September 8, 2025 • 43 mins
Matt and Wes look at the other Week 1 results around the NFL, and preview tonight's Vikings-Bears Monday Night Football clash.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Now were number two of the drive here on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. All is well,
that ends well, And of course it was a victory
for your Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium to kick off
the season.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
A little bit opposite than you know that.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
It was still Chris Boswell heroics Matt oh Man, not
quite like it was in Atlanta last year for the
opener where he had all eighteen points.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Totally reliant on him right, and a crucial.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Punt at the end too to get you out of
that stadium.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
But you know what special teams are big though, you have.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
To remind me of the special teams were massive. Good
starting field position for both teams throughout the day for
the most part. That new dynamic, the new dynamic kickoff,
I love it.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
I do too.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
Yeah, it's through a tweet out last night. I'm like,
this new kickoff rule is growing on me.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
It's just action.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Just a few years ago that NFL teams were almost
always starting their drives at the twenty. Yeah, now more
often than not, they're gonna be starting them at the
thirty five.
Speaker 6 (01:28):
There's definitely gonna result in more points mass. I mean
that's a big deal. That's a more that's a first
down and a half.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
You don't have to get massive, massive, massive difference.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
And more more than anything, you just don't go get
a beer or use a bathroom during a kickoff. It's like,
I'm gonna watch this because a lot's going on and
special real quick. Special teams were great for the Steelers
yesterday and maybe the phase that won them the game
as much as anything, or more than anything. I mean,
the game well strip was humongous. I mean, those are
(01:56):
the two biggest players possibly, but I am a little
worried going back to last year, kickoffs has not been
their friend, you know. I mean I think n or
nine out of ten times Steelers have a special team advantage.
And Danny Smith has a lot to do with that.
Mike Tomlin has a lot to do with that. Their
roster construction of keeping core guys has a lot to
do with that.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Boswell's awesome, you know, that has a lot to do
with this.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
A serial killer, he's.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
A serial killer.
Speaker 6 (02:22):
But kickoff coverage and kickoff returns and ela work and
they matter now more than they did.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
It's not just.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
They've mattered more now than they have in a long time. Yeah, yeah,
a long time.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Do you think quick question for you, Yes, do you
think when Halloween rolls around here and what like six
or seven weeks? I think the Steelers would lend us
Chris Boswell jerseys to wear one day in here and
we can both dress up a serial killers like Halloween
weeks they have.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
To get in Reagan's ers and all that.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah, we'll have to talk talk to Wagon, talk to
the good people at the Steelers pro shops, see if
maybe we can dresses Chris Boswell serial Killers Halloween week here.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
At some point on the drive so our guy TV
sent me this that the it was only an eighteen
point six touchback rate in week one, which is drastically down,
And that's a sizement a lot more and more to watch,
you know, you know, and a lot of people just
putting whoever at kickoff returner.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
A lot more benefit for the offense.
Speaker 6 (03:21):
And yeah, theree breaking big ones and pay attention to kickoffs.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Kind of another Uh, I could hear Arthur mos yelling
about the NFL doing another thing to make it more
difficult on defenses across.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Oh yeah, it's definitely happening.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
It's always about the offense.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Baby.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Certainly wasn't an offensive masterclass in the AFC North in
Cleveland where the Browns fall to the Bengals seventeen to sixteen.
Cincinnati gets out of there with a victory. They have
got plenty that they're going to discuss and want to
harp on today in Cincinnati. Yeah, even more so than us, Like, hey,
win's a win, that's all that matters. But you still
(03:58):
got uh, you know, rink to iron out. They're really
having that conversation today in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Matt.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
The number that I.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Teased for you, Oh yeah, yeah was the Bengals had
seven yards in the second half of total offense and
still won that game.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
I tried.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
Remarkable.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I spent probably fifteen twenty minutes looking from the stat
of when was the last time an NFL team had
less than ten yards in the second half and still one?
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Yeah, and I could like it's.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
So it wasn't like they're winning forty to nothing at
the half and just you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's so it's such an outlier that there's not even
any baseline for how often do NFL teams have less
than ten yards in the does not compute in the
second half, does not compute? I mean just the Bengals defense. Hey,
I start from that perspective for them.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
So that game in a way, I mean, I think
a lot of folks that know what they're talking about
looked at the AFC and thought the two teams that
are worst off this year, the Jets and especially the Browns.
You know, I can't even imagine them guys going to
the playoffs. Blah blah blah. Now, neither team's got to win.
But I think you're feeling better about your team if
(05:06):
you're a Browns or Jets fan today than you did
a week ago. I mean, like they were competitive against
good teams. I think the Jets, as mentioned are, they
have good players and are definitely trending the right direction.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
You can get some type of That was maybe the
best game Justin Field has ever played.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Yeah it was.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
So I'm not going to say he's got to play
his best game of his career seventeen times this season.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
But if you can get but.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
He's gotten better every year and maybe got better again.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know, to stay in that relative zone, relative stratosphere
of where he was.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
That's the biggest win of the day for the Jets.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Absolutely, and I thought Cleveland.
Speaker 6 (05:40):
I know that the or the Bengals really struggle in
Week one, whether they play their guys or not, apparently,
but the Browns had a good game plan. They they
got after Burrow in a big way. They really limited
those awesome receivers, and the weaknesses of the Bengals looked
like weaknesses defense O line, things that have been a
prop them lately. That was not a great Browns offense
(06:03):
they faced too, you know, certainly not in fact, probably
pretty fortunate to get out of there with the W.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Seven yards in the second half. Well, you know, unbelievable.
They were fortunate to get out of there with the W.
But for a team that in the last five years
had been one and nine in their first two games, Yeah,
I'm sure they're not apologizing for for a win there.
They will certainly take it. And much like we've talked
about with the Steelers, same church, different pew, plenty to
(06:29):
improve upon, yep, but you'll take the win in that.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
It is similar win to win. And that's all those
two teams that are want to know in the division.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
You mentioned Matt that first time in seventeen one score games.
Patrick Mahomes takes an l in that regard. Friday Night
in a duel, I think really between between Herbert and
Mahomes might be the best way to describe it.
Speaker 6 (06:54):
We saw one last night, but we saw one Friday
night to two primetime games where big time AFC quarterbacks
were blow for blow.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Who hits the ball that? You know?
Speaker 6 (07:04):
I mean, I hate to like, I'm not trying to
kill in the mood because I'm much happier with the
Steelers quarterback situation than in a long time.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
But there's still some really good ones.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
What are we doing? Can we get some of these
guys in a different conference?
Speaker 6 (07:22):
And Herbert might be knocking on the door of being
with those Burrow you know Lamar types.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
Yeah, that was a huge win for the Chargers.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Not loving that, certainly, certainly not loving that. Speaking of
a guy who's knocking on the door one of those types.
I thought it was an impressive year two debut for
Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah, they ran the ball well. Giants hung around,
but I thought Washington did what they had to do,
you know, business trip type of situation.
Speaker 5 (07:50):
He's quite good as well. Yeah, I mean I think
they're in good shape with him, obviously.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I thought one of the funniest things of the NFL weekend,
maybe we could add this to our to toss out
there every Monday. Cam Scattaboo had an absolute signature Cam
Scataboo play that was like for like a five yard game.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Yeah, it was all over social media.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Look at Scataboo running like Mike Alstott and it was
a five yard game.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Five yard game, but well earned, Yes.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Very well earned, very well earned.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
A team that I think you're higher on than most,
the Jacksonville Jaguars, Yeah, quarterback that you're higher on.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Than most, and Trevor Lawrence.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
I know.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It's the Carolina Panthers, one of those proverbial worst teams
in the league, but with some crazy stuff that happened there.
With a lengthy weather delay as well too. Yeah. I
thought it was a encouraging showing for Jacksonville in their
first game of this Liam Cohen era.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Absolutely and that one I might be as worried about
the bad team as I am excited about the good team.
The winner Carolina was kind of a disaster. I thought
Young took a step back, and they were pretty brutal
on offense.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
But two interceptions, is that right?
Speaker 5 (08:58):
He does never looked comfortable at all.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
Nothing went well on offense for that team, or really
on either side of the ball. I mean, that was
a pretty dominant performance by the Jags. But I did
consider putting the Jags in the wild card when I
picked my seven teams, left them just out. I put
the Chargers in instead, which looks all right too, but good,
real promising first step for Jacksonville. Maybe they could win
(09:23):
that division. I mean Houston. I thought Houston was gonna
win that game, and that was some problematic stuff for
them too.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It was and again it is so early, like it's
it's very easy to do that.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
I was, let's not get crazy.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
I just did it in the last segment, like what
if the Chargers win the division? There's sixteen games to play.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
There is, and we meant they kind of used threw
this out there, like if it's any other sport and
you lose the opener, you don't think twice they had
a bad day.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
I got a game the next day or something like that.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
You're not allowed to have a bad day of the NFL.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
And especially again Week one, when everybody has been hyper
focused on this since July in training camp opened.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
It is the Magnifla.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
The second Monday in September, which is always the Monday after,
you know, the first, the first Sunday of the league
season is always the biggest overreacting day. Certainly, Matt, we
both and I want to this is one of the
things I want to kind of keep a keep track
on throughout the year. We both survived our survivor pool
picks in Week one, and as they often are, man
(10:27):
Vegas right on the money. Cardinals twenty to thirteen over
the Saints. That was a half point off the spread there,
and then Bronco was.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
An easy run for that was not with Denver.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Same with Denver, Yeah, struggling.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So he was struggling and that was a I started
him over Kyler Murray and in one of my fantasy leagues,
and I was regretting that. But Broncos eight and a
half point favorites eight point went over Tennessee like what
we saw from cam Ward though, yeah maybe.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Showed flashes, Yeah, yeah, Tennessee hung around. They did some
good stuff in a really difficult environment. I'm sure Denver
had to be the eliminator pick of the week. I mean,
especially at home.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Their Chordrobas sixty seventy people in Survivor pols.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
To you are sweating it, including myself.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
I mean the pool we did, everyone got two entries,
just so we have so it goes longer. I took
the Steelers, I took Denver, but neither was a sure bet.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
No it was not. But all is well. That ends well.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah, Seattle matt tough loss at home to open their
season against Division AR Tribal San Francisco.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
We'll get into them heavy, but I've already started really
unpeeling this game. There's some good for the Niners. Party
played really well. They lost Kittle right off the bat.
