Drive9.11.26Hr2: 5 Star Friday

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1:05It's a five star match. Good evening, Stealer Nation. How are we doing? That's good. Us too. Here we go, baby. Are you ready for some football? Matt, this morning, I was dropping my girls off and I don't know if you know this because you are part of the pre-game show, but there's also a million things going on on. The pursuit of a preamble at the start of the pre-game show. Yeah, I know he pre-writes it. It's like a short, three minute thing where he kind of sets the scene and gets you fired up. Here's what's on the line today and he works really hard on it and I think he does a very good job on it. Spoiler alert, if you want to hear it early, he always does it Fridays on the DVE morning show. Oh, I didn't know that. It's the very last thing that they do at like 9.55 on Fridays or if the Steelers are playing on a Thursday or a Monday or you get it. Matt totally tracks because I mentioned I do a Thursday night show with him and he brings it up and I know that's what he's working on like before we hit record with Merrill, etc., etc. You know.

2:05So one of the things that he always does in that is he kind of goes through his spiel and this is what's all in Mike McCarthy's in town and Aaron Rogers is last ride and you know, It'll make you chuckle too. It's funny. It's clever and pursuit while he's been doing radio for 30 years, he cut his teeth in this business as a writer and he does a really job with the writing stuff. When he gets to the very end, he always does the same. Are you ready for some football and then he kind of gives his final line or two? I was listening to the age coming back from dropping my girls off in the morning show in the morning show because I knew pursuit was going to be doing it too. And I figured they'd be saying goodbye to our buddy Jacob wrecked. All days is last day. Right. All the best to Jacob who for a long time was the producer of this show early on drive stuff. Yeah. Hosted shows on this network and has been for four years now the DVE morning show producer and all around good. And all around swell fellow. I'll miss seeing him here in the building. But I wanted to hear, you know, them say goodbye to Jacob. I wanted to hear pursuit of stuff. I have it on and when pursuit of hit that, are you ready for some football and Randy and

3:09Abby and Tad, they were like, I was like, hell, yeah, baby. In the studio, right? In the studio. Yeah. So are you ready for some football? It's the first five star Friday of the season for those who aren't familiar. It's just a matchup segment. I'll just put a fancy name on it. Nothing crazy. I want to ask Matt about some of these key matchups, you know, quite often the matchups that whoever wins more of these is going to have a really good chance to win the game and have the outcome. They're looking for Matt to kind of lead into this. Obviously, I'm going to ask you about B. John Robinson. We got a tweet that reminded me something that we didn't do this week that we always did last week was the fun game of if you could steal one player or a opposing team. Who would it be? And we had the caveat of you can't pick quarterbacks because that's that's kind of cheating. That's not Alan Fabahone. Exactly right. Exactly right. And I don't think we'd be picking a quarterback from this team regardless. We would not. The answer is B. John Robinson, right? This, no, they've got some other things. It is. No doubt, but the answer is B. John. I'll do two or three minutes on it.

4:10I don't think we've spent a lot of time. Yes, the answer is B. John. He's that special. He has two huge things going against them in his conversation. He's became the richest running back in the history. He's not cheap anymore. Or second now Gibbs of mate makes two dollars more or whatever. And maybe you just don't want to take a running back. You know, like team building running backs last on my list. I mean, he plays the wrong position, not his fault, but he plays it better than anyone. Other options, Drake London would be awesome. I mean, he's a top 10 wide receiver. There would bump everyone in the Steelers pecking order. I mean, if metcaster two and pitmans, you're three and those other two are your fours. That's a loaded, huge wide receiver room. Yes, it is. You have maybe the best wide receiver room in football. That might make you a better team than B. John. Fair point. Lensstrom is a great guard. Nobody knows about him. It's Falcon. And with all respect to Anderson, you would upgrade. What I presume will be their weakest starting position once a harneture. You're not going to replace a harneture, but you could replace Anderson.

5:12There's also a free agent after the year. That line with Lensstrom would be unbelievable. I mean, it's about like a top five guard who's super mobile. You'd have kind of the say Amalu, the established, not on his rookie contract. I don't care. He's making money at that position. No one else is. You have the cheapest offensive line in football. As it spends now, their secondary is very good. I don't know if we've spent enough time praising the back end of their defense. Tarell is a really good corner. Bates. Bates. And the Youngster Watts is a really good safety. It's one of the best safety pairings in the league. You know, it's could sure use a safety, but the answer is bizarre. Yeah, it is. It just is. You make some compelling arguments elsewhere. But if anytime you can get a guy who's probably one of the best five football players in the world, right? I think you should, I think you should take that off. I don't think they need a back. I wouldn't go looking for a back in a perfect world. I don't think next year's first round, pick is going to be a running back. But if someone wants to give you him, what's changed everything we do and give them all the time, right? Yeah. Yeah. We'll have a lot of fun.

