HR 2: Week 1 Slate, Predictions

Tom and Chris talk more about the Steelers defensive front vs New York, take a look at the week 1 action across the NFL and make some predictions for the week 1 games and the Steelers game.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Looking at the defensive side of the ball and ordering
our Totem poll of confidence when it comes to those
position groups, Chris, I don't think it's fair to have
a fifth. Yeah, I really don't. Like I was going
through this and I was like, number one is obviously
outside linebacker. I mean, that's your strength, that's your bread
and butter. Maybe the best defensive player in football, that's
where he lives in that position group. Heismith's great, her

(00:29):
big Sawyer down the line aces. So I mean, that's
my number one. I'm assuming that's your number one too.
I do number one.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yes, it wasn't It wasn't easy for me to back Okay,
but that's probably in a good way though, because there's
probably other groups that are like, are they better?

Speaker 1 (00:45):
I put corner at two corner secondary.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
That's why I was thinking. I was, I was considering
bumping them up number one. I mean, yeah, Jaylen Ramsey
and Dariusly maybe you know, obviously if this was well
Joey Porter was still in college.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
But you can get my point.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
If this was five years ago, Sligh and Ramsey and
you know, thirty year Joey Porter, Holy Kyle. So there
are questions about You know, Ramsey's thirty now and Slay
his thirteenth year and all that, so I do have
my That's why I couldn'tn't put him number one. But
otherwise I feel like I think I've said on the
about man Ramsey. He I've been covering regular training camp

(01:20):
for eleven years and a handful of years before that.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
I do half of whatever it might be.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
So I've been a lot of training camps, and I
don't think I've ever had more fun watching somebody so good.
Just the body, the type he can do, things he
can do, and the analyticism and the versatility, and man,
if you're if you're Tarah Austin watching those practices, you're like,
you got to be thinking that, man, that's the things
I can. I can way as I can deploy him,
and ways I can put you know, things he didn't.
And that doesn't even count that you could just if

(01:45):
you wanted to just pop him out there and be
a shut down corner.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
He's been that for a lot of years. So yeah,
I got corner at two, and then I couldn't put
anybody else lower than three. Like I put defensive line
at three, and then I was like I don't think
inside linebackers deserves to be four, So put them at
three B. And then I was like, what's wrong with
the safeties, Like why do the safeties have to be five?
That Sean Elliott had such a good year last year,
and I think wan Thornhill's actually going to be very

(02:08):
solid when he has to play when the Steelers go
to Nickel. So like I put them at three C.
And I think that I shouldn't be, you know, put
my foot to the fire on that, because it's like
I have a lot of confidence in this defense overall,
and I have expectations in this defense overall to be
a top three defense in the league. And I quite frankly,

(02:31):
if we sit down and do this show after the
regular season concludes, after they win the Super Bowl, whatever
the season ends, you know, I'm gonna look back at
kind of what the safeties and one Thornhill and what
they were able to bring to the table, and I'm
just I just don't see like how they're going to

(02:51):
be a weak link. Really, I just I it doesn't
click in my head that way, Like I don't view
them that way enough to be like that's where I'm
least confident, even though it probably is just because if
you had to, you know, hold me to it and
pick one. Yeah, have you had to rank him, Yeah,
I just I just think that they're going to be
very solid around the board, and I think one Thornhill
might have a little bit of a Deshaun Elliott ish
season where it's like we're in we Gate and we're like, Wow,

(03:13):
he's really good. He's a lot better than we thought
he was gonna be.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah, Thornhill was one of the most under the radar,
and I guess in some way, Minka was still here
at that point, so you kind of assumed he'd have
to be a three.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
But and I know he you know, the the Cleveland
I mean, he's still he did not have a good.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Time in Cleveland, which is yeah, yeah, he was like, hey, hey, won,
how's the weather today.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Well, it's a sunny outside. But you know what, I
hate Cleveland, you know, was fans of Cleveland. I don't
like them.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
So it's he really could I mean, he was super Bowl,
you know, a a pretty good defense, a starter for
the in the Super Bowl Chiefs winning, So you can
be and you could see some of the things you
do with him and especially if you're talking about the
safety Corps that Ramsey's a part of. I mean he's
going to line up in safety a lot. There's a
lot of gray area now when you try to do this,
But you could have had secondary and then you wouldn't

(04:04):
have had the totem pole will be pretty short. Then,
you know, we wanted, we want to. We took all
the expense and to carry this thing in here. You know,
you don't have an actress killing. Yeah, you don't want
to have secondary linebackers and d line so we had
to make it at least five, so we just split
them up some. But you know, I mean think about Chuck.
Clark's gonna started for a long time, and he's almost
like he's like an afterthought. I mean, you know, I
don't even know how much he'll play, and necessarily are.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
As song as those two are healthy Elliott and Thornhill.
I don't think Clark sees the field other than special teams.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, and yeah, you're right because as it is, I mean,
Ramsey and if they play bass, you as what they
steers have shown during camp practices, and we'll see, Like
I said, it's fascinating, it could be it could go
so many different ways. And I talk about this too,
And I've been covering the Steelers full time since like
at late twenty fourteen. It used to be they'd lie
they had they played like if you look at the napcounts,

(04:50):
they played like fifteen guys on defense because they would
play nickel and they played bass, and that would be it.
It didn't matter who they played and what they and
and that was probably across the league mostly, and then
then you see a dying packing start. It's just like
now I don't know, And I've been at every practice
for six weeks now, and they could show something on Sunday,
on the second drive, the first night, whatever.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
It might be. That on my whole look at that
pack is who like and it's and they have all
the pieces now they can do that. They can be
varied that way too. Yeah, absolutely, And I think it's
gonna be a week to week thing too, Like I
don't think that it's gonna be like something where it's like, oh,
after a couple of games, we get an idea of
what they're gonna do in the secondary. Jamar Chase comes
to town with T Higgins. I think things might change,

(05:30):
you know, what I mean, the Ravens come to town
and it's a run heavy team and things might change
on how they deploy things. So I think it's gonna
be a week to week thing. It's gonna be very
Matt Williamson, our colleague here on Steelers Audio Network, my
co host on the DV pregame show. He has been
hitting for the past couple of weeks just how static
the Steelers are on defense the past couple of years,

(05:50):
especially on the defensive line, but really everywhere, Like they
just come out and do their thing, Like there's no
like stunting, there's no lining a guy up where he's
not usually at just to throw a curveball. The blitzing
from the inside linebackers has kind of been a little
non existently lately. Like I want to see a little
bit more of that fluidity, and I think their pieces

(06:10):
in the secondary force their hand with that. Chris, like,
you can't be static with those guys to use them
to the best of their abilities, you got to be
fluid with how you're deploying those trio of corners and
the two top safeties.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, and that, and they they always target. In terms
of you mentioned the blitz that's one aspect of it,
of course. I mean they you know, Echos has talked
about even that that he can be he can rush
the pasth I mean, Ramsey for sure can come off
the side there to Yeah, and you have enough now
in those passing downs where hey, I mean Peyton Wilson,
that's his book. He's going to be a good coverage lineman.