I think Jennings got hurt in the game too, but
McCaffrey was back one hundred percent.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
That was big.
Speaker 6 (11:45):
Bosa was awesome. But just to kind of tease some
Seahawks stuff, they're kind of an odd team right now.
I think their defense is borderline awesome. First of all,
they really get after you the quarterback. Their secondary is
a lot better. Rob mentioned that that it's not Sauce
and everybody else. So they got a lot of secondary pieces.
But their offense is crazy. I mean, Smith and Jigba
(12:08):
got like every target and they they're not They still
don't really block anybody. Darnold doesn't do real well under pressure,
and that showed up and they were still in it.
But they twenty two minutes of time and possession in
that game, and they were still in it at the
end because the defense, even though they're on the field
all the time.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
But they got a lot of issues on an offense.
And man, I mean Smith and Jigba had like a
sixty percent target.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Chair is nice, yeah, And I think he's a nice player.
More Chase right, justin Jefferson getting a se.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Twenty five percent a lot it was like fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
And now tough sledding for Seattle having to come across
the coast for one o'clock kickoff, which, as I told
you last week, if you don't have Pete Carroll and
Russell Wilson in their prime in Seattle.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
That different world.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
That's a tough proposition for those West Coast teams.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
I heard today the Steelers are favored. I think it's
like two or two and a half.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Is that what it opened? It doesn't surprise me that
sounds sounds about right. And uh speaking of that department
as well too. Nice debut for my boy Geno Smith
in the in the silver and black based Yeah, three
hundred and sixty passing yards. Sorry, Seattle, have fun with
Sam Darnold speaking of a team that played very well.
I was static about this. We had live TV on
(13:25):
the on the.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
On the charter flight.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Huh oh okay, which is that rare?
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah, it's it's not. It's not all the time.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, sometimes sometimes there's live TV. Sometimes you got to
hook up to the Wi Fi and try and stream
it off your phone, which can work, but sometimes it
can break it up a little bit and the you know,
it's still on your phone or your But we had
in the head rests on the plane flying home, Matt,
we had TV live TV available. I was able to
get the Packers Lions game and watch a sizeable chunk
(13:55):
of that while we were waiting for the plane to
be loaded up. And good, my Green Bay good. And
we barely saw Mike. I mean he had a sack
and at the end he made impact. At the end
there they clearly passing situations.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
But the defense was good even when he was on
the field. Are a lot of chunk stuff on offense.
I always tell myself, as you mentioned on this Monday,
don't overreact too much on this first Monday and September
blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
But Detroit fans might be a little concerned.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
I mean, I'm you know, you lost both coordinators, they
got pretty much manhandled by division foe one game. Not
time to get crazy. But I could envision I'm not
saying I'm predicting it that that Detroit window that has
really been the best they've been in the Super Bowl
era might be closing, not opening, you.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
It happens, it happens quick, right.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
I mean, you get three or four good years to
take a shot at these things, and they didn't quite
get there, you.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Know, particularly when you don't have a unicorn quarterback.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
Exactly. That's the thing too, like when Alan and Lamar
aren't going away.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
As long as long as they're playing the way they are,
those teams are in a window, homes in a window.
If Herbert bigger that level, if jayde Daniels gets to
that level.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Yeah yeah, yeah. But when you start getting.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
When you've got good not great, yes, and the.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Line is not the best in the league. It's the
twelfth best in the league.
Speaker 6 (15:17):
And your coordinators aren't top five at their position, their
top twenty year.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
You know, it's like, Okay, they lost a lot, a
lot from last year.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
And we'll see the night too.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
The North is tough, real tough, real tough, no doubt.
We'll talk about that game in just a few minutes.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
But how about Buffalo and Baltimore last night, Matt forty
one forty The Bills were down fifteen points two separate
times in the second half, found a way to win
tremendous football game. As you mentioned, I this is just
between me and you. Will cut the microphones here, I
don't yeah, ear muffs. It might be the it might
(15:56):
be the two best teams in the AFC last night,
and that might not be the last time we see
those two teams play a very meaningful game.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
That may turn into a ridiculous rivalry. Just going back
to last years close game, two unbelievable quarterbacks, all respect
to the Chiefs, those two.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Are scarier right now.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
I mean, they're just are They might be the two
best teams in the league period. I mean a couple
of things. Obviously, that the Henry fumble was massive. I
mean it's kind of like the gain well causing the fumble,
you know, but this is just back and forth and
one team that makes one play that's enough to put
you over. But I heard this on the way here
(16:34):
listening to podcasts that when they're when they went up fifteen, right,
that's that's when it looked like times were done. The
Ravens were averaging nine point seven yards per play every
time they snapped the ball, they basically got a first out.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
That's insane.
Speaker 5 (16:50):
I mean it was. I mean the offense is ridiculous
with that grill.
Speaker 6 (16:53):
I mean, we know Lamar was making plays, Henry's ripping
off unbelievable runs. I'm a little worried about Buffalo's defense
for this conversation, but when you got Allen and you
got Lamar, it's nuts. Now Harbaugh is under a lot
of scrutiny, and I think he should be. That fourth
and three, you can't take it out of Lamar's hands
and handed to Allen. I mean, it doesn't matter if
(17:14):
you're on your own one yard line. I mean, at
that point in the game, when these quarterbacks have it
figured out, you can't take it out of this guy's
hands that you have that's an equal player to that guy,
and they're way better than everybody else on the planet
at the moment, and just say, well, well, Hope and
all they in a field goal beats you, right, you
know So, I say a lot of really, really really
(17:35):
positive things about the Ravens, but getting over this hump
is a little on Harbaugh. I mean, they have not
been able to win those type of games usually in
the playoffs. He tightens up a little bit. He makes
some decisions really late in games that are fifty to
fifty games, and you make him forty nine fifty one
to the opponents, that's enough.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
It certainly is.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Yeah, And again, especially when when you're Baltimore and it's
like we've been in this window now for.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
A couple of years.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
They're awesome.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Our roster almost has no holes or weaknesses.
Speaker 6 (18:07):
We got a quarterback here, Hopkins is out there catching
one handed touchdowns like they guided him.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
I was cracking up a bunch of Chiefs. Chiefs fans
all over Twitter were We're screaming about that. They were
they were like, this guy couldn't make a catch in
the Super Bowl. He's falling over his own feet.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
But he makes uh.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
Yeah, you're right, Chiefs fans, you've had it so rough.
I apologize. I'm sure that was very difficult for you.
Speaker 5 (18:32):
To witness an amazingball game.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Incredible, incredible.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I don't know if tonight's Monday Night football will live
up to uh to Sunday Night.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
We've had some good Sunday, some good primetime.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
On we have, we have, and hopefully that will continue
a little a little division rivalry. Another one tonight in primetime.
Two teams that the Steelers will see this season, one
of them in Minnesota that we'll see here in just
a couple of weeks. We'll talk a little bit about
that game when we return. On the other side. Well,
Shueler Matt Williams, and it is the Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Your tune's about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Driving along here on a Monday, a victory Monday, of course,
for your Pittsburgh Steelers as they take down the Jets
at MetLife Stadium thirty four to thirty two, a high scoring,
close Steelers win, just like we all predicted. Of course,
we all thought that it would be the second highest
point total of the week, that they would easily surpass
(19:51):
that over under number. My goodness, but that that is
the classic any given Sunday NFL adage, right like, oh man,
even with the week one, weird things happen caveat aside, Like,
weird things happen every week across the National Football League,
and that's that's why we love it so much. That's
why you know we tune in. That's why Browns fans
(20:12):
every year. You know, they know Charlie Brown is going
to take the football matt and pull it out from
underneath their face swing, but they're still gonna They're still
gonna swing every single time.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
So it's funny, Like I am a believer that weird
things happen in we're in week one, because I definitely
believe coaches don't have tape to go off of. You know,
game planning is much more difficult super early in the season.
Whoever plays the Jets next at least has this game
to go off of of what this coaching staff wants
to do, So I think there's less surprises, and I
(20:42):
definitely I know in week one the players are not
in his good condition I mean, that's just a fact.
None of these guys have played a full game since
the day they got eliminated last year.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
That being said, I.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
Think you could pull out Week twelve and put it
in Week one and be like that was weird too.
I mean, every week's weird. It's a great league to watch.
There's always stuff that goes on. You know, didn't see
that coming, right, There's always an upset.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
You know, they're always and that is I mean most
of these games, you know, week to week are one
score spreads.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Yeah, even what they want.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Even when it seems to be lobsided. It is why
the National Football League has such a hole.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
They are pretty good at this thing.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
And and turn this, you know, this model of clearly
the most popular, absolutely proven, the most financially lucrative league
in the entire world, not just in the United States.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
But and I don't mean to ram on Pittsburgh's parade,
because everyone in Pittsburgh is happiest could be, and they
should be, and you and I are in a great mood.
But if Boswell's kick doesn't go through, it's a sixty yarder,
it's it's still a low. I mean, he's not going
to make that ten out of ten times, that's not
a chip shot. Just imagine what the narrative would be
today though, be like, oh, Rogers played well, but this
(21:56):
team lost. The Jets are the worst team in the league.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
And defense still stinks.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
Defense is horrendous. You know, just that one play if
he if he mishits it, just the smidge. The whole
game is totally different way of thinking through for a
mending people.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
And I was going to save this to bring up
like Tuesday or Wednesday, when maybe we needed to kill
a couple of minutes, but you just led me right there.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
So let's do it.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Let's do it.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Can can we? Can we stop? We do this weird thing?