6:13We're here on this five star Friday matchup segment at the top of the list from black and gold perspective has to be B. John against clean and Wilson. Yeah. And really it's such a collective effort for the entire defense. I mentioned the conversation with Mara Hodges last night. This blew me away. So just real quick for those who missed it in the first hour. Yeah. Mara said that B. John reminds him of a blend of Walter Peyton and Barry Sanders. And Barry Sanders. Is that good? That's from a former NFL running back. That's not from some Gibroni. Right. Specializing in running backs. And Mara was not the guy's like, oh, he reminds me of Jerry Rice and Randy Moth. That's especially that. Yeah. That's not his style. Yeah. So listen to the story he told Mike and I last night on TV. He said, I think I'm getting the timeline right. They played the lions when he was with the Steelers, when Barry was with the Lions. Okay. And obviously he wasn't involved because he's an offensive player. Sure. He said in order to mimic Barry, the defense had to play against 12 offensive players.

7:22Two of whom held the ball. So they would run a play like example outside zone. Sure. And whoever the scout team running back is running to the outside and everyone's flowing with them. Well, there was another dude holding the ball with that guy. It's kind of like his shadow that would make a crazy cutback that you would defend him both. That's how they that's very Sanders. Like you you guys. Yeah. I think that was probably chucked all the time. It might have been coward. But all those pursuit players, you better not leave your job. Container. Because he can come turn it right where you should be. And that's he is the definition of that outside zone, right? It's always the bend break or the bust, right? You can bend it back inside. You can bust it up the middle or you can bend it out or break it out. Break it outside. Yeah. Bend inside, bust up middle, break outside. And he's equally great at all. He's the Michael Jordan of the zone run outside zone system. And some I totally agree with, but I think Merrill's exact words were, I don't know that

8:25I've seen a running back get more yards on his own or make bad blocking right. He might be the guy in the NFL that made lemonade out of lemons more than all the time. And it's getting out of chicken bleep. Yeah, his line's okay and his, you know, schemes fine. But in terms of just like this is a busted play and he still gets six out of it. You know, yeah, special, special. Yeah. Matt, I also, and you kind of, you know, talked about this one in your, in your Matt stats. But I think it's still worth keeping an eye on the Steelers offensive tackles against the Falcons edge rushers. Yeah. Just because they're so new. They're so new. Yeah. Assuming cook plays are still kind of new. And even if assuming cook plays, he's on the right side now, not the left side. The Tana is on the left side, not the right side. And the guy by wrote like there's a lot of shuffle in a lot of shuffle. And if it's max, it's obvious his, his first start in an NFL regular season game. No walker, no peers. There'd be a lot different if they were in the game. But that also doesn't mean that you can just show up and dominate. You better take care of business. It's a hard position to play.

9:26I mean, and we've seen it through these two games. We've watched the last two nights. Late in the game. They're getting tired. They have not strung 60, 70 snaps together. You know, those tackles aren't going to get any breathers. So yeah, I mean, I don't care who the edge guys are. And frankly, Atlanta's aren't very threatening by NFL standards. But the tackles are new and it's a very, very important position. I wanted to ask you, how do you think they go about marking Drake London? I have no idea. Is it going to be? In former days, I'd be like Porter follows on. Sure. Even if Joey's on the field Sunday, I don't know if they're going to have him doing that when he's just kind of trying to get up the speed. And I wonder if he plays and with or without a contract, might they sub him out for Samuel quite a bit? Sure. I think it was Mike that was on yesterday. He even mentioned that, I think. Yeah. You don't see a scenario where they put Dean straight up on London. Probably not, although the other receivers not named him at wide receivers, not tight ends

10:29are pretty suspect that's Johan Dots and guys like that. But Samuel played so well, you could kind of reward him by giving him more snaps and you don't want Porter to be fatigued if he hasn't done much to this point. And maybe this left right it, whatever. However, I do think it's noteworthy. Kind of like we talked about with Russian McCarthy in the AFC South, Dean went against London a lot. He's a year. Yeah. I mean, he's very familiar with him. That's true. Yeah. Good point. And because that again, maybe they just mix and match that throughout the game. I doubt nobody is to be like Joey, follow him around. You haven't done anything hardly yet. That's your job. That's a tough assignment. Yes, it is. He's really really rough. Throwing the football. That's still very tough. That's a tough assignment. Very, very tough assignment. Last one for you, Matt. Aaron Rogers against Jeff Allbright. Yeah. I think this is huge. This is defensive coordinator who likes to blitz about as much as any defensive coordinator in the NFL against a quarterback who can have a lot of success.

