WEBVTT - Pregame Show - Tim Benz Hosts 0:00:05.559 --> 0:00:09.350 It's the year 2026, and we're still here talking about 0:00:09.400 --> 0:00:13.430 what wide receivers the Pittsburgh Steelers should get, could get, 0:00:13.890 --> 0:00:19.150 might get, shouldn't get, won't get. Some things never change. 0:00:20.050 --> 0:00:23.440 The quest for 10-7 to back the playoffs, the quest 0:00:23.480 --> 0:00:28.060 for 500 for the Pirates, the quest for a known 0:00:28.140 --> 0:00:31.800 future for the Penguins, and the quest for relevance in 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:35.800 the ACC for Pitt. The dialogue continues, and we're going 0:00:35.820 --> 0:00:37.960 to do it all the way up until 6 o'clock tonight. 0:00:38.220 --> 0:00:42.180 Tim Benz in for Mark Madden. Tommy Radio joins me 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:44.180 right now. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel here. 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:48.059 Josh Downs, yes or no? I take Josh Downs. I 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:48.540 think he'd fit. 0:00:48.580 --> 0:00:51.100 Now, wait a minute. Now, we take Josh Downs, and 0:00:51.140 --> 0:00:53.240 that means that Pittman's done for the year, right? Like, 0:00:53.270 --> 0:00:55.970 we're just assuming that he's just not in the equation anymore? 0:00:56.070 --> 0:00:56.910 Not necessarily. 0:00:57.030 --> 0:00:59.030 Then there's kind of a log jam that does present 0:00:59.070 --> 0:00:59.630 itself at some point. 0:00:59.650 --> 0:01:01.410 No, there isn't. Well, who's the odd man out then 0:01:01.430 --> 0:01:04.270 for you? If Pittman's back, then Wilson's the odd man out. 0:01:04.550 --> 0:01:07.209 Not Pittman? If Wilson's back, then Pittman's the odd man out. 0:01:08.490 --> 0:01:11.250 I would take my top three of that equation are, 0:01:11.709 --> 0:01:16.930 in this order, DK, Downs, Bernard. Switch Bernard and Downs, 0:01:16.970 --> 0:01:19.170 but yes, I agree with you. You would still have 0:01:19.209 --> 0:01:20.130 Bernard elevated over Downs? 0:01:20.150 --> 0:01:21.890 Bernard's the number two. Downs works out of the slot 0:01:21.930 --> 0:01:24.520 really well. I think Bernard and DK sits on the outside. 0:01:24.580 --> 0:01:27.640 Downs fits into your slot role extremely well. More established 0:01:27.660 --> 0:01:30.500 than Roman Wilson is there. and just better at this 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:33.069 point than Michael Pittman probably can do at any role 0:01:33.310 --> 0:01:33.830 on the field. 0:01:33.890 --> 0:01:37.450 So I'm in on downs. You're down on downs. I'm 0:01:37.490 --> 0:01:40.350 down for downs. Yes. Down for downs. That's right. I 0:01:40.450 --> 0:01:43.810 am too. And we're going to talk to Mike DeCoursey 0:01:43.860 --> 0:01:45.600 about this a little bit later on in the show. 0:01:45.640 --> 0:01:46.900 When he joins us, he's going to join us a 0:01:46.900 --> 0:01:50.180 little bit later than he normally does on Wednesdays. He's 0:01:50.200 --> 0:01:52.080 going to be on in the five o'clock hour, straight 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:54.580 up at five o'clock. Normally he's on at about three 0:01:54.580 --> 0:01:56.940 30 when Brian met you, the Pittsburgh penguins radio network, 0:01:56.970 --> 0:02:00.020 talk pens with us at that point in time, But 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:02.760 I know he's not big on going out and getting 0:02:02.800 --> 0:02:05.860 a receiver unless this news has changed his mind. For me, 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:08.220 I am big on getting a receiver because I want 0:02:08.240 --> 0:02:09.620 to see them finally be able to do it and 0:02:09.700 --> 0:02:13.730 do it appropriately. And it's missing right now because of 0:02:13.750 --> 0:02:14.570 the injury. Yeah, it is. 0:02:14.690 --> 0:02:16.310 And, you know, I think Josh Downs was on my 0:02:16.340 --> 0:02:19.209 radar even before the official trade request from him came out, 0:02:19.270 --> 0:02:21.389 just because