October 3, 2025 • 29 mins
Ed Troup and Jacob Recht discuss the new crop of players who re now eligible for the Hall of Fame. The 49ers are one of the most injury riddled teams in the NFL but they managed to pull off the win on the road against the Rams last night to improve to 4-1. The Ravens play their first full game without Lamar Jackson, and the Browns will play their first game with rookie Dillon Gabriel as the starting quarterback.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
This is the Steelers Standard with Ed Trup and Jacob
Brect on the Steelers Nation Radio part of the Steelers
Audio Network. Jacob, before we get into the Week five
NFL games, of course, the Steelers have a buy this week,
so we don't have to talk Steeler Week five, But
let's talk about what was announced last week. The NFL
announced their nominations for the Hall of Fame class of
(00:26):
next year of twenty twenty six. Several Steelers on that
list kicker Gary Anderson, offensive guard David Di Castro, inside
linebacker James Ferrier, outside linebacker James Harrison, safety Carnel Lake,
center Marquise Pouncey, and wide receiver Heinz Ward once again
up for nomination. Your thoughts on that list, anybody pop
(00:46):
out at you as being a potential Steeler Hall of
Famer for next year? Oll?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I like seeing Pazzi on there. He was a fan
favorite for me growing up at the time. He was
the biggest free agent acquisition the Steelers had made up
until recently, so I love Patzi, love Hines, of course,
fan favorite Carnell Lake a little bit before my time,
but know about the versatility that he brought in the
secondary just I'm always happy to see it a Pittsburgh
(01:12):
Steeler added to the Hall of They have the biggest
wing in the and in Canton, so they always happen
to see it grow they do.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Does Hines get in finally, I mean, I think it's hard.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I think.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I think at the end of the day, he'll end
up in the hull of very good. It's a shame
though the guy had a thousand yards, a thousand career receptions,
has a Super Bowl MVP, has a rule change due
to his kind of style of play. I think a
lot of kids growing up in the two thousands, like myself,
(01:42):
looked at Heines as one of their favorite Steelers just
because of how tough and gritty he was.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Really embodied the old Steelers way.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I just don't know if there are so many wide
receivers out there in the NFL. And also when you
look at the way the league is going right now too,
seems like there are five receivers coming into the league
every year out of college that just seemed to steal
the show. So in an era where wide receivers were
far more valuable in the two thousands, Hines really stood out.
(02:15):
I just don't know if he'll make it, which is
it is a shame because I think he deserves it.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, I think he eventually gets into it.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I don't know eventually because you know they have that
rule now where that expire, you have that expiration as
a modern player, and then you'll have to wait a
couple of years and be eligible to be inducted as
a veteran. So I just don't know if it actually
happens for him or not, which which would, as I said,
be a shame.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald are on the list, no brain.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Actually, to me, if you if you ask me, I
think Larry fits more so than than Drew Brees, just
because the guy was the model of consistency his entire
NFL career, but the best receiving post performance in NFL
history at culminating in that two touchdown performance he had
against the Steelers and.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Super Bowl forty three.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Larry Fitzgerald to me, is one of the most underrated
players in NFL history.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I mean, you're a pick guy.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
You should know that he should have won the Heisman
in two thousand and one or two thousand and two.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Just really just an unsung hero of this league.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
When he was at pitt they would just throw jump
balls up to him and he had to be at
like ninety eight ninety nine percent on these balls. I mean,
every single football that was thrown down. Phil just up
for grabs. Fits will come down with it.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
What was the stat he had in the NFL he
retired with.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I think he retired with more tackles than he did
with draw passes.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Unbelievable. Yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Other nominees this upcoming year too with this class, Philip Rivers,
Jason Witten, Frank Gore, Julian Edelman, Greg Olsen, Steven Gorkowski,
the kicker for the Patriots for all those years, and
Lashawn McCoy also in that class. So you got no
brainers with Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald. Then you've got
a lot of other good players, including on the Steelers list.
Gary Andrews was a great kicker back in the eighties
(04:01):
and early nineties for the Steelers, one of the best,
which was followed with a lot more kickers, including our
current kicker with Chris Boswell. Just in a line of
great Steeler kickers over the year. David di Castro I
just think his career got cut too shorts, so that
that could be the only thing.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, I mean him, he chose to walk away in
that COVID season really hit him hard. He really struggled
without the fans in the stands, and he never came.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Back after that.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
But yeah, I loved I loved to Castro, one of
the better draft picks the Steelers had in the Kevin
Colbert era for sure. I mean having back to back
years of getting Pounds, who you also mentioned is eligible,
who I think deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,
and to Castro right after that, just really they were
the they were the anchors of that offensive line for
(04:47):
that whole decade, the twenty ten. So I think Pounds
actually has an outsider shot. It's harder to get in
when you're not one of those like quarterback, wide receiver,
tight end, running back or defensive players. I think those
are You're much more able to stand out offensive lineups.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
It's a little bit harder.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
You have to be a no raider, all time great
to really get in, and I think Pounce is just
right on the edge there. So I think it's a
fifty to fifty shot for pounce Castro I'm not so
sure about, but cannot ignore what he did for that
whole decade that he played with his team.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
And is it twenty twenty seven? The Big Ben will
be eligible.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
For first five years after you retire, So he retired after.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
The twenty twenty one to twenty twenty two season, So
that would be twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, be twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Maybe Pouncey goes in that year with them, I mean
that would be, that would be.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
It would not be the first sign. It would not
be the first sign that two Steelers going at the
same year.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
I mean it would It would make sense to have
Pouncing and Ben. They were together the whole time here,
well most of the time, not the entire time for
Big Ben, but no majority of.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
The crazy to think Ben's Ben's longevity. Oh, Forestburgh came in,
came in like six or seven years before pounce it
in and played another two years after Pounds retired.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
A remarkable career and definitely a first time Hall of Famer,
first ballot Hall of Famer in Big Ben.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Take a look at the NFL Week five schedule. What's
ahead this weekend? The Steelers with a buye. So we'll
talk all the other AFC North and AFC and NFL games.
Last night, Thursday Night Football was another good one. Jacob
went to overtime forty nine Ers over the Rams twenty
six to twenty three. The forty nine Ers stay at
four to one on the season, and the Rams dropped
a three and two all of a sudden. The Rams
(06:32):
are reeling after a good start to their twenty twenty
five season. I don't know if you saw the highlights
of this one or not, but the Rams were driving
in overtime. They could have kicked a field goal to
tie the game, kind of how the end of the
Packers game went last week against the Cowboys. But in
this situation, the Rams go for it on fourth and one.
I think they were around the twenty five twenty yard
(06:52):
line of the forty nine ers, and they get stopped.
