July 1, 2025 • 30 mins
The Steelers are now better on offense with the addition of Jonnu Smith, and it’s arguable they’re better on defense with the swap of Minkah Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey. With improvements on both sides of the football, where do the Steelers rank in the AFC North and the rest of the conference.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Blockbuster Trade Day here on the Steeler Standard and really
across all of our shows here on Steelers Nation well network. Yeah,
it's nothing else to talk It's across all of Nation Radio.
Yes right now? Yeah yeah, yeah yeah. What else is
there to talk about? It is? I mean, like I said,
I'm looking right now.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Like I mentioned earlier, Tim Benz cited that's the first
time since two thousand and two, since the division realignment,
a five time at least five time pro bowler was
treated player for player for another at least five time
pro bowler.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Here's what the other stories are on ESPN. Oh yeah,
I can't. So. The top headlines are finn Steelers swap
Ramsey Fitzpatrick in trade. That's number one. Still a day later,
still number one headline.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It's been by the way, we are now over twenty
four hours. Number two has happened at like ten thirty yesterday.
Number two headline is Johnny Smith. No oh, because that's
I guess part of the Finns.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
He just didn't get the headline. Okay, I burned. Excuse me, never,
I never have this. The show had a piece of
pizza for breakfast. How ratchet is that? I love that
second headline sources in teams mulling trade offers for TJ. Watt.
So we got two of the top helicans right now.
The next one is about a Chargers legend being added
to the team Hall of Fame. The next is a
(01:16):
forty nine Ers corner getting arrested. The next is Tucker's suspension.
Still like, there's nothing right.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Right, right, happening right now in the fact that we're
talking about a guy getting honored or added to a
player or.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
A team, forget that. The fact that fake TJ. Watt
trade our second right now is everything you need to know.
So this thing is getting.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Mileage, baby, Like what you're saying is the rest of
the league is talking about this. Well, not only that,
they're they're going through the actual motions of the dog
Dies of summer.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Until this happened, and then they're just like, we're gonna
become Steelers talking about today or Miami to get.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It from everyone is having the conversation we're gonna have
right now, which is where does this trade lead the
Steelers in the hierarchy of the conference and especially the division.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I think they're a better team, but I just heard
that kind of conversation. Are they better on paper or not?
They are better? I think they're better, But are they
better then is the bigger question here, and I'm still
not ready to do that. And as much as you
(02:27):
are excited by these moves and as much as they
give you energy and enthusiasm around the team, I can't
put them ahead of Baltimore. I can't put him ahead
of Cincinnati yet yet, I can't do it. Maybe Burrow
blows his elbow out this year it's Lamar. See Lamar?
Remember Lamar had that whole history of season ending injury
(02:51):
something about them, though, They'd still just be a thorn
in the side for some reason even without Lamar. Yeah,
but yeah, they wouldn't be a contender without them, and
it's impossible to pret that. And I don't want to
wish that on anybody. I'll take it if it happens,
don't get me wrong, but I'm not wishing it out
there as far as you know. And I'm not going
(03:11):
to predict it and say, well, Steel are gonna win
the division because there's gonna be injury problems at the
quarterback spot. I look at everything in a vacuum right now,
and everybody's healthy, They're not better than those two teams
with those two quarterbacks leading the way. And maybe I'm
over simplifying things and putting it right down to the
quarterback with Cincinnati, because I think the Steelers has a
better team probably than the Bengals, because the Bengals are
like three guys, right, it's Burrow and the receivers. Yes,
(03:35):
I guess they'll get hendrickson back. I don't don't know
what's gonna happen when there's been no sign but there's
no stars other than those three guys. Are deeper, Sam
Hubbard retired. Steelers are deeper as far as they're and
is their rookie still not is their first round picks
not signed? But you look at the Steers, it's Rogers,
it's Metcalf, it's what it's Ramsey, it's Hayward. Like their
(03:57):
star pools is deeper, and then their depth overall is
deeper Cincinnati. But that's just how much the quarterback means, right,
and and especially when he's top three in the league,
like when he's on the Mount rushmore without question in
the league right now, Like that's just the kind of
pause that it gives you. If Burrow was only like
the eighth best quarterback, and the Bengals look like there's
(04:18):
at argument they're better than them. Yeah, Burrow is so
good it gives you pause. But that's the team I
think you could put in your cross hairs. Baltimore, I
think on paper is just better. Yeah, defense and offense. Yeah,
receiving room is. But they cut save Flowers. I mean,
Bateman's coming along like they're resigning.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
You remember how we were saying, we were joking around
for so many years, never brought receivers. They never brought
receivers back there. I don't know if Zay Flowers already resigned,
but they we know.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
I don't know if Jay Flowers needs to to resign
or not. But they don't need receivers either. I mean
they do, don't get me wrong. Sure, but they also
got Likely and Andrews, and those are out standing pass catchers.
They have Derek, They have the best running game in football, right.
They brought back they brought in the guy last year.
And you know, I was saying earlier, how there's teams
that the Steelers will just come up. By the way,
(05:11):
we forgot we keep doing this. It's DeAndre Hopkins. Yeah,
we keep doing that, we keep forgetting about him. I
knew there was another guy, but he's only like that
he might be the third receiver on that team. He
probably is. I mean he's better than say Flowers is
the number one, then sure he is. Thirty three. Yeah,
thirty three got pass catchers like they're devoid at that spot.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I mean, like you said, like we were talking about
how is Baltimore a threat to the Steelers for the
best tight end room? But then you said Darnett Washington
kind of puts the Steelers over the top there. But
still you mark Andrews, and I mark Andrews is a
top three guy likely it's like a top.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Fifteen, and Flowers is a wide receiver one. Right, they
got pass catchers now in Baltimore. And you know how
I said earlier that this Steelers team now they're just big,
Like they're going to be a team that other teams
just can't match up against and they'll have troubles with
and ain't the case with Baltimore. Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
But that's also like you kind of throw that game
like everything out the window.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Right, But I'm just saying Baltimore is big too, Like
you're not gonna have. In fact, you beefing up is
kind of a response to Baltimore already being beefed up.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Well, it's just kind of funny because it's like, you know,
the quarterback matchup, like Lamar versus Burt, Like the offense
on Baltimore is beefed up, and now the Steelers offense
is beefed up as well.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
But it's not offense going against offense. No, but the
defenses are both beefed up too. Sure, but I mean,
you got like Cincinnati. Cincinnati is the team that you
might be able to push across your board a little
bit more.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I mean, with last year's offense, which is definitely worse
last year than it is compared to this year, you
upgrader on offense. You can't even argue that the argument
the argument about is it better this year last year's
defense because it's mink are Jelian Ramsey. But offense, you
have to say you're absolutely better this year than you
are last year.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Last year, the Steelers offense.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Put up what forty five forty two points in Cincinnati
last year in Cincinnati, they're gonna do that they could
if if Cincinnati's defense gets worse, there's no way better.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Right, they could do that again, I think since he's
gonna have to score a ton of points. Oh yeah,
and maybe the defensive editions that the Steelers may limit
that maybe the defensive editions of Ramsey and Slay and
Porter Junior gives Burrow some trouble with those three corners
on the field. At the same time, I don't know.
