December 1, 2025 • 28 mins
Ed Troup and Jacob Recht look around the NFL to discuss all the Week 13 action featuring a jam-packed Thanksgiving Day slate, the Bears upsetting the Eagles on Black Friday, and the Broncos walking away with another gutsy victory to keep their winning streak alive.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
That's awful performance by us, but it's us. We didn't
do a lot well tonight. Obviously, we didn't possess the
ball or maintain ball security on offense, were highly penalized.
We allowed those guys to run the ball, didn't play
sixty minutes of action, didn't play complimentary football, and so
(00:30):
we got absorbed that result.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Head coach Mike Tomlin after the Bills twenty six to
seven win in Week twelve against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It is the Steelers standard.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I am a troop alongside Jacob Wreckt here on Steelers
Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network. Jacob, whether
you're talking about the game of football, baseball, basketball, hockey,
any of the major sports, whether you're talking about your
personal life, if you sell real estate, for instance.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
When you're winning, everything is good, nobody cares.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Absolutely When you're.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Losing, look out. And that goes from the head coach
all the way down. And that is where the Steelers
are now. It's six and six on the season. It'll
be easy to criticize. However, I'm always a glass half empty,
glass half full type of guy. I always look for
the silver lining and things and the fact of The
fact is they are six and six, tied at first
(01:21):
place with the Baltimore Ravens, and an opportunity to play
the Ravens the next two weeks or not next two weeks,
this upcoming week, two out of the final five weeks,
so they still control their own destiny here. Yes, it
doesn't looked good the last few weeks, but they're still
talent on this team, and there's still glimpses of what
we saw early on the season. If they can get
back to that, even if they are giving up a
(01:42):
lot of points, but their offense can get things going again,
they still have an opportunity here in the AFC North
to make some noise before the end of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Nothing is final yet, no.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
And honestly, Ed, I mean they have a chance.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
They have a shot at the division, but just like
you said, the way the whole league is going.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
They might even have a shot at the wildcard.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
I'm not saying that they're in the hunt, that they're
guaranteed a spot, but they're only two games back of
right now, it's Buffalo. The unfortunate thing for them is
that the teams in front of them are LA, the Colts,
the Bills, and the Texans. I believe the Texans have
a better conference record. We know they lose the head
(02:22):
to head tiebreaker to the Bills, they lose the head
to head tiebreaker with the Chargers, but they do have
the head to head tiebreaker over the Colts, and if
the Colts continue to fall, that's one team they don't
have to worry about as much. So they're definitely in
the hunt, even though it's been a really bad two weeks,
has been a bad seven games dating back to that
(02:44):
first losses against Cincinnati in which they've lost, they've gone
two to five since.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
This game at Baltimore was always going to be pivotal,
is always going to be huge, regardless of the records,
regardless of the situation. But now you can definitely make
the take, make the case, and you can and you
can take a taste of it too, the taste of it,
the case of it, whatever you want to say. Jacob,
must win, must win on Sunday to go into Baltimore.
And if you win that game, then we come back
in here next Monday and things are looking a lot
(03:12):
brighter for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You'll lose that, you go to six and seven.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You're now behind the eight ball, even further from the Ravens,
and then you look at what's happened in the last few weeks,
then yes, this situation gets much much worse for the
Steelers at least here in their twenty twenty five season.
Let's go around Week twelve around the NFL. Of course,
we're talking Bills twenty six, Steelers seven, but other games
that started last Thursday on Thanksgiving. The Bengals defeat the
(03:36):
Ravens thirty two to fourteen. Joe burrows first game back
was a good one, through for two hundred and sixty
one yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions. Chase Brown added seventy
eight yards on the ground. Jamar Chase seven catches one
hundred and ten yards and his first game back since
being suspended after spinning at Jalen Ramsey against the Steelers
a couple weeks ago. Lamar Jackson two hundred and forty
(03:57):
six yards passing an interception, Derek Henry sixty yards rushing
in an opening touchdown. The Ravens go to six and
six on the season. That's who the Stealers will play
this week, and the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow back
at quarterback at four and eight, are still in the
playoff pitcher and the AFC North Pitcher.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, there's only been two teams that have been eliminated from.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
The playoffs in the AFC. That's the Raiders and the Titans.
And it's crazy to think that the Bengals are still
alive because only two games ahead of the Raiders and
the standings, they're four and eight, Like you said, not
out of it. If somehow, some way in Joe Burrow's return,
he can rattle off and remember they were three and
eight coming into this past week on Thanksgiving, he can
(04:40):
rattle off six wins in a row. He's got one
of them already, so he's got one down.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Five to go.
Speaker 5 (04:46):
He's got another big test though, this Sunday on the
road in Buffalo against the Bills. That's as good as
a matchup as you can get quarterback wise in the NFL.
Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. Oh sure, if you remember
his Joe Burrow does have the upper hand in this matchup.
That's pretty much the hardest test he'll have because the
rest of the way, it's the Baltimore Ravens in Cincinnati,
(05:09):
the Dolphins, the Cardinals and the Browns. That Browns game
also played in Cincinnati, so I'm not saying it's a guarantee,
but considering they got the win in Baltimore on Thanksgiving,
if they can go into Buffalo and he can continue
that success against Josh Allen win there, I'd be deathly
(05:30):
afraid of the Cincinnati Bengals if I'm the Pittsburgh Steelers
or any other team in the.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
AFC, because even though they're defense, which by the way,
has has gotten better the last couple.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Better, still still not great, but better.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
It's not dead last in every category out there, but
it's still not not even at the top half.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
But even if their defense is still one of the worst,
you now have your offense and Joe Burrow that can
produce those points and they can still win shootouts. Right,
you feel better about having Burrow at the quarterback position.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
But yes, the Bengals still alive and.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Still creeping around now that they're all pro quarterback is
back and play too. By the way, I thought might
look a little rusty on Thanksgiving night, I don't think
he looked too rusty to me. He looked pretty darn good.
He looked great and leading the Bengals.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
I mean thirty two points. I mean, I don't know
how you how you can say that's not great. I
just did a quick check, though. Even though they did
a good job of pretty for being competitive against the
Patriots right last week and then this past week against
the Ravens, holding the Ravens offense to only fourteen points,
I just did a quick check. They still rank last
(06:36):
in total yards allowed, second to last, and passing yards
allowed last and rushing yards allowed, and last in points against.
So even though we were trying to give them some credit,
they are still as bad as we think they are
on defense.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
For this for Cincinnati, big one this week. As you said,
Bengals and Bills, that's for sure. Yeah, Bengals beat the Bills.
Look out, especially in the AFC North, even and not
even support. That's what I just said at the top.
Makes that game even that much more important for the Steelers.
