Drive10.2.26Hr2: Sunday Slate

0:00So, who's up for dessert? Ah, tempting, but I should check my balance first. Don't worry, I got it. No, I'll good. Desserts on me. Ever hesitate before making a purchase? What if you could always know? You can with S&T's mobile banking. Check your balance, pay friends on the spot, track your spending any time, anywhere, all from your phone. Visit STbank.com to learn more and download our mobile app today. S&T Bank, member FDIC. You're tuned to the drive on your 24-7 home of the Black & Gold Steelers Nation Radio. Good evening, Stealer Nation. How we doing? Yeah, us too. Hey, it's a bummer, but it is a Friday. We'll lick our wounds this weekend and we'll get back to it.

1:00Actually weekend folks. Get back to it next week. There's two and two. One on one of the division got a long week beatable opponents on the horizon. Try to look at it half full. Somebody did. I saw that in our mentions. Who was that? Someone Mr. Steel City said, as much as that game hurt the next four games are very winnable. Let's get hot. Head into the by week. See what happens. Many by, then a by. The four game stretch could be pivotal. Could be, could be worse. Yeah, yeah. And you've got some things. You know, you've got a Colts team that I think is still struggling to kind of recalibrate itself after all the injuries that they picked up. And nobody. You got a three game rest advantage and they're playing in London the more and more. They're playing in London. Yeah, and then they got to go in a road after London. Yes. That's tough. I was shocked to see that. You get a Tampa Bay team that is not going to have Baker Mayfield. I think they're really bad. I mean, there's. Yeah. There is. There is some, some clear skies ahead. There's been some turbulence to this point, but there are some clear skies ahead. But now the onus is making sure that you could take advantage of that and be ready for the opportunity.

2:01Yeah. Matt, I wanted to go through some NFL news here. With you and hour number two, as we get rolling, it is kind of hard. Just speaking of recalibrating to remember that this is a Friday show. And we've got a kind of full. Yeah, yeah. Full slate of weekend action. I laid it out for you on Wednesday. I think it was when we did around campus. I'm really fired up. You got you got pit and Virginia Tech down in Blacksburg tonight. You also have Penn State at Northwestern. It's Northwestern's first game at their brand new kind of palace there. Oh, inside of Chicago. Okay. Northwesterns. I think it's really cold. It's like I think 38,000 people, but it looks really cool. And it's intimate and sure it'll be a good atmosphere. So some fun ones tonight. Great college football slate on Saturday and a big NFL slate on Sunday that we will get to here in this hour. But kind of all the news and the notables of the day. Matt, let's start with our buddy, Matt Stark. So we actually saw here in studio earlier. We don't get to see. Before he flies out. Yeah. You see Max in the studio very often. But he, uh, yeah, he rode the bus home with the Steelers last night.

3:02Because he's flying up the Buffalo tonight because he's calling. Go Patriots on Sunday for ESPN radio. And with that, the Patriots, I tell you what, not a good time to be losing some guys on defense. But they are going to be without Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore against the bills. That's tough. There are two of the top three I don't want to lose with Milton Williams. And Gonzalez to be number one on that list. And I would imagine he would down two Christians on Sunday. That's never a good place to be. That's well done, dude. Sometimes I sometimes I have a good one. That was that was. Look at me like that TV inspired. Um, I assume he would follow DJ Moore. They're in a bad place as an organization. The offense. Oh, what a shame. Yeah. Uh, uh, Buffalo wins that game, which they're pretty big favorite. And now these two are out. That almost locks up the East already. Really. In October, second or whatever. I mean, I can't imagine New England coming back and catching Buffalo. I can't imagine New England coming back and catching Buffalo. I can't either. That's been a. They could maybe sneak into playoffs or something. Yeah, they're seen as not over.

4:02But you, I mean, you'd need the bills to like lose. I'll get hurt. Yeah. Yeah. Something. Something bad like that. Still no starter named for the bears. Obviously they will be without Caleb Williams again. I can't imagine not playing Keenum after the way he played. You know, I understand. I think they have a ton of respect and rightfully so for Tyson Beijing in that organization. They're both loved. Yes. Yeah. The way Keenum just played on month. Case Keenum just played on month. Case Keenum just played on Monday night football. I think you got to run that back. And I assume, yeah, T bag has something still wrong with him. You know, I would think so. Yeah. Because yeah, because he wasn't healthy Monday night. Um, Trey Hendrickson's surgery on his finger. He will be out against the Titans. No, no, no. Okay. An important kind of early season injury to keep an eye on here for the bears. Matt. Um, or for the bears part of me for the Ravens. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We were just talking about the bears. Um, so he had surgery on a broken finger. On his right hand that he broke in the season opener. He played with it the past two games, but they thought that it was time to get it, you know, to get it fixed moving forward longer.

5:03That says we can beat the Titans without him. Basically, basically, yeah, that's what it. And we, it sounds like he's not going on I R anything. This is the perfect week for you to get that finger fixed. Yes. Because we'll beat the Titans without you. Yes. Looks like Ronnie Stanley is also a questionable. He's been limited. He's been limited this week with a foot with a toe injury. I know we'll pick games, but I'd love to see the Titans pull that upset. I just don't know how that's going to happen. Henry against his old team too. Great. Speaking of quarterback situations, uh, Jane Daniels ruled out again by the commander. So Marcus Marriota will be the one starting in London. In London. I say, I think Daniels made the trip. I would think so. I'm pretty sure he did because there was a little bit of optimism. Um, I'm almost ready to annoy Marriota is the best backup in a league. Yeah. I mean, he's like I'm a counten Mendoza or people that are just like waiting their turn. I mean, like a guy that's clearly the number two. When everyone's healthy, he's pretty darn good. Sure is. I mean, he's never get chance to start again.