Maybe maybe the Steelers are able to not only score
(07:27):
a lot on the Bengals defense, but limit that Bengals
offense in a way that maybe some other teams aren't
able to. In the coming season, Cincinnati is the roster
that's the one that I think you can grab, the
one that you can haul down. I think Baltimore's I
said I think earlier in the offseason. I'm leaning to
it since I think Baltimore's gonna win the division again
if all things go according to plan for them.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
See, it just depends on how how bad is Burrow
won it.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Oh you're gonna want I think they're gonna be a playoff team,
Don't get me wrong. I think they're gonna be a
contender for this thing. But I just think Baltimore is
gonna end up winning more games in the regular.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
You remember how like since Aar Non Cincinnati Kansasity had
that thing where they were just giving like thirty seconds.
I mean Aaron Rodgers did this too a couple of
years ago. For a while, when you just give them
thirty seconds, they're gonna win the game. You know, they
are so like does Burrow just have them mentality? Here's like,
I don't care how many pointers were, I'm gonna get
the ball last.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
I know what you're saying. But here's the thing about Baltimore.
And I was listening. I forget what podcast it was.
I was listening. It wasn't even the podcast. It was
like a clip on the internet that I saw. Huh.
And someone was talking about like all these advanced metrics
for offense, and he was like, it's honestly abysmal that
the Ravens haven't accomplished more or even gotten to it.
Oh yeah, Sarah. He's like, I go to sort these
(08:39):
offensive this into categories every single time. Pretty much at
number one, and by far at number one, it's the
Baltimore Ravens. Like they are analytically speaking, over the past
few seasons, by far the best team in the NFL.
And he was saying like, if they don't win in
this era, really, can you know, put it up there.
(09:00):
Put them up there as one of the biggest fumbles
as far as the window is concerned, that you've seen
in a long time, because they are so utterly dominant
in almost every fact. It's the run offense, they the defense,
the defensive run, the run defense. The only problem last
year was their secondary and they fixed it in the
middle of the season, right and now they got Gi
Alexander who could stay healthy. I mean, they're going to
(09:23):
be very good again. Every advanced metric, every metric. Basically,
this guy was saying they're the best team in football
and they're not. Even They've been in one AFC Championship
game over that stretch and they lost it to Patrick Mahomes.
Like in Baltimore, if they don't get it done, then
we can really kind of highlight some things and say, oh,
they missed a really big window there because they were
(09:44):
the best team in the league. And that's kind of
when I'm at with Baltimore. It's just like, are good
and the regular season that translates. It's the playoffs where
they just have their problems. What happened? This was it?
This year where they got to the AC Championship game.
They lost to Buffalo in the division. Around this year,
that great game against the Bills when Mark Andrews dropped
the touchdown, Oh right right, Lamar led the comeback like
(10:07):
Lamar was driving down the field. He had his moment
in the It wasn't it was like the two pointer version.
Wasn't it was? It was It was that right, It
was a plan, and Andrews dropped it. And then Buffalo
went to Kansas City and lost it.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
And then the same thing happened to them, where like
their tight end Dawson Knox dropped that pass.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Because sent the zero blitz and Allen was just like
kind of, oh my god, amazing, you got to pass
off even when he sent that blitz on fourth down
and not Schwartz Schultz Schultz I think as Dalton Schultz
or I think it was Schultz. I don't know anyway,
he dropped the past. But yeah, that's what happened last year.
It was two years ago. The Ravens were the one
(10:45):
seed and they hosted the Chiefs and the Chamber just
couldn't get anything going. I think they have like eight
rushing coudn't say the half right could not get anything
going in that game. Uh So Baltimore and Cincinnati I
still put ahead of the Steelers. I think you're closing
the gap on Cincinnati though, just because of that defense.
Like how I don't know, like what outweighs the other,
(11:06):
like the Steelers defense being so great or just this
Bengals defense being so bad, Like which one breaks for you?
I think with the improvements that I hope the Steelers
have made on offense this year, the one that breaks
it is the Bengals defense being so bad. And they
kind of went into that shell after Russe lit up
the Bengals where they didn't really let it pass and
they made it run the ball eleven straight times against
(11:28):
the Say he ain't gonna happen with Rodgers. It's just not.
He's just not gonna do that. I just think Rogers
and the weapons that we now have around him are
gonna be enough to put up thirty five on that defense,
and I think enough to hold him to under thirty.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
They did it without him, They did it with Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
And now they're better. Yeah, they did it without Russell
will and they did it without a John Smith Friarmooth,
DK Metcalf kind of trio that you can throw the
ball to. And let's not forget about the running game.
Like already loves to run the ball. What if Caleb
Johnson's damn rook of the year, we're close to it,
or the non quarterback rookie of the year. What if
there's just so much damn beef at the wide receivers,
(12:06):
in the tight ends, in the offensive line. I think
he's just falling forward.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
For five yards and I remember he's coming in and
following another great point that we really didn't bring up
about Caleb Johnson. Now with the addition of John new Smith,
is just thirteen personnel, Like what pass blocking will he
have to really realistically do?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
He m not even been in It'll be warned and right, look,
it's obviously an episode today that's geared more towards the
passing game because of John new Smith's acquisition. But they're
going to run them. They're going to run the football
because that's what Arthur Smith does too. When when you're
out there with thirteen personnel and we know that that
zone toss is going to be run because Arthur Smith
(12:46):
loves to run it. He still ran it with nausey,
and we thought he was, you know, banging his head
against some one trying it Like, No, I wanted to
run it more like that. That was kind of pulling
off on the gas on it. I wanted to run
that thing more. That's Johnson's bread and butter right there.
And Warren was better at it too than nause he was.
But that's what Johnson's gonna do. Look, you know what else.
I kind of like the pressure this takes off of
Caleb Johnson and Warren two for that matter, Because when
(13:09):
it was just DK and kind of going to the
same like will firemouth won't firemouth thing for that wide
receiver too, we were like, we're gonna run the ball
right like it's gonna be Johnson. He's gonna have to
really eat. Now. I can see a game where if
they're really stopping Johnson and the run's not working, okay,
I can throw the ball around the yard a little
bit and look, I Russ is a good quarterback, but
(13:30):
Rogers is way better than Russ at this point in
his career too. It's like everywhere you look, there's just
an upgrade I think on that offensive side of the ball.
And so to your point, I see a Bengals defense
that didn't do very anything at all to upgrade. In fact,
they might end up downgrading, which it's being cheap. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I mean, the one defensive player they drafted with high
draft capitals not on their team.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
And I was talking about Hendrickson too, like they might
not have him. Both both Henderson been there and the
rookie are not there. And then you look at the
Steelers offense, who absolutely improved themselves in almost every area
I think. I mean, I think the receiving room is
better just because Pickens is not as good as DK Metcalf.
I think that the tight end room is obviously better.
I think the offensive line is just organically gonna be
(14:10):
better because they're going to take a step forward as
a unit. I think that the quarterback's better, and I
think that the running back is gonna end up being
better than Najie Harris was. That's every damn spot on
the offensive side of the ball. I see improvement on
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, how much improvement is still
to be debated, and I don't know how much improvement.
(14:30):
I don't know how much they need to improve to
be a real contender. But right now, just looking at things,
they're definitely a better offense than they were last year.
So I think that they just have a good shot
against that Bengals defense. And we'll see how our defense
holds up against Joe Burrow he goes kind of just
sicko mode, or if he has one of those games
where he kind of struggles. But that leads us to this.