Speaker 3 (22:25):
And by we I mean people that do football media
like you and I football just fans. I think people
that are like executives and coaches. The whole football ecosystem
does this thing of downplaying special teams. I think particularly
kickers and where they kind of slot into the pantheon
(22:47):
of greatness for their franchises or for the league.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Right, is there one kicker in league history that's in
the Hall of Fame? Is that correct? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (22:54):
And I think Tucker will go.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
I think Tucker will go. I think might eventually Lee.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
I think he will too.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
I hope he's yea the all time league leader employ
like and had some big Super Bowl moments, right.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
But it's very few select company. I know that it
will go in the next twenty years.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
That that kind of that is a bass awkwords logic. Yeah, yeah,
because when you have someone like Tucker, when you have
someone like Chris bos Well, like awful.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
Was the play against Tucker? They'd get past midfields, Like, well,
they're getting points.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, don't tell me kickers. Kickers can't be in the
in the in the Hall of Fame, don't tell me,
you know.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
And and what Bosworth's doing is hall of Fame esque
right now.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Absolutely absolutely, And like every time someone suggests, maybe, you know,
kickers have too much of an impact on the game now,
maybe we should make it more, maybe we should shrink
the goal. But you know, in these off season conversations
where people are looking for things to talk about, that's
something that comes up every year.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Yeah, guys, my buddy's got a theory kickers are too
good now, which I get, you know, like you watch
that Jaggs game, guy, it's a seventy.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yarder, but I'm not doing this to like out your buddy,
But the same people that will tell you kickers are
too good now and something has to change will also
tell you and they don't belong in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
They're just a kicker. They don't tackle, they don't blo.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
We gotta, we gotta, we gotta find a common ground here,
We gotta find a middle point, because these guys are
crazy important and they are in the NFL where every game,
for the most part, is a one score game. Yes,
don't don't tell me that you just love the kicker
when he hits a sixty yarder, like scream and yell
about how important this guy is and how he deserves
more credit.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
And I'll be honest. I mean, like, the fifteenth best
kicker in the league now would have been by far
the best kicker in nineteen eighty or ninety or whatever.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
Too now.
Speaker 6 (24:38):
I also believe that there's still somewhat of a kicker shortage.
It's less true now than it was five ten years ago.
But there's three to five teams that don't have a
guy like the Steelers a boss and he's up here
and he's awesome and blah blah, blah, and most people
are just really happy with theirs. They're in this bulk area.
(24:58):
But you're one of those teams that doesn't have one.
You're one of those three to five that every Tuesday
you're bringing in a new guy or churning out or
I'm not sure I can trust them. You know how
much different that is and has them having bass in
all your coaching decisions. And you know that was points
over the course of a year difference.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
How was the Jets last year? They were like one
in seven and one score games. I think it was
or one and six something like that.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
The kicker made seventy one percent of.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Us and they had the worst field goal percentage in
the league. Yeah, imagine if he would have made ninety
percent of his kicks instead of seventy something.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Maybe they may be average.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Maybe there's seven and ten.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Last year, which isn't great, but it's not like, oh
the stinking Jets, you.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Know, right, right again, right, I mean that's a big thing.
I was saying this on another show too. Just watching
this Jets team, you were reminded they do have quite
a few good, really good players and Quentin Williams stuff.
They a lot of guys are real high quality players
that if this staff can get average kicking and not
(25:56):
lead the league in penalties and not be just funk,
you probably win six seven, eight games and they are
a lot more competitive. And this staff looks like they're competent.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
You know.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
There's again the way that they lost is frustrating. But
I think if you're a Jets fan, there is a
lot to be to be optimal. I think they'll be
singing more of a positive tune in New York. Now
that actually sounds dumb when I say it out loud.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Because they don't do that. It's New York.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
All they do is don't talk about how much everybody
sucks all the time.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
The Yankee's been ten years since the Yankees won a
World Series.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
They suck.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Aaron Judge sucks, the Knicks suck, everybody sucks. I think
you should you should be there's a lot of reasons
for they should be speaking more optimistically on Jets Nation Radio.
Yeah than I think we would have if the Steelers
would have lost that game today.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Speaking of that kicker shortage that you mentioned, it's so
weird to me, Like I I just I looked up
here to see if Ben Sous had landed anywhere. He's
still out there and like after the I know he's
a lefty that a college career that he had the
preseason that he had this kicker shortage that you rightfully
mentioned around the league.
Speaker 5 (27:06):
But all.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Some special teams coordinator to start to feel the heat
need to do something different.
Speaker 6 (27:14):
I mean, unless you're one of the elite guys like Boz.
You have two or three bad games in a month.
See you, oh man, now down, your seat's on fire.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Even when Boz had that season twenty eighteen, every week
everybody wanted to cut him.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
I do too, I just wanted to the probably moved on.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yeah, yeah, they should have known. I mean when he
had James Harrison standing there just try out, talking about
you've heard that story, right, you heard that story. They
brought Chris Boswell in for his tryout, and then ultimately
is it from the Jets practice score? I forget exactly Giants?
Maybe was he with the Giants, but however it worked out.
When he had his tryout with the Steelers in the
(27:53):
practice facility, James Harrison was standing there watching them because
the Steelers had had some kicking issues.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
Debo was like, I'm sick of this.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
Yeah, I stink.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
And when they were on that feris, they were on
that wheel for a long time.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
It's a terrible place to be.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
And when Boz was having his audition, his try out,
whatever it was, James Harrison was standing there right next
to him, was like, if you miss one of these,
I'm make you wash my back in the shower. I
can't believe you haven't heard this story with Bos. Boz
told it, I think on Christian Koons's podcast, I want
to say or something.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
And then like a couple of months handle pressure.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
A couple of months later, like Mike tom was asked
about it on like the Pivot podcast and he told
the story and talked about it as well too. From
that moment, they should have known this boss, Well, guy's nails,
he's goods.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
If he's not shocking. I'm left at this point because
I guess.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Mike Tomlin was standing there. Tom was like, Bos, no
matter what happens, do not wash his back, all right, I.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Don't care how good you are. There's no coming back
from that, all right, not no matter what happens.
Speaker 5 (28:51):
I mean, he's an all time great Steeler.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
He is a Hall of Honor guy.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Oh yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
There's a Hall of Honor Pittsburgh Steeler.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
And that's not an easy haul to get in.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I think very soon, actually, like maybe this month, will
become the all time leading scorer in franchise istuty. I
think he's not gonna right on Gary Anderson's heels. Yeah,
like right there, So that'll happen this season definitely, might
even might even happen this month, Matt Monday Night Football tonight.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
K Yeah, I don't have a.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Strong feeling on him. I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 6 (29:21):
I'm hoping Caleb Williams career gets back on track and
McCarthy's like a rookie, you know, so that the two
quarterbacks are really interesting to me.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
That's I think the storyline is much along these same
same lines of like week one overreactions m h either
in Chicago or Minnesota tomorrow morning.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Oh, it's not gonna be.
Speaker 4 (29:41):
One of these quarterbacks is gonna get skewered.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
If it's like Lamar and Allen last night, there's nowhere
to know arrows to shoot and.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
One of the team's wins thirty eight to thirty five
or something like that, and both quarterbacks play well. If
Caleb Williams struggles, it's gonna be like here we go again.
This guy isn't gonna get it. It's not gonna click
Bears having a quarterback in my life life.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
You know, Bears just can never have a quarterback. And
this isn't the guy to break the curse.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
If JJ McCarthy goes out there and struggles, and I
think you're right, he might get a little bit more
of a of a leash a little bit his first
start because it's his first start, albeit in year two
when he essentially picked the draft. First picking the draft,
Daniel J. J McCarthy was a top ten guy. Oh yeah,
and they just had a great year last year, won
fourteen games, and then let Sam Donald sail off for
(30:26):
this guy. Yeah, and I'm not saying I think Sam
Donald is walking into Canton one day, obviously, but he
won fourteen games last year.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
This one, to me is quarterback storyline, obviously.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Huge and just which fan base is going to be
screaming about their signal caller tomorrow morning.
Speaker 6 (30:43):
Yeah, I think that's one hundred percent. And it's a
good matchup too. I mean, I'm excited to see this.
You know, Johnson, the new head coach, is the higher
and I totally understand that. I would have been all
over him too what I know about him to run
my team. But it's a little different calhin play when
Dan Campbell's your head coach and you've got all these
(31:03):
good players and things are in place in Detroit, as
opposed to being the guy on game day and prep
and you know, being the CEO and all those things.
A lot of guys, including the great Dick Lebow, hit
their head on the ceiling of being awesome play caller
coordinators and not head coaches.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
There's nothing different set, nothing wrong with that, totally different
skill set.
Speaker 6 (31:21):
There's a lot of great head coaches that aren't that
good coordinators, you know, Right, So I am really interested
to see where the Bears are at.
Speaker 5 (31:27):
And I think the Vikings are a super interesting team too.
Speaker 6 (31:29):
I mean, they made a lot of changes they've they've
been out and got a lot of big people to
add to the interior both their lines, you know, is
that gonna pay off or not? And Justin Jefferson's just
a blast to watch, period.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
No, Jordan Addison for the first three games, right, right
for Minnesota.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Feelings back home, though, feeling is.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Back Yep, this is this is a fun one. These
these early season divisional matchups are always fun.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Yeah, because it's like it's a swing.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
I mean, it's a you know, it's almost like a
game that counts. Act like in the standings in the
you're either going to be a game ahead or you're
going to be a game behind right off the bat. Like,
we're not both going to be oh and one. We're
not both going to be one and oh. One of
us is already gonna have a one game lead and
a top headhead tie breaker over over the other.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
Ultra competitive division.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
And what I was to.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Say, did you see that stat that they broadcast last
night during I guess afternoon depending during the Lions Packers
game that the NFC North had the highest ever win
percentage of a division last year. But it was also
the first time in league history that a division got
three teams into the playoffs and all of them went
one and done. Detroit, Minnesota, Green Bay all lost their
(32:40):
first playoff game. Now Detroit had to buy but still
they all went and again they went oh and three
in the playoffs. Yeah, absolutely, Minnesota one and a half
point favorites in Chicago.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
In Chicago, I'd probably take the bikes.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
I think so too.
