September 2, 2025 • 44 mins
The Drive gets into Week 1 NFL Power Rankings, and some Steelers over/under numbers for the season.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goals Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Our number two of the drive here on a Tuesday,
as we rock and we roll and we get ready
for week number one. Matt, really, I mean made it
seem like, wow, this is this is really it with
I mean just a little over forty eight hours from now.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, we started ling cowboys like they're playing, Like.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Any minute they're playing, Like any minute they'll be backing
their bags as be at the team hotel tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yeah, and yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
We that is great. That's awesome. Thursday night we'll have
some have some ball, which we're all looking forward to
and really really get that football feeling back.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
And I don't like you, but I always feel for
the road team in that game because they're always good
and they of high expectations, like I think it was
the Ravens last year. I didn't feel too bad for them.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yes, but still like going into a buzz saw, like
the crowds so jacked up.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Right, it's like there go one loss right off the bat.
Thanks a lot, Thanks appreciate it. We played the Super
Bowl champ in the worst environment.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Ever and there was like a few years ago, right
where it was the Lions against the Chiefs, and it
was right when everyone started to think that the Lions
would turn the corner right right, and and it was
like the Lions went out there and took the Chiefs
down to the wire. And that was maybe the rare
instance where the team that lost was like, okay, you
know what, like.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
We like you went twelve round.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
And I don't there's no such thing as moral victories
suddenly at that level. But I think if you were
a Lions fan, you were like, you know what, we
might be onto something like we might as good as
it gets. We might be we might be for real.
And yeah, I mean Philly, that crowd, that environment, uh,
that's that's gonna be a hostile one for the Cowboys,
especially without their best players, certainly their best defensive players.
(01:59):
You get back for the count, things could get ugly.
We'll sit. Hey. We talked about how with Dak with
Ceedee Lamb, with George Pickens, they're going to throw the
ball around and be able to score some points.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
But yeah, I love their passing game. Still. I had
a lot of question about the run game to begin with.
And the defense.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Now is really worries they might have to do some
Cincinnati and Cincinnati Bengals things. And yeah, that's that's the
best point I think in all of this too. What's
a new coach? I mean, what's the vibe the show? Right,
what's the what's the temperature in the locker room? Now,
after all of that, with that substantial change, we.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Go thirty two to one around here. I saw you
pulling it up. I'm like, no, no, no, that's on
how we do it around here now.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
See is and I think we've talked about this before.
Williamson your last name, Euler my last name. We're at
the back of the alphabet, so we often got stuck
at the end of lists.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Of why my mom was like I was a a brovis.
I don't want to hear.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It taking close to pretty close.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
I was in the same the last home room.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
You're in the same neighborhood. Yeah, so I like it.
Let's let's start at the let's start the back of
the alphabet here and switch things up. Number.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I think there's two teams competing for thirty.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Two, Saints and Brown's Saints and Brown. Yeah, NFL dot Com,
that's where we're going to pull this from Saints at
thirty two, Spencer Rattler, the starting quarterback wolf I went
at the.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Browns though, and part of it's two different conversations. These
aren't for when I do power ranks, and I think,
then this is how we always refer to them. It's
not what your record is or what kind of year
you necessarily think they're going to have, or are they
going to be a playoff team or they get the
first overall pick.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
That's what they are right now. Yeah, this set that's
the hardest part about the Yes.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yes, yes, So when we talk about in week twelve,
it's like, well, they're only four and seven, but they
won four in a row and they're playing really well,
and I wouldn't want to play them right now, move
them up, blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Sure. And if the Eagles are three and three like
they were last year or whatever, it was like, you
better not have them number one on your power rank.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Like I always joke like, if they
set up a series of one hundred and eleven games
in Wichita, Kansas between these two teams today, who wins?
You know? So I was gonna say that the Browns
would be thirty two for me, and they still probably well,
you know, but I think things are really set up
(04:23):
so poorly for the Browns. We talked about that.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
First six games, that's a great point.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
When you're zero and six, it's over, I mean, forget
about it. But the Saints have more quarterback problems than
the Browns at the moment. They're more concerns for opening
day today. We're not into Dylan Gabriel territory yet, which
I bet we'll get to. But I don't hate the Saints'
offense other than quarterback. I mean, they got a Love
(04:47):
and Shaheed and Kamara and they lie. Yeah, yeah, offensive
minded head coach. I don't know if the offense is
going to be the worst in the league.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Quarterback play could be towards the bottom.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Yeah, it's gonna be certainly the one your least excited about.
Probably to win today.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Our upcoming dancing partner, Matt Williamson the New York j
e Ts at number thirty. They got some dudes, though,
I figured they thirty is pretty low.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It's pretty low. It's like as low as you could get.
I mean, everyone's gonna have those other two teams in
their own you know, neighborhood. I don't talk too much
about them because we will. Let's talk about these other teams.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, some players, though they do. Twenty nine Carolina Panthers.
They're a tough one at this point. Yeah, a lot
of new look played nobody in the preseason.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
If Bryce Young is what he was down the stretch
last year, they're not gonna have a winning record, but
I don't think they'll be a They won't be in
the basement of this list either. They'll be closer to
twenty than thirty.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I still have a lot of doubts about him, but
at least we finally saw some good stuff. The other
side of the ball is the thing, though, Like they
were historically bad on defense, and I'm sure they'll be better,
but they'll be bad.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
There's only one way to go, and that's up, all right,
But how far up can you go? Twenty eight the
Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Oh, I think that's rough. It's a little low, right,
I mean, they always win.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We said they're the most average. Ye who's the best,
who's the worst? Who?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Quarterback? They're going to cite the quarterback thing heavily, which
I totally get.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
They're far from the only team on this bottom of
this list with quarterback concern right exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
I mean they can run the ball though, and they
got playmakers. I mean they got a lot of receivers.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah. No, I think that's a little Lowah, that's a
little harsh. Twenty seven the Giants.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
So I think we've talked about them a little. I
expect them to be noticeably better than a year ago.
And say one about Russ He's a better quarterback than
Jones and the veto from last year. And their best
offensive lineman missed the whole year. Their D line is nasty,
and their.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
D line is one of the better fronts in the league.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yeah, and Dart look great. Maybe he finishes the season,
and they have a quarterback who knows. I mean, that's
not what we're talking about that we're talking about today. Their
schedules so brutal. Though I don't think it's gonna I
would maybe have them higher. I just don't think the
results will be good.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
And I think the way you said it when we
did over and unders for the NFC East last week,
they could be noticeably improved and still only win four
or five games. That's just the schedule is rus there's
every game you look at, like, oh, no, Titans at
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I would have them lower than the Giants or Colts.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think so too. Yeah, I think you and I
are probably higher on cam mored than most.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah, I'm excited about it, but it's still weak one.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It's still week one, and it's gonna be a growing
pains and process.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, I'm sure he'll throw ten picks that he really
regrets and then another seven or eight that anybody would have,
you know, and that's gonna be tough to overcome, you know.
And they have one.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Receiver twenty five. Here's one that I would probably have
a few spots higher. The Las Vegas Raiders.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Now, this is also a weird week for everything, but
it's a weird week for power ranks too, because it's
we're still in the final moments of optimism optimism season,
you know, like all these teams are. But they're gonna
be better. They're gonna better, they're gonna be healthier, they're
gonna first round picks. Is gonna be great until they're
not right. I mean, their defense still needs a lot
of work. I think they're trending the right direction as
(08:10):
an organization, though.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I would agree with that.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, they're maybe the AFC version of the Giants. Yeah,
I think they're gonna be better. The division, though, is tough.
The schedule is tough. What does it really mean in
the grand scheme?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Both those teams would go oh and six in their
division and still picked to six or seven overall.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
You know, they could be you know, one in nine
and one score games at the end of the year
where it's like you're getting there, but you're still you're
still not there. Miami the Dolphins number twenty four. Okay,
I guess it all just depends on how mulile, how
much they're volatile.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
That's ryeah.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
If two is healthy, I think they're closer to league average.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I mean, he is a winning record as a head
coach there, you know. I mean they their offense has
been potent. They seem really fragile right now with what's
Tyreek up to blah blah blah. Their cornerback situation is
really bad.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
But there's some hell questions around as well.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I guess that's fair.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Twenty three. This is one of the more intriguing teams
for me this year because I could see them making
a playoff push. I could see them picking in the
top ten.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
The Jacksonville Jags, Yeah, I don't have a lot to
add to that. I think they are probably closer to
a playoff team than the first overall pick at this point.
But they are another organization you don't really trust that
they historically lose more than they win.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Twenty two The New England Patriots in the Mike Rabel era.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
I think we get ahead of ourselves on them, but
I really think they're trending the right direction. But they're
still overcoming end of Belichick era where he just destroyed.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
The four roster.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Yeah, last year's coach was really bad. I mean they
still they're like step one of the rebuild to me,
and that's people talking about them when eight games I'm
not there. No, But the kind of the Colts ahead
of them, I completely agree.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I like Drake may love them. I think Mike Rabel
does brings you a significant floor wherever he goes. But yeah,
twenty two, Yeah, some of these guys, I mean, they're
not going to bottom out and win three.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Games, right, It's not going to be a mess.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
But I think the Patriots are probably still a year
away from being a year away.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Yeah, yeah, that sounds about right.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Twenty one the Dallas Cowboys, and this is factoring in
the trade of Mike Ah Parks. They've dropped it down.