Remember they're one and one against the Bengals so far
this year. So this game against the Ravens is Sunday
big from a lot of different angles, and.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
Clud absolutely the Steelers lose this game they fall. That's
another tiebreaker they don't have against the divisional team. That
makes their conference record worse, makes their division record worse.
And remember, as you mentioned, the Bengals just beat the Ravens.
They beat the Steelers already once this year. I know
they lost, and they beat the Browns once already this year,
(07:32):
So that would that puts them at three I believe
three and one on the season, their only loss coming
against the Steelers. As I mentioned, their only two remaining
playoffs or division games are against the Ravens and brown Browns,
both in Cincinnati. So if they go five and one
in the division, oh, I'm telling you man, they were
(07:53):
on a mission last year. And they weren't even at
four and eight last year, or maybe they were, actually
I think they were. I think maybe someone out they
got to four and eight last year, and they had
and I think they did win out essentially with a
nine to eight record, but they just missed out on
the playoffs because I think Denver took the last spot,
the seventh seed. I don't want to count them out because,
(08:18):
like I said, we saw them do it last year.
Let me let me go back and make sure what
we saw out of them last year.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Yeah, they were incredible.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
They were four and eight last year and they rattled
off same record. Yeah, they rattled off five wins in
a row. Remember they were three and eight this year,
so they had to do one more game to get
to a winning record.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
For this season.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
They want to get to a five hundred plus record,
but they were four and eight after twelve games last year.
Can they do it again if Joe Burrow is out there?
I mean remember two and on Thursday night there was
no t Higgins. It was just Burrow, Chase Brown, and
Jamar Chase. So if they get t Higgins back, they
could become even more deadly with Joe Burrow out there.
(09:00):
You cannot you absolutely cannot count the Bengals. Count the
Bengals out of a playoff spot if Joe Burrow is
out there.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
The other point, too, Jacob is last year the Ravens
had controlled this division pretty much right when they went
on right run.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
This year the division is up for grab.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
So they go nine and eight and and you know
they have a they have a really good chance of
potentially winning the AFC North and could be mixed up
with the Steelers. Or they're one and one against do
they have another one against the Ravens coming up?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
The Bengals do.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
Or Yeah, yeah, that one's in that one's in Cincinnati, right.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
That's what I mean. So have you sweeped the Ravens.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Yeah, Like I said, they had two, they have two
division games.
Speaker 5 (09:36):
They're three and one so far, and both of those
remaining games are at home against the Browns and against
the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I don't want to let this turn into the Bengals
Nation radio. This is the Steelers station radio, and we'll
stop with it before.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Before we before we move on, I have one more
question to ask you. Last year, a lot of people
were saying between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen and Joe Burrow,
who is the m v P and Joe Burrow because
he'd make it to the playoffs. A lot of people said, well,
you can't give it to a guy who can't even
make it to the postseason.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
But a lot of.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
People said, have they done it? Have they pulled off
that five game win streak and moved on into the playoffs.
They would have said because he led the league in
touchdown passes and he led the league in yards last year,
that he was deserving of it, but because he didn't
get there, it was The debate was then dwindled.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Down to just Alan and Lamar.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
I know Matt Stafford is having an all all pro,
all pro season right now. Remember he hasn't thrown an
interception since Week three. But because of how uneven or
unpredictable or a lack of a favorite, the NFL has
at the very top this year. If Joe Burrow comes
(10:45):
back and leads his team to a six game victory
or a six game win streak and propels him into
the division lead or maybe just a playoff spot with that,
all with knowing where they were without him coming back
six game win streak to close out the year, do
you give him the MVP if he gets there?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I think you gotta.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
I think you do it.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
I don't think it's as that only argument or is
that only award. It has to be circumstantial.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
If he plays the way he played last Thursday against
the ball against Baltimore's by the way, was good, but probably.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Not even as great as these first game back in
two months.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, so he could probably even play better and probably
will is he gets more reps.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Right, Higgins will come back. I mentioned if he.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Leads them to that nine and eight and they get
into the playoffs and who knows what they do at
that point then then Yeah, I think that's a very
realistic conversation because both Lamar and Allen have not had
the best seasons that they've had statistically the last few years.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Allen still got it done yesterday. I know he gets
it done with his legs.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
But Lamar, who I think is actually been hurt, right,
I think that's really what's hampered. We know he was
hurt earlier this year when he missed some time, but
I think even with him being back the last handful
of weeks, I still don't think he's one hundred percent.
I think that's impacting his play and that offense. Let's
move on to the conversation. Two other games last Thursday,
Cowboys defeat the Chiefs, who are now six and six.
Cowboys go to six five and one. They went a
(12:02):
good one thirty one to twenty eight, and earlier in
the day Packers thirty one Lions twenty four. Packers go
to a three and one Lions seven and five. Really,
all three games were excellent last Thursday, but the two
early games the one o'clock and four o'clock window with
Packers Lions Chiefs Cowboys was really good.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Oh absolutely. I mean that was a back and forth game.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
The Chiefs had a chance to win the game at
the end, but Dallas really stepped up. Do you give
Dallas credit for this game? Probably right there? They just
got to over five hundred for the first.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Time all year long.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
But maybe we should pump the brakes on Dallas just
because the Chiefs right now were six and six.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
They were also one and five on the road.
Speaker 5 (12:46):
Are the Chiefs so clearly they used that hope you
have advantage when when given it at Arrowhead Stadium?
Speaker 4 (12:54):
But do you for.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Any reason for that six and six overall record, the
one to five record away from Kansas City? Maybe pause
to give Dallas too much credit for this win?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I think I mean Dallas. You know, the Cowboys are
another team much like the Steelers up until here. Recently,
I think the Cowboys have had a little bit more
of success in recent weeks. Have been an up and down,
right kind of polarizing team. You know, times they've looked
really good, other times not so much. But I will
say this, the Cowboys defense, though, has been playing well
the last few weeks, and I think that's made them
(13:27):
more into a contender winning these games. Chiefs are This
is not the Kansas City Chiefs team we've seen in
a really long time.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
At six and six. At six and six, much like the.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Steelers right now, it's hard to visualize them as a
playoff team, right right.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
I mean, we were just going through the AFC standings
in perspective of the Steelers, we talked about how they are,
I think like the ninth team or the tenth team
in the standings. They didn't even get to the Chiefs
just because they're that far behind. The Steelers actually have
the tie or over the Chiefs, and that's based on
(14:02):
win percentage in the conference record. The Chiefs are three
and four against AFC teams this year. They are the
tenth team. The Steers are the ninth team. But yeah,
we didn't even talk about the Chiefs as one of
the teams sitting in between the Steelers and one of
those wildcard spots.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
So that shows how far down the line they are.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
The game on Friday, which has now turned into a
tradition in the last few years, the Bears defeat the
Eagles twenty four to fifteen in Philadelphia. The Bears go
to nine and three on the year, Eagles dropped at
eight and four, and the Bears are now the number
one team in the NFC.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
How about that?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
After the Rams lose yesterday, which we'll get to here
in just a bit, the Bears are are who the
Bears are?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Who we thought that.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I don't know. I guess not. I guess. I guess
they're not the team we thought they were.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Caleb Williams looked really good on Friday, he really did.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
And despite AJ Brown who had one hundred and thirty
two yards and two touchdowns. Yeah, Big Dave James, the
Bears still find a way to win on the road.
