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Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven

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Speaker 1: home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

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Speaker 2: Good evening, Steelers Nation, how we do it? Well, that's

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Speaker 2: good US two. It is our number two here of

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Speaker 2: the Drive on a victory Monday, Ireland. In our sites,

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Speaker 2: life is good.

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Speaker 3: And what's going on.

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Speaker 2: It's true. I am always surprised at how surprised I

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Speaker 2: get at the business of an NFL. It's like I

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Speaker 2: haven't been doing.

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Speaker 3: This forever, only like the twenty third year in a

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Speaker 3: row I've done it.

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Speaker 2: This is my eighth with the Steelers, and I did

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Speaker 2: three with the Eagles before that.

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Speaker 3: So but this one's particularly weird. Obviously, Ireland coming up,

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Speaker 3: and you.

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Speaker 2: Got one a strange game, one one true home game

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Speaker 2: in your first five weeks of the season, right, you know,

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Speaker 2: I know this Sunday technically counts as a as a

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Speaker 2: home game, but it is obviously the Steelers' furthest game

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Speaker 2: that they will play away from across like season.

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Speaker 3: I mean, like you seeing Rogers for the Yeah, Aaron Rodgers, the.

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Speaker 2: Quarterback, Jalen Ramsey secondary and this happened quick as Yeah,

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Speaker 2: it'll be a it'll be a crazy week. It'll be

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Speaker 2: a quick week and before we know it will all

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Speaker 2: be at Croke Park in Dublin on something. I mean

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Speaker 2: I don't know about. We all will be, but you

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Speaker 2: and I will be, yeahro Park in Dublin. And it's funny,

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Speaker 2: Like Matt, one of the one of the jokes that

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Speaker 2: I that I like is, I've heard Rob King make

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Speaker 2: this joke before. I've heard Tony Caritti, who's the broadcaster

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Speaker 2: for the Mountaineers, make this joke before. It must just

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Speaker 2: be a broadcaster. But whenever there's a big game, like

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Speaker 2: the joke is you know the Steelers that that Christmas

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Speaker 2: Eve game that was a lot of fun, that dramatic

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Speaker 2: comeback win against the Raiders on Christmas Eve and the

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Speaker 2: freezing cold Reception game. Yeah, like one of the one

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Speaker 2: of the things one of the things that Yeah, when

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Speaker 2: when Franco got honored in the anniversary of the Emmaculate

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Speaker 2: Reception is like I think, I think Kinger and I

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Speaker 2: know he wasn't the voice of the team at the time,

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Speaker 2: that was still Billy Hillgrove, but Kinger made a joke

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Speaker 2: of like, there were sixty five thousand people at that game,

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Speaker 2: but twenty years from now, there'll be six hundred thousand

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Speaker 2: people who say they.

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Speaker 3: All of our listeners were at the Emmaculate Reception game.

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Speaker 3: If you're still alive, right.

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Speaker 2: There will be eighty thousand people at Croke Park in

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Speaker 2: Dublin on Sunday. Yes, but ten years from now there

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Speaker 2: will be eight hundred thousands said yeah that they were

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Speaker 2: there as Yeah. This will be a bit of a

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Speaker 2: hectic week, but we will do our best to keep

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Speaker 2: it uniform for you all across the board. And as

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Speaker 2: we said in the in the first hour of the show,

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Speaker 2: we'll be doing shows Matt and I Live from Dublin

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Speaker 2: on Friday and Saturday, which will be a lot of

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Speaker 2: fun and a lot of yeah, super cool, a lot

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Speaker 2: of cool and unique content. So only four shows this week,

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Speaker 2: but those Friday Saturday shows are also going to be

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Speaker 2: three hour shows, so we'll be tacking on an extra

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Speaker 2: hour for each and every one of you on Friday

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Speaker 2: and Saturday to make up the difference. Matt, let's take

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Speaker 2: a look around the NFL at a crazy week. Three

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Speaker 2: across the slate. Let's start with the AFC North as

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Speaker 2: we like to do, and in one of the more.

