give me too, me too, so that would be great.
I am on board. Yeah, and I will bet Rogers
if he plays football this year. For whoever throws less
than thirteen interceptions, he's one of the best in the league,
best in league history of value in the football. Yeah,
(40:28):
I don't think he all of a sudden he got
risky with it.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
For Rudolph it was eight games, five starts, fifteen hundred
and thirty yards, nine touchdowns, nine interceptions, one hundred and
six rushing yards and a touchdown with five fumbles.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
I don't like the nine to nine. That shocks me. Yeah,
I think it could be better than that, especially the
interception ratio.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
And then you go through a bunch of backups here.
We're not going to roll through that, but then we're
gonna get to a break again. That's going to do
it for hour number one. That was interesting little it's
more new starters this year.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
And yeah, and he's not even talking about trinkies and yeah,
right right, let's get to a break.
Speaker 3 (41:05):
Well, that's gonna do for our number one, Matt, and
I'll be back with our number two. We're gonna get
the listener questions today in the second hour right after
this
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