Ben Johnson afterwards, you see, he took a shirt, absolutely
went crazy at the locker room. And they in their
fifth straight twenty four to fifteen. You mentioned it, we'll
talk about it.
Speaker 5 (15:03):
The Panthers had the biggest upset of the weekend, or
of the week rather against the Rams, but the best
win of the week was by far Chicago on the
road in Philadelphia. We talked about it going into this,
we were doing our preview for all of Week thirteen.
We had said Chicago doesn't have that statement win yet,
(15:24):
and they've you know, credit to then they had won
five in a row, four in a row going into
this week against Philadelphia. But we had said if they
do this, and if they pull off the win in Philadelphia,
then that's it. You can't just say, oh, well, they're
just a bunch of miracle kids who grind it out
weekend week out and play a bunch of bad teams
and barely escape. No, they went into Philadelphia against the
(15:47):
defending Super Bowl champions, against a team who hadn't lost
since like Week four or or week six rather, and
they won. And now they're nine to three. And now,
because we don't really get to talk about it too much,
the Packers in line going at it in the early
game on Thursday, there's really a clear view now, I
(16:07):
think are a clear road now for the Bears to
be potential, potentially your NFC Nord champions.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
The only thing standing.
Speaker 5 (16:15):
In the way ed is and here we go again
crediting the NFL scheduling committee. The Bears and the Packers
have yet to play each other yet this season. It's crazy,
similar to the Series and Ravens, similar to a lot
of teams. As we pointed out last week, if they
can split with the Packers, right, if they don't have
to sweep the Packers, which is gonna be hard to do,
(16:36):
but if they can at least split, that would If
let's say they win this one game against the Packers,
that puts them at ten and three on the season
the Packers and then fall.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
To eight to four and one.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
I don't know if that's enough of a buffer zone,
but at least if again, if you can split with
the Packers and then take care of business with the
rest of the way, you might have your chance to
win the division this year.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
That's crazy to think.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Considering that Week one matchup against the Lions and Packers,
we were all thinking, well, these are by far the
two best teams. It's great that we get to see
them go head to head in Week one in that division.
And now, loan behold the Bears after thirteen weeks, after
the near three quarters, the first three quarters of the season,
really only one quarter remaining of the regular season left
(17:21):
the Bears of the team at top of that division.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I'm not sure if this will make you feel good
or bad, but let me throw this out there for you,
just some food for thought.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Back to the Steelers for a second.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Sure, they've lost six games, this year. Seattle one of
the best teams in the NFC. Cincinnati is we just
discussed potentially now borrowback could potentially be a playoff team
in the AFC. The Packers one of the top teams
in the NFC, The Chargers most likely going to be
a playoff team out of the West, the Bears the
top team in the NFC. The Bills one of the
(17:52):
top teams in the AFC. So if we're looking for
silver lining here on a gloomy Monday, after another Steeler
lost yesterday, there is that.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
It was against six. At least five of the six
have been pretty decent.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
I don't know, just because look, yeah, I don't know
if that makes you feel good or about it. No,
I think it's the opposite. I think because look at
the teams they've beaten with a winning record. I mean
the Patriots, but remember we talk about the Patriots coming
in Week three, at that game where we played in
Week thirteen.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
That goes I think the opposite direction.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
Yeah, Jets are awful, right, The Jets are terrible, The
Vikings are bad, the Browns are bad, the Colts and
the Bengals at the time with Joe Flacco, the Colts.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Really, it's just.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
The only impressive that win they had on the season
is the Colts. I guess you could throw the Patriots
in there, but again we talk about the circumstances.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Playing in Week three.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
You can't really give them too much credit because they
haven't lost the game. The Patriots have not lost the
game since that Week three matchup against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
It's all how you spin it.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah, sure, however you want to look at it here
on the of course, that's the that's that's our roles, right,
you take the positive spin, I take the negative.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
You were saying, look at all these good teams they've played,
and I'd said, well, all these good teams they've played,
they've all lost it.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
All right, let's get back to the action.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yesterday, Speaking of the AFC North, the other team was
the Browns. They lose twenty six to eight to the
forty nine Ers. Forty nine Ers now nine to four.
The Browns go to three and nine on the season.
Nine Niners controlled this one from the beginning. Shador Sanders
went out briefly due to an injury.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
He returned. They've already named Sanders the starter for next
week and.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
Yeah, Meame Browns, I said this.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
I called this one from a mile away.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Shadoor Sanders was ready to crown himself Offensive Rookie of
the Year a week ago, simply for beating the Raiders,
who are only a two win team. As I mentioned,
there are only two teams in the AFC right now
who are already eliminated from the playoffs, and one of
them is the Raiders. So congratulations Chador for beating one
of the two teams in your conference who's already eliminated.
And we're at December first, and we still have to
(19:55):
play football in the month of January, and you were
so proud of yourself for beating one of those two
teams who's already eliminated.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Like I said, I call this one coming from a
mile away.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
They're gonna probably be competitive against the Titans, but what
does that tell you when they go to Chicago two
the week after that?
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Good luck?
Speaker 5 (20:15):
When they played the Bills the week after that, good luck,
they host the Steelers, they might probably they probably win
that game, if I'm being honest, But then they have
to go into Cincinnati Week eighteen, season on the line.
Most likely for the Bengals, with Joe Burrow. They're not
gonna win that game either.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
So Steelers got to beat the Browns in that game.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Well, again, let's wait until the next few weeks turn out,
because if the Steelers are still in it, then that's
a game they have to win. If it's the other direction,
then who knows. As you said, they've never played good
in Cleve well not never. Let me back up recently.
Recently they have never played good since.
Speaker 5 (20:48):
Ben has retired and even before a little bit before that,
since that elbow injury season, they have not played well there.
But like I said, I saw this coming from a
mile away. You actually play a good team. You only
put up eight points on offense.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Texans defeat the Colt yesterday twenty to sixteen, and a
good one that went back and forth. The Colt's now
reeling at eight and four and they've given up their
lead in the AFC South to the Jaguars, who defeat
the Titans yesterday twenty five. The three Jaguars now eight
and four. Titans go to one and eleven, one and eleven.
I just made that one word, one eleven, one and eleven.