11:31Teams don't really blitz them for a multitude of reasons. We laid that out yesterday on the show for those who missed it. Part of it is because Aaron Rogers gets the ball out so quickly. I'm not going to waste bodies coming after him. But part of that is also because he could diagnose the crap out of your blitz. Reached out. And everything he does from the neck up. And so when you combine those two things, he's cerebral at diagnosing what you're doing. He's really cognizant of getting the ball out early. I'm very interested to see, you know, by the time we get to four o'clockish on Sunday, what percentage of the time the Falcons were blitzed? And I wonder, kind of just a hunch. Will they go into it with the game plan of, we're not going to blitz this guy. No, we blitz this guy. I blow a blow. They might, but that's not his style. But if they're not getting home, if they're not forcing the, you know, Rogers to get rid of the ball quickly, maybe they start thaling it up and they realize strength of our defense is our secondary. I'm going to leave Torello on Metcalf one on one. And if I die by that sword, so be it, but I can't let that guy have three, three and a half seconds to throw anymore because we're not getting home with our front.

12:33Now, that is a very, it's not a very good group of pass. That is a very good point. Steelers offense of line. Do your job, baby. Yeah. And then you'll really have some ways to get multiple and hopefully confuse that defense. Another key to me is when you look at both front sevens, I've been really trying to pay attention to this because it's week one. And I can't stress enough that none of these players have played a lot. And that affects big people more than anything. And we know the big people on offense aren't going to rotate in and out. Frazier's not going to play two snaps and then take a breather. You know, it's not how it works. So depth in front seven to me is very important for every team, every player in the front seven. Atlanta's front seven can't rival the Steelers depth in their front seven. Even if they were completely healthy, they're completely healthy. And they're not missing their two best guys. Yeah. I mean, it's just not the same. Keep, uh, keep, so you make me want to run the ball more and beat up that front seven. Dominate the time of the position. Keep their defense on the field and wear them down and ignore the short sunshine. Yeah. Yep. Yep.

13:33Let's take a look around the NFL when we return. Yeah, there's two games in the books already, but there's plenty of intrigue on Sunday across the league. Matt and I will look at these matchups. We'll give some thoughts and some predictions. And then of course, in our final segment of the day, Matt and I will predict for you how Steelers and Falcons will play out on Sunday. Plenty more to get to here as we roll along all eyes on week one, you'll learn William said it's the drive Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. 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.

14:34I 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 for 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. Here we go.

15:38It's time to take a look at the week one NFL Sunday slate as we are just now what I don't know 36 hours or so, but day and a half away from Sunday. That's what I want to talk about. I'm not going to talk about this. I'm not going to talk about that one o'clock in a whole bunch of these games being underway. Matt, before we look at that slate, two pieces of just kind of news across the timeline here for you. The first Ameka Ibuka is a full go for the bucks season. That's big. According to Todd Balls, there have been some questions about his status. That's actually good Steelers news too. Could have played the bangles and I like to chance a lot better with them with that. Yeah. Let's see, Matt will always and always has the angles. He's always got the angles. I wanted to make sure to mention that. And then also Kyle Shanahan signing a multi year extension with the 49ers today, not too long ago. At that time, he's not lost on folks after last night. Yes, I signed it on the plane. That's one way they've landed yet. That's one way to make like an 18 hour flight a little bit more tolerable.

16:38I bet that flight was a blast on the way. You imagine me on that ramp flight. Well, they are flying like the nicest plane in the world. So at least they got nice. I mean, you've been on flights that are short when the Steelers lose. It's miserable, right? Let alone a 22 hour flight or 20 hour flight. I'm going to put you on the spot here a little bit. But what would you say was the Steelers most, oh, maybe other than the wild card game, was the Steelers most miserable performance of the season last year. You put me on a spot. My mind is football and LA against the chargers. Remember the offense couldn't do anything. Yeah, it was rough. The long flight. Herbert was dice in the boys up. And then that wasn't from the other side of the world, but it was a long flight. It's a five and a half hour flight when it's midnight east coast time and you land at five thirty six in the morning and they felt like 20 hours. Go home and shower for 90 minutes and then go right back to work. Yeah, that was not fun. 10 out of 10 would not recommend you would not want to be coming home from Australia after that. Oh, we talked about that. How much more funds. So I think we've shared this before. But for those who maybe weren't familiar when the Steelers won in Dublin.

