September 12, 2025 • 44 mins
The Drive gets into the biggest matchups for the Steelers this weekend, as well as picking the Week 2 games across the NFL.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Good evening, Steeler Nation, Back on the drive here hour
number two. It is our final hour of programming before
the weekend. Congratulations, you made it. The week is winding
down Friday night tonight. Of course, some big high school
football games across Pittsburgh, like there always is, big Slate Saturday,
some fun NFL games on Sunday that we will get
(00:41):
into in our next segment, Matt, when we kind of
do our another great Yeah, these first two weeks there
have been some outstanding primetime stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Dynamite, yeah, from.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
A neutral perspective, just games that you're very intrigued by.
Between you know, a lot of division matchups, a lot
of contender matchups, all those different things. But before we
get to that, and of course Steelers in Seattle pick
them in final thoughts there, we do need to spin
the block in our little five star Friday. We talked
in the last segment more so Steelers offense Seahawks defense.
(01:15):
Now where's it start, Matt for you? From a Seahawks
offense against the Steelers defense. How much of this is
about Jackson Smith and Jigba how much of that Seattle
run game.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, the more I've thought through what do you do
with JSN? So I think I'm sure we brought it
up in the last four days, but he basically got
sixty percent of the target six zero crazy. It's insane.
I mean, and he did a lot with them, and
he's a really good player. But it's also because there
are other pass catchers are bad. I mean, Cup isn't
what he used to be. That they have a rookie.
(01:48):
I really really like Tory Horton, but he's a fourth
round pick and he's the third guy out there. They
also played and something we haven't mentioned all year or
all week is they played a very high percent with
a fullback on the field. So steals better get used
to dealing with fullback based runs, which can be really
hard on teams because you don't see him like you
(02:09):
did back in the day. You know, what shoulder do
I take on? What gap am I in charge of?
But the more I've thought about the cups that or
the JSN situation, I think Ramsey's gonna follow him into
the seats. And I didn't think that before, but with
the Porter injury and Echo's availability to do any of
the three positions. I think you rest Porter. I think
(02:33):
when you have two receivers on the field, or when
you have two corners on the field, it'll be Sleigh
in Ramsey and Ramsey will be against JSN who has
gotten a lot better outside the numbers. He's not just
a slot. Cup is just a slot. So when you
have two corners on the field, you're gonna have Cup
and js and versus Sleigh and Ramsey. And I think
(02:56):
that screams Like what Tomlin was saying, is Ramsey's our
top guy. We're gonna put on their top guy. That
doesn't mean no safety support and things like that. But
I bet he follows him around because Smith and Jigba
also plays a lot in the slot, although Cup has
kind of blocked them a little, and we know that's
ramsey spot. But because Eccles is so versatile, it's not
(03:16):
like Porter where he would have to go to the
slot with Cup. If you know what I'm saying, Like
if it was Horton, Cup and Ramsey and Cups are slot,
I don't want Porter or Sleigh in the slot. But
Eccles take the slot. You know he's not as good
as those three, but his versatility helps in this case.
So Ramsey just follow JSN all day long.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
It is my hunch and that feels like Listen. We
talked a little bit about this last week with Garrett Wilson.
But I think now in the hey, you know what
they say happens when you assume. But in the I
think educated guess that Joey Porter Junior isn't going to
be available.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
That doesn't look promising as we record this, right.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
It makes a ton of sense for me and you
and I haven sitting him this week. If it's close,
Absolutely this is the opponent to do it again where
I mean we talked a little bit last week about
how it was Garrett Wilson and then a cast that
doesn't really move the needle for you, the similar Gladys
Knight and the Pips a similar conversation this week. As
(04:22):
much as Cooper cup As obviously has had an outstanding career,
he's not that guy right now.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I think that ship sailed.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
I think so. I think so.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Even his numbers, like over his last six seven, eight
games aren't what they used to be. They kind of
use them like a glorified tight end.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
You you don't want to pigeonhole Jalen Ramsey. But I
don't think it's pigeonholing him this week. I think it's, hey,
this is what you're gonna do. We don't need you
to be multiple, We don't need you to be versatile
this week, we need you to take this guy out
of a game.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
One thing that kind of skewed things for us last week, though,
was the Elliot injury, because now Ramsey all of a
sudden to play a lot more safety. Now that shouldn't
be an issue. But I mean, I just wanted to
throw it out there. Would he have traveled with Wilson
Moore if Elliott doesn't miss any time because he got it?
Wasn't a Peppers involved, you know. I mean, so I
(05:12):
just want to throw that out there in hindsight. But
as it lines up now, I think Ramsey's gonna be
on JSN and that's a great battle.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah it'll be fun. Yeah, yeah, it certainly will be.
I don't think JSN. I think he's a very nice player.
I don't know if he's the we're gonna I'm gonna
command sixty percent of the offense and be the focal
that everything is going to run through me. To be fair,
not many wide receivers in the league are no, that's it.
There's only a couple of those germies a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
He got sixty. I mean that's and that's by the fault,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
They don't have a ton of options. But what they
do have as well too or Walker and Charbonne and
two talented running backs. And we obviously saw how the
Jets were able to succeed in the run game against
the Steelers this week.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And they're pretty much an outside zone team there. Their
core na, Kubiak comes from the Shanahan tree. His daddy
was Kubiak. It's you know, I always back up. I mean,
they're all Shanahan disciples, and they want to run a
lot out outside zone as well. They don't have the
quarterback rush threat like fields obviously, but outside zone has
(06:17):
given the Steelers a lot of problems lately, you know.
And they Walker will hurt you, and Charbonnay's really good
back to the town is a very good backfield.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So Matt, like, I don't want to like, I think
it could almost be as simple for the Steelers defense
in the run game as just everybody's got to play better,
Like I don't think, yeah, I don't think. I don't
think anyone's really exempt from that. But you hope you think.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Coach Austin said, we're expecting why a Blacks snap total
to go up?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
He did, He did did talk. He did talk about
an increased role for I don't know if he's said
snap count, snap total, but more talk about more usage,
elevated role or hell exactly he described.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It, which I think is a good move, which.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Which makes a ton of sense. We've taught. We talked
a little bit earlier in the week about the usage
of Keanu Bent and is there some square peg round
hole stuff going on there?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
I do louder Milk goes backwards a lot too.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I do expect just a better performance from Cam Hayward.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
That'll blow me away if it's not true.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Which in its own right, will do a lot to
raise the tide of all the other ships around him.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I do a show last night with Pursuda and Merrill Hodge,
and one of Merrill's big sayings is never underestimate a
great player coming off a bad game, a proud play,
you know those type of things. And cams a perfect example,
like he's going to get Zabel, who I think has
a really really good, bright future first round guard. He's
a first round guard on North Coast State against Cam Hayward,
(07:41):
Like Cam should win. That bats, you know what I mean,
And that they ran at Cam a lot. I think
what they did was they ran away from what. I
don't think they necessarily ran to the left because it
was so bad because I thought louder Milk was the
weakest link. But they ran away from what. I don't
know why Seattle wouldn't try to do the same with
(08:03):
seeing the success they had, You know.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
That would that would make a lot of sense, And that's.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
In their best to alignment at the left tackle, the.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Left tackle and left guard, So that would that would
lay out and make a ton of sense. And obviously
put puts the onus on ninety seven and I expect
to listen. I still think he's going to need a
couple more weeks to get fully ramped up where he
wants to be. But I again, and that progression is
not leniar thing. I expect him to take more steps forwards.
Certainly this week h.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Hayward positive game correct ye be one.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I think we'll come in on Monday and we'll be like,
that's the cam Heyward.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
We you know are are bad system. I remember that guy.
Let's yes, you know, I'll be shocked if we don't
have that conversation.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I I think I would be as well. And then
I guess maybe finally here talk to me about Sam Darnold.
What is like, what are you expecting from him? What
can the Steelers do to frustrate him and limit them?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, and he's had a weird career, as people know.
I mean he was high highly highly.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Drafted second overall. I think, right.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Him or Barkley went two or three that year, but
I mean Baker went one. That's a Josh Allen Lamar
year and they went later in those dudes. It was
a good, good class though. But he goes to a
terrible Jets team and he was a five star USC
golden boy blonde, you know, I mean, like, you know,
poster child should be in a movie.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Five star high school recruit exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
And things came easy to him exactly exactly. You know,
he's probably the best looking cheerleader. I mean, you know,
he was the USC. You know, all that good stuff.
Good for him and realize this league doesn't work that way,
and he went to a couple of bad organizations Jets, Panthers,
and then Lands in Minnesota. Well, actually what he did
was smart. And he's even said this since he said,
(09:46):
the best thing I ever did for my career was
go sit behind Brock Party and learn from Shanahan and
Purty and just be the two and just take the
pressure off Exhale, be around one of the absolute best
in the business and understood I'm not the best player
on the field anymore. I think he looked in the
mirror that.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Year, similar thing that happened to Baker Mayfield in LA.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Yeah, yeah, right, right exactly. You spend a year with
McVeigh and you know, oh, okay or you know, Party
knows he's not the best player on the field. But
I can get the ball to Debo and Ayuk and
McCaffrey over Kittlonoa's guy's over the years, and I think
Darnold realized I got a lot of talent. I can
make a real living of this thing if I don't
try to be Superman all the time. I'm not going
(10:30):
to be Josh Allen. And then he gets his Minnesota
and we saw what happening in a really really good year.
Great deep passer that that still holds up. He's always
been a good deep passer. His biggest weakness, I would say,
now that he's eliminated some of the hero ball stuff,
is he doesn't handle pressure as well as others. Like
I think I said this yesterday, like every quarterback in
(10:52):
the Clevean pockets here and everyone.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Pressure well, right, but the gap.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
For him is bigger than most, you know, and they
don't protect really well, you know. So I think he's good.