They get stopped on fourth down, the forty nine Ers hold,
and thus they hold on for the twenty six to
twenty three VIC.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, it was a gutsy win by the Niners.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I don't think anyone had them winning that game with
the injuries they had and playing on the road against
LA I think they were a total mismatch for the Rams,
but credit to them.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
They're now four and one, they sit atop that division, and.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
They're all banged up. As I said, I don't.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Think anyone saw them winning that game because of not
Perty being injured, George Kittle being out both, I think
Ricky Purcell and Juwan Jennings being out. Yes, pretty much
all you had to rely on was Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
And they still pulled it out.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So they're sitting at four and one right now on
a top a very competitive division. They have the tiebreaker
now over the Rams, and pending what Seattle does this week,
they could be sitting atop alone that division.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
The Niners now three and zero on the road to
start the season, so it's so hard to win on
the road in the NFL, and the fact that you've
had three out of your first four game or five
games rather on the road and you've won all three
of them sets you up pretty good too moving forward
for the forty nine ers, especially if they start getting
healthy as well. This Sunday, we'll have another nine to
thirty international game, this one though this time will be
(08:07):
in London, the NFL London Games. The Vikings stay internationally
for a week, their second straight week after battling the
Steelers in Ireland last week. They're two and two on
the season. Meanwhile, in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns
at one in three with the new quarterback taking over
for Joe Flacco and Dylan Gabriel, the rookie that they
drafted this past offseason. He will start for the Cleveland
(08:29):
Browns and the Browns in London, facing a Vikings team
that I'm sure is looking to bounce back after losing
to the Steelers last week in Ireland.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, I mean Minnesota I think should win that game.
I don't think it's a very good setting for a
rookie Dylan Gabriel to make his first NFL start, having
to travel internationally, having an offense that is just coming
into an offense rather than has just really struggled a
lot so far. They are just bad pretty much all
over the place on offense. I know the defense is legit.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
This could be like a final score of like sixty
three something like that.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Take the under, and if you have any fantasy players
involved in this one this week, you might want to
alter your line up just a bit. Hey, I want
to get your thoughts quickly, Jacob out of Cleveland, Did
you see the Shador Sanders press conference this week?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Did what were your thoughts on that that he just
didn't say anything, that he'll just minded it.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, he mimed it the whole time.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Your thoughts on that, you know, it's it's humorous to
me in that situation. You know, it's tough because what
is he going to say is gonna be taken away positively? Right,
You're you're a rookie along with another rookie that got
drafted to play quarterback here. Yeah, you were drafted later
than than Gabriel was What.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Do you say?
Speaker 1 (09:39):
You know, but you know, the the high road is
to say, hey, I'm gonna move up in the death chart,
I'm gonna keep working hard and hopefully I'll get my
chance here at some point. That would have been the
right thing to say. I don't know, I didn't think much.
I didn't like it. Put it that way, Jacob. At
the same time, I understand he probably would have been
just better off by saying no comment and just walk away, right,
because what he did is comical, But at the same time,
(10:00):
it's just not a good look.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, everyone kind of brought up the character issues that
people that were surfaced about his team meetings coming into
the NFL draft, and that was the main reason why
he fell so far, what he arded at being a
fifth round draft pick, citing those team meetings and how
poorly they went, how poorly he conducted himself. So this is,
(10:22):
I guess, just more of the same. And it's no
surprise that of all teams, Cleveland was the one to
take a shot at him.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
He has done nothing in the NFL yet either to
warrant right, exactly right, He's a rookie that has done nothing.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I mean, it's it's also crazy to think that, you know,
giving I mean, I know, his dad's the coach there,
but remember what are he accomplished in his time in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Nothing? But they retired his number because his dad is
the coach. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
The Texans at the Ravens out of the AFC North,
the Texans are one in three. The Ravens out of
the AFC North at one and three. The Ravens are reeling.
They're not going to have Lamar Jackson for this game
with hamstring injury. They go into this game with Cooper
Rush as they're starting quarterback Zay Flowers has had a
pretty good year so far though for the Ravens twenty
(11:09):
three catches, three hundred and five yards and a touchdown.
Derrick Henry two to eighty four on the ground with
three touchdowns. C J Strout four touchdowns and three interceptions
through the first four games of the season for the Texans. Texans,
but they got their first win last week, right Jacob,
So now they're going to try to make a two in.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
A row in Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Baltimore is never an easy place to go into and play,
but man, the Ravens need this one. If they go
to one and four and they can't take care of
the Texans at home, they are really really in bad shape.
Almost a must win for the Ravens.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Right for the Ravens? Is that what he said for
the Ravens?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah, I mean, I think every win right now, when
you're winning three, you have to say pretty much every
win is a must win because can you afford to
follow the one and four?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Can you afford to follow the one and five?
Speaker 2 (11:48):
You absolutely cannot in this league, So you have to
have that must win mentality.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
As early as Week five.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
The Bengals earn another tough spot this week against the
Detroit Lions. They are at home, though they face a
three and one Lions team that has looked like one
of the best teams in the NFL YEP the last
few weeks. This is a four to twenty five game
on Fox. The Bengals are two and two. They've lost
two straight there without Joe Burrow. You know the narrative here.
They are really don't want to say it's a must
(12:15):
win for them at two and two, but a win,
an upset win at home against the Lions, would go
a long way. But the Bengals are definitely the underdog
in this one, even though they are at home against
a Jared Goff team that has now thrown for almost
one thousand yards on the season through four games. How
about that nine touchdowns two interceptions leading the way for
the Lions through the first four games.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah, the Lions are a force to be reckoned with.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
I think a lot of people overreacted when they saw
the Packers beat them in Week one that was in
Green Bay. And I'll say I've said it once, I'll
say it again Week one especially, and let alone, the
whole month of September really now has been labeled as
preseason football. So the fact that the Lions came out
a little rocky to start the season, and I'm not
(12:58):
going to fault them for that. I mean, look at
the Packers, right they start off to and O, everyone
thinking they're the best team in the NFC, maybe only
behind Philadelphia. Last two weeks they lost to the Browns
and they tied the Cowboys. So I think the Lions
are riding high right now. As I mentioned, they have
one of the best, if not the highest scoring offenses
in football.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's gonna be a bad day for Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
I mean, that is a bad defense to Troy can
easily hang up another fifty points like they did a
couple of weeks ago with it against Chicago. Yeah, so
it could be the second time in five weeks that
you see this team put up fifty points.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
So the Steelers are the only AFC North team that
is idle this week. You can watch all three AFC
North teams if you want this week, because they're out
all three different times. You got nine to thirty am
Vikings Browns in London, then you got the one o'clock
window with the Texans and the Ravens, and then the
four to twenty five game with the Lions and the Bengals.
So you can watch all three play this week if
(13:53):
you choose to, and if you're able to. I'm not
sure what the local television schedule will be here this
upcoming week. Let's look at other games in and across.
We're talking week five already.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Man.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
The season is just I don't want to say it's
flying by. It's still relatively young at only week five.
But at the same time, I don't know about you, Jacob,
but I feel like I've blinked. And the Steelers are
at their bye week one o'clock on Sunday on Fox.
They're one in three Raiders traveled to the three and
one Colts. Colts looking to bounce back after losing last week.