They've dropped down a few spots.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
I think that's about right. Like the offense is still
going to be good enough. You think you might have
them a little.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Bit lower, like two spots. I probably Miami ahead of them.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Like the Falcons are ahead of them.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Got to see it with Pennix. I at least I
at least think like, like Dak is a professional quarterback, Dak's.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Going to raise all boats. Yes, where we don't know
that about Pennix. I mean he had a couple of
games that are exciting. They've invested in the defense, but
I don't think it's fixed. They already have a couple
of line issues.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
They've got a running back, they've got a clear cut
wide receiver number one. Those are good things to have
for a young quarterback.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
I think the score points but we're not out of
the woods on Panics yet.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
No, certainly not. And I like them, but I think
there's still a lot of questions to be seen. There
number nineteen, The Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
I just think they're so strong on one side of
the ball, defense and the other side. We'll see. I mean,
Darnold did good things, but i'd rather Geno.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, I would too.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
They got rid of Metcalf. I'd rather him than Cooper Copt,
no doubt. But they're one of the five stay healthy. Yeah,
that's a big one. They're one of the five teams
including Pittsburgh, that I think could have the best D
in the league.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Okay, yeah, so they're never Houston.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yeah, they're two of the ones i'd consider for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Who else would you put?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Would you? I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
It was just five ish, Baltimore, Philly.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Maybe Philly was probably right there last year and looks
Yeah there's a good name.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
So now here's an interesting one, Matt. This might be
the highest they are on this list all season. The
Chicago Bears at eighteen.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
I get it, so kind of a leap of faith
on quarterback and coach. You know that neither one has
a track record that you're excited about, but you have optimism.
One's the first overall pick, and one was the coach
everyone on the plane had wanted. They do have good players.
They don't have massive holes all over the roster. Now
we're not predicting where they're going to finish, but they
could be zero to six in their division though.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
And you know, okay, for to rehash your hypothetical. This
Sunday in Wichita, Kansas, the Bears play the Colts. Who
you taken?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I think it's close. Yeah, I mean I would take
the Bears, but kaylab Williams could take a ton of
sacks and you know, turnovers, and he could hurt you
as much as he helps you.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
So there's ten spots in the power rankings between those
two teams should be that far. Maybe that's just more
of the Cults being a little lower than you and
I both think Arizona Cardinals at number seventeen and intriguing one.
I could see them, you know, making a playoff push.
I could see them picking in the top ten.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I do a podcast with Brian Peacock, who handles the
He covers the Niners, so we do our fair share
of Steeler and Niner talk in AFC North and NFC West,
and we're both in the same opinion. Those four teams
in that division, including Arizona, if you just shook them
up in a bag, and whatever way they landed, I
would believe you.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
You know, maybe you give the Niners a little bit
more benefit of the doubt than the Aby three, But
in general, I think you're right.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
If Stafford's back was I knew I could trust it
that they would be my one. But we just talked
about Seattle. Arizona's going in the right direction. But I
don't know. I mean, they should probably writ in about
the middle seventeen's cool.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
They're also if you look though, like on the short
list of teams to have their coach fired first this season.
It's like a weird that's always a weird balance to me.
If I do think the consensus that they're moving in
the right direction, but if it doesn't look that way
the first two months of the year, watch out.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
I don't know where Kyler is at this point too.
I mean, like, do I want to be married to him?
Maybe it's kind of a really important year for him.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Is he in that nine, ten, eleven, twelve quarterback range?
If he is great, yeah, But if he's not cool yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
I mean I don't think he's terrible. I know that,
but I don't think he's what you quite want.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Either Number sixteen Matt of this parish, the Pittsburg Stellars.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I'd have him higher. I'm not just saying that, but
there's we'll talk about teams. I'd have him ahead of
I think, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Well, let's do this. Then the Niners at fifteen.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I think I a problem with the Niners ahead of them.
That's a tough one. I mean, as it stands right now,
they have some injury stuff with like Ayuk and Jennings
and they're looking for guys. But they get McCaffrey back,
and they traditionally win games. Again. I know this because
I host a podcast with the Niners guy. But they're
gonna start five rookies on defense.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
I mean, I bet the defense takes a while.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Takes time to develop.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Fourteen the Los Angeles Chargers.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Out of the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Over the Chargers, I think so too.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
I mean, I'm a huge Herbert guys.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
But especially with Rashaun Slater being at that's a big one.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
The rest of the roster. To me, he's not as
good as Pitts first. Agree to the defense, Yeah, agreed.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Thirteen the Houston Texans.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
I'm fine with them. Over there.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Yeah, I think that's Listen, They I'm expecting, have won
playoff games each of the last two years and won
their division. And and I think we can all see C. J.
Stroud bouncing back and again one with the Steelers one
of the better defenses in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yeah, I say, even if the defenses are a wash,
Stroud carries a lot of weight in that conversation. And
Nico and yeah, right, they're a good team.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Number twelve, the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
That sounds about right. Yeah, I mean they won fifteen games.
I think last year.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Let's let's see, they were a game away from having
the best record in the in the NFC in that
final game of the season with Detroit and being the
number one seed.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
And one of the biggest weaknesses was into your line.
They have two new guards in a new center. I mean, like,
I know, e've a new quarterback and we'll see.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
But and Jordan Madison's out you know for this exercise. True, true,
But I'm with you. I think if JJ McCarthy can
play at a B level, they're going to be very
dangerous again.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And Darnold was really good, but he also wasn't irreplaceable.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Correct correct, They're well coached. They got a good ross.
No way, I think like that. I think that this
is a good spot for them.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Number A weird thing about them that Harrison Smith, who
they drafted like fourteen years ago, is their only starter
on defense that they've drafted. They're drafting remarkably bad, I
mean the.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Last yet they're still winning fourteen.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Games, So I think it's coaching. You look at their
players and their draft history lately, it's like there's a
lot of misses.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Interesting. Interesting. Number eleven the la Rams speaking of Matt
Stafford in his back.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Well, if he's playing this week, which I all we can.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Do for this is all we can do is assume hell, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
I mean he's in there, so they gotta be in there.
And I probably have them higher.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Heck, they gave the Eagles the best run of anybody
in the past season last year. Number ten. Now into
the top ten the Cincinnati Bengals at number That's where I.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Have a problem. I would have the Steelers had the Bengals.
If this was on Bengals Nation Radio, I was still
say that. And Burrow carries so much weight, don't get
me wrong, outstanding and the passing game might be the
best in the league, and that's the best thing to
have in in this entire league. But I don't think
the coaching is a plus. And I think the defense
is going to be bottom five again. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
That's where I'm at. Like they said they moved up
Cincinnati a few spots because the Trey Hendrickson deal. Like, Okay, okay,
they had Treandrickson last year, like the league in sacks
last year. They still lost three games where they scored
thirty five or more points.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, I think people were too excited about the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Listen. I think the offense is going to be great again.
But yeah, and their first round pick. Suremer Stewart missed
a lot of the offseason with contracts disputes and stuff
like that.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I just they need three young defenders to take a
big step. Then we could change our tun Like.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I'm not convinced that the Bengals are going to be terrible, No,
but I'm not convinced that they belong in the top
ten power rankings either, just because of how good I
think the offense is gonna.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I did playoff predictions recently, and I had them missing
the playoffs. I mean, no of them is one of
the seven teams.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
You know, Number nine in the playoffs last year year,
number two of Bo Knicks, the Denver Broncos. I'm a
big believer same here, as much as I don't like
to say it because I'm not. I think he's a
great coach. But I'm not a fan of Sean Payton.
But man, he's a great coach. And the defense is nasty,
and I think they've got enough on offense with bow
(18:28):
Knicks and Sean Payton too to be danger. I mean
they they could maybe be the team that finally knocks
Kansas City off of that ma AFC West thrown.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
I don't think that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I don't either. I'm not saying I'm betting on that,
but I think it's a realistic possibility. Number eight as
good as they've been feeling in our nation's capital for
a long time, Matthew, the Washington Commanders.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
They would be lower for me too. And again it's
it's sort of a Bengals conversation. I love the offense,
quarterbacks super enticing, really old.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
They are so old other than the.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Quarterback, and the defense to me, has no juice up front.
I mean shootout type games at least they had The
Bengals have Hendrickson, you know, the in games where everyone's
we throw and left and right. I don't know where
the pass rush comes from. I'm not there on the
on the Commanders. I had them missed the playoffs this
year too.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Yeah, yeah, interesting, we'll do that later in the week.
We'll do playoff picks and division winners and all that stuff.
Number seven, the Bay Buccaneers one of the more dangerous
offenses in the league. They're another team that's been you know,
they've been to the playoffs. They've been to the playoffs
five straight years.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Yeah, there's something to be said for that. It's not
the hardest divisional league.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, I might have them closer to nine or ten,
But I don't hate them being in the top ten.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Not one bit. No, I think they're a really, really
solid organization.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
I agree. I think they are probably one of the
most underrated. I mean again, they've been to the playoffs
now five straight seasons, and three of those have been
post Tom Brady, yeah, you know, and Bruce Ayra and
kind of into a new era here and still continuing
to win double digit games, and the Vision have figured
out they do. They do. Number six, moving up the
list with the addition of perhaps the best defensive player
(20:11):
in the National Football League. It's the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
We talked about it earlier, but I would go a
little higher. I have high expectations. But that's a little
different than what do you think of the team today,
you know, I mean there's a lot of youth the receivers.
Love is still. I'm a believer, but you can't just
count on them like Mahomes. You know what you're getting. Yeah, sure,
(20:35):
I mean these teams ahead of them are gonna have
major quarterback studs, so I'm okay with it. I think
they'll be moving up though.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yes, I think so too, especially if Michael Parsons is
healthy and starts doing Michael Parsons things. Number five staying
in the NFC. The Detroit Lions. Interesting year for.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Them, super interesting again, a lot of change, but some
of this when you just talked power ranks, you have
to be respecting from last year to some degree. You know,
what do we see the last and their defense is
way healthier.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I was gonna say as much as as much as
we do talk, they've had some attrition on that offensive line.