6:03He's won some games. Yeah. Yeah. No doubt. And then Matt for the Rams, good news, bad news as Puka Nakuwa will return against the Eagles this weekend. But Aaron Donald has been ruled out on Sunday with a bad news. And then Matt was on Sunday with a back injury. Hmm. I didn't know what's done wrong with him is coincidentally, is this back injury? And I did the list and don't just like I'm getting back in the shape type of thing. I'm not trying to use a word back over and over. But like, maybe he's a hard to track. Maybe he's, uh, maybe he's angling himself for a trade of the Dallas Cowboys. Let's just get all the bad jokes out there. I mean, I think he's always supposed to play. I guess his back is feeling better. That's amazing. How I hear they've got great back doctors and tax. Yeah. But yeah, that'll be. He also, he took some vicious blocks from Quinn Miners last week. And I wonder if some of that's just. I was wondering if Donald just soared. Yeah. That's, I didn't mean it in a nefarious way to be honest with that.

7:05It's meant like. Is. I have a lot of aches and pains trying to come back from being on the couch for the last couple of years. Maybe I should sit. Maybe we were in, I mean, the collective we, I think basically everyone in football were bad analysts of just assuming that Aaron Donald is much as he is one of the freakiest football players we've ever seen in the history of the game. Yeah. Was just going to come off the couch from two years gone. Unblockable free. Yeah. Yeah. And he's been fine. He deserved all the credit. Here, he deserved all the, uh, I don't know if credits the right word, but he deserved all the maybe benefit of the doubt. Yeah. If anyone can do it type thing. But that's a tall task for any. Yeah. But maybe it's going to take a little longer. We thought or maybe he's not going to be the best player in the league. Sure. Sure. Let's see. DeAndre Swift with the knee is off the injury report and will play on Sunday versus the Jets. Vikings, wide receiver, Justin Jefferson out on Sunday versus the Dolphins. I thought that was going to go into the right way. Same. And maybe that's another one of those kind of like what you just said with the Ravens and, uh, and Trey Hendrixson of.

8:05Hey, you said to play Miami. Yeah. If this was a playoff game or a division game or a gotta have it, Justin Jefferson probably could play. We're playing the Dolphins. We can handle this one. We can handle that. Let's run the ball. Yeah. Early in the season. Keep yourself healthy. No need. I am really bad. They are. They are bad. Yes. Yes, they are. Yes, they are. Um, um, other than that, Matt, I think from an injury standpoint, I mean, I think, Breeze Hall has been ruled out. Um, but that, that news, I think was that break yesterday or earlier today. I don't know. When he got hurt, they basically said it's going to be a week or two at least. Yes. Um, so some big names. Daniels are starting for Tampa, which is weird. Who is Daniels, the back up. Yeah, Jalen Daniels, the Baker, not J. Dendan, right. J. Lin Daniels. They actually played against each other at, uh, at Arizona State and Kansas. I believe at one point out of it. That would have been fun for the broadcaster, right? J. Lin Daniels and J. Dendan, you're, as you're two quarterbacks. But yeah, I think, um, I think that's, I think that's it. The kind of the gambit there, Matt, for, um, for different news and notables and injury updates around the league.

9:08Some, some big absence is already in the, yeah, there are. Um, it's getting to that point in the season too, where, uh, we say this all the time. I mean, so much bad stuff happens to every team in the season. And a lot of it is just who has the least amount of bad stuff happened to them amongst the contenders. Sounded out. But it's to that point, you know, like, nobody wants to hear about your woes and your sorrows. Oh, you know, Jamel Dean's out. Yeah. Okay. Well, we don't have a story quarterback or left tackle. You know, I mean, like, everybody has something going on. Yeah. It's like the last head coach used to say, Matt, people in the league don't care that you have problems. In fact, they're probably happy that you do. Exactly. Right. And everybody has them. And yeah, deal with it. Matt, I wanted to share this before we go to break. Jackson Smith and Jigba on pace. And now I realize it's still very early in the season. But this isn't after, this isn't after just one week. Right. See this sometimes. Jackson Smith and Jigba on pace four, 153 receptions, 2,295 receiving yards. And 34 touchdowns.

10:10Oh, three of which would be NFL single season records. I don't know. 2000 yards is nuts for him. He was pretty close last year. Yeah, I think like 19 something, I think. Not exactly sure. I don't know if he was that close. I'll look it up. I'll look it up. Um, I said some dumb things after. He was, he was, he was, he was 1800. Okay. Okay. I mean, his target share is so high. I mean, the ball goes to him over and over and over and over and over. And he's an unsolved before us. And I don't regret saying it. But I did say something after the last year, like, that'll probably be his best year ever. Because it wasn't awesome year. Yeah. I mean, like, if that's anyone's best year ever, you should be sure for two years ago, it'll probably be the best year's sake on ever. Right. Right. I mean, if you're off into player the year, yes, probably your best year ever. MVP. And he might be better, even just the tapes even a little bit better. He's really, really on. And while he's become even more of a focal point for that offense too, which is a crazy thing. Right. Everyone knows how the league is game planning to slow this guy down, especially the Walker gone. Their skill guys not named JSN are way below average.