17:41Yeah. The team got right back on the plane and flew home after the game. It's tough to do. They had a Guinness. Yeah, yeah. In the locker room, Slantcha, we got stuff to do. We got another game next week. Sure. The, I guess you could say non-essential team employees, right? So not like medical equipment trainers. Yes, the plane that we were on like Monday morning. Yes. So we all, it was kind of nice. We were able to Sunday night, enjoy ourselves a little bit. Yeah, anybody who responded to this. Have a last couple of Guinnesses. Our flight was Monday morning, but it wasn't at the crack of dawn or anything. It wasn't like we had to wake up at four in the morning. Yeah. We were able to kind of breathe Sunday night. The haze in the barn. The Steelers won. That went well. We flat went well. We fly home tomorrow morning. What a been as much fun though if the Steelers would have lost. No, even though we weren't on the team playing proper. No, there was coaches and players and the guys that actually got bruised and beaten and didn't come home with the W, but still would have been a lot different. Can't imagine a 17, 18 hour flight when you just lost to a division rival by three scores. And everyone's telling you what a great team you are going in and didn't look like it

18:42at all. And then you got a face Aaron Donald when you get back. I mean, good Lord. Also Kyle Shanahan's only 46 years old. It's pretty nuts. That's nuts. What a career he's at. That's like Mike Tomlin. I mean, McVeigh's like that too. Yeah. Those guys. It's crazy. It's crazy. Insane how young that they became NFL head coaches. But it was good to see Kyle Shanahan on the sideline after that car accident scare that he had. Man, I forgot about that. This off season and sounds like things are certainly looking up for the Shanahan gang here as all the reports across the timeline today. No years or numbers kind of leaking out yet that I've seen, but that him and the Niners have agreed to a multi year extension. And as our intrepid video producer Tyler V tells me Mike McDonald is still only 39 years old. Is that not that is insane? Yeah. Matt, we will obviously in our final segment, give our final thoughts, preview score predictions, all that stuff on Steelers and Falcons. But what do you say we take a look at these other Sunday? Yeah, it's not bad slate. NFL games.

19:43It is not a bad slate. And you know what? I guess we can leave Monday night for Monday. I think every game could be Jets of our Titans and I'd still be fired up. Oh, I'd love to see that right now. But we actually do have the Jets of our Titans. We'll get to that in a second. But let's talk about one that you just referenced in Cincinnati, one o'clock on Sunday, pay course stadium, the bucks and the bangles. Cincinnati is a three and a half point favorite. It seems a little big, but I think they win. Angles win. Yeah. I think there's a lot of points in that game. I think Tampa's really good, but was so injured offensive line could really pay dividends in this one. But I am excited to watch Lawrence and he could be a handful for anybody. I think Tampa's offense can keep up, but since he's really loaded on that side of the ball. And they've been much better the last couple years of not having those crazy flat starts like they have in the past. Yeah, I think I'm buying it on that. I was about to say they've at least been cognizant of it trying to change it. Maybe try and change it. Right. Three and a half. I think since now I would pick Cincinnati to win, but I'd take the points with the box

20:46to cover in day two, Detroit. That kind of works out well because they're playing the French team, the New Orleans Saints, a little NFC action there at Ford Field. Lions of full touchdown favorites. Seven points. Yeah, that also seems like a lot. Anything that big week one. I know seems something to stay away from. Yeah, I'll take the lines to win, but I'll take the Saints to cover. I'm with you there too. I just another one. I saw the overrunters big, but I don't think it's big enough. I could see a ton of points in this game. 49 and a half. I think even week one though. Yeah, I just think the Lions D has a lot of holes. Matt in Music City, Nashville, where they kick off the final season of Nissan Stadium, by the way. They know that from the Music City miracle to on to better things. The jets are in Nashville where Matt, you know, sometimes I like to point this out to you the week by week. What's the cheapest get in price? Oh, that's got to be it. Yeah, even for week one, 15 bucks could get you a ticket at Nissan Stadium right now for Titans jets.

21:46It's not a great ticket, but for 15 bucks, you could get in the stadium. No, folks should jump on that. Come on. Go see Cam Ward at home. I mean, come on, new coach. It is. I think I've told you this before. So I have a cousin, Amelia, her and her husband live like in downtown Nashville. Yeah, okay. Tennessee grew up, you know, 20 miles outside of Nashville. Now they now they both work and live in the city. They have Titan season tickets because now my cousin Amelia is a Steelers fan first, but it has to rub off on you. She's been there since, you know, since she was knee high to a grasshopper. Oh, okay. You know, they've lived in Tennessee for 20 plus years now. She was basically raised there. She's gone to a million Titans games. Her husband, Michael, is a big Titans fan. Oh, okay. So they have season tickets. They always joke though, like, I don't know why we have season tickets. And we could probably get in for a lot. She's like Steelers season tickets. Exactly. You don't have to will them to your kids. We're probably losing money by having by having Titan season tickets. Probably right. If you go like a 15 bucks for opening day, it's not the best investment in the world. Yeah. Right.

