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January 2, 2025 • 44 mins
The Drive duo overviews the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, breakdown the top performing units among the playoff teams, and talk more Steelers Bengals in hour 2.

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Speaker 1 (00:03):
At least he's the drive with Dale Lolly and Matt
Williamson on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
And we are back. I am Dale Lolly, he is
the Matt Williamson and uh well it's the top of
the hour here of our number two And usually we
do a little fantasy football here, but change things up,
mix it up.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
A little bit, right, Such a weird fantasy week.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
It really is. And there's no sense in talking to
teams there a ton about it talking about, right, So
let's get into a little draft conversation here on the
thirty third team. Ian Valentino has put together a little
first round mock draft here. Let's see where we're at here.

Speaker 3 (00:44):
Stuff that could shake up the top of the draft
though this.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Week, absolutely so. Right now, the Patriots have the number
one overall pick. Now, I don't expect them to like
crazy the number one pick.

Speaker 3 (00:55):
They want quarterbacks to shine.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, this is where it's going to get interesting for
say the Browns spot right now. I could see them
wanting to draft a quarterback for sure, but are they
going to be willing to move up to get said
quarterback to the number one spot because.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, I think somebody only takes one, and I think
there will be like when we go through this top eight, ten, whatever,
there's sixish teams that need quarterbacks and it sounds like
there's only two that have any chance to go in
that neighborhood. Yeah, you could get quite a bit, I
think for the first pick. Yeah, even though there's not
a great quarterback prospect.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
So he has the Patriots taking Mason Graham, the defensive
tackle out of Michigan.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
That surprises me because I mean everyone has Hunter being
the first position player and they could use a receiver
and a corner.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Hunter is going to be an interesting, really strange because
there's some talk already that he's going to want to
be paid like he's a wide receiver, like he's a
two position player.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
But he has any options not up to him until he's.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right until he gets out of your contract, right right? Yeah?
But does that factor into the you know, does he
hold out? Does he try to get more money? I
don't know.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
I don't know the answer to the questions. I just
don't have yet because I haven't done enough research. Are
if you compare them to all the receivers in this draft,
is he number one if you compare them to all
the corners, is he number one?

Speaker 2 (02:15):
I don't think so.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Some people think yes to both. Some people think he's corner.
The Michigan kid is the other one that they think
could be, you know, and it sounds like if he's
gonna lean one way or the other, it's more corner
with some receiver as opposed the other way around, which
makes sense. But corner is a full time job. They
don't go in and out. You know, it's gonna be interesting.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
It's different in the NFL than it is. Yeah, Colorado too.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
The Tennessee Titans are sitting now right now at two.
They take cam Ward quarterback out of Miami.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
I don't know how they would pass on a quarterback
unless they happen to sign Darnald or do something goof
or something like that.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
So that leaves the Browns at three taking shed Door Sanders.

Speaker 3 (02:58):
We'll talk about this a ton, but there's enough quarterbacks
to go around until the musical chairs at all right now,
definitely not and the Browns I don't think sandals a
last or three. I'm not saying he should or shouldn't,
but I'm sure they'd run to the podium.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Well here's the thing, though, Jaln Milroe from Alabama just
said today declared for the draft. Oh really, So he's
going at four to the New York Giants.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
Okay, I can't believe you'd go that high. I mean,
what I've seen of him upsides the.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Men's he has the most upside of any quarterback in
this draft in terms of the athletic ability. He can
throw that football patient, but you're gonna have to be patient,
the real patient.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
I didn't know. He declared.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
He's not as raw as Anthony Richardson.

Speaker 3 (03:40):
No, I was going to compare the two, and I
didn't do on purpose for that reason.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, but he's not as polished as Lamar Jackson. He
might be a similar athlete as Lamar Jackson.

Speaker 3 (03:49):
Boy is he fast? Yeah, I mean like he's wow fast.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, I mean not to Lamar wasn't or Richardson. But
wile Millroe can fly at he get pushed up. Yeah,
he's gonna go higher than they should.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, at five, Jacksonville takes Travis Hunter.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
That'd be great for them. Yeah, they need both. But
you know that he would be the number two corner
and to be the number two receiver, which is great.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
At six, Carolina takes Abdul Carter, the edge rusher out
of Penn State.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
I would expect it to be a very heavy defensive
draft for them.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
At seven, the jetstake James Pierce Junior, the edge rusher
out of Tennessee.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
There's a lot of directions they could go. They need
a lot, They need a lot. They don't have the
depth on the d line that they usually do some
of these teams. I mean, who's the defensive coordinator, who's
the head coach?

Speaker 2 (04:37):
You don't know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, right, yeah,
they have none of that. They don't have a head
coach and a GM. Right, it's all empty right now.

Speaker 3 (04:44):
I mean even like them read the second corners a
free agent, well if he leaves quarterback Wi Johnson there
or whatever, right, you know right.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
At eight, Vegas takes TEDAROA McMillan, the wide receiver out
of Arizona.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
Widely regarded as a top receiver, and he might be
a better receiver hunter. I don't know that he's huge,
he's huge, Mike Evans type. Yeah, where'd you end up
on the draft?

Speaker 2 (05:05):
Eight to the Raiders?

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Raiders? Okay?

Speaker 2 (05:08):
At nine, Chicago takes but they need a quarterback.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
I know three are already gone. Yeah, the musical chairs are
bad for these top ten quarterback teams.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
At nine, Chicago takes Calvin Banks Junior, the offensive tackle
out of Texas.

Speaker 3 (05:20):
Good. If they don't take a big person early, I
would be very grumpy with them.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
At ten, New Orleans takes Will Johnson, the cornerback from Michigan.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
They took kool aid last year, and they got a
couple other dudes. They could be offense, not quarterback because
there isn't one good Okay, I mean some of these
mocks though. You just don't want a really good player fall.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
Right out of the top ten.

Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
At eleven, the forty nine Ers take Walter Nolan, the
defensive tackle at a hole mess.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
So this is gonna be another big guy draft.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
They really like him.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah, yeah, he would be a good Steeler trade. Yeah. Absolutely,
five star recruit and looks apart. I would think the
Diners are definitely taking.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
The motor guy. Yeah, has the size.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
I say, just let Cam hang out with him for
two years.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah. At twelve, Indianapolis takes Jalen Walker, the edge rusher
linebacker out of Georgia.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
Okay, I mean they've invested a lot of edge rushers.
Later though pay in this past year.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Defense still stinks.