They lost both of their coordinators.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
It's worrisome.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
They do get Aiden Hutchinson back, though, it's a pretty
big boost the guy who very well could have been
the defensive Player of the Year last year if he
would have stayed healthy.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Ridiculous pace.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, so that they're another one of those. I think
they're going to be good and go back to the
playoffs no matter what. But will they be a Super
Bowl contender? Still still to see Number four the big
bully on the block for the most part. In the
last handful of years in the National Football League, the
Kansas City.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Chiefs Okay, defense is always.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
They They had them at third, but bump them down
one spot after Rashi Rice's six game suspension.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Yeah, I was gonna say, if you're playing the game today,
I think they're most trusted in and best chain mover
type guy.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
In those first six games. They've got the Chargers, They've
got the Eagles, they got the Ravens, they got the loss.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Oh wow, that's tough. Yeah, Yeah, that's fine.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
But the defense one of the better National Mahomes and Andy
Reid worth their weight in gold. Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm
alright with number four.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Yeah, I can go much lower though.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Number three. Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills.
Five straight division titles and you gotta think in line
to win their sixth.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yeah, I think they're the easiest pick of any to
who's going to win the division. Allen's that's utter superstar.
He's superstar. It's a joy to watch him in his prime,
which is where he's at now. He's cut down the
mistakes drastically. He doesn't take sacks anymore. I mean, it's crazy.
I don't think their roster is awesome though.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
In fact, I think of all the teams in the
top six seven eights year, it might be the worst.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah yeah, quarterback side, but.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Quarterback a side, and man, Josh Allen. Is their track
record strong, just just absolutely dynamite. Yes, certainly strong track record.
Not the best division I think Buffalo is.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
They're good.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Yes, they're gonna find themselves in the top five ish
for for pretty much the entirety of the season. I
would imagine number two the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
I would have them first, guys, I'm sorry, would you?
I mean, I know Eagles must be one obviously one
they're the super Bowl champs. They're great. Maybe the Ravens
wouldn't beat them if they were got the Super Bowl
last year. I don't know. I just think the Ravens
got noticeably better, you know, like you're adding Jari Alexander
and I mean like the draft was good for them.
(23:38):
They're hard to find. Yeah, I mean they were good already.
I forget about Here's here's why I said. Some thing
I said about them is they might be the only
team that if you told me they're the best offense
in the league when the season ends, I could believe it.
Or they're the best defense in the league and I
could believe it.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
It's a very Just as much as I like again
as much as my black and Gold soul like hates it,
I think that's a very fair thing to say. And
probably if you're picking the Ravens to win the Super Bowl,
that's a legit, good faith argument you can make. You're
not being hyperbolic and saying that.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
So, sitting your scan in my head, what defenses do
we name along with the Steelers that could be the
best in the Denver, Houston, Baltimore?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Would you put Green Bay in that conversation.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Maybe maybe now Philly still has to be in that conversation.
Philly is the only one with the Ravens that maybe
could have the best offense in the league. Two you know, sure,
So we're flitting hairs here there.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah, I don't think you could say that about the Chiefs.
I think you'd be reaching a little bit.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah, I think so too, And I don't know if
they have the best defense in the league. Eagles lost
more in the Ravens so too.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
They did. They did, And that's what happens when you
win Super Bowls, right, I mean, you lose a lot.
And the Eagles are number one on this list, and man,
they they certainly certainly lost some key players. One of
them is now here in Pittsburgh. Roman the secondary Yeah yeah, yeah,
was that Milton right? Who did he go to New England?
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Milton Williams.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Yeah, he went to New England. Huge money and a
nice piece for Vateable to start to rebuild that defense around.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
And starting guard backed in And they lost.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
That's true, they did, they did. Yeah, But I I
think with the core of that team, they've got a
you know, good they're gonna be very good. They are
still a Super Bowl favorite.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
A class organization that understands this league really really, yes,
the modern day NFL.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And I think they gotta be kind of as you mentioned,
I think the Commanders are still going to be a threat.
They're still gonna be good, but they feel poised to
take it. Like you and I talked about last week,
they took five steps forward last year. Maybe they take
two steps back this year. Right, So that's that's still
be a winning record like all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
But way better than used to be under Daniel Sneider.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Exactly right, But but maybe not the threat that a
lot of people are just assuming they're going to be.
The Cowboys clearly took a step back in the last week.
I don't care what you say. There's no other way
to shake that. The Giants, as you and I think,
both are going to be better, but they're certainly they're
not even I don't think anyone's thinking they're going to
go close to five hundred.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Uh man.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
The Eagles, they think they're in a great spot once again.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Absolutely. You know we mentioned I think the Bills are
the easiest team to pick to win their division. You
made a pretty strong case. So the Eagles nipping at
their heels or an easy second.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
That's a good I mean, and a couple of weeks ago,
we would not have said that.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
I don't think no, no, no, it looks better now.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
But yeah, So there you go, Eagles at the top,
the defending Super Bowl champions, and the hated Baltimore Ravens
right on there they are.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I hate saying it, but it's the truth.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
I talked bad about the Bengals, I didn't talk bad
about the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And that's why we love you, Matt. That's the that's
the honesty that the loyal Drive listeners have come to
expect here over the years. That was a very long segment.
We got to get to a break two to go
as we roll along here playing to get two on
this Tuesday, West Ruler and Matt Williamson, It's the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Matt continuing our kind of one of our I guess
leading up to the season daily benchmarks we've had here
on the show, maybe going through overs, overs and unders
for the different divisions across the NFL. Wind totals, yeah
or sorry, yes, over under wind totals.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Yes, division by division, we can go.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Division by division, And with a lot of the Packers conversation,
I thought maybe it would be fun. And we still
haven't done the NFC North today, and let's start with
green Bay because both green Bay and Detroit now at
ten and a half.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Yeah, yeah, Detroit still like as anybody.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Which is I think eleven and a half is the highest,
right like Eagles, Chiefs, Bills. Yes, they're at eleven there
at eleven and a half in the Eagles, I think
in the Eagles three or four teams, but then ten
and a half the next best. And the Packers moved
from nine and a half to ten and a half
with the with the Parsons acquisition. They though, are still
just slight in terms of the betting odds, the Lions
(28:25):
very slight favorites over the Packers to win the division.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
So you make a little bit more you would.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Make a little if you pick the Packers. If you
put twenty bucks on the Packers to win the division,
you'll get a few bucks more than you would the Lions.
But it's close.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
Yeah, yeah, so totally understand.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Totally, absolutely So let's start with the reigning division champions,
the team that had the number one seed in the
NFC last year, the Detroit Lions over under ten and
a half.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
Tough division. I think this is the toughest division. Yeah,
I don't think anyone's going six and zero, agreed. I
think if you're four and two, you're probably pretty happy
if you're the Hackers, Vikings or Lions. Absolutely, and I
think Detroit probably gets to that point. I'm a Dan
Campbell fan, but I think we're gonna learn a lot
(29:11):
about him. Like people put him like as a top
five coach, and I kind of look at it like, well,
what hardships have you had to deal with so far?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
You know, like, man, that's a good point.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
You took junk and you made them good. You made
him good. You made him good. Now there's expectations and
people are taking your coordinators and you know, you have
to pay players more and picking late in the draft.
You don't have early draft picks to add every year? Now,
are you still good? And I just don't know. I'm
not saying he is or not. I think I'm leaning
(29:44):
towards the under here.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
I think I am too.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Yeah, it's a tough schedule.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
I see them. I see them going ten and seven,
I think, more than eleven or twelve wins.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
And being dangerous in the postseason, no doubt, Like.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
No one would want that. No one want each right
roll into town week week, you know, wild card weekend.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Absolutely absolutely they still could win it all and all
that good stuff. But he I just have some concerns,
and I think the division's brutal, the schedule's tough. I'm
gonna lean under, but it's a good line.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I'm gonna lean under as well too. But I do
think that's a perfect one. Packers at ten and a half,
I think I know where you're going here, John going over.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
I'm gonna pick them to win the division. So I
think one of these teams at least ends up with
eleven or more wins.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I they have, I mean they almost have to. It's tough.
As as tough as the division is. He almost, I
mean somebody has to. You know, someone's gonna get hot,
and someone's gonna go five and one in the division
and you know, end up end up winning eleven or
twelve games. I think I'd put that chip now on
the Packers more than I would the Lions.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
And I'm al floor fan. I think it's a really
stable organization. Like even when Love got hurt last year,
they put in Willis and ran the ball like every play.
But they think they won two out of three games.
You know, they figured out a way when things went bad.
Now you add an elite player. I don't think they
sweep a division or anything, but they probably have a
(31:08):
winning record in the division. That would go a long way,
you know.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
I think Jordan Love was just dealing with injuries all
of last year too, and if he's even remotely healthier,
if that'll mean a lot for green Bay. Interesting one.
Minnesota and Chicago both at eight and a half wins,
so okay, a pretty big uptick for Chicago, a significant
you know, down tick, I.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Don't for them the same. I don't either, right, I mean,
I would the difference wins last year.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
I would easily go over from Minnesota too, and I
think I might easily go under for chicag I don't
see Chicago win in nine games a winning record.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
No, They're almost like the Patriot conversation we keep having.