Speaker 5 (32:58):
I think I trusted the head coach a lot.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Think they're really welcome more continuity. There a better team
last year.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
The thing I keep harping on with this game is
Flores is such a pain in the butt to play against.
It's so unorthodox, it's so aggressibly.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
When he's got this much time. He's been prepared for
Calin Williams for two and a half.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
Weeks, and Williams loves taking sacks. I mean, that's the
thing that they're trying to get out of, you know,
is Johnson is trying to get that out of this DNA.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
I'm glad for those of you that aren't watching this
on YouTube, all right, if you're just like if you're
an audio podcast only listener of The Drive, which that's
how I consume like ninety percent of my pots.
Speaker 4 (33:33):
So I get it.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
But you gotta you gotta check on YouTube in the
second hour to see that look on Matt's face.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Love loves taking Saxon.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
He sure does. Going back to USC and oh man.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
He defines that sax Or a quarterback.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
Stats it's you, rs me, you know, it's it's you.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
Certainly, certainly Matt, not to be a Debbie downer, but
I do think we didn't really kind of dig into
some of those concerns for the Steelers from yester week
to and we've got obviously been four more shows this week,
but let's get into a little bit of that in
our final segment on the other side. To shut this
thing down, West Ruler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Down the home stretch here on this victory Monday edition
of the Drive, as we would rather do here, I mean,
it's it's been it's been more positive conversation, it's been
more it's been more uh, looking on the bright side
of life, as Monty Python would say. But Matt, obviously
there are always concerns in a victory, and certainly in
(35:01):
week one where nobody is even the teams that had
the best performances or are not perfect, there was.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
A lot of not perfect.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
There was a lot of not perfect, uh, and so
not to really kind of put you on the spot here,
because again, we got plenty of time the rest of
the week to dive deeper into some of these things.
But what's the forefront of your mind if you could
pick one thing this week that they're going to get
moving in the right direction in the home opener against Seattle.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
That I'm confident that they'll get better at.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Not even necessarily that you're confident of all the concerns.
Which one are you highlighting right now that that you
would like to see start to improve something?
Speaker 5 (35:37):
Okay?
Speaker 6 (35:37):
So, I mean, I guess there's really three things that
worry me just off this game alone. Steelers run game
is the most concerning to me.
Speaker 4 (35:47):
I think that's the easy answer.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
Yeah, I mean, how have we talked of the last
couple months. That can't be a three point nine to
carry You got to get up to you know, four
to three, you're crazy even just get twentieth and they
got worse, you know, I mean, and they it wasn't
a real run centric game plan or game script, but
(36:09):
I bet they would have liked to have done more
of it.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
You know.
Speaker 6 (36:11):
We mentioned with Rob there's a lot of game ball
out there, a lot of third down situation. But their
success rate on early downs was really bad espec. Running
the ball, They didn't get ahead of the chains. They
didn't have very many nice runs. And I did think
there was a stretch where Warren was starting to heat
up a little bit, and then they kind of got
away from it. You know, there was four or five
runs in a row. It's like, Okay, they're starting to
(36:32):
build on something here, and then they kind of got
away from it. But the protection is the same people,
and that was pretty pretty problematic too.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
It really was.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
It was not like him holding the ball. They weren't
quarterback sacks.
Speaker 4 (36:45):
No, they were not.
Speaker 5 (36:46):
They were not.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
That's an important thing to note.
Speaker 5 (36:49):
And he can't be getting hit like that.
Speaker 4 (36:51):
It's it's also too just the inconsistency of it from
the offensive line.
Speaker 6 (36:56):
Yeah, Roger Jones was terrible. I mean, and consistency is
not his thing.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
He is so hard to evaluate because I don't know,
maybe I'm being a little too generous. Eight out of
ten snaps are fine. Yeah, eight out of ten snaps
you don't notice them. Yeah, a good corner, but it's
just like corner. But it's not even the other two.
The other two out of ten snaps. Man, they're not
(37:24):
even c's or d's.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
Right, I mean, was there f's.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
They are zero. They're not five or six out of ten.
They're a zero out of ten. Yeah, that's the that's
the strangest part to me, because they'll be a stretch
of four, five, six, seven plays on a drive and
you'll be like looking sharp, looking good, confident, moving well,
and then that ninth play happens and it's the complaint
it must be.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
It's not just bad email. You can do terrible rap.
Speaker 6 (37:53):
Right, It's not like he's a seventh round pick that
is heavy feet and someone crossed his face is faster
than them.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
You know.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
Let me just get out athlete.
Speaker 3 (38:00):
That he doesn't have, Like like he make no mistake
about this because I know a lot of people and
I'm not saying it's unfair. I know he's getting crushed
by a lot of people, but like he's got a
highlight tape too.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
Oh yeah, it's just the low light tape.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Is outshadowing it at this point, and that can't happen.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
It can't happen. I mean again, maybe this is just
one off. Maybe the rest of the games go fine.
I mean, I don't think you consider benching them or
any of that. Point are at this point, and the
players here playing against were better than.
Speaker 5 (38:28):
People might realize that. There are a lot of up and.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Coming first round picks, and they even lyne Quinn Williams
over him and got a sack. But I mean, you
just can't have the negatives and just across the board,
I mean Rogers getting quick, the average up the target's
really low on purpose because Rogers is good at it,
but it's also because they knew they couldn't drive the
ball down the field because they weren't expecting people to
(38:52):
hold up in protection. You know, they made adjustments to
move the football accordingly. But it's true for all quarterbacks,
but especially a four one year old that isn't super mobile.
There's so many times on third and eight you're gonna
have to drive the football and you can't just throw
screens and things. He's gonna get hit at this rate.
I mean that, and Seattle might be better pass rush
team than this, and I mean that that's a really
(39:14):
impressive Jets team. I keep praising them, but that's not
the toughest defense you're gonna face. Absolutely, there's a lot
of other good ones out there, a lot of good
D line in this league.
Speaker 4 (39:23):
You might you might face a couple better defenses this month.
Speaker 5 (39:26):
Yeah, Seattle's is loaded, loaded.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
And then the one you're gonna face in Dublin that
we're going to see tonight has been pretty nasty over
the last couple of years. Yeah, yeah as well too.
That's that's where that's where I'm all line.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
The O line concerns are real on a Monday morning
after that win.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
Still run game and.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
Protection still there and it's one data point out of seventeen, yep,
But that those those concerns that that you know, we
had discussed a little bit going into the season night,
I think are certainly still there.
Speaker 4 (39:56):
Matt to get us out of here today.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
Power grid janitor tweets us oh and says, how would
you diagnose our defensive woes from yesterday? Just first game
of the season. Some untimely injuries during that game? Was
it poor execution and bad preparation? Also side note, it
was hard enough to jump out of your chair and
holler after Jalen Ramsey laying down the boom.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
That was awesome.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
Yeah, you should see Max Starks's reaction in the broadcast
booth Ie.
Speaker 5 (40:26):
That's awesome.
Speaker 6 (40:27):
So the good and that's the perfect play to exemplify
that was. There were some timely big plays late by stars.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
You know.
Speaker 6 (40:36):
I mean there absolutely was, but down to down consistency
against the run I thought.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
Was extremely, extremely poor, and.
Speaker 6 (40:45):
You can blame man this team. I don't know what
they're doing against Reid option. It wasn't the same as
not playing it well against Baltimore in the playoff game.
To me, this was bodies getting moved backwards. Cam Hayward
was the top of the list too. I mean, I
would hope that it gets a lot better for him,
he plays more, gets back in the flow of things.
(41:09):
Super proud, awesome player that will not be proud of
his tape, I'm sure.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
But he wasn't alone.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
They were getting moved a lot and a lot of
their runs were to the offenses left in those b
gaps where Cam lives.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
You know, I think the best way to sum that
up would be and I'm not going to play it here, Matt,
because we would get fined by the FCC because there
are a couple of four letter words in there.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
But Patrick Queen spared spared no punches in the post game.
Speaker 5 (41:33):
I didn't notice that, Okay, he.
Speaker 3 (41:35):
Basically said, played like bleep, Yeah it was. It was right,
it was bleeping unacceptable. And so they know that. I mean,
there's of course they know there's a lot of you know,
everybody likes to point out how much money is on
that defensive side of the ball. Those guys who make
that kind of money, they're aware of that too, and
the expectations and the pride that they take that comes
(41:55):
with earning that level of of you know, conversation.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Yeah, I mean, now it's microscope and it's got to
get better. I mean that that to me, I didn't
see that coming. Like I forget even what numbers we
were talking about, Like what if they got to one
hundred and fifty rushing yards Like.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
Ooh, I don't.
Speaker 6 (42:11):
I think they'll do better than that, you know, Or
I'd be fine if they got to one twenty one thirty.
Speaker 5 (42:16):
You know, they're gonna run the ball like crazy. Not
what happened? I had that happen, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
Matt, good stuff.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Today. It was a fun show off and running here now,
I mean the rest of the season, it's like taking
candy from a baby. I mean, just we got games
to recap games, to preview. It's gonna be a lot
of fun. We'll getting some fantasy football stuff as the
week rolls around, all kinds of stuff. But as you
mentioned a little bit earlier, hopefully we'll get some injury
news and updates. Mike Tomlin gonna Elliott, Yeah, and Elliott.
(42:47):
I think is the is the big one certainly. Uh.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
Mike Tomlin going to speak.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Uh Tuesday at noon Tomorrow at noon, So we will
obviously have plenty of discuss from that when we if
and when we do get a any injury updates there
as well, too. Big thanks to Matt Big, thanks to
our video producer TV in here hanging with us and
pushing all the buttons in the studio. I'm Wes Shuler.