22:47Right. It's going to be like in December. What are having there two and six? The Titans are one and a half point favorites over the jets at home. I think jets offense could be good. I'm taking the jets to win this one straight up. Me too. I mean, I haven't got any good vibes on a Tennessee. I think if this game was week 12, I'd be picking the Titans to win. Maybe. Yeah, they might start coming around in the younger quarterback. But younger quarterback, new coaching staff law turn over. It's going to take time. And I realize the jets have a new quarterback too, but he's a veteran quarterback, same head coach. I think there's just a little bit more continuity there. There's three or four of these games that I think the spreads a little favoring the wrong team. They're not big spreads. They're one and a half things like this that I'm going to pick teams from dogs outright. I think this is one of them. Matt two franchises who share a history, the cults host the Ravens. And what I want to forget the member of the Baltimore cult, some of us old folks do this. This should be like a great NFL rivalry. This should be like a day. Like a great. Right. Should hate each other in Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium, the Ravens on the road where Baltimore is a three and a half point favorite.

23:48I guess I'll take the birdies. I don't feel strong about it. It's a good number. I is India tough place to play. I assume a dome and week one is going to be loud, but there'll be a, I'm sure a lot of a lot of purple in there too. Yeah. I think Baltimore's defense. I think I'd lay the I think I'd lay the points with the Ravens. I mean, Pearson Jones haven't done anything yet. That's what I mean. I understand both more brand new head coach, brand new arrow, but at least the roster, I think has a lot less clearly healthy Lamar. Yeah. That's enough. That's enough to win by four more in Indy. In Carolina, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina, the Bears travel to take on the Panthers where Chicago is a three point road favorite. I guess I'll take Chicago. Their defense scares me quite a bit. This is one, maybe the over the over unders 47 and a half. There's a few teams. This should maybe be, this would be maybe one of the one or two overs that I would pick this week because both of these teams could put up some points and give up a lot of points.

24:50Yeah. There's four or five teams, Sinsi Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, where I just think start all your fantasy guys when they play. Yes. I mean, like, there just could be, I forget who I was listening to. It might even be in the Aaron Chatz, who does the VOA talking about some of the very best defenses in the league, you know, projection Houston, Seattle, the Rams. But the worst ones are like worse than ever. Chicago Detroit. I mean, real bad. There's some that the, I guess his point was the gap between the tier one defenses and the bottom tier defenses has never been greater. Jiglandis, right? And you are in the middle than ever. Matt all AFC North teams play at one o'clock on Sunday. The Browns in Jacksonville where it is supposed to be 90. I don't think that he's going to pick off. I'm glad the Steelers didn't get that draw. Second biggest spread of the weekend, Jacksonville eight and a half point favorites at home against the Browns.

25:50I think they win, but I'll give the points to Cleveland. Okay. I'm going to take the Jags. I don't like it being over a touchdown a week one. Anything over seven a week one scares the heck out of me. Same. Same. I just trust Jacksonville and the heat and all that. I don't trust the Browns quarterback situation at all playing so many young guys, but that's a big number for week one. I'm taking Jacksonville. That's the biggest spread of the week. Second biggest biggest is Chargers hosting the Cardinals. Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm taking Jacksonville to win, but the Browns to slightly cover. Okay. Last one o'clock game that we have to discuss Matt and it could be. Could be the AFC championship come January. It's the best game in the weekend. Jackson Texan's host the bills Buffalo actually a one and a half point favorite on the road in Houston. This is another one. I think the line. I'm going to take the home team to win. I think Houston wins that game. Maybe it's quincens maybe it isn't, but the last two times Alan is faced the Texans. I've been like his two worst games of the pro. One of them got sacked like eight or nine times.

26:52It's great defense. They do that to a lot of people, but Alan is not slayed that dragon yet in his career. I'm not sold on the bills. The probably going to be toasty there too. You know, I mean, it is a dome, but it's still going to be toasty. Yeah. I think Houston wins close low scoring game. I'm not sure the bills are equipped to do that. I don't think they'll run on Houston. If it's week one and it's a offensive oriented team against a defensive oriented team, I'm taking the defensive. Yeah. Yeah. We could put it all the time. I'm going to go Houston as well. Into the four 25 4 30 slate here. This one was actually kind of surprising to me, Matt. The second most expensive get in price this weekend is in Las Vegas where the Raiders hurt the dolphins nearly 200 bucks just to get in the nose bleeds. Wow. No Brock Bowers. I mean, no Brock Bowers. It's not even like you could say, oh, that's the from an enderman does. No, he's not even a play right. I think the ticket prices are always a little inflated in Vegas because people like to travel there and go there for the game. Raiders are three point favorite at home against the dolphins.