With Daniel Jones again good season over one thousand yards
(14:26):
one thousand and seventy eight yards passing, four touchdowns, two interceptions. Listen,
Taylor's been great. Jonathan Taylor is bouncing back to his
old form after a couple of slow seasons. Had some
injuries in there as well. Seventy seven carries, four hundred
and fourteen yards, three touchdowns through the colts first four games,
He's a big reason why they're three and one.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, they just had their first stumble last week, but
I think they get back on track here against the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
The Raiders are what a.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
One win team, and they that only win came against
Week one against the Patriots. They've lost three in a
row since, so I don't know if we'll see the
Colts returned to excuse me, that high power and offense
that you saw in the first three weeks where I
think they had to combine like one hundred points to
the first three weeks, they were the number one offense
at that point, or at least one of the top
(15:11):
scoring offenses. They kind of came back down to earth
last week against the Rams, but expect them to bounce
back in a big way.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I think this should be an easy game for the
Colts to win.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It's in Indy, not to say that that's a great
home field advantage, but I think they should be able
to bounce back here and get back to four and one.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
The Giants have a new quarterback, Russell Wilson has been benched,
and there were one to three. They got their first
win last week. They traveled to New Orleans to face
a winless Saints team at zero to four on the
season so far. And you know, Jackson Dart looked good
last week for the Giants stepping in. The numbers weren't huge,
but he managed the game as a rookie, led them
(15:51):
to victory twenty one to eighteen to upset the Chargers
last week. But now they've got to go in the
road to face a Saints team that I think, Jacob,
when we did our rankings the day, I think I
had them thirty two. I know we don't do the
bottom teams, but we talk about Saints are bad. Yeah,
I think I had the Saints as the worst own
four teams so far this season.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, if you could intel this week through the first
three games, the Vikings, Browns, Raiders, Colts, Giants, Saints, it's
a bad.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Week of football.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yeah, I mean we will continue to look at it. Sure,
there's only one matchup across every game. I think only
four teams are on the by which means that there
are fourteen games being played. There's only one game with
teams who are both above five hundred. Right now, that's
that's a that's a that's a recipe for just bad
football overall.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
I think the Giants if they had stuck with russ Uh.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Or maybe even didn't go to Dart, just moved on
to Jamis Winston, this would have been maybe the worst game.
But there's a lot of intrig that because of Jackson Dart,
I think he should get the win here. And I
think him and along with camp Skatibo or Scatabo, however
you pronounce it, that guys did a great start to
his rookie season. Not gonna be great. I mean they're out,
(16:59):
they're without the league neighbors. Now that's their best offensive weapon,
without a doubt.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
That's a tough one. But I still think they should
be able to handle the Saints here.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
The Cowboys are now one two in one. I referenced
that pak Packers ending last week against the Cowboys where
they elect just to get out of Dallas with a
tie instead of going for it. But yeah, you look
at last night the Rams going for it. They could
have kicked the football and probably played to a tie
with the forty nine ers, but they went for it,
tried to go for the win, and that didn't happen.
(17:28):
While the Packers took another route last week with the Cowboys,
they take the tie. Thus we have the one two
and one Cowboys visiting the own four Jets.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Russ.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
We talked about Russell Wilson with the Giants, but Justin
Fields with the Jets has yet to win his first
game as a New York Jet, and this week might
not get any easier with a one two and one
Cowboys team that I would kind of be I would
describe them as being polarizing so far this season, Jacob,
I've watched because the Cowboys are always in a national window,
I've watched them quite a bit this year through these
first four games, and they've had some say I've had
(18:00):
some downs. A mixed back for the Cowboys at one
two and one in my opinion.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, this is like the most insufferable.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
This is like the Bowl Game for like the most
insufferable fandoms in the NFL. Right, Cowboys and Jets, good take.
Not a great game. I think that even without I
think Ceedee Lamb is gonna be back for this game.
But even if he's out, I still think that the
Cowboys win this one. Handling Justin Fields has really which
is a shame because it's a shame from the Pittsburgh
(18:28):
perspective simply because Justin Fields looked like it looked like
Justin Fields was gonna be the guy for the Jets
after Week one. But it's really made the Steelers look
pretty bad because ever since then, uh well he missed
the game due to injury due to a concussion, and
then ever since then, he's just looked pretty terrible. He
has what, he has two interceptions total on the year,
(18:51):
He's been sacked five times. He's just he's just not
He's exactly what the Stewers were willing to give up.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
He's led them to anh and oh to four records
so far. The Jets still looking for that savior a
quarterback and his name is not going to be Justin Fields.
I think the cowboy should win this one pretty Hanley.
Did you see what Breis Hall said following their most
recent loss against the Dolphins last week? He said, a
lot of teams shooting themselves in the foot, and that's
(19:18):
what you can contribute to to losses.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
We shoot ourselves in the face.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
That's great, that's how That's how it was going for
the New York Jets so far with an zero to
four start.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
You know, just to expand on the Justin Fields narrative.
I was one that that was leading the charge, you know,
this past spring after last offseason, that they should sign
Justin Fields to bring him back as the Steelers starter.
And a lot of folks here in Pittsburgh felt that
same way about Fields. So, you know, so far, it's
making the Steelers look good having bridon, Aaron Rodgers and
Justin Field struggling in New York. But the question could
(19:48):
also be made, Jacob, is it Justin Fields or is
it the New York Jets? Because I'm glad you wrote
that point because and I'm defending Fields, but right I
had the stat he We know that the New York
Jets like to filter through their quarterbacks and starting coaches
like they're nothing right.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
They just say, Okay, we're gonna give you one chance,
and if that's on it, then we're moving on. Over
the last sixty years that j Just have had eighteen
full time coaches, Aaron Glenn could be the first one
of that batch of coaches to go zero to five
in his first year as the Jets start as the
Jets head coach. So pikes all these expectations with the
Aaron Glenn coming over from such a good winning culture
(20:29):
in Detroit. Justin Fields being that former first round pick
made by Chicago a couple of years ago, all these expectations,
and he could be off to the worst start by
any Jets head coach in their first year with the organization.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
I really like Aaron Glenn too. We talked about at
the beginning of the season when we were previewing Jets
Steelers that week one. But again, you know, you got
to have the horses around you. Coaching is a big
part of especially in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
I mean, we all know that coaching is a lot
harder than you think it is.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
I mean, we've seen a lot of head coaches is struggling.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I'd come from the coordinated position the year before and
really struggle, like you just said, and they returned to
being an OC or a DC and they do just
fine in that position.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
So not as easy as some people may think.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
A couple other one o'clock games to talk about upcoming
this week five Broncos two and two visit the undefeated Eagles,
who are four in oher on the season, and the
other one o'clock matchup another one in three Battleble.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
You're right, Jacob, were no it's not oh I said.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
There's only one matchup with two with both teams over
five hundred right now.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Dolphins one and three at the one and three Panthers.
Any thoughts on Broncos Eagles and Dolphins Panthers, Well, the.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Panthers are gonna lose. The Panthers are one of the
worst teams in football right now. They they really have
no hope. But I think the Dolphins just because they
have Tyreek or I'm sorry, with Tyreek out, that's like
the only shot that Panthers have at winning that football game.