(21:22):
Texans and Jaguars both victors yesterday and again with the
Colts lost, the Jags now in first place in the
AFC South.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
I'm gonna pound myself on the back again for this
one because I called this on Friday, and I pointed
out to you saying, the Jags won and the Texans
upset the Colts, and the Colts will no longer be
at the top of that division. And lo and behold,
here we are. Those are the results that we got yesterday,
and right now it's the Jags at top of the
AFC South. I don't know what's going wrong in Indianapolis.
(21:50):
Jonathan Taylor has not been effective, or at least not
nearly as much as he was before this three out
of four game losing streak or losing shreds for the Colts. Yeah,
I mean, it's is it panic time in Indianapolis?
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Maybe? Oh, you're asking me, I thought either you're just
throwing that out there.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Maybe.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
I mean, Jacob, up until that loss against the Steelers,
they were the best team in the NFL. Now they've
been exposed a little bit to some decent teams. I
think the Texans are on the rise, sure think.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I mean, how can you argue against it and give.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Credit to the Texans. They've put it together here in
recent weeks, and.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
We're zeroing three to start. They've now gone seven and
two in their last nine, as have the Jaguars two
at eight and fours. Sure, Jaguars are picking up speed
as well. Those are two. That's a great division other
than the Titans. That's a good division.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Right, I'm gonna I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna do
the thing again.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Ed, I'm going to credit the NFL scheduling Committee, the
Colts and the tight Ara. I'm sorry the Colts and
the Jaggs have yet to play each other. They get
their first matchup of the season this week.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
There's a lot to be sorted out here in the
last five weeks.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Oh yeah, absolutely, Not just in the AFC North, but
you can have the AFC South to that equation as well.
The Dolphins defeat the Saint yesterday twenty one to seventeen.
The Saints held it close in the second half before
the Dolphins pulled away. The Steelers opponent in just a
couple of weeks, they'll host the Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
Actually it'll be two weeks from tonight, as the Dolphins
get the five and seven. Saints go to two and ten.
(23:13):
Jets upset the Falcons if you want to call it that.
Falcons now four and eight on the year. The Jets
get their third victory of the season. They now go
to three and nine with a twenty seven to twenty
four win. Any thoughts on Dolphins or Jets victories in
Week twelve?
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Nope, I'm good.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Those aren't two glamorous games other than the Jets.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I guess you can make the case get their third
victory of the season at home?
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Was that with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback?
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yes it was.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
How about that for that matchup in the preseason? Thought
these were good teams. It could have been Michael Pennock
versus Justin Fields and ended up being Kirk Cousins versus
Tyrod Taylor.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Elsewhere in Week twelve, the Buccaneers get a much needed
win after a few losses in a row. They get
the seven and five on the season with a twenty
to seventeen win against the Arizona Cardinals, who fall to
three and nine. And here's the upisode you're talking about.
Up side of the day, Jacob The Carolina Panthers thirty
one the La Rams twenty eight. Rams go to nine
(24:09):
and three on the year. The Panthers stay alive at
seven and six. Big win at home yesterday for the
Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Oh yeah, absolutely, the Panthers only a couple games out
of a playoff spot right now. I mean the NFC.
It's crazy how competitive the NFC is right now. I'll
read you the playoffs stands. He goes Chicago at nine
and three, the Rams at nine and three, the Eagles
at eight and four, the Bucks at seven and five,
and then we had the records obviously fluctuate here.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Because those are the division leaders.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
But then it's Seattle at nine and three, the Packers
at eight three and one, the Niners at nine and four.
That's it. The Lions right now are out at seven
to five and one. The Cowboys are right behind them
at six five and one, and then right behind them
are the Panthers at seven and six. Like I said,
the best win of the week was Chicago over Philly,
But the biggest upset was by far the Panther beating
(25:01):
not the Rams, who we all thought was the best
team in football. Of course, right now, I think if
you're if you're the Panthers, You were absolutely kicking yourself
of that loss the Saints a couple of weeks ago.
If you don't have that on your resume, if you
win that game, doesn't even have to be a blowout.
The Saints won that game seventeen to seven. The Panthers
win that game seventeen to seven. They're all of a
(25:22):
sudden eight and five. They're right in the middle with
Detroit in terms of on the outside looking in, battling
for one of those final playoff spots. Yeah, if you're
the Panthers, how the hell do you let that one
go against the Saints. You have a revenge game coming up.
They're on the bye week this week. Next time they
play that it will be on the road in the
(25:43):
super Dome in New Orleans. It's a must win for
them if they want to be competitive. But it's beyond that.
It's a tough go for the rest of the way
because it's the Buccaneers, the Seahawks, and then the Buccaneers again.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Big win for the Panthers thirty one to twenty eight. Yesterday,
Seahawks over the Vikings twenty six.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Nothing.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
No problems for the Seahawks. They get to nine and three,
Vikings go to four and eight on the year. Chargers
over the Raiders thirty one to fourteen. Again no problems
there for the LA Chargers. At home they get to
eight and four on the year. Raiders go to two
and ten and last night the Broncos another close game.
We've talked about the Bears playing some close games this year.
No one has played more cancer games than the Broncos.
(26:24):
Give credit where credit is due. Denver is ten and two.
Their path to get in ten and two has been
a tight one. Talk about cardiac kids as they win
twenty seven to twenty six. Commanders I believe went for
two at the end and were stop short. Broncos go
on for the big win. Commanders now three and nine.
Marcus Marriott a big game. He was the one that
came in late, I believe with I believe for that
(26:47):
game it was out stale, So Mario did the start,
He had the two point conversion try there at the
end for the Commanders.
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Now no, but it was Nick Benito, a guy that
I always talk about.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Guy.
Speaker 5 (26:56):
Yeah, dating back to last year, I think he let this.
I think he lev the NFL and sacks last year.
He's still top five this year had a huge play
like you mentioned, bat it down, that two point conversion
for them. Yeah, just it's crazy to think how, like
you said, how gutsy of a team, this Denver Broncos
team is. Of their twelve games they've played, they've won
(27:17):
ten of them, and of all twelve of those games,
only two of them have been decided by more than
one possession.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
That was an overtime win last night too on Sunday
Night Football as the Broncos twenty seven Commanders twenty six.
One more game here and this week it is the
Giants at two and ten tonight against the Patriots, who
are ten and two in New England.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
I expect the Patriots to roll at home, right, Yeah,
as do I.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
This is that Super Bowl revenge game, I guess for
the Patriots, not that they need any extra motivation to
win this one. They want to stay ahead of the
Broncos and the standings right now, it's a two dog
race for that number one seed. You remember, only one
team gets to buy in the playoffs now with the
expansion of seventeams, so you definitely have to if you're
(28:04):
in New England, even though it's against a bad team,
you have to call it a must win if you
want to keep pace with the Broncos and be in
contention for that first round.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
By that's going to do it for the standard for today.