everybody could see the writing on the wall 0:02:21.410 --> 0:02:23.370 as far as where Indianapolis was going. And he was 0:02:23.430 --> 0:02:25.770 one that was targeted as far as a trade chip 0:02:25.810 --> 0:02:28.770 for them when they have their fire sale. And I 0:02:28.810 --> 0:02:32.059 just think, you know, Do you buy into the BTJ 0:02:32.100 --> 0:02:34.140 hype out of Jacksonville, Brian Thomas Jr. 0:02:34.220 --> 0:02:35.399 that they're going to move him? 0:02:35.460 --> 0:02:38.240 Because if he is moved or is on the block officially, 0:02:38.260 --> 0:02:40.500 that's probably the top of the food chain as far 0:02:40.540 --> 0:02:42.590 as the trade block is concerned for wide receivers at 0:02:42.610 --> 0:02:42.910 the deadline. 0:02:42.950 --> 0:02:45.590 He had been. I don't know. You don't like Downs 0:02:45.610 --> 0:02:46.070 more than him? 0:02:46.770 --> 0:02:48.410 I think I would rather have Brian Thomas Jr. more 0:02:48.430 --> 0:02:49.810 than Downs, but I think it's probably a little bit 0:02:49.850 --> 0:02:51.150 more expensive for Brian Thomas Jr. I think Downs could 0:02:51.169 --> 0:02:55.190 be really good for Rodgers. And fit perfectly into this offense. 0:02:55.510 --> 0:02:56.030 Thomas Jr. 0:02:56.060 --> 0:02:57.980 I think, is more of like the Harrison-esque kind of 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:00.760 mold where it's like there's potential there. And he actually 0:03:00.780 --> 0:03:02.420 was good for a season in the NFL in his 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:06.600 rookie season, unlike Harrison. I was just saying, like, Downs 0:03:06.680 --> 0:03:08.760 kind of fits the perfect spot, I think, for the Steelers. 0:03:08.780 --> 0:03:11.059 You're not hitting the home run. Like, Thomas Jr. is 0:03:11.100 --> 0:03:13.639 probably the home run if he is available. I don't 0:03:13.660 --> 0:03:15.060 think you have to give up more than, what, a 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:18.710 fourth-round pick, maybe a fifth-round pick to get Downs. I 0:03:18.750 --> 0:03:22.050 think that it just kind of fits perfectly with everything 0:03:22.070 --> 0:03:24.650 the Steelers will be willing to give up, his actual 0:03:24.710 --> 0:03:26.590 fit in the offense, all of that. 0:03:27.290 --> 0:03:29.389 Of course, the floodgates are open in Indy now because 0:03:29.410 --> 0:03:31.790 they traded Quentin Nelson to the Seahawks. So now it 0:03:31.830 --> 0:03:35.190 feels like everybody and the Niners. So it feels like 0:03:35.210 --> 0:03:36.990 everybody's up. Oh yeah. 0:03:37.010 --> 0:03:39.510 Taylor's going to go. It feels like Gardner's starting to 0:03:39.530 --> 0:03:41.140 get a little bit of talk too. He's got a 0:03:41.160 --> 0:03:42.480 lot of money tied up to him though. 0:03:42.700 --> 0:03:44.779 And some people want the Steelers would prefer to see 0:03:44.820 --> 0:03:47.360 the Steelers go get him because of their corner situation. 0:03:48.200 --> 0:03:50.620 I would love to see them get a corner, but 0:03:50.940 --> 0:03:52.980 are they going to play man coverage or is Patrick 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:55.860 Graham just going to stick to what he's done so far? 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:58.390 Like, Sauce Gardner's a pipe dream. 0:03:58.650 --> 0:04:00.910 Reek Woolen is kind of the one I'm more looking at. 0:04:00.990 --> 0:04:02.350 And I know he got fried on Monday night a 0:04:02.370 --> 0:04:04.130 couple times by the Cowboys receivers, but at least he 0:04:04.150 --> 0:04:07.130 can play man coverage. He's an established man cover corner 0:04:07.170 --> 0:04:09.950 in this league. But you go trade to Reek Woolen, like, 0:04:10.530 --> 0:04:11.890 are you going to play more man? Or are you 0:04:11.910 --> 0:04:13.130 just going to try to fit him into zone, which 0:04:13.170 --> 0:04:15.190 he can play, but is it worth it then at 0:04:15.230 --> 0:04:15.690 that point? 0:04:16.029 --> 0:04:19.390 Right now, Downs has 26 catches for 370 yards and 0:04:19.450 --> 0:04:23.500 no touchdowns. Downs has a career-low catch rate of 56% 0:04:23.500 --> 0:04:29.140 on his targets. But part of the issue is Pittman's gone. 