(06:44):
Patrick Patrick Queen can cover. But now that you have
the safeties, I mean, there's so many different things you
can do in terms of confusion in terms of who
does rush the pastor in terms of who is in coverage,
in terms of you know, whatever it might be. And
again and then that doesn't even count like the subpack
just like we I mean, Malik Harrison is it's quite
a run stopper. It played Indians. We talked about playing

(07:05):
the outside. He could play the inside and he and
he's you know, there'll be other games where he might
not play a snap and when you when you're playing
the Bengals, maybe he might not play a stap on
the inside of earned defense or whatever because you're gonna
you can use other type of personnel and then other
other situation you could go dime and and play you know,
Thornhill could be up and run support.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
We could also cut that. There's there are a lot
of different things you can do.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
You can play around a ton, yeah, and and you
can and so many and probably what it'll be, I
think your exactly absolutely right that week the week you'll
see completely different packages in terms of and completely different
schemes in terms of who plays more and who plays
less and things like that. And and I think that's
what they they wanted to build. And there's a lot
of depth here in terms of each of those position

(07:47):
groups we went through. There's there's backups at all or
number three, however you want to put it at at
every spot that that maybe their strengths are different than
another guy's strengths and he plays a little bit more
of this game or he doesn't. And you know, I
having Cole Holcom like I talked about it as a
as a third inside linebacker.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
You know, it's just you know, who knows when when
you might use that.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
So I don't even know, Like I mean, Peyton Wilson
could be in every day, and we're talking about all
these guys in the secondary, right, and Patrick Queen literally
played literally every snap of the season last year, and
Peyton Wilson wants to do that and probably could do
that if they didn't have a queen, they probably would.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
You know, that might be the green doc guy. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, And but now like it's almost like, so you
have two guys that could play every down and not
you feel comfortable with in every situation. But now with
all these all these dbs and safeties and corners you
want to get on the field, it's like, I don't
know who you take.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
Who you take off when you go to Nickel, Who
do you take off when you go Din? Yeah, exactly
good problems to have them, yes, yes, as opposed to
the past when you're kind of stretching depth wise and
you're like, who's our second string guy here? Who's your
back up here? So those are definitely good problems to have.
You touched on the inside linebackers a little bit there.
Defensive line and inside backers I think are going to
be such a key in this game against the Jets.

(08:57):
Like I'm not splitting the atom here, and it's kind
of bland, boring analysis, but like stopping the run, is it?
That's like all you have to do in this game?
So I had him as my third most concerning defensive
unit on here our total pull of confidence. But the
defensive line is probably my most concern for this Jets
specific league game because I just nervous about Derek Harmon

(09:20):
being out. I think that's fair, even though we've never
seen him play a real game. Dude, it's gonna be
something that seems very clear throughout training camp in the preseason. Cam,
whatever's up in the air with him, he gon't play.
I think I just don't see him not playing on Sunday,
and I bet you he practices today. He's out there
right now practicing with the team. I would assume that
we don't know that for sure, but I'd guess that

(09:41):
to be the case. Like I said, the Drive will
fill you in on all that and those details later
when they come on the air. But you know, it's
such a obvious game plan, I think, and there's just
enough uncertainty on that defensive line to make me a
little uneasy about it.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, not Evan Harmon, of course. I mean you assume
Cam has been around long enough whatever you know.

Speaker 1 (10:05):
And hopefully none of our defensive lineman spit on the
other team's quarterback before the game again before before the
first snap of the game.

Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would wouldn't wager if that's a
prop bet, I wouldn't wager that would not happen to Uh,
we won't see history repeat itself from Thursday to Week
one on Sunday a week one. But I mean the Steelers,
I mean, it was a they're kind of downplaying it now,
especially because of the lousy media trying to bring that
back up in the narrative about that that bad taste

(10:30):
in your mouth about this to Baltimore games late in
the season, in the playoff game, and in the run,
the way they ran through the Steelers, and but the
resources they devoted to it, Yeah, they clearly had a
bad taste in them.

Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, yes, you see.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
I mean you draft them to defense, and it was
a do a defensive line draft, and it's part of
the reason. But to get to the draft two and
Harmon obviously has passed rushing chops of course too, Harmon
could be a Hayward like that's his potential exactly, and
and you and why you're black of course when you
drafted him. Although he's been better, much better pass rushing
the pass than I ever dreamed in terms of watching
him pack two sack preseason game, he.

Speaker 1 (11:03):
Looks like a steal. Yeah, I get too ahead of myself,
but he looks like a steel.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
You're talking about players your most or you feel had
the best camps relative to what you expected. He was
the camp star, right, Yeah, oh yes, I mean, because
I mean there was fifth ront pick doesn't guarantee to
make the team, right, I mean exactly, that was in
the range of possibilities when you draft somebody that, and
he went there, I mean then ended up pushing to
be a star exactly. Yeah, Yeah, it's crazy and so.
But but when you drafted him, you're doing it to

(11:27):
stop the run. That that was the book, and he
still can do that. And even signing a quality you know,
kind of redoing your your D line, right, the Malik
Harrison signing, what was all for stopping the run in
terms of defense, will be a big special teamer.

Speaker 1 (11:39):
It does kind of stink. Dean Lowry got hurt, like
a sneaky injury. He was actually playing some significant snaps
towards the end of last year, and I think I
think he might have been the first man up over
louder Milk. Yeah, you're yeah, you're that's a that's an
excellent point. Now, So the sneaky injury that no one
really noticed, the blip in the radar because he's Dean Lowry,
it might be a little bit, especially when dressed for them.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
Especially when you lose somebody else like Harmon. Now all
of a sudden, you're exact eure attrition really starts to
really starts to get noticed. Then, right, maybe you don't
notice that of Harmon's playing because then you know who.
But they had a lot of butt the d line
this year. I felt like it was hard to cut players,
like like there were a lot of but like like
Logan Lee had a sneaky good camp. He's a guy,
is almost a real He's a red shirted, redshirt freshman right,

(12:20):
a rookie. He missed all last year because of injury.
So it'll be fun to see, you know, how much
he could. I don't expect him to be a standout,
but I think he's good. If he's your fifth or sixth,
you know, it's getting the rotation that that's good. I
think that could be really good. And I think that's
what they've been maybe missing in recent years, especially again
Cam Hayward's a year older. And again we've been saying
this for about five years. His year older, he's gonna

(12:41):
slow down. You can't play as many snaps, right, Yeah,
so we'll see. But but to have that depth, I mean,
in any every that's that's modern football, the D line,
you need the depth, right, you your rotate bodies in
no matter what. And I think there if you can
feel really good about, there's gonna be guys that are
healthy scratches on Sunday on the D line that that
that could contribute. Might be one of them exactly, Yeah,

(13:01):
could play it, you know, a dozen and fifteen snaps
for you and you you're really good about.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
Yeah. And when it comes to this matchup specifically, again,
it's just it's very obvious stop justin field, stop the run.
That's more than just the defensive lineman too. When it
comes to the Steelers, God, they're really good, Chris that
taking on these running quarterbacks and the way that they
deploy their pass rushers high Smith and Watt to almost

(13:27):
kind of corral the Lamar's in or the Jadeen Daniels
in instead of go hunting for sacks like you usually do.
They almost like use Watt as a spy, like he
comes and he sets that edge and then he cleans
it up if it's appropriate to do so. But it's
always about containing Lamar and making sure he doesn't break
a play out on you. And I'm assuming that that's
what you're gonna see a lot out of the Steelers

(13:48):
in this game. But for that to be effective, you
need the defensive line to swallow up the middle because
if you have people containing but there's gaps just gonna
go right up the gun and that's damage done if
you can get up in the middle like that. So
inside linebackers obviously have a little bit to do with
that as well. But if the d line can really
muddy up the middle and they do their usual thing