11:14Way below average. That is, uh, yeah. One man, one man driving the ship there. If anyone has a case to be on the Jefferson Chase tier, I'm not talking about fantasy. I'm just talking about like the real world. I think JSN is on that tier now. He's your MVP right now. Forget offensive player of the year. He's league MVP right now. There's a lot of really good cases. I know, but remember, remember we had this conversation before the year of like, it kind of bugs me. Because I think it should be most outstanding player. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But if you're going true, who's the most valuable to their team right now, it's JSN. He's with a backup quarter back. He's still putting up huge numbers. Yeah. I mean, they would be in really bad shape without them. They would be yes. Like in terms of who can't get injured around the league. He's right. It's him and all other quarterbacks. Josh Allen and you know, yeah, he's doing it with a backup quarterback. Yeah. Now you're right. When you consider the context around it, I think there's, there's little doubt that he's your September MVP. Yeah. While there are obviously some other deserving candidates. But that's remarkable extrapolation of what his numbers could be like. Thirty sub touchdowns. Can't imagine giving that guy a fantasy football.

12:17Let's get to a break here. Let's run the gambit of the. There are some people that took JSN at like nine and then Kenneth Walker in the turn. Like pretty good. You're doing real nice if that we hear that person in a nice place to be here so far early on in the season. Although the one thing I'll say is championships aren't one in September. Nope. Let's get to a break here. And when we return Matt, let's run the gambit of these week four games across the NFL. And then on the back end, we'll finish with some kind of final thoughts from yesterday. Not final thoughts, but thoughts of the day from yesterday. Maybe head a couple tweets as well. Matt Williamson, West Shuler, our number two of the drive here. Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers audio network. And now a word from our sponsor Bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. What if we just got out of here and grab some Bud lights? The man we're on air for four more hours. I'll figure it out. Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean crisp taste of Bud Light.

13:20Stock up now. Bud Light. Easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 and has a bush Bud Light beer St. Louis, Missouri. I used to have cable internet, but I'm a 100% kind of fan. So I switched to Verizon Fios. It's 100% fiber internet that's super reliable. So I streamed 100% of the NFL draft live with ultra low light. And after what went down in the first round, still getting video calls from my best friend. Rubbing it in that he called all the pics. I told you they were building their own line. I win the bet. Get 100% fiber internet with Verizon Fios because when it comes to your team, it's 100% or nothing. Call 1-E-3-3 Verizon to switch today. Get that hotdog costume ready. Bra. You are tuned to the drive on your 24-7 home of the Black & Gold Steelers Nation Radio. Music

14:40Growing along here down the home stretch of this week and of this show, we will have more on the back end here of Browns and Steelers. And of course, we'll have some rewatch thoughts and some final thoughts and stuff like that on Monday. I want to get into some more of that special team stuff that Matt was talking about in the first hour of the program. But it is still a fresh. Tomorrow will be kind of a weird week for us too. Because we're not going to recap a serial game Monday. It's kind of like a by-week. It is. We will have Mike McCarthy's press conference right before we go on air on Monday. So that's the same. He's still Monday. I think he might do that. I think other than I think other than the day that the Steelers are in Jacksonville for Monday Night Football, I think all his press conferences will be Monday. Doesn't matter if it's a Thursday game or a Black Friday game. Yeah. Whatever the case may be. So that'll be good for us because we'll have Mike McCarthy leading right into the show. We'll be able to get all his thoughts on the game. I'm sure he'll talk a little bit about maybe the Joey Porter Jr. trade as well. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll have and we should probably revisit that a little bit more on. I guess it happened since we got together. I want to throw one thing out there about the Porter trade.

15:42Okay. That I know people aren't thrilled that it's a second two years from now. But if we operate under the assumption, I find it funny that everyone in the Pittsburgh media operates on the assumption that the Steelers are going to pick 20th. You know, they could pick fifth or 30 seconds. I mean, it's a chance. You know, just because they always pick 20th doesn't season two. You know, so. I'm just saying if they do pick 20ish and their goal still is to get the quarterback. Having two seconds two years from now makes trading that future first so much easier. That had to be part of the good short was my first thought to was it's going to cost you your 20th overall pick and next year's first to get in the conversation. Or whatever. Yeah, but depending on for you to move and all this stuff. But if that's the way it goes makes it a heck of a lot easier to deal that future first. Yes, I just hope that that's the plan. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I hope it pays off in April. Yeah, I mean, because it's not I mean, you. If you end up with Mesta maker and he's your next band, no one's going to know who's going to bat an air and I one bit.

16:46Exactly right. Yeah. But if you don't, then it might be like, okay, we traded a 26 year old, you know, our number one corner. Yeah, yeah. And did we, you know, did we get much better from it? No, no, that's all to be determined. All TBD and I know I'm this way too, man, it's an instant gratification league. You want it and you want it right now. I also wouldn't be shocked. Maybe it's the six round pick they got back, which I just realized is theirs. They got back or fifth. They could be in they could add a player. It wouldn't shock me if they traded for a wide receiver or a corner or maybe even a safety between now and the safe now in the dead. That'll certainly be something to keep an eye on. They got a lot of picks. Matt, let's run the gambit here of week four NFL Sunday in folks. We got a 9 30 AM game. Oh, yeah, over there across the Pond in London at Tottenham hot spas stadium. Colts, commanders, 9 30 AM East Coast time. That's a 6 30 start if you're over there on the way. Is it really, I guess, uh, yeah, uh, Indy.