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:31.900 Pierce has been hurt all year. And Daniel Jones is 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:33.760 the quarterback. Downs is the number one receiver right now. 0:04:33.839 --> 0:04:35.300 So this is a guy who's not a number one 0:04:35.339 --> 0:04:39.380 receiver who's getting number one receiver attention. Yes. So if 0:04:39.440 --> 0:04:41.610 he comes here and. people look at him the same 0:04:41.640 --> 0:04:43.910 way you just outlined he's your number three guy which 0:04:43.970 --> 0:04:45.590 is where he would be great i still don't know 0:04:45.610 --> 0:04:47.290 if they have a number two now i take that 0:04:47.310 --> 0:04:49.130 back i know they got a number two dk's number 0:04:49.150 --> 0:04:50.330 two i don't know if they have a number one 0:04:50.370 --> 0:04:52.050 they do not have a number one yeah. 0:04:51.850 --> 0:04:53.390 So they've got a good number two and then they 0:04:53.410 --> 0:04:55.250 would have two good number three they have an established 0:04:55.270 --> 0:04:57.690 number two they have a developing two in bernard and 0:04:57.730 --> 0:04:59.430 then downs would be a solid three. 0:04:59.970 --> 0:05:04.409 So i think that that would be enough to contend 0:05:04.470 --> 0:05:06.490 with and you know this could be a randall cobb 0:05:06.510 --> 0:05:10.010 kind of get i think for aaron. 0:05:08.870 --> 0:05:12.400 Rogers yeah but like not actually Randall Cobb where he's 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:14.380 turning into dust, like Josh Downs. 0:05:14.480 --> 0:05:16.320 Oh, no, no, no, no. I meant like when they 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:17.659 were hooking up together, like when. 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:20.059 They were saying like, he'll fit the mold of player 0:05:20.080 --> 0:05:22.100 that Randall Cobb was at one point. 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:23.980 Like the one thing that makes me a little fuzzy 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:27.190 on a mid season acquisition at wide receiver is Rogers 0:05:27.250 --> 0:05:31.589 and how persnickety he is about, you know, hand signals 0:05:31.670 --> 0:05:34.010 and knowing the playbook and being exactly the right place 0:05:34.110 --> 0:05:38.370 at the right time. All these intangibles that go along 0:05:38.390 --> 0:05:42.170 with being a wide receiver for Rogers is What Adam 0:05:42.230 --> 0:05:44.600 Thielen was talking about last year, for as minimal of 0:05:44.630 --> 0:05:47.180 the impact as Adam Thielen was going to give you anyway, 0:05:47.360 --> 0:05:49.800 how much was that exacerbated by the fact that he 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:51.820 didn't know what he was doing and Rodgers was all 0:05:51.860 --> 0:05:53.800 up his business about not knowing what he was doing? 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:55.200 Yeah, but at some point, did you have to go 0:05:55.240 --> 0:05:58.500 to Rodgers and say, hey, Downs might miss a hand 0:05:58.540 --> 0:06:01.000 signal every once in a while, but at least you 0:06:01.040 --> 0:06:03.490 can throw to Josh Downs and not Brandon Smith off 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:05.870 the practice squad? Or even at least you can throw 0:06:05.890 --> 0:06:08.589 to Josh Downs and not... Michael Pippen or Roman Wilson. 0:06:08.630 --> 0:06:11.130 Right. Well, again, there's another part of it. He already 0:06:11.150 --> 0:06:14.120 feels like he's sour on Pittman because he– He didn't 0:06:14.140 --> 0:06:14.620 like Pittman. 0:06:14.760 --> 0:06:17.099 He didn't talk glowingly of Pittman back at training camp. 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:18.270 Like he barely mentioned him at all. 0:06:18.300 --> 0:06:20.060 It's been going on since August where he would talk 0:06:20.080 --> 0:06:22.160 about every other receiver and barely say anything about Pittman. 