Thanks everybody, take care. We'll talk to you soon. You
(43:13):
know where to find us. As always, it's on your
twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold.
It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Your tune's about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Now were number two of the drive here on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. All is well,
that ends well, And of course it was a victory
for your Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium to kick off
the season.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
A little bit opposite than you know that.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
It was still Chris Boswell heroics Matt oh Man, not
quite like it was in Atlanta last year for the
opener where he had all eighteen points.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Totally reliant on him right, and a crucial.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Punt at the end too to get you out of
that stadium.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
But you know what special teams are big though, you have.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
To remind me of the special teams were massive. Good
starting field position for both teams throughout the day for
the most part. That new dynamic, the new dynamic kickoff,
I love it.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
I do too.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
Yeah, it's through a tweet out last night. I'm like,
this new kickoff rule is growing on me.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
It's just action.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Just a few years ago that NFL teams were almost
always starting their drives at the twenty. Yeah, now more
often than not, they're gonna be starting them at the
thirty five.
Speaker 6 (01:28):
There's definitely gonna result in more points mass. I mean
that's a big deal. That's a more that's a first
down and a half.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
You don't have to get massive, massive, massive difference.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
And more more than anything, you just don't go get
a beer or use a bathroom during a kickoff. It's like,
I'm gonna watch this because a lot's going on and
special real quick. Special teams were great for the Steelers
yesterday and maybe the phase that won them the game
as much as anything, or more than anything. I mean,
the game well strip was humongous. I mean, those are
(01:56):
the two biggest players possibly, but I am a little
worried going back to last year, kickoffs has not been
their friend, you know. I mean I think n or
nine out of ten times Steelers have a special team advantage.
And Danny Smith has a lot to do with that.
Mike Tomlin has a lot to do with that. Their
roster construction of keeping core guys has a lot to
do with that.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Boswell's awesome, you know, that has a lot to do
with this.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
A serial killer, he's.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
A serial killer.
Speaker 6 (02:22):
But kickoff coverage and kickoff returns and ela work and
they matter now more than they did.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
It's not just.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
They've mattered more now than they have in a long time. Yeah, yeah,
a long time.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Do you think quick question for you, Yes, do you
think when Halloween rolls around here and what like six
or seven weeks? I think the Steelers would lend us
Chris Boswell jerseys to wear one day in here and
we can both dress up a serial killers like Halloween
weeks they have.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
To get in Reagan's ers and all that.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah, we'll have to talk talk to Wagon, talk to
the good people at the Steelers pro shops, see if
maybe we can dresses Chris Boswell serial Killers Halloween week here.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
At some point on the drive so our guy TV
sent me this that the it was only an eighteen
point six touchback rate in week one, which is drastically down,
And that's a sizement a lot more and more to watch,
you know, you know, and a lot of people just
putting whoever at kickoff returner.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
A lot more benefit for the offense.
Speaker 6 (03:21):
And yeah, theree breaking big ones and pay attention to kickoffs.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Kind of another Uh, I could hear Arthur mos yelling
about the NFL doing another thing to make it more
difficult on defenses across.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Oh yeah, it's definitely happening.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
It's always about the offense.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Baby.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Certainly wasn't an offensive masterclass in the AFC North in
Cleveland where the Browns fall to the Bengals seventeen to sixteen.
Cincinnati gets out of there with a victory. They have
got plenty that they're going to discuss and want to
harp on today in Cincinnati. Yeah, even more so than us, Like, hey,
win's a win, that's all that matters. But you still
(03:58):
got uh, you know, rink to iron out. They're really
having that conversation today in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Matt.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
The number that I.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Teased for you, Oh yeah, yeah was the Bengals had
seven yards in the second half of total offense and
still won that game.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
I tried.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
Remarkable.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I spent probably fifteen twenty minutes looking from the stat
of when was the last time an NFL team had
less than ten yards in the second half and still one?
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Yeah, and I could like it's.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
So it wasn't like they're winning forty to nothing at
the half and just you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's so it's such an outlier that there's not even
any baseline for how often do NFL teams have less
than ten yards in the does not compute in the
second half, does not compute? I mean just the Bengals defense. Hey,
I start from that perspective for them.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
So that game in a way, I mean, I think
a lot of folks that know what they're talking about
looked at the AFC and thought the two teams that
are worst off this year, the Jets and especially the Browns.
You know, I can't even imagine them guys going to
the playoffs. Blah blah blah. Now, neither team's got to win.
But I think you're feeling better about your team if
(05:06):
you're a Browns or Jets fan today than you did
a week ago. I mean, like they were competitive against
good teams. I think the Jets, as mentioned are, they
have good players and are definitely trending the right direction.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
You can get some type of That was maybe the
best game Justin Field has ever played.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Yeah it was.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
So I'm not going to say he's got to play
his best game of his career seventeen times this season.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
But if you can get but.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
He's gotten better every year and maybe got better again.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know, to stay in that relative zone, relative stratosphere
of where he was.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
That's the biggest win of the day for the Jets.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Absolutely, and I thought Cleveland.
Speaker 6 (05:40):
I know that the or the Bengals really struggle in
Week one, whether they play their guys or not, apparently,
but the Browns had a good game plan. They they
got after Burrow in a big way. They really limited
those awesome receivers, and the weaknesses of the Bengals looked
like weaknesses defense O line, things that have been a
prop them lately. That was not a great Browns offense
(06:03):
they faced too, you know, certainly not in fact, probably
pretty fortunate to get out of there with the W.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Seven yards in the second half. Well, you know, unbelievable.
They were fortunate to get out of there with the W.
But for a team that in the last five years
had been one and nine in their first two games, Yeah,
I'm sure they're not apologizing for for a win there.
They will certainly take it. And much like we've talked
about with the Steelers, same church, different pew, plenty to
(06:29):
improve upon, yep, but you'll take the win in that.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
It is similar win to win. And that's all those
two teams that are want to know in the division.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
You mentioned Matt that first time in seventeen one score games.
Patrick Mahomes takes an l in that regard. Friday Night
in a duel, I think really between between Herbert and
Mahomes might be the best way to describe it.
Speaker 6 (06:54):
We saw one last night, but we saw one Friday
night to two primetime games where big time AFC quarterbacks
were blow for blow.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Who hits the ball that? You know?
Speaker 6 (07:04):
I mean, I hate to like, I'm not trying to
kill in the mood because I'm much happier with the
Steelers quarterback situation than in a long time.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
But there's still some really good ones.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
What are we doing? Can we get some of these
guys in a different conference?
Speaker 6 (07:22):
And Herbert might be knocking on the door of being
with those Burrow you know Lamar types.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
Yeah, that was a huge win for the Chargers.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Not loving that, certainly, certainly not loving that. Speaking of
a guy who's knocking on the door one of those types.
I thought it was an impressive year two debut for
Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah, they ran the ball well. Giants hung around,
but I thought Washington did what they had to do,
you know, business trip type of situation.
Speaker 5 (07:50):
He's quite good as well. Yeah, I mean I think
they're in good shape with him, obviously.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I thought one of the funniest things of the NFL weekend,
maybe we could add this to our to toss out
there every Monday. Cam Scattaboo had an absolute signature Cam
Scataboo play that was like for like a five yard game.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Yeah, it was all over social media.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Look at Scataboo running like Mike Alstott and it was
a five yard game.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Five yard game, but well earned, Yes.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Very well earned, very well earned.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
A team that I think you're higher on than most,
the Jacksonville Jaguars, Yeah, quarterback that you're higher on.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Than most, and Trevor Lawrence.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
I know.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It's the Carolina Panthers, one of those proverbial worst teams
in the league, but with some crazy stuff that happened there.
With a lengthy weather delay as well too. Yeah. I
thought it was a encouraging showing for Jacksonville in their
first game of this Liam Cohen era.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Absolutely and that one I might be as worried about
the bad team as I am excited about the good team.
The winner Carolina was kind of a disaster. I thought
Young took a step back, and they were pretty brutal
on offense.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
But two interceptions, is that right?
Speaker 5 (08:58):
He does never looked comfortable at all.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
Nothing went well on offense for that team, or really
on either side of the ball. I mean, that was
a pretty dominant performance by the Jags. But I did
consider putting the Jags in the wild card when I
picked my seven teams, left them just out. I put
the Chargers in instead, which looks all right too, but good,
real promising first step for Jacksonville. Maybe they could win
(09:23):
that division. I mean Houston. I thought Houston was gonna
win that game, and that was some problematic stuff for
them too.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It was and again it is so early, like it's
it's very easy to do that.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
I was, let's not get crazy.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
I just did it in the last segment, like what
if the Chargers win the division? There's sixteen games to play.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
There is, and we meant they kind of used threw
this out there, like if it's any other sport and
you lose the opener, you don't think twice they had
a bad day.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
I got a game the next day or something like that.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
You're not allowed to have a bad day of the NFL.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
And especially again Week one, when everybody has been hyper
focused on this since July in training camp opened.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
It is the Magnifla.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
The second Monday in September, which is always the Monday after,
you know, the first, the first Sunday of the league
season is always the biggest overreacting day. Certainly, Matt, we
both and I want to this is one of the
things I want to kind of keep a keep track
on throughout the year. We both survived our survivor pool
picks in Week one, and as they often are, man
(10:27):
Vegas right on the money. Cardinals twenty to thirteen over
the Saints. That was a half point off the spread there,
and then Bronco was.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
An easy run for that was not with Denver.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Same with Denver, Yeah, struggling.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So he was struggling and that was a I started
him over Kyler Murray and in one of my fantasy leagues,
and I was regretting that. But Broncos eight and a
half point favorites eight point went over Tennessee like what
we saw from cam Ward though, yeah maybe.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Showed flashes, Yeah, yeah, Tennessee hung around. They did some
good stuff in a really difficult environment. I'm sure Denver
had to be the eliminator pick of the week. I mean,
especially at home.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Their Chordrobas sixty seventy people in Survivor pols.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
To you are sweating it, including myself.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
I mean the pool we did, everyone got two entries,
just so we have so it goes longer. I took
the Steelers, I took Denver, but neither was a sure bet.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
No it was not. But all is well. That ends well.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah, Seattle matt tough loss at home to open their
season against Division AR Tribal San Francisco.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
We'll get into them heavy, but I've already started really
unpeeling this game. There's some good for the Niners. Party
played really well. They lost Kittle right off the bat.