27:52I think I'll take points. They're maybe the team, the two teams I want to bet against the most right now. Yeah, maybe the cardinals too, but yeah, yeah. I mean, there's some teams where there's bad mojo Atlanta, Washington, Tennessee, but I think without Bowers, there's just not much talent on the field period with these two teams. I'm going to take the Raiders to win. I fear I'll take points. I'm going to take the Raiders to win and cover. No, okay. I just I think Kirk Cousins week one out of the gate. Well, no, he's been there. Yeah. And I think they just have a couple individual playmakers that scare me more than Miami. Matt a big one and week one in the NFC North, where in Minnesota, the Vikings host the Packers. This one early season could have long term ramifications. Minnesota, a one and a half point favorite at home against Green Bay. I'll take the bikes to be a good game. I think it's a high scoring one too. I think so too, man. We laid out on Wednesday.

28:53I'm a little worried about the Packers, particularly the beginning of the season here while they try and get some people back healthy and figure things out. The entire defense worries me, especially corner. I think Jefferson could have a monster game. They're a line worries me. I think love will throw the ball a ton, but I don't think Green Bay runs the ball well. Minnesota will be loud and wound up. Not like Green Bay hasn't been there, but that's a tough place. That's one of the more underrated home, home atmospheres in the league. I'm with you on that. All these home teams should be optimistic. I think home field advantage and week ones a legit thing. Another NFC inter-divisional clash here as the Eagles host the commanders Matt Philadelphia at home. A six point favorite over Washington. I think Washington gets smashed. Smashed like a smash burger. Their edge guys are banged up. Tonsils out. I think that Eagles D is really, really good. I think. A lot of continuity still with the Eagles. Yeah, it's a good point. They haven't had a ton of turnover with the roster or the coaching staff.

29:54It's pretty much the same. Yeah, no, they obviously lost Jeff Stout in the legendary offensive line coach. You retired round, but you mean right now, you know, they they haven't had as much turnover as the commanders. No, they're at home where they're always tough to beat for 4 30 crowd. They'll be lathered up real nicely. They are in the link under a touchdown. He said six points. Yeah, if it was seven or seven and a half, I'd have some pause, but I think they've got enough to win by touch down or more. They're pretty good. I think they're pretty good. I think they are too, but they're volatile. But I don't know if that's going to show up week one against the bad commanders. Yeah, yeah. Last one in the 4 30 slate, Matt, across the country in Englewood, California for my money, the finest football stadium in the NFL. So if I stadium where the chargers host the Cardinals, this is Matt, the biggest spread of week one where the chargers are nine and a half point favorites at home against Arizona. And I have a lot of respect for the chargers, but I'm taking the Cardinals and the points. Cardinals to win or you know, okay, okay, okay, give me over a touchdown. I think they're a professional operation with guys that I want touching the football.

30:56I think love's going to play McBride, Harrison, or sets a legit dude. I think this will happen a lot to the Cardinals that they'll be formidable, end up with a loss, but be a little bit better than you think. I mean, they're a bad team, but they can not embarrass themselves. You have a lot of, like for example, if you and I were to do that, pick a player from the Cardinals conversation. Yeah, there's a lot that you'd be very injured. Young dudes, you know, yeah. On both sides of the football, right, right. I've said this a few times throughout the off season. If he can stay healthy, I think Walter Nolan might be a household name by the end of the year. Yeah. But the chargers I think are going to have their way when comfortably. I'm with you though week one. I'm in the NFL. I'm hardly ever going to lay nine and a half points, but especially week one, weird week ones. Chargers win, but I would take the nine and a half with Arizona to cover. And then Matt finally, another interdivisional clash in the one that could be the most interesting of the weekend. It is the most expensive get in price of the weekend.

31:57The giants in the first game of the Harbaugh era host hated division rival, the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium Sunday night, eight 20 Mike Tomlin and Jim Harbaugh will sit down and review excited to see that one. Cowboys three point road favorites. Last I saw was two and a half. Three is enough for me to take the giants. Is it really? I think Cowboys are a noticeably better team. They don't have a much better year, but I think that Tyler Smith injury is really, really big. And that front has a lot of dudes that can their athletes, the abdol carters and burns and Reese and all those guys. It's kind of just a bet on Harbaugh, you know, to be physical and get Pat record out there and shorten this thing. And I would think giants fans are optimistic for the first time in a while. Dallas is the better team, but I think this is a tough situation to walk into in the big Apple Sunday night against a good coach. I'm going to take the Cowboys to win.