(14:08):
where they kind of just corral them in with high
Smith and Watt or Herbagers or whoever it is, it's
gonna be a long day for Fields. And as our
buddy Brandon Eckle said to you, they're gonna make him play.
And that's the best case scenario.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
Yes, And I think there's reason listen, like you know,
you could you could take a pessimistic view and find
Cam Hayward's a year older or whatever kind of maybe
kind of bends not what we thought he was and
what you know, why you're black, has never played a real.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
Snap and but you can, you can do all that.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
I get it, But I do feel like there's good
reason for optimism that the center of that defense can
be what you need it to be. And it's week
one and there's always season to feel like I said,
but I think it's legit. You know, just watching practice
every day, I feel like that that that's not just
you know, sunshine or whatever rainbows, and I think there's
there's a good reason you can believe that that that
can be a strength. And that's been something that they've

(14:57):
been trying for years to repla And you know, again
you're seeing Cam Hayward and they probably they started doing
this four or five years ago. They probably think Cam
Hayward still be playing in twenty twenty five. So I've
been lucky they're still playing. I'll put production out of
him at this point, but you know, you've gone through
it and there's nothing wrong with those guys, but the
mont previous Adams, So you know, can Joe be you know,
pomper pound of what he was making money wise, wasn't

(15:19):
wasn't one the answer?

Speaker 1 (15:19):
He was fine?

Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, yeah, if he was you know, if yeah, if
he was more of the rotational type guy or.

Speaker 1 (15:25):
Just a starter. But you know, they were giving him
what you know, eight figures and Joe was the sorry, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
It is interesting to me, it seems though, and you
can correct me if I'm wrong, because you've seen it
more in practice, what they're doing. It looks like louder
Milk is gonna be the first one up though this
week for the harm and injury, and they might ease
while you're black into things. I'm not saying that's a mistake.

(15:47):
I just think as the game goes on, why your
black's going to force himself onto the field more and
more and more because you're gonna put him out there eventually,
and he's gonna do so really well, and you're gonna
be like Isaiah, why don't you hang out next to
me for a couple more plays.

Speaker 2 (15:58):
I could definitely see that nobody knows what louder Milk
is now, and then they're and they're secure, and then
they brought resign him.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
They didn't have to recure him. I think that's a
good way to put it.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, they're secure what he can do in the in
the steps he can give you, and he's not gonna
you know, probably embarrass her or make it make a gaff.
But yeah, if so, I I could see you know,
him getting the quote unquote start, Yeah, and playing you know,
the first quarter, the first drive more. But yeah, I
think Black will certainly get in there. And yes, if
if he's his is just written, there's no you know,

(16:27):
preseason games and I get it. Yeah, you know, it's
a different level wheneveryvere else. So who knows what could happen,
But there's no reason to believe everything we've seen of
Black and both you know, the past rushing and run stopping,
that he won't get out there more. And certainly if
we're talking longer term throughout the season, we're talking whatever
week six or whatever it is, whatever line you put on,
and he'll be playing a lot lot more than and

(16:49):
Harmon will be back and a lot of effects things.
But yeah, Black will definitely he won't get the start today.

Speaker 1 (16:55):
Or plays more snaps. Yes, well, Chris and I come back.
We're gonna take a look at what happened last night
in the NFL season opener Eagles beating the Cowboys, and
we'll take a look around the rest of the NFL
schedule four week one, it's a loaded slate. We are
very blessed as football fans. The NFL has done us right,
So we'll dive into that. We got predictions still coming up,
some over unders that we want to hit and what

(17:16):
we think is going to happen in the Steelers Jets game. Officially,
that's still all to come on the Steelers Blitz and
the Steelers Audio Network. Chris, have you ever been spit

(17:52):
on before? I've ever been spit on before? Yeah, you
know what's funny.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
Somebody brought up yesterday it was actually I hope I
assume it was rain or a water or something, because
we were walking from the facility back to the media
room yesterday and a big drop of water I hope
fell on me. And then we actually made it as
collectively made the reference like to the hof Seinfeld spit
and then that became a meme.

Speaker 1 (18:14):
Oh my god, yeah, foreshadowing at the yesterday. Yeah, it
was wow, how that happens? I think you were spit on?
Maybe just go with that.

Speaker 2 (18:21):
I think like maybe, yeah, maybe that was a spit
on you, like, screw this guy, maybe, I mean maybe
that was crazy, right, Like what.

Speaker 1 (18:31):
A start to the season that was. And then not
only do we have this Jalen Carter spits on Dak
Prescott angle, he gets kicked out of the game. Very
significant by the way, Jalen Carter's could be a Defensive
Player of the Year candidate this year. So he spits
on Dak Prescott, he leaves the game. I'm like, what
the hell, Like, how did that? Okay, I guess I
don't see Jalen Carter to start this season. And then

(18:53):
we at like halftime or like in the third quarter,
we get this to reference life again, the second spinner
angle of Dak Prescott apparently spitting towards Jalen Carter first.
And my main takeaway is I think this is all
very stupid that we're breaking down these angles of the
You have to oh my god, was I having PTSD

(19:14):
over that last year Cowboys? Oh my god? They every year,
but oh my god. But yeah, like so I couldn't
wrap my head around it, this whole like spitting notion
and things like and then how we're spending so much
time talking about this and like the second spinner and
we're zapruder filming the angles, like was Dak spinning at Jalen?

(19:35):
And then Dak's postgame press conference He's like, I was
just spitting up my offensive line moon and spitting in
the dirt, and I was like, what is this? What
is going on right now? Is this a joke? Is
Ashton Kutcher gonna come out and say we're all being
pranked as a nation? Like what is happening? There's a
great football game and all we're talking about is this spit?
So what a way to start the season, right? I mean,

(19:57):
you can't the NFL script bakers, really, I really do, Like,
come on, guys, did you have writers? What's our drama?
I don't have spits on somebody? But then wait, curveball,
there's a second spinner and the film.

Speaker 2 (20:10):
But that was the NBC has how many cameras at
the opening night game? And as far as I remember that,
I didn't see the second spinner.

Speaker 1 (20:17):
We waited until after. Yeah I discovered that that actually,
yeah we did. Did we want to tape that far?
I don't know. Yeah, it was. I can't make I'm
sure you can find a thousand other It's just spit
happening in that game last night too, on the sidelines,
maybe someone accidentally getting spit on.

Speaker 2 (20:32):
Like I want to see if there's a statement from
like NFL spokesperson about the you know, not the personal,
although I guess in theory because but you know, whether
they say we're going to have an investigation and it
will always do whenever there's any sort of off the
field incident, they're gonna get to the bottom of this
and discipline and.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
The Carter one was dumb. I mean that was clearly
the official official right there. And that's literally on Dak Prescott,
like he was literally staring him in the face, was
like right in your face on BIGU. I don't know.
He didn't talk after the game as far as I
I guess if you're inject, he did. I said he
was wrong and that it will never happen again, So
you know, the right thing. Pr I probably pulled him

(21:06):
aside and just like hey, say you're a dumbass, and
it'll smooth everything. Yeah, So Carter misses the game. That's
a big blow for the Eagles. He's arguably, excuse me,
their best defensive player. Dallas had a lot of success
offensively in this game. The Eagles had a lot of
success offensively in this game at the beginning of the game.
Then lightning struck and they didn't score a single point

(21:27):
after that. They literally just played draw. Yeah, literally, lightning
struck and then they stopped scoring.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
That drive chart is crazy when you put where the
where the storm came like, it's it's hard to say
there didn't affect the I don't know why it would
affect the offensive them.