0:06:22.180 --> 0:06:24.340 Probably could sniff out maybe the injury issues coming on. 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:27.850 Might have been it. Smelled the lemon in Pittman. This 0:06:27.900 --> 0:06:30.630 is damaged goods right now. Well, it's weird because I 0:06:30.650 --> 0:06:33.060 thought the vaccine might take away his ability to smell– 0:06:33.089 --> 0:06:41.320 never mind. I respect the reach. But I would do this. 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:43.140 I would go after him. I would get downs. And 0:06:43.230 --> 0:06:45.950 for folks who don't know, it was reported by Jordan 0:06:45.990 --> 0:06:49.370 Schultz that the Steelers might be a team that's interested 0:06:49.390 --> 0:06:52.710 in him. Jeremy Fowler just updated his story. This is 0:06:52.750 --> 0:06:54.930 what he put out there online with Stephen Holder as 0:06:55.010 --> 0:06:59.020 well from ESPN.com, who covers the Colts. Colts fourth-year receiver 0:06:59.060 --> 0:07:03.960 Josh Downs, final year of his contract, requested trade. Multiple 0:07:03.980 --> 0:07:06.810 teams have expressed interest in Downs, but The lack of 0:07:06.930 --> 0:07:09.750 movement on a deal, despite the team's clear rebuilding plan, 0:07:09.880 --> 0:07:11.180 prompted the request. 0:07:12.160 --> 0:07:14.360 So in other words, he doesn't want to get left behind. 0:07:14.380 --> 0:07:15.920 Yeah, exactly. 0:07:16.660 --> 0:07:18.820 I see every write-up I see as far as potential 0:07:18.860 --> 0:07:21.860 trading block pieces, and it's a receiver. A team listed 0:07:21.900 --> 0:07:23.470 is always the Chiefs. So you're going to have to 0:07:23.500 --> 0:07:25.710 deal with the Chiefs as far as any receiving market 0:07:25.770 --> 0:07:28.550 is concerned. And quite frankly, don't you have to basically 0:07:28.570 --> 0:07:30.690 deal with almost all teams in markets like this? Because 0:07:30.830 --> 0:07:33.290 every team, like even a Buffalo, all the teams could 0:07:33.310 --> 0:07:35.030 just look at it and be like, I could add 0:07:35.070 --> 0:07:37.170 a third receiver to the mold if it only cost 0:07:37.210 --> 0:07:39.670 me a fourth or a fifth round pick. So there's 0:07:39.690 --> 0:07:42.190 going to be a competitive market for whoever receiver the 0:07:42.210 --> 0:07:43.190 Steelers tried to target. 0:07:43.750 --> 0:07:48.410 How about the Chiefs getting Tucker? For the practice? For 0:07:48.450 --> 0:07:51.120 the practice squad. Is Bucker hurt? No, Bucker hasn't been 0:07:51.130 --> 0:07:53.140 kicking well. I don't know if there's an injury associated 0:07:53.180 --> 0:07:55.120 or what, but he has not been kicking hard enough. 0:07:55.140 --> 0:07:57.120 I don't know if he's not praying hard enough, but 0:07:57.140 --> 0:08:00.480 I don't want to use that phrase around Tucker. Is 0:08:00.500 --> 0:08:03.720 that a reach? No, it wasn't. Or is that a layup? 0:08:06.210 --> 0:08:08.070 What's the name of the bit that we do on Mondays? 0:08:08.270 --> 0:08:09.530 The hard guy of the week. The hard guy of 0:08:09.550 --> 0:08:11.600 the week. Justin Tucker. Justin Tucker. He just missed it. 0:08:11.630 --> 0:08:12.450 He qualifies. 0:08:12.550 --> 0:08:14.750 No, he didn't qualify this week. Maybe next week. Maybe 0:08:14.770 --> 0:08:16.430 for next week he will, especially if he gets into 0:08:16.470 --> 0:08:17.560 a game and makes a field goal. 0:08:17.740 --> 0:08:20.780 I can't believe they signed him. Oh, God. Got two 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.100 lightning rods right now at place kicker. How about for 0:08:23.540 --> 0:08:26.600 two kickers? For two completely different reasons, too. Right. Like 0:08:26.800 --> 0:08:29.420 one holier than thou. But the same groups will be 0:08:29.460 --> 0:08:31.790 mad at you. But the same groups will be mad 0:08:31.850 --> 0:08:35.370 at you for getting the kicker. That's amazing. All right, so... 0:08:35.890 --> 0:08:37.449 Bigger picture thing that we're going to talk about in 0:08:37.510 --> 0:08:39.670 the 3 o'clock hour as it relates to the Steelers. 