I think Jennings got hurt in the game too, but
McCaffrey was back one hundred percent.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
That was big.
Speaker 6 (11:45):
Bosa was awesome. But just to kind of tease some
Seahawks stuff, they're kind of an odd team right now.
I think their defense is borderline awesome. First of all,
they really get after you the quarterback. Their secondary is
a lot better. Rob mentioned that that it's not Sauce
and everybody else. So they got a lot of secondary pieces.
But their offense is crazy. I mean, Smith and Jigba
(12:08):
got like every target and they they're not They still
don't really block anybody. Darnold doesn't do real well under pressure,
and that showed up and they were still in it.
But they twenty two minutes of time and possession in
that game, and they were still in it at the
end because the defense, even though they're on the field
all the time.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
But they got a lot of issues on an offense.
And man, I mean Smith and Jigba had like a
sixty percent target.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Chair is nice, yeah, And I think he's a nice player.
More Chase right, justin Jefferson getting a se.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Twenty five percent a lot it was like fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
And now tough sledding for Seattle having to come across
the coast for one o'clock kickoff, which, as I told
you last week, if you don't have Pete Carroll and
Russell Wilson in their prime in Seattle.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
That different world.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
That's a tough proposition for those West Coast teams.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
I heard today the Steelers are favored. I think it's
like two or two and a half.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Is that what it opened? It doesn't surprise me that
sounds sounds about right. And uh speaking of that department
as well too. Nice debut for my boy Geno Smith
in the in the silver and black based Yeah, three
hundred and sixty passing yards. Sorry, Seattle, have fun with
Sam Darnold speaking of a team that played very well.
I was static about this. We had live TV on
(13:25):
the on the.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
On the charter flight.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Huh oh okay, which is that rare?
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah, it's it's not. It's not all the time.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, sometimes sometimes there's live TV. Sometimes you got to
hook up to the Wi Fi and try and stream
it off your phone, which can work, but sometimes it
can break it up a little bit and the you know,
it's still on your phone or your But we had
in the head rests on the plane flying home, Matt,
we had TV live TV available. I was able to
get the Packers Lions game and watch a sizeable chunk
(13:55):
of that while we were waiting for the plane to
be loaded up. And good, my Green Bay good. And
we barely saw Mike. I mean he had a sack
and at the end he made impact. At the end
there they clearly passing situations.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
But the defense was good even when he was on
the field. Are a lot of chunk stuff on offense.
I always tell myself, as you mentioned on this Monday,
don't overreact too much on this first Monday and September
blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
But Detroit fans might be a little concerned.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
I mean, I'm you know, you lost both coordinators, they
got pretty much manhandled by division foe one game. Not
time to get crazy. But I could envision I'm not
saying I'm predicting it that that Detroit window that has
really been the best they've been in the Super Bowl
era might be closing, not opening, you.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
It happens, it happens quick, right.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
I mean, you get three or four good years to
take a shot at these things, and they didn't quite
get there, you.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Know, particularly when you don't have a unicorn quarterback.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
Exactly. That's the thing too, like when Alan and Lamar
aren't going away.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
As long as long as they're playing the way they are,
those teams are in a window, homes in a window.
If Herbert bigger that level, if jayde Daniels gets to
that level.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Yeah yeah, yeah. But when you start getting.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
When you've got good not great, yes, and the.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Line is not the best in the league. It's the
twelfth best in the league.
Speaker 6 (15:17):
And your coordinators aren't top five at their position, their
top twenty year.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
You know, it's like, Okay, they lost a lot, a
lot from last year.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
And we'll see the night too.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
The North is tough, real tough, real tough, no doubt.
We'll talk about that game in just a few minutes.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
But how about Buffalo and Baltimore last night, Matt forty
one forty The Bills were down fifteen points two separate
times in the second half, found a way to win
tremendous football game. As you mentioned, I this is just
between me and you. Will cut the microphones here, I
don't yeah, ear muffs. It might be the it might
(15:56):
be the two best teams in the AFC last night,
and that might not be the last time we see
those two teams play a very meaningful game.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
That may turn into a ridiculous rivalry. Just going back
to last years close game, two unbelievable quarterbacks, all respect
to the Chiefs, those two.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Are scarier right now.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
I mean, they're just are They might be the two
best teams in the league period. I mean a couple
of things. Obviously, that the Henry fumble was massive. I
mean it's kind of like the gain well causing the fumble,
you know, but this is just back and forth and
one team that makes one play that's enough to put
you over. But I heard this on the way here
(16:34):
listening to podcasts that when they're when they went up fifteen, right,
that's that's when it looked like times were done. The
Ravens were averaging nine point seven yards per play every
time they snapped the ball, they basically got a first out.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
That's insane.
Speaker 5 (16:50):
I mean it was. I mean the offense is ridiculous
with that grill.
Speaker 6 (16:53):
I mean, we know Lamar was making plays, Henry's ripping
off unbelievable runs. I'm a little worried about Buffalo's defense
for this conversation, but when you got Allen and you
got Lamar, it's nuts. Now Harbaugh is under a lot
of scrutiny, and I think he should be. That fourth
and three, you can't take it out of Lamar's hands
and handed to Allen. I mean, it doesn't matter if
(17:14):
you're on your own one yard line. I mean, at
that point in the game, when these quarterbacks have it
figured out, you can't take it out of this guy's
hands that you have that's an equal player to that guy,
and they're way better than everybody else on the planet
at the moment, and just say, well, well, Hope and
all they in a field goal beats you, right, you
know So, I say a lot of really, really really
(17:35):
positive things about the Ravens, but getting over this hump
is a little on Harbaugh. I mean, they have not
been able to win those type of games usually in
the playoffs. He tightens up a little bit. He makes
some decisions really late in games that are fifty to
fifty games, and you make him forty nine fifty one
to the opponents, that's enough.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
It certainly is.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Yeah, And again, especially when when you're Baltimore and it's
like we've been in this window now for.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
A couple of years.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
They're awesome.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Our roster almost has no holes or weaknesses.
Speaker 6 (18:07):
We got a quarterback here, Hopkins is out there catching
one handed touchdowns like they guided him.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
I was cracking up a bunch of Chiefs. Chiefs fans
all over Twitter were We're screaming about that. They were
they were like, this guy couldn't make a catch in
the Super Bowl. He's falling over his own feet.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
But he makes uh.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
Yeah, you're right, Chiefs fans, you've had it so rough.
I apologize. I'm sure that was very difficult for you.
Speaker 5 (18:32):
To witness an amazingball game.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Incredible, incredible.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I don't know if tonight's Monday Night football will live
up to uh to Sunday Night.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
We've had some good Sunday, some good primetime.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
On we have, we have, and hopefully that will continue
a little a little division rivalry. Another one tonight in primetime.
Two teams that the Steelers will see this season, one
of them in Minnesota that we'll see here in just
a couple of weeks. We'll talk a little bit about
that game when we return. On the other side. Well,
Shueler Matt Williams, and it is the Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Your tune's about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Driving along here on a Monday, a victory Monday, of course,
for your Pittsburgh Steelers as they take down the Jets
at MetLife Stadium thirty four to thirty two, a high scoring,
close Steelers win, just like we all predicted. Of course,
we all thought that it would be the second highest
point total of the week, that they would easily surpass
(19:51):
that over under number. My goodness, but that that is
the classic any given Sunday NFL adage, right like, oh man,
even with the week one, weird things happen caveat aside, Like,
weird things happen every week across the National Football League,
and that's that's why we love it so much. That's
why you know we tune in. That's why Browns fans
(20:12):
every year. You know, they know Charlie Brown is going
to take the football matt and pull it out from
underneath their face swing, but they're still gonna They're still
gonna swing every single time.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
So it's funny, Like I am a believer that weird
things happen in we're in week one, because I definitely
believe coaches don't have tape to go off of. You know,
game planning is much more difficult super early in the season.
Whoever plays the Jets next at least has this game
to go off of of what this coaching staff wants
to do, So I think there's less surprises, and I
(20:42):
definitely I know in week one the players are not
in his good condition I mean, that's just a fact.
None of these guys have played a full game since
the day they got eliminated last year.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
That being said, I.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
Think you could pull out Week twelve and put it
in Week one and be like that was weird too.
I mean, every week's weird. It's a great league to watch.
There's always stuff that goes on. You know, didn't see
that coming, right, There's always an upset.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
You know, they're always and that is I mean most
of these games, you know, week to week are one
score spreads.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Yeah, even what they want.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Even when it seems to be lobsided. It is why
the National Football League has such a hole.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
They are pretty good at this thing.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
And and turn this, you know, this model of clearly
the most popular, absolutely proven, the most financially lucrative league
in the entire world, not just in the United States.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
But and I don't mean to ram on Pittsburgh's parade,
because everyone in Pittsburgh is happiest could be, and they
should be, and you and I are in a great mood.
But if Boswell's kick doesn't go through, it's a sixty yarder,
it's it's still a low. I mean, he's not going
to make that ten out of ten times, that's not
a chip shot. Just imagine what the narrative would be
today though, be like, oh, Rogers played well, but this
(21:56):
team lost. The Jets are the worst team in the league.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
And defense still stinks.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
Defense is horrendous. You know, just that one play if
he if he mishits it, just the smidge. The whole
game is totally different way of thinking through for a
mending people.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
And I was going to save this to bring up
like Tuesday or Wednesday, when maybe we needed to kill
a couple of minutes, but you just led me right there.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
So let's do it.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Let's do it.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Can can we? Can we stop? We do this weird thing?