On tomorrow's show, Jacob and I will continue to flush
out this bill's twenty six to seven victory against the
Pittsburgh Steelers here in week thirteen.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
It is the Steelers standard. I am at true.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
He is Jacob Bret here on Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio Network.
That's awful performance by us, but it's us. We didn't
do a lot well tonight. Obviously, we didn't possess the
ball or maintain ball security on offense, were highly penalized.
We allowed those guys to run the ball, didn't play
sixty minutes of action, didn't play complimentary football, and so
(00:30):
we got absorbed that result.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Head coach Mike Tomlin after the Bills twenty six to
seven win in Week twelve against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It is the Steelers standard.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I am a troop alongside Jacob Wreckt here on Steelers
Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network. Jacob, whether
you're talking about the game of football, baseball, basketball, hockey,
any of the major sports, whether you're talking about your
personal life, if you sell real estate, for instance.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
When you're winning, everything is good, nobody cares.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Absolutely When you're.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Losing, look out. And that goes from the head coach
all the way down. And that is where the Steelers
are now. It's six and six on the season. It'll
be easy to criticize. However, I'm always a glass half empty,
glass half full type of guy. I always look for
the silver lining and things and the fact of The
fact is they are six and six, tied at first
(01:21):
place with the Baltimore Ravens, and an opportunity to play
the Ravens the next two weeks or not next two weeks,
this upcoming week, two out of the final five weeks,
so they still control their own destiny here. Yes, it
doesn't looked good the last few weeks, but they're still
talent on this team, and there's still glimpses of what
we saw early on the season. If they can get
back to that, even if they are giving up a
(01:42):
lot of points, but their offense can get things going again,
they still have an opportunity here in the AFC North
to make some noise before the end of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Nothing is final yet, no.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
And honestly, Ed, I mean they have a chance.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
They have a shot at the division, but just like
you said, the way the whole league is going.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
They might even have a shot at the wildcard.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
I'm not saying that they're in the hunt, that they're
guaranteed a spot, but they're only two games back of
right now, it's Buffalo. The unfortunate thing for them is
that the teams in front of them are LA, the Colts,
the Bills, and the Texans. I believe the Texans have
a better conference record. We know they lose the head
(02:22):
to head tiebreaker to the Bills, they lose the head
to head tiebreaker with the Chargers, but they do have
the head to head tiebreaker over the Colts, and if
the Colts continue to fall, that's one team they don't
have to worry about as much. So they're definitely in
the hunt, even though it's been a really bad two weeks,
has been a bad seven games dating back to that
(02:44):
first losses against Cincinnati in which they've lost, they've gone
two to five since.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
This game at Baltimore was always going to be pivotal,
is always going to be huge, regardless of the records,
regardless of the situation. But now you can definitely make
the take, make the case, and you can and you
can take a taste of it too, the taste of it,
the case of it, whatever you want to say. Jacob,
must win, must win on Sunday to go into Baltimore.
And if you win that game, then we come back
in here next Monday and things are looking a lot
(03:12):
brighter for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You'll lose that, you go to six and seven.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You're now behind the eight ball, even further from the Ravens,
and then you look at what's happened in the last few weeks,
then yes, this situation gets much much worse for the
Steelers at least here in their twenty twenty five season.
Let's go around Week twelve around the NFL. Of course,
we're talking Bills twenty six, Steelers seven, but other games
that started last Thursday on Thanksgiving. The Bengals defeat the
(03:36):
Ravens thirty two to fourteen. Joe burrows first game back
was a good one, through for two hundred and sixty
one yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions. Chase Brown added seventy
eight yards on the ground. Jamar Chase seven catches one
hundred and ten yards and his first game back since
being suspended after spinning at Jalen Ramsey against the Steelers
a couple weeks ago. Lamar Jackson two hundred and forty
(03:57):
six yards passing an interception, Derek Henry sixty yards rushing
in an opening touchdown. The Ravens go to six and
six on the season. That's who the Stealers will play
this week, and the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow back
at quarterback at four and eight, are still in the
playoff pitcher and the AFC North Pitcher.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, there's only been two teams that have been eliminated from.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
The playoffs in the AFC. That's the Raiders and the Titans.
And it's crazy to think that the Bengals are still
alive because only two games ahead of the Raiders and
the standings, they're four and eight, Like you said, not
out of it. If somehow, some way in Joe Burrow's return,
he can rattle off and remember they were three and
eight coming into this past week on Thanksgiving, he can
(04:40):
rattle off six wins in a row. He's got one
of them already, so he's got one down.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Five to go.
Speaker 5 (04:46):
He's got another big test though, this Sunday on the
road in Buffalo against the Bills. That's as good as
a matchup as you can get quarterback wise in the NFL.
Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. Oh sure, if you remember
his Joe Burrow does have the upper hand in this matchup.
That's pretty much the hardest test he'll have because the
rest of the way, it's the Baltimore Ravens in Cincinnati,
(05:09):
the Dolphins, the Cardinals and the Browns. That Browns game
also played in Cincinnati, so I'm not saying it's a guarantee,
but considering they got the win in Baltimore on Thanksgiving,
if they can go into Buffalo and he can continue
that success against Josh Allen win there, I'd be deathly
(05:30):
afraid of the Cincinnati Bengals if I'm the Pittsburgh Steelers
or any other team in the.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
AFC, because even though they're defense, which by the way,
has has gotten better the last couple.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Better, still still not great, but better.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
It's not dead last in every category out there, but
it's still not not even at the top half.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
But even if their defense is still one of the worst,
you now have your offense and Joe Burrow that can
produce those points and they can still win shootouts. Right,
you feel better about having Burrow at the quarterback position.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
But yes, the Bengals still alive and.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Still creeping around now that they're all pro quarterback is
back and play too. By the way, I thought might
look a little rusty on Thanksgiving night, I don't think
he looked too rusty to me. He looked pretty darn good.
He looked great and leading the Bengals.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
I mean thirty two points. I mean, I don't know
how you how you can say that's not great. I
just did a quick check, though. Even though they did
a good job of pretty for being competitive against the
Patriots right last week and then this past week against
the Ravens, holding the Ravens offense to only fourteen points,
I just did a quick check. They still rank last
(06:36):
in total yards allowed, second to last, and passing yards
allowed last and rushing yards allowed, and last in points against.
So even though we were trying to give them some credit,
they are still as bad as we think they are
on defense.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
For this for Cincinnati, big one this week. As you said,
Bengals and Bills, that's for sure. Yeah, Bengals beat the Bills.
Look out, especially in the AFC North, even and not
even support. That's what I just said at the top.
Makes that game even that much more important for the Steelers.
Remember they're one and one against the Bengals so far
this year. So this game against the Ravens is Sunday
big from a lot of different angles, and.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
Clud absolutely the Steelers lose this game they fall. That's
another tiebreaker they don't have against the divisional team. That
makes their conference record worse, makes their division record worse.