0:08:41.170 --> 0:08:43.250 And I sort of got this sense in listening to 0:08:43.290 --> 0:08:46.410 Mark's show yesterday, listening to him with Randy, listening to 0:08:46.429 --> 0:08:48.510 him talk about his hit with Randy, listening to Randy 0:08:48.550 --> 0:08:51.400 talk about his hit with Mark today on the morning show. 0:08:51.780 --> 0:08:53.420 I didn't hear Mark back on the morning show today. 0:08:53.460 --> 0:08:53.740 Did you? 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:56.040 How'd that go? I thought he was supposed to be on, 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:57.000 I think. Yeah, I'm asking. 0:08:57.020 --> 0:08:58.440 I think before his flight out to the West Coast, 0:08:58.460 --> 0:09:00.400 they didn't get a chance to listen to it, no. Okay. 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:03.100 I was getting ready to do my Steelers blitz. Oh, 0:09:03.110 --> 0:09:07.090 you're blitzing today. Yes. That's right. You're blitzing with Vince. 0:09:07.250 --> 0:09:07.530 Vince. 0:09:07.570 --> 0:09:09.000 Yes. He was pretty good on the blitz. 0:09:09.429 --> 0:09:09.579 Yeah. 0:09:09.620 --> 0:09:11.080 Why would he have to say they have opinions? 0:09:12.500 --> 0:09:14.840 I meant literally on the blitz. Oh, when you would 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:18.120 send him back in the day. But also on the show, yes, 0:09:18.160 --> 0:09:18.500 he's good. 0:09:18.880 --> 0:09:21.200 When they did bring him, yes. You know what you 0:09:21.220 --> 0:09:23.120 should do? I remember this very clearly. Have him blitz 0:09:23.140 --> 0:09:25.800 me sometimes in the studio? No, one thing you should 0:09:25.850 --> 0:09:27.570 do that's really going to get under his skin, and 0:09:27.610 --> 0:09:29.189 you could get a good... Why are you doing this? 0:09:29.230 --> 0:09:31.590 You're already trying to wedge us away from each other. Yeah, 0:09:31.610 --> 0:09:33.550 I am. I'm trying to drive a wedge there. I 0:09:33.650 --> 0:09:40.469 distinctly remember, and I think this was when they brought... 0:09:40.190 --> 0:09:42.080 What's his face on that went to Wisconsin that was 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:45.800 cast off by the Browns? The linebacker that was the Jaguar, too? Ooh. 0:09:46.460 --> 0:09:50.640 Whatever his name was. Blake Martinez? No, no, no. Okay, 0:09:50.660 --> 0:09:52.800 but Blake Martinez I think was in that same year. 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:55.809 But whatever the case was. It wasn't Jack, was it? Huh? 0:09:55.929 --> 0:09:58.210 Miles Jack went to UCLA. No, not Miles Jack. But 0:09:59.190 --> 0:10:02.620 the suggestion was he was a three-down linebacker. The guy 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:05.020 who they brought in? The guy they brought in. Vince 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:09.860 hated the phrase three-down linebacker. Because the implication was you 0:10:09.900 --> 0:10:12.800 could not be a run stuff. Because I remember Tomlin... 0:10:13.050 --> 0:10:15.890 I think it was Thursdays, for whatever reason, the schedule. 0:10:15.910 --> 0:10:17.390 You would see Tomlin in the locker room. It's about 0:10:17.410 --> 0:10:19.210 the only time that Tomlin let the locker room be 0:10:19.230 --> 0:10:21.670 the locker room space. He didn't want to invade. That's 0:10:21.700 --> 0:10:23.340 where the players are. I only go there if I 0:10:23.380 --> 0:10:26.300 have to go there. But Thursdays, for whatever reason, you 0:10:26.320 --> 0:10:28.700 would kind of walk through. It's because of the timing 0:10:28.740 --> 0:10:30.360 of practice, where the meetings are going to be, whatever. 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:32.079 And I remember one time, I was going over to 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:35.559 talk to Highsmith, I think, and Williams called Tomlin over 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:39.340 and said, what is this thing about a three-down linebacker? 