I only he's great, but I think he's good, and
I think they're happy with him. And I also think
they might sprinkle in a mill row package that he
played like a snap or two, so maybe they do more.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
It was funny that that transitions exactly where I where
I wanted to go was did he played one offensive
snap against one? I think it was, yeah, maybe two.
I would expect that to be a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
I would if I were them.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
How much of that though? If you're Seattle? How much
can you look at last week? That's success? Success? Part
of me that Justin Fields and the Jets had in
the run game from a quarterback standpoint and translate that
to Jalen Milroe, who's got some of that same talent. Oh,
he's a rocket ship, not as not as proven, not
as experienced as Justin Fields. Obviously not the passer that
you trust either. And it's it's not like like Justin
(11:53):
Fields was out there for every snap at quarterback. Jalen
Milroe comes into the game, you're tipping your hand a
little bit.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Alert, alert, you know, takes a hill comes in.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Right, So how much of that, you know, how much
of of jaln Milrow, how much of a package could
hit from him for him? Could we see on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I'd be shocked if it doesn't happen. I mean, I
bet he gets his jersey dirty, you know. And remember
head coach comes from Baltimore. That's how they got Lamar acclimated,
you know. I mean yeah, right, get a series sometimes
or a package for sure. And I would think that
that starts to because they're searching. I mean, it's not
like they have this great offensive identity. Like it used
(12:32):
to make me crazy when Taysom Hill would come in
and Drew Brees and his prime would walk over the sidelines, Like,
don't think Drew Brees off the field. I mean, I
know they it was successful. They averaged like six yards
of play when Taysom Hill was in there, and it worked.
But it's like, I want to snapped the ball to
Drew Brees or Bend or you know. I mean, like
I'm not taking that on the field.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
I don't want to take that. Always was crazy to me,
and I know it worked with Taysom Hill, but like
you're taking a Hall of Fame quarterback off.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
The field and he's on the sidelines watching this.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
It just never see a great idea, right.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
And that's not the case here at all. They're searching
for whatever they can get.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
This is different.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Yeah, yeah, So I bet he gets three to six carries,
maybe throws one. But I don't know. I mean, he
maybe plays ten, plays fifteen. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Maybe some of that. Obviously, two depends on how the
game plays out, if Seattle's in the lead and they're
willing to and they're trying to.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Lately, no, they have not. Their last two games have
been pretty darn bad against rushing quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
And there's obviously a lot different personnel in that group
this year. But it was not like it was suddenly
a different picture that we saw Sunday at MetLife Stadium
against the Jets, and just will you.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Prove you can stop it? I mean, I think it'd
be malpractice not to put Milroe on the field.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
If the Steelers in the first half jump out to
a seven point to ten point lead, it becomes more difficult.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Oh sure, but he's not going to drop back.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
If Seattle's got the seven point or ten point lead,
then all of a sudden, I think you've got more
opportunity to work that in trying to extend drives. Take
your time, keep your defense rest. That's what you drafted
him for. He wasn't an undrafted free agent. He wasn't
a six or seventh round pick. I mean he was
a third round draft pick.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
And they're not red shirting them. He's active, you know,
like use them.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
That's a interesting wrinkle to keep an eye on Sunday
afternoon at Also, the.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Thing is going to be a little odd too. You're
seeing a lot of fullback in this game, and that's
you don't see that very much in the NFL. No,
it was the most usage of the whole league in Week.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
One, even more than San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I think. So they were the top two and that happened.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Happened to be in the same game. So there it is.
Your kind of five Star Friday, your matchup segments for
the Steelers offense, for the Steelers defense. When we return
on the other side, we will go around the league.
Take a look at this exciting slate of games week
two across the NFL. Give some thoughts and some predictions
for all of those. West Hueler Matt Williamson, It's the
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
(14:53):
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Another big weekend across the National Football League here as
we head to Week two. Of course, last night, Matt,
maybe before we look ahead, Yeah, another impressive win by
the Packers, I.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Mean, making a pretty strong case to being maybe the
best team in the league.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Beating other than the Eagles. They've probably they've defeated now
probably the two best NFC teams other than Philadelphia from
last year, potentially in Detroit in Washington in the span.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Of five days, I would say, I mean.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
And fairly comfortable both times as well.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
They weren't even really close, No honest with you, and
both those games weren't even as close as the box
score looks. I mean Green Bay there was three or
four passing plays that could have been blown. Nothing open
in the first quarter, first half for sure. And I
thought They're Week one game was the most impressive of
any game of the week too. And Parsons is still
(16:05):
a part part time guy and loves getting better and better.
They're really in a good spot, they are. I was
always a little down on Washington too. I mean, I'm
I think that's coming to fruition a little. I'm not
worried about Daniels, but neither one of his games that
did he look like the rookie, you know, like progression
isn't linear. Yeah, and their their defense is worried me
(16:27):
all off season two. I didn't pick Washington to go
to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
You did not, I remember that. And yeah, I don't
think either of us think that they're gonna win three
games again. Command they've elevated that that floor. But it'll
be very interesting to see how they navigate this. I
know they had a couple of missed field goals in there.
Maybe things could play out a little bit differently, But
as you mentioned, I thought the Packers left some points
out on the field as well too. Yeah, green Bay
(16:53):
looks dangerous, although I will say you.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
See a lot of weaknesses on green Bay.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
It was bizarre tuning into that game last night and
the Packers are decked out in all white.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
White weird look.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, and everyone at Lambo's wearing all white. I guess
they have to do that early in the season before
the weather gets so terrible that they're all.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Budding off camouflaged camouflage far.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Heart by the time you by the time you get
the Halloween.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
It looks like Hawth from Star Wars, you.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Know, riding out on a ton to at a lambeau
Field on to Sunday Slate. Matt And, as we've mentioned
a couple of times, a lot of good games here
to sink your teeth into. We'll go in chronological order.
I guess Bengals back home one and Zher hosting the
Jags Cincinnati three and a half point favorites.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I'm taking the hook over three. I think the Jags
can hang around, probably a high scoring game, typical Bengals
game from last year, thirty to thirty two, something like that.
I don't think they blow their doors off. I think
Jacksonville hangs around. I think that number is enough for
me to take the points.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I am with you. Listen, we saw Cincinnati start slow
last week. It's something they've done historically.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Yeah, I don't think the defense is fixed.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I don't think the defense is fixed. I think the
Jaguars have a really good shot of winning this game.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
I thought about it.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, but I will absolutely take Jacksonville plus three and
a half because I think if Cincinnati wins, it'll be
another two point three point win. Give me the points
there and the Jags, I think is the way to roll.
Cowboys back home locking their wounds against the Giants and
an NFC East clash. Dallas five and a half point
(18:29):
favorites at home against the g Men, I.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Don't think the points. I don't feel great about it
either way. The weakness of the Giants right now is
the O line, and I just think without Parsons they
don't take advantage of that that Well. Love how Dak played,
but I think that that D line and the Giants
d's a handful, so I bet they keep it close.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I'll lay the points with the Cowboys. I don't think
they're gonna blow them out. But I just they're already
there's already a lot of questions in New York about
are they going to go to Jackson darkness already? And
Dallas has had an extra I mean they've had what
ten to eleven days to kind of set around, do
and prepare and be angry and ready for this one and.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Or home ten daybreak and at home.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
I don't think they blow them out by two or
three touchdowns, but I will lay the five and a half.
I'll take Dallas minus five and a half in a
little bit of a get right game there against the Giants.
Another divisional clash in Detroit from the NFC North, this
time a pair of zho to one teams who certainly
don't want to start oh to two, the Lions hosting
the Bears. One of the bigger spreads of the weekend,
(19:33):
Detroit six and a half point favorites.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
So watching games in week one, I told myself after
the outcomes, not knowing who these teams are playing in
week two, I'm taking the Ravens for sure. I'm taking
the Chiefs, and I'm taking the Lions against the points
no matter who they're playing, because they've won a lot
of games lately, and I trust them to rebound in
(19:58):
a big way. I didn't know the Chiefs were hosting Eagles.
We'll get to that one, but the other two I
am taking all day long. I think the Ravens I'm
getting ahead of ourselves, but I think the Ravens blow
the Browns out of the water. And I like some
things about the Bears, but I think that head coach
in Detroit. It was pretty rough one in this week,
(20:18):
and they play a much better game. I don't know
if the Lions are as good as they used to be,
but they're still better than the Bears. And got embarrassed
in that division.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yes, and a lot of head and back home, yeah,
as opposed to when you're the Bears kind of new
regime heading on the road for the first time. That
six and a half number is pretty substantial.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
It is.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I wish it was more like five and a half,
but I'm with you. I'm going to lean towards Detroit.
