September 25, 2025 • 33 mins
The Steelers are heading to Ireland—but will they need a little Irish luck to take down the Vikings at Croke Park?
In this special international edition, Joe and Brian break down the matchup, travel dynamics, and what Pittsburgh needs to do to come out on top.
We’re covering every angle of this historic showdown, plus injury updates, key matchups, and how the Irish crowd could factor into the vibe on game day.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pittsburgh-steelers-podcast-steel-city-underground--2600913/support.
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In this special international edition, Joe and Brian break down the matchup, travel dynamics, and what Pittsburgh needs to do to come out on top.
We’re covering every angle of this historic showdown, plus injury updates, key matchups, and how the Irish crowd could factor into the vibe on game day.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pittsburgh-steelers-podcast-steel-city-underground--2600913/support.
Questions or Comments?
Did we hit the mark? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more Steelers news and analysis from Steel City Underground!
- Dial (203) 900-4SCU (4728) from any number, and leave your name, location, and a question on our automated attendant.
- Text (203) 900-4SCU with your question OR
- Email fanmail@steelcityunderground.com
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Web - https://www.steelcityunderground.com/
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Spotify Audio - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Yacx1utIsGBZH
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Underground, The steel City Underground, the black
and gold standard for Pittsburgh Steelers coverage. Now here's your hoes.
Joe Kuzma and Brian E. Rose.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Steel
City Underground podcast. My name is Joe Kuzma and I
am joined by this green Shrek looking fellow to my side,
a good colleague and buddy one, mister Briany Roach. This
is gonna sound really bad, Brian, but we should probably
drop the toils like that does sound bad. We have
(00:42):
a total lack of decorps in our hotel here. But
if Brian makes any bad jokes, I could just hit
them now, So that's the So, folks, if you hadn't
seen and are hurt already, we are in Dublin, Ireland,
(01:03):
across the pond here covering the Pittsburgh Steelers in two
and one Pittsburgh Steelers about the face the two and
one Minnesota Vikings Sunday. What are we at, September twenty eighth.
I probably even know what time it is, so you're
gonna have to You're really gonna have to. Yeah, twenty eighth,
Oh my god. Yeah, bear with us, Bear with us
today because we've been up around the clock and oh
(01:28):
my god, just like, can we just start with this?
Can we just start with Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I was supposed to fly out of Newark, New Jersey
yesterday at seven point thirty. My plane actually left Newark,
New Jersey after midnight, and I was supposed to arrive
here at nine o'clock in the morning today. Instead, I
wrote arrived at eleven o'clock.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
In the morning today. And we haven't.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Slept much other than whatever we grabbed on the flights. Yeah,
and you you were on time until you got to
d C, and then I wasn't, and then you weren't.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
And then my machine, as though it was my machine,
my plane, the air conditioning wasn't working. So not only
did I have a short a short connection toy'd be
able to run across Dulles Airport DC. I get there
on time, and then you sit on the plane for
an hour, and you know, you start to get the
(02:24):
blood pumping from running and everything like that. And I
was already hot, and then I'm like, man, that's really hot.
They got us off the plane, and then luckily we
got a new plane, and then they didn't have fuel
for the plane, and then I said it was a
mechanical issue. I've got my fiance monitoring all this stuff,
so it says she's like another mechanical issue, and I'm like, well,
the first one was AC, which isn't life for death.
(02:45):
I mean, for some people know it is. They don't
believe in that. Here in Ireland, apparently either we have
no AC in this room. A heat wave here would
be seventy degrees, but it's still pretty beautiful weather. It's
about sixty ish, but they were running the heat and
you know, well, and there's all kind of cultural differences.
I do like the placard I got saw everybody where
we're at, but it just says, please do not disturb.
(03:06):
We are already disturbed. And that's even before the game
kicks off on Sunday. So aside from our own little
personal anecdotes, here, Brian, we are in Ireland and it
is already a Steelers nation takeover of Oh my god,
is it? It's crazy? I think, So we'll start with this.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Before I even get on the plane, we're standing in
line waiting to board, and here we go, Steelers chance
to start in the airport.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And people are waving towels in line. It is quite.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Amusing and fun. Then we get on the plane. On
the plane, remember it's midnight. It's after midnight. People want
to go to sleep, but because the flight has been
delayed for essentially five hours, the vast majority of the passengers,
not me because I don't partake of the adult beverages,
but the vast majority of the past singers are a
(04:01):
little on the inebriated side, to put it kindly.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And so we were not on the same plane. Th Ye,
we was in Newark and I was in d C.
And we converge on the plane.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
They start the cheers, you know, they start the chance
here we go, stealers, here we go. And it's loud,
and it's coming from first class and economy and all
the way back and forth to the point the pilot
had to come on and say, people are trying to sleep.
We'd appreciate it if you didn't make those noises.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, I mean, like the our pilot just kept apologizing
and saying thank you for your patience. And they did
that a lot too. Got water and cartons and yeah,
this thing, the crazy stuff, it's almost like milk. Now
we're we're working through some technical things here. We're lucky
I was able even to plug some of the stuff
(04:58):
in here do my own stupidity earlier and having the
wrong adapters and stuff. But folks, this will be a
fun one. I think there's gonna be a lot of
Steelers fans here. They're they're welcoming of the Vikings, but
there's not nearly as much. This is clearly a Steelers
home game. Everywhere you look, starting from the airport, there's
Pittsburgh Steelers stuff everywhere, and like everywhere, and as soon
(05:19):
as you get off there's even a There was like
this scrolling one of these digital signboards and it says
we welcome you and to Dublin or whatever like. It
was pretty crazy. And then Dublin. Dublin's got its own
thing going on with their own dialect and they're the Gaelic,
you know, heritage and culture, and they mixed that in
(05:39):
with all of this too, some of the Steelers and
NFL signs or a different language. It's a very cool,
very cool atmosphere. I can't wait to see what's actually
like in the stadium. We were at the pro Shop
earlier today. I don't know if anybody watching it bumped
into us. But only how that place is going to
be cratered. It's already the amount of people that were
in there was a line just waiting to get there.
(06:00):
The appetite for this game, the hunger for this everywhere.
Everybody's aware of it. It's here for the most part. Yeah,
in Dublin, they're aware of it, and I think they're
excited for it. And it's a very big deal for
the expansion of the NFL. So we were talking about this.
The last time the Steelers had a road trip like this,
(06:21):
they had played the Minnesota Vikings in London back in
twenty thirteen. Letbell as a rookie. They were owing three
at the time, they became oh to four and didn't
have the impact that you wanted them to have just yet, right,
and maybe we're at the same place, except both these
teams who got a two to one Steelers team now
(06:43):
that nobody's picking to win this game. But I don't know, man.
I mean, we get into some of this, right with
the Minnesota Vikings. They just wiped the floor of the
Bengals last week, But it's Bengals with a bad defense.
I stay that, I mean cheek because the Steelers should
not have a bad defense, and they're trying to obviously
(07:04):
trying to sort their own stuff out, but the Steelers
should have at least on paper better talent on their defense,
especially when healthy. So there's some stuff they're going to
have to work through with this, But forty eight to ten,
I don't think Carson Wentz. Carson Wentz is with the
Vikings here, Brian. I mean, I don't see Carson Wentz putting.