Speaker 1 (21:42):
I don't know, but it was touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown,
field goal, touchdown, all of a sudden, pun pun punk,
pun pun pun after Miles Sanders from bull pun pun
pun pun punk, And boy, what an up and down
affair that was for Miles Sanders against his old team.
Right he rips off that like forty three yard run.
He he looks like he's gonna have a big game
and even if you don't, that's enough for a backup

(22:04):
running back, which he is. And then he fumbles as
they're going into the end zone and it's just like,
oh man, that's really just the hot and cold end
of the spectrum, there isn't it, Miles. So that was fun.
But my favorite story line from the game last night.
Beyond the spitting, beyond the miles Sanders blunder had to
be George Pickens. I mean, how could it not be
here in Pittsburgh. Three catches for thirty yards. That's a

(22:27):
classic George Pickens performance. And of course a fifteen yard
personal fund penalty and you eveuld.

Speaker 2 (22:33):
Throw it into his quote unquot quote credit or whatever.
He got a he got a DPI. That's how that's
the beginning first target. Yeah, that's all he made. That's
how he helped the teams, which which I don't want
to down play. I'll give him fairridess. It was a
good play by h Yes, but but so it was
just like all the hits, Like you look at the
stat line, not much there. He made a quote unquote
big play by the DPI. It advanced the offense down
the field. So he did make an impact, a positive impact.

Speaker 1 (22:55):
Now and then what what she can do?

Speaker 2 (22:57):
And then and yes, but jest, get in a fifteen
yard only in your debut for the Dallas Cowboy, for
the Cowboy. It's just like it's too rich. It's like
you can't you know the fact that he went to
the Cowboys to begin with is kind of.

Speaker 1 (23:08):
It was such a George Pickens personal foul too, like
the he premeditated it, Like if this was a murder,
they would be looking at the case. They'd be like
that dude knew he was doing that first degree. He
was keying in on that was it Blankenship. It was
either Blankenship or Degene one of their white members of
the secondary. And he crept up into the box and
Pickens just off the snap, just went and closed lined

(23:30):
him like he was a professional wrestler. It had to be.
It was egregious and just honestly a brain dead move.
And again it wasn't like, oh, you know, they're at midfield,
They're at their own territory and then the drive was
going to stall anyway, and you know, he just decided
to take a shot at player. It was first in
like ten maybe or first in goal, but they were
within the fifteen yard line of the Eagles, and that

(23:51):
pushed him back and then they ended up having to
settle for an Aubrey field goal when they probably would
have scored a touchdown.

Speaker 2 (23:55):
That was in the offense was homing. That was the
pre lightning strike where they were moving the ball at
will almost.

Speaker 1 (24:00):
Held that drop.

Speaker 2 (24:00):
He took four points off for that, and he did that,
and that's the George Pickens experience. And like I said,
if if we talked before whatever that may may tenth
or whatever early May. When the trade was made, it
was like almost like a punchline. Who could traded you
the Raiders of the Cowboys?

Speaker 1 (24:12):
Right?

Speaker 2 (24:13):
Everybodyne who drew was good trade for George Pickens, the
Raiders of the Cowboys pretty much, and it would probably
be the Cowboys and he and he's there.

Speaker 1 (24:19):
It's just so great that right away it happened. I
played out exactly like we knew it was, because the
see season literally hadn't started yet, and you're already doing it. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:27):
Yeah, George Pickens is already being George Pickens. And you know, costing,
the costing the opponent or the team he got traded
to a game, or at least contributing to cost.

Speaker 1 (24:35):
Contributing to a costing. Hey, they lost by four, and
as far as I take it, that took four points
off the board for him right there. There were other
contributing factors to the Cowboys losing that game, though, like
Ceedee Lamb not being able to catch the freaking ball, Chris.
Those were dimes from Dak Prescott. The first one was
a one of the best passes I've seen in a
long time. It was double coverage and he dropped it

(24:56):
right into his arms and it was good double coverage too.
And this is an all Pro receiver. I mean, it's
just like somebody I thought for sure when I saw
that initially, and I thought he caught it in the
first second, I was like, I can't believe he just
hit that pass. Like, I was like, that is a
big boy, final drive of the game type of moment
that Dak just clutched up on and he went right

(25:17):
through his fingertips. And then the second one he dove
for it was still a good enough pass, like ceede
Lamb's got to catch that.

Speaker 2 (25:22):
It's almost a shame because I mean, Dak that was
that could have been one of the storylines of the game.

Speaker 1 (25:26):
Is Dak is bad? That looked great? Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
I been coming off an injury like he was, and
it just sort of Dak's always in that like B
tier of like top quarterback. Yeah, And I really and
if the Cowboy would have went into Philadelphia and beat
the beat the Eagles, especially after all the you know,
the negativity to trading Parsons and everything that. I mean,
Dak would have been a major storyline. But his his guy,
it wasn't like it was the number two reasons. Whoever

(25:51):
his guy, you know, let him down there and.

Speaker 1 (25:52):
Held seven catches for one hundred and ten yards. Yeah,
I mean that would have been like one hundred and
eighty I guess CD. He would have been a big storyline, yeah,
but just the negative way. But you're right about Dak.
Dak played so well and it would have been such
a great moment for him to at least give some
doubt to the Eagles, like get the ball to the

(26:14):
thirty yard line, get in the red zone and make
him sweat a little bit for that. And he he
did everything that he was supposed to do to set
that up. His team just failed him around him. We'll
pat ourselves on the back a little bit here. We
said we were leaning towards Cowboys plus eight and a half.
That really was such an obvious bet. I mean, I
think that and we talked about this like a division game.
That's just way too many points for a division opponent,

(26:35):
especially one as he did. As the Eagles and the Cowboys.
Like that's Steelers Ravens ask right there, like they're very familiar,
very much in hate with each other. But so a
that that's part of it. That is just a divisional game.
But be like everybody was focusing on, like, oh my god,
Parsons is gone. Cowboy suck. Cowboys suck. What a joke

(26:57):
they traded. Michael Parsons offense is still real good and
Dak if he comes back healthy, should still be good.
That's what my thinking was, and that's what played out.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, he was probably better than I Yes,
you're right. Some of those throws you're like wow like
that they really were like what like literal like I
think I said wow at a couple of one.

Speaker 1 (27:14):
The first one that Lamb dropped on that last drive,
I'm not stunning over it. I mean it was beautyful and.

Speaker 2 (27:21):
That was that was the one that he kind of
almost looked like he batted it up up a little bit.
Yeah yeah, and it was, uh yeah that that so
I don't know, I almost in some ways, although I
mean the Jay then Carter thing, I guess could could
could could taint your your view of how impressive of
a loss it was. By the Cowboys. I don't know,
I don't put that way or not.