(14:52):
So we think we're closing the gap on Cincinnati, but
I think we both kind of I think I have
to more begrudgingly get you there and pull your teeth
a little bit. Yeah, we rams are going win the
division though, Yeah, okay, okay, so that means you go
on the road for that playoff game if you're the
Pittsburgh Steelers, and look, that's tough to try to get
over that hump on the road.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Well, let's let's look at this, because it's gonna be
one AFC North team that gets the right it's not
like Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
And since that, I get a home playoff game in
that first round. If we're doing very obvious things, yes, that's.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
But beyond those two, like going to Buffalo would be difficult,
going to Kansas City would be difficult.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I don't really know if there's another you'll take going
to Baltimore, Cincinnati, just because you do that all the time, right,
Like I don't like.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Going to any of the AFEC South teams, even though
Houston did win a game last year, Like.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Can I throw one out at you that I would
really hate going to is La. I don't think they'll
win the division? Is it Denver? Yeah? Yeah, for sure.
Actually I like to walk that back. Remember how I
said I thought the Chargers were gonna win the AFC
West this year. I'm kind of shifting towards the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Oh, well, they when they are just completed. The two
guys from San Francisco on defense, just.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Complete as hell. They're just a complete ass football team.
Their defense was already we went over in the last episode.
They were the third best defense in football last year
as far as points per game was allowed. It's obviously
a big thing to take that leap into the second
year for a quarterback. So we'll see how Sean Payton
ushers into that year two of bon Nicks. That's everything, right,
that means everything for them. But if he's just as
(16:21):
good or takes a little step forward their playoff team again, right.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
If you're a guy, then you're a guy guy. Like,
so he got them, he got them there last year, I.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Know, And you got them up seven nothing on the
Rolls and then he lost thirty five to seven, but
they were up seven to nothing at one point. But anyway,
like and I think a lot of it's just a
weird team. I threw out there because I'm.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Looking at I think a lot of us are cool
in the Jets, especially the way the Super Bowl went down.
Cool in the Jets on the Chiefs. Weird for me
to use another football team my analogy there, but was
I was confused on where you were going with that.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Cooling off on the Chiefs. They won, So how many
won score games last Yeah, there were so many flukey
wins last year.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
The Steelers were in the game in which they played
on Christmas Day.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
But then that also then that also ended up being
in the Chiefs, like biggest victory of the season.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Right, one of the biggest, same way that Dever went
up on on Buffalo. They ended up losing that game,
Like the Steelers were in that game against Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
To play Kansas City one time legitimately last year.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Remember the last game Kansas City B team and the
Denver bet team. It was Kansas City because I never
had to win. And they remember if Denver lost, Joe
Burrow gets in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
I thought it was Miami. No, no, no, no. If Miami
had won against the Jets, they and had the it
came down to that Denver game where if they lost,
Barrow got in. I don't think so Miami came down
to that. Maybe Miami had a chance, but they were
eliminated by that point if they would have lied. And
(17:54):
I remember every it was mad because Broncos just rolling
over Kansas City and they were like, I played the
B team, they should have tried to knock him out.
And everyone's like Kansas City did that on purpose to
avoid the big bad Joe Burrow from coming to town eventually.
But anyway, the real game that Denver played against Kansas
City last year, remember Kansas City won it on a
blocked field goal. Denver was win the football, Yeah right there.
(18:18):
Vegas played the Chiefs tough last year and we're gonna
win except for some kind of shenanigans at the end
of the game. And that one the divisions catching up
tonsure both talent wise. The Chargers did beat them last
year both talent wise and coaching wise. Oh yeah, I
mean the coaching. That's the best coaching Division football for sure.
(18:39):
You have potential for Hall of famers in there. So
you couple the Chiefs winning all those one score games
and kind of looking like they were doing it with
Smoking Mears last year. Right with the division getting better,
I think it's ripe to see the Chiefs finally get
knocked off. And they've been on this perch beyond homes.
This just goes back to Alex Smith than winning. They
(19:00):
have ruled the West for a long oh yeah, since
since really Andy got there. They have dominated this session.
I think this is a year where they all the
other teams, maybe not the Raiders although Pete Carroll believes,
but the Chargers and the Broncos are looking at the
Chiefs like we can win this division this year. Quite surprising.
I just looked this up. The Chiefs swept the Chargers
last year. The Chiefs slept, the swept, slept swept the Chargers, Okay, swept.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Both were one possession game, seven point game the first time,
two point games the second time.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I'm telling you man, Denver might be my team out there.
I like it.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
They're just so wellfarre you like you did you and
Dever go to couples therapy without talent.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
The finished worst the league last year. Year, you're picking
them the winner of the division. That says a lot
about me, though, right, because a lot of people would
just ignore them and pretend they don't know I was right.
They'll fade away at some point. Maybe not even say
that right now because it doesn't look good right now,
but just be like Denver, Yeah, they're okay, right, You
(20:05):
like Switzerland? Yeah, I mean, I guess the third best
team in the division. Probably they really well might be
the third best team in the division.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
But I do think the original point stands about a
team that has home field advantage.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
It's it's tricky.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Baltimore and Cincinnati, like you know how to play in
those cities. Yeah, Buffalo's legit, Kansas City is legit, Denver
is legit, and beyond that, like, there's not that many
scary places to go.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
It's not. But also you're on the road in the
playoff game though, Like, yeah, Houston doesn't scare you like
the other places, but they're gonna be loud. Sure, it's
gonna be tough.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Sure, I mean, I was just the point I was
about to make to echo that was New England's not
Tom Brady anymore. But if New England had to host
a playoff game, they've been licking at the chops to
host a playoff game ever since twenty eighteen.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
It's easy to go on the road, it's just not now.
You want to be that fifth seed, and we did
this last year, right like you want to be the
fifth seed. You want to get the Texans. You want
to finish as the highest wild card, so you can
kind of feast on that that weakest division vision. I
don't know there's a weak division? Is gonna say that?
Like last year we thought it was Houston and then
(21:13):
they smoked in the playoff game. So were they really
that week they were injured? That's it, That La just
choked on a big again. Yeah, maybe a bit of both. Sure,
But I think the Texans are gonna be healthy this year,
so I think they're gonna bounce back. Ravens aren't easy,
Bengals aren't easy. No, Broncos, Chiefs aren't easy. Buffalo like
(21:37):
any option that you have to win the division, and
even if the Chargers are the one that win the West, like,
then they win the West, so you can't assume that
they're easy. Like I agree with you, Like there is
no AFC South sacrificial lamb, And honestly, we thought it
was a sacrificial lamb last year and it turned out
that the lamb was mutated and it actually had teeth
and it just ripped us to shreds. So yeah, this
(21:59):
whole like, well, there's a weak link somewhere in the division.