17:46Oh, and if you're, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, California Seattle, Nevada, Washington, Oregon. Uh, Indy, four and a half point favorites. Seems like a lot. No, that feels like those, those Europe games are always close. Yeah. Or scoring and I usually think who's going to run the ball better on the road? What travels and that would be Jonathan Taylor, but Washington's coming off a decent performance and Mario does no slouch. I mean, I would take the Colts to win, but I'd take the points. Yeah, I agree with you. That, that, that if that number's two and a half, maybe it's a different conversation. We're games, we're games weird spots. I usually take the points. Yes. Correct. Especially when it's more than a field goal. I don't think Washington is terrible. No, I don't either. And as you just, as you said in the last segment, I think Marcus Mario, to might be the best, you know, true backup. Yeah. Not including Mendoza or any of those guys, like you mentioned, kind of the true, the best true backup. He'll do more than just hold down the fort. Yes. He'll make plays. He's won some games over the last year or two. Uh, up in Buffalo, the three and O bills looked to remain undefeated at home against their arch nemesis,

18:48the New England Patriots, Patriots going to be down a couple of Christians on defense. Buffalo on a Sunday. On a Sunday. Yeah. If only they knew a church to help them out with that. I think there's a blowout. The bills are seven point favorites and you know my thoughts on laying more than a touchdown. But I think I'm going to lay in here with Buffalo. I think they're in two different places. And man, I think Buffalo is going to put up a lot of points with those two injuries. And I'm a Drake May apologist, but he's playing poorly. And he's throwing to like Mac Hollins and Hunter Henry is his best option. That's not a formula for keeping up with Josh Allen. No. This won't surprise you Matt. There's three games this weekend that have very expensive get in prices. And this is one of them. You're going to need to spend about $250 to sit in the nosebleeds at new high mark stadium. Speaking of which, the most expensive get in price of the weekend is in Chicago. Tickets about 280 bucks for the cheapest ones there at Sojour, Sojour, Sojour part of me field that fan bases wowed up with this new coach quarterback combination.

19:50Yeah, a long time since Dickey. All right. Bears host the Jets Chicago only three and a half point favorites at home. Saiyan's Caleb Williams obviously. So these are the two giants or lions coordinators. And now head coach said they should know each other really well. Ben and Ben Johnson. I'll take the points. I'm assuming it's going to be Keenum and I think they'll try to run the ball a lot. I think the Jets are okay though. Your boy Geno is playing pretty well. You don't write is baby. He's not bashful either. This is this. No, he's not. He's never been. Never been. Never been shy of his skill set. That's for sure. This is one of those if it was four and a half. I would love Jets plus four and a half three and a half makes me a little nervous. But I think I'm with you. I will still I'll take the points. The Chicago wins by a field goal and a close one. Okay. I wish that was four and a half though because I'd be leaning towards the Jets. In Cincinnati, Matt, this might be honestly the game of the week. The Bengals. I agree. The Bengals host the Jags.

20:50One of these teams is going to be three and one. The other's going to be 500. Like how did that happen? Yeah. Cincinnati at home is a two and a half point favorite against Jacksonville. I still think Jacksonville is a slight tear above. I think the quarterbacks are almost equal at this point. I think the weapons are almost equal believe it or not. I mean, Parker Washington and those guys are really good. I think a huge key to me is. I think the Jags D is noticeably better than Cincinnati's and I know we talked up since and I just need to know and. I go back on that a little bit. I feel like if you can get their front blocked. They're linebacker safety problems from a year ago or still linebacker safety problems. And I don't think the Jags O lines great to get extra in those guys blocked. But if you're going to give me points and I think they're the better team. And a better coach team I'm taking the Jags there. I think I'm with you. I I don't want to dismiss Cincinnati heading back home. Kind of wounded and vulnerable and you know, we had such a positive start to the season.

21:51We don't want to drop two games in a row. But I think I think Jacksonville is. Not quite on that. You know, tier one AFC list. But I think they might be at the top of tier two. Yeah. And you know, I don't know if they're quite buffalo. And if I don't know if they're quite like Denver and Houston. If both of those teams are firing on full cylinders. But he's just looking for their first win of the season. I'm with you. I'll lay the points with with Jacksonville two and a half. Or I'll take the points part of me with Jacksonville plus two and a half. The cheapest get in price of the weekend is in East Rutherford, New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. Where the Giants host the Cardinals about 50 bucks can get you into that one. A lot of wind out of the sales for the Giants. Big time. Yeah. And Arizona's a two and a half point favorite on the road. I think I'll take the Giants to win. Yeah. I don't know if they're going to be favorite on any of them in the road. I mean, they've done some good things. Maybe if they're playing Miami at home. You're right. Arizona should be favored. I'm just handing the scatterbue a million times.

22:52I'll take the Giants at home with points. I will as well. That to me just doesn't make much sense. Arizona's a little bit healthier. Certainly, but yeah, they got a travel across long road trip that proverbial one o'clock west coast team one o'clock on the east coast as well. This was in Arizona. I might take it with those things, but I mean on the road. Another potential game of the week Matt in Philadelphia at Lincoln financial field. The Eagles host the Rams. A big one for both of these teams. Yeah, kind of is kind of a statement game. Eagles got embarrassed. And they're trying to stay at the one night division. They got embarrassed on Monday night in Chicago. The Rams, my goodness, everyone's darlings. Could they fall to one in three? The Rams are three and a half point favorites in Philadelphia. I don't know who's going to win, but I'm taking the points. Okay. I think that's a brutal place to play. Although if things go poorly for the Eagles, they could get to get to burn bad. I would also say though over like the last four years, I think the Eagles have hosted the Rams there three times and they've won all three.