It's like people are getting a little too excited about
these teams going from five wins to twelve, you know,
like that doesn't happen very often, no, you.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Know, And that's why there was much to do about
the Commanders doing it last year, because it's weird. It's
it's you can go from four or five wins to
nine or ten, that's great, but not from four or
five wins to you know, pushing for a division title
that so infrequently.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Happens, especially in this division. I kind of alluded to
it a minute ago. I don't think the Bears will
have a winning record in this division and could have
zero wins in the division. They could go zher and six.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
They absolutely could.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I mean, I like their roster, but it's a lot
of new pieces. They don't have exactly this great winning
tradition of late either. Minnesota, on the other hand, I
think they're noticeably better than they were last year. I'm
not saying they're gonna win sixteen games this year, with
the exception of maybe quarterback, and that's a maybe. It's
not like, well, they're definitely worth a quarterback. Yeah, so
(32:42):
they'll be in it.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
They were fourteen and three last year, I think.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Or fifteen to two, fourteen or fifteen wins.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I have a hard time envisioning them going from that
to eight, right. I think they could go to nine
or ten, certainly, but eight significant drop.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
That's the thing. That number seems really low low better
on both lines of scrimmage. They spend a lot of
money on big people.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Everybody, get on, get on that number before it rises.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that one's one of my favorites. And
the Bears might be one of my favorites too, I'm.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Under I think so. I like those I like those
NFC North futures. I certainly do.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
I probably would stay away from Lions and Packers at
those prices. You know, I could make a case for
either one of them be eleven twelve, you know where
those other ones.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Where Bears and Bikings. I mean, those are two of
my favorites that I think we've discussed me throughout this
this whole process. I'm gonna have to pull up when
we go to break here, I'm gonna have to.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Pull up my AMP and get check out the odds,
put my.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Money where my math is. You don't do much of
that at all, do you?
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Like?
Speaker 2 (33:38):
You're mostly fantasy football, you don't do much of the
other type of gambling or.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Do I haven't yet, but I often do three or
four of these wind totals. I like the best, and
I've never lost. It doesn't mean I don't hit every bet,
but I mean I make more than I've lost on
those every year. I have some listeners that have actually,
when we go through all thirty two have charted him
and I almost always have a winning record, right, Yeah,
(34:05):
and every week I'll put a couple there's a game
or two. Yeah, I didn't know that about you.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Yeah, yeah, maybe just because you don't wear it on
your sleeve, like our buddy Mike Pursuda, who we'll.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Pick games on Fridays.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I'm sure the first thing Pursuita says when he sees you.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Right, I mean, I don't bet likes the Cleveland Guardians.
I didn't make any preseason bets. Like everybody we.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Walk into Sharkis for preseason games, and pursuit is like
the Chargers money, but.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Some of his logic smart. Yeah right, he's like, but
I love the guy. Yeah, there's I guess there's mighty
to be made in the preseason. I didn't give them
much thought.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
There's always money to be made, but there's also with
that money to be lost, Matt. I've got a couple
of Steelers I want to we'll kind of bob and
weave with some of these throughout the week's bringing Steelers
specific over unders, not not team win numbers, but player
individual player props that I want to have some fun
and run by it to end the show. We'll do that.
On the other side, it is the Drive here rolling
(35:06):
into September. West Shuler and Matt Williamson on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Down the home stretch here on a Tuesday. As Man
Matt it, it is exciting. We are just about forty
eight hours away from the ball going in the air.
As you mentioned, a lot of fun college football action
over the last few days. It's all happening. It's fall.
It feels like fall outside too. The mornings now, especially
nice and crisp out there. Did you go to WU
(36:04):
I sure did on Saturday. Had had a lovely time
and nice comfortable win over Robert Morris. But that first
game of the year is kind of always the you know, no,
we don't have any Steelers responsibilities on Sunday, and it's
you know, you're easy to get to. You're always playing
towsand or Robert Morris or somebody. So I don't mind
taking my daughters, you know, my three, Yeah, my three
(36:24):
year old and my two year old. And so we
had a we had a We had a really nice time.
And it was seventy four degrees, you know, couldn't couldn't
beat the weather. So yeah, a lot of fun and
certainly excited to get the NFL role in this weekend
before the Steelers take the field at MetLife Stadium Sunday
at one o'clock. Of course, Matt, I've got some different
I've been compiling these for the last week or two
(36:47):
Steelers player props if you were, for the season, So
individual players and what they might do over the course
of these seventeen games. Let's start with this one. I
know you've been answering a lot of questions and talking
a lot about fantasy football value for John new Smith
and Pat Fryarmouth. Now that they're on the same team,
will John u Smith and Pat Fryarmuth combine for ten
(37:08):
or more touchdowns in the regular season combined? Ten plus?
So it has to be at least ten or more
in the regular season combined touchdown passes.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Wow, I'm going to lean towards no. And part of
it is I think DK is going to get a
lot of end zone action. If you said the tight
end room get there, I would have said Darnelle.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Might chip in with two or three, which wouldn't surprise.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Yeah, and I think that's the big kicker to me. Yeah,
I think he's gonna get thrown the ball in the
end zone now. Friar Mouth I think was their second
highest targeted in the end zone player behind Pickens last year.
And I hope this changes. But how about this craziness?
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Uh oh?
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Since twenty twenty two, that's fifty one regular season games
for the Steelers, they have just forty six touchdown throws
in fifty one fifty one games. Cool, that's the lowest
the NFL.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
That's like, that's like Iowa football by defense far.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
I mean, under one a game is pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
That is pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
But in Rodgers' last fifty one games, he's thrown ninety one.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
That would be a little bit different. So double.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
But I did say the same thing, well not to
that extreme, but we said the same thing last year.
I had a running joke about Russell Wilson's like, maybe
they'll even throw touchdown passes this year, but they still
haven't thrown a lot of for a while, you know,
so unders on TV receptions are probably going to be
until yes, until further notice.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
All right, well let's go here. Then as you transition
and lead me there Aaron Rodgers over under twenty seven
and a half touchdown passes thrown.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
I was saying the number be like twenty five. Now
I think you got I've mentioned this in many airwaves.
You talk about betting, like if you took every prop
that's available in Vegas and bet all the unders, but
one dollar on every under, you would make money.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Everyone in terms of player props.
Speaker 3 (39:14):
Preseason or you know, season long player props, because everyone
that gets hurt you win, and then you probably go
fifty to fifty on the other That's a good point,
you know. So I'm gonna go without saying obviously, if
he gets hurt.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
You're going to in these type of hypothetical conversation.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
One player, you know, right, and it's not like he's
coming in with a pre existing injury, and folks, I
know he's up in age, but he did play seventeen
games last year coming off a major injury, so I
about more worried about his durability than I am most quarterbacks,
to be very and he protects himself very, very well.
It's a good number, though. We also mentioned who is
(39:53):
their goal line back, So on fourth and one, might
they throw more than they would have in the past
when they just handed then? Know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Great point, I might go over on that.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
It's pretty bad. I thought number be like twenty five though,
so I'm so.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
If you can get if you can get it any lower,
if you get that number any lower than twenty seven
and a half, you're definitely going over.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, where are you at on it?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
I think I'll go over because I think they're gonna
have to. Like I think it's going to take some
time for the run game. It's gonna take some time
for him and DK and all the wide receivers and
the titles too. But I think you'll give Aaron Rodgers
a little bit more benefit of the doubt than some
of the unknown with the run game. I think they're
slightly slightly over twenty eight or twenty nine. I don't
know if he hits thirty, but I think he can
(40:37):
hit twenty eight or twenty nine.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
I think that's fair. Now, he's still a really good
deep passer, and you know that they're going to throw
deep ball, so I think that they'll have touchdowns from
distance too. They'll probably have two or three forty plus
yard touchdowns, especially with Metcalf. And though totally you know,
and I also think they can score short passing touchdowns
because they got a lot of size.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Yes, completely agree. Uh, let's kind of stick with that.
A couple of DK ones for you here. DK Metcalf
over under one thousand receiving yards in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (41:07):
He's been over nine hundred every year of his career,
and he missed significant time last year. I think it
was three games. I'm over on a thousand.
Speaker 2 (41:15):
I think I'm over on this too.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
Yeah, especially because his average target's gonna be high, and
that's like I don't know if his receptions will be
If I'd take the over.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
That's like an eve that's like an kind of even
two for one type bet on on apps right now, Okay,
you know, like you're not you're not losing if you
put ten if you put ten bucks on him to
do it, you double your money. So like those odds
are right at about equal. Yeah, I think that's a
good over to take.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
I think that's a good over to take because he'll
I think he'll have three or four really long completions
which will help. It was a long way for the yardage.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Yes, completely agree. Uh dk metcalf over under eight and
a half receiving touchdowns this season.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
I'm gonna go under, right. Yeah, there's a lot of
mouse to feeds back to the tight tight end conversation.
It could be a lot. But and we did see
them run a lot of like quick slants in uh
seven shots things like that too. I mean I think
that it's part of the plan. But that's not an
(42:17):
easy just slam dunk to me.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
All right, we got about two minutes left here defensive side,
real quick for you. Jalen Ramsey over under three defensive
interceptions in the regular season. One of those I wish
was like two and a half. Yeah, three and a half.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
Say three, I would take three right now as opposed
to go fish, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (42:39):
I think that's the if it's a roulette table, that's
the number I'm putting my You know, yeah, yeah, yeah,
my ever.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
Leave the field, which is big in this equation.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Last one, Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay combined over under
five interceptions in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
I'm still under. I mean, teams target the middle of
the field against the Steelers more than nineteen the league
go last three years. That doesn't mean that they don't
throw outside, but it's harder with the pass rush. It's
just one of those get the ball out. And I
don't think that they're gonna be like, we can't throw
at Ramsey, we can't throw its leg because Porter's out
there too, Like you're gonna have to throw it someone.
(43:18):
So they're gonna get targets. It's certainly possible. But interception
numbers I'm almost always gonna go under. You know, you
need a little bit of luck too, and you know.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Yeah absolutely, and hey, they were second most turnovers forced
in the league last year. But yeah, that's those are
still some.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
They're not always sticky numbers either, right, you know, right.
I like their chance to be in the top half
of the league. I don't know if they'll be in
the top five again.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
You know, hey, if they are and they get that
sack number, up. I think they'll be in a great position.
Matt fun show today, good stuff. We'll dive deep more
into the Jets tomorrow and then continue some of these
over unders and all kinds and all different kinds of
conversation as we roll along and get ready for Week
one in the NFL. But that will do it for today.