Still really good. That Super Bowl window might not be
wide open like it was the last couple of years,
but I think they are still clearly a much better
team than Chicago at home after an embarrassing effort at
lambeau Field. I'll lay the points. I'll take Lions minus.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Six and a little more points than I expected, though.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
I would I would like five and a half a
little bit more, but I will still lean towards giving
Detroit the benefit of the doubt on this one. First
opportunity for cam Ward in Music City to make his
Nashville debut for the Titans. The Rams head to town
there feeling good about themselves starting. Want to know with
that victory against the Texans on the road, Matt, the
(21:26):
Rams are five and a half point favorites.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I think they wiped the floor with them, do you
Stafford was awesome in week one. We could talk about
his back and I don't know if it's going to
hold up, but he's good right now and his receivers
are a handful. Ward was really interesting to me because
awful environmental. You go go to Denver against that defense,
mile high, all that stuff, and his box score looks terrible,
(21:50):
but he did a lot of good stuff Like Titan
fans should be excited, but I think the Rams beat
him bad.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
This is a number and I know it's on the
road that I thought could be a six and a
half seven and a half type number. Yeah, yeah, the
Titans just they they are at square one. I mean
they are, they are, they are at the you know,
the first steps of a thousand step journey. Yeah, yes,
(22:20):
one thousand mile journey. And so yeah, I I I
think there is a chance that they could do some
things to keep it. But even even laying five and
a half still seems pretty comfortable for the Rams. And
you know, they won last week at home, but they
didn't necessarily light it up offensively either. I think they've
got some more some more juice there to squeeze. H
(22:41):
does la. So I'm with you. I will lay the
points minus five and a half on that one. In
a surprising, maybe perhaps the most surprising line of the
week to me, takes place down in Miami, where the
Dolphins host the Patriots for a for another one of
these divisional early season matchups. Miami is a one and
a half point favorite.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I don't know that they should have been a favorite
over anyone after that.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I know it's at home, and particularly in September. You know,
they they have the this is the way the stadium
set up. The sun beats down on the visiting sideline
and the Dolphins wear their white uniforms that the opponent
has to wear the darker color. It's a great advantage
in that regard. I just think that this team is
(23:27):
about as close to being unraveled as you can be
for week two of a season.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Me too, I wish they were playing somebody else that
I felt more confident in because I don't love what
I saw from New England. But I think Rabel situation
and if you're this one, it's like, if you're gonna
give me points, I'll take whoever gets points, you know,
And I just don't have it. I'm not sure I
can put money on Miami right now.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Very good way to say it. Yeah, I think the
Patriots win. I think Rabel just finds a way Rabel
type game. Maybe it's a little ugly, lower scoring that
people expect, and the Patriots just make one more play
or one less mistake that could be at the end.
But I will take the points obviously as well too.
But that one, to me is a little surprising after
everything that we've seen from Miami. One and a half
(24:11):
point favorites at home against the Patriots. But I'm with you,
I'm not putting. I'm not putting any money on Miami
at this point. Saints at home hosting the forty nine
ers and another one of these one o'clock kickoffs, San
Francisco three and a half point favorites on the road.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
They're so injured and Pard he's out. And I actually
thought the Saints and Rattler played okay, you know, like
I think it was expected. Yeah, I thought it was
easy to say the Browns and Saints or worst two
teams in the league times a thousand. Well, they didn't
play like it, you know, I mean. And so New
Orleans tough place to play. I think they keep it
(24:49):
close enough.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
I think New Orleans could surprise some people and maybe
even win this game at home. Yeah, maybe, but I
will take I will take New Orleans and the points.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Yeah, give me New Orleans plus three and a half.
I think the Saints could win the Niners, just they
are so banged up. They're on the road for the
second straight week two, which is always difficult. Longer, you know,
longer road trip this time than going to Seattle. Obviously,
I'll take the Saints plus three and.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
A half me too. Not an easy place to play.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Not an easy place to play without a doubt. Speaking
of inter division matchups, here once again the Jets. They
are at home for the second straight week to open
up the season. They got the Buffalo Bills and Josh
Allen come into town. Tough test for New York cover loss,
Buffalo six and a half point favorites on the.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Road, kind of. I hope I'm not wearing Steeler colored
glasses by picking the Jets here. Jets are really impressive,
made the Steeler game look better than it was, and
I believe that today they could get their Dwarfs blown
off by the Bill zone. Josh Allen might throw five touchdowns,
but Keon Coleman's been kind of their number one. He's
going to get sauce and the other receivers are fine.
(26:03):
And what really worries me for the Bills is really
the only defensive player I thought that was impressive this
past week was at Oliver and he's out, and I
think they can run and keep it close. So I'm
going to bet on the Jets getting points, but I
wish this was more than a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I'm going to lay the points of Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
I totally get it.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
A couple of reasons. One just Buffalo has owned owns
that division over the last couple of years. Oh this
big time for Sorry, I wasn't like I was. I
was quite an awkward little pause there while I was
trying to bring up the total on this game to
forty seven and a half. I just I think that
(26:46):
for the Jets, they are without a doubt and improved team.
But I don't think that that means the offense is
going to look like it did last week all season nine.
I know, I know, I think that they overall are
going to take a step forward, but this might be
one of those progression is in linear type weeks.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
It might be three steps forward last week, two back today.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
I'm gonna I'm gonna lay the points of Buffalo. I
just think the way they've the way they've owned that division,
and I'm gonna lean my kind of benefit of the
doubt their direction on this one.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
I totally get it. I wouldn't touch it. I just
think their running game might be able to keep things close.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Last one o'clock game that we have to discuss other
than Steelers Seahawks obviously, but we'll do that in the
last segment. Is stop me if you've heard this before.
Another divisional matchup AFC North Baltimore at home, licking their
wounds after that disappointing fourth quarter debacle against Buffalo, they
host the Browns biggest spread of the week by far.
(27:40):
Matt Ravens are eleven and a half point favorites at
home against Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Already told myself that whistle ended, I don't care who
the Ravens are playing next week. I'm picking them no
matter what the spread is. And then Grant Delpa today
is coming out saying, oh, how hard is it to
tackle Derrick Henry? Someone asked me. He's like, it's not hard,
like poking bear. Somebody else said something to and from Yeah,
I forget who.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
It was, but come on, man, I I think I'm
very torn on this one because I think it very
easily could be Cleveland played well. I think Cleveland played
pretty well.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
I also hear Arthur Motes in the back of my
head saying, you never take double digit spread international, you
stay away from double digit spreads in the National Football League.
I might take the Browns plus eleven and a half.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
They could easily backdoor cover it.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Or this is one that if it gets up to
like twelve and a half by kickoff. I think I
think I would absolutely take Cleveland. That's just a you know,
Baltimore could be up seventeen the whole and then Cleveland
scores a garbage time touchdown at the end and the
Ravens end up winning by ten.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
And never were in danger.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Right, that's just as it's a lot of points, a
lot of points.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
I think.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
I do think that that is certainly going to be
the case as well. And yeah, Grant Delpit, way to go, buddy,
poking the and the bear there into the four o'clock
slate here, Matt. The Colts coming off maybe their most
impressive home opener in a long time. They host the Broncos,
a battle of one and oh AFC teams. Here Denver
one and a half point favorites at Lucas Oil Stadium
(29:15):
in Indye.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
See, I was kind of unhappy about this one too.
I'm like, I thought the Colts would be favored, you
know it, just considering how both teams play.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
The home team they're home.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
You know, they blew the Dolphins out, but Vegas is smart.
I mean, I would definitely pick Denver to win this
game straight up. So I'm gonna go, and I'm gonna
lay the points. A week ago. I think this spread
is probably four and a half favor in Denver, you know.
And so I'm gonna kind of stick with what I
thought of these teams all off season. But I thought
i'd get points with the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Every every week. It's like there's it's like there's a
little bit of a rat poison game, you know that
you kind of look at it and you're like that
one doesn't feel right. Yeah, I don't want to buy
into that. This week, I think the Broncos did not
perform up the snuff. The Colts played what might be
the best game of the season.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Right right, I mean, if Daniel Jones that good, are.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
They gonna score on every possession of the game.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Like Miami at dysfunctional.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I'll lay the points with the Broncos, though, I'm gonna
stick with Sean Payton. I'm gonna think he's gonna have
that the old cliche of you know, improving from week
one to week two. I think we'll see that from Denver.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
I'm expecting it because their coach and they're good on
both lines of scrimmage.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Cardinals Panthers in Arizona, we talked about this kind of
a favorable slate for Arizona to open the year. You
get the Saints Week one, and then you get the
Panthers at home Week two. Panthers are bad, they were
real bad. Six and a half point favorites are the Cardinals,
though you're willing to bet on Arizona to win by
a touchdown or more.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
No, I'm gonna take the points. Not that I have
extreme confidence in Carolina to bounce back or I'm a
big believer, but I do think their offense is better
than it looked, and that just seems like a lot.
I don't have a lot of faith in the Cardinals
at the moment either or Kyler.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
I think I'm gonna lay the points. I get it
because I I don't have a lot of faith in
the Cardinals or Kyler, but I have less faith in
the Panthers and Bryce you and I just think they
are in for a long season, at least last year,
at least the last couple of years. I think there
were like some things that you could hang on for Carolina.
I don't even know if they have anything right now
(31:18):
that you can point to and say at least they
do this well, like they have bread and butter. You know,
they've got one or two nice players on defense. I
think Ted McMillan is going to be a really reason right.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
But I just ran the ball really well last year,
but not last week.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
The Cardinals have a more proven quarterback. They've got two
running backs that I really like. They've got a good
tight end, They've got a good wide receiver. I don't
think they blow them out, but I'll take the Cardinals
to win by at least seven.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I just thought that was a little too many points.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
And perhaps the game of the week Matt for twenty
five Arrowhead Stadium, a rematch of the Super Bowl, the
Chiefs hosting the Eagles. That when was the last time
the Chiefs were dogs at home? I know probably before mahomes.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
And he wins like every one of them if they
if they're a dog ever, they would buy a million.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Well, they're a dog at home, something that we probably
haven't seen in seven eight years in Kansas City. Just
one and a half point favorites are.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
The h and two. They won fifteen games last year,
they go Super Bowl every year.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
He only lost two games last year. They get to
start out of a shoot losing two.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
But We saw this not too long ago, and the
Eagles crushed them and Jalen Carter wasn't even around for
the Week one game. I'm taking the Eagles, but this
is a don't touch it. I don't like betting against
Mahomes as an home dog. I would be coming off
a loss. That seems insane to me. But I just
think the Eagles are a better football team.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
If you gave me one hundred dollars to bet on
this game, I'd ask you if I could use it
somewhere else. Yeah, right, I'm with you. I don't want to.