(07:24):
I don't know. Steelers given up thirty points to Justin
Fields and I don't know, but Sam Darnold the Seahawks,
they've been able to do their own thing too, So
you can never say never. I just don't see it
as one sided as everybody else is saying it. And
of course I am biased, but I just don't see
it that way. Well, I have to agree.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
If you've been watching, you can tell I'm not super
high on the Steelers this year. But in this instance,
I kind of have to agree with you, because, regardless
of anything else, more than likely the Steelers' offense is
not going to throw the ball to the Vikings defense.
As much as Bengals backup Jake Brown or whatever his
name is did so you're not gonna give you know,
(08:06):
the offense on the Vikings easy setups and and additionally
free points. I if they do that, oh yeah, it's
not going to be a close game. But I don't
anticipate that happening. And you know, I think there's a
chance to Seawn Elliott is back, there's a chance that
(08:26):
Joey Porter Junior is back. All those things bolster the
Steelers defense and maybe help make it a little better.
Maybe the communication is a little better, Maybe they're ironing
out some of the roles and the ways they're going
to use folks. Just based on pure talent, this is
a better defense than they've shown, and far better defense
(08:49):
than the Bengals are putting on the field. I think,
you know, the Vikings have weapons and if they can't cover,
you know, justin Jefferson and the bay.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Line and who else I don't remember. They have another
receiver that oh well there's uh then you got Jordans
yeh suspension. So that's a big one. While the Steelers
are getting some guys in the secondary, they're getting another
receiving threat, but it's still it's Carson Wentz.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, like I think they should the way they pressure
they can get to him. If they can get to him,
I don't think it's going to be anywhere near as
as as damaging as it was against the Bengals. I
just I don't agree that there's no chance to Steelers
win this game. And you know we are we are biased.
(09:34):
I'm likely to pick the Steelers if the bobble had
made the trip to Ireland, which it did not do. Yeah,
I wasn't paying for an ext receipt for the bibblehead
and he demands first class, so he's out, so you know,
but he'd probably.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Be predicting the Steelers to win this game too. But
we'll see. Yeah, I got a prediction. It might be,
it might be tight, it might be a low scoring
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I mean, why would you think it's going to be
anything other than tight every game?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I think this let's do some mousekeeping before we get
into some of the matchups in the X factors. Folks, locally,
if you're in Pittsburgh or Minnesota, Minneapolis, then you're gonna
get the game local. I think on in Pittsburgh market
it's WTAE, which I believe is ABC, but everyone else
(10:19):
nationally nine thirty in the morning Eastern time. That means
most of you have your breakfast on the West coast
and watch the stellars. You're gonna have to get up
a little bit earlier than usual, even more early. East coastty, Yeah,
the East thirty am out there on the west. Yeah,
the East coast folks are you know, they're not used
to maybe even having coffee, and that's usually when we're
in tail getting and having some of these beverages. Guinness
(10:41):
everywhere too, here, man, Guinness is everywhere, So of course
we were talking. You know. Isaiah Rodgers is the Minnesota
cornerback that forced two fumbles and it had an eighty
seven yard interception return for a touchdown sixty six yard
fumble return for a touchdown, becoming the first player NFL
history with an interception return touchdown of eighty five or
(11:03):
more yards and a fumble return of sixty five or
more in the same game. He did in the first half.
But Aaron Rodgers, Yeah, can I.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Tell you those are the kind of statistics that get
broadcast that just annoy me.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
That it's too specific. Any This is the first guy
who had a gain of twelve yards plus a gain
of thirteen yards plus a gain of like you can
make up anything. It's dumb. I don't like that statistic.
I don't care if he's the first one. I did
it eighty five or more. I mean somebody probably did,
like eighty four. Yeah, exactly. It's the jay Z song
(11:38):
you were doing fifty five and fifty four. Yeah, So
that's how that's how you nitpick it of Aaron Rodgers too.
I mean he's he passed Brett Favre for fourthmost regular
season touchdown passes in history and passed Philip Rivers for
passing yards. He's sixth most now over the regular season
the series history. This will be the twentieth oter overall
(12:00):
in nineteenth regular season meeting between Steelers and Vikings. Of
course super Bowl. They were one of the old one,
one of the old ones, ten nine, ten somewhere whatever,
the first one, Yeah, one of the ones in there.
I feel ashamed that I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
People leaders or whatever it was, the yeah, whatever they
were called.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
The Vikings have a one game lead in the overall
regular season series, and Sunday's game will be the third overall,
second regular season meeting between the two teams at a
neutral site. As we mentioned, the London game back from
twenty thirteen. The overall series at a neutral site is
one and one. Here we go. Pittsburgh's neutral site victory
(12:44):
against Minnesota came in nineteen seventy five as the Steelers
up end of the Vikings sixteen to six. And Super
Bowl Eye Is that a eleven? It was eleven numerals.
I thought it was nine when I read it. Yeah,
so not Roman Maths X would be nine. Yes, yes,
Rum and Mats with Joe. So yeah, we don't have
(13:04):
any good We don't have fancy grad I don't have
the advocates with me the Vikings. I don't have my
sarcasm signed either. I feel very lost without it. That
just do not they do not disturb. Yes, there you go,
all I got. The other one is wait, like, no,
we're free for service. I'm going to talk about this again.
We'll bring this up at the end at the end.
(13:25):
We're going to talk about this at the end of
this show. Because this is a two percenter bonus. That
is very urbing. That's why very disturbed. Like coffee tea,
we got the whole Is that thing right there that
I had in my headally disturbing? No ac, but a
pluffor of beverage options here in Ireland, or were we Sundays?
You know what? Who cares about all these different numbers
(13:45):
right here? But all we need to know is is
that the last time these teams met, it was a
Steelers home getting the Steelers won. When it was away,
the Vikings won. Those games were played in twenty seventeen
and twenty twenty one, respectively. Mike tom in nineteenth season
with the Steelers, He's two and two against the Vikings.
Of course, Kevin O'Connell is fourth season as the Vikings
(14:06):
head coach. He has not faced the Steelers to date yet,
so he is zero in zero This game Sunday, September
twenty eighth, nine thirty am, Eastern Croaquie Park, natural grass
surface with a capacity of eighty two thousand and three. Holies, yos,
that's a lot of people that wow College day stats.
(14:30):
That is slow, far more than Akrosher or Hines or whatever. Man,
Oh my goodness, Like that's getting me more hype for
this game, right I Like now, I can't wait to
see that many of these green terrible towels twirling in
eighty two thousan eight Holy Moses yes, I believe that's
(14:52):
all available for this game too, because it's a rugby
a rugby stadium. Yeah, so I mean the rugby fields
arger than an NFL field is, or you know, an
American football field. They should have brought in more than
made it one hundred thousand, given the twenty that maybe
they do. Maybe they've got some special lounge areas on
the field. But NFL Network and NFL Plus and local channels.
(15:13):
It's WTAE Pittsburgh, KMSP in Minneapolis, Joe Davison the play
by play with Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver, and Jamie Erdall
on the field. Steelers Audio Network WDVE and w b
G G A M with Rob King, Max Starks, and
Missing Matthews. Also Westwood One with Kate Scott and Kyle Rudolph.