I don't know if you saw Xavier leget the receiver
in Caroline. Kind of a lot of people in Pittsburgh
(22:02):
caught one of the simply because he was asked now
that he's kind of moving down the depth chart because
of his lack of performance or production and lack of
motivation on the field. Visible lack of motivation on the field.
He asked, has he learned anything now and that new
role further down the depth chart? He said no, and
a lot of people pointed out Kenny Pickett said the
(22:22):
exact same thing when he was playing behind Mason Ross,
you learned anything new now that you're in his new position.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
He said, no, no, got nothing new to learn.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
So if that, if that's any indication for how things
are going for the Panthers right now. They're their former
first round pick and Xavier Loget not really being a
team player.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
They're off to a one to three start.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
But like I said, the only shot the Panthers haven't
winning is if the Dolphins will truly miss Tyreek Hill
that much from that season ending injury he had last week.
I actually do think though, looking to the Broncos and Eagles,
this could be a good game.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
I think the.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Broncos right now look at themselves of a team that
should be above five hundred. Remember they they lost on
that weird last second call against the Colts, and then
they have the lead against the Chargers two weeks ago.
The Chargers, however, were able to come back down the
field and score a last second field goal to take
the lead. The Broncos were up by a touchdown, yeah,
(23:16):
just over the two minute warning, but the Chargers scored
ten ten unanswered points in that game to close it out.
So I think the Broncos are are trying to get
back on that plus five hundred side, but playing.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
In Philly, man, that's just so hard to do.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
It might be, it might be right now, the hardest
home field advantage or the best home field advantage in football.
So I'm gonna have to go Philly on this one,
even though I think the Broncos are.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
A good team.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
That's the difference right there, That's c X factor.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
This game was filled in Denver.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Feel a lot different, however, last week when we were
talking about Philly and Tampa Bay and that matchup two
teams that were both undefeated going into that game. That
game was in Tampa Bay, and Philly still came out
with the victor. So the fact that this game isn't
even in Denver, I really think you had the same
Philly is gonna win that one pretty handily.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
The Eagles are four and oh, don't take anything away
from him, but four close games. They beat the Cowboys
twenty four to twenty in the opener, Chiefs twenty to seventeen,
Rams thirty three, twenty six, and as you just referenced,
against Tampa Bay in Tampa Bay last week, thirty one
twenty five almost games to the Bucks.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
But also too, what's the point that you just brought
up there?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Four and oh, they're four and oh, and three of
those four teams are all with winning records, right, I
guess the Chiefs. Okay, So I guess I'm a little
wrong there. Chiefs are two and two. But the Chiefs
are exactly they're defending AFC champions. You have to assume
that they're worthy of being grouped in with him. And
the Bucks were three to oh coming into that game,
(24:42):
and then what was it? What was the fourth one
that they had? The other close game the Cowboys. No,
I just lost my schedule. Now I'm all over the place, Jacob,
My goodness, I'll get it. I'll get it for you.
The Chargers, which right now they're they're sitting at top
of that division. So the Chiefs will have as second
chance to get back at the Chargers later on this year.
(25:04):
Unfortunately for the Chiefs though, or unfortunately for the Chargers,
they lost their their home game against uh, the Chiefs
this year because that game is played in Brazil. I believe,
I believe the game that they have coming up is
played in Arrowheads. So yes, Chiefs get a huge favor
from the NFL in that regard. Yeah, I think the
(25:24):
Chiefs are I think they're the Chiefs are legitimate.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
I think the Eagles are legitimate.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Yeah, they'll be in that conversation. Anytime you have Patrick Mahomes,
you will be in that conversation, just like Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Just like Josh.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
I got a little quarterback quarterback off subject there. I
had a brain fart. I thought we were talking about
the Chiefs. We were talking about the Eagles. The third
team that they beat the Eagles was was the Rams,
who at the time were two and oh.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
So there you go.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Other four o'clock games four oh five, Titans zero to
four at the two and two Cardinals. Talk about another
franchise that's beat up right now. The Cardinals are Buccaneers
three and one, visit the Seattle Seahawks, who are three
and one. This is the game you were talking about, Jacob,
four h five should be a good one in Seattle.
We already talked about Lions, Bengals. Commanders are two and two.
They visit the three and one Chargers at four to
(26:12):
twenty five on Sunday. So those are all your four
o'clock games. Obviously the Bucks and the Seahawks stand out
to me, but the Commanders and Chargers that might not
be a bad one. Either that game in La though,
or yeah, between the Chargers and Commanders.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yeah, that should be a good one.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I think the Commanders, the same way I was talking
about with the Broncos, look at themselves as a better
team than they are with just that two and two record.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
I remember they were without Jada McDaniels.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
They were without now I think for a second week
now they'll be without Terry McLaurin. They're gonna want to
bounce back. I think McDaniels is clear to play. However,
I think Scary Terry, like I mentioned, is out for
this game again. But I do think at the end
of the day, you will see the Chargers win that game.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
The Chargers are very good. I know they had that.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Weird fluky loss last week against the Giants, but that happens.
I mean, it's not like Justin Herbert, who is this
season veteran who's been around for ten years and has
had a Super Bowl or or whatever under his belt.
He doesn't have a playoff win right now. So I
don't really blame the Chargers for losing one game. I
think they should be able to bounce back this week
against the Commanders, and I think again even though the
(27:20):
Commanders will fall to a below five hundred record, I
think they are better than whatever that record indicates. And
then you said, you mentioned the Bucks and Seahawks, that's
gonna be a great game again. As I mentioned, it's
the only game this week with both teams playing at
AI or above five hundred record.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
I think it's a toss up for me right now.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
I think Tampa Bay is the better team, but it's
in Seattle, which we know is such a hard place
to go on the road and win a game. Wouldn't
be surprised by either outcome though for that game.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Lots of injuries across the NFL for the first four
weeks of the regular season. Big injuries too, for a
lot of franchises that are trying to put other puzzle
pieces into player trying to keep their seasons going. Patriots
at Bills is the Sunday night game. Patriots two and
two the Bills, Yeah, I think so too. Mike Rabele's
going to try to change that narrative.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
But then that.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Bills in Buffalo, good luck exactly. The Bills have just
look so good. And then Chiefs Jaguars is your Monday
night game?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Good one?