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:42.420 What's a three-down linebacker? What does that mean, three-down linebacker? Because. 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:47.160 I don't know if it was specifically about the other guy, 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:50.450 but the implication is, why can't I be a three-down linebacker? 0:10:50.470 --> 0:10:53.250 That was basically it. And I don't know if he knew, 0:10:53.870 --> 0:10:56.469 like Tom would read this as laying the foundation for himself, 0:10:56.550 --> 0:10:59.150 but it was a very spirited conversation. So it was 0:10:59.429 --> 0:11:01.309 Vince having a hot take with his coach, which I 0:11:01.350 --> 0:11:02.030 greatly enjoyed. 0:11:02.050 --> 0:11:04.550 So you want me to rehash some of the coverage 0:11:04.590 --> 0:11:06.229 deficiencies that Vince had in his game? 0:11:06.250 --> 0:11:08.550 No, I'm not saying about him. On third downs? Cause his, 0:11:08.730 --> 0:11:11.890 his complaint was not necessarily about what was the operation 0:11:11.910 --> 0:11:15.280 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His complaint was just the terminology 0:11:15.360 --> 0:11:18.580 of terminology. Yes. Right. Three down the view of what 0:11:18.620 --> 0:11:21.920 a three down. Isn't that just a linebacker? I think, yes. 0:11:21.980 --> 0:11:24.480 And I think his implication was, can that three down 0:11:24.520 --> 0:11:27.350 linebacker actually cut, uh, make an impact in the run game? 0:11:28.110 --> 0:11:28.350 Right. 0:11:28.890 --> 0:11:31.290 Like the three-down linebacker, does he do anything in the run? 0:11:31.309 --> 0:11:33.469 Does he do anything on first down? Right. Yeah, exactly. 0:11:33.550 --> 0:11:35.080 So just get him going on that. You might be 0:11:35.130 --> 0:11:36.940 able to. I will. I will be able to get 0:11:36.980 --> 0:11:39.559 him going on that. Just use the phrase three-down linebacker 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:41.280 two or three times. And throw it in, yeah. Just 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:43.679 drop it in and wait for it. Carson Schlesinger, Vince, 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:47.220 this is a three-down linebacker if I've ever seen it. Yeah, 0:11:47.500 --> 0:11:50.610 that's a good one right there, exactly. Tommy Radio and 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:52.189 I will come back. We'll talk more about the Steelers. 0:11:52.210 --> 0:11:55.150 We're also getting some Penguins conversation. The World Series last night. 0:11:55.809 --> 0:11:57.469 What's the opposite of the hard guy of the week? 0:11:58.950 --> 0:12:01.730 Soft Guy of the Week? The Flaccid Guy. Okay, Flaccid 0:12:01.750 --> 0:12:03.550 Guy of the Week. Flaccid Guy of the Fortnite? I 0:12:03.550 --> 0:12:06.170 don't know. I've got a nominee for you when we 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:11.740 come back. 105.9 The X. iHeartRadio Alter Ego 2027. Presented 0:12:11.860 --> 0:12:16.320 by Capital One. The lineup is huge. The question is... 0:12:16.679 --> 0:12:34.990 Wanna go far out? Joe Sjobert was the linebacker I 0:12:35.020 --> 0:12:38.510 was desperately trying to get my brain to wrap around. 0:12:38.750 --> 0:12:40.890 My bad. I'm not surprised your brain forgot. No, the 0:12:40.910 --> 0:12:43.130 people online were listening and said the same things that 0:12:43.190 --> 0:12:46.790 you did. Miles Jack. Miles Jack and Blake Martinez. Yeah. Yes. 0:12:47.150 --> 0:12:51.370 Who neither went to Wisconsin. No, that's the... Wait, did 0:12:51.390 --> 0:12:52.929 Miles Jack... He did play for the Browns for a 0:12:52.929 --> 0:12:56.150 little while, didn't he? Maybe. Definitely for the Jags. Definitely 0:12:56.170 --> 0:12:58.870 for the Jaguars. He was good with the Jaguars. I 0:12:58.910 --> 0:13:00.950 liked that signing when they first got him. Oh, Miles Jack? 0:13:01.090 --> 0:13:04.890 Yeah. Yes, when they kept trying to find any kind 0:13:04.929 --> 0:13:06.820 of inside backer that they could hang their hat on 0:13:06.880 --> 0:13:08.920 since Shazier had to call it quits early. 