(15:33):
If you're looking for this on Serrius XM, the Steelers
feed is Serious one nineteen XM two twenty seven on
the Internet eight twenty six. Referee is Brad Allen. Brad
Allen's actually good. I almost got him confused with the
guy called Brad Garrett, but that's John Hutsey, so we're
good with that. I think Brad Allen was actually at
Steelers training camp. Let's let's step back. There are no
(15:57):
good reps. They all stink, but you know, so it's
it's a level of stinkiness. He's a little less stinky
than the other ones. Yeah, please do not disturb Brian
too late time, Brian, we've got over under forty one
for this. Holy crap. I know, I know, and I know.
(16:21):
Every time I'm changing scene here, I might just keep
listening the two box the quote Scott Hudson red zone here.
But so we don't lag anymore. But I'll bring it
back this way one more time. Is actually, I'm going
to go get something while you're off camera. He's, well,
you're not really gonna be off camera. This isn't like
the biggest room. I could just put you right back on.
(16:43):
You know that, I know that, but then you'd be
showing my button. We don't want to see my butt. Okay,
get back over here. Vikings are favored by two and
a half points. That's all considering everybody thinks they're going
to win, yeah, with forty one. So it's like they
just think that the Steelers offense just isn't gonna be
able to get the job done. And you know, to
be completely honest, they've been kind of they were slow.
(17:04):
They were bad last week for the most part, except
for when they needed to get it done. What you got,
what you got here.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
We got this is my this is my my new
shirt jersey thing that I bought.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I've got one very cool on two exclusives.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
You know, this is this was what everybody was waiting
in line to buy this shirt. Nobody wanted to buy
the shirt he's wearing. Absolutely true. Everybody wanted this shirt.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Everybody actually actually all of these things which you could
have bought. The towels, well, they were sold out online.
Those towels were sold out online. Yeah. They had him
a training camp and I was like, that feels dirty,
Like I would rather have them.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
I absolutely you didn't want to buy one on the
Steelers shop online. I didn't want to buy one a
training camp. I wanted it from here so that later
on down the road I would not be disturbed and
saying I was in Ireland and this towel represents that.
Now I can say this towel came from Ireland and
that makes me feel better.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, I agree with you. I did the same thing. Yeah,
so I've got a few other trinkets that are sitting
around here too, including cartons of water. Uh yeah, well,
you know, but Steelers offense, man, they got to go.
They came out like they came out good against the
Patriots fourteen nothing and then and then the defense, I mean,
come on, they were set up by two turnovers and
well it was very helpful for them. And we can't
(18:22):
necessarily if we're going to say that the Vikings may
not be as opportunists can get as many splash plays,
we're not getting five turnover over, we're not getting five turnovers. Yeah,
I'm not sure that's going to work either, but the
offense has got to keep it going. Jalen Warren, it
looks better, but the numbers on the stat sheet, the
yards per average that we were talking about this on
(18:43):
the post game and thinking, yeah, it's been bad. The
running game has been bad, but it's been looking it
looks better and he's getting he's getting the short yards
we weren't getting last year, and the first downs and
moving chains sometimes, but then they weren't moving the chains
other points. And then the defense, you know, the offense
(19:04):
has to compliment them because you can't go three and
out and then throw the defense back out there to
try and you can stop seventeen you know, seventeen plays
drive with substitute. You see, you still have the problems
with that. And I know we're getting there our X
factors and predictions and stuff like that, but I wanted
to stick with the offense right now because they've got
to go up against the Vikings defense with Brian Flores,
who were familiar with as the defensive coordinator. Javon Hargrave
(19:27):
is another guy on that defense that we're familiar with.
They've got a lot of dudes, and it's not going
to be It's not gonna be easy going up against
the Vikings defense. No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
You know, the truth of the matter is the Vikings
have won games this year and they're being driven by
their defense. I mean the last game is a perfect
example of that, and the defense scored fourteen points set
them up for.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
More than that.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
You know, they're flourishing because their defenses are really good
and solid unit. I think it's it's going to be
a challenge for this offense, and it's really inability to
run the ball. One dimensional offense is what they are.
They're going to have to find ways to extend the
run game, either with you drop off short passes, whatever
they're going to have to do. They're going to have
(20:18):
to figure out ways to get the running backs involved
and throw that defense off its mark.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Otherwise it's going to be a long day in Kroque
Stadium for all of us.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Yeah, eighty two thousand of us, except for you know,
the one thousand, the one thousand Vikings fans who made
it out here. I mean, the ratio is ridiculous. On
our plane, I think there were two Vikings fans who
were just very quiet the whole time here in Dublin.
I mean we were trying to count what I think
(20:52):
we saw maybe six And we've seen thousands of Steelers fans.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Yeah, there's more banners that are you know, co voting
both teams. Then we've seen actual fans, and I've seen
the international flavor. These are Americans coming over to PONND.
We've seen Philadelphia Eagles fans. I've seen Buffalo Bills fans.
People just want to be part of the environment in Ireland,
which is actually it's kind of cool, but it's also
(21:17):
kind of like, well, who are you cheering for? We
saw the visit Pennsylvania mirror over there by the Irish
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That was just wrong. Yeah,
because it had the Philadelphia gritty.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
It had you gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot hugging Ben
Franklin on the other side of a Steelers player, who,
by the way, looked a little deformed.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Yeah. Yeah, it was like a mix, like they thought
Philadelphia mixed in. I mean it did say visit Pennsylvania. Yeah,
I did say that. They had to say visit Pittsburgh.
I was like the come Many Bridge and the Steelers
on it. But it just seemed it seemed awkward in
the middle of you know, all the pro Pittsburgh stuff
that's around town. And we'll have some more. Actually, you
know what, I might even live stream if we get
one of these tis one of the tailgates, like one
(21:59):
or both of them.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
If they do renegade in the stadium, which they've said
they are likely to do, they do renegade in Ireland,
we will capture it on video and we will play
it on the post game. Yeah, if we can feed
it in, we'll feed in that video so that you
get a chance to experience that and maybe even the
post well, not the post game show, but it'll be
on social media to get a copyright straight from the
(22:23):
YouTube folks.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Oh, because of the song. Because of the song, of course,
So they just use that for something else. They were
using it. I forgot what it was, and I was like,
why are they doing this? Why are they using Oh
it was WWE for one of their pay per view
events in Annapolis last week. Start the show with renegade,
and I'm like, this is severely out of place. It's
the wrong time to be doing this. And I'm sure
Pat mcfeet, who was there, was probably cringing a little bit.
(22:46):
I disapprove, Yeah, I disapproved too. Put the disturbed thing up.
I'm disturbed somewhere. No, man, this thing, the door hanger thing.
We'll probably be disturbed at some point. We're pretty disturbed
right now. But we're a little loopy. We are loop.
We hope you're enjoying the show. We're going to do.
Our X factors are a little bit of predictions. I
don't know. I always hate doing the predictions because you're like,
(23:07):
you know, how many three are and a half sacks
or whatever? True or false. It's like I kind of
got old with doing that. Because it's like the same
thing every week. But look at the Steelers defense, Well,
we need the injury report. I'm going to pull up
the injury report here real quick. But some Steelers players
coming back, and definitely Derek Harmon one of them. Last week,
(23:27):
people talking about him being on a pitch count, and
I don't know, man, he played like half the game
kind of beyond like a pitch count and he was impactful.