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Chiefs two and two, Jacks three and one.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, it should be a good one the Jazz for
the Chiefs, Jacks can really put some doubters away if
they win this game against the Chiefs. I mean, when
would you have ever predicted that Jacksonville Jaguars could take
down Pat Mahomes Andamy Read and company. So if the
Jazz can pull it off, huge credit to them to
improve the four and one and send the Chiefs back
to under five hundred. But if the Chiefs do it,
then we're once again in the same boat that we've
(28:40):
been in the last However, any year, seven or eight years,
you just can never cut out.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
The Chiefs, Falcons, Bears, Packers, and your Pittsburgh Steelers all
on a bye this week. That's going to do it
for us. Jacob and I will be back on Monday
to talk about all the scores and results from all
these games, plus will continue to break down the Steelers
first quarter of their season as they enjoy their bye
week in an off weekend of football and get ready
for next week. We'll start talking about their first game
(29:05):
out of the bye, which will be next Sunday a
week from this Sunday, when they host the Cleveland Browns
at Akushore Stadium on Sunday, October twelfth at one o'clock.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
This is the
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Steelers standard with Ed Troup and Jacob Breck on Steelers
Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network
This is the Steelers Standard with Ed Trup and Jacob
Brect on the Steelers Nation Radio part of the Steelers
Audio Network. Jacob, before we get into the Week five
NFL games, of course, the Steelers have a buy this week,
so we don't have to talk Steeler Week five, But
let's talk about what was announced last week. The NFL
announced their nominations for the Hall of Fame class of
(00:26):
next year of twenty twenty six. Several Steelers on that
list kicker Gary Anderson, offensive guard David Di Castro, inside
linebacker James Ferrier, outside linebacker James Harrison, safety Carnel Lake,
center Marquise Pouncey, and wide receiver Heinz Ward once again
up for nomination. Your thoughts on that list, anybody pop
(00:46):
out at you as being a potential Steeler Hall of
Famer for next year? Oll?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I like seeing Pazzi on there. He was a fan
favorite for me growing up at the time. He was
the biggest free agent acquisition the Steelers had made up
until recently, so I love Patzi, love Hines, of course,
fan favorite Carnell Lake a little bit before my time,
but know about the versatility that he brought in the
secondary just I'm always happy to see it a Pittsburgh
(01:12):
Steeler added to the Hall of They have the biggest
wing in the and in Canton, so they always happen
to see it grow they do.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Does Hines get in finally, I mean, I think it's hard.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I think.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I think at the end of the day, he'll end
up in the hull of very good. It's a shame
though the guy had a thousand yards, a thousand career receptions,
has a Super Bowl MVP, has a rule change due
to his kind of style of play. I think a
lot of kids growing up in the two thousands, like myself,
(01:42):
looked at Heines as one of their favorite Steelers just
because of how tough and gritty he was.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Really embodied the old Steelers way.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I just don't know if there are so many wide
receivers out there in the NFL. And also when you
look at the way the league is going right now too,
seems like there are five receivers coming into the league
every year out of college that just seemed to steal
the show. So in an era where wide receivers were
far more valuable in the two thousands, Hines really stood out.
(02:15):
I just don't know if he'll make it, which is
it is a shame because I think he deserves it.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, I think he eventually gets into it.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I don't know eventually because you know they have that
rule now where that expire, you have that expiration as
a modern player, and then you'll have to wait a
couple of years and be eligible to be inducted as
a veteran. So I just don't know if it actually
happens for him or not, which which would, as I said,
be a shame.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald are on the list, no brain.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Actually, to me, if you if you ask me, I
think Larry fits more so than than Drew Brees, just
because the guy was the model of consistency his entire
NFL career, but the best receiving post performance in NFL
history at culminating in that two touchdown performance he had
against the Steelers and.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Super Bowl forty three.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Larry Fitzgerald to me, is one of the most underrated
players in NFL history.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I mean, you're a pick guy.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
You should know that he should have won the Heisman
in two thousand and one or two thousand and two.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Just really just an unsung hero of this league.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
When he was at pitt they would just throw jump
balls up to him and he had to be at
like ninety eight ninety nine percent on these balls. I mean,
every single football that was thrown down. Phil just up
for grabs. Fits will come down with it.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
What was the stat he had in the NFL he
retired with.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I think he retired with more tackles than he did
with draw passes.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Unbelievable. Yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Other nominees this upcoming year too with this class, Philip Rivers,
Jason Witten, Frank Gore, Julian Edelman, Greg Olsen, Steven Gorkowski,
the kicker for the Patriots for all those years, and
Lashawn McCoy also in that class. So you got no
brainers with Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald. Then you've got
a lot of other good players, including on the Steelers list.
Gary Andrews was a great kicker back in the eighties
(04:01):
and early nineties for the Steelers, one of the best,
which was followed with a lot more kickers, including our
current kicker with Chris Boswell. Just in a line of
great Steeler kickers over the year. David di Castro I
just think his career got cut too shorts, so that
that could be the only thing.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, I mean him, he chose to walk away in
that COVID season really hit him hard. He really struggled
without the fans in the stands, and he never came.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Back after that.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
But yeah, I loved I loved to Castro, one of
the better draft picks the Steelers had in the Kevin
Colbert era for sure. I mean having back to back
years of getting Pounds, who you also mentioned is eligible,
who I think deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,
and to Castro right after that, just really they were
the they were the anchors of that offensive line for
(04:47):
that whole decade, the twenty ten. So I think Pounds
actually has an outsider shot. It's harder to get in
when you're not one of those like quarterback, wide receiver,
tight end, running back or defensive players. I think those
are You're much more able to stand out offensive lineups.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
It's a little bit harder.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
You have to be a no raider, all time great
to really get in, and I think Pounce is just
right on the edge there. So I think it's a
fifty to fifty shot for pounce Castro I'm not so
sure about, but cannot ignore what he did for that
whole decade that he played with his team.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
And is it twenty twenty seven? The Big Ben will
be eligible.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
For first five years after you retire, So he retired after.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
The twenty twenty one to twenty twenty two season, So
that would be twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, be twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Maybe Pouncey goes in that year with them, I mean
that would be, that would be.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
It would not be the first sign. It would not
be the first sign that two Steelers going at the
same year.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
I mean it would It would make sense to have
Pouncing and Ben. They were together the whole time here,
well most of the time, not the entire time for
Big Ben, but no majority of.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
The crazy to think Ben's Ben's longevity. Oh, Forestburgh came in,
came in like six or seven years before pounce it
in and played another two years after Pounds retired.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
A remarkable career and definitely a first time Hall of Famer,
first ballot Hall of Famer in Big Ben.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Take a look at the NFL Week five schedule. What's
ahead this weekend? The Steelers with a buye. So we'll
talk all the other AFC North and AFC and NFL games.
Last night, Thursday Night Football was another good one. Jacob
went to overtime forty nine Ers over the Rams twenty
six to twenty three. The forty nine Ers stay at
four to one on the season, and the Rams dropped
a three and two all of a sudden. The Rams
(06:32):
are reeling after a good start to their twenty twenty
five season. I don't know if you saw the highlights
of this one or not, but the Rams were driving
in overtime. They could have kicked a field goal to
tie the game, kind of how the end of the
Packers game went last week against the Cowboys. But in
this situation, the Rams go for it on fourth and one.
I think they were around the twenty five twenty yard
(06:52):
line of the forty nine ers, and they get stopped.