I don't want to bet against Mahomes. No, but I
also the Eagles deserve the respect that they're getting.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Matt If the weapons around Mahomes right now or the
banged up.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
If I, you know, I have to, if I, you know,
have to make a decision type thing, I'm gonna I'm
gonna air on the side of my homes.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
I get it, like I just in their building.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
If it was in Philly, it's a completely different story.
I think this game, off the backdrop of the Super Bowl,
being at home and having lost already last week, means
a little bit more to Kansas City than it does Philadelphia, like,
I think they will be up and they will know like, hey,
we we don't just leit not a disaster if we
start the season. Oh and two, We're still the Chiefs,
but we do not want to start the season. Oh
(33:32):
and two.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
If the Chargers of Denver wins your two games back
in your division already, I mean.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I think I think Kansas City finds a way to
get it done by hook or by crook.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
They get it right now they are, and I won't
saying they're going to run back the exact same game
plan or anything, but they played them pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
If these if these teams played ten weeks in a
row here, I think the Eagles might go seven and three.
Yeah yeah, but I'm going to take the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
This circumstances of something to do with it.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
And then Sunday Night football Vikings Falcons, Minnesota favored by
three and a half at home.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
I really liked what Penix did. I thought the Falcons
defense took a step forward. But man, that place is
gonna be loubed up goal and all the stuff they
do night game. You know, I think that's a tough
environment for a young team. I'm gonna take the Vikes.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I think so too. I just think Minnesota looks like
they're on the Yeah, they got a new quarterback, which
is a huge deal, but the rest of the operation
looks like it's on the same page. I think that
was a really good learning experience for JJ McCarthy to start.
It wasn't easy for him, but he was able to
figure it out, and you.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Know, tough environment overcame it.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
I think the Vikings are in line to have another
double digit win season and be one of those teams
that will clearly be in the playoff picture throughout the
the string of things. Hey, Falcons can end up losing
by a field goal and that wouldn't shock me. But
I'll lay the three and a half point three and
a half with Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Yeah, I like that. I also think Flores will cause
Pennex issues. I mean, he can hold the ball and yeah,
I think he's a good young quarterback.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
But maybe take Jon out of the game a little bit, yeah,
and put it in Penick's hands.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah. I think the Bikes are in good shot, in
good shape than that one.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
I think they are as well too. That'll do it
for our NFL pick them a A. I was just
gonna say a doubleheader Monday nighter that we'll have some
fun discussing on Monday as the Texans host the Bucks
the Raiders host the Chargers, but we will obviously get
into those on Monday when we return on the other side.
Just one game left to pick, Stellar's Seahawks, the home
(35:35):
opener one o'clock at Accer Stadium on Sunday. We'll give
some predictions on how we think that one's going to
play out before we get up out of here. West
Yeuler and Matt Williamson. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Down the home stretch here on a Friday. That means
it is all eyes on the Steelers here in the
final segment, of course, the home opener against the Seattle Seahawks,
one o'clock Akershure Stadium on the north shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
where the weather seems like it will be beautiful, about
eighty degrees at kickoff. All the tickets will be sold,
(36:33):
the beers will be cold. Matt Steelers three and a
half point favorites before we give specific score predictions and
get out of here. I'm gonna put you on the
spot a little bit, but I know you're good at
this kind of stuff. The Steelers win, if the Seahawks win.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
If hmm wow. A lot of games are a little
more obvious to me than this one.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
I can go first, if you want a second to
think about it.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
I was gonna say, run defense and run the ball
and stealer. I mean, like those two things can't be
that bad again, and you're not gonna win many games.
And I hate to say this has been they were
kind of fortunate to get out of Jersey with the win.
I mean, like not like, oh that was in the
bag from far as.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Kenneth Danewell doesn't force that fumble and scron bounces on
it on the kickoff, if that kickoff goes in the
back of the end zone instead.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Or if Ooz kicks a fifty nine yarder instead of
a sixty yarder, you know, like completely different world. The
sky's falling, you know, it wasn't far from the sky falling.
I think the big thing is just run defense, and
it's even less so a running game. I could see Rogers,
especially with the secondary injuries, without much running game help
(37:43):
winning this game, but not if the Steelers can't stop
the run. And to me, that's a big thing for me.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
It's as simple as Steelers win if they win the trenches.
Seahawks win if they win the turnover and sack differential battle.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Okay, I'm on.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
The if the Seahawks have four sacks and the Steelers
have one.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
Might have four and they.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Win the turnover ratio even plus one, yeah, yeah, plus two.
I think that's how Seattle wins.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
I can see it and sticks with me that. I mean,
they were seven and one on the road last year.
I know a lot of is Pete Carroll, but no
one has come to one o'clock games on the eastern.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Uh. That is Carol and Russ. But still, but still.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
I mean it's that organization wins these games.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
They did it last year too, and Carol and Russ
weren't there last year.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
I think it's a very dangerous game for the Steelers,
very oh absolutely. Like you said, if you get a
bounce or two that doesn't go your way, it could
and it's.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Not on the road. But it's another one of those
proverbial wounded animals. Like it doesn't mean as much as
it used to in the NFL now with the seventeenth
game and the extra wild card spot, But you still
do not want to start zero and two like that
is a thing that everybody knows.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Everybody knows, right, I mean your playoff odds just just
Oracley go down drastically, right?
Speaker 2 (39:01):
They do, Yes, they do. So with that being said,
Steelers three and a half point favorites. How's it playout, Matt?
Speaker 3 (39:08):
I have a Steelers I'm picking the same scorers last
week seventeen sixteen close game, which was a close game.
I got that part right, But the score I was
not even.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
In the hemisphere was fight we expected.
Speaker 3 (39:23):
I just think I'm a believer that the Steeler d
is going to be a really good defense this year.
And I don't really like where Seattle's offense is. But
even though Pittsburgh's offense was much better than their defense
last year, I'm not sold that even Rogers the passing game,
let alone the run game Rodert Jones against this defense
(39:47):
is going to be Oh, they'll just keep it up.
I don't think they're just going to keep it up.
I don't see thirty points. I don't see thirty five
points defensive minded head coaches, So I think it's a
close one. By the Steelers winning seventeen sixteen.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Same score prediction as Lot.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
I'd had the same prediction, but I would take the points.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
I thought about going my same prediction as last week,
which was sixteen thirteen. I'm gonna bump it up a
little bit though. I got Steelers twenty to seventeen.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
That based off of Rogers in more faith than their
ability to consistently move the football than we've seen in
years past. Yes, I bet, yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
I think that the defense is going to be more
of the unit that we expected them to be, and
I I don't think and I know he did a
good listen Jets talented front as well too. Aaron Rodgers
did a good job of getting rid of the ball
and he still got sacked four times. Right, But they
don't want to expose Aaron like that. They just can't.
He's forty one years old. If he gets hit that often.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
And that was seconds into the play. Those were quick sacks.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
You you have highlighted it all off season. Sacks are
as much of a quarterback stat as anything. Yeah, Aaron
even spoke to some of that this week when he
was talking about it, he said, some of those sacks
were on me. I wasn't moving the way that I
should have, which is.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
A nice way of saying, I'm not gonna throw linemen
under the bus, which.
Speaker 2 (41:06):
What you expect.
Speaker 3 (41:07):
You never throw. Yeah, but it's also too like but
he doesn't get out of the way. I mean, like.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
One. It's not like ten years ago when he could
move and avoid people and evade the pressure like he
used to be able to.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
I mean, I'm a little less confident in Oh, their
sack ratio is going to be better because he's not
gonna He's not gonna shrug anybody off, and he's not
gonna elude sacks. I mean, he's gonna beat sacks from
the neck up, throw the ball away no where things
are coming. But if his protection is not good this year,
he'sn'tna hit a lot because he doesn't get the way.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
And you have got to minimize that against this talented
Seattle front. So I think this is the the lower
scoring game that we that we expected twenty to seventeen Steelers.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
Okay, I would think they're gonna do more max protect
I would think that there'll be a couple dk shots
down the sidelines. They're not going to go another game
without a twenty yard pass, you know, but can they
protect it up. I mean, that might be more Washington
and Warren staying in taking shots downfield. We'll see, and
I expect Rogers to hit on some of those this year.
(42:10):
I think he's still a really good deep passer special teams.
I always favor the Steelers too, you know, just throw
that out there, and coaching advantage, I think you Tomlin that,
I mean, just the intangible stuff. Tomlin at home season opener.
Young coaching staff, all new offensive staff for Seattle. You know,
maybe they are starting out hot and it's like the
(42:32):
Jets and kind of dwindle down the stretch. I don't know.
I don't know. I think it's gonna be a really
good game.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
I do too. I think it's gonna be regardless of
how it plays out, I think it's gonna be another
close one, just as we saw this past Sunday. And
I am like, I'm I'm fired up. I want I
want these games to start rolling in. I want more
data points. I want more more you know, real tangible
uh stuff to to see and to dissect and to
build upon and to deduce. And I think, listen, it'll.
Speaker 3 (43:00):
Still really hope we don't come in here Monday going, boy,
that look just as bad.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Same.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
That to me is my fear. Even if if we're saying.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
That about the run game, that's one thing I think
it's going. It is going to be a longer work
in progress. But we cannot be saying that about the
defense if we want this team to be who we
think they're capability of.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Man, this defense is bottom third. That's problem.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
Matt enjoy the weekend, dude, great stuff.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Yeah, enjoy your Saturday fun in Wuo.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
I think I'm going to enjoy the tailgate much more
than i am the result of the game. But weird
things happen in rivalries. That's why you play the game.
Any given Sunday, any given Saturday. We'll see, But hopefully
we are back in here on Monday talking about a
Steelers team that is two and oh and uh making
some improvements based on all those things that we've discussed
this week. Big thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us.
(43:51):
Big thanks to our video producer on the YouTube side
of things, mister TV, for Matt Williamson, I'm west Huler.