0:13:08.940 --> 0:13:12.380 Yeah. I know a lot of people want to just... 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:18.260 I always feel like that's... Unfair to Ryan Shazier. People 0:13:18.300 --> 0:13:21.060 don't mean to do it that way because obviously, well, 0:13:21.100 --> 0:13:23.760 how could he possibly control what happened to him? Right. 0:13:23.860 --> 0:13:25.040 It was a freak accident. But I mean, it's like 0:13:25.640 --> 0:13:28.480 everybody who wants to trace like the trickle down from 0:13:28.500 --> 0:13:30.520 this is where it all started to go from really 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:35.780 good to just malaise was, oh, Shazier got hurt. Well, 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:37.280 I mean, it's like bad enough for the guy. 0:13:37.380 --> 0:13:37.620 Yeah. 0:13:37.679 --> 0:13:39.790 You know, his career ended because of it. And I 0:13:39.790 --> 0:13:42.010 was going to look at this franchise turning point with 0:13:42.050 --> 0:13:43.370 the defense. I mean, I think we are. 0:13:44.380 --> 0:13:47.180 Years removed from that getting close to it now so 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:49.100 i mean it's it's more than enough time to get 0:13:49.220 --> 0:13:50.880 over whatever malaise that that might. 0:13:50.780 --> 0:13:52.840 Oh yeah it's not like you're right because ryan shazier 0:13:52.860 --> 0:13:56.040 would not be playing inside linebacker right now for the pittsburgh. 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:59.160 Steelers and and i do admit that they probably lost 0:13:59.460 --> 0:14:02.120 any chance they had that season with that injury in 0:14:02.200 --> 0:14:04.800 particular again not his fault but yeah like this whole 0:14:04.830 --> 0:14:07.350 like that was it for the steelers franchise when ryan 0:14:07.390 --> 0:14:09.870 shazier went down the lightning struck and it turned them 0:14:09.929 --> 0:14:13.160 into a just a mundane mediocre team like Now there's 0:14:13.179 --> 0:14:15.080 a lot of other reasons and factors that have been 0:14:15.100 --> 0:14:17.640 doing that for the years since the Shazier tragic injury. 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:20.310 Well, we got waylaid because I got into something else, 0:14:20.410 --> 0:14:22.229 but I was going to bring up the topic and 0:14:22.250 --> 0:14:23.990 I'll do a little preview here for how we're going 0:14:24.010 --> 0:14:26.130 to open up the three o'clock hour. And by the way, 0:14:26.170 --> 0:14:28.830 this is the pregame show with Tommy radio, Tim Benz, 0:14:28.890 --> 0:14:30.530 and for Mark, we're brought to you by Dr. Heil 0:14:30.550 --> 0:14:36.620 center for hair restoration at premier plastic surgery. I am 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:39.860 going to talk about the sense of where Steelers fans 0:14:40.080 --> 0:14:44.530 are in terms of embracing this 5-2 start versus rolling 0:14:44.550 --> 0:14:46.820 their eyes at it. Because I do think there's an 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:49.000 element of touch the stove too many times. We've seen 0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:51.800 this fish before. I'm not going to allow myself to 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:53.900 get jacked up about a team that just beat the 0:14:54.570 --> 0:14:57.750 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime and the New Orleans Saints 0:14:57.770 --> 0:15:01.950 16-10 in France. I get why people have that reaction, 0:15:02.610 --> 0:15:05.510 but my take on it is they're where they're supposed 0:15:05.580 --> 0:15:08.220 to be. And there are multiple times where I thought 0:15:08.260 --> 0:15:10.979 this year, or maybe last year, or in the many 0:15:11.020 --> 0:15:14.020 years since Shazier got hurt and since things started to 0:15:14.070 --> 0:15:16.210 go from really good to mediocre, that they wouldn't be. 0:15:16.510 --> 0:15:18.550 That they would have lost one of these somewhere along 0:15:18.590 --> 0:15:18.830 the way. 0:15:19.230 --> 0:15:21.490 And you kind of thought that this time, too, because 0:15:21.530 --> 0:15:22.690 of all the times you put the hand on the 0:15:22.740 --> 0:15:23.580 stove and it burned you. 