I mean he had I'm I'm not saying, you know,
he didn't stuff the run all by himself, but he
had impact. I actually keep saying I think he will
be an X factor in this game because I think
(23:48):
he's going to get better as the season progresses, and
I think he will have again have.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Impact in this game. I'm not going to say he's
going to get his second sack. You know, he's an
interior defensive linement's a little more difficult, but I do
think that, you know, he's going to be an impactful player.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I agree with you there, Brian. Are injury reports the
ones we're monitoring here. If we're feeling like the limited players,
Joey Porter, Junior, Deshaun Elliott, Jalen Warren, John new Smith,
was a resting veteran and then limited Cam and TJ
were both resting the entire time to get the jet
(24:31):
lag probably out right. So they were both d MPs
Wednesday and Thursday, full participant. Patrick Queen after having like
the ribs or the really or yeah something, and then
Darius Slay who got yeah was he came back to
the game on Sunday, So yeah, but he had a
(24:52):
leg contusion. Yeah, not as much concern. Javon Hargrave was
on the Wednesday injury report. We don't have a Thursday
update from the likings. Of course, we are several hours
of head uh and they were you know, another by
the time the injury report comes out, it'll be Friday
for us. Yeah, more than likely as the team does
it not of course, they were already you know, practicing
(25:12):
some traveling already over here. So but they are social
media and our website people didn't necessarily they're not on
They're still on Central Time, so uh. But Javon Hargrave
popped up on Wednesday as a d MP. Jonathan Allen
was a veteran rest Donovan Jackson with the wrist, JJ
McCarthy with the ankle. We don't anticipate McCarthy participating this game.
(25:33):
I thought they already ruled him out. Actually I thought, O'Donnell,
did I, Ben, you were sick One of the reserve
tight ends with the knee, Ryan Kelly was in concussion
of concussion protocol. I believe full participant. Jalen Redmond just
in school. They're in. Josh Mattelis with the foot was
(25:54):
limited to so you know, this the attrition thing and
then you have to come over you know, over sees
here and play this game. So, uh, you know, Brian
Flores definitely an X factor. He he knows what Tomlin
likes to do. Tomlin has a good has picked his
brain before as well schematically, I think they have an
(26:15):
idea or feel both ways. Kevin O'Connell, I believe is
a pretty good offensive coach. But there is a little
bit of the X factor of Carson Wentz. And I
think even with her Big filling in for Alex high Smith,
who will not who's on the injury report will He's
been already ruled out, so but Herbig is still able
(26:37):
to get home. And I just think with the Steelers
adding a few of these extra pieces they've been missing
over the last few weeks, Jabrell Peppers playing a lot.
Last week, I'll play and everybody right, thorn Hill end
Chick Clark. So he gets back in there with Elliott.
I I told you I really had a good feeling
or a good pulse. I thought he had a lot
(26:58):
of juice left in the tank. And I just I
don't see Minnesota being able to I'm hoping. You've had
these other teams that have like effective running backs or
run games like Grease Hall, decent line with the Jets,
Seahawks and Kenneth Walker and Charbonnay, and then last week,
you know, the Patriots are trying to do something and Gibson,
they got Stevenson, They've got Trevion Henderson to rookie, just
(27:23):
not the same I don't think the same kind of firepower.
I mean, you've got some name brand guys with the Vikings,
but I just don't see it. I just don't see
it in the same way, you know what I mean. Yeah,
that's sort of what scares me.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
You know, I want I want to see a much
more dominant run defense than we've seen. And what I
get afraid of is that what we're actually going to
see is some of these guys who may not be
at the level of the guys we've been playing, actually
running down our throats and that that will that will
be really scary for looking towards the rest of the season.
(28:04):
So I need them to you know, I'm disturbed right now.
I need them to undisturb me by having a good
a good game against the run. Yeah, well, I think
that's gonna be it for us.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Brian, all right, now, I got to talk about this
Jordan Mason, formerly of the forty nine ers, McCaffrey's back
up the previous couple of seasons who did good with Shanahan.
He's done respectable with O'Connell, but I don't think he's
at the same level as some of the other running
backs or that we used talked about. So all right, yeah,
here's a good time.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Two percent of time, you know, how Like you go
to restaurant and there's creamers on the table that you
know maybe have been out for a while, and you go, Okay,
it's creamers, it's full of preserved as whatever.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
It's not. It's not regular milk.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
This says whole milk, whole milk, whole milk.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
This is unacceptable. This is disturbed. These have been in
this room all day and it was hot. When we
got in this room, it was not coold. This is disgusting.
This is this is a festering pile of bacteria and
mold growing. This is horrible. This is disease. It's gross.
That's just gross. That bothers me more than anything else
(29:19):
in this room. That's just disgusting. Yeah, I was gonna say, man,
it's okay. If it's just half a milk, you can
get away with them because the other half is just
all loaded with the other stuff. That's a whole whole milk. Yeah,
you know, and there's other you know, there's a drink, coffee,
so what do you care? Well, but yeah, but it's
still gross. I don't, you know, I don't I don't
want any of that. I don't know. There's there's what
(29:40):
is this thing? There's a biscuit. We also have biscuits.
I don't I don't know why we have biscuits, but
I guess it's so we can have tea and biscuits. Biscuits,
cris biscuits. We get the Yeah, I don't know all
the fun stuff. Maybe I'll get a chippy while I'm
out here or too, although I.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Think that's mar sounds like something you're that Heather wouldn't
improve of you doing.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
I'm not trying to get in any trouble, any trouble
with folks. You need to stay out of trouble too.
That's what we always say when we're like signing off here.
So do that, don't forget the like, comment and subscribe
let us know if there's anything you want to see
or hear us. We're doing some sight seeing around town
and I'm going to find some other Steeler Shenanigans to
get not get in trouble with. That's not get in trouble,
(30:29):
no trouble. What are we doing? Wait, what are we
doing tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Tomorrow We're going to uh Guinness might get We got
the Guinness thing. The rental car guys told him is
that you should just cancel the rest of your day.
I'm going to be fine because I don't drink and
I'm going to the Guinness thing to not drink. But
it'll be interesting and I'll learn the history of Guinness
and why you should drink it warm. I you know,
(30:52):
the first time, this is the second time I've been
in Ireland, the first time I tried a Guinness and
it's nasty and I won't be doing We've.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Said the acquired taste in your acquired taste means you
shouldn't probably put it in that body, is what you said.
Acquired taste means just jump straight into Guinness as a beer.
This is what it is. From here.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
It means the first time you tried it. An acquired
taste means the first time you tried it, your body said,
don't do that anymore, but you ignored it and kept
doing it until your body finally succumbed and said, fine,
do whatever you want. You're not gonna listen to me.
That's an acquired taste. You'd acquire a taste for anything.
You could poke yourself in the eye with a screwdriver
long enough and you'd be like, this is great.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
I love this.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
I should do this all the time. That's an acquired taste.
Anything that's an acquired taste. You shouldn't be doing a screwdriver. Well,
actually it's not true. I have had many screwdrivers. There
you go, not the kind that you poke yourself in
the eye. But so we're doing the Guinness castle. No,
that's not a Castle. We're doing the Gunnis Storehouse and
it's like a fortress, yeah, because they got to protect
(31:50):
that warm, nasty beer. And then we're going to the
Dublin Castle and then we're going to Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
So that's our plans tomorrow. Maybe we'll maybe we'll show it.