32:57I'm going to take the Cowboys to cover. I do agree. They might drop 40 on any. I do agree with everything you said, but I don't think it's going to happen week one for the giants. I think it's going to take some time. And I'm not really on the Giants bandwagon like a lot of you are taking the worst of first team. I'm not going to be 21 nothing at the end of the first quarter. It could pick and says to touch the other and back through. A busted coverage. Yeah, right. Yes. Now you're absolutely right. It could be a knockdown knuckle dragon 20 to 17 game. We know that's how hard boss is going to be. Yes. But I just don't know if he'll be able to keep the lid on for 60 minutes in week one against this offense. Matt, that is all of the week one games except for two. Of course, we're going to pick. Of course, we'll wait till Monday to preview and pick the Chief's Broncos game, which is a very interesting week one Monday night game at Arrowhead Stadium. But when we come back on the other side, it's our final segment. Now to Steelers and Falcons play out on Sunday. We'll let you know when we return before we get up out of here. West you learn Matt Williams in our final segment of the week, our final segment until

33:59the Steelers finally play a meaningful football game. When we return on the other side, it's the drive Steelers Nation radio on the Steelers Audio Network. And now a word from our sponsor Bud like. 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 grabbed some Bud lights? The man we're on air for four more hours. They'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 in it, but I'm a 100% fan. So I switched to Verizon Files. It's 100% fiber in it 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.

35:00I win the bet. Get 100% fiber internet with Verizon Files because when it comes to your team, it's 100% or nothing. Call 1-E3-3 Verizon to switch today. Get that hot dog costume ready. Bra. You're tuned to a drive on your 24-7 home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation radio. Laughing here during our final commercial break about name pronunciation. How does two of the pronounces last name, man? You've gotten some feedback that you've been doing it wrong. I always thought it was tag of Iola, but a corner. Which is how it's spelled. According to TV, it's OIL. Not quite right. See, if you've noticed, I have not pronounced it all week. You just say two. It's got to be a track track. It takes that easy way out or maybe the smart way out.

36:02And I almost asked you, you know, going back to your college experience and he was a big time guy that maybe you know it exactly and I'm going, does he know how he's saying it right or does he just winging it? Just winging it. No, I thought you could tell with the confidence and bravado of which I delivered to a tag of Iola. He sounds like he knows it's right. I'm just going to call him to it from all week and avoid this conversation. To a to a to a to a to a tag of my own. Someone out there knows, but he's not playing anyways. For whatever reason, that just popped into my head when he was at Alabama, they have like a, like I think probably most colleges do like a Acapella group, you know, on campus. Yeah. And they had this. They did that. Or clip where it was the comma, comma, comma, comma, comma, comma, comma, comma, Camille, young song, but they were to a to a to a to a to a to a tag of Iola. He runs and throws. And he runs and throws at the random things, the random things that jostle around my noggin, Matt Williamson. But we're not going to have to worry about to her pronouncing his name correctly on Sunday because he is out as his name makes me go.

37:05Wesley, you learn. Yeah. I'm a killer. Yeah. And you know what? This is probably wrong. But maybe the reason why I mispronounced names so often is because growing up, nobody can pronounce my last name. Oh, I bet you got everything. I got everything. I got all I got all. Aller was the most popular one. Yeah, I could see that all are all are all are a pair of reddit. Maybe I'd do an aller. Yeah. I get it. It's a difficult German last name. Matt, I'm saying name is a brovis. Zebrovis. Yeah. I mean, I think that's the only way to get the best of those stories before of how she was the only one who could sympathize worse than me of lining up an alphabetical order. Is she from a Z to a W. That was big. That's big. I was just a you. I wasn't quite all the way back there, but I was pretty close, pretty close. I remember every once in a while, the teacher would be like, we're going to line up an opposite alphabetical order today. Yeah. Big deal for me. This is my big beta shine. Matt, who you got in this contest there? Real quickly before we do final injury reports for week one from the Falcons and the Steelers.