Speaker 1 (27:39):
Like like you know, I almost feel better.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
I want to say, you could feel better about the
Cowboys maybe competing in that division after a week when
you lose on the road and you get them back home,
then if you're for the Cowboy's least the way you
got to approach it at least. But but yeah, they
eight and a half points, and we'll get into the
picture soon. But there were there were a lot of
a lot of and the other way, a lot of
division favorites give them points on the road, is what

(28:01):
I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yeah, Jalen Hurts had fourteen carries for sixty two yards
and two touchdowns. I thought it was very funny that
they traded Michael Parsons and Jerry Jones was like, we
gotta stop the run, like that was the main reasoning
for it. And then they got torched on the ground
in the first game, especially by Hurts. And I saw
I think it was Nick Wright actually was just doing
some commentary or something on Twitter, and he was just like, boy,

(28:22):
they could really use somebody to just kind of spy
Hurts and haul him down. Huh. And I was like,
he's so right, Like every time Hurts took off and
ran I was like, that's Micah, Like that's where Michael
would have stopped him after four yards instead of the
ten that he got. Like, it's not gonna be easy
for them to adjust after that, especially doing That's what's
so bizarre is like Jerry pulled the trigger a week
before the season started, Like now you have to adjust
the whole season. You could figure stuff out, figure out

(28:44):
how to generate this maybe just March then maybe you
do a little bit, get another dress or something in
the draft or however. But yeah, like they're just in
a tough spot now. But yeah, I mean that it
really showed that, you know, they're gonna have to score
to beat teams Dallas like that defense is it's has
a hard time stopping. They did better in the second half,

(29:05):
but I think that might be more of the offenses
losing their rhythm because of the delay. Yeah, it was.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
Yeah, we said the night and day version of that,
and then especially week one because usually you think the
defenses are ahead and generally you assume that and you
generally the case the start game. Yeah, the game it's
still an under is that what I read five like
you were.

Speaker 1 (29:21):
So there was no forty four points scored and it
was like a fifty eight and a half over under.
Yeah wow. And you were like, what halftime It was
twenty one twenty so it was forty one, so you're like,
I'm cruising. Yeah yeah, I mean yeah. Then they didn't
score point after that. Yeah, it was all of a
sudden pun pun punt every time.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
You still had that feeling watching the three quarters of
that game or whatever, that two Thursday game that oh well,
that was in a big stop. Now the other teams,
you know, both ways, it kept happening about over and
I'm like, maybe just nobody's just scoring period.

Speaker 1 (29:47):
I don't know. What do you think about tonight in
Brazil Chiefs and Chargers. It's dumb that they're playing a
division game in Brazil. That's a stupid move. I would
hate that if I was Kansas City, I'd hate that.
If I was Los Angeles. I guess i'd hate it
more if I was Los Angeles because the Chiefs still
get the charge arrowhead this year. The Chargers just don't
get them at so far. Now, the tongue in cheek
thing would be to be like homegroun or profile anyway,

(30:07):
but it'll still be Yes. If I'm the Chargers, I'm like, look,
I get it, we're doing international games. We gotta expand
our brand. Don't make it week one and do not,
for the love of God, make it the Chiefs game. Like, man,
that is division game on the road is tough on
a new excuse me, on a neutral site is It's
really tough for me to wrap my head around.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
It's almost that the league had to because the Chiefs
are playing so often on Thursday night week one recent Friday, Yeah, yeah,
they had to put them on Friday.

Speaker 1 (30:34):
I don't know what.

Speaker 2 (30:35):
I guess there's now there's a Black Friday game, and
I don't know when Christmas falls this year or whatever.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
I'm sure there's more.

Speaker 2 (30:40):
We gonna be more Friday night games than I think
they add they add games, or even maybe Christmas or Wednesday.

Speaker 1 (30:47):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I think Christmas is Thursday. That's
normal Thursday night football.

Speaker 2 (30:52):
Yeah yeah, they're gonna have the triple Leater on Christmas
this year, so they're probably, although I don't know, we
will not be working yes, yes, yes, through all that,
but Friday night football.

Speaker 1 (31:02):
I still don't know what I think about it in general.
I mean that they did it. Is this gonna be
an annual thing? Like two years things was going to
be an annually. Last year was Eagles and Packers in Brazil.

Speaker 2 (31:11):
Yeah, yeah, so you do a one off. Okay, that's fine.
So I guess it's gonna be an annual thing now
in Brazil. I don't know, but yeah, I wish it
is gonna be and it is. I don't know how
to get a read on that. And like again, I
was looking at the at the games the Charger will
list at the bottom, and I forgot for a second,
you know, just looking at the games on a schedule
that I thought they're a home team and all these
division games.

Speaker 1 (31:31):
But yeah, you're giving up a game like that, and
and it's it's the how does the travel effect that
kind of thing? I don't know.

Speaker 2 (31:37):
But you know, until I see the Chargers beat the Chiefs,
I go back to that, I guess which got to
see it? Yeah, in a big game, which is I
guess any game it's a division game with them playing,
I need to see it before I'm gonna gonna go
out and pick it.

Speaker 1 (31:48):
So you got two division games in the Standardons to
begin the week last night obviously, and then the Chiefs
Chargers tonight. Some other division games to kick things off.
You got the Bucks and the Falcons, uh that game
in Atlanta one pm on Sunday, and Browns are going
to do battle on Sunday, the Giants and the Commanders
in an NFC East showdown. You got the Niners in
the Seahawks NFC West, and the NFC North. You got

(32:09):
the Lions taken on the Packers. And then your Monday
night finale for Week one will be the Vikings and
the Bears, another AFC North or actually the NFC North matchup.
So they're leaning into the division matchups in this Week one,
and I'm indifferent towards that. You know, I don't have
a take of, Like you gotta warm up a little

(32:30):
bit before you take on the most important games of
your schedule. It's the part where you move it to
Brazil that really bothers me. Like, if you want to
have Marquee Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Vikings, stuff like that to
start the season, I get it. That is a really
nice little bang to start things out with. And you
kind of know you're gonna get a good game because
they're very familiar with each other. It's a rivalry. But

(32:52):
moving it out of the country just I can't Chris.
It bothers me a lot.

Speaker 2 (32:55):
In interconference games, you think that would be a good
situation too. I don't know if the league. I don't
think they're because I mean, it's still only once every
six years or whatever it might be these internet they
come to your town, right, I know a Major League
Baseball they're doing. They want to have the balance schedule
in the interleague and every other year the Angels come
to Pittsford whatever it might be.

Speaker 1 (33:12):
You know the Yankees, I guess. And at least now
you play every team every year. Yeah, like you'll play
the Yankees every season? If that's what if that?

Speaker 2 (33:21):
I don't think that's their rationale, Like, well, we want
the interconference games already the fans in LA.

Speaker 1 (33:25):
Don't get to Well it's a bad example because I.

Speaker 2 (33:27):
Would say the Rams, uh, the fans in whatever, San
Francisco don't get to see the Chiefs. Ever, you know,
they want to see Mahomes every every eight years as
it is, so what so while we want to play
that game in Brazil. But I don't think that's really
the rationale. You're right, division game. I don't know you could,
you could have had other games.

Speaker 1 (33:43):
And you're right, the Chargers, the Titans, and the Broncos
over there, right, Well, you give them something like that,
they always they always give them. The Jaguars and Jackson
Panthers is playing Week one, for God's sake, that's a
perfect gift for Brazil. Like you think Brazil.

Speaker 2 (33:55):
You think the Brazil NFL fans are that savvy that
that they weren't going to show up to see Jack's Panthers.

Speaker 1 (34:00):
Yeah, by the way, that's got to be the worst
game on the slate, right, I don't think the Panthers
or the Jags are that bad this year, but it's
just those two helmets.