No snakes in Ireland, I mean Patrick, if it was
the Patriots coming here, maybe there would would be. If
Belichick was coming out, it would be a snake. Well,
I'll do it for us folks. Again, don't forget the
like comment and subscribe. We gotta look back at this
because we're like, hopefully that's turned out. Okay. Sometimes when
(32:20):
we're remote and I don't do this and often enough,
frequently enough, and we may have had some technical difficulties.
So we appreciate you hanging out with us through that
as well. So until next time. My name is Joe,
my name is Brian. This guy over here is Brian,
(32:40):
and we encourage everyone out there to be safe, be good,
and we will catch you later.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
We would like to thank you for listening and remind
our listeners to follow us on social media and our
website www dot steel City Underground dot com.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Yeah.
Welcome to the Underground, The steel City Underground, the black
and gold standard for Pittsburgh Steelers coverage. Now here's your hoes.
Joe Kuzma and Brian E. Rose.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Steel
City Underground podcast. My name is Joe Kuzma and I
am joined by this green Shrek looking fellow to my side,
a good colleague and buddy one, mister Briany Roach. This
is gonna sound really bad, Brian, but we should probably
drop the toils like that does sound bad. We have
(00:42):
a total lack of decorps in our hotel here. But
if Brian makes any bad jokes, I could just hit
them now, So that's the So, folks, if you hadn't
seen and are hurt already, we are in Dublin, Ireland,
(01:03):
across the pond here covering the Pittsburgh Steelers in two
and one Pittsburgh Steelers about the face the two and
one Minnesota Vikings Sunday. What are we at, September twenty eighth.
I probably even know what time it is, so you're
gonna have to You're really gonna have to. Yeah, twenty eighth,
Oh my god. Yeah, bear with us, Bear with us
today because we've been up around the clock and oh
(01:28):
my god, just like, can we just start with this?
Can we just start with Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I was supposed to fly out of Newark, New Jersey
yesterday at seven point thirty. My plane actually left Newark,
New Jersey after midnight, and I was supposed to arrive
here at nine o'clock in the morning today. Instead, I
wrote arrived at eleven o'clock.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
In the morning today. And we haven't.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Slept much other than whatever we grabbed on the flights. Yeah,
and you you were on time until you got to
d C, and then I wasn't, and then you weren't.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
And then my machine, as though it was my machine,
my plane, the air conditioning wasn't working. So not only
did I have a short a short connection toy'd be
able to run across Dulles Airport DC. I get there
on time, and then you sit on the plane for
an hour, and you know, you start to get the
(02:24):
blood pumping from running and everything like that. And I
was already hot, and then I'm like, man, that's really hot.
They got us off the plane, and then luckily we
got a new plane, and then they didn't have fuel
for the plane, and then I said it was a
mechanical issue. I've got my fiance monitoring all this stuff,
so it says she's like another mechanical issue, and I'm like, well,
the first one was AC, which isn't life for death.
(02:45):
I mean, for some people know it is. They don't
believe in that. Here in Ireland, apparently either we have
no AC in this room. A heat wave here would
be seventy degrees, but it's still pretty beautiful weather. It's
about sixty ish, but they were running the heat and
you know, well, and there's all kind of cultural differences.
I do like the placard I got saw everybody where
we're at, but it just says, please do not disturb.
(03:06):
We are already disturbed. And that's even before the game
kicks off on Sunday. So aside from our own little
personal anecdotes, here, Brian, we are in Ireland and it
is already a Steelers nation takeover of Oh my god,
is it? It's crazy? I think, So we'll start with this.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Before I even get on the plane, we're standing in
line waiting to board, and here we go, Steelers chance
to start in the airport.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And people are waving towels in line. It is quite.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Amusing and fun. Then we get on the plane. On
the plane, remember it's midnight. It's after midnight. People want
to go to sleep, but because the flight has been
delayed for essentially five hours, the vast majority of the passengers,
not me because I don't partake of the adult beverages,
but the vast majority of the past singers are a
(04:01):
little on the inebriated side, to put it kindly.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And so we were not on the same plane. Th Ye,
we was in Newark and I was in d C.
And we converge on the plane.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
They start the cheers, you know, they start the chance
here we go, stealers, here we go. And it's loud,
and it's coming from first class and economy and all
the way back and forth to the point the pilot
had to come on and say, people are trying to sleep.
We'd appreciate it if you didn't make those noises.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, I mean, like the our pilot just kept apologizing
and saying thank you for your patience. And they did
that a lot too. Got water and cartons and yeah,
this thing, the crazy stuff, it's almost like milk. Now
we're we're working through some technical things here. We're lucky
I was able even to plug some of the stuff
(04:58):
in here do my own stupidity earlier and having the
wrong adapters and stuff. But folks, this will be a
fun one. I think there's gonna be a lot of
Steelers fans here. They're they're welcoming of the Vikings, but
there's not nearly as much. This is clearly a Steelers
home game. Everywhere you look, starting from the airport, there's
Pittsburgh Steelers stuff everywhere, and like everywhere, and as soon
(05:19):
as you get off there's even a There was like
this scrolling one of these digital signboards and it says
we welcome you and to Dublin or whatever like. It
was pretty crazy. And then Dublin. Dublin's got its own
thing going on with their own dialect and they're the Gaelic,
you know, heritage and culture, and they mixed that in
(05:39):
with all of this too, some of the Steelers and
NFL signs or a different language. It's a very cool,
very cool atmosphere. I can't wait to see what's actually
like in the stadium. We were at the pro Shop
earlier today. I don't know if anybody watching it bumped
into us. But only how that place is going to
be cratered. It's already the amount of people that were
in there was a line just waiting to get there.
(06:00):
The appetite for this game, the hunger for this everywhere.
Everybody's aware of it. It's here for the most part. Yeah,
in Dublin, they're aware of it, and I think they're
excited for it. And it's a very big deal for
the expansion of the NFL. So we were talking about this.
The last time the Steelers had a road trip like this,
(06:21):
they had played the Minnesota Vikings in London back in
twenty thirteen. Letbell as a rookie. They were owing three
at the time, they became oh to four and didn't
have the impact that you wanted them to have just yet, right,
and maybe we're at the same place, except both these
teams who got a two to one Steelers team now
(06:43):
that nobody's picking to win this game. But I don't know, man.
I mean, we get into some of this, right with
the Minnesota Vikings. They just wiped the floor of the
Bengals last week, But it's Bengals with a bad defense.
I stay that, I mean cheek because the Steelers should
not have a bad defense, and they're trying to obviously
(07:04):
trying to sort their own stuff out, but the Steelers
should have at least on paper better talent on their defense,
especially when healthy. So there's some stuff they're going to
have to work through with this, But forty eight to ten,
I don't think Carson Wentz. Carson Wentz is with the
Vikings here, Brian. I mean, I don't see Carson Wentz putting.
(07:24):
I don't know. Steelers given up thirty points to Justin
Fields and I don't know, but Sam Darnold the Seahawks,
they've been able to do their own thing too, So
you can never say never. I just don't see it
as one sided as everybody else is saying it. And
of course I am biased, but I just don't see
it that way. Well, I have to agree.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
If you've been watching, you can tell I'm not super
high on the Steelers this year. But in this instance,
I kind of have to agree with you, because, regardless
of anything else, more than likely the Steelers' offense is
not going to throw the ball to the Vikings defense.