23:55I know it's been tough on the Rams going there. It's been a house of horror for the Rams. Stafford's still playing really well, but like his numbers when pressured are really bad. Interceptions already. Yeah, and I do think that they will get after him. I think that's a good pass rush and a good defense. The Kua comes back and that's huge. I'm going to take the Eagles, getting points at home. I'd probably say that against any if Seattle was going there, Buffalo was going there, you're going to be three and a half filly at home. That this doesn't quite add up to me. Saying I just I can't pass that up. No, especially when you'll get a kind of a I think well, both of these teams will be desperate to be fair. Tampa Bay speaking of desperation there, oh and three. They host the Packers one and two. Green Bay trying to get back to 500 against a wounded Tampa Bay bucks squad. In Raymond James Stadium there in Tampa, the Packers are a three and a half point road favorite. The Bay of Pigs game because permanent used to call it. I want to I want to bet against both these guys. Yeah, but I can't bet on Tampa right now. I'll just take Jordan love.

24:55Yeah, I say the better quarterback. Yeah. They signed three offensive linemen that are all going to start this week. Mike I backed in Zitler. I forgot, but I backed in with somebody else that was they plucked off a practice squad. Green Bay's own lines that bad. You know, there's anybody that can play that has a pulse. So I don't care what you are that they they're adding to the team. Jordan love Godspeed soldier. Matt the biggest spread of the weekend takes place in Baltimore at MNT Bank Stadium where the Ravens host the Titans. Baltimore is in 11 and a half point favorite at home. I'm taking the points. I mean, if Stanley's questionable and Hendrix not going to go and I'm totally taking the point. I've told you before when it's that big of a number. I mean, I'm just taking the points over 10. Yeah, I mean, he's still got a block Simmons and I'm not ready to count out ward that he's incapable of moving the football and he's showing a little bit of progress. I'll think the points in that game. I'm with you. You might even have Lamarced it now the series or so at the end and they backdoor cover it.

25:55Yeah, easily. That one's also pretty cheap to get into 57 years there in Baltimore. Matt the battle of Texas down in Houston as the 0 and 3 desperate Texans against the one and two desperate cowboy. Funny use of word desperate because we did a six pack two days ago of the six most desperate teams. These would both be on the list. They both are on the list and it's not the six worst teams. It wasn't the Titans and Miami. It's teams like Green Bay and the chargers that we thought could be good Dallas Houston. Like it's desperation time. Nico comes back. But I think he's going to get shadowed by Porter or literally they're going to battle it out. It's the other side of the ball. It's so interesting to me though. It's like Houston's D isn't. Close to living up to expectations yet, but I think they will. I'm taking the better quarterback and Dallas is getting points on the road. Getting three Houston's a three point favorite. Dallas out of better you in Houston so far.

26:55I agree with that, Matt. I'm taking I'm taking the Texans and I'm laying the points. Okay. I just don't that this is a team that was in the same spot last year. They started off way slow last year and then they were able to win, you know, like eight of nine or nine of 10 or whatever to get into the playoffs and ultimately win a playoff game in Pittsburgh. I just think that Houston team is way too good to go. Oh and four. No, I don't realize they've had their issues on offense and the defense has been good, but not great. But I just I can't see this is kind of a playoff elimination game for Houston. You can't almost is you can't drop to own four man. I mean like they end up with like an 8% chance or something crazy and making a playoffs. I mean, just own four teams across the I mean you would basically have to go 10 and three in your final 13 games. If you're Houston to have a shot, you're going to have to win 10 games to be a wild guard. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you'd have to go 10 and three in your next 13 to have a shot to have a shot. And then probably need some tie breakers and stuff and Matt, they would be o and three at home. Like wow, this is a there.

27:55This is their they started o and two at home and then lost on the road and other back. If you're o and four and three of those games are at home, good luck. I know it's so far from scientific, but sometimes I just say I can't imagine this team being o and four. You know what I mean? Like sometimes you got to throw all the analysis out the window. It's on o 14. It's not an o and 14, but I'm taking points. I don't think the Cowboys are really a one in three team, but I don't blame you taking the points, but I just feel like this is a spot where in the last couple of years we've seen Houston respond. And I I expect them to do it again. So I don't know if you noticed this and I don't care if anyone follows me on Twitter or not, but I just found it extremely interesting is Sam Hoppin does really, really good analytic work. And I a subscriber to his sub stack. So I had nothing to do with this. I just cut and pasted a chart of all the ed rushers in the league. And I know charts are hard to follow, but one axis is your run defense.

28:55And one axis is your past rush. And a lot of good guys are all on there and you want to be in the top right. Will Anderson is in a stratosphere ahead of every other ed rusher in the league. And I think that's a lot of good times of million on this chart. Like it is startling. Like all I put on the tweet was will Anderson exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation point. And I was talking to a co host today. I'm like, why don't you put Will Anderson on? I can't find him. Like, yeah, because he's in the top right by himself. He's on Jupiter. I mean, like all these other great guys, both so what, et cetera, are in the top right, but they're nowhere close to what he's doing. Speaking of no worthy, Matt, I might have to change my pick on the Eagles. Zach Bond, Hollywood, Brown, Marcus Epps, Dallas, Goddard, Devonta Smith, all rolled out for Sunday. Oh, don't want to smith out. I'm changing my tune. Bond's a big one. I could live with that. But then you said Smith. Listen, there's nothing less in the world that I care about than anybody else's fantasy football team.

29:58Nothing less in the world that I care about than anybody else's fantasy football team. But I mean, Devonta Smith is a big loss for my fantasy football team this weekend. Wow, I didn't know he was fighting anything. He's out. I don't know where they're passing game codes then. I think I'm taking the Rams. Oh, I think I'm taking the Rams. Devonta Smith out with a hamstring. Zach Bond out. The other one's like a love was. Dallas, Goddard. Yeah. Yeah, not great. Not great for Philly Philly. Matt into the four o'clock slate of games, the three and O Vikings against the O and three dolphins. The movable object meets the, what's that line TV? I don't remember. I messed it up. You get what I'm saying. A movable object in the unstoppable force. One of these is a very movable object and not a difficult to stop force in the Miami dolphins. Second biggest spread of the mat of the weekend mat for the Vikings at home. They are 10 and a half point favorites against Miami and a game where the over under is only 38 and a half. I'm taking 10. I'll take the points. Did we roll it out Justin Jefferson? Justin Jefferson's out. I mean, Vikings D could score twice.