They get stopped on fourth down, the forty nine Ers hold,
and thus they hold on for the twenty six to
twenty three VIC.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, it was a gutsy win by the Niners.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I don't think anyone had them winning that game with
the injuries they had and playing on the road against
LA I think they were a total mismatch for the Rams,
but credit to them.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
They're now four and one, they sit atop that division, and.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
They're all banged up. As I said, I don't.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Think anyone saw them winning that game because of not
Perty being injured, George Kittle being out both, I think
Ricky Purcell and Juwan Jennings being out. Yes, pretty much
all you had to rely on was Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
And they still pulled it out.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So they're sitting at four and one right now on
a top a very competitive division. They have the tiebreaker
now over the Rams, and pending what Seattle does this week,
they could be sitting atop alone that division.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
The Niners now three and zero on the road to
start the season, so it's so hard to win on
the road in the NFL, and the fact that you've
had three out of your first four game or five
games rather on the road and you've won all three
of them sets you up pretty good too moving forward
for the forty nine ers, especially if they start getting
healthy as well. This Sunday, we'll have another nine to
thirty international game, this one though this time will be
(08:07):
in London, the NFL London Games. The Vikings stay internationally
for a week, their second straight week after battling the
Steelers in Ireland last week. They're two and two on
the season. Meanwhile, in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns
at one in three with the new quarterback taking over
for Joe Flacco and Dylan Gabriel, the rookie that they
drafted this past offseason. He will start for the Cleveland
(08:29):
Browns and the Browns in London, facing a Vikings team
that I'm sure is looking to bounce back after losing
to the Steelers last week in Ireland.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, I mean Minnesota I think should win that game.
I don't think it's a very good setting for a
rookie Dylan Gabriel to make his first NFL start, having
to travel internationally, having an offense that is just coming
into an offense rather than has just really struggled a
lot so far. They are just bad pretty much all
over the place on offense. I know the defense is legit.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
This could be like a final score of like sixty
three something like that.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Take the under, and if you have any fantasy players
involved in this one this week, you might want to
alter your line up just a bit. Hey, I want
to get your thoughts quickly, Jacob out of Cleveland, Did
you see the Shador Sanders press conference this week?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Did what were your thoughts on that that he just
didn't say anything, that he'll just minded it.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, he mimed it the whole time.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Your thoughts on that, you know, it's it's humorous to
me in that situation. You know, it's tough because what
is he going to say is gonna be taken away positively? Right,
You're you're a rookie along with another rookie that got
drafted to play quarterback here. Yeah, you were drafted later
than than Gabriel was What.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Do you say?
Speaker 1 (09:39):
You know, but you know, the the high road is
to say, hey, I'm gonna move up in the death chart,
I'm gonna keep working hard and hopefully I'll get my
chance here at some point. That would have been the
right thing to say. I don't know, I didn't think much.
I didn't like it. Put it that way, Jacob. At
the same time, I understand he probably would have been
just better off by saying no comment and just walk away, right,
because what he did is comical, But at the same time,
(10:00):
it's just not a good look.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, everyone kind of brought up the character issues that
people that were surfaced about his team meetings coming into
the NFL draft, and that was the main reason why
he fell so far, what he arded at being a
fifth round draft pick, citing those team meetings and how
poorly they went, how poorly he conducted himself. So this is,
(10:22):
I guess, just more of the same. And it's no
surprise that of all teams, Cleveland was the one to
take a shot at him.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
He has done nothing in the NFL yet either to
warrant right, exactly right, He's a rookie that has done nothing.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I mean, it's it's also crazy to think that, you know,
giving I mean, I know, his dad's the coach there,
but remember what are he accomplished in his time in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Nothing? But they retired his number because his dad is
the coach. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
The Texans at the Ravens out of the AFC North,
the Texans are one in three. The Ravens out of
the AFC North at one and three. The Ravens are reeling.
They're not going to have Lamar Jackson for this game
with hamstring injury. They go into this game with Cooper
Rush as they're starting quarterback Zay Flowers has had a
pretty good year so far though for the Ravens twenty
(11:09):
three catches, three hundred and five yards and a touchdown.
Derrick Henry two to eighty four on the ground with
three touchdowns. C J Strout four touchdowns and three interceptions
through the first four games of the season for the Texans. Texans,
but they got their first win last week, right Jacob,
So now they're going to try to make a two in.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
A row in Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Baltimore is never an easy place to go into and play,
but man, the Ravens need this one. If they go
to one and four and they can't take care of
the Texans at home, they are really really in bad shape.
Almost a must win for the Ravens.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Right for the Ravens? Is that what he said for
the Ravens?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah, I mean, I think every win right now, when
you're winning three, you have to say pretty much every
win is a must win because can you afford to
follow the one and four?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Can you afford to follow the one and five?
Speaker 2 (11:48):
You absolutely cannot in this league, So you have to
have that must win mentality.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
As early as Week five.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
The Bengals earn another tough spot this week against the
Detroit Lions. They are at home, though they face a
three and one Lions team that has looked like one
of the best teams in the NFL YEP the last
few weeks. This is a four to twenty five game
on Fox. The Bengals are two and two. They've lost
two straight there without Joe Burrow. You know the narrative here.
They are really don't want to say it's a must
(12:15):
win for them at two and two, but a win,
an upset win at home against the Lions, would go
a long way. But the Bengals are definitely the underdog
in this one, even though they are at home against
a Jared Goff team that has now thrown for almost
one thousand yards on the season through four games. How
about that nine touchdowns two interceptions leading the way for
the Lions through the first four games.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah, the Lions are a force to be reckoned with.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
I think a lot of people overreacted when they saw
the Packers beat them in Week one that was in
Green Bay. And I'll say I've said it once, I'll
say it again Week one especially, and let alone, the
whole month of September really now has been labeled as
preseason football. So the fact that the Lions came out
a little rocky to start the season, and I'm not
(12:58):
going to fault them for that. I mean, look at
the Packers, right they start off to and O, everyone
thinking they're the best team in the NFC, maybe only
behind Philadelphia. Last two weeks they lost to the Browns
and they tied the Cowboys. So I think the Lions
are riding high right now. As I mentioned, they have
one of the best, if not the highest scoring offenses
in football.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's gonna be a bad day for Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
I mean, that is a bad defense to Troy can
easily hang up another fifty points like they did a
couple of weeks ago with it against Chicago. Yeah, so
it could be the second time in five weeks that
you see this team put up fifty points.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
So the Steelers are the only AFC North team that
is idle this week. You can watch all three AFC
North teams if you want this week, because they're out
all three different times. You got nine to thirty am
Vikings Browns in London, then you got the one o'clock
window with the Texans and the Ravens, and then the
four to twenty five game with the Lions and the Bengals.
So you can watch all three play this week if
(13:53):
you choose to, and if you're able to. I'm not
sure what the local television schedule will be here this
upcoming week. Let's look at other games in and across.
We're talking week five already.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Man.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
The season is just I don't want to say it's
flying by. It's still relatively young at only week five.
But at the same time, I don't know about you, Jacob,
but I feel like I've blinked. And the Steelers are
at their bye week one o'clock on Sunday on Fox.
They're one in three Raiders traveled to the three and
one Colts. Colts looking to bounce back after losing last week.