Take care, everybody. We'll talk to you next week. As always,
you know where to find. It's on your twenty four
to seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers' Audio network
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Good evening, Steeler Nation, Back on the drive here hour
number two. It is our final hour of programming before
the weekend. Congratulations, you made it. The week is winding
down Friday night tonight. Of course, some big high school
football games across Pittsburgh, like there always is, big Slate Saturday,
some fun NFL games on Sunday that we will get
(00:41):
into in our next segment, Matt, when we kind of
do our another great Yeah, these first two weeks there
have been some outstanding primetime stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Dynamite, yeah, from.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
A neutral perspective, just games that you're very intrigued by.
Between you know, a lot of division matchups, a lot
of contender matchups, all those different things. But before we
get to that, and of course Steelers in Seattle pick
them in final thoughts there, we do need to spin
the block in our little five star Friday. We talked
in the last segment more so Steelers offense Seahawks defense.
(01:15):
Now where's it start, Matt for you? From a Seahawks
offense against the Steelers defense. How much of this is
about Jackson Smith and Jigba how much of that Seattle
run game.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, the more I've thought through what do you do
with JSN? So I think I'm sure we brought it
up in the last four days, but he basically got
sixty percent of the target six zero crazy. It's insane.
I mean, and he did a lot with them, and
he's a really good player. But it's also because there
are other pass catchers are bad. I mean, Cup isn't
what he used to be. That they have a rookie.
(01:48):
I really really like Tory Horton, but he's a fourth
round pick and he's the third guy out there. They
also played and something we haven't mentioned all year or
all week is they played a very high percent with
a fullback on the field. So steals better get used
to dealing with fullback based runs, which can be really
hard on teams because you don't see him like you
(02:09):
did back in the day. You know, what shoulder do
I take on? What gap am I in charge of?
But the more I've thought about the cups that or
the JSN situation, I think Ramsey's gonna follow him into
the seats. And I didn't think that before, but with
the Porter injury and Echo's availability to do any of
the three positions. I think you rest Porter. I think
(02:33):
when you have two receivers on the field, or when
you have two corners on the field, it'll be Sleigh
in Ramsey and Ramsey will be against JSN who has
gotten a lot better outside the numbers. He's not just
a slot. Cup is just a slot. So when you
have two corners on the field, you're gonna have Cup
and js and versus Sleigh and Ramsey. And I think
(02:56):
that screams Like what Tomlin was saying, is Ramsey's our
top guy. We're gonna put on their top guy. That
doesn't mean no safety support and things like that. But
I bet he follows him around because Smith and Jigba
also plays a lot in the slot, although Cup has
kind of blocked them a little, and we know that's
ramsey spot. But because Eccles is so versatile, it's not
(03:16):
like Porter where he would have to go to the
slot with Cup. If you know what I'm saying, Like
if it was Horton, Cup and Ramsey and Cups are slot,
I don't want Porter or Sleigh in the slot. But
Eccles take the slot. You know he's not as good
as those three, but his versatility helps in this case.
So Ramsey just follow JSN all day long.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
It is my hunch and that feels like Listen. We
talked a little bit about this last week with Garrett Wilson.
But I think now in the hey, you know what
they say happens when you assume. But in the I
think educated guess that Joey Porter Junior isn't going to
be available.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
That doesn't look promising as we record this, right.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
It makes a ton of sense for me and you
and I haven sitting him this week. If it's close,
Absolutely this is the opponent to do it again where
I mean we talked a little bit last week about
how it was Garrett Wilson and then a cast that
doesn't really move the needle for you, the similar Gladys
Knight and the Pips a similar conversation this week. As
(04:22):
much as Cooper cup As obviously has had an outstanding career,
he's not that guy right now.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I think that ship sailed.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
I think so. I think so.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Even his numbers, like over his last six seven, eight
games aren't what they used to be. They kind of
use them like a glorified tight end.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
You you don't want to pigeonhole Jalen Ramsey. But I
don't think it's pigeonholing him this week. I think it's, hey,
this is what you're gonna do. We don't need you
to be multiple, We don't need you to be versatile
this week, we need you to take this guy out
of a game.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
One thing that kind of skewed things for us last week, though,
was the Elliot injury, because now Ramsey all of a
sudden to play a lot more safety. Now that shouldn't
be an issue. But I mean, I just wanted to
throw it out there. Would he have traveled with Wilson
Moore if Elliott doesn't miss any time because he got it?
Wasn't a Peppers involved, you know. I mean, so I
(05:12):
just want to throw that out there in hindsight. But
as it lines up now, I think Ramsey's gonna be
on JSN and that's a great battle.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah it'll be fun. Yeah, yeah, it certainly will be.
I don't think JSN. I think he's a very nice player.
I don't know if he's the we're gonna I'm gonna
command sixty percent of the offense and be the focal
that everything is going to run through me. To be fair,
not many wide receivers in the league are no, that's it.
There's only a couple of those germies a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
He got sixty. I mean that's and that's by the fault,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
They don't have a ton of options. But what they
do have as well too or Walker and Charbonne and
two talented running backs. And we obviously saw how the
Jets were able to succeed in the run game against
the Steelers this week.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And they're pretty much an outside zone team there. Their
core na, Kubiak comes from the Shanahan tree. His daddy
was Kubiak. It's you know, I always back up. I mean,
they're all Shanahan disciples, and they want to run a
lot out outside zone as well. They don't have the
quarterback rush threat like fields obviously, but outside zone has
(06:17):
given the Steelers a lot of problems lately, you know.
And they Walker will hurt you, and Charbonnay's really good
back to the town is a very good backfield.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So Matt, like, I don't want to like, I think
it could almost be as simple for the Steelers defense
in the run game as just everybody's got to play better,
Like I don't think, yeah, I don't think. I don't
think anyone's really exempt from that. But you hope you think.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Coach Austin said, we're expecting why a Blacks snap total
to go up?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
He did, He did did talk. He did talk about
an increased role for I don't know if he's said
snap count, snap total, but more talk about more usage,
elevated role or hell exactly he described.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It, which I think is a good move, which.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Which makes a ton of sense. We've taught. We talked
a little bit earlier in the week about the usage
of Keanu Bent and is there some square peg round
hole stuff going on there?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
I do louder Milk goes backwards a lot too.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I do expect just a better performance from Cam Hayward.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
That'll blow me away if it's not true.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Which in its own right, will do a lot to
raise the tide of all the other ships around him.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I do a show last night with Pursuda and Merrill Hodge,
and one of Merrill's big sayings is never underestimate a
great player coming off a bad game, a proud play,
you know those type of things. And cams a perfect example,
like he's going to get Zabel, who I think has
a really really good, bright future first round guard. He's
a first round guard on North Coast State against Cam Hayward,
(07:41):
Like Cam should win. That bats, you know what I mean,
And that they ran at Cam a lot. I think
what they did was they ran away from what. I
don't think they necessarily ran to the left because it
was so bad because I thought louder Milk was the
weakest link. But they ran away from what. I don't
know why Seattle wouldn't try to do the same with
(08:03):
seeing the success they had, You know.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
That would that would make a lot of sense, And that's.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
In their best to alignment at the left tackle, the.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Left tackle and left guard, So that would that would
lay out and make a ton of sense. And obviously
put puts the onus on ninety seven and I expect
to listen. I still think he's going to need a
couple more weeks to get fully ramped up where he
wants to be. But I again, and that progression is
not leniar thing. I expect him to take more steps forwards.
Certainly this week h.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Hayward positive game correct ye be one.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I think we'll come in on Monday and we'll be like,
that's the cam Heyward.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
We you know are are bad system. I remember that guy.
Let's yes, you know, I'll be shocked if we don't
have that conversation.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I I think I would be as well. And then
I guess maybe finally here talk to me about Sam Darnold.
What is like, what are you expecting from him? What
can the Steelers do to frustrate him and limit them?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, and he's had a weird career, as people know.
I mean he was high highly highly.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Drafted second overall. I think, right.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Him or Barkley went two or three that year, but
I mean Baker went one. That's a Josh Allen Lamar
year and they went later in those dudes. It was
a good, good class though. But he goes to a
terrible Jets team and he was a five star USC
golden boy blonde, you know, I mean, like, you know,
poster child should be in a movie.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Five star high school recruit exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
And things came easy to him exactly exactly. You know,
he's probably the best looking cheerleader. I mean, you know,
he was the USC. You know, all that good stuff.
Good for him and realize this league doesn't work that way,
and he went to a couple of bad organizations Jets, Panthers,
and then Lands in Minnesota. Well, actually what he did
was smart. And he's even said this since he said,
(09:46):
the best thing I ever did for my career was
go sit behind Brock Party and learn from Shanahan and
Purty and just be the two and just take the
pressure off Exhale, be around one of the absolute best
in the business and understood I'm not the best player
on the field anymore. I think he looked in the
mirror that.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Year, similar thing that happened to Baker Mayfield in LA.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Yeah, yeah, right, right exactly. You spend a year with
McVeigh and you know, oh, okay or you know, Party
knows he's not the best player on the field. But
I can get the ball to Debo and Ayuk and
McCaffrey over Kittlonoa's guy's over the years, and I think
Darnold realized I got a lot of talent. I can
make a real living of this thing if I don't
try to be Superman all the time. I'm not going
(10:30):
to be Josh Allen. And then he gets his Minnesota
and we saw what happening in a really really good year.
Great deep passer that that still holds up. He's always
been a good deep passer. His biggest weakness, I would say,
now that he's eliminated some of the hero ball stuff,
is he doesn't handle pressure as well as others. Like
I think I said this yesterday, like every quarterback in
(10:52):
the Clevean pockets here and everyone.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Pressure well, right, but the gap.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
For him is bigger than most, you know, and they
don't protect really well, you know. So I think he's good.