(44:00):
Thanks to Matt for his expertise asladays, I'll be back
with you tomorrow and the rest of the week, every
single day leading up through Friday to get ready for
the weekend. For Matt Williams and I'm Westheuler. As always,
you know where to find us. It's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goals Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Our number two of the drive here on a Tuesday,
as we rock and we roll and we get ready
for week number one. Matt, really, I mean made it
seem like, wow, this is this is really it with
I mean just a little over forty eight hours from now.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, we started ling cowboys like they're playing, Like.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Any minute they're playing, Like any minute they'll be backing
their bags as be at the team hotel tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yeah, and yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
We that is great. That's awesome. Thursday night we'll have
some have some ball, which we're all looking forward to
and really really get that football feeling back.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
And I don't like you, but I always feel for
the road team in that game because they're always good
and they of high expectations, like I think it was
the Ravens last year. I didn't feel too bad for them.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yes, but still like going into a buzz saw, like
the crowds so jacked up.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Right, it's like there go one loss right off the bat.
Thanks a lot, Thanks appreciate it. We played the Super
Bowl champ in the worst environment.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Ever and there was like a few years ago, right
where it was the Lions against the Chiefs, and it
was right when everyone started to think that the Lions
would turn the corner right right, and and it was
like the Lions went out there and took the Chiefs
down to the wire. And that was maybe the rare
instance where the team that lost was like, okay, you
know what, like.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
We like you went twelve round.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
And I don't there's no such thing as moral victories
suddenly at that level. But I think if you were
a Lions fan, you were like, you know what, we
might be onto something like we might as good as
it gets. We might be we might be for real.
And yeah, I mean Philly, that crowd, that environment, uh,
that's that's gonna be a hostile one for the Cowboys,
especially without their best players, certainly their best defensive players.
(01:59):
You get back for the count, things could get ugly.
We'll sit. Hey. We talked about how with Dak with
Ceedee Lamb, with George Pickens, they're going to throw the
ball around and be able to score some points.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
But yeah, I love their passing game. Still. I had
a lot of question about the run game to begin with.
And the defense.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Now is really worries they might have to do some
Cincinnati and Cincinnati Bengals things. And yeah, that's that's the
best point I think in all of this too. What's
a new coach? I mean, what's the vibe the show? Right,
what's the what's the temperature in the locker room? Now,
after all of that, with that substantial change, we.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Go thirty two to one around here. I saw you
pulling it up. I'm like, no, no, no, that's on
how we do it around here now.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
See is and I think we've talked about this before.
Williamson your last name, Euler my last name. We're at
the back of the alphabet, so we often got stuck
at the end of lists.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Of why my mom was like I was a a brovis.
I don't want to hear.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It taking close to pretty close.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
I was in the same the last home room.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
You're in the same neighborhood. Yeah, so I like it.
Let's let's start at the let's start the back of
the alphabet here and switch things up. Number.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I think there's two teams competing for thirty.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Two, Saints and Brown's Saints and Brown. Yeah, NFL dot Com,
that's where we're going to pull this from Saints at
thirty two, Spencer Rattler, the starting quarterback wolf I went
at the.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Browns though, and part of it's two different conversations. These
aren't for when I do power ranks, and I think,
then this is how we always refer to them. It's
not what your record is or what kind of year
you necessarily think they're going to have, or are they
going to be a playoff team or they get the
first overall pick.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
That's what they are right now. Yeah, this set that's
the hardest part about the Yes.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yes, yes, So when we talk about in week twelve,
it's like, well, they're only four and seven, but they
won four in a row and they're playing really well,
and I wouldn't want to play them right now, move
them up, blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Sure. And if the Eagles are three and three like
they were last year or whatever, it was like, you
better not have them number one on your power rank.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Like I always joke like, if they
set up a series of one hundred and eleven games
in Wichita, Kansas between these two teams today, who wins?
You know? So I was gonna say that the Browns
would be thirty two for me, and they still probably well,
you know, but I think things are really set up
(04:23):
so poorly for the Browns. We talked about that.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
First six games, that's a great point.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
When you're zero and six, it's over, I mean, forget
about it. But the Saints have more quarterback problems than
the Browns at the moment. They're more concerns for opening
day today. We're not into Dylan Gabriel territory yet, which
I bet we'll get to. But I don't hate the Saints'
offense other than quarterback. I mean, they got a Love
(04:47):
and Shaheed and Kamara and they lie. Yeah, yeah, offensive
minded head coach. I don't know if the offense is
going to be the worst in the league.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Quarterback play could be towards the bottom.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Yeah, it's gonna be certainly the one your least excited about.
Probably to win today.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Our upcoming dancing partner, Matt Williamson the New York j
e Ts at number thirty. They got some dudes, though,
I figured they thirty is pretty low.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It's pretty low. It's like as low as you could get.
I mean, everyone's gonna have those other two teams in
their own you know, neighborhood. I don't talk too much
about them because we will. Let's talk about these other teams.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, some players, though they do. Twenty nine Carolina Panthers.
They're a tough one at this point. Yeah, a lot
of new look played nobody in the preseason.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
If Bryce Young is what he was down the stretch
last year, they're not gonna have a winning record, but
I don't think they'll be a They won't be in
the basement of this list either. They'll be closer to
twenty than thirty.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I still have a lot of doubts about him, but
at least we finally saw some good stuff. The other
side of the ball is the thing, though, Like they
were historically bad on defense, and I'm sure they'll be better,
but they'll be bad.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
There's only one way to go, and that's up, all right,
But how far up can you go? Twenty eight the
Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Oh, I think that's rough. It's a little low, right,
I mean, they always win.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We said they're the most average. Ye who's the best,
who's the worst? Who?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Quarterback? They're going to cite the quarterback thing heavily, which
I totally get.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
They're far from the only team on this bottom of
this list with quarterback concern right exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
I mean they can run the ball though, and they
got playmakers. I mean they got a lot of receivers.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah. No, I think that's a little Lowah, that's a
little harsh. Twenty seven the Giants.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
So I think we've talked about them a little. I
expect them to be noticeably better than a year ago.
And say one about Russ He's a better quarterback than
Jones and the veto from last year. And their best
offensive lineman missed the whole year. Their D line is nasty,
and their.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
D line is one of the better fronts in the league.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yeah, and Dart look great. Maybe he finishes the season,
and they have a quarterback who knows. I mean, that's
not what we're talking about that we're talking about today. Their
schedules so brutal. Though I don't think it's gonna I
would maybe have them higher. I just don't think the
results will be good.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
And I think the way you said it when we
did over and unders for the NFC East last week,
they could be noticeably improved and still only win four
or five games. That's just the schedule is rus there's
every game you look at, like, oh, no, Titans at
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I would have them lower than the Giants or Colts.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think so too. Yeah, I think you and I
are probably higher on cam mored than most.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah, I'm excited about it, but it's still weak one.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It's still week one, and it's gonna be a growing
pains and process.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, I'm sure he'll throw ten picks that he really
regrets and then another seven or eight that anybody would have,
you know, and that's gonna be tough to overcome, you know.
And they have one.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Receiver twenty five. Here's one that I would probably have
a few spots higher. The Las Vegas Raiders.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Now, this is also a weird week for everything, but
it's a weird week for power ranks too, because it's
we're still in the final moments of optimism optimism season,
you know, like all these teams are. But they're gonna
be better. They're gonna better, they're gonna be healthier, they're
gonna first round picks. Is gonna be great until they're
not right. I mean, their defense still needs a lot
of work. I think they're trending the right direction as
(08:10):
an organization, though.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I would agree with that.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, they're maybe the AFC version of the Giants. Yeah,
I think they're gonna be better. The division, though, is tough.
The schedule is tough. What does it really mean in
the grand scheme?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Both those teams would go oh and six in their
division and still picked to six or seven overall.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
You know, they could be you know, one in nine
and one score games at the end of the year
where it's like you're getting there, but you're still you're
still not there. Miami the Dolphins number twenty four. Okay,
I guess it all just depends on how mulile, how
much they're volatile.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
That's ryeah.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
If two is healthy, I think they're closer to league average.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I mean, he is a winning record as a head
coach there, you know. I mean they their offense has
been potent. They seem really fragile right now with what's
Tyreek up to blah blah blah. Their cornerback situation is
really bad.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
But there's some hell questions around as well.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I guess that's fair.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Twenty three. This is one of the more intriguing teams
for me this year because I could see them making
a playoff push. I could see them picking in the
top ten.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
The Jacksonville Jags, Yeah, I don't have a lot to
add to that. I think they are probably closer to
a playoff team than the first overall pick at this point.
But they are another organization you don't really trust that
they historically lose more than they win.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Twenty two The New England Patriots in the Mike Rabel era.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
I think we get ahead of ourselves on them, but
I really think they're trending the right direction. But they're
still overcoming end of Belichick era where he just destroyed.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
The four roster.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Yeah, last year's coach was really bad. I mean they
still they're like step one of the rebuild to me,
and that's people talking about them when eight games I'm
not there. No, But the kind of the Colts ahead
of them, I completely agree.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I like Drake may love them. I think Mike Rabel
does brings you a significant floor wherever he goes. But yeah,
twenty two, Yeah, some of these guys, I mean, they're
not going to bottom out and win three.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Games, right, It's not going to be a mess.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
But I think the Patriots are probably still a year
away from being a year away.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Yeah, yeah, that sounds about right.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Twenty one the Dallas Cowboys, and this is factoring in
the trade of Mike Ah Parks. They've dropped it down.