38:06Let's start here with Atlanta. Matt, I mean, it's it's kind of what you would expect. Um, wait here. Now, of course, it just, it just froze on me. But for the Steelers, I'll pull this up in a second for the Steelers though. Just one name on the report. Mm-hmm. Joey Porter, Jr. With the back is officially listed as questionable for Sundays. Yeah. We have really nothing else to comment on that entire situation. I think that's about it. Yeah. I think that's about it. Here is your, here's your chance. He's not going to play. You have to listen is questionable. That's right. NFL protocol. Yeah. Matt, there are four Falcons that have been ruled out to just to a and Michael Pennich's junior. Yeah. Of course, as we knew, Billy Bowman, the cornerback is out. I have a slot, the undersized safety corner guy and Cameron Williams, the offensive tackle is out with an ankle. Okay. He's a backup. Other than that, every, every, sorry, Zadaris Smith listed as questionable. The four Falcons ruled out and then Zadaris Smith is also listed as questionable.

39:09They have a defensive line, and Brandon Dorrius, who was on it yesterday that must have came off. He's probably their best sack guy with their top two guys out. So it sounds like he's playing. He was the name I was interested in. Oh. But he's not a huge difference maker. Finish last season is strong. Okay. Okay. Well, hey, we're going to start figuring out pretty soon here how, how the, uh, 2020, 26 season is going to play out. Yeah. Matt Steelers hosting the Falcons home opener, something that hasn't happened a lot around these parts in the last, uh, handful of years. I think the line opened at three and a half Steelers, I want to say, I know it bumped yesterday and then it bumped up the five and a half and then now sits at six with the Cooper rush news. Steelers favored by nearly a touchdown. Six points, week one at home, supposed to be 80 degrees and beautiful weather. The over under is 41 and a half Matt. We, not obviously to the extent of you and Dale, but you and I did have a couple of times

40:11last year where we picked the same thing. Sure. It's bound to happen when we talk, yeah, 30 hours. And I think you and I are both smart. We look at this. There, there is a reason Vegas Prince money like they do because they are often correct or really close to correct. More than they are wrong. I think you and I both do a good job of looking at the spread, looking at the over under using that, the formulated score 2417 Steelers get the W and I'm not saying it is, it feels as tight as a seven point win. But I, but 24 to 17 where the result is never really in harm's way. The Steelers never look like they're in danger of losing the game, but it's also not, you can put your feet up in the fourth quarter and just relax and, and not have to worry about the outcome down the stretch. I feel similarly and my score is 2410. Ooh, I think the, the Steeler offense probably is going to take a lot of chances with the ball, play it close to the vest. Aaron, you know, is not going to really put the ball in harm's way unless it comes down to, you know, crunch time in a two minute situation. Sure.

41:11I think you can stick with the run game. Robinson scares the heck out of me, but I do think they will be extremely hyper focused on giving him some, but not, you know, game breaking stuff. Atlanta's not a great football team right now, and I think you're playing them at a really good time. I bet there'll be some frustrating moments from a Steeler perspective, you know, blown block by a young offensive lineman or miscommunication in the second area or things of that nature, but I think they win at home reasonably comfortably. Again, I mean, again, I don't think it's like, Cam Hayward's wearing a baseball cap in the fourth quarter and it's like that. But you know, I think they handle business. And I think it's reasonably comfortable to just you'll have to kind of wait it out because they're not going to pull away and then you drop 40 on. That's right. That's rare to see in the NFL period. Yes. But especially week one. Absolutely. It is again, preseason means less and less deemphasized every year.

42:13Training camps get less and less physical, less and less tackling every single year. I mean, two thirds of the league have the new offensive play collar. There's going to be bumps and, you know, early part of the season across the league. They're absolutely is. They're absolutely is folks enjoy the football weekend. Yeah. Next week will be fun. I have a game to talk about. Yeah. I can't wait for Monday show, baby. You got some good college football games tomorrow. You got a full slate of NFL on Sunday, a good Sunday night football game with the chiefs or a part of me Monday night football game with the chiefs and the Broncos, a tonight Matt, Kansas and Missouri, too, which is a great battle. That's an underrated college football rivalry on tonight. So plenty of football come and get your fixings here in the next few days. And as always, you know when lose or draw, Matt and I will be back on Monday to break it all down with you. But that will do it for us today. Thanks to our friend and stealer sideline reporter, Missy Matthews for joining us earlier in a big shout out to our video producer statistician all around swell guy, Mr. TV Tyler

43:19V for Matt Williamson, I'm West Mueller. Take care everybody and we 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 we heard Amanda is off to school. Yeah, big step more independent. She's not going to call every week asking for more money for books. Is she with smart start banking from S&T Bank? She gets budgeting tools scholarship opportunities. Irkin said money using Zell. Wow, I guess college is about getting smarter, right? Give them financial independence and yourself peace of mind. Stop by your local branch call 835 2265 or visit STBank.com to send money with Zell both parties must have an eligible checking or savings account terms and conditions apply S&T Bank member FDIC.