Speaker 3 (06:19):
It still stinks. They should change defensive coordinators.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah. At thirteen, Dallas takes Ashton Genty, the running back
out of Boise State. That's like the one that everybody
mocks now, Joe al.

Speaker 3 (06:30):
To the Titans last year, three of them. That's because
no one else is going to do it, no one
else has. The running back thing is this is he's
going to go there. This is a really deep running
back draft. He might fall, he might fall significantly.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (06:43):
Plus the dude, I mean, what's his face was? Okay,
I mean the third round with Rico dout Out. Yeah,
if you heard him with a third round two hundred
and twenty five pound guy with the Arizona State kid,
right right right, that's plenty. The other thing is people
don't think about this one of the cow for the fact,
you know, Cowboys are a very analytically driven They have

(07:04):
a very expensive analytics department that isn't going to say
running back the first round is a good idea. Yeah,
just because they did it eight years ago with Zeke Right, Yeah,
the same people making decisions really.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
At fourteen, Arizona takes Kenneth Grant, the defensive tackle from Michigan.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
I think we'll talk about him with the Steelers a
fair amount too, more than nose, massive human being, you know,
all those things. Vita AA Type.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
Fifteen Miami takes Chavon Revel, junior cornerback from East Carolina.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
It makes some sense Ramsey's getting up in age two.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
Cincinnati at sixteen takes Luther Burden, the wide receiver out
of Missouri. I don't see that.

Speaker 3 (07:42):
I assume Higgins goes even so. I mean the defenses
you gotta start, I mean right their own lineeds help too.
I mean Yosyrus is fine. I guess is your number two.
They're gonna have a lot of needs when they're Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
But Burrows at the age now where you should expect
your quarterback to elevate whoever's around them, and you've got
maybe the best wide receiver in the league. Do you
really need another first round wide receiver just to make
Joe here you go. Here's stay happy. Worked. Defense is
gonna stink, but you'll be fine.

Speaker 3 (08:17):
I think we talked about this last time. To see
who played the Bengals too. There's five or six of
their defensive starters that are getting cut. I'm not let
alone the ones they need, but they're gonna be losing
some dudes for cap space, and they're gon end up
a lot of cap space.

Speaker 2 (08:29):
At seventeen, Atlanta takes Mike Green, the edge marsh edge
rusher out of Marshall.

Speaker 3 (08:34):
Atlanta looking for edge pass rush shock. Yeah for the
last every year decades.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, rinse, lather and repeat. Okay, Seattle at eighteen takes
Ariante Ursery, the offensive tackle out of Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
They should definitely go a line. Maybe put him a
guard for a year or whatever, but yeah, they should
go a line.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
At nineteen, Houston takes Amika Egbuka Watcher receive out of
Ohio State. I can never pronounce someone right.

Speaker 3 (09:02):
I can't either. O. Line's a real problem for them too.
But Diggs is up after this year, and if Dell's
injuries bad bad.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
I wonder if they like digs walk though, because they
give up a second round pick to get it.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
I don't know what they'll do with that, and I don't.
I also can't comment on how bad is Dell? You know,
is he gonna be ready for camp? Yeah, yeah, I
don't know, but O line is in need.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
At twenty Denver takes Trey Harris, the wide receiver out
of Ole Miss. This is not setting up well for
the Steelers, for example, to take in the wide receiver.
It is, however, well, we had two three defensive tackles taken.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
I think so yeah, yeah, both Michigan dudes and no One. Yeah,
the Broncos could definitely go receiver. I think Peyton's I
know he has. He's drafting on everyone. He's every year
he's been here. Mims is starting to come around.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
At twenty one, Tampa Bay takes Tyler Warren, the tight
end out of Penn State.

Speaker 3 (09:53):
Maybe, but the other day the Auton's okay, yeah, I
mean their offense was much stronger than their defense.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
A good player.

Speaker 3 (09:59):
He's a good player. I'm not saying you shouldn't go there.
Their defense could use more reinforcements, though.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
At twenty two, the Chargers take Shamar Stewart to defensive
tackle from Texas A and M.

Speaker 3 (10:09):
They've gotten a lot of the guys they have, but
they're kind of journeyman types.

Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah. Twenty three, the Rams take Josh Simmons, the offensive tackle,
lout of Ohio State.

Speaker 3 (10:19):
Yeah, haven't seens getting old, and they're starting to really
invest in their offensive line. I would think back seven, though,
makes more sense for their defense.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
At twenty four, the Packers take Nick Scourton, edge rusher
out of Texas, A and m calling him an edge
is kind of I don't think edge. I don't think
that's his true I would play him inside. I'd playman
as a three to four end.

Speaker 3 (10:42):
Could see that van Ness isn't exactly an edge bender either. No,
you know, yeah, they almost always draft defense in the
first round.

Speaker 2 (10:50):
At twenty five, he has the Steelers taking Caleb Johnson,
the running back out of Iowa.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
I would not approve of that. I like the player,
like the player is a great fit, big physical. I
think there's a very good chance nause he's not back.
But you'd have a hard time convincing me to take
a running back the first round in this draft, in particular.

Speaker 2 (11:12):
At twenty six, the Commanders take Isaiah Bond, the wide
receiver out of Texas.

Speaker 3 (11:16):
And I'm not saying he's the perfect fifth of the
Steelers either. He's kind of on the smaller side, know
what I'm looking for.

Speaker 2 (11:21):
He's five to eleven one eighty.

Speaker 3 (11:23):
I don't think they're going to be in that market.
He's a burner.

Speaker 2 (11:26):
Twenty end up going to the commander Commanders.

Speaker 3 (11:30):
At twenty sixth they need No. One.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Twenty seven the Ravens take Will Campbell, the offensive lineman
out of LSU.

Speaker 3 (11:37):
Been a little disappointing. Yeah, right.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
Twenty eight the Eagles take Jonah s. Yeah. I can't
pronounce this one either. SIV and AA the offensive lineman
out of Arizona to the Eagles.

Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, okay, I mean they always take lineman before they
need him.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
Twenty nine the Bills take mikeel Williams, the address rut
of Georgia.

Speaker 3 (12:02):
Yeah, Edge, They've invested a lot of those guys, but
Rousseau's really the only ones really hit it.

Speaker 2 (12:08):
At thirty, the Vikings take Trey Amos, the cornerback out
of Ole Miss.

Speaker 3 (12:14):
Byron Murphy's had a really good year for them, and
he's a free agent. And I think Gilmore is only
on a one end deal.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
That would make some sense for the Steelers too.

Speaker 3 (12:21):
Yeah. Yeah, it looks like a decent corner draft too. Yeah,
guys with size that should be there in the twenties too.

Speaker 2 (12:29):
At thirty one, the Lions take Princely. Here we go again, Uman,
I haven't watched Ole Miss. I watched Ole Miss once
this year. Yeah, yeah on a TV where there was
no sound. That's my drift. And so Princely Uman, Melon, Uman,
Melon Edge Rusher at Old Miss.

Speaker 3 (12:48):
And that's to the Lions. To the Lions, Yeah, they're
looking for a complin for Hutchinson. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 2 (12:54):
And then it's thirty two. The Kansas City Chiefs take
Malekai Starks, the safety out of Georgia.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
People talk about him like he's one of the best
players in the draft. I mean, like he's a Kyle
Hamilton type prospect. But he was willing to take the
safety super high. Yeah, Canton City would be glad to
do it. Though.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
There's some good safeties in this draft.

Speaker 3 (13:13):
Yeah, it looks like it.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
I like to get from from Notre Dame too. That
got hurt. He's a good player. Yeah, they have a
corner two. Yeah he got hurt too. Yeah, Yeah, that's
kind of why Notre Dame's a little banged up right now.

Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah, they're playing as we speak.

Speaker 2 (13:25):
But this is a good defensive tackle draft. It's a
good running back draft. Very I don't know that the
wide receivers are as deep as they have been in
some recent years.

Speaker 3 (13:34):
It's always never going to be lacking. Yeah, I mean
that position is always plentiful, But I don't think it's
going to be getting Aconkie in the early second round,
you know. Now, the type of thing I mean, like
this draft, this rookie class is ridiculous. We get quarterback,
O line seems okay, but interiors particularly bad. It's a
really bad center draft. You got one last year obviously, and.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
You got an interior lineman like ye too.

Speaker 3 (13:57):
Looks like some tight ends could go in the first
two days. Yeah, Michigan kid, there's a couple of them
that are interesting. He seems pretty good. He tackle seems
real good. Yeah, tackle running backs where I keep coming.

Speaker 2 (14:09):
There's some interesting body types too. At the defense. You
could go one way or the other. You could go
for a true end like the kid from Arkansas.

Speaker 3 (14:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:17):
Yeah, yeah, it's like six seven to ninety, right. You
can't find a use for that guy. Yeah, right, you
can find you can find a way to play that.

Speaker 3 (14:25):
You know that. I would love to dip my toe
in THEO D tackle and running back markets pretty high, Yeah,
and running back those cornerback as well, corner as well. Yeah,
it looks like a good corner draft.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, so that might be the way the Steelers go
this year. Just looking at things.

Speaker 3 (14:40):
Need to start here. We see what start getting on
the top of that.

Speaker 2 (14:43):
Se and you know, if you're looking for a true nose,
you can get those guys in the third and fourth rounds.

Speaker 3 (14:48):
Oh yeah, that are pretty much starters. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
I mean that's where you found Javon Hargrave.

Speaker 3 (14:52):
Yeah, good point point, you know, and.

Speaker 2 (14:54):
He contributed early. So if you want to move Keanu
Benton to end and draft a young those.

Speaker 3 (15:00):
Tackle one spot for the lineman, probably I don't think
you get both in this draft. Maybe it's Lowry on
a one year deal. Yeah, Lowermoke's up. Yeah, not that
those guys would prohibit you from taking a great player,
of course, but if it falls that way, job's up. Yeah,
it falls that way. It falls that way. I'm always
in favor of big people people. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (15:21):
And again, if you can move, that's the move you move.
Being bent into a defensive endues rafting nose tackle.

Speaker 3 (15:28):
Okay, No, I totally get it right.

Speaker 2 (15:30):
If he has some passwords, he still have montrevious Adams
that you can play, you know.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
Sure, and don't Joe background who knows. Interesting.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
That's where we're at right now as we sit here
on January second. We haven't dug completely into this ship.
I'm really in parliament preliminary research on stuff.

Speaker 3 (15:47):
I'm just learning the names and you know that type
of thing.

Speaker 2 (15:49):
Got to pronounce them.

Speaker 3 (15:52):
Every year.

Speaker 2 (15:53):
I got a new mouth this year. This does not
make this any easier, Like, come on, keep meeting these guys.
I mean, where the John Smith's at?

Speaker 3 (16:00):
You know, ninety percent of these dudes I've read about it,
not listened to or had someone talk about it.

Speaker 2 (16:05):
Even when I'm like watching tape of guys I'm not
listening to. I'm like, sure, listening to the tape, I'm
watching the team. It gets a little tough and I'm
not like Rob. Where Rob has to go? I got
to go find out the pronunciation of this exact name.

Speaker 3 (16:15):
Like he's a real nerd. About that he is, He's
a real nerd period. But anyways, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (16:22):
Yeah, let's get to another break. That's going to do
it for the Ian Valentino mock draft first run. Well
that adds up on January first, here that will obviously
change a lot here over the few coming weeks, and
we'll dig even more into this time we get to
the Senior Bowl, and at the end of this month,
well we'll be on to a really good idea of

(16:43):
a lot of different guys here. We'll get to talk
to some of them down there. But he is Matt Williamson.
I am Dale, Lollie. You're listening to the Drive here
on the Steelers Audio Network, Matt and now will be
back with more right after this.

Speaker 1 (16:58):
He's the Drive with and Matt Williamson on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers
Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (17:15):
Ah, welcome back. I am Dale, Lolly. He is the
Matt Williamson and except no imitations, and this is the
Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. And Matt, I thought
we'd take a look here at the efficiency ratings now
on ESPN after the with one game left for everybody

(17:37):
at this point right now, Detroit still number one.