With Daniel Jones again good season over one thousand yards
(14:26):
one thousand and seventy eight yards passing, four touchdowns, two interceptions. Listen,
Taylor's been great. Jonathan Taylor is bouncing back to his
old form after a couple of slow seasons. Had some
injuries in there as well. Seventy seven carries, four hundred
and fourteen yards, three touchdowns through the colts first four games,
He's a big reason why they're three and one.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, they just had their first stumble last week, but
I think they get back on track here against the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
The Raiders are what a.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
One win team, and they that only win came against
Week one against the Patriots. They've lost three in a
row since, so I don't know if we'll see the
Colts returned to excuse me, that high power and offense
that you saw in the first three weeks where I
think they had to combine like one hundred points to
the first three weeks, they were the number one offense
at that point, or at least one of the top
(15:11):
scoring offenses. They kind of came back down to earth
last week against the Rams, but expect them to bounce
back in a big way.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I think this should be an easy game for the
Colts to win.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It's in Indy, not to say that that's a great
home field advantage, but I think they should be able
to bounce back here and get back to four and one.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
The Giants have a new quarterback, Russell Wilson has been benched,
and there were one to three. They got their first
win last week. They traveled to New Orleans to face
a winless Saints team at zero to four on the
season so far. And you know, Jackson Dart looked good
last week for the Giants stepping in. The numbers weren't huge,
but he managed the game as a rookie, led them
(15:51):
to victory twenty one to eighteen to upset the Chargers
last week. But now they've got to go in the
road to face a Saints team that I think, Jacob,
when we did our rankings the day, I think I
had them thirty two. I know we don't do the
bottom teams, but we talk about Saints are bad. Yeah,
I think I had the Saints as the worst own
four teams so far this season.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, if you could intel this week through the first
three games, the Vikings, Browns, Raiders, Colts, Giants, Saints, it's
a bad.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Week of football.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yeah, I mean we will continue to look at it. Sure,
there's only one matchup across every game. I think only
four teams are on the by which means that there
are fourteen games being played. There's only one game with
teams who are both above five hundred. Right now, that's
that's a that's a that's a recipe for just bad
football overall.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
I think the Giants if they had stuck with russ Uh.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Or maybe even didn't go to Dart, just moved on
to Jamis Winston, this would have been maybe the worst game.
But there's a lot of intrig that because of Jackson Dart,
I think he should get the win here. And I
think him and along with camp Skatibo or Scatabo, however
you pronounce it, that guys did a great start to
his rookie season. Not gonna be great. I mean they're out,
(16:59):
they're without the league neighbors. Now that's their best offensive weapon,
without a doubt.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
That's a tough one. But I still think they should
be able to handle the Saints here.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
The Cowboys are now one two in one. I referenced
that pak Packers ending last week against the Cowboys where
they elect just to get out of Dallas with a
tie instead of going for it. But yeah, you look
at last night the Rams going for it. They could
have kicked the football and probably played to a tie
with the forty nine ers, but they went for it,
tried to go for the win, and that didn't happen.
(17:28):
While the Packers took another route last week with the Cowboys,
they take the tie. Thus we have the one two
and one Cowboys visiting the own four Jets.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Russ.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
We talked about Russell Wilson with the Giants, but Justin
Fields with the Jets has yet to win his first
game as a New York Jet, and this week might
not get any easier with a one two and one
Cowboys team that I would kind of be I would
describe them as being polarizing so far this season, Jacob,
I've watched because the Cowboys are always in a national window,
I've watched them quite a bit this year through these
first four games, and they've had some say I've had
(18:00):
some downs. A mixed back for the Cowboys at one
two and one in my opinion.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, this is like the most insufferable.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
This is like the Bowl Game for like the most
insufferable fandoms in the NFL. Right, Cowboys and Jets, good take.
Not a great game. I think that even without I
think Ceedee Lamb is gonna be back for this game.
But even if he's out, I still think that the
Cowboys win this one. Handling Justin Fields has really which
is a shame because it's a shame from the Pittsburgh
(18:28):
perspective simply because Justin Fields looked like it looked like
Justin Fields was gonna be the guy for the Jets
after Week one. But it's really made the Steelers look
pretty bad because ever since then, uh well he missed
the game due to injury due to a concussion, and
then ever since then, he's just looked pretty terrible. He
has what, he has two interceptions total on the year,
(18:51):
He's been sacked five times. He's just he's just not
He's exactly what the Stewers were willing to give up.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
He's led them to anh and oh to four records
so far. The Jets still looking for that savior a
quarterback and his name is not going to be Justin Fields.
I think the cowboy should win this one pretty Hanley.
Did you see what Breis Hall said following their most
recent loss against the Dolphins last week? He said, a
lot of teams shooting themselves in the foot, and that's
(19:18):
what you can contribute to to losses.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
We shoot ourselves in the face.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
That's great, that's how That's how it was going for
the New York Jets so far with an zero to
four start.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
You know, just to expand on the Justin Fields narrative.
I was one that that was leading the charge, you know,
this past spring after last offseason, that they should sign
Justin Fields to bring him back as the Steelers starter.
And a lot of folks here in Pittsburgh felt that
same way about Fields. So, you know, so far, it's
making the Steelers look good having bridon, Aaron Rodgers and
Justin Field struggling in New York. But the question could
(19:48):
also be made, Jacob, is it Justin Fields or is
it the New York Jets? Because I'm glad you wrote
that point because and I'm defending Fields, but right I
had the stat he We know that the New York
Jets like to filter through their quarterbacks and starting coaches
like they're nothing right.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
They just say, Okay, we're gonna give you one chance,
and if that's on it, then we're moving on. Over
the last sixty years that j Just have had eighteen
full time coaches, Aaron Glenn could be the first one
of that batch of coaches to go zero to five
in his first year as the Jets start as the
Jets head coach. So pikes all these expectations with the
Aaron Glenn coming over from such a good winning culture
(20:29):
in Detroit. Justin Fields being that former first round pick
made by Chicago a couple of years ago, all these expectations,
and he could be off to the worst start by
any Jets head coach in their first year with the organization.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
I really like Aaron Glenn too. We talked about at
the beginning of the season when we were previewing Jets
Steelers that week one. But again, you know, you got
to have the horses around you. Coaching is a big
part of especially in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
I mean, we all know that coaching is a lot
harder than you think it is.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
I mean, we've seen a lot of head coaches is struggling.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I'd come from the coordinated position the year before and
really struggle, like you just said, and they returned to
being an OC or a DC and they do just
fine in that position.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
So not as easy as some people may think.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
A couple other one o'clock games to talk about upcoming
this week five Broncos two and two visit the undefeated Eagles,
who are four in oher on the season, and the
other one o'clock matchup another one in three Battleble.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
You're right, Jacob, were no it's not oh I said.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
There's only one matchup with two with both teams over
five hundred right now.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Dolphins one and three at the one and three Panthers.
Any thoughts on Broncos Eagles and Dolphins Panthers, Well, the.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Panthers are gonna lose. The Panthers are one of the
worst teams in football right now. They they really have
no hope. But I think the Dolphins just because they
have Tyreek or I'm sorry, with Tyreek out, that's like
the only shot that Panthers have at winning that football game.
I don't know if you saw Xavier leget the receiver
in Caroline. Kind of a lot of people in Pittsburgh
(22:02):
caught one of the simply because he was asked now
that he's kind of moving down the depth chart because
of his lack of performance or production and lack of
motivation on the field. Visible lack of motivation on the field.