Speaker 3 (22:25):
And by we I mean people that do football media
like you and I football just fans. I think people
that are like executives and coaches. The whole football ecosystem
does this thing of downplaying special teams. I think particularly
kickers and where they kind of slot into the pantheon
(22:47):
of greatness for their franchises or for the league.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Right, is there one kicker in league history that's in
the Hall of Fame? Is that correct? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (22:54):
And I think Tucker will go.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
I think Tucker will go. I think might eventually Lee.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
I think he will too.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
I hope he's yea the all time league leader employ
like and had some big Super Bowl moments, right.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
But it's very few select company. I know that it
will go in the next twenty years.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
That that kind of that is a bass awkwords logic. Yeah, yeah,
because when you have someone like Tucker, when you have
someone like Chris bos Well, like awful.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
Was the play against Tucker? They'd get past midfields, Like, well,
they're getting points.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, don't tell me kickers. Kickers can't be in the
in the in the Hall of Fame, don't tell me,
you know.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
And and what Bosworth's doing is hall of Fame esque
right now.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Absolutely absolutely, And like every time someone suggests, maybe, you know,
kickers have too much of an impact on the game now,
maybe we should make it more, maybe we should shrink
the goal. But you know, in these off season conversations
where people are looking for things to talk about, that's
something that comes up every year.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Yeah, guys, my buddy's got a theory kickers are too
good now, which I get, you know, like you watch
that Jaggs game, guy, it's a seventy.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yarder, but I'm not doing this to like out your buddy,
But the same people that will tell you kickers are
too good now and something has to change will also
tell you and they don't belong in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
They're just a kicker. They don't tackle, they don't blo.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
We gotta, we gotta, we gotta find a common ground here,
We gotta find a middle point, because these guys are
crazy important and they are in the NFL where every game,
for the most part, is a one score game. Yes,
don't don't tell me that you just love the kicker
when he hits a sixty yarder, like scream and yell
about how important this guy is and how he deserves
more credit.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
And I'll be honest. I mean, like, the fifteenth best
kicker in the league now would have been by far
the best kicker in nineteen eighty or ninety or whatever.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
Too now.
Speaker 6 (24:38):
I also believe that there's still somewhat of a kicker shortage.
It's less true now than it was five ten years ago.
But there's three to five teams that don't have a
guy like the Steelers a boss and he's up here
and he's awesome and blah blah, blah, and most people
are just really happy with theirs. They're in this bulk area.
(24:58):
But you're one of those teams that doesn't have one.
You're one of those three to five that every Tuesday
you're bringing in a new guy or churning out or
I'm not sure I can trust them. You know how
much different that is and has them having bass in
all your coaching decisions. And you know that was points
over the course of a year difference.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
How was the Jets last year? They were like one
in seven and one score games. I think it was
or one and six something like that.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
The kicker made seventy one percent of.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Us and they had the worst field goal percentage in
the league. Yeah, imagine if he would have made ninety
percent of his kicks instead of seventy something.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Maybe they may be average.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Maybe there's seven and ten.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Last year, which isn't great, but it's not like, oh
the stinking Jets, you.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Know, right, right again, right, I mean that's a big thing.
I was saying this on another show too. Just watching
this Jets team, you were reminded they do have quite
a few good, really good players and Quentin Williams stuff.
They a lot of guys are real high quality players
that if this staff can get average kicking and not
(25:56):
lead the league in penalties and not be just funk,
you probably win six seven, eight games and they are
a lot more competitive. And this staff looks like they're competent.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
You know.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
There's again the way that they lost is frustrating. But
I think if you're a Jets fan, there is a
lot to be to be optimal. I think they'll be
singing more of a positive tune in New York. Now
that actually sounds dumb when I say it out loud.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Because they don't do that. It's New York.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
All they do is don't talk about how much everybody
sucks all the time.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
The Yankee's been ten years since the Yankees won a
World Series.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
They suck.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Aaron Judge sucks, the Knicks suck, everybody sucks. I think
you should you should be there's a lot of reasons
for they should be speaking more optimistically on Jets Nation Radio.
Yeah than I think we would have if the Steelers
would have lost that game today.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Speaking of that kicker shortage that you mentioned, it's so
weird to me, Like I I just I looked up
here to see if Ben Sous had landed anywhere. He's
still out there and like after the I know he's
a lefty that a college career that he had the
preseason that he had this kicker shortage that you rightfully
mentioned around the league.
Speaker 5 (27:06):
But all.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Some special teams coordinator to start to feel the heat
need to do something different.
Speaker 6 (27:14):
I mean, unless you're one of the elite guys like Boz.
You have two or three bad games in a month.
See you, oh man, now down, your seat's on fire.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Even when Boz had that season twenty eighteen, every week
everybody wanted to cut him.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
I do too, I just wanted to the probably moved on.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yeah, yeah, they should have known. I mean when he
had James Harrison standing there just try out, talking about
you've heard that story, right, you heard that story. They
brought Chris Boswell in for his tryout, and then ultimately
is it from the Jets practice score? I forget exactly Giants?
Maybe was he with the Giants, but however it worked out.
When he had his tryout with the Steelers in the
(27:53):
practice facility, James Harrison was standing there watching them because
the Steelers had had some kicking issues.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
Debo was like, I'm sick of this.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
Yeah, I stink.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
And when they were on that feris, they were on
that wheel for a long time.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
It's a terrible place to be.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
And when Boz was having his audition, his try out,
whatever it was, James Harrison was standing there right next
to him, was like, if you miss one of these,
I'm make you wash my back in the shower. I
can't believe you haven't heard this story with Bos. Boz
told it, I think on Christian Koons's podcast, I want
to say or something.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
And then like a couple of months handle pressure.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
A couple of months later, like Mike tom was asked
about it on like the Pivot podcast and he told
the story and talked about it as well too. From
that moment, they should have known this boss, Well, guy's nails,
he's goods.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
If he's not shocking. I'm left at this point because
I guess.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Mike Tomlin was standing there. Tom was like, Bos, no
matter what happens, do not wash his back, all right, I.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Don't care how good you are. There's no coming back
from that, all right, not no matter what happens.
Speaker 5 (28:51):
I mean, he's an all time great Steeler.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
He is a Hall of Honor guy.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Oh yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
There's a Hall of Honor Pittsburgh Steeler.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
And that's not an easy haul to get in.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I think very soon, actually, like maybe this month, will
become the all time leading scorer in franchise istuty. I
think he's not gonna right on Gary Anderson's heels. Yeah,
like right there, So that'll happen this season definitely, might
even might even happen this month, Matt Monday Night Football tonight.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
K Yeah, I don't have a.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Strong feeling on him. I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 6 (29:21):
I'm hoping Caleb Williams career gets back on track and
McCarthy's like a rookie, you know, so that the two
quarterbacks are really interesting to me.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
That's I think the storyline is much along these same
same lines of like week one overreactions m h either
in Chicago or Minnesota tomorrow morning.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Oh, it's not gonna be.
Speaker 4 (29:41):
One of these quarterbacks is gonna get skewered.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
If it's like Lamar and Allen last night, there's nowhere
to know arrows to shoot and.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
One of the team's wins thirty eight to thirty five
or something like that, and both quarterbacks play well. If
Caleb Williams struggles, it's gonna be like here we go again.
This guy isn't gonna get it. It's not gonna click
Bears having a quarterback in my life life.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
You know, Bears just can never have a quarterback. And
this isn't the guy to break the curse.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
If JJ McCarthy goes out there and struggles, and I
think you're right, he might get a little bit more
of a of a leash a little bit his first
start because it's his first start, albeit in year two
when he essentially picked the draft. First picking the draft,
Daniel J. J McCarthy was a top ten guy. Oh yeah,
and they just had a great year last year, won
fourteen games, and then let Sam Donald sail off for
(30:26):
this guy. Yeah, and I'm not saying I think Sam
Donald is walking into Canton one day, obviously, but he
won fourteen games last year.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
This one, to me is quarterback storyline, obviously.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Huge and just which fan base is going to be
screaming about their signal caller tomorrow morning.
Speaker 6 (30:43):
Yeah, I think that's one hundred percent. And it's a
good matchup too. I mean, I'm excited to see this.
You know, Johnson, the new head coach, is the higher
and I totally understand that. I would have been all
over him too what I know about him to run
my team. But it's a little different calhin play when
Dan Campbell's your head coach and you've got all these
(31:03):
good players and things are in place in Detroit, as
opposed to being the guy on game day and prep
and you know, being the CEO and all those things.
A lot of guys, including the great Dick Lebow, hit
their head on the ceiling of being awesome play caller
coordinators and not head coaches.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
There's nothing different set, nothing wrong with that, totally different
skill set.
Speaker 6 (31:21):
There's a lot of great head coaches that aren't that
good coordinators, you know, Right, So I am really interested
to see where the Bears are at.
Speaker 5 (31:27):
And I think the Vikings are a super interesting team too.
Speaker 6 (31:29):
I mean, they made a lot of changes they've they've
been out and got a lot of big people to
add to the interior both their lines, you know, is
that gonna pay off or not? And Justin Jefferson's just
a blast to watch, period.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
No, Jordan Addison for the first three games, right, right
for Minnesota.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Feelings back home, though, feeling is.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Back Yep, this is this is a fun one. These
these early season divisional matchups are always fun.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Yeah, because it's like it's a swing.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
I mean, it's a you know, it's almost like a
game that counts. Act like in the standings in the
you're either going to be a game ahead or you're
going to be a game behind right off the bat. Like,
we're not both going to be oh and one. We're
not both going to be one and oh. One of
us is already gonna have a one game lead and
a top headhead tie breaker over over the other.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
Ultra competitive division.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
And what I was to.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Say, did you see that stat that they broadcast last
night during I guess afternoon depending during the Lions Packers
game that the NFC North had the highest ever win
percentage of a division last year. But it was also
the first time in league history that a division got
three teams into the playoffs and all of them went
one and done. Detroit, Minnesota, Green Bay all lost their
(32:40):
first playoff game. Now Detroit had to buy but still
they all went and again they went oh and three
in the playoffs. Yeah, absolutely, Minnesota one and a half
point favorites in Chicago.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
In Chicago, I'd probably take the bikes.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
I think so too.