I only he's great, but I think he's good, and
I think they're happy with him. And I also think
they might sprinkle in a mill row package that he
played like a snap or two, so maybe they do more.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
It was funny that that transitions exactly where I where
I wanted to go was did he played one offensive
snap against one? I think it was, yeah, maybe two.
I would expect that to be a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
I would if I were them.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
How much of that though? If you're Seattle? How much
can you look at last week? That's success? Success? Part
of me that Justin Fields and the Jets had in
the run game from a quarterback standpoint and translate that
to Jalen Milroe, who's got some of that same talent. Oh,
he's a rocket ship, not as not as proven, not
as experienced as Justin Fields. Obviously not the passer that
you trust either. And it's it's not like like Justin
(11:53):
Fields was out there for every snap at quarterback. Jalen
Milroe comes into the game, you're tipping your hand a
little bit.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Alert, alert, you know, takes a hill comes in.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Right, So how much of that, you know, how much
of of jaln Milrow, how much of a package could
hit from him for him? Could we see on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I'd be shocked if it doesn't happen. I mean, I
bet he gets his jersey dirty, you know. And remember
head coach comes from Baltimore. That's how they got Lamar acclimated,
you know. I mean yeah, right, get a series sometimes
or a package for sure. And I would think that
that starts to because they're searching. I mean, it's not
like they have this great offensive identity. Like it used
(12:32):
to make me crazy when Taysom Hill would come in
and Drew Brees and his prime would walk over the sidelines, Like,
don't think Drew Brees off the field. I mean, I
know they it was successful. They averaged like six yards
of play when Taysom Hill was in there, and it worked.
But it's like, I want to snapped the ball to
Drew Brees or Bend or you know. I mean, like
I'm not taking that on the field.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
I don't want to take that. Always was crazy to me,
and I know it worked with Taysom Hill, but like
you're taking a Hall of Fame quarterback off.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
The field and he's on the sidelines watching this.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
It just never see a great idea, right.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
And that's not the case here at all. They're searching
for whatever they can get.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
This is different.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Yeah, yeah, So I bet he gets three to six carries,
maybe throws one. But I don't know. I mean, he
maybe plays ten, plays fifteen. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Maybe some of that. Obviously, two depends on how the
game plays out, if Seattle's in the lead and they're
willing to and they're trying to.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Lately, no, they have not. Their last two games have
been pretty darn bad against rushing quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
And there's obviously a lot different personnel in that group
this year. But it was not like it was suddenly
a different picture that we saw Sunday at MetLife Stadium
against the Jets, and just will you.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Prove you can stop it? I mean, I think it'd
be malpractice not to put Milroe on the field.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
If the Steelers in the first half jump out to
a seven point to ten point lead, it becomes more difficult.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Oh sure, but he's not going to drop back.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
If Seattle's got the seven point or ten point lead,
then all of a sudden, I think you've got more
opportunity to work that in trying to extend drives. Take
your time, keep your defense rest. That's what you drafted
him for. He wasn't an undrafted free agent. He wasn't
a six or seventh round pick. I mean he was
a third round draft pick.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
And they're not red shirting them. He's active, you know,
like use them.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
That's a interesting wrinkle to keep an eye on Sunday
afternoon at Also, the.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Thing is going to be a little odd too. You're
seeing a lot of fullback in this game, and that's
you don't see that very much in the NFL. No,
it was the most usage of the whole league in Week.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
One, even more than San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I think. So they were the top two and that happened.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Happened to be in the same game. So there it is.
Your kind of five Star Friday, your matchup segments for
the Steelers offense, for the Steelers defense. When we return
on the other side, we will go around the league.
Take a look at this exciting slate of games week
two across the NFL. Give some thoughts and some predictions
for all of those. West Hueler Matt Williamson, It's the
Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,
(14:53):
your tunes.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Another big weekend across the National Football League here as
we head to Week two. Of course, last night, Matt,
maybe before we look ahead, Yeah, another impressive win by
the Packers, I.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Mean, making a pretty strong case to being maybe the
best team in the league.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Beating other than the Eagles. They've probably they've defeated now
probably the two best NFC teams other than Philadelphia from
last year, potentially in Detroit in Washington in the span.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Of five days, I would say, I mean.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
And fairly comfortable both times as well.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
They weren't even really close, No honest with you, and
both those games weren't even as close as the box
score looks. I mean Green Bay there was three or
four passing plays that could have been blown. Nothing open
in the first quarter, first half for sure. And I
thought They're Week one game was the most impressive of
any game of the week too. And Parsons is still
(16:05):
a part part time guy and loves getting better and better.
They're really in a good spot, they are. I was
always a little down on Washington too. I mean, I'm
I think that's coming to fruition a little. I'm not
worried about Daniels, but neither one of his games that
did he look like the rookie, you know, like progression
isn't linear. Yeah, and their their defense is worried me
(16:27):
all off season two. I didn't pick Washington to go
to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
You did not, I remember that. And yeah, I don't
think either of us think that they're gonna win three
games again. Command they've elevated that that floor. But it'll
be very interesting to see how they navigate this. I
know they had a couple of missed field goals in there.
Maybe things could play out a little bit differently, But
as you mentioned, I thought the Packers left some points
out on the field as well too. Yeah, green Bay
(16:53):
looks dangerous, although I will say you.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
See a lot of weaknesses on green Bay.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
It was bizarre tuning into that game last night and
the Packers are decked out in all white.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
White weird look.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, and everyone at Lambo's wearing all white. I guess
they have to do that early in the season before
the weather gets so terrible that they're all.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Budding off camouflaged camouflage far.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Heart by the time you by the time you get
the Halloween.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
It looks like Hawth from Star Wars, you.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Know, riding out on a ton to at a lambeau
Field on to Sunday Slate. Matt And, as we've mentioned
a couple of times, a lot of good games here
to sink your teeth into. We'll go in chronological order.
I guess Bengals back home one and Zher hosting the
Jags Cincinnati three and a half point favorites.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I'm taking the hook over three. I think the Jags
can hang around, probably a high scoring game, typical Bengals
game from last year, thirty to thirty two, something like that.
I don't think they blow their doors off. I think
Jacksonville hangs around. I think that number is enough for
me to take the points.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I am with you. Listen, we saw Cincinnati start slow
last week. It's something they've done historically.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Yeah, I don't think the defense is fixed.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I don't think the defense is fixed. I think the
Jaguars have a really good shot of winning this game.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
I thought about it.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, but I will absolutely take Jacksonville plus three and
a half because I think if Cincinnati wins, it'll be
another two point three point win. Give me the points
there and the Jags, I think is the way to roll.
Cowboys back home locking their wounds against the Giants and
an NFC East clash. Dallas five and a half point
(18:29):
favorites at home against the g Men, I.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Don't think the points. I don't feel great about it
either way. The weakness of the Giants right now is
the O line, and I just think without Parsons they
don't take advantage of that that Well. Love how Dak played,
but I think that that D line and the Giants
d's a handful, so I bet they keep it close.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I'll lay the points with the Cowboys. I don't think
they're gonna blow them out. But I just they're already
there's already a lot of questions in New York about
are they going to go to Jackson darkness already? And
Dallas has had an extra I mean they've had what
ten to eleven days to kind of set around, do
and prepare and be angry and ready for this one and.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Or home ten daybreak and at home.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
I don't think they blow them out by two or
three touchdowns, but I will lay the five and a half.
I'll take Dallas minus five and a half in a
little bit of a get right game there against the Giants.
Another divisional clash in Detroit from the NFC North, this
time a pair of zho to one teams who certainly
don't want to start oh to two, the Lions hosting
the Bears. One of the bigger spreads of the weekend,
(19:33):
Detroit six and a half point favorites.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
So watching games in week one, I told myself after
the outcomes, not knowing who these teams are playing in
week two, I'm taking the Ravens for sure. I'm taking
the Chiefs, and I'm taking the Lions against the points
no matter who they're playing, because they've won a lot
of games lately, and I trust them to rebound in
(19:58):
a big way. I didn't know the Chiefs were hosting Eagles.
We'll get to that one, but the other two I
am taking all day long. I think the Ravens I'm
getting ahead of ourselves, but I think the Ravens blow
the Browns out of the water. And I like some
things about the Bears, but I think that head coach
in Detroit. It was pretty rough one in this week,
(20:18):
and they play a much better game. I don't know
if the Lions are as good as they used to be,
but they're still better than the Bears. And got embarrassed
in that division.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yes, and a lot of head and back home, yeah,
as opposed to when you're the Bears kind of new
regime heading on the road for the first time. That
six and a half number is pretty substantial.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
It is.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I wish it was more like five and a half,
but I'm with you. I'm going to lean towards Detroit.