31:00They sure could. You know, like that's how they handle. I'm never, I'm never going to, I'm never going to lay that many points. I'm just not, not in the NFL. The Vikings aren't that good. No, the Vikings win, but I'll take the 10 and a half. I would stay away from this one. I wouldn't touch it. No, me either. I mean, I can't imagine putting money on Miami in any way right now. But if I have to pick the game, you're going to give me over 10. I'll take good point by TV. A little bit of a revenge factor there for Brian Flores is always lining up against the Miami dolphins. But I'm not laying 10 and a half points. He has a lawsuit against them as we speak, right? I think it's probably still going on. I think so. I have one thing that I don't know much about the legal world. But one thing that I do know is it takes about 37 years to get a verdict on any of these things. You think he's in a thousand blitzes when they're up 20? Just a few. Matt, another one of these games. That's a real good point. Another one of these game of the week potentials. There's some good ones this weekend, 425. In Viva Las Vegas. Second most expensive get in price of the weekend. I bet a lot of KC fans are going. We all saw this coming.

32:00The three and O raiders against the three and O chiefs. Adilige and stadium there at the end of the Vegas strip. I'll be there next August for an oasis. Nice. Kansas City 4 1 1 2 half point road favorites. I'm going to take the chiefs and lay the points. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I'm going to take the chiefs, but I'm going to take the points. Okay. I have respect for the raiders. Super well coach. Rewinded an hour. We talked about all their hidden yardage stuff. And they forced 10 fumbles. They didn't recover them all. But I mean, they are punching them all like crazy through three games. Things like that. I just think the chiefs are two tears ahead of them. Agreed. Yeah. But I don't know. I'm going to be a lot of redness. Four and a half. I think, yes, absolutely. Yeah. I think the raiders can hang around. Maybe a fun story if they can take them to the wire. Wait, would it? I'll take the I'll take Vegas plus four and a half. Kansas City wins. But I don't know if they win by more than three or four. Another great one in that kind of 4 30 window. Matt the 3 0 9ers host the 2 and 1 Denver Broncos in Santa Clara Levi Stadium.

33:03San Fran a three point home favorite. Wouldn't touch it. I think that's a perfect number. It's a perfect number. San Fran's been unbelievable on off. Unbelievable, but they have played like Denver. They played anybody. And Denver's been so roller coaster up and down. But it's maybe the week where they stabilize a little bit. I don't know. I guess I'll take Denver with the points. But I don't feel good about that at all. I would stay away from San Fran's got some injuries as always. I think you're right. I think taking the points with Denver is the smart play here. But the smart play might just be leaving it alone. Yeah. It's also supposed to be a really good game. Also supposed to be in the 90s in hot. I heard you really, really hot. Yeah. Supposed to be in the 90s. So that could play a factor lower scoring. Keep it close. Maybe you take the plus three with Denver. Matt speaking of desperation. Last one in that 4 o'clock 4 30 window. The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks back at home. Two hosts the o and three L.A. Chargers. Another one that we all saw come and Seattle a touchdown favorite at home against the chargers.

34:03I don't think it's enough. I mean, I think an angry Seattle team that let one get away from that they might have been the better team in Washington. I think the chargers are I think the chargers and bucks are broken. Okay. They're the two teams that I did not like dolphins are like, no, no, you should be a lot better than this. Like things are off the rails and might not ever get back on. You coaching staffs and those places this off season. Tampa, I think definitely. I think that seats on fire. I feel like Harbaugh would probably get another. I would think he gets another year. T's. Coaches and quarterbacks. On teams that are drastically underperforming. Could they become available or fired or. I'm not saying you could trade for Herbert or Drake May after the Steelers, but. Weird things happen this league. I've been given some thought like what does the chargers end up with a fifth overall pick? And it's like we could trade Herbert the Steelers for three first round picks and draft archmaning.

35:03Or. Or how about they trade Herbert to the Steelers for that six round pick we just got back. From Dallas. Alright, we'll call it. You know what I mean? Like if you're picking the top of the draft and you have a quarterback. I will also say I want to cash him out for arch. I think it's a very interesting conversation. Yeah, maybe one that we could have on Monday or Tuesday next week. But if someone like Herbert or May is going to be available on the market. Stroud. Stroud. They didn't have the type of year where I'm giving up three first round pick. That's a thing that they have to be the team has to be terrible. I might give you a first round pick. Right. But I'm not I'm not giving you multiple for a guy that's coming off of a bad season. Can you buy those guys at 80 cents on the dollar or. Yeah, I don't know. I'm just saying. There's other quarterback options in a fourth or. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know. Then I'd be interested. But not if it's like this guy is coming off a bad year and we still want to rant some for him. No chance. You know, like Houston's own four. Stroud really hasn't been the problem. I'm just throwing this out there. If they end up five and 11.