They've dropped down a few spots.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
I think that's about right. Like the offense is still
going to be good enough. You think you might have
them a little.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Bit lower, like two spots. I probably Miami ahead of them.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Like the Falcons are ahead of them.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Got to see it with Pennix. I at least I
at least think like, like Dak is a professional quarterback, Dak's.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Going to raise all boats. Yes, where we don't know
that about Pennix. I mean he had a couple of
games that are exciting. They've invested in the defense, but
I don't think it's fixed. They already have a couple
of line issues.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
They've got a running back, they've got a clear cut
wide receiver number one. Those are good things to have
for a young quarterback.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
I think the score points but we're not out of
the woods on Panics yet.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
No, certainly not. And I like them, but I think
there's still a lot of questions to be seen. There
number nineteen, The Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
I just think they're so strong on one side of
the ball, defense and the other side. We'll see. I mean,
Darnold did good things, but i'd rather Geno.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, I would too.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
They got rid of Metcalf. I'd rather him than Cooper Copt,
no doubt. But they're one of the five stay healthy. Yeah,
that's a big one. They're one of the five teams
including Pittsburgh, that I think could have the best D
in the league.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Okay, yeah, so they're never Houston.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yeah, they're two of the ones i'd consider for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Who else would you put?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Would you? I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
It was just five ish, Baltimore, Philly.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Maybe Philly was probably right there last year and looks
Yeah there's a good name.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
So now here's an interesting one, Matt. This might be
the highest they are on this list all season. The
Chicago Bears at eighteen.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
I get it, so kind of a leap of faith
on quarterback and coach. You know that neither one has
a track record that you're excited about, but you have optimism.
One's the first overall pick, and one was the coach
everyone on the plane had wanted. They do have good players.
They don't have massive holes all over the roster. Now
we're not predicting where they're going to finish, but they
could be zero to six in their division though.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
And you know, okay, for to rehash your hypothetical. This
Sunday in Wichita, Kansas, the Bears play the Colts. Who
you taken?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I think it's close. Yeah, I mean I would take
the Bears, but kaylab Williams could take a ton of
sacks and you know, turnovers, and he could hurt you
as much as he helps you.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
So there's ten spots in the power rankings between those
two teams should be that far. Maybe that's just more
of the Cults being a little lower than you and
I both think Arizona Cardinals at number seventeen and intriguing one.
I could see them, you know, making a playoff push.
I could see them picking in the top ten.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I do a podcast with Brian Peacock, who handles the
He covers the Niners, so we do our fair share
of Steeler and Niner talk in AFC North and NFC West,
and we're both in the same opinion. Those four teams
in that division, including Arizona, if you just shook them
up in a bag, and whatever way they landed, I
would believe you.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
You know, maybe you give the Niners a little bit
more benefit of the doubt than the Aby three, But
in general, I think you're right.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
If Stafford's back was I knew I could trust it
that they would be my one. But we just talked
about Seattle. Arizona's going in the right direction. But I
don't know. I mean, they should probably writ in about
the middle seventeen's cool.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
They're also if you look though, like on the short
list of teams to have their coach fired first this season.
It's like a weird that's always a weird balance to me.
If I do think the consensus that they're moving in
the right direction, but if it doesn't look that way
the first two months of the year, watch out.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
I don't know where Kyler is at this point too.
I mean, like, do I want to be married to him?
Maybe it's kind of a really important year for him.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Is he in that nine, ten, eleven, twelve quarterback range?
If he is great, yeah, But if he's not cool yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
I mean I don't think he's terrible. I know that,
but I don't think he's what you quite want.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Either Number sixteen Matt of this parish, the Pittsburg Stellars.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I'd have him higher. I'm not just saying that, but
there's we'll talk about teams. I'd have him ahead of
I think, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Well, let's do this. Then the Niners at fifteen.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I think I a problem with the Niners ahead of them.
That's a tough one. I mean, as it stands right now,
they have some injury stuff with like Ayuk and Jennings
and they're looking for guys. But they get McCaffrey back,
and they traditionally win games. Again. I know this because
I host a podcast with the Niners guy. But they're
gonna start five rookies on defense.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
I mean, I bet the defense takes a while.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Takes time to develop.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Fourteen the Los Angeles Chargers.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Out of the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Over the Chargers, I think so too.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
I mean, I'm a huge Herbert guys.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
But especially with Rashaun Slater being at that's a big one.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
The rest of the roster. To me, he's not as
good as Pitts first. Agree to the defense, Yeah, agreed.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Thirteen the Houston Texans.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
I'm fine with them. Over there.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Yeah, I think that's Listen, They I'm expecting, have won
playoff games each of the last two years and won
their division. And and I think we can all see C. J.
Stroud bouncing back and again one with the Steelers one
of the better defenses in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yeah, I say, even if the defenses are a wash,
Stroud carries a lot of weight in that conversation. And
Nico and yeah, right, they're a good team.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Number twelve, the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
That sounds about right. Yeah, I mean they won fifteen games.
I think last year.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Let's let's see, they were a game away from having
the best record in the in the NFC in that
final game of the season with Detroit and being the
number one seed.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
And one of the biggest weaknesses was into your line.
They have two new guards in a new center. I mean, like,
I know, e've a new quarterback and we'll see.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
But and Jordan Madison's out you know for this exercise. True, true,
But I'm with you. I think if JJ McCarthy can
play at a B level, they're going to be very
dangerous again.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And Darnold was really good, but he also wasn't irreplaceable.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Correct correct, They're well coached. They got a good ross.
No way, I think like that. I think that this
is a good spot for them.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Number A weird thing about them that Harrison Smith, who
they drafted like fourteen years ago, is their only starter
on defense that they've drafted. They're drafting remarkably bad, I
mean the.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Last yet they're still winning fourteen.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Games, So I think it's coaching. You look at their
players and their draft history lately, it's like there's a
lot of misses.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Interesting. Interesting. Number eleven the la Rams speaking of Matt
Stafford in his back.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Well, if he's playing this week, which I all we can.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Do for this is all we can do is assume hell, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
I mean he's in there, so they gotta be in there.
And I probably have them higher.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Heck, they gave the Eagles the best run of anybody
in the past season last year. Number ten. Now into
the top ten the Cincinnati Bengals at number That's where I.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Have a problem. I would have the Steelers had the Bengals.
If this was on Bengals Nation Radio, I was still
say that. And Burrow carries so much weight, don't get
me wrong, outstanding and the passing game might be the
best in the league, and that's the best thing to
have in in this entire league. But I don't think
the coaching is a plus. And I think the defense
is going to be bottom five again. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
That's where I'm at. Like they said they moved up
Cincinnati a few spots because the Trey Hendrickson deal. Like, Okay, okay,
they had Treandrickson last year, like the league in sacks
last year. They still lost three games where they scored
thirty five or more points.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, I think people were too excited about the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Listen. I think the offense is going to be great again.
But yeah, and their first round pick. Suremer Stewart missed
a lot of the offseason with contracts disputes and stuff
like that.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I just they need three young defenders to take a
big step. Then we could change our tun Like.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I'm not convinced that the Bengals are going to be terrible, No,
but I'm not convinced that they belong in the top
ten power rankings either, just because of how good I
think the offense is gonna.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I did playoff predictions recently, and I had them missing
the playoffs. I mean, no of them is one of
the seven teams.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
You know, Number nine in the playoffs last year year,
number two of Bo Knicks, the Denver Broncos. I'm a
big believer same here, as much as I don't like
to say it because I'm not. I think he's a
great coach. But I'm not a fan of Sean Payton.
But man, he's a great coach. And the defense is nasty,
and I think they've got enough on offense with bow
(18:28):
Knicks and Sean Payton too to be danger. I mean
they they could maybe be the team that finally knocks
Kansas City off of that ma AFC West thrown.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
I don't think that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I don't either. I'm not saying I'm betting on that,
but I think it's a realistic possibility. Number eight as
good as they've been feeling in our nation's capital for
a long time, Matthew, the Washington Commanders.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
They would be lower for me too. And again it's
it's sort of a Bengals conversation. I love the offense,
quarterbacks super enticing, really old.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
They are so old other than the.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Quarterback, and the defense to me, has no juice up front.
I mean shootout type games at least they had The
Bengals have Hendrickson, you know, the in games where everyone's
we throw and left and right. I don't know where
the pass rush comes from. I'm not there on the
on the Commanders. I had them missed the playoffs this
year too.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Yeah, yeah, interesting, we'll do that later in the week.
We'll do playoff picks and division winners and all that stuff.
Number seven, the Bay Buccaneers one of the more dangerous
offenses in the league. They're another team that's been you know,
they've been to the playoffs. They've been to the playoffs
five straight years.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Yeah, there's something to be said for that. It's not
the hardest divisional league.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, I might have them closer to nine or ten,
But I don't hate them being in the top ten.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Not one bit. No, I think they're a really, really
solid organization.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
I agree. I think they are probably one of the
most underrated. I mean again, they've been to the playoffs
now five straight seasons, and three of those have been
post Tom Brady, yeah, you know, and Bruce Ayra and
kind of into a new era here and still continuing
to win double digit games, and the Vision have figured
out they do. They do. Number six, moving up the
list with the addition of perhaps the best defensive player
(20:11):
in the National Football League. It's the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
We talked about it earlier, but I would go a
little higher. I have high expectations. But that's a little
different than what do you think of the team today,
you know, I mean there's a lot of youth the receivers.
Love is still. I'm a believer, but you can't just
count on them like Mahomes. You know what you're getting. Yeah, sure,
(20:35):
I mean these teams ahead of them are gonna have
major quarterback studs, so I'm okay with it. I think
they'll be moving up though.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yes, I think so too, especially if Michael Parsons is
healthy and starts doing Michael Parsons things. Number five staying
in the NFC. The Detroit Lions. Interesting year for.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Them, super interesting again, a lot of change, but some
of this when you just talked power ranks, you have
to be respecting from last year to some degree. You know,
what do we see the last and their defense is
way healthier.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I was gonna say as much as as much as
we do talk, they've had some attrition on that offensive line.