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:25.100 You thought that there was going to be a stubbed 0:15:25.220 --> 0:15:27.960 toe in Tampa. There still might be. It might be 0:15:27.980 --> 0:15:28.840 at Akershire Stadium. 0:15:28.860 --> 0:15:31.380 It does kind of feel like, and I'm guilty of this, 0:15:31.460 --> 0:15:33.460 that we have a little bit of a mission accomplished 0:15:33.500 --> 0:15:35.800 vibe going on right now as far as this quadrant 0:15:35.900 --> 0:15:36.620 is concerned. 0:15:37.070 --> 0:15:40.030 This four-game stretch. Flying the banner. 0:15:40.070 --> 0:15:43.210 And the hardest opponent is still on the horizon. We 0:15:43.230 --> 0:15:45.110 haven't played the best team in Pittsburgh yet. No, the 0:15:45.150 --> 0:15:48.030 quality team in this stretch is here in Cleveland. They're 0:15:48.290 --> 0:15:50.540 way better than the Colts, Bucks, or Saints are. 0:15:51.040 --> 0:15:55.250 For sure. No doubt. That this is the hardest opponent. Now, 0:15:55.290 --> 0:15:57.530 is it the hardest game because of the hex that 0:15:57.570 --> 0:16:00.590 hangs over Cleveland coming here? Because of how fired up 0:16:00.630 --> 0:16:03.410 the Steelers are going to be? Because of the revenge factor, 0:16:03.470 --> 0:16:06.980 having seen him once? What's his face verse popping off 0:16:07.060 --> 0:16:10.000 and yapping his mouth about what he had to say 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:12.040 about them playing dirty because he was double teamed? But 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:14.770 all hexes in sports just... are broken. 0:16:14.830 --> 0:16:18.570 Eventually some last an insane long time, like this red 0:16:18.630 --> 0:16:20.869 socks or things like that, but they're always going to 0:16:20.910 --> 0:16:21.850 come to an end. 0:16:22.170 --> 0:16:24.930 I mean, it's, it's inevitable. The Steelers will win in 0:16:24.950 --> 0:16:26.010 Cleveland on Thursday night. 0:16:26.070 --> 0:16:28.570 At some point, I might be like 80 years old 0:16:28.590 --> 0:16:31.250 when it happens, but it will happen. And the caps 0:16:31.270 --> 0:16:33.470 and the penguins go over, you can't get past the pens. 0:16:33.530 --> 0:16:34.170 It'll never happen. 0:16:34.190 --> 0:16:34.950 They'll never win the cup. 0:16:35.010 --> 0:16:38.380 And it, oops, it did in 2018, like 2003 is 0:16:38.410 --> 0:16:41.140 a long, long time to keep coming here and losing. 0:16:41.260 --> 0:16:45.090 Like it'll happen eventually. Well, let's get to our flaccid 0:16:45.110 --> 0:16:46.510 guy of the week. But I'm not picking it, by 0:16:46.550 --> 0:16:46.790 the way. 0:16:46.810 --> 0:16:50.010 I'm not going to pick the Browns to win in 0:16:50.050 --> 0:16:52.010 Pittsburgh in the regular season until I see it. Are 0:16:52.030 --> 0:16:53.910 you kidding? They haven't done it since 2003. There's a 0:16:53.950 --> 0:16:55.890 hex on them. So who did we debate about? Darnell 0:16:55.930 --> 0:16:58.460 Washington was our hard guy of the week. But I 0:16:58.480 --> 0:17:00.300 suggested that the hard guy of the week should be 0:17:00.340 --> 0:17:02.680 a hard-o who is Tom Brady who was going off 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:06.040 about all those annoying roughing the passer calls that he 0:17:06.060 --> 0:17:10.350 planted the seed for 15 years ago. During the broadcast 0:17:10.390 --> 0:17:13.010 between the Lions and the Packers. You're a flaccid guy 0:17:13.030 --> 0:17:19.000 of the week. The guy that went from two. It's radio, Tim. 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:24.470 Cooper Pratt. Cooper Pratt. That's the guy who homered last 0:17:24.530 --> 0:17:27.630 night for the Milwaukee Brewers to give them a lead 0:17:27.750 --> 0:17:30.510 in game four of the World Series only to see 0:17:30.550 --> 0:17:33.090 that lead evaporate and the Rays win in the bottom 0:17:33.109 --> 0:17:34.670