36:03And there's a quarterback sitting there and like should we pay strouled 60 million or should we draft arch? You probably draft arch. Probably, you know, probably. But then again, then it becomes there. You have no leverage to trade CJ Stroud to some like, oh, we're not going to pay him this. And we're going to take the other quarterback. But here you go guys. I know. Give us some type of return and pay him a contract. I just think it's interesting that there's some stable organizations that could pick a lot earlier than you think. And we anticipate it might might be a rich quarterback draft. Matt, all I know is you need to just work that equation. Goodwill hunting on the board. I think you've convinced me. I think I'll lay the points with Seattle. Although I don't know. I could see the chargers. Not go. Not going quietly into the night. And then finally Sunday night football. The Panthers host the lions there at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. And there's a Detroit three and a half point road favorite. Both of the Carolina corners are out. J.C. Horn and Jackson. Yeah. And Detroit can give up.

37:04I don't know. I don't know. I can see the chargers. Not go. And Detroit can give up some points, but they can score them too. Yeah. Both these teams kind of have to win shootouts. Yes. And they've been able to to some degree. I just think the lions are better at it. Okay. Three and a half. I'll let him. If that gets up to like four and a half, then I would think about it. But I'll take Detroit to win in cover. I assume you over under his high in that game. 50 and a half. Which is. One of the highest. I think bangles. Second highest. Second highest of the weekend. And then the single. Jags. The highest. The 51 and a half. Look at you. Look at you, Matt Williamson. Of course, we will talk about Monday night football between the Saints and the Falcons when we return on Monday. But that's our thoughts here on a busy and an intriguing week for slate across the NFL. This weekend. Let's get to our final break. We'll cross some teas, dot some eyes. Maybe answer some questions, comments, concerns and reactions. Before we get up out of here for the weekend, you'll earn Williamson. It's the drive.

38:04We'll see you in the next Steelers Nation radio on the Steelers Audio Network. And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. What if we just got out of here and grab some Bud Lights? The man we're on air for four more hours. I'll figure it out. Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean, crisp taste of Bud Light. Stock up now. Bud Light. Easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Enjoy responsibly, copyright 2026 and has a Bush Bud Light beer St. Louis, Missouri. I used to have cable internet, but I'm a 100% kind of fan. So I switched to Verizon Fios. It's 100% fiber internet that's super reliable. So I streamed 100% at the NFL Draft Live with ultra low lag. And after what went down in the first round, still getting video calls from my best friend rubbing it in that he called all the pigs. I told you they were building their own line. I win the bet. I'll get 100% fiber internet with Verizon Fios because when it comes to your team,

39:05it's 100% or nothing. Call 1-E-3-3 Verizon to switch today. Get that hotdog, costume ready. Bra. You're tuned to the drive on your 24-7 home of the Black & Gold Steelers Nation Radio. Down the home stretch of this show of this week, there's a little bit of a rough one to get through here on this Friday. But we'll regroup over the weekend. We're going to get a lot of time to take in some of these other games across the national football league and get a long week of rest ahead of returning home against the Indianapolis Colts.

40:08A team that's going to re-returning from London. And that sets up pretty well. And I'm sure that's something we'll talk about plenty next week. It's crazy. There's a month already in the books. It happens fast. Yeah. Yeah. It happens real fast. I mean, yeah, we're in week four in the NFL already. Week five in college football already. I mean, that's October. Like Pit and Virginia Tech after they play tonight, Matt, they'll have seven games left in the season. That's it. Wow. By the time by the time everyone goes to bed tonight, Pit will have seven games left in their season. Like it. It happens very fast, man. It always does. Let's see a couple tweets here to get us out of here before we go. And I'm sure no one will be surprised, but from about from about half time last night. Until today, Matt, I think we've gotten seven dozen tweets from people. I'm not super surprised yet. I would just like to remind people that Matt and I do not call plays. We do not make draft picks. I don't block or tackle any one right. I'm going to get a bit of a charter. It does. It's amazing. Sometimes we would get mad at me during games. I'm like, you know, something that doesn't change my life one bit. You could call me old kinds of bad words.

41:08A lot of a lot of people too always tweet us like, Oh, I can't wait for you guys to try and put a positive spin on this one. I listen, Matt and I, we both put our hands up. We know we do the show on the team's network. Yeah. We know who signs our paychecks, but I also don't think that Matt. There's a lot of people in this town that carry a lot more water than Matt. That's all that I'll say. Yeah. I just try to bring it as honest as I possibly can. We're not coming in here and MF and anybody and fire that person and. No. And this person to Saturn, but I don't think that we handle it with kid gloves either. No, I wish Aaron Rogers could run better. You mean, that's how we kind of like there's things that are wrong. I wish we all could run better. Matt, that's just father time, unfortunately. No, I could never run well. Yeah. That's okay. You had the size. You were built for endurance, not for speed. Oh, yeah. Matt tweets us and says, Hey, guys, well, that was something. Do you think the offensive line was bad because of communication issues or was it just a down performance? Should we start getting worried about Chris Boswell, even on some of the kicks he's making, they don't look good.

42:11It's a good point about it. They don't go down the middle. They don't go down the middle. And again, you've. I have no idea how to analyze that. I wouldn't even try. I would have trusted track record that he's really good. Yes. But everybody gets old. There's going to be a day that he's not a great kicker. Sure. I hope it's not now. Same here. Same here. Three and 40 games is concerning. I mean, I'm just looking to resolve. It's one of the best of his of his generation of everything we've worried about in the last 10 years in Steelers history. Him and Cam Hayward are the ones things you just don't want. You know, like, like, crock pots. Right. He said it and forget it. So I don't know. But it's something to keep an eye on. And we had a long kicker special team conversation about an hour ago. What was their first part of that question? Was it just a bad performance of the. Oh, by the. You worried about some of the communication issues. I do think they had some communication issues with how loud it was in that building. And I think Max might have been over his head with that stuff too on a short week. Blah blah blah. Again, that's what I'm. I'm going to watch that tonight. Individual. O line stuff just to see because.