They lost both of their coordinators.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
It's worrisome.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
They do get Aiden Hutchinson back, though, it's a pretty
big boost the guy who very well could have been
the defensive Player of the Year last year if he
would have stayed healthy.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Ridiculous pace.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, so that they're another one of those. I think
they're going to be good and go back to the
playoffs no matter what. But will they be a Super
Bowl contender? Still still to see Number four the big
bully on the block for the most part. In the
last handful of years in the National Football League, the
Kansas City.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Chiefs Okay, defense is always.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
They They had them at third, but bump them down
one spot after Rashi Rice's six game suspension.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Yeah, I was gonna say, if you're playing the game today,
I think they're most trusted in and best chain mover
type guy.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
In those first six games. They've got the Chargers, They've
got the Eagles, they got the Ravens, they got the loss.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Oh wow, that's tough. Yeah, Yeah, that's fine.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
But the defense one of the better National Mahomes and Andy
Reid worth their weight in gold. Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm
alright with number four.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Yeah, I can go much lower though.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Number three. Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills.
Five straight division titles and you gotta think in line
to win their sixth.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yeah, I think they're the easiest pick of any to
who's going to win the division. Allen's that's utter superstar.
He's superstar. It's a joy to watch him in his prime,
which is where he's at now. He's cut down the
mistakes drastically. He doesn't take sacks anymore. I mean, it's crazy.
I don't think their roster is awesome though.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
In fact, I think of all the teams in the
top six seven eights year, it might be the worst.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah yeah, quarterback side, but.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Quarterback a side, and man, Josh Allen. Is their track
record strong, just just absolutely dynamite. Yes, certainly strong track record.
Not the best division I think Buffalo is.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
They're good.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Yes, they're gonna find themselves in the top five ish
for for pretty much the entirety of the season. I
would imagine number two the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
I would have them first, guys, I'm sorry, would you?
I mean, I know Eagles must be one obviously one
they're the super Bowl champs. They're great. Maybe the Ravens
wouldn't beat them if they were got the Super Bowl
last year. I don't know. I just think the Ravens
got noticeably better, you know, like you're adding Jari Alexander
and I mean like the draft was good for them.
(23:38):
They're hard to find. Yeah, I mean they were good already.
I forget about Here's here's why I said. Some thing
I said about them is they might be the only
team that if you told me they're the best offense
in the league when the season ends, I could believe it.
Or they're the best defense in the league and I
could believe it.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
It's a very Just as much as I like again
as much as my black and Gold soul like hates it,
I think that's a very fair thing to say. And
probably if you're picking the Ravens to win the Super Bowl,
that's a legit, good faith argument you can make. You're
not being hyperbolic and saying that.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
So, sitting your scan in my head, what defenses do
we name along with the Steelers that could be the
best in the Denver, Houston, Baltimore?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Would you put Green Bay in that conversation.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Maybe maybe now Philly still has to be in that conversation.
Philly is the only one with the Ravens that maybe
could have the best offense in the league. Two you know, sure,
So we're flitting hairs here there.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah, I don't think you could say that about the Chiefs.
I think you'd be reaching a little bit.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah, I think so too, And I don't know if
they have the best defense in the league. Eagles lost
more in the Ravens so too.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
They did. They did, And that's what happens when you
win Super Bowls, right, I mean, you lose a lot.
And the Eagles are number one on this list, and man,
they they certainly certainly lost some key players. One of
them is now here in Pittsburgh. Roman the secondary Yeah yeah, yeah,
was that Milton right? Who did he go to New England?
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Milton Williams.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Yeah, he went to New England. Huge money and a
nice piece for Vateable to start to rebuild that defense around.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
And starting guard backed in And they lost.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
That's true, they did, they did. Yeah, But I I
think with the core of that team, they've got a
you know, good they're gonna be very good. They are
still a Super Bowl favorite.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
A class organization that understands this league really really, yes,
the modern day NFL.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And I think they gotta be kind of as you mentioned,
I think the Commanders are still going to be a threat.
They're still gonna be good, but they feel poised to
take it. Like you and I talked about last week,
they took five steps forward last year. Maybe they take
two steps back this year. Right, So that's that's still
be a winning record like all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
But way better than used to be under Daniel Sneider.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Exactly right, But but maybe not the threat that a
lot of people are just assuming they're going to be.
The Cowboys clearly took a step back in the last week.
I don't care what you say. There's no other way
to shake that. The Giants, as you and I think,
both are going to be better, but they're certainly they're
not even I don't think anyone's thinking they're going to
go close to five hundred.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Uh man.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
The Eagles, they think they're in a great spot once again.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Absolutely. You know we mentioned I think the Bills are
the easiest team to pick to win their division. You
made a pretty strong case. So the Eagles nipping at
their heels or an easy second.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
That's a good I mean, and a couple of weeks ago,
we would not have said that.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
I don't think no, no, no, it looks better now.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
But yeah, So there you go, Eagles at the top,
the defending Super Bowl champions, and the hated Baltimore Ravens
right on there they are.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I hate saying it, but it's the truth.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
I talked bad about the Bengals, I didn't talk bad
about the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And that's why we love you, Matt. That's the that's
the honesty that the loyal Drive listeners have come to
expect here over the years. That was a very long segment.
We got to get to a break two to go
as we roll along here playing to get two on
this Tuesday, West Ruler and Matt Williamson, It's the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Matt continuing our kind of one of our I guess
leading up to the season daily benchmarks we've had here
on the show, maybe going through overs, overs and unders
for the different divisions across the NFL. Wind totals, yeah
or sorry, yes, over under wind totals.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Yes, division by division, we can go.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Division by division, And with a lot of the Packers conversation,
I thought maybe it would be fun. And we still
haven't done the NFC North today, and let's start with
green Bay because both green Bay and Detroit now at
ten and a half.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Yeah, yeah, Detroit still like as anybody.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Which is I think eleven and a half is the highest,
right like Eagles, Chiefs, Bills. Yes, they're at eleven there
at eleven and a half in the Eagles, I think
in the Eagles three or four teams, but then ten
and a half the next best. And the Packers moved
from nine and a half to ten and a half
with the with the Parsons acquisition. They though, are still
just slight in terms of the betting odds, the Lions
(28:25):
very slight favorites over the Packers to win the division.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
So you make a little bit more you would.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Make a little if you pick the Packers. If you
put twenty bucks on the Packers to win the division,
you'll get a few bucks more than you would the Lions.
But it's close.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
Yeah, yeah, so totally understand.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Totally, absolutely So let's start with the reigning division champions,
the team that had the number one seed in the
NFC last year, the Detroit Lions over under ten and
a half.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
Tough division. I think this is the toughest division. Yeah,
I don't think anyone's going six and zero, agreed. I
think if you're four and two, you're probably pretty happy
if you're the Hackers, Vikings or Lions. Absolutely, and I
think Detroit probably gets to that point. I'm a Dan
Campbell fan, but I think we're gonna learn a lot
(29:11):
about him. Like people put him like as a top
five coach, and I kind of look at it like, well,
what hardships have you had to deal with so far?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
You know, like, man, that's a good point.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
You took junk and you made them good. You made
him good. You made him good. Now there's expectations and
people are taking your coordinators and you know, you have
to pay players more and picking late in the draft.
You don't have early draft picks to add every year? Now,
are you still good? And I just don't know. I'm
not saying he is or not. I think I'm leaning
(29:44):
towards the under here.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
I think I am too.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Yeah, it's a tough schedule.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
I see them. I see them going ten and seven,
I think, more than eleven or twelve wins.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
And being dangerous in the postseason, no doubt, Like.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
No one would want that. No one want each right
roll into town week week, you know, wild card weekend.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Absolutely absolutely they still could win it all and all
that good stuff. But he I just have some concerns,
and I think the division's brutal, the schedule's tough. I'm
gonna lean under, but it's a good line.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I'm gonna lean under as well too. But I do
think that's a perfect one. Packers at ten and a half,
I think I know where you're going here, John going over.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
I'm gonna pick them to win the division. So I
think one of these teams at least ends up with
eleven or more wins.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I they have, I mean they almost have to. It's tough.
As as tough as the division is. He almost, I
mean somebody has to. You know, someone's gonna get hot,
and someone's gonna go five and one in the division
and you know, end up end up winning eleven or
twelve games. I think I'd put that chip now on
the Packers more than I would the Lions.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
And I'm al floor fan. I think it's a really
stable organization. Like even when Love got hurt last year,
they put in Willis and ran the ball like every play.
But they think they won two out of three games.
You know, they figured out a way when things went bad.
Now you add an elite player. I don't think they
sweep a division or anything, but they probably have a
(31:08):
winning record in the division. That would go a long way,
you know.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
I think Jordan Love was just dealing with injuries all
of last year too, and if he's even remotely healthier,
if that'll mean a lot for green Bay. Interesting one.
Minnesota and Chicago both at eight and a half wins,
so okay, a pretty big uptick for Chicago, a significant
you know, down tick, I.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Don't for them the same. I don't either, right, I mean,
I would the difference wins last year.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
I would easily go over from Minnesota too, and I
think I might easily go under for chicag I don't
see Chicago win in nine games a winning record.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
No, They're almost like the Patriot conversation we keep having.
It's like people are getting a little too excited about
these teams going from five wins to twelve, you know,
like that doesn't happen very often, no, you.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Know, And that's why there was much to do about
the Commanders doing it last year, because it's weird. It's
it's you can go from four or five wins to
nine or ten, that's great, but not from four or
five wins to you know, pushing for a division title
that so infrequently.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Happens, especially in this division. I kind of alluded to
it a minute ago. I don't think the Bears will
have a winning record in this division and could have
zero wins in the division. They could go zher and six.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
They absolutely could.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I mean, I like their roster, but it's a lot
of new pieces. They don't have exactly this great winning
tradition of late either. Minnesota, on the other hand, I
think they're noticeably better than they were last year. I'm
not saying they're gonna win sixteen games this year, with
the exception of maybe quarterback, and that's a maybe. It's
not like, well, they're definitely worth a quarterback. Yeah, so
(32:42):
they'll be in it.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
They were fourteen and three last year, I think.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Or fifteen to two, fourteen or fifteen wins.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I have a hard time envisioning them going from that
to eight, right. I think they could go to nine
or ten, certainly, but eight significant drop.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
That's the thing. That number seems really low low better
on both lines of scrimmage. They spend a lot of
money on big people.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Everybody, get on, get on that number before it rises.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that one's one of my favorites. And
the Bears might be one of my favorites too, I'm.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Under I think so. I like those I like those
NFC North futures. I certainly do.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
I probably would stay away from Lions and Packers at
those prices. You know, I could make a case for
either one of them be eleven twelve, you know where
those other ones.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Where Bears and Bikings. I mean, those are two of
my favorites that I think we've discussed me throughout this
this whole process. I'm gonna have to pull up when
we go to break here, I'm gonna have to.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Pull up my AMP and get check out the odds,
put my.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Money where my math is. You don't do much of
that at all, do you?