As much as Bengals backup Jake Brown or whatever his
name is did so you're not gonna give you know,
(08:06):
the offense on the Vikings easy setups and and additionally
free points. I if they do that, oh yeah, it's
not going to be a close game. But I don't
anticipate that happening. And you know, I think there's a
chance to Seawn Elliott is back, there's a chance that
(08:26):
Joey Porter Junior is back. All those things bolster the
Steelers defense and maybe help make it a little better.
Maybe the communication is a little better, Maybe they're ironing
out some of the roles and the ways they're going
to use folks. Just based on pure talent, this is
a better defense than they've shown, and far better defense
(08:49):
than the Bengals are putting on the field. I think,
you know, the Vikings have weapons and if they can't cover,
you know, justin Jefferson and the bay.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Line and who else I don't remember. They have another
receiver that oh well there's uh then you got Jordans
yeh suspension. So that's a big one. While the Steelers
are getting some guys in the secondary, they're getting another
receiving threat, but it's still it's Carson Wentz.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, like I think they should the way they pressure
they can get to him. If they can get to him,
I don't think it's going to be anywhere near as
as as damaging as it was against the Bengals. I
just I don't agree that there's no chance to Steelers
win this game. And you know we are we are biased.
(09:34):
I'm likely to pick the Steelers if the bobble had
made the trip to Ireland, which it did not do. Yeah,
I wasn't paying for an ext receipt for the bibblehead
and he demands first class, so he's out, so you know,
but he'd probably.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Be predicting the Steelers to win this game too. But
we'll see. Yeah, I got a prediction. It might be,
it might be tight, it might be a low scoring
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I mean, why would you think it's going to be
anything other than tight every game?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I think this let's do some mousekeeping before we get
into some of the matchups in the X factors. Folks, locally,
if you're in Pittsburgh or Minnesota, Minneapolis, then you're gonna
get the game local. I think on in Pittsburgh market
it's WTAE, which I believe is ABC, but everyone else
(10:19):
nationally nine thirty in the morning Eastern time. That means
most of you have your breakfast on the West coast
and watch the stellars. You're gonna have to get up
a little bit earlier than usual, even more early. East coastty, Yeah,
the East thirty am out there on the west. Yeah,
the East coast folks are you know, they're not used
to maybe even having coffee, and that's usually when we're
in tail getting and having some of these beverages. Guinness
(10:41):
everywhere too, here, man, Guinness is everywhere, So of course
we were talking. You know. Isaiah Rodgers is the Minnesota
cornerback that forced two fumbles and it had an eighty
seven yard interception return for a touchdown sixty six yard
fumble return for a touchdown, becoming the first player NFL
history with an interception return touchdown of eighty five or
(11:03):
more yards and a fumble return of sixty five or
more in the same game. He did in the first half.
But Aaron Rodgers, Yeah, can I.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Tell you those are the kind of statistics that get
broadcast that just annoy me.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
That it's too specific. Any This is the first guy
who had a gain of twelve yards plus a gain
of thirteen yards plus a gain of like you can
make up anything. It's dumb. I don't like that statistic.
I don't care if he's the first one. I did
it eighty five or more. I mean somebody probably did,
like eighty four. Yeah, exactly. It's the jay Z song
(11:38):
you were doing fifty five and fifty four. Yeah, So
that's how that's how you nitpick it of Aaron Rodgers too.
I mean he's he passed Brett Favre for fourthmost regular
season touchdown passes in history and passed Philip Rivers for
passing yards. He's sixth most now over the regular season
the series history. This will be the twentieth oter overall
(12:00):
in nineteenth regular season meeting between Steelers and Vikings. Of
course super Bowl. They were one of the old one,
one of the old ones, ten nine, ten somewhere whatever,
the first one, Yeah, one of the ones in there.
I feel ashamed that I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
People leaders or whatever it was, the yeah, whatever they
were called.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
The Vikings have a one game lead in the overall
regular season series, and Sunday's game will be the third overall,
second regular season meeting between the two teams at a
neutral site. As we mentioned, the London game back from
twenty thirteen. The overall series at a neutral site is
one and one. Here we go. Pittsburgh's neutral site victory
(12:44):
against Minnesota came in nineteen seventy five as the Steelers
up end of the Vikings sixteen to six. And Super
Bowl Eye Is that a eleven? It was eleven numerals.
I thought it was nine when I read it. Yeah,
so not Roman Maths X would be nine. Yes, yes,
Rum and Mats with Joe. So yeah, we don't have
(13:04):
any good We don't have fancy grad I don't have
the advocates with me the Vikings. I don't have my
sarcasm signed either. I feel very lost without it. That
just do not they do not disturb. Yes, there you go,
all I got. The other one is wait, like, no,
we're free for service. I'm going to talk about this again.
We'll bring this up at the end at the end.
(13:25):
We're going to talk about this at the end of
this show. Because this is a two percenter bonus. That
is very urbing. That's why very disturbed. Like coffee tea,
we got the whole Is that thing right there that
I had in my headally disturbing? No ac, but a
pluffor of beverage options here in Ireland, or were we Sundays?
You know what? Who cares about all these different numbers
(13:45):
right here? But all we need to know is is
that the last time these teams met, it was a
Steelers home getting the Steelers won. When it was away,
the Vikings won. Those games were played in twenty seventeen
and twenty twenty one, respectively. Mike tom in nineteenth season
with the Steelers, He's two and two against the Vikings.
Of course, Kevin O'Connell is fourth season as the Vikings
(14:06):
head coach. He has not faced the Steelers to date yet,
so he is zero in zero This game Sunday, September
twenty eighth, nine thirty am, Eastern Croaquie Park, natural grass
surface with a capacity of eighty two thousand and three. Holies, yos,
that's a lot of people that wow College day stats.
(14:30):
That is slow, far more than Akrosher or Hines or whatever. Man,
Oh my goodness, Like that's getting me more hype for
this game, right I Like now, I can't wait to
see that many of these green terrible towels twirling in
eighty two thousan eight Holy Moses yes, I believe that's
(14:52):
all available for this game too, because it's a rugby
a rugby stadium. Yeah, so I mean the rugby fields
arger than an NFL field is, or you know, an
American football field. They should have brought in more than
made it one hundred thousand, given the twenty that maybe
they do. Maybe they've got some special lounge areas on
the field. But NFL Network and NFL Plus and local channels.
(15:13):
It's WTAE Pittsburgh, KMSP in Minneapolis, Joe Davison the play
by play with Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver, and Jamie Erdall
on the field. Steelers Audio Network WDVE and w b
G G A M with Rob King, Max Starks, and
Missing Matthews. Also Westwood One with Kate Scott and Kyle Rudolph.
(15:33):
If you're looking for this on Serrius XM, the Steelers
feed is Serious one nineteen XM two twenty seven on
the Internet eight twenty six. Referee is Brad Allen. Brad
Allen's actually good. I almost got him confused with the
guy called Brad Garrett, but that's John Hutsey, so we're
good with that. I think Brad Allen was actually at
Steelers training camp. Let's let's step back. There are no
(15:57):
good reps. They all stink, but you know, so it's
it's a level of stinkiness. He's a little less stinky
than the other ones. Yeah, please do not disturb Brian
too late time, Brian, we've got over under forty one
for this. Holy crap. I know, I know, and I know.
(16:21):
Every time I'm changing scene here, I might just keep
listening the two box the quote Scott Hudson red zone here.