Speaker 3 (17:42):
And they put a lot of money in the bank,
you know, throughout the course of the season. But I
don't know if they're playing I don't think they're the
best team in the league or playing like the best
team in the league.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
They're no longer number one in offense, which is kind
of surprising.

Speaker 3 (17:53):
Who's passed them, Baltimore.

Speaker 2 (17:55):
Baltimore's moved back into number one on offense.

Speaker 3 (17:58):
I am surprised Detroit's on one on offense. I think
that I thought the defense would drag them down. Interesting.

Speaker 2 (18:05):
They're twelfth on so really good team, twelfth on defense,
second in special teams.

Speaker 3 (18:09):
Okay, the Steelers are first, are they? Yeah? I didn't
realize Detroit was so strong on teams.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
Number two is Buffalo.

Speaker 3 (18:17):
They must be well rounded though.

Speaker 2 (18:19):
Third on offense, eleventh on defense, thirteenth on special teams.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
I don't think their defense is great either, though.

Speaker 2 (18:25):
No, you can run on them.

Speaker 3 (18:26):
You can run on them. They're not super physical, live
a nickel.

Speaker 2 (18:29):
Okay, Minnesota's three tenth on offense, first on defense, ninth
on special teams.

Speaker 3 (18:36):
Okay, I think that passes the sniff.

Speaker 2 (18:38):
Est to me as much as they're first on defense,
though you can throw on them.

Speaker 3 (18:43):
No, I don't think there's a great defense in the
league right now.

Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, you know, it's really tough to play defense in
the NFL.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
It is it is. I'm not sure that even be
my one, but they'd be top three or four. Denver's
really good.

Speaker 2 (18:54):
Philadelphia is four.

Speaker 3 (18:56):
I think Philly is playing like the best defense.

Speaker 2 (18:58):
Fourth on offense, second on d defense, twenty third on
special teams.

Speaker 3 (19:02):
Didn't known special teams was something that's an issue for them,
But okay.

Speaker 2 (19:05):
The Ravens are fifth, first on offense, fourteenth on defense,
twenty ninth on special teams.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
Defense at least is climbing back. But shocking about the teams. Yeah, well,
let's tucker.

Speaker 2 (19:16):
Then you have Kansas City ninth on offense, eighth on defense,
twelfth on special teams.

Speaker 3 (19:22):
Pretty solid. I think the offense is getting better and better.

Speaker 2 (19:25):
The Packers come in after that, eighth on offense, seventh
on defense, fourteenth on special teams.

Speaker 3 (19:32):
You'll take it. Still a little bit of star power lacking.
Then the Chargers bet their defense is high.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
Eleventh on offense, fifth on defense, eleventh on special teams.

Speaker 3 (19:44):
The eleventh on offense doesn't quite pass a stiff ted
does not. No, I would say it's average. I wouldn't
say it's above average. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:52):
The Commanders then are next, sixth on offense, nineteenth on defense,
tenth on special teams.

Speaker 3 (19:58):
Their defense is really worrying. Me for a playoff. And
I'm also not sure that the offense is going to
be the sixth best offense in the.

Speaker 2 (20:04):
Playoff either, you know, and you're playing good people, and.

Speaker 3 (20:07):
Right, how well do you run the ball over and over?
And then I'm not talking about the Daniel stuff. You know,
just you're running.

Speaker 2 (20:12):
You're running like when you line up to run the football.

Speaker 3 (20:14):
And like we just said that mock. They took another receiver.
You're like, the Kias is a good player. He's been
impressive to me. But if that's your number two receivers,
like that's a little lacking on the playoff caliber team.

Speaker 2 (20:25):
Uh, Tampa Bay next at ten.

Speaker 3 (20:28):
They're gonna be heavy on offensive.

Speaker 2 (20:29):
Seventh on offense, twenty second on defense, third on special teams.
You would think the offense might be higher than that.

Speaker 3 (20:34):
I thought it'd be even high. I thought'd be like
top five, and I thought the defense might even be
low there.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
Yeah, the way their offense is playing, like if you're
if we were going to rank the offenses how they're
playing right now.

Speaker 3 (20:44):
Pretty strong, it'd be pretty good. Yeah, I'd be up there.
I guess one thing about the defense I didn't consider
is there's just so many garbage teams that if you're
twenty second and you're a playoff caliber team, there's eight
that are.

Speaker 2 (20:57):
Just horrendous, you know.

Speaker 3 (20:58):
Right.

Speaker 2 (21:00):
Then you have the Steelers eighteenth on offense, sixth on defense.

Speaker 3 (21:05):
First sex attempts, and first on teams. Yeah, okay, gotta
get that offense up. Defense needs to get back to
where it was. But these things are all capable. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (21:16):
Then you have Denver, their defense to be really nineteenth
on offense, third on defense, fifth on special teams. Well coached,
So they're worse on offense, a little bit better on defense,
and worse on special teams.

Speaker 3 (21:30):
I don't love their offense, but I thought it was
a little higher than that.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
Cincinnati then comes in next fifth on offense, twenty ninth
on defense in eighteenth and.

Speaker 3 (21:41):
Special teams tells the whole story.

Speaker 2 (21:44):
Yeah, it's exactly where they're at. Then you have Houston.

Speaker 3 (21:49):
I like their defense a lot.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Twenty second on offense, it might be.

Speaker 3 (21:54):
The most disappointing offense in the league.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
Twenty second when you look like people are complaining about
the Steelers offense, Yeah, Houston's offense is twenty second when
you look.

Speaker 3 (22:03):
At like preseason expectations and where they were. He's not
twenty second and you added Diggs and it's supposed to
be a top ten offense, right, and there's been some
mixes not that. Yeah, you can't just blame injuries. What
were they on defense?

Speaker 2 (22:17):
When I say fourth on defense, fifteenth on special teams?

Speaker 3 (22:20):
Okay, I do like their defense a lot.

Speaker 2 (22:22):
The Rams thirteenth on offense, eighteenth on defense, twenty fifth
on special teams. I would have thought their offense would
be a little higher, but they've had some.

Speaker 3 (22:33):
I say, I think if you just did the splits
of when Nakua Cup William Stafford are out there, it's
probably much better. It's near the top, but more so
than most teams.