Still really good. That Super Bowl window might not be
wide open like it was the last couple of years,
but I think they are still clearly a much better
team than Chicago at home after an embarrassing effort at
lambeau Field. I'll lay the points. I'll take Lions minus.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Six and a little more points than I expected, though.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
I would I would like five and a half a
little bit more, but I will still lean towards giving
Detroit the benefit of the doubt on this one. First
opportunity for cam Ward in Music City to make his
Nashville debut for the Titans. The Rams head to town
there feeling good about themselves starting. Want to know with
that victory against the Texans on the road, Matt, the
(21:26):
Rams are five and a half point favorites.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I think they wiped the floor with them, do you
Stafford was awesome in week one. We could talk about
his back and I don't know if it's going to
hold up, but he's good right now and his receivers
are a handful. Ward was really interesting to me because
awful environmental. You go go to Denver against that defense,
mile high, all that stuff, and his box score looks terrible,
(21:50):
but he did a lot of good stuff Like Titan
fans should be excited, but I think the Rams beat
him bad.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
This is a number and I know it's on the
road that I thought could be a six and a
half seven and a half type number. Yeah, yeah, the
Titans just they they are at square one. I mean
they are, they are, they are at the you know,
the first steps of a thousand step journey. Yeah, yes,
(22:20):
one thousand mile journey. And so yeah, I I I
think there is a chance that they could do some
things to keep it. But even even laying five and
a half still seems pretty comfortable for the Rams. And
you know, they won last week at home, but they
didn't necessarily light it up offensively either. I think they've
got some more some more juice there to squeeze. H
(22:41):
does la. So I'm with you. I will lay the
points minus five and a half on that one. In
a surprising, maybe perhaps the most surprising line of the
week to me, takes place down in Miami, where the
Dolphins host the Patriots for a for another one of
these divisional early season matchups. Miami is a one and
a half point favorite.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I don't know that they should have been a favorite
over anyone after that.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I know it's at home, and particularly in September. You know,
they they have the this is the way the stadium
set up. The sun beats down on the visiting sideline
and the Dolphins wear their white uniforms that the opponent
has to wear the darker color. It's a great advantage
in that regard. I just think that this team is
(23:27):
about as close to being unraveled as you can be
for week two of a season.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Me too, I wish they were playing somebody else that
I felt more confident in because I don't love what
I saw from New England. But I think Rabel situation
and if you're this one, it's like, if you're gonna
give me points, I'll take whoever gets points, you know,
And I just don't have it. I'm not sure I
can put money on Miami right now.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Very good way to say it. Yeah, I think the
Patriots win. I think Rabel just finds a way Rabel
type game. Maybe it's a little ugly, lower scoring that
people expect, and the Patriots just make one more play
or one less mistake that could be at the end.
But I will take the points obviously as well too.
But that one, to me is a little surprising after
everything that we've seen from Miami. One and a half
(24:11):
point favorites at home against the Patriots. But I'm with you,
I'm not putting. I'm not putting any money on Miami
at this point. Saints at home hosting the forty nine
ers and another one of these one o'clock kickoffs, San
Francisco three and a half point favorites on the road.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
They're so injured and Pard he's out. And I actually
thought the Saints and Rattler played okay, you know, like
I think it was expected. Yeah, I thought it was
easy to say the Browns and Saints or worst two
teams in the league times a thousand. Well, they didn't
play like it, you know, I mean. And so New
Orleans tough place to play. I think they keep it
(24:49):
close enough.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
I think New Orleans could surprise some people and maybe
even win this game at home. Yeah, maybe, but I
will take I will take New Orleans and the points.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Yeah, give me New Orleans plus three and a half.
I think the Saints could win the Niners, just they
are so banged up. They're on the road for the
second straight week two, which is always difficult. Longer, you know,
longer road trip this time than going to Seattle. Obviously,
I'll take the Saints plus three and.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
A half me too. Not an easy place to play.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Not an easy place to play without a doubt. Speaking
of inter division matchups, here once again the Jets. They
are at home for the second straight week to open
up the season. They got the Buffalo Bills and Josh
Allen come into town. Tough test for New York cover loss,
Buffalo six and a half point favorites on the.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Road, kind of. I hope I'm not wearing Steeler colored
glasses by picking the Jets here. Jets are really impressive,
made the Steeler game look better than it was, and
I believe that today they could get their Dwarfs blown
off by the Bill zone. Josh Allen might throw five touchdowns,
but Keon Coleman's been kind of their number one. He's
going to get sauce and the other receivers are fine.
(26:03):
And what really worries me for the Bills is really
the only defensive player I thought that was impressive this
past week was at Oliver and he's out, and I
think they can run and keep it close. So I'm
going to bet on the Jets getting points, but I
wish this was more than a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I'm going to lay the points of Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
I totally get it.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
A couple of reasons. One just Buffalo has owned owns
that division over the last couple of years. Oh this
big time for Sorry, I wasn't like I was. I
was quite an awkward little pause there while I was
trying to bring up the total on this game to
forty seven and a half. I just I think that
(26:46):
for the Jets, they are without a doubt and improved team.
But I don't think that that means the offense is
going to look like it did last week all season nine.
I know, I know, I think that they overall are
going to take a step forward, but this might be
one of those progression is in linear type weeks.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
It might be three steps forward last week, two back today.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
I'm gonna I'm gonna lay the points of Buffalo. I
just think the way they've the way they've owned that division,
and I'm gonna lean my kind of benefit of the
doubt their direction on this one.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
I totally get it. I wouldn't touch it. I just
think their running game might be able to keep things close.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Last one o'clock game that we have to discuss other
than Steelers Seahawks obviously, but we'll do that in the
last segment. Is stop me if you've heard this before.
Another divisional matchup AFC North Baltimore at home, licking their
wounds after that disappointing fourth quarter debacle against Buffalo, they
host the Browns biggest spread of the week by far.
(27:40):
Matt Ravens are eleven and a half point favorites at
home against Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Already told myself that whistle ended, I don't care who
the Ravens are playing next week. I'm picking them no
matter what the spread is. And then Grant Delpa today
is coming out saying, oh, how hard is it to
tackle Derrick Henry? Someone asked me. He's like, it's not hard,
like poking bear. Somebody else said something to and from Yeah,
I forget who.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
It was, but come on, man, I I think I'm
very torn on this one because I think it very
easily could be Cleveland played well. I think Cleveland played
pretty well.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
I also hear Arthur Motes in the back of my
head saying, you never take double digit spread international, you
stay away from double digit spreads in the National Football League.
I might take the Browns plus eleven and a half.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
They could easily backdoor cover it.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Or this is one that if it gets up to
like twelve and a half by kickoff. I think I
think I would absolutely take Cleveland. That's just a you know,
Baltimore could be up seventeen the whole and then Cleveland
scores a garbage time touchdown at the end and the
Ravens end up winning by ten.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
And never were in danger.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Right, that's just as it's a lot of points, a
lot of points.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
I think.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
I do think that that is certainly going to be
the case as well. And yeah, Grant Delpit, way to go, buddy,
poking the and the bear there into the four o'clock
slate here, Matt. The Colts coming off maybe their most
impressive home opener in a long time. They host the Broncos,
a battle of one and oh AFC teams. Here Denver
one and a half point favorites at Lucas Oil Stadium
(29:15):
in Indye.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
See, I was kind of unhappy about this one too.
I'm like, I thought the Colts would be favored, you
know it, just considering how both teams play.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
The home team they're home.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
You know, they blew the Dolphins out, but Vegas is smart.
I mean, I would definitely pick Denver to win this
game straight up. So I'm gonna go, and I'm gonna
lay the points. A week ago. I think this spread
is probably four and a half favor in Denver, you know.
And so I'm gonna kind of stick with what I
thought of these teams all off season. But I thought
i'd get points with the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Every every week. It's like there's it's like there's a
little bit of a rat poison game, you know that
you kind of look at it and you're like that
one doesn't feel right. Yeah, I don't want to buy
into that. This week, I think the Broncos did not
perform up the snuff. The Colts played what might be
the best game of the season.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Right right, I mean, if Daniel Jones that good, are.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
They gonna score on every possession of the game.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Like Miami at dysfunctional.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I'll lay the points with the Broncos, though, I'm gonna
stick with Sean Payton. I'm gonna think he's gonna have
that the old cliche of you know, improving from week
one to week two. I think we'll see that from Denver.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
I'm expecting it because their coach and they're good on
both lines of scrimmage.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Cardinals Panthers in Arizona, we talked about this kind of
a favorable slate for Arizona to open the year. You
get the Saints Week one, and then you get the
Panthers at home Week two. Panthers are bad, they were
real bad. Six and a half point favorites are the Cardinals,
though you're willing to bet on Arizona to win by
a touchdown or more.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
No, I'm gonna take the points. Not that I have
extreme confidence in Carolina to bounce back or I'm a
big believer, but I do think their offense is better
than it looked, and that just seems like a lot.
I don't have a lot of faith in the Cardinals
at the moment either or Kyler.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
I think I'm gonna lay the points. I get it
because I I don't have a lot of faith in
the Cardinals or Kyler, but I have less faith in
the Panthers and Bryce you and I just think they
are in for a long season, at least last year,
at least the last couple of years. I think there
were like some things that you could hang on for Carolina.
I don't even know if they have anything right now
(31:18):
that you can point to and say at least they
do this well, like they have bread and butter. You know,
they've got one or two nice players on defense. I
think Ted McMillan is going to be a really reason right.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
But I just ran the ball really well last year,
but not last week.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
The Cardinals have a more proven quarterback. They've got two
running backs that I really like. They've got a good
tight end, They've got a good wide receiver. I don't
think they blow them out, but I'll take the Cardinals
to win by at least seven.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I just thought that was a little too many points.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
And perhaps the game of the week Matt for twenty
five Arrowhead Stadium, a rematch of the Super Bowl, the
Chiefs hosting the Eagles. That when was the last time
the Chiefs were dogs at home? I know probably before mahomes.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
And he wins like every one of them if they
if they're a dog ever, they would buy a million.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Well, they're a dog at home, something that we probably
haven't seen in seven eight years in Kansas City. Just
one and a half point favorites are.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
The h and two. They won fifteen games last year,
they go Super Bowl every year.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
He only lost two games last year. They get to
start out of a shoot losing two.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
But We saw this not too long ago, and the
Eagles crushed them and Jalen Carter wasn't even around for
the Week one game. I'm taking the Eagles, but this
is a don't touch it. I don't like betting against
Mahomes as an home dog. I would be coming off
a loss. That seems insane to me. But I just
think the Eagles are a better football team.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
If you gave me one hundred dollars to bet on
this game, I'd ask you if I could use it
somewhere else. Yeah, right, I'm with you. I don't want to.
I don't want to bet against Mahomes. No, but I
also the Eagles deserve the respect that they're getting.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Matt If the weapons around Mahomes right now or the
banged up.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
If I, you know, I have to, if I, you know,
have to make a decision type thing, I'm gonna I'm
gonna air on the side of my homes.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
I get it, like I just in their building.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
If it was in Philly, it's a completely different story.