Speaker 5 (32:58):
I think I trusted the head coach a lot.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Think they're really welcome more continuity. There a better team
last year.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
The thing I keep harping on with this game is
Flores is such a pain in the butt to play against.
It's so unorthodox, it's so aggressibly.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
When he's got this much time. He's been prepared for
Calin Williams for two and a half.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
Weeks, and Williams loves taking sacks. I mean, that's the
thing that they're trying to get out of, you know,
is Johnson is trying to get that out of this DNA.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
I'm glad for those of you that aren't watching this
on YouTube, all right, if you're just like if you're
an audio podcast only listener of The Drive, which that's
how I consume like ninety percent of my pots.
Speaker 4 (33:33):
So I get it.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
But you gotta you gotta check on YouTube in the
second hour to see that look on Matt's face.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Love loves taking Saxon.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
He sure does. Going back to USC and oh man.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
He defines that sax Or a quarterback.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
Stats it's you, rs me, you know, it's it's you.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
Certainly, certainly Matt, not to be a Debbie downer, but
I do think we didn't really kind of dig into
some of those concerns for the Steelers from yester week
to and we've got obviously been four more shows this week,
but let's get into a little bit of that in
our final segment on the other side. To shut this
thing down, West Ruler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Down the home stretch here on this victory Monday edition
of the Drive, as we would rather do here, I mean,
it's it's been it's been more positive conversation, it's been
more it's been more uh, looking on the bright side
of life, as Monty Python would say. But Matt, obviously
there are always concerns in a victory, and certainly in
(35:01):
week one where nobody is even the teams that had
the best performances or are not perfect, there was.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
A lot of not perfect.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
There was a lot of not perfect, uh, and so
not to really kind of put you on the spot here,
because again, we got plenty of time the rest of
the week to dive deeper into some of these things.
But what's the forefront of your mind if you could
pick one thing this week that they're going to get
moving in the right direction in the home opener against Seattle.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
That I'm confident that they'll get better at.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Not even necessarily that you're confident of all the concerns.
Which one are you highlighting right now that that you
would like to see start to improve something?
Speaker 5 (35:37):
Okay?
Speaker 6 (35:37):
So, I mean, I guess there's really three things that
worry me just off this game alone. Steelers run game
is the most concerning to me.
Speaker 4 (35:47):
I think that's the easy answer.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
Yeah, I mean, how have we talked of the last
couple months. That can't be a three point nine to
carry You got to get up to you know, four
to three, you're crazy even just get twentieth and they
got worse, you know, I mean, and they it wasn't
a real run centric game plan or game script, but
(36:09):
I bet they would have liked to have done more
of it.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
You know.
Speaker 6 (36:11):
We mentioned with Rob there's a lot of game ball
out there, a lot of third down situation. But their
success rate on early downs was really bad espec. Running
the ball, They didn't get ahead of the chains. They
didn't have very many nice runs. And I did think
there was a stretch where Warren was starting to heat
up a little bit, and then they kind of got
away from it. You know, there was four or five
runs in a row. It's like, Okay, they're starting to
(36:32):
build on something here, and then they kind of got
away from it. But the protection is the same people,
and that was pretty pretty problematic too.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
It really was.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
It was not like him holding the ball. They weren't
quarterback sacks.
Speaker 4 (36:45):
No, they were not.
Speaker 5 (36:46):
They were not.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
That's an important thing to note.
Speaker 5 (36:49):
And he can't be getting hit like that.
Speaker 4 (36:51):
It's it's also too just the inconsistency of it from
the offensive line.
Speaker 6 (36:56):
Yeah, Roger Jones was terrible. I mean, and consistency is
not his thing.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
He is so hard to evaluate because I don't know,
maybe I'm being a little too generous. Eight out of
ten snaps are fine. Yeah, eight out of ten snaps
you don't notice them. Yeah, a good corner, but it's
just like corner. But it's not even the other two.
The other two out of ten snaps. Man, they're not
(37:24):
even c's or d's.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
Right, I mean, was there f's.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
They are zero. They're not five or six out of ten.
They're a zero out of ten. Yeah, that's the that's
the strangest part to me, because they'll be a stretch
of four, five, six, seven plays on a drive and
you'll be like looking sharp, looking good, confident, moving well,
and then that ninth play happens and it's the complaint
it must be.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
It's not just bad email. You can do terrible rap.
Speaker 6 (37:53):
Right, It's not like he's a seventh round pick that
is heavy feet and someone crossed his face is faster
than them.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
You know.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
Let me just get out athlete.
Speaker 3 (38:00):
That he doesn't have, Like like he make no mistake
about this because I know a lot of people and
I'm not saying it's unfair. I know he's getting crushed
by a lot of people, but like he's got a
highlight tape too.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
Oh yeah, it's just the low light tape.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Is outshadowing it at this point, and that can't happen.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
It can't happen. I mean again, maybe this is just
one off. Maybe the rest of the games go fine.
I mean, I don't think you consider benching them or
any of that. Point are at this point, and the
players here playing against were better than.
Speaker 5 (38:28):
People might realize that. There are a lot of up and.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Coming first round picks, and they even lyne Quinn Williams
over him and got a sack. But I mean, you
just can't have the negatives and just across the board,
I mean Rogers getting quick, the average up the target's
really low on purpose because Rogers is good at it,
but it's also because they knew they couldn't drive the
ball down the field because they weren't expecting people to
(38:52):
hold up in protection. You know, they made adjustments to
move the football accordingly. But it's true for all quarterbacks,
but especially a four one year old that isn't super mobile.
There's so many times on third and eight you're gonna
have to drive the football and you can't just throw
screens and things. He's gonna get hit at this rate.
I mean that, and Seattle might be better pass rush
team than this, and I mean that that's a really
(39:14):
impressive Jets team. I keep praising them, but that's not
the toughest defense you're gonna face. Absolutely, there's a lot
of other good ones out there, a lot of good
D line in this league.
Speaker 4 (39:23):
You might you might face a couple better defenses this month.
Speaker 5 (39:26):
Yeah, Seattle's is loaded, loaded.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
And then the one you're gonna face in Dublin that
we're going to see tonight has been pretty nasty over
the last couple of years. Yeah, yeah as well too.
That's that's where that's where I'm all line.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
The O line concerns are real on a Monday morning
after that win.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
Still run game and.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
Protection still there and it's one data point out of seventeen, yep,
But that those those concerns that that you know, we
had discussed a little bit going into the season night,
I think are certainly still there.
Speaker 4 (39:56):
Matt to get us out of here today.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
Power grid janitor tweets us oh and says, how would
you diagnose our defensive woes from yesterday? Just first game
of the season. Some untimely injuries during that game? Was
it poor execution and bad preparation? Also side note, it
was hard enough to jump out of your chair and
holler after Jalen Ramsey laying down the boom.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
That was awesome.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
Yeah, you should see Max Starks's reaction in the broadcast
booth Ie.
Speaker 5 (40:26):
That's awesome.
Speaker 6 (40:27):
So the good and that's the perfect play to exemplify
that was. There were some timely big plays late by stars.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
You know.
Speaker 6 (40:36):
I mean there absolutely was, but down to down consistency
against the run I thought.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
Was extremely, extremely poor, and.
Speaker 6 (40:45):
You can blame man this team. I don't know what
they're doing against Reid option. It wasn't the same as
not playing it well against Baltimore in the playoff game.
To me, this was bodies getting moved backwards. Cam Hayward
was the top of the list too. I mean, I
would hope that it gets a lot better for him,
he plays more, gets back in the flow of things.
(41:09):
Super proud, awesome player that will not be proud of
his tape, I'm sure.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
But he wasn't alone.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
They were getting moved a lot and a lot of
their runs were to the offenses left in those b
gaps where Cam lives.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
You know, I think the best way to sum that
up would be and I'm not going to play it here, Matt,
because we would get fined by the FCC because there
are a couple of four letter words in there.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
But Patrick Queen spared spared no punches in the post game.
Speaker 5 (41:33):
I didn't notice that, Okay, he.
Speaker 3 (41:35):
Basically said, played like bleep, Yeah it was. It was right,
it was bleeping unacceptable. And so they know that. I mean,
there's of course they know there's a lot of you know,
everybody likes to point out how much money is on
that defensive side of the ball. Those guys who make
that kind of money, they're aware of that too, and
the expectations and the pride that they take that comes
(41:55):
with earning that level of of you know, conversation.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Yeah, I mean, now it's microscope and it's got to
get better. I mean that that to me, I didn't
see that coming. Like I forget even what numbers we
were talking about, Like what if they got to one
hundred and fifty rushing yards Like.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
Ooh, I don't.
Speaker 6 (42:11):
I think they'll do better than that, you know, Or
I'd be fine if they got to one twenty one thirty.
Speaker 5 (42:16):
You know, they're gonna run the ball like crazy. Not
what happened? I had that happen, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
Matt, good stuff.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Today. It was a fun show off and running here now,
I mean the rest of the season, it's like taking
candy from a baby. I mean, just we got games
to recap games, to preview. It's gonna be a lot
of fun. We'll getting some fantasy football stuff as the
week rolls around, all kinds of stuff. But as you
mentioned a little bit earlier, hopefully we'll get some injury
news and updates. Mike Tomlin gonna Elliott, Yeah, and Elliott.
(42:47):
I think is the is the big one certainly. Uh.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
Mike Tomlin going to speak.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Uh Tuesday at noon Tomorrow at noon, So we will
obviously have plenty of discuss from that when we if
and when we do get a any injury updates there
as well, too. Big thanks to Matt Big, thanks to
our video producer TV in here hanging with us and
pushing all the buttons in the studio. I'm Wes Shuler.
Thanks everybody, take care. We'll talk to you soon. You
(43:13):
know where to find us. As always, it's on your
twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold.
It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
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