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Seattle is sixteenth, twenty first on offense, he's pretty good,
ninth on defense, nineteenth on teams.

Speaker 3 (22:51):
Leonard Williams is a name I was thinking of that
should have been Pro Bowl or didn't get. Yeah, yeah,
I think he should have went for sure.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
So if we were ranked the playoff teams, you get Detroit, Buffalo, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Kansas City, Green Bay. The Chargers are in Washington, is
in Pittsburgh, is in Houston, is in the Rams are in.

Speaker 3 (23:22):
Okay, well, yeah, just a couple of spots left right,
We do not have an NFC South winner. We don't
know that yet. Tampa Bay right now is tenth in
power rankings, so we have there. If we're Atlanta, you
mentioned them.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
Yet, Atlanta is eighteenth.

Speaker 3 (23:38):
What's whether they're splits? I bet they're dth pretty.

Speaker 2 (23:40):
Bad, fifteenth on offense, twentieth on defense, twenty seventh on
special teams.

Speaker 3 (23:46):
A team like that shouldn't be bad on special teams,
you know, like I don't know, I mean the young
coaching staff, I guess, but is that the only remaining
NFC spot? We know the other six right? Yes, everyone
else has been eliminated.

Speaker 2 (23:58):
If you're looking at the remaining spots in the AFC, well,
Denver is twelfth right now, Cincinnati's thirteenth.

Speaker 3 (24:07):
Denver's had a better year. Yeah. Where's Miami?

Speaker 2 (24:11):
Miami is seventeenth, sixteenth on offense, tenth on defense, thirtieth
on special teams.

Speaker 3 (24:17):
I know, special teams in a problem and this year. Yeah,
or that's how they're built too. Who else is in it?
I think that's it?

Speaker 2 (24:24):
That's it?

Speaker 3 (24:25):
Yeah, Okay. According according to the their list is pretty strong.

Speaker 2 (24:33):
I mean yeah, yeah, according to the Again, this is
the ESPN's FPI Analytics ratings. Who do you think the
worst team in the NFL is right now?

Speaker 3 (24:42):
Giants?

Speaker 2 (24:43):
Not even close. They're twenty eighth Browns Cleveland.

Speaker 3 (24:48):
Browns say, I think they weight offense pretty heavy, thirty.

Speaker 2 (24:53):
Second on offense, twenty first on defense, and twentieth on
special teams. They are bad across the board, but.

Speaker 3 (24:59):
Were the special teams twentieth. I know they have kicker problems.
At least they must. They have to wait offense. I
think they weighed pretty heavy, heavier than the defense, lot
of them. Second, is the Browns defense disappointing this year?
I can kind of make an offense a conversation for both.

Speaker 2 (25:16):
Well, here's the problem, there's so much and this is
what happens with the Steeler defense as well. Yeah, the
same thing. And Arthur Smith mentioned this at his press
conference yesterday, like, look, everything goes hand in hand, like.

Speaker 3 (25:30):
It's awful tough to be with the thirty second offense
if you're the defense for seventeen games.

Speaker 2 (25:35):
For example. In the last couple of weeks, we've seen
this in Steeler games, including last week. The Steelers get
the ball. On the opening possession, they get the Chiefs
to punt punts down at the one yard liner, two
yard line, whatever it was. The offense doesn't generate a
first down, kicks the ball, gives it right back and

(25:57):
on the return they force a fumble that rolls forward
ten yards. Yeah, and they get the ball. You're giving
the Chiefs offense the ball to forty two.

Speaker 3 (26:07):
Yeah. Yeah, And it's not much different than them hitting
a long pass on third down before and not punning,
you know, right, and the defense did nothing wrong, and
you're right back out.

Speaker 2 (26:16):
You're giving Patrick Mahomes the ball at the forty two.
He actually gained yards from where they punted it at right.

Speaker 3 (26:21):
He's like, oh, this is great. Right, last time I
was on the field, we were in a lot worse shape.
It's like I hit a loan ball now one hundred percent.
Like I think the Browns are a perfect example, Like
they have a lot of problems, but it wouldn't be man.
We could go back to the drawing board on defense,
I would at least roll that back. Let's just possess
the ball a little bit, have competent quarterback play. The
defense might not be top five or wherever it ended

(26:43):
up in DVOA or these rankings a year ago. But
they almost have no chance to succeed none, yeah, I
mean none. You're as bad as that offense has been. Yeah,
if you're just constantly punning. What's a quick exercise, like,
who are the bottom five offenses? And I wonder do
we think their defenses are disappointing this year? The bottom

(27:07):
five offense, it seems like probably the Patriots that just
don't have good players period.

Speaker 2 (27:11):
The Patriots are twenty eight.

Speaker 3 (27:12):
Okay, the Giants, what's their defense at thirty first? And
that adds up. I mean they just need everything.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
The Giants are twenty nine. They're twenty eighth on defense.

Speaker 3 (27:23):
But they weren't like when the Steelers played them, Remember
they were like the best pass rushing unit. And Lawrence
that's another one that's probably just on the field for
too many months in a row, yeah months.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
The Titans are thirtieth on offense, are twenty third on defense.
I think that's a but that's I think it's a
talented I get some talent on the least.

Speaker 3 (27:42):
The middle of the row defense, but they're on the
field too too much exactly. I mean that's exactly what
That's why I want to do this.

Speaker 2 (27:48):
The Raiders are the outlier here. They're thirty first on offense,
they're sixteenth on defense. But he's a defensive coach, he is, and.

Speaker 3 (27:56):
Like EPA and Dvoa, they've been skyrocketing up the boards lately,
and I think it's because they played the Saints and
that doesn't hurt. The last couple of weeks have been
really I mean, they did them.

Speaker 2 (28:06):
The last couple weeks have been kind to them, and
they've been playing without their best player, even.

Speaker 3 (28:09):
Without Crossley, Yeah, which is a feather in their cap.
The defense is still playing. Harden's defensive mining coach and
all that. But like, I wouldn't look at their defensive
offseason and think, oh, we're good.

Speaker 2 (28:19):
They might.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
They might because they have so many other things, especially
a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (28:22):
But then you get the Browns at thirty two and
their twenty first.