But so we don't lag anymore. But I'll bring it
back this way one more time. Is actually, I'm going
to go get something while you're off camera. He's, well,
you're not really gonna be off camera. This isn't like
the biggest room. I could just put you right back on.
(16:43):
You know that, I know that, but then you'd be
showing my button. We don't want to see my butt. Okay,
get back over here. Vikings are favored by two and
a half points. That's all considering everybody thinks they're going
to win, yeah, with forty one. So it's like they
just think that the Steelers offense just isn't gonna be
able to get the job done. And you know, to
be completely honest, they've been kind of they were slow.
(17:04):
They were bad last week for the most part, except
for when they needed to get it done. What you got,
what you got here.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
We got this is my this is my my new
shirt jersey thing that I bought.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I've got one very cool on two exclusives.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
You know, this is this was what everybody was waiting
in line to buy this shirt. Nobody wanted to buy
the shirt he's wearing. Absolutely true. Everybody wanted this shirt.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Everybody actually actually all of these things which you could
have bought. The towels, well, they were sold out online.
Those towels were sold out online. Yeah. They had him
a training camp and I was like, that feels dirty,
Like I would rather have them.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
I absolutely you didn't want to buy one on the
Steelers shop online. I didn't want to buy one a
training camp. I wanted it from here so that later
on down the road I would not be disturbed and
saying I was in Ireland and this towel represents that.
Now I can say this towel came from Ireland and
that makes me feel better.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, I agree with you. I did the same thing. Yeah,
so I've got a few other trinkets that are sitting
around here too, including cartons of water. Uh yeah, well,
you know, but Steelers offense, man, they got to go.
They came out like they came out good against the
Patriots fourteen nothing and then and then the defense, I mean,
come on, they were set up by two turnovers and
well it was very helpful for them. And we can't
(18:22):
necessarily if we're going to say that the Vikings may
not be as opportunists can get as many splash plays,
we're not getting five turnover over, we're not getting five turnovers. Yeah,
I'm not sure that's going to work either, but the
offense has got to keep it going. Jalen Warren, it
looks better, but the numbers on the stat sheet, the
yards per average that we were talking about this on
(18:43):
the post game and thinking, yeah, it's been bad. The
running game has been bad, but it's been looking it
looks better and he's getting he's getting the short yards
we weren't getting last year, and the first downs and
moving chains sometimes, but then they weren't moving the chains
other points. And then the defense, you know, the offense
(19:04):
has to compliment them because you can't go three and
out and then throw the defense back out there to
try and you can stop seventeen you know, seventeen plays
drive with substitute. You see, you still have the problems
with that. And I know we're getting there our X
factors and predictions and stuff like that, but I wanted
to stick with the offense right now because they've got
to go up against the Vikings defense with Brian Flores,
who were familiar with as the defensive coordinator. Javon Hargrave
(19:27):
is another guy on that defense that we're familiar with.
They've got a lot of dudes, and it's not going
to be It's not gonna be easy going up against
the Vikings defense. No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
You know, the truth of the matter is the Vikings
have won games this year and they're being driven by
their defense. I mean the last game is a perfect
example of that, and the defense scored fourteen points set
them up for.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
More than that.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
You know, they're flourishing because their defenses are really good
and solid unit. I think it's it's going to be
a challenge for this offense, and it's really inability to
run the ball. One dimensional offense is what they are.
They're going to have to find ways to extend the
run game, either with you drop off short passes, whatever
they're going to have to do. They're going to have
(20:18):
to figure out ways to get the running backs involved
and throw that defense off its mark.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Otherwise it's going to be a long day in Kroque
Stadium for all of us.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Yeah, eighty two thousand of us, except for you know,
the one thousand, the one thousand Vikings fans who made
it out here. I mean, the ratio is ridiculous. On
our plane, I think there were two Vikings fans who
were just very quiet the whole time here in Dublin.
I mean we were trying to count what I think
(20:52):
we saw maybe six And we've seen thousands of Steelers fans.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Yeah, there's more banners that are you know, co voting
both teams. Then we've seen actual fans, and I've seen
the international flavor. These are Americans coming over to PONND.
We've seen Philadelphia Eagles fans. I've seen Buffalo Bills fans.
People just want to be part of the environment in Ireland,
which is actually it's kind of cool, but it's also
(21:17):
kind of like, well, who are you cheering for? We
saw the visit Pennsylvania mirror over there by the Irish
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That was just wrong. Yeah,
because it had the Philadelphia gritty.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
It had you gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot hugging Ben
Franklin on the other side of a Steelers player, who,
by the way, looked a little deformed.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Yeah. Yeah, it was like a mix, like they thought
Philadelphia mixed in. I mean it did say visit Pennsylvania. Yeah,
I did say that. They had to say visit Pittsburgh.
I was like the come Many Bridge and the Steelers
on it. But it just seemed it seemed awkward in
the middle of you know, all the pro Pittsburgh stuff
that's around town. And we'll have some more. Actually, you
know what, I might even live stream if we get
one of these tis one of the tailgates, like one
(21:59):
or both of them.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
If they do renegade in the stadium, which they've said
they are likely to do, they do renegade in Ireland,
we will capture it on video and we will play
it on the post game. Yeah, if we can feed
it in, we'll feed in that video so that you
get a chance to experience that and maybe even the
post well, not the post game show, but it'll be
on social media to get a copyright straight from the
(22:23):
YouTube folks.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Oh, because of the song. Because of the song, of course,
So they just use that for something else. They were
using it. I forgot what it was, and I was like,
why are they doing this? Why are they using Oh
it was WWE for one of their pay per view
events in Annapolis last week. Start the show with renegade,
and I'm like, this is severely out of place. It's
the wrong time to be doing this. And I'm sure
Pat mcfeet, who was there, was probably cringing a little bit.
(22:46):
I disapprove, Yeah, I disapproved too. Put the disturbed thing up.
I'm disturbed somewhere. No, man, this thing, the door hanger thing.
We'll probably be disturbed at some point. We're pretty disturbed
right now. But we're a little loopy. We are loop.
We hope you're enjoying the show. We're going to do.
Our X factors are a little bit of predictions. I
don't know. I always hate doing the predictions because you're like,
(23:07):
you know, how many three are and a half sacks
or whatever? True or false. It's like I kind of
got old with doing that. Because it's like the same
thing every week. But look at the Steelers defense, Well,
we need the injury report. I'm going to pull up
the injury report here real quick. But some Steelers players
coming back, and definitely Derek Harmon one of them. Last week,
(23:27):
people talking about him being on a pitch count, and
I don't know, man, he played like half the game
kind of beyond like a pitch count and he was impactful.