I don't I don't know about that this year and
the division.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Sure in our division it's Cleveland, but you're saying like
as a division winner.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Yes, I mean the South was always the low hanging
for you look at the sure like that team's going
to go nine to eight and win. But that's not
the case with Houston.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
I don't know, no, but I do think overall like
that division is kind of washed, not washed, but just
not to be.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Taken seriously because clearly, Trevor Lawrence is the worst division
in the AFC. The South or the East.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
It's the South because there's upside for New England for sure, trending,
there's potential for the Jets and there's there's obviously potential
in Miami too with Tua. It is one hundred percent
the South because Indianapolis is not to be taken seriously
with Daniel Jones and Richardson.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Tennessee is such a crap shoot with Maybe they're great
with Cambell, maybe he's the guy, but probably.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Don't know, you don't know, and the team around him
is so bad and a coach, I mean they yeah,
and then Jacksonville like like we talked about, like Trevor Lawrence, like.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Tennessee season this year, at best is gonna be one
of those win the dog's confused, like like that's the
we'll look at them with six wins like what huh? Like, wow,
war it's not bad, huh. Good for them forgetting this
kind of like the Panthers last year. Yeah, that's kind
of what the season that Tennessee Titans should be looking at.
But they can be one year ahead of the Panthers
who just did terribly, and but you're looking for that
(23:28):
year that makes you raise your eyebrow and go, oh
the Panthers or oh the Titans aren't a joke anymore.
That's what you're looking at for this sure, but not
a contender. No, Texans are really the only real contender
in that division. You brought up the Dolphins, so I
want to end there, like but like the South is
the worst division in the conference. Okay, I'll give you.
Let's end with the Dolphins. You brought them up. What
do you see from their side of things on this?
Speaker 2 (23:49):
I think they're excited. I mean again, like Jelan Ramsey
was a guy that clearly didn't want.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
To be there anymore? Is it another case of just
like different is better? Did you see Tyreek Hill's tweet?
I keep no he tweet quote tweeted Jalen Ramsey because
Jayleen Ramsey broke his own news said he's coming to
Pittsburgh and he Tyreek killed quote tweeted with the crying
face emoji and the jiff of Will Smith at the
end of the Fresh Prince of bel Air when he's
(24:15):
looking around the end. No one there? How I mean,
Jaylen Model and Tula is still there? Really quick?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
How did you feel about Ramsey using like an ai
John facenda thing to make his announcement.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I don't know, And I know that the NBA because it.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Was fun at the beginning when it was just the
original clip, and then you could tell that it was
it was the AI.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
His voice in making he signed with the Pittsburgh I
know that the NBA on NBC is using the AI
voice of the old announcer who died to introduce the
NBA on NBC. I don't like that. I think I like, Okay,
we love the old announcers. Facenda's great. His presence was unbelievable.
Let's find the new one. Let's try to find the
(24:58):
next or or use whatever clips you have.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Don't make it AI, like, use that clip of there
are there are twenty nine teams, or there are twenty
seven teams in the NFL, and then there are the
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Like, and then you go with someone else. Yeah, but
back with the NBA. Thy just give another guy a shot,
I mean, and it make it me. I should he
gets the shot.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
I thought, I thought it was cool to start and
then went to I learned it was AI. I wasn't
loving it, but like getting back to the original point,
Tyrek Hills, Sweet, I mean, I keep going back to
why the hell did you trade away Christian Wilkins to Vegas?
Speaker 1 (25:38):
So you don't know if the Dolphins really know what
they're doing. I don't, And but that's that hasn't really changed.
I'm just as confounded by their side of the street
as I am, more so, honestly, more so than Yeah tells.
It's just a question of where these guys play. It's
just no matter what the deployment is. Yeah, the Dolphins,
it's like, what are you doing? Like, what's the hand here?
(26:00):
Did you get any better with that position? I don't know.
You trade away at your tight end, and a corner
is more valuable than a safety, a great corner. I'll
take a great corner over a great safe, you have to,
unless it's like the exceptions. Yeah, but I would have
me exception exactly. I wouldn't think about those guys if
it was Darryl Rievis and Champ Bailey that you were
giving me, right, But I'd take Daryl Rivis and Champ
(26:22):
Bailey over every other basically safety to build a team around,
because corners are just so damn valuable. You were racing
number that point, you're you're just deleting offense for the
other team to that point.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Since the trade has gone down, people have been saying
top candidates to take over that starting safety position via
free agency. Justin Simmons in Atlanta kind of sexy. I
can get behind that one.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
You can get behind that one.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
And then what do you do if you actually go
out and make that Remember Simmons was an All Pro
a couple of years, like three years ago, made the
Pro Bowls.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Since I wanted the Steelers to maybe kick the tires
on him. If they do, who starts, like, who's out
there for for for the Steelers If they get Simmons,
They're not getting Simmons. I don't think they're gonna get
I don't think there's gonna be an addition on the defense. Again.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
I think his price has gone down in the in
the past few years. Like I said, he's no longer
that All Pro guy. I'm saying Justin Simmons from Denver,
I mean Simmons in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I think the same guy? Is it the same guy?
I pretty sure he went, I don't know who you're
talking about now. Honestly, you're confusing me and you're pull
you're leaking air out of the tires of this episode
right now.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
As we finished, no, no, no, I was right, it's
Justin Simmons, Okay, Atlanta yeah, and Denver. Right, he did
play in Denver, but he made the All Pro team
as far back as his time in den Denver.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Atlanta. Yeah, yeah, okay, you got it. Yeah, we're good.
You saved yourself. I don't think they're gonna add on
defense again. I don't think maybe an insignificant depth piece.
But I think the other edition that happens here is
offensively and it's wide receiver too. That's it's like the
only other shoe. I think that has to drop now
in the offseason, and even if it doesn't, I think
(28:10):
they're looking pretty damn good. The reason I bring up
Simmons sit is because he only signed a one year
deal last year. Forget about Simmons. He has not signed
on with Simmons. I don't. I'm just telling you. Enjoy
the fourth of July, you too, and have fun next
week at the beat Jesse. You guys enjoy it too.
I know I sound very boogie, don't. I am going
back to the beach. Why is that, bitch? I don't know.
It's blessed, is what it is. Yeah, that's that's that's
(28:32):
a bit. But enjoy your holiday, everybody. We have some
hot dogs, We have a lot of steelers, fun talk
to have around the barbecues.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Or hot dogs and burgers, a couple of beers. The
number one food option for the.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Fourth both come on the plate. Has both. You can't
push on a this or that question. I'm not answering
because I eat both. Okay, I'm not subject. I had
to pick one, I'm going to pick a dog. That's
Unamerican to pick one. You need both. We have freedom here.
We have freedom here to pick both. Corner of the
cob guy, Sure absolutely ribs. Maybe it's like a kind
(29:05):
of like a choice. Right. That's the thing about the
fourth The foods maybe the most versatile of any holiday. Right, No,
that's not true. I could grow like hell you want
on any hal No, you gotta have turkey on Thanksgiving,
ham on Christmas, Ham on Christmas. Like, it's all sorts
of traditions that are baked in. But like I said you,
(29:26):
I'm cooking up some kill boss on top of this
rib right. Yeah. But this is a big boy and
then New Year's This is one of the New Years.
What are the rules there? This is what are the rules?
This is one of the big boy holidays? Though, Like
this is in the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
It's like, but New Year's is a big boy holiday,
not as big boys new Year's Christmas.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Fourth of July absolutely new Year's in that camp. This
is bigger than New Year's, bigger than New Year's. First
of all, there is no New Year's without this holiday,
you son of a Okay, without the freedom that we
have to celebrate a new year being wrung in. No,
it is true. And Second of all, summertime outside. I
like ham and mac and cheese. I just had him
(30:07):
two weeks ago, less than that a week ago, five
days ago. Burgers and dogs and ribs and corn bread
and baked beans and coal slog Get out of here.