Speaker 2 (34:08):
Yeah, it's well, see you I'm old enough that there's
still expansion teams to me, right, Like I like you,
you don't remember the manory there was an NFL without
the Jags.

Speaker 1 (34:17):
Now, when I came online with the NFL, it always
existed with the Jags.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
Ye, yeah, So to me, it's crazy how it's been
thirty freaking years, but I still think, oh, there's still
does goofy colors.

Speaker 1 (34:26):
You know, like the the you know, the the the
what is that the baby blue and the for or
whatever it is for the Jags, and then Panthers got
the baby blue.

Speaker 2 (34:34):
Yeah, it's kind of I mean, it's the Carolina Blue,
but there's it's like a take on the Carolina.

Speaker 1 (34:38):
Yeah, it's kind of like not really, but it's hard
to take them seriously, let's just put exactly.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Exactly all these years, there's still even though they you know,
the Panthers have been to a couple of Super Bowls
now they had Cam Newton. It's always been so long
now there's no it's not like, you know, they should
still be. But in my mind there's still kind of
like a punch, you know, a punchline. But it is
kind of funny that that they're playing, so will always
consider it that way.

Speaker 1 (34:58):
Games of the Week Lions and Packers of four to
twenty five on CBS. That's insane. And then Ravens Bills.
That's going to be a ton of fun. I bet
that's a shootout in Buffalo. Yeah, that will be fun.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
Yeah, that'll be fun to everybody will get to watch
it too, and actually, yeah, so that's that's going to
be great.

Speaker 1 (35:14):
But the Packers in the Lions game. I mean, dude,
I don't want to be dramatic. That could shape how
the NFC North finishes one to two based on who
wins that game in Week one. I mean, yeah, I
see them very close to each other. You're right that
that'll that'll certainly be you know what, Ravens Bills might
decide number one in the AFC who gets to buy. Yeah.

(35:34):
You hate to say like all Week one is gonna
matter that way, but these are some pretty big time
contenders playing each other.

Speaker 2 (35:39):
I mean it could decide if they play in January
where the venue in January?

Speaker 1 (35:43):
Do you want to go? They have to go to
Kansas City? Yeah, exactly, or the loser might have to
go have to go to Kansas City and then get
the Chiefs. Yea. Yeah, that's a good point early, but
you got to keep an eye on that kind of yea. Yeah,
and we've seen it.

Speaker 2 (35:54):
I mean, it's been enough years in a row, and
there's no reason to believe again that that the you know,
the Bills, Chiefs and Ravens won't be you know division
you know in the mix for sure, in the final
four mix. No matter what that you're right with Week
one happening here and on Friday night in uh or
you know Friday night the Chiefs and you know, could
affect things.

Speaker 1 (36:11):
What happens waiting in January. When we come back, it's
prediction time on the Steelers Bullets. We'll clear you in
on who we think is gonna win. Steelers Jets, make
some picks around the league and hit some over unders
as well. Tom op From and Chris Damski Steelers Blitz
on the Steelers Audio Network. Before we get to our predictions, Chris,

(36:36):
I have a little bit of a tidbit, a little
bit of a nugget that I want to effect for
tidbit nugget, Yeah, let's dig that up. We'll dig that up.
We'll find that eventually. We also have to do our
big bawlers here at some point today, player on offense,
player on defense that you're looking forward to. That's very
self explanatory, Chris, you'll pick up in no time. But

(36:56):
we're talking about the double revenge game. Rogers playing his
former team, Field's playing his former team. How weird that
is to see that not only happen, but happened week
one where the opposing quarterbacks are playing their exes and
I was thinking, because we talked about that on the
show yesterday, I was thinking last night and I was
I was pouring over. I was like, let's find an
instance where this happened if it happened again. And it
didn't take me long at all. I just had to

(37:17):
go back to twenty twenty one, and I felt like
an idiot for forgetting this. But Week seven and twenty
twenty one, Jared Goff off the trade In that offseason too,
the Lions Stafford to the Rams. They faced off against
each other, Stafford and the Rams torched Jared Goff that
year and the Lions. The Lions were zero to seven
after that game. Their first non loss was to the
Steelers that year when they tied Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh when

(37:39):
Ben got COVID and couldn't play in the game. But
oh my man. And then but that is the last
instance of kind of the double revenge factor. But it's
not fresh in everybody's mind, Chris, because the lines were
ower and six going into that game. It wasn't Week one,
it was Week seven, like it was kind of an afterthought.
That kind of double revenge with those two didn't pick

(38:01):
up steam until the next year when they went and
met in the playoffs, inn it was like, Wow, Lion's
first playoff game and it's welcoming Matt Stafford back to
his old dojo. That's when it kind of hit. So
I felt like an idiot for forgetting that. But that
was the last instance of double revenge in the NFL.

Speaker 2 (38:16):
I mean, the Week one thing is I think what
I mean. I figured there had to be other instances
throughout history just something like that, but Week one is
just is what makes this And as you pointed out last.

Speaker 1 (38:28):
Night we were texting about this, that was a true
trade with Golf and Stafford the team's trading it. This
was the Jets chose the Steelers guy, and then the
Steelers chose the Jets guy without the two collaborating. Yeah,
there wasn't that.

Speaker 2 (38:39):
There wasn't There wasn't one, and that it's just so
because I mean the Rams and like you also mentioned that,
one of the greatest double beneficial trades info history. I mean,
the Lines have turned around their franchise since that trade,
and the Rams won a Super Bowl immediately, right, I mean,
bot can't.

Speaker 1 (38:56):
Find a loser. I'll give the Rams the slight edge, right,
now because they have the ring. But the Lions could
like they are contender.

Speaker 2 (39:02):
To win fifteen to two last year, and and and
I mean Golff has been very and they're gonna be
better position. I mean one Stafford. Stafford's shelf life here isn'
gonna last too much longer, right, So this might.

Speaker 1 (39:12):
Be the last year where the Rams are in the
same kind of position as they are the Lions.

Speaker 2 (39:15):
Yeah, and so the Lions have I mean, they got
draft picks and you you you found it you on
Earth through the three main draft.

Speaker 1 (39:21):
You know, the Sam Laporta, Jamison Williams, and Jamier Gibbs.
I don't think they kept the picks, Yeah, completely, they were,
but they used them. Yeah. And then I also saw
that some other picks they made with their own picks,
and that spam was Aiden Hutchinson and Brian so like
they were they turned them. Yeah, it was. They've been
drafting pretty well. Yeah, it was.

Speaker 2 (39:39):
It was the it was the Yeah, it's almost like
the herschel Walker going way back. I guess this is
what this is what Jerry Jones envisions, but I'm sure
he used to execute it better than he probably thinks
he will.

Speaker 1 (39:48):
So that was the last instance of double revenge. We'll
get a taste of double revenge on Sunday when Rodgers
and Fields do battle against each other. I got some
quick over unders I want to throw by you see
what you think justin Fields over under sixty and a
half rushing yards, I'm gonna go under. I think he
needs to go under if the Steelers wont Yeah, successful game,
so yeah, I'm gonna go under too. Rogers over two

(40:08):
and a half hundred and a half passing yards are under.
I think he's gonna be under two hundred yards.

Speaker 2 (40:13):
I'd probably say I probably lean that way too, and
not real strong on it, but yeah, I would probably,
And I ously that's a good thing, probably if so,
because that means we talk as we thought that the
Steelers could.