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Speaker 3: We do, I want to say this earlier because I

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Speaker 3: haven't mentioned it enough since it's been you and I

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Speaker 3: on the show show that you mentioned those years. I

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Speaker 3: was at ESPN before, before the Steelers ever reached out

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Speaker 3: or whatever. I was basically only doing national podcast radio

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Speaker 3: whatever time, you know, covering thirty two teams. You know,

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Speaker 3: it wasn't necessarily a big time but it was. That

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Speaker 3: was just my duties at the time. I wasn't as

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Speaker 3: concentrated on any one team, although I always had eyes

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Speaker 3: for the Black and Gold, and of course, and as

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Speaker 3: a result, when I got really tied in with one team,

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Speaker 3: and of course it's the hometown team, and I grew

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Speaker 3: up with them, and I understand Steeler Nation, you know, well,

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Speaker 3: I was a little shocked compared to the other fan bases,

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Speaker 3: how my opic the Steeler fans are that they owned.

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Speaker 3: I wasn't used it work, right, I was. I was

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Speaker 3: almost didn't go that way out because I like, I

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Speaker 3: might butcher this, and boy, this offensive line is the

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Speaker 3: worse in the league, and something Dale and I used

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Speaker 3: to do a really good job of. And frankly, I

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Speaker 3: think I'm as good as anyone in Pittsburgh media. Of

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Speaker 3: you think this line's bad, Okay, it's not great, but

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Speaker 3: go watch these ten, you know, like, I'll never forget

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Speaker 3: the day they traded for Minca. We were on the

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Speaker 3: drive from the air and everyone's like, you just gave

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Speaker 3: up the first pick in the draft. Ben's hurt for this,

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Speaker 3: makea Fitzpatrick guy. They're never gonna win again, and we

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Speaker 3: laid it out. I'm like, Okay, this might not be

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Speaker 3: the Steelers year. Ben is hurt, but look at these

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Speaker 3: seven teams. They're horrendous. I mean they would be eight

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Speaker 3: point dogs against the Steelers right now, you know, Like,

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Speaker 3: and I hope that we can continue to really bring

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Speaker 3: a national perspective of I adore Steeler fans and I

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Speaker 3: love their black and gold colored glasses, good or bad,

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Speaker 3: because it could be the other way too, like, oh,

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Speaker 3: we're the best team in league, Like they're not, you know,

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Speaker 3: but to our point an hour ago. So many of

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Speaker 3: these teams right now in mid to late September have

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Speaker 3: a lot to work on. And if you just concentrate

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Speaker 3: on any one of these teams, it wouldn't be that

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Speaker 3: much different than the Steelers. It just wouldn't even the

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Speaker 3: really good ones. I mean, their problems are better. They

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Speaker 3: got my homes, they got Lamar, you know. But they

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Speaker 3: have a lot of problems right now, you know, and

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Speaker 3: some teams work them out and some won't.

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Speaker 2: You don't want to be the team that's playing your

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Speaker 2: best football in September, Yeah right.

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Speaker 3: They don't. Rarely does that guy win the Super Bowl.

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Speaker 2: Matt, You've been around longer than I have, I mean

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Speaker 2: thirty four now, I'm no young pup anymore, but I've

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Speaker 2: never seen a Lombardi Trophy hoisted in September or October

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Speaker 2: or November.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, And it's a marathon.

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Speaker 2: And in fact, if we went back over the last

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Speaker 2: ten years and we said, who was the best team

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Speaker 2: in the NFL in September? Yeah, yeah, I won the

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Speaker 2: Super Bowl? Right, I bet you there might only be one,

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Speaker 2: maybe two times in the last ten years that it's

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Speaker 2: been the same team, or even that Eagles were two

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Speaker 2: and two to start last season.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, who is the best team in September?

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Speaker 3: And what did the rest of their season end up being?

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Speaker 3: They got in the playoffs and got blown in the

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Speaker 3: first round, or they won that game, or it went

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Speaker 3: down to they didn't make the playoffs. They started after

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Speaker 3: two games. The Saints look like this insane powerhouse and

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Speaker 3: then they got destroyed the rest of the season.

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Speaker 2: You know, I think of that COVID season where the

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Speaker 2: Steelers started at eleven and.

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Speaker 3: Zero and back the Labs point and then just fell apart.