Fourth of July is way better. He's Jacob, I'm Tom.
This has been the Steelers standard on the Steelers Audio
Network in the Steelers Nation Radio
Blockbuster Trade Day here on the Steeler Standard and really
across all of our shows here on Steelers Nation well network. Yeah,
it's nothing else to talk It's across all of Nation Radio.
Yes right now? Yeah yeah, yeah yeah. What else is
there to talk about? It is? I mean, like I said,
I'm looking right now.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Like I mentioned earlier, Tim Benz cited that's the first
time since two thousand and two, since the division realignment,
a five time at least five time pro bowler was
treated player for player for another at least five time
pro bowler.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Here's what the other stories are on ESPN. Oh yeah,
I can't. So. The top headlines are finn Steelers swap
Ramsey Fitzpatrick in trade. That's number one. Still a day later,
still number one headline.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It's been by the way, we are now over twenty
four hours. Number two has happened at like ten thirty yesterday.
Number two headline is Johnny Smith. No oh, because that's
I guess part of the Finns.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
He just didn't get the headline. Okay, I burned. Excuse me, never,
I never have this. The show had a piece of
pizza for breakfast. How ratchet is that? I love that
second headline sources in teams mulling trade offers for TJ. Watt.
So we got two of the top helicans right now.
The next one is about a Chargers legend being added
to the team Hall of Fame. The next is a
(01:16):
forty nine Ers corner getting arrested. The next is Tucker's suspension.
Still like, there's nothing right.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Right, right, happening right now in the fact that we're
talking about a guy getting honored or added to a
player or.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
A team, forget that. The fact that fake TJ. Watt
trade our second right now is everything you need to know.
So this thing is getting.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Mileage, baby, Like what you're saying is the rest of
the league is talking about this. Well, not only that,
they're they're going through the actual motions of the dog
Dies of summer.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Until this happened, and then they're just like, we're gonna
become Steelers talking about today or Miami to get.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It from everyone is having the conversation we're gonna have
right now, which is where does this trade lead the
Steelers in the hierarchy of the conference and especially the division.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I think they're a better team, but I just heard
that kind of conversation. Are they better on paper or not?
They are better? I think they're better, But are they
better then is the bigger question here, and I'm still
not ready to do that. And as much as you
(02:27):
are excited by these moves and as much as they
give you energy and enthusiasm around the team, I can't
put them ahead of Baltimore. I can't put him ahead
of Cincinnati yet yet, I can't do it. Maybe Burrow
blows his elbow out this year it's Lamar. See Lamar?
Remember Lamar had that whole history of season ending injury
(02:51):
something about them, though, They'd still just be a thorn
in the side for some reason even without Lamar. Yeah,
but yeah, they wouldn't be a contender without them, and
it's impossible to pret that. And I don't want to
wish that on anybody. I'll take it if it happens,
don't get me wrong, but I'm not wishing it out
there as far as you know. And I'm not going
(03:11):
to predict it and say, well, Steel are gonna win
the division because there's gonna be injury problems at the
quarterback spot. I look at everything in a vacuum right now,
and everybody's healthy, They're not better than those two teams
with those two quarterbacks leading the way. And maybe I'm
over simplifying things and putting it right down to the
quarterback with Cincinnati, because I think the Steelers has a
better team probably than the Bengals, because the Bengals are
like three guys, right, it's Burrow and the receivers. Yes,
(03:35):
I guess they'll get hendrickson back. I don't don't know
what's gonna happen when there's been no sign but there's
no stars other than those three guys. Are deeper, Sam
Hubbard retired. Steelers are deeper as far as they're and
is their rookie still not is their first round picks
not signed? But you look at the Steers, it's Rogers,
it's Metcalf, it's what it's Ramsey, it's Hayward. Like their
(03:57):
star pools is deeper, and then their depth overall is
deeper Cincinnati. But that's just how much the quarterback means, right,
and and especially when he's top three in the league,
like when he's on the Mount rushmore without question in
the league right now, Like that's just the kind of
pause that it gives you. If Burrow was only like
the eighth best quarterback, and the Bengals look like there's
(04:18):
at argument they're better than them. Yeah, Burrow is so
good it gives you pause. But that's the team I
think you could put in your cross hairs. Baltimore, I
think on paper is just better. Yeah, defense and offense. Yeah,
receiving room is. But they cut save Flowers. I mean,
Bateman's coming along like they're resigning.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
You remember how we were saying, we were joking around
for so many years, never brought receivers. They never brought
receivers back there. I don't know if Zay Flowers already resigned,
but they we know.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
I don't know if Jay Flowers needs to to resign
or not. But they don't need receivers either. I mean
they do, don't get me wrong. Sure, but they also
got Likely and Andrews, and those are out standing pass catchers.
They have Derek, They have the best running game in football, right.
They brought back they brought in the guy last year.
And you know, I was saying earlier, how there's teams
that the Steelers will just come up. By the way,
(05:11):
we forgot we keep doing this. It's DeAndre Hopkins. Yeah,
we keep doing that, we keep forgetting about him. I
knew there was another guy, but he's only like that
he might be the third receiver on that team. He
probably is. I mean he's better than say Flowers is
the number one, then sure he is. Thirty three. Yeah,
thirty three got pass catchers like they're devoid at that spot.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I mean, like you said, like we were talking about
how is Baltimore a threat to the Steelers for the
best tight end room? But then you said Darnett Washington
kind of puts the Steelers over the top there. But
still you mark Andrews, and I mark Andrews is a
top three guy likely it's like a top.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Fifteen, and Flowers is a wide receiver one. Right, they
got pass catchers now in Baltimore. And you know how
I said earlier that this Steelers team now they're just big,
Like they're going to be a team that other teams
just can't match up against and they'll have troubles with
and ain't the case with Baltimore. Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
But that's also like you kind of throw that game
like everything out the window.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Right, But I'm just saying Baltimore is big too, Like
you're not gonna have. In fact, you beefing up is
kind of a response to Baltimore already being beefed up.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Well, it's just kind of funny because it's like, you know,
the quarterback matchup, like Lamar versus Burt, Like the offense
on Baltimore is beefed up, and now the Steelers offense
is beefed up as well.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
But it's not offense going against offense. No, but the
defenses are both beefed up too. Sure, but I mean,
you got like Cincinnati. Cincinnati is the team that you
might be able to push across your board a little
bit more.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I mean, with last year's offense, which is definitely worse
last year than it is compared to this year, you
upgrader on offense. You can't even argue that the argument
the argument about is it better this year last year's
defense because it's mink are Jelian Ramsey. But offense, you
have to say you're absolutely better this year than you
are last year.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Last year, the Steelers offense.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Put up what forty five forty two points in Cincinnati
last year in Cincinnati, they're gonna do that they could
if if Cincinnati's defense gets worse, there's no way better.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Right, they could do that again, I think since he's
gonna have to score a ton of points. Oh yeah,
and maybe the defensive editions that the Steelers may limit
that maybe the defensive editions of Ramsey and Slay and
Porter Junior gives Burrow some trouble with those three corners
on the field. At the same time, I don't know.