And remember, as you mentioned, the Bengals just beat the Ravens.
They beat the Steelers already once this year. I know
they lost, and they beat the Browns once already this year,
(07:32):
So that would that puts them at three I believe
three and one on the season, their only loss coming
against the Steelers. As I mentioned, their only two remaining
playoffs or division games are against the Ravens and brown Browns,
both in Cincinnati. So if they go five and one
in the division, oh, I'm telling you man, they were
(07:53):
on a mission last year. And they weren't even at
four and eight last year, or maybe they were, actually
I think they were. I think maybe someone out they
got to four and eight last year, and they had
and I think they did win out essentially with a
nine to eight record, but they just missed out on
the playoffs because I think Denver took the last spot,
the seventh seed. I don't want to count them out because,
(08:18):
like I said, we saw them do it last year.
Let me let me go back and make sure what
we saw out of them last year.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Yeah, they were incredible.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
They were four and eight last year and they rattled
off same record. Yeah, they rattled off five wins in
a row. Remember they were three and eight this year,
so they had to do one more game to get
to a winning record.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
For this season.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
They want to get to a five hundred plus record,
but they were four and eight after twelve games last year.
Can they do it again if Joe Burrow is out there?
I mean remember two and on Thursday night there was
no t Higgins. It was just Burrow, Chase Brown, and
Jamar Chase. So if they get t Higgins back, they
could become even more deadly with Joe Burrow out there.
(09:00):
You cannot you absolutely cannot count the Bengals. Count the
Bengals out of a playoff spot if Joe Burrow is
out there.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
The other point, too, Jacob is last year the Ravens
had controlled this division pretty much right when they went
on right run.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
This year the division is up for grab.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
So they go nine and eight and and you know
they have a they have a really good chance of
potentially winning the AFC North and could be mixed up
with the Steelers. Or they're one and one against do
they have another one against the Ravens coming up?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
The Bengals do.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
Or Yeah, yeah, that one's in that one's in Cincinnati, right.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
That's what I mean. So have you sweeped the Ravens.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Yeah, Like I said, they had two, they have two
division games.
Speaker 5 (09:36):
They're three and one so far, and both of those
remaining games are at home against the Browns and against
the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I don't want to let this turn into the Bengals
Nation radio. This is the Steelers station radio, and we'll
stop with it before.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Before we before we move on, I have one more
question to ask you. Last year, a lot of people
were saying between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen and Joe Burrow,
who is the m v P and Joe Burrow because
he'd make it to the playoffs. A lot of people said, well,
you can't give it to a guy who can't even
make it to the postseason.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
But a lot of.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
People said, have they done it? Have they pulled off
that five game win streak and moved on into the playoffs.
They would have said because he led the league in
touchdown passes and he led the league in yards last year,
that he was deserving of it, but because he didn't
get there, it was The debate was then dwindled.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Down to just Alan and Lamar.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
I know Matt Stafford is having an all all pro,
all pro season right now. Remember he hasn't thrown an
interception since Week three. But because of how uneven or
unpredictable or a lack of a favorite, the NFL has
at the very top this year. If Joe Burrow comes
(10:45):
back and leads his team to a six game victory
or a six game win streak and propels him into
the division lead or maybe just a playoff spot with that,
all with knowing where they were without him coming back
six game win streak to close out the year, do
you give him the MVP if he gets there?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I think you gotta.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
I think you do it.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
I don't think it's as that only argument or is
that only award. It has to be circumstantial.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
If he plays the way he played last Thursday against
the ball against Baltimore's by the way, was good, but probably.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Not even as great as these first game back in
two months.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, so he could probably even play better and probably
will is he gets more reps.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Right, Higgins will come back. I mentioned if he.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Leads them to that nine and eight and they get
into the playoffs and who knows what they do at
that point then then Yeah, I think that's a very
realistic conversation because both Lamar and Allen have not had
the best seasons that they've had statistically the last few years.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Allen still got it done yesterday. I know he gets
it done with his legs.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
But Lamar, who I think is actually been hurt, right,
I think that's really what's hampered. We know he was
hurt earlier this year when he missed some time, but
I think even with him being back the last handful
of weeks, I still don't think he's one hundred percent.
I think that's impacting his play and that offense. Let's
move on to the conversation. Two other games last Thursday,
Cowboys defeat the Chiefs, who are now six and six.
Cowboys go to six five and one. They went a
(12:02):
good one thirty one to twenty eight, and earlier in
the day Packers thirty one Lions twenty four. Packers go
to a three and one Lions seven and five. Really,
all three games were excellent last Thursday, but the two
early games the one o'clock and four o'clock window with
Packers Lions Chiefs Cowboys was really good.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Oh absolutely. I mean that was a back and forth game.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
The Chiefs had a chance to win the game at
the end, but Dallas really stepped up. Do you give
Dallas credit for this game? Probably right there? They just
got to over five hundred for the first.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Time all year long.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
But maybe we should pump the brakes on Dallas just
because the Chiefs right now were six and six.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
They were also one and five on the road.
Speaker 5 (12:46):
Are the Chiefs so clearly they used that hope you
have advantage when when given it at Arrowhead Stadium?
Speaker 4 (12:54):
But do you for.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Any reason for that six and six overall record, the
one to five record away from Kansas City? Maybe pause
to give Dallas too much credit for this win?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I think I mean Dallas. You know, the Cowboys are
another team much like the Steelers up until here. Recently,
I think the Cowboys have had a little bit more
of success in recent weeks. Have been an up and down,
right kind of polarizing team. You know, times they've looked
really good, other times not so much. But I will
say this, the Cowboys defense, though, has been playing well
the last few weeks, and I think that's made them
(13:27):
more into a contender winning these games. Chiefs are This
is not the Kansas City Chiefs team we've seen in
a really long time.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
At six and six. At six and six, much like the.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Steelers right now, it's hard to visualize them as a
playoff team, right right.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
I mean, we were just going through the AFC standings
in perspective of the Steelers, we talked about how they are,
I think like the ninth team or the tenth team
in the standings. They didn't even get to the Chiefs
just because they're that far behind. The Steelers actually have
the tie or over the Chiefs, and that's based on
(14:02):
win percentage in the conference record. The Chiefs are three
and four against AFC teams this year. They are the
tenth team. The Steers are the ninth team. But yeah,
we didn't even talk about the Chiefs as one of
the teams sitting in between the Steelers and one of
those wildcard spots.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
So that shows how far down the line they are.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
The game on Friday, which has now turned into a
tradition in the last few years, the Bears defeat the
Eagles twenty four to fifteen in Philadelphia. The Bears go
to nine and three on the year, Eagles dropped at
eight and four, and the Bears are now the number
one team in the NFC.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
How about that?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
After the Rams lose yesterday, which we'll get to here
in just a bit, the Bears are are who the
Bears are?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Who we thought that.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I don't know. I guess not. I guess. I guess
they're not the team we thought they were.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Caleb Williams looked really good on Friday, he really did.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
And despite AJ Brown who had one hundred and thirty
two yards and two touchdowns. Yeah, Big Dave James, the
Bears still find a way to win on the road.