Speaker 3 (28:25):
On the defense. So there's some decent defenses there. They're
just being really brought down by offenses not being able
to do anything.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
If you look at this, Houston is twenty second offensively
fourth on defense.

Speaker 3 (28:38):
It's hard to have that kind of split. Yeah, it's
easy to have the other kind of split, the Bengal
kind of split. Right.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
Yeah, the Steelers or the Seahawks are twenty first on
offense ninth on defense.

Speaker 3 (28:49):
Which adds up their defense is pretty good.

Speaker 2 (28:51):
Denver is eight nineteenth on offense, third and defense. Steelers
are eighteenth on offense, sixth in defense.

Speaker 3 (28:57):
But I bet Denver I don't know this, but I
bet they have a good time posession because then they
control the football. Well. I mean, maybe they're not the
most explosive offense, but I don't think their style of
play hurts their defense.

Speaker 2 (29:07):
If you look at it from the other perspective. The
teams that have the really good offenses Baltimore first and
offense fourteenth in defense.

Speaker 3 (29:16):
But trending the other way. And now though I bet.

Speaker 2 (29:18):
There should be that way though, because they run the
crap out of the ball.

Speaker 3 (29:21):
Oh, they're so complimentary.

Speaker 2 (29:23):
There's no reason. There was no reason for them to
be in the twenties before. No, No, when you possessed
the football, you're running for over almost two hundred yards
of a game, and you're giving giving it up left
and right.

Speaker 3 (29:32):
Yeah, I mean that was the defensive deficiency. Yes, you know,
the first half of the season Detroit. And the thing
about them too is their special teams are hurting them too.

Speaker 2 (29:41):
Yeah, you know, Detroit is second, their twelfth in defense,
but that's injuries that's going the other like.

Speaker 3 (29:46):
Yeah, that's the thing is they're just so decimated. It
does sound like they might get some people back, like Angelone,
Montgomery's now far some of their injuries are trending the
right way.

Speaker 2 (29:55):
Buffalo is third, but eleventh in defense.

Speaker 3 (29:58):
I'm not sure they're eleventh best defense. I don't really
think they're do it. I mean I think they benefit
from playing with the lead a lot.

Speaker 2 (30:03):
Yeah. Philadelphia is fourth, second defense. Yeah really again, they run,
but they run the ball a lot a lot. Cincinnati
fifth on offense, twenty ninth on defense.

Speaker 3 (30:17):
Yeah, that's the way. It's really hard to win.

Speaker 2 (30:19):
Washington six and nineteen.

Speaker 3 (30:21):
And that doesn't surprise either. I mean that's a new
staff that this doesn't have a ton of great defensive
players now either.

Speaker 2 (30:28):
So, I mean they do go hand in handy. Absolutely,
it absolutely works hand in hand. And if you're going
to you've got to possess the football offensively, You've got
to move the ball, even if you're kicking field goals.
You're still giving your defense time to rest.

Speaker 3 (30:46):
And that's been the biggest thing. Two things I've really
harped on this week when I look at this game
or the state of the Steelers is the long week,
which leads to health and better prep time, your ability
to attack your issues. You know, some of the things
they've had problems with, bunch motion and things like that too.

(31:08):
Now you have more time to practice it and maybe
even get the different people in there, and time possession,
you know, I mean to me, those are the things
that everything else will fall into place once you kind
of get with those things. Right the ship right, the
ship there, you know, like they caused fumbles, but they
don't fall on them. Well, that's his bad luck. I mean,

(31:30):
keep causing, just keep doing what you're doing, and if
your offense possesses the football a little bit more and
you're a little well rested, you'll get your share of
fumble recovery. Okay, Like that stuff's coming. You know.

Speaker 2 (31:39):
I saw the one that they forced watched hard knocks last.

Speaker 3 (31:41):
Night, the one that hit off the helmet to like
this is bonkers right right.

Speaker 2 (31:45):
Like that ball is shooting towards the entire Steelers defense
or coverage unit. As they're coming down the field, they
can see the ball coming out.

Speaker 3 (31:52):
They make a great play and they're right.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
They're ready to you know they're going to fall on
this because they get their eyes on the ball coming
out and it's hits a Chiefs guy in the back
of the helmet and bounces backwards and their guys falls
on it.

Speaker 3 (32:05):
And if that happens a week four, you might not
think about it again because you're possessing the football and
you run the ball, and you're not playing the best
team in the league. And you know, but in a
game like that, when times are tough, it's like, yeah,
and you need it most. So there's a bad luck.

Speaker 2 (32:19):
Too, Yeah, a little bad luck there. But you know,
they've done a pretty good job of actually getting on
the balls for the most part this season.

Speaker 3 (32:27):
No, I think they swarmed the ball well.

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Last few games have not gone their way.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
But those kinds of things correct themselves.

Speaker 2 (32:33):
Most of the time. When we've seen in the Ravens game,
and we've seen it now in the in the Chiefs game.
Most of the time on a on a punt return,
when you hit the hit the return guy, the ball
goes backwards. It doesn't go forward.

Speaker 3 (32:47):
Yeah, you don't get it.

Speaker 2 (32:48):
Both instances the ball went forward, Like it's just weird.

Speaker 3 (32:51):
And I also think things like that. I mean, everyone
knows about the ball isn't round it bounce is funny
for everyone and all those things. But when you're a
little fresh, sure, when you've had the football, more bounces
start to go your way. You know, like, oh you
thirty four minutes to the time of possession. Well, the
defense doesn't quite get to the ball as well as
they because they're tired. You know, those type of.

Speaker 2 (33:10):
Things that went against the Chiefs. They were like five
steel They were like five Steelers right there.

Speaker 3 (33:14):
I know, I think they all right back to.

Speaker 2 (33:16):
The one chief that was there.

Speaker 3 (33:18):
Like the angle they showed on hard knocks, Like did
not get that, Like that's crazy.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
There was one dude there went one right to him,
right back to them. Yeah yeah, yeah, I thought the
same thing. But of course I remember that it would
have been a massive play in that game. They would
have the ball inside to ten.

Speaker 3 (33:33):
And going back. I mean, you can frame things a lot,
and hard Knocks has just trying to and drum up
you know, viewership and all those things. But the way
they laid out that Chiefs game. It's like, oh oh,
you know, like like man, that was rough and when
it happened and the friar Mouth fumble and oh yeah,
and you know they weren't the better team that day,

(33:54):
but it was some self inflicted stuff.