I think this game, off the backdrop of the Super Bowl,
being at home and having lost already last week, means
a little bit more to Kansas City than it does Philadelphia, like,
I think they will be up and they will know like, hey,
we we don't just leit not a disaster if we
start the season. Oh and two, We're still the Chiefs,
but we do not want to start the season. Oh
(33:32):
and two.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
If the Chargers of Denver wins your two games back
in your division already, I mean.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I think I think Kansas City finds a way to
get it done by hook or by crook.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
They get it right now they are, and I won't
saying they're going to run back the exact same game
plan or anything, but they played them pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
If these if these teams played ten weeks in a
row here, I think the Eagles might go seven and three.
Yeah yeah, but I'm going to take the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
This circumstances of something to do with it.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
And then Sunday Night football Vikings Falcons, Minnesota favored by
three and a half at home.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
I really liked what Penix did. I thought the Falcons
defense took a step forward. But man, that place is
gonna be loubed up goal and all the stuff they
do night game. You know, I think that's a tough
environment for a young team. I'm gonna take the Vikes.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I think so too. I just think Minnesota looks like
they're on the Yeah, they got a new quarterback, which
is a huge deal, but the rest of the operation
looks like it's on the same page. I think that
was a really good learning experience for JJ McCarthy to start.
It wasn't easy for him, but he was able to
figure it out, and you.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Know, tough environment overcame it.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
I think the Vikings are in line to have another
double digit win season and be one of those teams
that will clearly be in the playoff picture throughout the
the string of things. Hey, Falcons can end up losing
by a field goal and that wouldn't shock me. But
I'll lay the three and a half point three and
a half with Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Yeah, I like that. I also think Flores will cause
Pennex issues. I mean, he can hold the ball and yeah,
I think he's a good young quarterback.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
But maybe take Jon out of the game a little bit, yeah,
and put it in Penick's hands.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah. I think the Bikes are in good shot, in
good shape than that one.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
I think they are as well too. That'll do it
for our NFL pick them a A. I was just
gonna say a doubleheader Monday nighter that we'll have some
fun discussing on Monday as the Texans host the Bucks
the Raiders host the Chargers, but we will obviously get
into those on Monday when we return on the other side.
Just one game left to pick, Stellar's Seahawks, the home
(35:35):
opener one o'clock at Accer Stadium on Sunday. We'll give
some predictions on how we think that one's going to
play out before we get up out of here. West
Yeuler and Matt Williamson. It's the Drive on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven home
of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Down the home stretch here on a Friday. That means
it is all eyes on the Steelers here in the
final segment, of course, the home opener against the Seattle Seahawks,
one o'clock Akershure Stadium on the north shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
where the weather seems like it will be beautiful, about
eighty degrees at kickoff. All the tickets will be sold,
(36:33):
the beers will be cold. Matt Steelers three and a
half point favorites before we give specific score predictions and
get out of here. I'm gonna put you on the
spot a little bit, but I know you're good at
this kind of stuff. The Steelers win, if the Seahawks win.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
If hmm wow. A lot of games are a little
more obvious to me than this one.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
I can go first, if you want a second to
think about it.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
I was gonna say, run defense and run the ball
and stealer. I mean, like those two things can't be
that bad again, and you're not gonna win many games.
And I hate to say this has been they were
kind of fortunate to get out of Jersey with the win.
I mean, like not like, oh that was in the
bag from far as.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Kenneth Danewell doesn't force that fumble and scron bounces on
it on the kickoff, if that kickoff goes in the
back of the end zone instead.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Or if Ooz kicks a fifty nine yarder instead of
a sixty yarder, you know, like completely different world. The
sky's falling, you know, it wasn't far from the sky falling.
I think the big thing is just run defense, and
it's even less so a running game. I could see Rogers,
especially with the secondary injuries, without much running game help
(37:43):
winning this game, but not if the Steelers can't stop
the run. And to me, that's a big thing for me.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
It's as simple as Steelers win if they win the trenches.
Seahawks win if they win the turnover and sack differential battle.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Okay, I'm on.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
The if the Seahawks have four sacks and the Steelers
have one.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
Might have four and they.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Win the turnover ratio even plus one, yeah, yeah, plus two.
I think that's how Seattle wins.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
I can see it and sticks with me that. I mean,
they were seven and one on the road last year.
I know a lot of is Pete Carroll, but no
one has come to one o'clock games on the eastern.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Uh. That is Carol and Russ. But still, but still.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
I mean it's that organization wins these games.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
They did it last year too, and Carol and Russ
weren't there last year.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
I think it's a very dangerous game for the Steelers,
very oh absolutely. Like you said, if you get a
bounce or two that doesn't go your way, it could
and it's.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Not on the road. But it's another one of those
proverbial wounded animals. Like it doesn't mean as much as
it used to in the NFL now with the seventeenth
game and the extra wild card spot, But you still
do not want to start zero and two like that
is a thing that everybody knows.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Everybody knows, right, I mean your playoff odds just just
Oracley go down drastically, right?
Speaker 2 (39:01):
They do, Yes, they do. So with that being said,
Steelers three and a half point favorites. How's it playout, Matt?
Speaker 3 (39:08):
I have a Steelers I'm picking the same scorers last
week seventeen sixteen close game, which was a close game.
I got that part right, But the score I was
not even.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
In the hemisphere was fight we expected.
Speaker 3 (39:23):
I just think I'm a believer that the Steeler d
is going to be a really good defense this year.
And I don't really like where Seattle's offense is. But
even though Pittsburgh's offense was much better than their defense
last year, I'm not sold that even Rogers the passing game,
let alone the run game Rodert Jones against this defense
(39:47):
is going to be Oh, they'll just keep it up.
I don't think they're just going to keep it up.
I don't see thirty points. I don't see thirty five
points defensive minded head coaches, So I think it's a
close one. By the Steelers winning seventeen sixteen.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Same score prediction as Lot.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
I'd had the same prediction, but I would take the points.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
I thought about going my same prediction as last week,
which was sixteen thirteen. I'm gonna bump it up a
little bit though. I got Steelers twenty to seventeen.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
That based off of Rogers in more faith than their
ability to consistently move the football than we've seen in
years past. Yes, I bet, yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
I think that the defense is going to be more
of the unit that we expected them to be, and
I I don't think and I know he did a
good listen Jets talented front as well too. Aaron Rodgers
did a good job of getting rid of the ball
and he still got sacked four times. Right, But they
don't want to expose Aaron like that. They just can't.
He's forty one years old. If he gets hit that often.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
And that was seconds into the play. Those were quick sacks.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
You you have highlighted it all off season. Sacks are
as much of a quarterback stat as anything. Yeah, Aaron
even spoke to some of that this week when he
was talking about it, he said, some of those sacks
were on me. I wasn't moving the way that I
should have, which is.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
A nice way of saying, I'm not gonna throw linemen
under the bus, which.
Speaker 2 (41:06):
What you expect.
Speaker 3 (41:07):
You never throw. Yeah, but it's also too like but
he doesn't get out of the way. I mean, like.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
One. It's not like ten years ago when he could
move and avoid people and evade the pressure like he
used to be able to.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
I mean, I'm a little less confident in Oh, their
sack ratio is going to be better because he's not
gonna He's not gonna shrug anybody off, and he's not
gonna elude sacks. I mean, he's gonna beat sacks from
the neck up, throw the ball away no where things
are coming. But if his protection is not good this year,
he'sn'tna hit a lot because he doesn't get the way.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
And you have got to minimize that against this talented
Seattle front. So I think this is the the lower
scoring game that we that we expected twenty to seventeen Steelers.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
Okay, I would think they're gonna do more max protect
I would think that there'll be a couple dk shots
down the sidelines. They're not going to go another game
without a twenty yard pass, you know, but can they
protect it up. I mean, that might be more Washington
and Warren staying in taking shots downfield. We'll see, and
I expect Rogers to hit on some of those this year.
(42:10):
I think he's still a really good deep passer special teams.
I always favor the Steelers too, you know, just throw
that out there, and coaching advantage, I think you Tomlin that,
I mean, just the intangible stuff. Tomlin at home season opener.
Young coaching staff, all new offensive staff for Seattle. You know,
maybe they are starting out hot and it's like the
(42:32):
Jets and kind of dwindle down the stretch. I don't know.
I don't know. I think it's gonna be a really
good game.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
I do too. I think it's gonna be regardless of
how it plays out, I think it's gonna be another
close one, just as we saw this past Sunday. And
I am like, I'm I'm fired up. I want I
want these games to start rolling in. I want more
data points. I want more more you know, real tangible
uh stuff to to see and to dissect and to
build upon and to deduce. And I think, listen, it'll.
Speaker 3 (43:00):
Still really hope we don't come in here Monday going, boy,
that look just as bad.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Same.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
That to me is my fear. Even if if we're saying.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
That about the run game, that's one thing I think
it's going. It is going to be a longer work
in progress. But we cannot be saying that about the
defense if we want this team to be who we
think they're capability of.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Man, this defense is bottom third. That's problem.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
Matt enjoy the weekend, dude, great stuff.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Yeah, enjoy your Saturday fun in Wuo.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
I think I'm going to enjoy the tailgate much more
than i am the result of the game. But weird
things happen in rivalries. That's why you play the game.
Any given Sunday, any given Saturday. We'll see, But hopefully
we are back in here on Monday talking about a
Steelers team that is two and oh and uh making
some improvements based on all those things that we've discussed
this week. Big thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us.
(43:51):
Big thanks to our video producer on the YouTube side
of things, mister TV, for Matt Williamson, I'm west Huler.
Take care, everybody. We'll talk to you next week. As always,
you know where to find. It's on your twenty four
to seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers' Audio network
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