Maybe maybe the Steelers are able to not only score
(07:27):
a lot on the Bengals defense, but limit that Bengals
offense in a way that maybe some other teams aren't
able to. In the coming season, Cincinnati is the roster
that's the one that I think you can grab, the
one that you can haul down. I think Baltimore's I
said I think earlier in the offseason. I'm leaning to
it since I think Baltimore's gonna win the division again
if all things go according to plan for them.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
See, it just depends on how how bad is Burrow
won it.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Oh you're gonna want I think they're gonna be a playoff team,
Don't get me wrong. I think they're gonna be a
contender for this thing. But I just think Baltimore is
gonna end up winning more games in the regular.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
You remember how like since Aar Non Cincinnati Kansasity had
that thing where they were just giving like thirty seconds.
I mean Aaron Rodgers did this too a couple of
years ago. For a while, when you just give them
thirty seconds, they're gonna win the game. You know, they
are so like does Burrow just have them mentality? Here's like,
I don't care how many pointers were, I'm gonna get
the ball last.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
I know what you're saying. But here's the thing about Baltimore.
And I was listening. I forget what podcast it was.
I was listening. It wasn't even the podcast. It was
like a clip on the internet that I saw. Huh.
And someone was talking about like all these advanced metrics
for offense, and he was like, it's honestly abysmal that
the Ravens haven't accomplished more or even gotten to it.
Oh yeah, Sarah. He's like, I go to sort these
(08:39):
offensive this into categories every single time. Pretty much at
number one, and by far at number one, it's the
Baltimore Ravens. Like they are analytically speaking, over the past
few seasons, by far the best team in the NFL.
And he was saying like, if they don't win in
this era, really, can you know, put it up there.
(09:00):
Put them up there as one of the biggest fumbles
as far as the window is concerned, that you've seen
in a long time, because they are so utterly dominant
in almost every fact. It's the run offense, they the defense,
the defensive run, the run defense. The only problem last
year was their secondary and they fixed it in the
middle of the season, right and now they got Gi
Alexander who could stay healthy. I mean, they're going to
(09:23):
be very good again. Every advanced metric, every metric. Basically,
this guy was saying they're the best team in football
and they're not. Even They've been in one AFC Championship
game over that stretch and they lost it to Patrick Mahomes.
Like in Baltimore, if they don't get it done, then
we can really kind of highlight some things and say, oh,
they missed a really big window there because they were
(09:44):
the best team in the league. And that's kind of
when I'm at with Baltimore. It's just like, are good
and the regular season that translates. It's the playoffs where
they just have their problems. What happened? This was it?
This year where they got to the AC Championship game.
They lost to Buffalo in the division. Around this year,
that great game against the Bills when Mark Andrews dropped
the touchdown, Oh right right, Lamar led the comeback like
(10:07):
Lamar was driving down the field. He had his moment
in the It wasn't it was like the two pointer version.
Wasn't it was? It was It was that right, It
was a plan, and Andrews dropped it. And then Buffalo
went to Kansas City and lost it.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
And then the same thing happened to them, where like
their tight end Dawson Knox dropped that pass.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Because sent the zero blitz and Allen was just like
kind of, oh my god, amazing, you got to pass
off even when he sent that blitz on fourth down
and not Schwartz Schultz Schultz I think as Dalton Schultz
or I think it was Schultz. I don't know anyway,
he dropped the past. But yeah, that's what happened last year.
It was two years ago. The Ravens were the one
(10:45):
seed and they hosted the Chiefs and the Chamber just
couldn't get anything going. I think they have like eight
rushing coudn't say the half right could not get anything
going in that game. Uh So Baltimore and Cincinnati I
still put ahead of the Steelers. I think you're closing
the gap on Cincinnati though, just because of that defense.
Like how I don't know, like what outweighs the other,
(11:06):
like the Steelers defense being so great or just this
Bengals defense being so bad, Like which one breaks for you?
I think with the improvements that I hope the Steelers
have made on offense this year, the one that breaks
it is the Bengals defense being so bad. And they
kind of went into that shell after Russe lit up
the Bengals where they didn't really let it pass and
they made it run the ball eleven straight times against
(11:28):
the Say he ain't gonna happen with Rodgers. It's just not.
He's just not gonna do that. I just think Rogers
and the weapons that we now have around him are
gonna be enough to put up thirty five on that defense,
and I think enough to hold him to under thirty.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
They did it without him, They did it with Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
And now they're better. Yeah, they did it without Russell
will and they did it without a John Smith Friarmooth,
DK Metcalf kind of trio that you can throw the
ball to. And let's not forget about the running game.
Like already loves to run the ball. What if Caleb
Johnson's damn rook of the year, we're close to it,
or the non quarterback rookie of the year. What if
there's just so much damn beef at the wide receivers,
(12:06):
in the tight ends, in the offensive line. I think
he's just falling forward.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
For five yards and I remember he's coming in and
following another great point that we really didn't bring up
about Caleb Johnson. Now with the addition of John new Smith,
is just thirteen personnel, Like what pass blocking will he
have to really realistically do?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
He m not even been in It'll be warned and right, look,
it's obviously an episode today that's geared more towards the
passing game because of John new Smith's acquisition. But they're
going to run them. They're going to run the football
because that's what Arthur Smith does too. When when you're
out there with thirteen personnel and we know that that
zone toss is going to be run because Arthur Smith
(12:46):
loves to run it. He still ran it with nausey,
and we thought he was, you know, banging his head
against some one trying it Like, No, I wanted to
run it more like that. That was kind of pulling
off on the gas on it. I wanted to run
that thing more. That's Johnson's bread and butter right there.
And Warren was better at it too than nause he was.
But that's what Johnson's gonna do. Look, you know what else.
I kind of like the pressure this takes off of
Caleb Johnson and Warren two for that matter, Because when
(13:09):
it was just DK and kind of going to the
same like will firemouth won't firemouth thing for that wide
receiver too, we were like, we're gonna run the ball
right like it's gonna be Johnson. He's gonna have to
really eat. Now. I can see a game where if
they're really stopping Johnson and the run's not working, okay,
I can throw the ball around the yard a little
bit and look, I Russ is a good quarterback, but
(13:30):
Rogers is way better than Russ at this point in
his career too. It's like everywhere you look, there's just
an upgrade I think on that offensive side of the ball.
And so to your point, I see a Bengals defense
that didn't do very anything at all to upgrade. In fact,
they might end up downgrading, which it's being cheap. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I mean, the one defensive player they drafted with high
draft capitals not on their team.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
And I was talking about Hendrickson too, like they might
not have him. Both both Henderson been there and the
rookie are not there. And then you look at the
Steelers offense, who absolutely improved themselves in almost every area
I think. I mean, I think the receiving room is
better just because Pickens is not as good as DK Metcalf.
I think that the tight end room is obviously better.
I think the offensive line is just organically gonna be
(14:10):
better because they're going to take a step forward as
a unit. I think that the quarterback's better, and I
think that the running back is gonna end up being
better than Najie Harris was. That's every damn spot on
the offensive side of the ball. I see improvement on
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, how much improvement is still
to be debated, and I don't know how much improvement.
(14:30):
I don't know how much they need to improve to
be a real contender. But right now, just looking at things,
they're definitely a better offense than they were last year.
So I think that they just have a good shot
against that Bengals defense. And we'll see how our defense
holds up against Joe Burrow he goes kind of just
sicko mode, or if he has one of those games
where he kind of struggles. But that leads us to this.