Speaker 2 (33:56):
There's again, even with the friar Mouth fumble, you gave
the Chiefs a field the one team elite you can't
give a short field to yep, and you gave them
short field twice. That's how you end up losing.

Speaker 3 (34:08):
Started on the forty two yard line after you give
gotten them down right, you.

Speaker 2 (34:11):
Give him fourteen points because he gave him the ball
in scoring range twice.

Speaker 3 (34:15):
Mahone's just smiling ear to ear with that like a
butcher's dog. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (34:18):
So anyways, let's get to a break. He is the
Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the
Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I'll
be back to finish up the show right after this.

Speaker 3 (34:32):
At least.

Speaker 1 (34:32):
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 3 (34:43):
There's a couple of history Anyway, anyway, back to the show.
I did that last week too. Yeah, you know, they
hit record and I'm just babbling away here, what a
crap or dalking them up like.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
This was live radio or something. Man, right, right, So, anyways,
looking at this Cincinnati Bengals team. They've won four in
a row, the four wins coming over Dallas without Dak Prescott.

Speaker 3 (35:09):
Yeah, yeah, Tennessee with that, Levis Levis Yeah, yeah, either way,
they're not a good team.

Speaker 2 (35:18):
Yeah. They beat the Browns twenty four to six dtr
and then they just beat the Broncos, and the Broncos
might be their best win of the year. It's easily
their best win of the year. They only win this
season over a team with a winning record. They're one
in seven in games against teams with a five hundred
or better record.

Speaker 3 (35:37):
There's some distinct things there with this season. We talked
about a lot of last.

Speaker 2 (35:40):
Time around with the Bengals, but wow, and in those
games against teams with a five hundred or better record,
they've given up thirty four points a game. They've scored
twenty nine. Yeah, they've given up thirty four.

Speaker 3 (35:52):
Yeah. The stuff that the NFL put out about, you know,
they dug into this real heavy of the split verse
teams with winning records versus not is really distinct for
this team, and there's a lot, I mean, every team
has a story of you know, the Steelers is very
obvious when they went from fields to Wilson, et cetera,
et cetera. The Bengals have kind of been this team

(36:15):
sixteen games.

Speaker 2 (36:16):
True, they are.

Speaker 3 (36:16):
I mean the offense is and all of a sudden
playing better or worse. I know the defense has done
a little better, but you just mentioned who they've played
since the Steelers saw them last Yeah, and a lot
of that's big play driven, but I don't think a.

Speaker 2 (36:29):
Lot of it's also the turnovers that they forced since
that game. Four games since they played the Steelers, they
forced ten turnovers.

Speaker 3 (36:36):
They've also turned ball over a lot more too.

Speaker 2 (36:38):
They've also turned the ball over seven times. If they
turned the ball over like that against the Steelers, yeah,
they're gonna lose.

Speaker 3 (36:44):
That's not the Titans in the Browns no.

Speaker 2 (36:45):
Right right, Yeah, the Browns with dtr aren't going to
hurt you if you turn the ball over. They turned
the ball over. They forced six turnovers against the Titans. Yeah,
because Levis stinks turnover machine. They had four turnovers in
that game. I know, four I know and one.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
It's how their whole season's gone. Like I was about
to compare him, like to the Ravens. Ravens defense was
a mess, but it looks like they fixed it, you know,
Like this defense since the Steelers played them, has done
better things in that they've generated sacks and turnovers. But
then your offense is doing the same thing. They're getting
sacks and turning the ball over at a higher rate,
you know, Like it's so even Steven with this team,

(37:23):
and they played some bad teams since then. Denver side,
I think Denver's good, and that's a nice win. That's
when they're coming off and.

Speaker 2 (37:28):
They easily could have lost that game. Oh yeah, I
mean easily.

Speaker 3 (37:33):
I mean the coaching decision or if Burrow took it
in his own hands or whatever, doesn't bite you. Nine
out of ten times they chase three.

Speaker 2 (37:40):
Fourth down they only got one of them.

Speaker 3 (37:42):
But you asked Chase Brown to take a dive and
not get in the end zone and then the net
and he gets injured on the play and the next play.
I don't know if Burrow just took it upon himself
to get in. Maybe they never would throw him under
the bus, but you should have lost that game considering
I lighting the ball to Denver at the way that
they did.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
I mean, honestly, if I'm Denver in that situation, that's
a situation where I would have gone for two. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
you had the momentum.

Speaker 3 (38:08):
I mean, you don't want to hand it to the
borrow and their defense stinks, you know, their defense stinks.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
Look, I mean you ran for one hundred and twenty
three yards in that game. Why don't you just line
up and say, okay, we're going to go for two here.

Speaker 3 (38:17):
Yeah, and what I don't know, we can get two
yards the Denver. Would a tie have gotten Denver into
the playoff? Don't know what all their time?

Speaker 2 (38:24):
Yeah, would for him?

Speaker 3 (38:25):
Oh really, it would have acted the same as a
win for them.

Speaker 2 (38:28):
So maybe that would win maybe, And they almost did
end up with the tie.

Speaker 3 (38:32):
Right, if we can extend this thing through, you know,
over time we get out of here with our goal
and act. But no, I mean, just in terms of
winning the game, going for to was the move.

Speaker 2 (38:42):
Yeah, I mean, you had the momentum. I mean they
gave up they let you go.

Speaker 3 (38:46):
Oh they were deflated. I mean you walked down the
field and you know that was not great.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
Let's you score with eight seconds left. I think it
was a fourth down play too, think it was. Yeah,
and you got it. You hit a twenty five yard
pass like they can't. Here's the thing about Mims had
a fifty one yard touchdown catch. He had a twenty
five yard touchdown catch. Nobody's gonna confuse Marvin Mims, although
he's fast with towards Pickens, No, no different style player two.

(39:10):
Like if so, if you're gonna give up those kind
of things to Marvin Mims, yeah, yeah, Pickens might tear
you up.