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Like?
Speaker 2 (33:38):
You're mostly fantasy football, you don't do much of the
other type of gambling or.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Do I haven't yet, but I often do three or
four of these wind totals. I like the best, and
I've never lost. It doesn't mean I don't hit every bet,
but I mean I make more than I've lost on
those every year. I have some listeners that have actually,
when we go through all thirty two have charted him
and I almost always have a winning record, right, Yeah,
(34:05):
and every week I'll put a couple there's a game
or two. Yeah, I didn't know that about you.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Yeah, yeah, maybe just because you don't wear it on
your sleeve, like our buddy Mike Pursuda, who we'll.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Pick games on Fridays.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I'm sure the first thing Pursuita says when he sees you.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Right, I mean, I don't bet likes the Cleveland Guardians.
I didn't make any preseason bets. Like everybody we.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Walk into Sharkis for preseason games, and pursuit is like
the Chargers money, but.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Some of his logic smart. Yeah right, he's like, but
I love the guy. Yeah, there's I guess there's mighty
to be made in the preseason. I didn't give them
much thought.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
There's always money to be made, but there's also with
that money to be lost, Matt. I've got a couple
of Steelers I want to we'll kind of bob and
weave with some of these throughout the week's bringing Steelers
specific over unders, not not team win numbers, but player
individual player props that I want to have some fun
and run by it to end the show. We'll do that.
On the other side, it is the Drive here rolling
(35:06):
into September. West Shuler and Matt Williamson on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Down the home stretch here on a Tuesday. As Man
Matt it, it is exciting. We are just about forty
eight hours away from the ball going in the air.
As you mentioned, a lot of fun college football action
over the last few days. It's all happening. It's fall.
It feels like fall outside too. The mornings now, especially
nice and crisp out there. Did you go to WU
(36:04):
I sure did on Saturday. Had had a lovely time
and nice comfortable win over Robert Morris. But that first
game of the year is kind of always the you know, no,
we don't have any Steelers responsibilities on Sunday, and it's
you know, you're easy to get to. You're always playing
towsand or Robert Morris or somebody. So I don't mind
taking my daughters, you know, my three, Yeah, my three
(36:24):
year old and my two year old. And so we
had a we had a We had a really nice time.
And it was seventy four degrees, you know, couldn't couldn't
beat the weather. So yeah, a lot of fun and
certainly excited to get the NFL role in this weekend
before the Steelers take the field at MetLife Stadium Sunday
at one o'clock. Of course, Matt, I've got some different
I've been compiling these for the last week or two
(36:47):
Steelers player props if you were, for the season, So
individual players and what they might do over the course
of these seventeen games. Let's start with this one. I
know you've been answering a lot of questions and talking
a lot about fantasy football value for John new Smith
and Pat Fryarmouth. Now that they're on the same team,
will John u Smith and Pat Fryarmuth combine for ten
(37:08):
or more touchdowns in the regular season combined? Ten plus?
So it has to be at least ten or more
in the regular season combined touchdown passes.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Wow, I'm going to lean towards no. And part of
it is I think DK is going to get a
lot of end zone action. If you said the tight
end room get there, I would have said Darnelle.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Might chip in with two or three, which wouldn't surprise.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Yeah, and I think that's the big kicker to me. Yeah,
I think he's gonna get thrown the ball in the
end zone now. Friar Mouth I think was their second
highest targeted in the end zone player behind Pickens last year.
And I hope this changes. But how about this craziness?
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Uh oh?
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Since twenty twenty two, that's fifty one regular season games
for the Steelers, they have just forty six touchdown throws
in fifty one fifty one games. Cool, that's the lowest
the NFL.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
That's like, that's like Iowa football by defense far.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
I mean, under one a game is pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
That is pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
But in Rodgers' last fifty one games, he's thrown ninety one.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
That would be a little bit different. So double.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
But I did say the same thing, well not to
that extreme, but we said the same thing last year.
I had a running joke about Russell Wilson's like, maybe
they'll even throw touchdown passes this year, but they still
haven't thrown a lot of for a while, you know,
so unders on TV receptions are probably going to be
until yes, until further notice.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
All right, well let's go here. Then as you transition
and lead me there Aaron Rodgers over under twenty seven
and a half touchdown passes thrown.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
I was saying the number be like twenty five. Now
I think you got I've mentioned this in many airwaves.
You talk about betting, like if you took every prop
that's available in Vegas and bet all the unders, but
one dollar on every under, you would make money.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Everyone in terms of player props.
Speaker 3 (39:14):
Preseason or you know, season long player props, because everyone
that gets hurt you win, and then you probably go
fifty to fifty on the other That's a good point,
you know. So I'm gonna go without saying obviously, if
he gets hurt.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
You're going to in these type of hypothetical conversation.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
One player, you know, right, and it's not like he's
coming in with a pre existing injury, and folks, I
know he's up in age, but he did play seventeen
games last year coming off a major injury, so I
about more worried about his durability than I am most quarterbacks,
to be very and he protects himself very, very well.
It's a good number, though. We also mentioned who is
(39:53):
their goal line back, So on fourth and one, might
they throw more than they would have in the past
when they just handed then? Know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Great point, I might go over on that.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
It's pretty bad. I thought number be like twenty five though,
so I'm so.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
If you can get if you can get it any lower,
if you get that number any lower than twenty seven
and a half, you're definitely going over.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, where are you at on it?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
I think I'll go over because I think they're gonna
have to. Like I think it's going to take some
time for the run game. It's gonna take some time
for him and DK and all the wide receivers and
the titles too. But I think you'll give Aaron Rodgers
a little bit more benefit of the doubt than some
of the unknown with the run game. I think they're
slightly slightly over twenty eight or twenty nine. I don't
know if he hits thirty, but I think he can
(40:37):
hit twenty eight or twenty nine.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
I think that's fair. Now, he's still a really good
deep passer, and you know that they're going to throw
deep ball, so I think that they'll have touchdowns from
distance too. They'll probably have two or three forty plus
yard touchdowns, especially with Metcalf. And though totally you know,
and I also think they can score short passing touchdowns
because they got a lot of size.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Yes, completely agree. Uh, let's kind of stick with that.
A couple of DK ones for you here. DK Metcalf
over under one thousand receiving yards in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (41:07):
He's been over nine hundred every year of his career,
and he missed significant time last year. I think it
was three games. I'm over on a thousand.
Speaker 2 (41:15):
I think I'm over on this too.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
Yeah, especially because his average target's gonna be high, and
that's like I don't know if his receptions will be
If I'd take the over.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
That's like an eve that's like an kind of even
two for one type bet on on apps right now, Okay,
you know, like you're not you're not losing if you
put ten if you put ten bucks on him to
do it, you double your money. So like those odds
are right at about equal. Yeah, I think that's a
good over to take.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
I think that's a good over to take because he'll
I think he'll have three or four really long completions
which will help. It was a long way for the yardage.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Yes, completely agree. Uh dk metcalf over under eight and
a half receiving touchdowns this season.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
I'm gonna go under, right. Yeah, there's a lot of
mouse to feeds back to the tight tight end conversation.
It could be a lot. But and we did see
them run a lot of like quick slants in uh
seven shots things like that too. I mean I think
that it's part of the plan. But that's not an
(42:17):
easy just slam dunk to me.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
All right, we got about two minutes left here defensive side,
real quick for you. Jalen Ramsey over under three defensive
interceptions in the regular season. One of those I wish
was like two and a half. Yeah, three and a half.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
Say three, I would take three right now as opposed
to go fish, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (42:39):
I think that's the if it's a roulette table, that's
the number I'm putting my You know, yeah, yeah, yeah,
my ever.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
Leave the field, which is big in this equation.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Last one, Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay combined over under
five interceptions in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
I'm still under. I mean, teams target the middle of
the field against the Steelers more than nineteen the league
go last three years. That doesn't mean that they don't
throw outside, but it's harder with the pass rush. It's
just one of those get the ball out. And I
don't think that they're gonna be like, we can't throw
at Ramsey, we can't throw its leg because Porter's out
there too, Like you're gonna have to throw it someone.
(43:18):
So they're gonna get targets. It's certainly possible. But interception
numbers I'm almost always gonna go under. You know, you
need a little bit of luck too, and you know.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Yeah absolutely, and hey, they were second most turnovers forced
in the league last year. But yeah, that's those are
still some.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
They're not always sticky numbers either, right, you know, right.
I like their chance to be in the top half
of the league. I don't know if they'll be in
the top five again.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
You know, hey, if they are and they get that
sack number, up. I think they'll be in a great position.
Matt fun show today, good stuff. We'll dive deep more
into the Jets tomorrow and then continue some of these
over unders and all kinds and all different kinds of
conversation as we roll along and get ready for Week
one in the NFL. But that will do it for today.
(44:00):
Thanks to Matt for his expertise asladays, I'll be back
with you tomorrow and the rest of the week, every
single day leading up through Friday to get ready for
the weekend. For Matt Williams and I'm Westheuler. As always,
you know where to find us. It's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers
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The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.