(14:52):
So we think we're closing the gap on Cincinnati, but
I think we both kind of I think I have
to more begrudgingly get you there and pull your teeth
a little bit. Yeah, we rams are going win the
division though, Yeah, okay, okay, so that means you go
on the road for that playoff game if you're the
Pittsburgh Steelers, and look, that's tough to try to get
over that hump on the road.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Well, let's let's look at this, because it's gonna be
one AFC North team that gets the right it's not
like Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
And since that, I get a home playoff game in
that first round. If we're doing very obvious things, yes, that's.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
But beyond those two, like going to Buffalo would be difficult,
going to Kansas City would be difficult.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I don't really know if there's another you'll take going
to Baltimore, Cincinnati, just because you do that all the time, right,
Like I don't like.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Going to any of the AFEC South teams, even though
Houston did win a game last year, Like.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Can I throw one out at you that I would
really hate going to is La. I don't think they'll
win the division? Is it Denver? Yeah? Yeah, for sure.
Actually I like to walk that back. Remember how I
said I thought the Chargers were gonna win the AFC
West this year. I'm kind of shifting towards the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Oh, well, they when they are just completed. The two
guys from San Francisco on defense, just.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Complete as hell. They're just a complete ass football team.
Their defense was already we went over in the last episode.
They were the third best defense in football last year
as far as points per game was allowed. It's obviously
a big thing to take that leap into the second
year for a quarterback. So we'll see how Sean Payton
ushers into that year two of bon Nicks. That's everything, right,
that means everything for them. But if he's just as
(16:21):
good or takes a little step forward their playoff team again, right.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
If you're a guy, then you're a guy guy. Like,
so he got them, he got them there last year, I.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Know, And you got them up seven nothing on the
Rolls and then he lost thirty five to seven, but
they were up seven to nothing at one point. But anyway,
like and I think a lot of it's just a
weird team. I threw out there because I'm.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Looking at I think a lot of us are cool
in the Jets, especially the way the Super Bowl went down.
Cool in the Jets on the Chiefs. Weird for me
to use another football team my analogy there, but was
I was confused on where you were going with that.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Cooling off on the Chiefs. They won, So how many
won score games last Yeah, there were so many flukey
wins last year.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
The Steelers were in the game in which they played
on Christmas Day.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
But then that also then that also ended up being
in the Chiefs, like biggest victory of the season.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Right, one of the biggest, same way that Dever went
up on on Buffalo. They ended up losing that game,
Like the Steelers were in that game against Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
To play Kansas City one time legitimately last year.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Remember the last game Kansas City B team and the
Denver bet team. It was Kansas City because I never
had to win. And they remember if Denver lost, Joe
Burrow gets in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
I thought it was Miami. No, no, no, no. If Miami
had won against the Jets, they and had the it
came down to that Denver game where if they lost,
Barrow got in. I don't think so Miami came down
to that. Maybe Miami had a chance, but they were
eliminated by that point if they would have lied. And
(17:54):
I remember every it was mad because Broncos just rolling
over Kansas City and they were like, I played the
B team, they should have tried to knock him out.
And everyone's like Kansas City did that on purpose to
avoid the big bad Joe Burrow from coming to town eventually.
But anyway, the real game that Denver played against Kansas
City last year, remember Kansas City won it on a
blocked field goal. Denver was win the football, Yeah right there.
(18:18):
Vegas played the Chiefs tough last year and we're gonna
win except for some kind of shenanigans at the end
of the game. And that one the divisions catching up
tonsure both talent wise. The Chargers did beat them last
year both talent wise and coaching wise. Oh yeah, I
mean the coaching. That's the best coaching Division football for sure.
(18:39):
You have potential for Hall of famers in there. So
you couple the Chiefs winning all those one score games
and kind of looking like they were doing it with
Smoking Mears last year. Right with the division getting better,
I think it's ripe to see the Chiefs finally get
knocked off. And they've been on this perch beyond homes.
This just goes back to Alex Smith than winning. They
(19:00):
have ruled the West for a long oh yeah, since
since really Andy got there. They have dominated this session.
I think this is a year where they all the
other teams, maybe not the Raiders although Pete Carroll believes,
but the Chargers and the Broncos are looking at the
Chiefs like we can win this division this year. Quite surprising.
I just looked this up. The Chiefs swept the Chargers
last year. The Chiefs slept, the swept, slept swept the Chargers, Okay, swept.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Both were one possession game, seven point game the first time,
two point games the second time.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I'm telling you man, Denver might be my team out there.
I like it.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
They're just so wellfarre you like you did you and
Dever go to couples therapy without talent.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
The finished worst the league last year. Year, you're picking
them the winner of the division. That says a lot
about me, though, right, because a lot of people would
just ignore them and pretend they don't know I was right.
They'll fade away at some point. Maybe not even say
that right now because it doesn't look good right now,
but just be like Denver, Yeah, they're okay, right, You
(20:05):
like Switzerland? Yeah, I mean, I guess the third best
team in the division. Probably they really well might be
the third best team in the division.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
But I do think the original point stands about a
team that has home field advantage.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
It's it's tricky.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Baltimore and Cincinnati, like you know how to play in
those cities. Yeah, Buffalo's legit, Kansas City is legit, Denver
is legit, and beyond that, like, there's not that many
scary places to go.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
It's not. But also you're on the road in the
playoff game though, Like, yeah, Houston doesn't scare you like
the other places, but they're gonna be loud. Sure, it's
gonna be tough.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Sure, I mean, I was just the point I was
about to make to echo that was New England's not
Tom Brady anymore. But if New England had to host
a playoff game, they've been licking at the chops to
host a playoff game ever since twenty eighteen.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
It's easy to go on the road, it's just not now.
You want to be that fifth seed, and we did
this last year, right like you want to be the
fifth seed. You want to get the Texans. You want
to finish as the highest wild card, so you can
kind of feast on that that weakest division vision. I
don't know there's a weak division? Is gonna say that?
Like last year we thought it was Houston and then
(21:13):
they smoked in the playoff game. So were they really
that week they were injured? That's it, That La just
choked on a big again. Yeah, maybe a bit of both. Sure,
But I think the Texans are gonna be healthy this year,
so I think they're gonna bounce back. Ravens aren't easy,
Bengals aren't easy. No, Broncos, Chiefs aren't easy. Buffalo like
(21:37):
any option that you have to win the division, and
even if the Chargers are the one that win the West, like,
then they win the West, so you can't assume that
they're easy. Like I agree with you, Like there is
no AFC South sacrificial lamb, And honestly, we thought it
was a sacrificial lamb last year and it turned out
that the lamb was mutated and it actually had teeth
and it just ripped us to shreds. So yeah, this
(21:59):
whole like, well, there's a weak link somewhere in the division.
I don't I don't know about that this year and
the division.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Sure in our division it's Cleveland, but you're saying like
as a division winner.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Yes, I mean the South was always the low hanging
for you look at the sure like that team's going
to go nine to eight and win. But that's not
the case with Houston.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
I don't know, no, but I do think overall like
that division is kind of washed, not washed, but just
not to be.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Taken seriously because clearly, Trevor Lawrence is the worst division
in the AFC. The South or the East.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
It's the South because there's upside for New England for sure, trending,
there's potential for the Jets and there's there's obviously potential
in Miami too with Tua. It is one hundred percent
the South because Indianapolis is not to be taken seriously
with Daniel Jones and Richardson.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Tennessee is such a crap shoot with Maybe they're great
with Cambell, maybe he's the guy, but probably.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Don't know, you don't know, and the team around him
is so bad and a coach, I mean they yeah,
and then Jacksonville like like we talked about, like Trevor Lawrence, like.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Tennessee season this year, at best is gonna be one
of those win the dog's confused, like like that's the
we'll look at them with six wins like what huh? Like, wow,
war it's not bad, huh. Good for them forgetting this
kind of like the Panthers last year. Yeah, that's kind
of what the season that Tennessee Titans should be looking at.