He asked, has he learned anything now and that new
role further down the depth chart? He said no, and
a lot of people pointed out Kenny Pickett said the
(22:22):
exact same thing when he was playing behind Mason Ross,
you learned anything new now that you're in his new position.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
He said, no, no, got nothing new to learn.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
So if that, if that's any indication for how things
are going for the Panthers right now. They're their former
first round pick and Xavier Loget not really being a
team player.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
They're off to a one to three start.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
But like I said, the only shot the Panthers haven't
winning is if the Dolphins will truly miss Tyreek Hill
that much from that season ending injury he had last week.
I actually do think though, looking to the Broncos and Eagles,
this could be a good game.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
I think the.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Broncos right now look at themselves of a team that
should be above five hundred. Remember they they lost on
that weird last second call against the Colts, and then
they have the lead against the Chargers two weeks ago.
The Chargers, however, were able to come back down the
field and score a last second field goal to take
the lead. The Broncos were up by a touchdown, yeah,
(23:16):
just over the two minute warning, but the Chargers scored
ten ten unanswered points in that game to close it out.
So I think the Broncos are are trying to get
back on that plus five hundred side, but playing.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
In Philly, man, that's just so hard to do.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
It might be, it might be right now, the hardest
home field advantage or the best home field advantage in football.
So I'm gonna have to go Philly on this one,
even though I think the Broncos are.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
A good team.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
That's the difference right there, That's c X factor.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
This game was filled in Denver.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Feel a lot different, however, last week when we were
talking about Philly and Tampa Bay and that matchup two
teams that were both undefeated going into that game. That
game was in Tampa Bay, and Philly still came out
with the victor. So the fact that this game isn't
even in Denver, I really think you had the same
Philly is gonna win that one pretty handily.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
The Eagles are four and oh, don't take anything away
from him, but four close games. They beat the Cowboys
twenty four to twenty in the opener, Chiefs twenty to seventeen,
Rams thirty three, twenty six, and as you just referenced,
against Tampa Bay in Tampa Bay last week, thirty one
twenty five almost games to the Bucks.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
But also too, what's the point that you just brought
up there?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Four and oh, they're four and oh, and three of
those four teams are all with winning records, right, I
guess the Chiefs. Okay, So I guess I'm a little
wrong there. Chiefs are two and two. But the Chiefs
are exactly they're defending AFC champions. You have to assume
that they're worthy of being grouped in with him. And
the Bucks were three to oh coming into that game,
(24:42):
and then what was it? What was the fourth one
that they had? The other close game the Cowboys. No,
I just lost my schedule. Now I'm all over the place, Jacob,
My goodness, I'll get it. I'll get it for you.
The Chargers, which right now they're they're sitting at top
of that division. So the Chiefs will have as second
chance to get back at the Chargers later on this year.
(25:04):
Unfortunately for the Chiefs though, or unfortunately for the Chargers,
they lost their their home game against uh, the Chiefs
this year because that game is played in Brazil. I believe,
I believe the game that they have coming up is
played in Arrowheads. So yes, Chiefs get a huge favor
from the NFL in that regard. Yeah, I think the
(25:24):
Chiefs are I think they're the Chiefs are legitimate.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
I think the Eagles are legitimate.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Yeah, they'll be in that conversation. Anytime you have Patrick Mahomes,
you will be in that conversation, just like Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Just like Josh.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
I got a little quarterback quarterback off subject there. I
had a brain fart. I thought we were talking about
the Chiefs. We were talking about the Eagles. The third
team that they beat the Eagles was was the Rams,
who at the time were two and oh.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
So there you go.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Other four o'clock games four oh five, Titans zero to
four at the two and two Cardinals. Talk about another
franchise that's beat up right now. The Cardinals are Buccaneers
three and one, visit the Seattle Seahawks, who are three
and one. This is the game you were talking about, Jacob,
four h five should be a good one in Seattle.
We already talked about Lions, Bengals. Commanders are two and two.
They visit the three and one Chargers at four to
(26:12):
twenty five on Sunday. So those are all your four
o'clock games. Obviously the Bucks and the Seahawks stand out
to me, but the Commanders and Chargers that might not
be a bad one. Either that game in La though,
or yeah, between the Chargers and Commanders.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yeah, that should be a good one.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I think the Commanders, the same way I was talking
about with the Broncos, look at themselves as a better
team than they are with just that two and two record.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
I remember they were without Jada McDaniels.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
They were without now I think for a second week
now they'll be without Terry McLaurin. They're gonna want to
bounce back. I think McDaniels is clear to play. However,
I think Scary Terry, like I mentioned, is out for
this game again. But I do think at the end
of the day, you will see the Chargers win that game.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
The Chargers are very good. I know they had that.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Weird fluky loss last week against the Giants, but that happens.
I mean, it's not like Justin Herbert, who is this
season veteran who's been around for ten years and has
had a Super Bowl or or whatever under his belt.
He doesn't have a playoff win right now. So I
don't really blame the Chargers for losing one game. I
think they should be able to bounce back this week
against the Commanders, and I think again even though the
(27:20):
Commanders will fall to a below five hundred record, I
think they are better than whatever that record indicates. And
then you said, you mentioned the Bucks and Seahawks, that's
gonna be a great game again. As I mentioned, it's
the only game this week with both teams playing at
AI or above five hundred record.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
I think it's a toss up for me right now.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
I think Tampa Bay is the better team, but it's
in Seattle, which we know is such a hard place
to go on the road and win a game. Wouldn't
be surprised by either outcome though for that game.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Lots of injuries across the NFL for the first four
weeks of the regular season. Big injuries too, for a
lot of franchises that are trying to put other puzzle
pieces into player trying to keep their seasons going. Patriots
at Bills is the Sunday night game. Patriots two and
two the Bills, Yeah, I think so too. Mike Rabele's
going to try to change that narrative.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
But then that.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Bills in Buffalo, good luck exactly. The Bills have just
look so good. And then Chiefs Jaguars is your Monday
night game?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Good one?
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Chiefs two and two, Jacks three and one.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, it should be a good one the Jazz for
the Chiefs, Jacks can really put some doubters away if
they win this game against the Chiefs. I mean, when
would you have ever predicted that Jacksonville Jaguars could take
down Pat Mahomes Andamy Read and company. So if the
Jazz can pull it off, huge credit to them to
improve the four and one and send the Chiefs back
to under five hundred. But if the Chiefs do it,
then we're once again in the same boat that we've
(28:40):
been in the last However, any year, seven or eight years,
you just can never cut out.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
The Chiefs, Falcons, Bears, Packers, and your Pittsburgh Steelers all
on a bye this week. That's going to do it
for us. Jacob and I will be back on Monday
to talk about all the scores and results from all
these games, plus will continue to break down the Steelers
first quarter of their season as they enjoy their bye
week in an off weekend of football and get ready
for next week. We'll start talking about their first game
(29:05):
out of the bye, which will be next Sunday a
week from this Sunday, when they host the Cleveland Browns
at Akushore Stadium on Sunday, October twelfth at one o'clock.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
This is the
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Steelers standard with Ed Troup and Jacob Breck on Steelers
Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network
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