Speaker 1 (40:23):
I like the Bollet constrictor. I want to effect for
that too. I don't know if the effects Chris, You're
allowed to find him too, I can contribute. Yeah, I'm
gonna come. Damn all the props.

Speaker 2 (40:33):
Oh, I won't have like a computerized when actual you
have been like a little bit one of those little
uh fake toy bo hold up to the microph slide whistle.

Speaker 1 (40:41):
I still put up myself. Yeah, I think he's gonna
go under that though, But I will say this, over
under one and a half touchdown passes, I think he
goes over that. I could see like like a one
eighty kind of day, but two touchdowns kind of like
tighten the red zone.

Speaker 2 (40:53):
I mean if that, yeah, I one eighty two touchdowns,
If that's the line, I really get it. Yes, Yes,
I'm gonna limb very confident that the Steelers won a game.

Speaker 1 (41:00):
If that's the case, Caleb Johnson three and a half
carries over under, I'm gonna probably go under. Actually, I
guess I'm feeling that way too. I just feel like, I.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
Mean, Warren is therofessional, off the contract, gain Well is
gonna play a big role. I just don't think there's
many opportunities yet for him. And you know, if he
would have really seized it in the preseason or took
it play, you know, grabbed it and said I'm gonna
I'm the I'm the you know that was in play,
he still might be over down the road, but not
not for week one of his rookie year.

Speaker 1 (41:28):
No, Jalen Warren over under fifty and a half rushing
yards that's a good one. I'll go over there and
kind of hand and hand it with our under on
Rogers pass. Yeah, that's a good point. If Rogers goes
under two hundred, but Warren goes over fifty, Rogers adds
those two tutties, I think we're cruising, Chris.

Speaker 2 (41:44):
Yeah, And if that happens, I think it. I don't
say transforms, but it really kind of if you see
Jalen Warren be that and get you know, sixteen seventeen
carries whatever you know in a game and be able
to do that, be could I said, that's one of
the things we just we just just speak because we
haven't seen it because Naugy was so Nugy played every game,
so we never had to see or never got the

(42:06):
opportunity to see Jayden Warren be a quote unquote bel
belkau or get that many touches. So if he's getting
that many touches and he's producing that, that would make
you feel a lot pretty comfortable then about, you know,
the make you feel little more comfortabout the offense going
throughout the season.

Speaker 1 (42:21):
TJ watt over under zero point five sacks. I think
he'll get a sack. I'm gonna go under. Actually, I
think he's gonna do a lot of the containing stuff
in fields. I bet you there's one that's really fringe,
like he's right at the line of scrimmage and TJ
trips him up. It's like, was that a sack was
a sack? And they'll roll it. Because it's in New York.
They'll give him the benefit of the doubt and the'
let Fields get like a yard carry? Yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:39):
I just think what because I think he heard a
lot about how many games was it four of the
finished last season?

Speaker 1 (42:45):
That's a good point. So if he has no sacks
in this one, that adds to that street. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:48):
So I think he's he's aware of that and everything,
and I think he'll you know, I thought that not
that will having the will to do it's not gonna transformative.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
I think he'll find a way. Yes, all right, this
is my favorite bet of the entire game. I'm excited
Aaron Rodgers over zero point five rushing yards. Oh I yes,
I love those. Yes, I think I really think I
might bet on this. This is a real line. Nice.
I think I might bet on that one. He's gonna
get a yard.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
Yes, I think I think that will be again sort
of his mindset in this like like okay, John Elway
and that Super Bowl, which were you alive for that
in ninety eight?

Speaker 1 (43:25):
I was alive for it. But first Super Bowl I
remember was Jared Dyson coming up interest.

Speaker 2 (43:30):
That was probably the one righte of maybe one or
two before that, because they won the Broncs whichever it was, I.

Speaker 1 (43:34):
Think was the first.

Speaker 2 (43:36):
It was the first one that you're referencing of the
back of it was. It was one of that because
he had he lost three Super Bowls, he never win
the big Game. So he had like that chip on
his shoulder and he did that helicopter run.

Speaker 1 (43:46):
You know, it was like this, yes, that's the Packers, right,
It was far versus yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
So in this situation, it's it's it's bear with me here.
Aaron Rodgers had the same like, screw these guys, the Jets.
I'm gonna come out there. They think I'm old and
I'm done. I'm gonna run for you know, win for
a first down screen and whatever it might be, and
pick up their.

Speaker 1 (44:02):
Can't double check for all time sake. I wonderful.

Speaker 2 (44:06):
Instead of doing the when he smiled and winked Mike
Tomlin a one game with the Packers, maybe he'll he'll
smile and winket to Aaron Glenn.

Speaker 1 (44:12):
But if it's totally different style of smelling, winke, if
you know what I mean. All Right, it's time for
big ballers. It's that prediction. Who's gonna play well on offense,
who's gonna play well on defense? On offense, I'm gonna
go with a little bit off the board, Kenny g
Kenny Gainway. I think Kenneth Gainwell is going to have
a couple of big plays in the passing game this game,
and maybe one of those two touchdowns that I referenced

(44:33):
Rodgers might hit, maybe one of them goes to Kenneth
Gainwell down in the red zone. I like that. I'm
gonna go with Dartell Washington. I think I like it.
There's enough smoke to that fire that we've seen.

Speaker 2 (44:44):
And maybe I'll look foolish because he's such a good block,
and maybe we won't see it because we've been here.
I feel like we're talking about this since he's been drafted,
that that Undereath's potential was a receiver. But I think
we saw it so much in camp and even during
the preseason with the touchdown that they will make a
big play in the passing game.

Speaker 1 (44:58):
Defensively, my big baller, he is gonna be one Thornhill.
I just feel like there's fate there right. Like all
year long, it's been like, who's gonna be the safety
one Thorn Hill. They traded Minka. Okay, it's gonna be
Ramsey in the base, but they're gonna play a lot
of nickel as one Thorn Hill, the weakest link onan Thornhill.
One Thornhill, one Thornhill, one Tory Hill. It just kind
of seems like the writing's on the wall that there's
gonna be a tip drill. He's gonna come up with

(45:20):
the football, have a big interception of fields and make
a huge splash play. So I'm gonna go with one
Thorn I do like that. That's that's a good pick.
But I'm gonna go my big baller. Do I need
to say it is going to Peyton Wilson play.

Speaker 2 (45:33):
I think he's going to you know, he's he's born
to be a He's a playmaker right now. That's what
he's here for. That's how that's how he got drafted.
So he was doing in college one way. Now he's
gonna play a lot more. It's his first game as
the as the quote unquote starter as the as the
one on the depth chart in his NFL career. I
think we'll find a way to force a fumble, pick
up a fumble and run it, you know, interception whatever

(45:55):
it might may be, a sack.

Speaker 1 (45:56):
I don't know. He'll make a big play one way
or another in this game. All right, sign for competition.
We gotta figure out what we're gonna bet on for
this to see. We're gonna pick. We're gonna pick three
games around the NFL each week and keep a little
bit of a score. It's always fun to have a
scoreboard on the show. All right, for my first pick,
and we can alternate back and forth here, Chris, And
if you want to pick the same game, feel free too.

Speaker 2 (46:17):
Okay, I got my three. If you want to fade
me that that makes it real fun, then right, I'm
gonna pinch. I'm gonna plug my nose on this one. Okay,
So I'm playing. I'm playing my nows on this one
because I hate taking this. I think it stinks to
high Heaven. But I'm gonna believe in.