Speaker 3 (39:17):
So I get the logic, and I've said this a
thousand times too. I don't want Burrow to be in
the AFC playoffs, and but I don't get the logic
of that's the team you don't want to meet, you know,
like if they beat the Steelers and they're on this
five game winning streak going into the playoffs, you're gonna
read article after our you don't want. Nobody wants to
play this. This is the hottest team out there. Nobody
wants to play the Bengals. The defense is still terrible. Yeah,

(39:41):
and I don't think their running game is going to
be all that productive without Chase Brown.

Speaker 2 (39:44):
I don't think Josh Allen looking at that going, boy,
I don't know, I how we we're gonna move the
ball right against this team.

Speaker 3 (39:49):
I mean, I'm sure Alan Mahomes, Lamar Etctera be like, Okay,
I'm gonna have to put up points against these guys,
but it's not gonna be real hard to do.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
Lamar's done it twice where they just they just gone
out and out them. The Steelers went out and just
outscored them.

Speaker 3 (40:02):
And I do think the Bengals could win on Saturday.
I mean, I definitely think they can beat anybody because
of that offense. They can lose to anybody because of
that defense. I know, I know. And I also look
at the offense, though, I really think it's three guys.
I mean, if the Chase I mean not that he's
a great back, but he's a capable and he's a
big playback, and he's a two way guy, and he

(40:25):
can effect the receiving and run game. I don't think
there are lines particularly good, no, I mean, and the
run game and the running in the backfield is flat
out bad right now. I mean maybe the worst in
the league, so is to me, this is just a
massive compliment to Burrow that they're even close to this
in Chase and Higgins unless less Higgins doesn't play. Yikes,

(40:46):
let's not forget.

Speaker 2 (40:47):
In that game, the Bengals won the coin toss in overtime.
Oh yeah, and they're going down. They're trying to score
to finish the game off. You're a Denver game, Yeah yeah,
and what happens Burro gets sacked. Oh yeah, He's got
to be a magician all year, all year long. I mean,
the sack stuff's getting bad, and he's taking a beating.
He's got three different injuries.

Speaker 3 (41:08):
Again, he's unbelievably good.

Speaker 2 (41:09):
In fact, Cincinnati get the ball back twice, so I
think they had two drives. They had They had three
possessions in that overtight three three. The first one ended
with Burrow being sacked on back to back plays. Zach
Allen got him twice one yeah uh, and then they punched.

Speaker 3 (41:26):
Side note left guard is a real problem for them,
or Cam Heyward laser lines up. Yeah uh.

Speaker 2 (41:31):
They force a three and out by Denver, they get
the ball back at their own forty six. Not only
he needs a field.

Speaker 3 (41:37):
Goal to win the game.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
Yeah, and they donk it.

Speaker 3 (41:40):
Yeah yeah, that was off the upright, thirty.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
Three yard field goal that you that you hit off
the upright because the kickers.

Speaker 3 (41:46):
I say, kicker is a problem issue. Yeah yeah.

Speaker 2 (41:48):
And then you get it back again with two twenty
left at your at the thirty seven. You hit a
couple of plays and you don't even try this time
to go get a field goal like that would be
and that would all you need to win. Now you've
got to get it in the end zone because you
don't trust. You don't trust your kicker, you can't trust
your defense like.

Speaker 3 (42:10):
It.

Speaker 2 (42:10):
There's so much not to trust on.

Speaker 3 (42:11):
It, so much not to trust like I would be
if you're Chase Higgins and especially Burrow, I'm not sure
you could come up with a more frustrating situation. You know,
like I have to do everything every play ever.

Speaker 2 (42:24):
You saw that on Hard Knocks last night, exact when
when the kick cup is or when they scored the touchdown.

Speaker 3 (42:28):
Burrow was like, and you've seen it eight to ten
times this year, Chase on the sideline losing his mind
or Burrow's face just like, what else do you want
me to do? Yeah? I mean I throw for three
hundred and three touchdowns every time every week.

Speaker 2 (42:41):
That's why I think if if once again, if you
get up on the Bengals early in this one, they
might say, you know what enough and I don't want
to do this anymore. We gotta we got to rebuild
this thing. I'm not going to play my butt off
to go out there and lose another game like this
and watch that defense just cave.

Speaker 3 (42:59):
And I'm gonna I'll say this no matter what the
result is on Saturday, if the Bengals beat the Steelers handily,
I still would not want to be in charge of
their offseason. I mean, Chase is going to get paid huge,
Higgins is not going to be back. The defense, he's
totally rebuilt, the O line needs reinforcements, and you got
the quarterback. And that's awesome. I mean that is awesome.

(43:20):
But I've heard a lot of people say Burrow may
end up like a Stafford like career, you know, like
I'm the driving He's made it more success Thanah Stafford
was on.

Speaker 2 (43:33):
It might be a Matt Ryan type career.

Speaker 3 (43:35):
Though, Yeah, or where I was going with that is
team number two for Burrow gets the Super At.

Speaker 2 (43:41):
Some point he might he might get tired of it
and like this is enough.

Speaker 3 (43:44):
I can't be.

Speaker 2 (43:45):
I mean you've already heard that kind of rumbling out
of Miles Garrett.

Speaker 3 (43:48):
Absolutely. I mean it's becoming more and more common in
the league period.

Speaker 2 (43:51):
Yeah, Like Gary Wilson, I gotta know what's what's what's
our plan here moving forward? Because I'm twenty eight now
and we're not close to winning.

Speaker 3 (43:59):
Yeah, I mean Garrett Wilson sits there and looks at hey,
I love you DeVante Adams, but I'm open too, and
just because you guys are buddies and what the heck's
going on here? Am I coming back? You know? Like
it's not uncommon in the league anymore. These guys have
a little more power. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
Absolutely, But matt that's going to do it for today's show.
We'll be back again tomorrow. We'll make our picks on
everything and we'll do our DFS lineup the whole deal
as we do.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
Be a challenge.

Speaker 2 (44:24):
Yeah, it certainly is. Missy Matthews will stop by, so
lots of good stuff to look forward to. But that's
going to do for today's show. So for my partner
Matt Williamson, for Justin Miller here on site running the
Justin Miller hotline and the soundboard over there. For Tyler
Viittmeyer making sure our video gets out there onto the
YouTube check that out there. I'm Dale Lollie. We thank
you for listening to this edition of the Drive on

(44:46):
the Steelers Audio Network
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