Ben Johnson afterwards, you see, he took a shirt, absolutely
went crazy at the locker room. And they in their
fifth straight twenty four to fifteen. You mentioned it, we'll
talk about it.
Speaker 5 (15:03):
The Panthers had the biggest upset of the weekend, or
of the week rather against the Rams, but the best
win of the week was by far Chicago on the
road in Philadelphia. We talked about it going into this,
we were doing our preview for all of Week thirteen.
We had said Chicago doesn't have that statement win yet,
(15:24):
and they've you know, credit to then they had won
five in a row, four in a row going into
this week against Philadelphia. But we had said if they
do this, and if they pull off the win in Philadelphia,
then that's it. You can't just say, oh, well, they're
just a bunch of miracle kids who grind it out
weekend week out and play a bunch of bad teams
and barely escape. No, they went into Philadelphia against the
(15:47):
defending Super Bowl champions, against a team who hadn't lost
since like Week four or or week six rather, and
they won. And now they're nine to three. And now,
because we don't really get to talk about it too much,
the Packers in line going at it in the early
game on Thursday, there's really a clear view now, I
(16:07):
think are a clear road now for the Bears to
be potential, potentially your NFC Nord champions.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
The only thing standing.
Speaker 5 (16:15):
In the way ed is and here we go again
crediting the NFL scheduling committee. The Bears and the Packers
have yet to play each other yet this season. It's crazy,
similar to the Series and Ravens, similar to a lot
of teams. As we pointed out last week, if they
can split with the Packers, right, if they don't have
to sweep the Packers, which is gonna be hard to do,
(16:36):
but if they can at least split, that would If
let's say they win this one game against the Packers,
that puts them at ten and three on the season
the Packers and then fall.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
To eight to four and one.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
I don't know if that's enough of a buffer zone,
but at least if again, if you can split with
the Packers and then take care of business with the
rest of the way, you might have your chance to
win the division this year.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
That's crazy to think.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Considering that Week one matchup against the Lions and Packers,
we were all thinking, well, these are by far the
two best teams. It's great that we get to see
them go head to head in Week one in that division.
And now, loan behold the Bears after thirteen weeks, after
the near three quarters, the first three quarters of the season,
really only one quarter remaining of the regular season left
(17:21):
the Bears of the team at top of that division.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I'm not sure if this will make you feel good
or bad, but let me throw this out there for you,
just some food for thought.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Back to the Steelers for a second.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Sure, they've lost six games, this year. Seattle one of
the best teams in the NFC. Cincinnati is we just
discussed potentially now borrowback could potentially be a playoff team
in the AFC. The Packers one of the top teams
in the NFC, The Chargers most likely going to be
a playoff team out of the West, the Bears the
top team in the NFC. The Bills one of the
(17:52):
top teams in the AFC. So if we're looking for
silver lining here on a gloomy Monday, after another Steeler
lost yesterday, there is that.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
It was against six. At least five of the six
have been pretty decent.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
I don't know, just because look, yeah, I don't know
if that makes you feel good or about it. No,
I think it's the opposite. I think because look at
the teams they've beaten with a winning record. I mean
the Patriots, but remember we talk about the Patriots coming
in Week three, at that game where we played in
Week thirteen.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
That goes I think the opposite direction.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
Yeah, Jets are awful, right, The Jets are terrible, The
Vikings are bad, the Browns are bad, the Colts and
the Bengals at the time with Joe Flacco, the Colts.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Really, it's just.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
The only impressive that win they had on the season
is the Colts. I guess you could throw the Patriots
in there, but again we talk about the circumstances.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Playing in Week three.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
You can't really give them too much credit because they
haven't lost the game. The Patriots have not lost the
game since that Week three matchup against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
It's all how you spin it.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah, sure, however you want to look at it here
on the of course, that's the that's that's our roles, right,
you take the positive spin, I take the negative.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
You were saying, look at all these good teams they've played,
and I'd said, well, all these good teams they've played,
they've all lost it.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
All right, let's get back to the action.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yesterday, Speaking of the AFC North, the other team was
the Browns. They lose twenty six to eight to the
forty nine Ers. Forty nine Ers now nine to four.
The Browns go to three and nine on the season.
Nine Niners controlled this one from the beginning. Shador Sanders
went out briefly due to an injury.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
He returned. They've already named Sanders the starter for next
week and.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
Yeah, Meame Browns, I said this.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
I called this one from a mile away.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Shadoor Sanders was ready to crown himself Offensive Rookie of
the Year a week ago, simply for beating the Raiders,
who are only a two win team. As I mentioned,
there are only two teams in the AFC right now
who are already eliminated from the playoffs, and one of
them is the Raiders. So congratulations Chador for beating one
of the two teams in your conference who's already eliminated.
And we're at December first, and we still have to
(19:55):
play football in the month of January, and you were
so proud of yourself for beating one of those two
teams who's already eliminated.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Like I said, I call this one coming from a
mile away.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
They're gonna probably be competitive against the Titans, but what
does that tell you when they go to Chicago two
the week after that?
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Good luck?
Speaker 5 (20:15):
When they played the Bills the week after that, good luck,
they host the Steelers, they might probably they probably win
that game, if I'm being honest, But then they have
to go into Cincinnati Week eighteen, season on the line.
Most likely for the Bengals, with Joe Burrow. They're not
gonna win that game either.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
So Steelers got to beat the Browns in that game.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Well, again, let's wait until the next few weeks turn out,
because if the Steelers are still in it, then that's
a game they have to win. If it's the other direction,
then who knows. As you said, they've never played good
in Cleve well not never. Let me back up recently.
Recently they have never played good since.
Speaker 5 (20:48):
Ben has retired and even before a little bit before that,
since that elbow injury season, they have not played well there.
But like I said, I saw this coming from a
mile away. You actually play a good team. You only
put up eight points on offense.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Texans defeat the Colt yesterday twenty to sixteen, and a
good one that went back and forth. The Colt's now
reeling at eight and four and they've given up their
lead in the AFC South to the Jaguars, who defeat
the Titans yesterday twenty five. The three Jaguars now eight
and four. Titans go to one and eleven, one and eleven.
I just made that one word, one eleven, one and eleven.
(21:22):
Texans and Jaguars both victors yesterday and again with the
Colts lost, the Jags now in first place in the
AFC South.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
I'm gonna pound myself on the back again for this
one because I called this on Friday, and I pointed
out to you saying, the Jags won and the Texans
upset the Colts, and the Colts will no longer be
at the top of that division. And lo and behold,
here we are. Those are the results that we got yesterday,
and right now it's the Jags at top of the
AFC South. I don't know what's going wrong in Indianapolis.