I mean he had I'm I'm not saying, you know,
he didn't stuff the run all by himself, but he
had impact. I actually keep saying I think he will
be an X factor in this game because I think
(23:48):
he's going to get better as the season progresses, and
I think he will have again have.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Impact in this game. I'm not going to say he's
going to get his second sack. You know, he's an
interior defensive linement's a little more difficult, but I do
think that, you know, he's going to be an impactful player.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I agree with you there, Brian. Are injury reports the
ones we're monitoring here. If we're feeling like the limited players,
Joey Porter, Junior, Deshaun Elliott, Jalen Warren, John new Smith,
was a resting veteran and then limited Cam and TJ
were both resting the entire time to get the jet
(24:31):
lag probably out right. So they were both d MPs
Wednesday and Thursday, full participant. Patrick Queen after having like
the ribs or the really or yeah something, and then
Darius Slay who got yeah was he came back to
the game on Sunday, So yeah, but he had a
(24:52):
leg contusion. Yeah, not as much concern. Javon Hargrave was
on the Wednesday injury report. We don't have a Thursday
update from the likings. Of course, we are several hours
of head uh and they were you know, another by
the time the injury report comes out, it'll be Friday
for us. Yeah, more than likely as the team does
it not of course, they were already you know, practicing
(25:12):
some traveling already over here. So but they are social
media and our website people didn't necessarily they're not on
They're still on Central Time, so uh. But Javon Hargrave
popped up on Wednesday as a d MP. Jonathan Allen
was a veteran rest Donovan Jackson with the wrist, JJ
McCarthy with the ankle. We don't anticipate McCarthy participating this game.
(25:33):
I thought they already ruled him out. Actually I thought, O'Donnell,
did I, Ben, you were sick One of the reserve
tight ends with the knee, Ryan Kelly was in concussion
of concussion protocol. I believe full participant. Jalen Redmond just
in school. They're in. Josh Mattelis with the foot was
(25:54):
limited to so you know, this the attrition thing and
then you have to come over you know, over sees
here and play this game. So, uh, you know, Brian
Flores definitely an X factor. He he knows what Tomlin
likes to do. Tomlin has a good has picked his
brain before as well schematically, I think they have an
(26:15):
idea or feel both ways. Kevin O'Connell, I believe is
a pretty good offensive coach. But there is a little
bit of the X factor of Carson Wentz. And I
think even with her Big filling in for Alex high Smith,
who will not who's on the injury report will He's
been already ruled out, so but Herbig is still able
(26:37):
to get home. And I just think with the Steelers
adding a few of these extra pieces they've been missing
over the last few weeks, Jabrell Peppers playing a lot.
Last week, I'll play and everybody right, thorn Hill end
Chick Clark. So he gets back in there with Elliott.
I I told you I really had a good feeling
or a good pulse. I thought he had a lot
(26:58):
of juice left in the tank. And I just I
don't see Minnesota being able to I'm hoping. You've had
these other teams that have like effective running backs or
run games like Grease Hall, decent line with the Jets,
Seahawks and Kenneth Walker and Charbonnay, and then last week,
you know, the Patriots are trying to do something and Gibson,
they got Stevenson, They've got Trevion Henderson to rookie, just
(27:23):
not the same I don't think the same kind of firepower.
I mean, you've got some name brand guys with the Vikings,
but I just don't see it. I just don't see
it in the same way, you know what I mean. Yeah,
that's sort of what scares me.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
You know, I want I want to see a much
more dominant run defense than we've seen. And what I
get afraid of is that what we're actually going to
see is some of these guys who may not be
at the level of the guys we've been playing, actually
running down our throats and that that will that will
be really scary for looking towards the rest of the season.
(28:04):
So I need them to you know, I'm disturbed right now.
I need them to undisturb me by having a good
a good game against the run. Yeah, well, I think
that's gonna be it for us.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Brian, all right, now, I got to talk about this
Jordan Mason, formerly of the forty nine ers, McCaffrey's back
up the previous couple of seasons who did good with Shanahan.
He's done respectable with O'Connell, but I don't think he's
at the same level as some of the other running
backs or that we used talked about. So all right, yeah,
here's a good time.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Two percent of time, you know, how Like you go
to restaurant and there's creamers on the table that you
know maybe have been out for a while, and you go, Okay,
it's creamers, it's full of preserved as whatever.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
It's not. It's not regular milk.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
This says whole milk, whole milk, whole milk.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
This is unacceptable. This is disturbed. These have been in
this room all day and it was hot. When we
got in this room, it was not coold. This is disgusting.
This is this is a festering pile of bacteria and
mold growing. This is horrible. This is disease. It's gross.
That's just gross. That bothers me more than anything else
(29:19):
in this room. That's just disgusting. Yeah, I was gonna say, man,
it's okay. If it's just half a milk, you can
get away with them because the other half is just
all loaded with the other stuff. That's a whole whole milk. Yeah,
you know, and there's other you know, there's a drink, coffee,
so what do you care? Well, but yeah, but it's
still gross. I don't, you know, I don't I don't
want any of that. I don't know. There's there's what
(29:40):
is this thing? There's a biscuit. We also have biscuits.
I don't I don't know why we have biscuits, but
I guess it's so we can have tea and biscuits. Biscuits,
cris biscuits. We get the Yeah, I don't know all
the fun stuff. Maybe I'll get a chippy while I'm
out here or too, although I.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Think that's mar sounds like something you're that Heather wouldn't
improve of you doing.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
I'm not trying to get in any trouble, any trouble
with folks. You need to stay out of trouble too.
That's what we always say when we're like signing off here.
So do that, don't forget the like, comment and subscribe
let us know if there's anything you want to see
or hear us. We're doing some sight seeing around town
and I'm going to find some other Steeler Shenanigans to
get not get in trouble with. That's not get in trouble,
(30:29):
no trouble. What are we doing? Wait, what are we
doing tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Tomorrow We're going to uh Guinness might get We got
the Guinness thing. The rental car guys told him is
that you should just cancel the rest of your day.
I'm going to be fine because I don't drink and
I'm going to the Guinness thing to not drink. But
it'll be interesting and I'll learn the history of Guinness
and why you should drink it warm. I you know,
(30:52):
the first time, this is the second time I've been
in Ireland, the first time I tried a Guinness and
it's nasty and I won't be doing We've.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Said the acquired taste in your acquired taste means you
shouldn't probably put it in that body, is what you said.
Acquired taste means just jump straight into Guinness as a beer.
This is what it is. From here.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
It means the first time you tried it. An acquired
taste means the first time you tried it, your body said,
don't do that anymore, but you ignored it and kept
doing it until your body finally succumbed and said, fine,
do whatever you want. You're not gonna listen to me.
That's an acquired taste. You'd acquire a taste for anything.
You could poke yourself in the eye with a screwdriver
long enough and you'd be like, this is great.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
I love this.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
I should do this all the time. That's an acquired taste.
Anything that's an acquired taste. You shouldn't be doing a screwdriver. Well,
actually it's not true. I have had many screwdrivers. There
you go, not the kind that you poke yourself in
the eye. But so we're doing the Guinness castle. No,
that's not a Castle. We're doing the Gunnis Storehouse and
it's like a fortress, yeah, because they got to protect
(31:50):
that warm, nasty beer. And then we're going to the
Dublin Castle and then we're going to Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
So that's our plans tomorrow. Maybe we'll maybe we'll show it.
No snakes in Ireland, I mean Patrick, if it was
the Patriots coming here, maybe there would would be. If
Belichick was coming out, it would be a snake. Well,
I'll do it for us folks. Again, don't forget the
like comment and subscribe. We gotta look back at this
because we're like, hopefully that's turned out. Okay. Sometimes when
(32:20):
we're remote and I don't do this and often enough,
frequently enough, and we may have had some technical difficulties.
So we appreciate you hanging out with us through that
as well. So until next time. My name is Joe,
my name is Brian. This guy over here is Brian,
(32:40):
and we encourage everyone out there to be safe, be good,
and we will catch you later.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
We would like to thank you for listening and remind
our listeners to follow us on social media and our
website www dot steel City Underground dot com.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Yeah.
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