Speaker 1 (46:32):
Not somebody used like the microwave for fish or something. Okay,
I'm gonna lay the five and a half points in
Cleveland on Cincinnati and that the Bengals will be a
munch on the rail. Is gonna have a big Week one.
It's gonna be the opposite of seeing one of Joe
Burrow the recent years. It's gonna work out immediately the
decision to play them in the preseason. He's gonna throw

(46:52):
for four tighties on the Browns. They're gonna cruise. So
I got the Bengals minus five and a half. Well,
it wasn't mean my first one, but but I woul
admit this here we already we didn't discuss this. I mean,
it's made a good rate, but I'm with you on
that one actually takes. Yes, It's like at the five,
so many rules that I have, Like I hate to
take favorites on the road in the division, hate to
take the road in week one. There's a lot you

(47:14):
know the Bengals, but I think it's so like whether
it's the hidden vigoroush of like the like the Bengals
thing starting slow has to change. I've talked at the
Bengals so much yesterday and the Browns aren't very good that.
I think the Bengals is in a winning game at
the winding game, I think the find a way to
win it by at least a touchdown. So I hate,
I kind of hate to do it. But you know,
no share, it's a long area. I'll create separation on

(47:36):
you sooner, no worry. All right. My second pick, I'm
gonna go with a road dog here. I'm gonna go
with the Giants plus five and a half at Washington.
I bet you Washington starts out a little slow, a
little malaise on offense, and I'm extremely high on New
York's defensive front. I think it's one of the best
defensive fronts with Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence, and you

(47:56):
add Abdul Carter, your Penn State guy into that. I
think they're gonna do a good job of slowing down
Jayden Daniels. I bet you Washington wins, but I bet
you it's like a twenty to seventeen Classic Division game. Yeah,
I was on my watch. I thought about it.

Speaker 2 (48:11):
One of one of the themes I thought was these
road favorites in Week one, there's a lot of them,
especially in the division.

Speaker 1 (48:17):
We the Vikings are.

Speaker 2 (48:18):
Favorite at the Bears, the forty nine Ers their favorite
at the Seahawks, the Bucks at the Falcons that we
already talked about, the Bengals. Then you have like Arizona's
almost a touchdown. Think about that, Arizona is almost touched
out on the road, Like, I mean, how many times
that could happen? Yeah, that shows where the Saints are
and you know, of course the Steelers in two. But
so I you know, I hate to do like I

(48:41):
end up taking three road favorites, laying points and going
against the home now I know, and with what I
feel like in Week one's that's that's a it's a
bad play. But I just when I broke it down,
there were too many of them. I had to almost
had to pick one. So is it I took the
Rams at the Texans laying three points on the road
to a.

Speaker 1 (49:00):
Sneaky good game. Actually yeah, it's a game of consequence.
For sure.

Speaker 2 (49:04):
You're right if all the high But those are two
playoff teams, two division winners, returning division winners from last year.
We probably favorites in their divisions this year.

Speaker 1 (49:11):
I just feel I mean, the.

Speaker 2 (49:12):
Rams were people don't forget, forget how good the Rams
will nine of their last eleven before they finale whenever
they rested their starters, and they blew out at the Vikings,
and they gave the Eagles the best playoff game of
any best playoff game. People were kind of forget how
good the Rams were last year, and we kind of
talked last year last week or last week yesterday about
the Texans. Maybe I overrated, but we kind of other
division winners. You think they're good, but there's in a

(49:34):
bad division. They're gonna win the division this year. So
I'm all into lay three points on the Rams.

Speaker 1 (49:40):
With the Rams, my final pick is going to be
Indy at home minus one and a half against the Dolphins.
I look at that and I go, why are the
Colts favored in that game? And then I want to
gobble it up because it's stupid and doesn't make sense,
But it does make sense. Miami is going to have
a tough year this year. I think it's going to
be tough for them. I don't think the Colts are
going to be good. Yeah, but I bet you that
this is like a high point for them. They'll start
one in and they'll beat the Dolphins in a really

(50:01):
gross football game. I had that on my list.

Speaker 2 (50:03):
I you know, when I went down on which ones,
I would have went down to three because you're I
just think the Dolphins are not any good and they're
on the road. So but I was just like I
could I couldn't ride with Danngel Joe, I can't go
with you on that. I'm sorry. I couldn't pull the trigger.
So mine the aforementioned. We talked all these marquee matchups,
and we have the Jaguars and Panthers. The Panthers, I

(50:23):
am taking the Jaguars. Remember I said I took three
favorites on the road. Maybe I'm Jacksonville's at home, you
go home. I'm sorry, I'm sorry they are no.

Speaker 1 (50:33):
Yes, I want to know what. Okay, but but Jacksonville
I did. Maybe I'm you.

Speaker 2 (50:37):
Talked up to Jaguars. You talked Yes, you did, I think,
And I'm just like, Caroline is not any good. But
I just I feel like Jacksonville was probably better. But
it's a cool coaching matchup because you have Lion come
against Dave Cadawis, the two former Bucks offensive coordinators. It
took over the quote unquote expansion teams that I referred
to earlier that they kind of need a remake. So
I'm curious to see how that works. I mean, it

(50:58):
might be a total train wreck. I'm I mean the
opening press conference with Liam Come was this he does that,
but sometimes that.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
Age is so well like he'll go back and be like, Wow,
he's a great coach.

Speaker 2 (51:08):
So I maybe I'm but I just think Jacksonville is
the better team. And now that now that I realized
they are at home, as my just confirms it for you.
But if yeah, they're at home, and like I said,
I'm taking the home team in Week one and after.

Speaker 1 (51:20):
Steeler prediction time, Steelers Jets one o'clock Sunday kickoff at
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. I think it's
going to be ugly. I think that it's going to
be very low scoring. I did, I guess I did
just mention Rogers with throw for two touchdowns, so I
got to factor that into my prediction. How goes something
along the lines of like Steelers eighteen and we'll go

(51:43):
Jets ten. That's how I'm feeling. You score the last
year's opener, it was I didn't do that on purpose,
but it was that will be touchdown scores. Let's run
to the betting window together and hammer the under. Yes, yes,
the under of phone. It's the lowest over under of
the week.

Speaker 2 (51:59):
They're really well. But I think there's a good reason
a lot of ways. Yeah, it's it's hard to you
certainly wouldn't want to take the over for sure. Okay,
it's thirty seven and a half now down, Wow.

Speaker 1 (52:09):
That's wild.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
I mean, I guess a lot of people are thinking
the same way for sure. Yeah, I mean the Steelers.
If I had to put a number to it, I'm
doing at the top of the other number. But hey,
the random number generator, U must and you're picking an
exact score. Yeah, the Steelers, I'll give them twenty and
and the Jets twelve. So the Steelers will cover on
the road, we'll win the game, we'll stay under. And yeah,

(52:32):
I think there'll be a big player too from the
offense that will either be touched down or get him
down the field, get him in the scoring range, and
the Steelers do bottle up justin field.

Speaker 1 (52:41):
You heard it here first. Steelers are starting one another.
Nothing to worry about, a game, stress free weekend for
you guys just going through the notions. On Sunday, kickoff
is at one pm. Our coverage starts at nine am
on DVE for Chris Adamski. I'm Tom Offerman. Thanks for
listening to the Blitz. Will be back next week on
the Steelers Audio Network m