43:12How often they looking around like what was that? Yeah, because they weren't they run blocked well. I mean, I don't know. I'm betting when I come back here Monday, I'm not going to be like, oh, man, O line was terrible. I think individually they won a lot of their battles, put some people on their backs. I think there was some communication stuff. I have a five and a half yards per Jalen war and Kerry. Yeah. I'll take that every Thursday and Sunday and Monday. Absolutely. And they're sacks. I guarantee happened late in the down. They were not immediately got beat. Broadred Jones didn't get a hand on anybody type guys, you know, and Warren was beat once in protection from what I remember, which is unusual, but not as much perfect. Joel says, can you guys do me a favor and just always bet against and pick against the Steelers on your show, even if you think they're going to win? A record hasn't been great. Oh, we got the bangles to win pretty big. We both picked the bangles to win. I picked the bangles to win by like 21 to 20 or something like that. I bet the Steelers.

44:12I picked the Steelers in New England. I did pick the Patriots. They did. Okay. And we both picked the Steelers on the road here. We'll do our part, Joel. Don't worry. Don't worry. That's a foul. I'm one and three. We did get. You're one and three. I'm two. That's not even against a spread. That's just straight up wins and losses. Jeff says that's a disappointing loss poor tackling. A shredder tackling. We should talk about that more and more and more. I'm a reason you lot for tackling capital bold letters. Yeah. Shredded by the browns in the screen game in the first half felt like a lot of miscommunication in the secondary, given up almost 30 points in each of the last two games, wide receivers, not getting separation. What's your concern level? All right, Matt. Six out of 10. Calm. We'll shut down the show today. Do and you know what? Let me bust out one of my favorite exercises for you. Calm. Nope. Concerned. Worried. Panicked. I guess it would depend on. I'd say I'm not panic.

45:12I'd say no. It's not calm. I mean, it's barely October. Yeah. And not calm. And so I would say it would depend on like if you ask me about the offensive line, I might even lean towards calm. De-line. Calm. Calm. But back seven secondary, the beat man covers. Riding receivers. Running game. Calm. Tied ends. Foswell. Calm. Tackling. Slightly concerned. I don't know about that. Maybe concerned. I think I'm worried and I might even be looking over into panic. You aren't over there to see what kind of landscaping they got going on. I was looking through to the lens of short week, Thursdays, tackles, always bad. It's not like it's been horrible all week. We're always hyperbolic with this. Yeah. Again, it's not. It's not a normal game, folks. Not pirates. It's not pirates nation radio. And we get to watch and play six games a week. It's not hockey nation radio or basketball. And they're playing two or three times a week. So fired up and so hyper focused on every single little pedantic detail on game days in

46:14the NFL. That's why we love it so much. That's what's awesome about it. Yeah. But it is such a week to week sport. It is. No excuses. I just hate Thursday football and I think it's weird. And I think it's not. It's kind of like not to the same level, but I didn't care that the Rams lost in Australia. I didn't care that the Jags lost week two in Denver. I'm not holding that against them at the time. This is different. The Browns. This is not a great team that they played. Thursday football is not the same product. I've said that no matter who plays. It's always get it on the road too. I mean, that could stop schedule makers. How about a year we the Steelers don't go to Cleveland on Thursday night. I'd be great. I'm sure I'm probably forgetting one, but you know, this is my ninth year with the team now. I think the only home one has been that Titans won a couple years ago where you got Will Levis to come to town on Thursday night. Yeah. And the Steelers won other than that. It feels like it's always Cleveland or Cincinnati on the road. Yeah. Not great. Don't love it. Don't love it. Everyone in the, and what we talked about this enough, I know the Steelers don't have any wins in Cleveland.

47:15They don't have any wins on Thursday in the division on the road. But the whole division is really bad at Thursday football against one another on the road. This is not just a steel or thing. They just happened to be the worst of it because they're zero's. But the whole division loses division games on the road in this division. You know what one probably in all divisions, but this one's the most. We're kind of upset about that, but you know what? Next week when it's when it's Sunday and I see our buddy, the Colts broadcast or Matt Taylor in the book. Yeah. He's going to go, can you believe we were just in London and they got us back here on the road? You know, so it's, that's things. It's it's it's it's it's in flows. Sometimes it bites you in the butt, but then you got to take advantage of it when you've got the opportunity and the Steelers are one that that have that opportunity. Not only we have to go from London to a road game, you guys get three days rest. Three days extra rest. On the road in a different country. Right. So it it quite often bounces itself out, but you got to take advantage of it when it's yeah, yeah, don't let off. Anyway, go away. We'll talk about all that more next week. We'll recap week four across the NFL and hopefully we will have some some positive injury

48:20updates from from Mike McCarthy on. One of those guys will be keeping eyes on. But that'll do it. There probably won't be any news over the weekend. I wouldn't think so. There's no reason. There's no there's nothing going on. We're going to come to Monday. lick your wounds, get over it. And in next week, we turn the page and we move forward. That'll do it for us today. Big thanks. As always, a shout out to Mr TV Tyler V on the video side of the equation format. Williamson, I'm West Shuler. Take care. Everybody will talk to you soon. As always, you know where to find us. It's on your 24 seven home of the black and gold Steelers Nation radio on the Steelers audio network. So who's up for dessert? Ah, tempting, but I should check my balance first. Don't worry. I got it. No, I'll good. Desserts on me. Ever hesitate before making a purchase? What if you could always know you can with S&T's mobile banking. Check your balance, pay friends on the spot, track your spending any time, anywhere, all

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