(21:50):
Jonathan Taylor has not been effective, or at least not
nearly as much as he was before this three out
of four game losing streak or losing shreds for the Colts. Yeah,
I mean, it's is it panic time in Indianapolis?
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Maybe? Oh, you're asking me, I thought either you're just
throwing that out there.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Maybe.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
I mean, Jacob, up until that loss against the Steelers,
they were the best team in the NFL. Now they've
been exposed a little bit to some decent teams. I
think the Texans are on the rise, sure think.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I mean, how can you argue against it and give.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Credit to the Texans. They've put it together here in
recent weeks, and.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
We're zeroing three to start. They've now gone seven and
two in their last nine, as have the Jaguars two
at eight and fours. Sure, Jaguars are picking up speed
as well. Those are two. That's a great division other
than the Titans. That's a good division.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Right, I'm gonna I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna do
the thing again.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Ed, I'm going to credit the NFL scheduling Committee, the
Colts and the tight Ara. I'm sorry the Colts and
the Jaggs have yet to play each other. They get
their first matchup of the season this week.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
There's a lot to be sorted out here in the
last five weeks.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Oh yeah, absolutely, Not just in the AFC North, but
you can have the AFC South to that equation as well.
The Dolphins defeat the Saint yesterday twenty one to seventeen.
The Saints held it close in the second half before
the Dolphins pulled away. The Steelers opponent in just a
couple of weeks, they'll host the Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
Actually it'll be two weeks from tonight, as the Dolphins
get the five and seven. Saints go to two and ten.
(23:13):
Jets upset the Falcons if you want to call it that.
Falcons now four and eight on the year. The Jets
get their third victory of the season. They now go
to three and nine with a twenty seven to twenty
four win. Any thoughts on Dolphins or Jets victories in
Week twelve?
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Nope, I'm good.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Those aren't two glamorous games other than the Jets.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I guess you can make the case get their third
victory of the season at home?
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Was that with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback?
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yes it was.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
How about that for that matchup in the preseason? Thought
these were good teams. It could have been Michael Pennock
versus Justin Fields and ended up being Kirk Cousins versus
Tyrod Taylor.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Elsewhere in Week twelve, the Buccaneers get a much needed
win after a few losses in a row. They get
the seven and five on the season with a twenty
to seventeen win against the Arizona Cardinals, who fall to
three and nine. And here's the upisode you're talking about.
Up side of the day, Jacob The Carolina Panthers thirty
one the La Rams twenty eight. Rams go to nine
(24:09):
and three on the year. The Panthers stay alive at
seven and six. Big win at home yesterday for the
Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Oh yeah, absolutely, the Panthers only a couple games out
of a playoff spot right now. I mean the NFC.
It's crazy how competitive the NFC is right now. I'll
read you the playoffs stands. He goes Chicago at nine
and three, the Rams at nine and three, the Eagles
at eight and four, the Bucks at seven and five,
and then we had the records obviously fluctuate here.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Because those are the division leaders.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
But then it's Seattle at nine and three, the Packers
at eight three and one, the Niners at nine and four.
That's it. The Lions right now are out at seven
to five and one. The Cowboys are right behind them
at six five and one, and then right behind them
are the Panthers at seven and six. Like I said,
the best win of the week was Chicago over Philly,
But the biggest upset was by far the Panther beating
(25:01):
not the Rams, who we all thought was the best
team in football. Of course, right now, I think if
you're if you're the Panthers, You were absolutely kicking yourself
of that loss the Saints a couple of weeks ago.
If you don't have that on your resume, if you
win that game, doesn't even have to be a blowout.
The Saints won that game seventeen to seven. The Panthers
win that game seventeen to seven. They're all of a
(25:22):
sudden eight and five. They're right in the middle with
Detroit in terms of on the outside looking in, battling
for one of those final playoff spots. Yeah, if you're
the Panthers, how the hell do you let that one
go against the Saints. You have a revenge game coming up.
They're on the bye week this week. Next time they
play that it will be on the road in the
(25:43):
super Dome in New Orleans. It's a must win for
them if they want to be competitive. But it's beyond that.
It's a tough go for the rest of the way
because it's the Buccaneers, the Seahawks, and then the Buccaneers again.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Big win for the Panthers thirty one to twenty eight. Yesterday,
Seahawks over the Vikings twenty six.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Nothing.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
No problems for the Seahawks. They get to nine and three,
Vikings go to four and eight on the year. Chargers
over the Raiders thirty one to fourteen. Again no problems
there for the LA Chargers. At home they get to
eight and four on the year. Raiders go to two
and ten and last night the Broncos another close game.
We've talked about the Bears playing some close games this year.
No one has played more cancer games than the Broncos.
(26:24):
Give credit where credit is due. Denver is ten and two.
Their path to get in ten and two has been
a tight one. Talk about cardiac kids as they win
twenty seven to twenty six. Commanders I believe went for
two at the end and were stop short. Broncos go
on for the big win. Commanders now three and nine.
Marcus Marriott a big game. He was the one that
came in late, I believe with I believe for that
(26:47):
game it was out stale, So Mario did the start,
He had the two point conversion try there at the
end for the Commanders.
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Now no, but it was Nick Benito, a guy that
I always talk about.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Guy.
Speaker 5 (26:56):
Yeah, dating back to last year, I think he let this.
I think he lev the NFL and sacks last year.
He's still top five this year had a huge play
like you mentioned, bat it down, that two point conversion
for them. Yeah, just it's crazy to think how, like
you said, how gutsy of a team, this Denver Broncos
team is. Of their twelve games they've played, they've won
(27:17):
ten of them, and of all twelve of those games,
only two of them have been decided by more than
one possession.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
That was an overtime win last night too on Sunday
Night Football as the Broncos twenty seven Commanders twenty six.
One more game here and this week it is the
Giants at two and ten tonight against the Patriots, who
are ten and two in New England.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
I expect the Patriots to roll at home, right, Yeah,
as do I.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
This is that Super Bowl revenge game, I guess for
the Patriots, not that they need any extra motivation to
win this one. They want to stay ahead of the
Broncos and the standings right now, it's a two dog
race for that number one seed. You remember, only one
team gets to buy in the playoffs now with the
expansion of seventeams, so you definitely have to if you're
(28:04):
in New England, even though it's against a bad team,
you have to call it a must win if you
want to keep pace with the Broncos and be in
contention for that first round.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
By that's going to do it for the standard for today.
On tomorrow's show, Jacob and I will continue to flush
out this bill's twenty six to seven victory against the
Pittsburgh Steelers here in week thirteen.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
It is the Steelers standard. I am at true.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
He is Jacob Bret here on Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio Network.
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