But they can be one year ahead of the Panthers
who just did terribly, and but you're looking for that
(23:28):
year that makes you raise your eyebrow and go, oh
the Panthers or oh the Titans aren't a joke anymore.
That's what you're looking at for this sure, but not
a contender. No, Texans are really the only real contender
in that division. You brought up the Dolphins, so I
want to end there, like but like the South is
the worst division in the conference. Okay, I'll give you.
Let's end with the Dolphins. You brought them up. What
do you see from their side of things on this?
Speaker 2 (23:49):
I think they're excited. I mean again, like Jelan Ramsey
was a guy that clearly didn't want.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
To be there anymore? Is it another case of just
like different is better? Did you see Tyreek Hill's tweet?
I keep no he tweet quote tweeted Jalen Ramsey because
Jayleen Ramsey broke his own news said he's coming to
Pittsburgh and he Tyreek killed quote tweeted with the crying
face emoji and the jiff of Will Smith at the
end of the Fresh Prince of bel Air when he's
(24:15):
looking around the end. No one there? How I mean,
Jaylen Model and Tula is still there? Really quick?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
How did you feel about Ramsey using like an ai
John facenda thing to make his announcement.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I don't know, And I know that the NBA because it.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Was fun at the beginning when it was just the
original clip, and then you could tell that it was
it was the AI.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
His voice in making he signed with the Pittsburgh I
know that the NBA on NBC is using the AI
voice of the old announcer who died to introduce the
NBA on NBC. I don't like that. I think I like, Okay,
we love the old announcers. Facenda's great. His presence was unbelievable.
Let's find the new one. Let's try to find the
(24:58):
next or or use whatever clips you have.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Don't make it AI, like, use that clip of there
are there are twenty nine teams, or there are twenty
seven teams in the NFL, and then there are the
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Like, and then you go with someone else. Yeah, but
back with the NBA. Thy just give another guy a shot,
I mean, and it make it me. I should he
gets the shot.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
I thought, I thought it was cool to start and
then went to I learned it was AI. I wasn't
loving it, but like getting back to the original point,
Tyrek Hills, Sweet, I mean, I keep going back to
why the hell did you trade away Christian Wilkins to Vegas?
Speaker 1 (25:38):
So you don't know if the Dolphins really know what
they're doing. I don't, And but that's that hasn't really changed.
I'm just as confounded by their side of the street
as I am, more so, honestly, more so than Yeah tells.
It's just a question of where these guys play. It's
just no matter what the deployment is. Yeah, the Dolphins,
it's like, what are you doing? Like, what's the hand here?
(26:00):
Did you get any better with that position? I don't know.
You trade away at your tight end, and a corner
is more valuable than a safety, a great corner. I'll
take a great corner over a great safe, you have to,
unless it's like the exceptions. Yeah, but I would have
me exception exactly. I wouldn't think about those guys if
it was Darryl Rievis and Champ Bailey that you were
giving me, right, But I'd take Daryl Rivis and Champ
(26:22):
Bailey over every other basically safety to build a team around,
because corners are just so damn valuable. You were racing
number that point, you're you're just deleting offense for the
other team to that point.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Since the trade has gone down, people have been saying
top candidates to take over that starting safety position via
free agency. Justin Simmons in Atlanta kind of sexy. I
can get behind that one.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
You can get behind that one.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
And then what do you do if you actually go
out and make that Remember Simmons was an All Pro
a couple of years, like three years ago, made the
Pro Bowls.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Since I wanted the Steelers to maybe kick the tires
on him. If they do, who starts, like, who's out
there for for for the Steelers If they get Simmons,
They're not getting Simmons. I don't think they're gonna get
I don't think there's gonna be an addition on the defense. Again.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
I think his price has gone down in the in
the past few years. Like I said, he's no longer
that All Pro guy. I'm saying Justin Simmons from Denver,
I mean Simmons in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I think the same guy? Is it the same guy?
I pretty sure he went, I don't know who you're
talking about now. Honestly, you're confusing me and you're pull
you're leaking air out of the tires of this episode
right now.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
As we finished, no, no, no, I was right, it's
Justin Simmons, Okay, Atlanta yeah, and Denver. Right, he did
play in Denver, but he made the All Pro team
as far back as his time in den Denver.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Atlanta. Yeah, yeah, okay, you got it. Yeah, we're good.
You saved yourself. I don't think they're gonna add on
defense again. I don't think maybe an insignificant depth piece.
But I think the other edition that happens here is
offensively and it's wide receiver too. That's it's like the
only other shoe. I think that has to drop now
in the offseason, and even if it doesn't, I think
(28:10):
they're looking pretty damn good. The reason I bring up
Simmons sit is because he only signed a one year
deal last year. Forget about Simmons. He has not signed
on with Simmons. I don't. I'm just telling you. Enjoy
the fourth of July, you too, and have fun next
week at the beat Jesse. You guys enjoy it too.
I know I sound very boogie, don't. I am going
back to the beach. Why is that, bitch? I don't know.
It's blessed, is what it is. Yeah, that's that's that's
(28:32):
a bit. But enjoy your holiday, everybody. We have some
hot dogs, We have a lot of steelers, fun talk
to have around the barbecues.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Or hot dogs and burgers, a couple of beers. The
number one food option for the.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Fourth both come on the plate. Has both. You can't
push on a this or that question. I'm not answering
because I eat both. Okay, I'm not subject. I had
to pick one, I'm going to pick a dog. That's
Unamerican to pick one. You need both. We have freedom here.
We have freedom here to pick both. Corner of the
cob guy, Sure absolutely ribs. Maybe it's like a kind
(29:05):
of like a choice. Right. That's the thing about the
fourth The foods maybe the most versatile of any holiday. Right, No,
that's not true. I could grow like hell you want
on any hal No, you gotta have turkey on Thanksgiving,
ham on Christmas, Ham on Christmas. Like, it's all sorts
of traditions that are baked in. But like I said you,
(29:26):
I'm cooking up some kill boss on top of this
rib right. Yeah. But this is a big boy and
then New Year's This is one of the New Years.
What are the rules there? This is what are the rules?
This is one of the big boy holidays? Though, Like
this is in the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
It's like, but New Year's is a big boy holiday,
not as big boys new Year's Christmas.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Fourth of July absolutely new Year's in that camp. This
is bigger than New Year's, bigger than New Year's. First
of all, there is no New Year's without this holiday,
you son of a Okay, without the freedom that we
have to celebrate a new year being wrung in. No,
it is true. And Second of all, summertime outside. I
like ham and mac and cheese. I just had him
(30:07):
two weeks ago, less than that a week ago, five
days ago. Burgers and dogs and ribs and corn bread
and baked beans and coal slog Get out of here.
Fourth of July is way better. He's Jacob, I'm Tom.
This has been the Steelers standard on the Steelers Audio
Network in the Steelers Nation Radio
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