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Speaker 3: The key is to just not starting at zero to three,

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Speaker 3: I mean, because then the math is like, you.

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Speaker 2: Don't want to be the Houston Texans, make no mistake

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Speaker 2: about that. You much rather be the Steelers than the

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Speaker 2: Houston Texas.

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Speaker 3: Absolutely, and I could fight you that the the Texans

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Speaker 3: are a better team than the Steelers, But it doesn't matter.

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Speaker 3: It doesn't matter, It doesn't matter. It comes out in

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Speaker 3: the math. There's only seven.

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Speaker 2: Three games behind their division.

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Speaker 3: The Texas are right already, not that many. Only three

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Speaker 3: teams go to the playoffs.

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Speaker 2: No, absolutely not. They do not. Even in this expanded

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Speaker 2: regular season, expanded playoff era. It's still a very difficult

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Speaker 2: hole to climb out of. And that is all that

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Speaker 2: September is about keeping yourself out of that hole and

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Speaker 2: hopefully not sustaining any back breaking.

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Speaker 3: While you're working problems, because there's a lot of problems,

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Speaker 3: no doubt, there's just so much turnover in the league.

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Speaker 3: At least this team didn't have massive coaching changes, teams

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Speaker 3: were talking about a new coach is trying to figure out,

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Speaker 3: and the quarterbacks new and all these are new, you know.

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Speaker 2: And a team that was feeling I think as good

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Speaker 2: as you could feel about yourself through the first two

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Speaker 2: weeks of the season. The Green Bay Packers. Yeah, they

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Speaker 2: dominated the Lions, a division champion, one of the best

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Speaker 2: teams in the league last year. They dominated the Commanders,

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Speaker 2: a team that was in the NFC Championship game last year.

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Speaker 3: Really impressive wins.

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Speaker 2: And then they go to Cleveland and scored ten points

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Speaker 2: and loose.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, right right.

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Speaker 2: I mean credit to the Browns defense through three games.

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Speaker 2: I think, you know, again, we're at Trend's point now

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Speaker 2: through three games that defense is a good, solid defense,

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Speaker 2: one of the better units in the National Football It.

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Speaker 3: Has been for a couple of years. This isn't just

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Speaker 3: oh they're playing pretty well. I think that's a good

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Speaker 3: defense period.

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Speaker 2: I mean, they held the Bengals to seven yards in

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Speaker 2: the second half and the season opener when Joe Burrow

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Speaker 2: was still on the field.

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Speaker 3: I know I do it anyways, but I'm allowed to

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Speaker 3: say it. But Miles Garrett really good, folks, He's great.

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Speaker 3: That's where it starts. Yeah right, Yeah.

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Speaker 2: I was joking about that with Kinger this morning. I

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Speaker 2: was like, I know I'm not allowed to say nice

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Speaker 2: things about the Patriots, but I really liked their stadium,

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Speaker 2: and I was really impressed with how their fan base

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Speaker 2: still showed up despite it not being a good team.

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Speaker 3: Off that pair right up there with something good about

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Speaker 3: Myles Garrett. You're not do those things here.

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Speaker 2: I know I've told you this before. I don't know

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Speaker 2: if I've said this yet on the Drive yet. I

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Speaker 2: said it on the Steelers Blitz plenty of times. Four

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Speaker 2: years ago, when I started traveling with the team, the

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Speaker 2: biggest eye opening thing to me was, Wow, the Steelers

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Speaker 2: really only go into one or two hostile environments a year. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: they play eight or nine road games, yeah, Baltimore, but

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Speaker 2: six or seven of those they've got at least fifty

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Speaker 2: percent of the fans in the stands.

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Speaker 3: Okay, all dude, Yeah yeah, there was a couple of

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Speaker 3: years ago. I'm not obviously there's road games that are

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Speaker 3: actually in your favor.

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Speaker 2: I mean La Vegas, Houston, Atlanta.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, yea, yeah, it's.

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Speaker 2: Not even close. Carolina, it's not even close.

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Speaker 3: There was an actual hostile environment. It's only a couple

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Speaker 3: times a year.

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Speaker 2: A couple times a year. Wow, Baltimore, Buffalo, Philadelphia, New England.

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Speaker 3: If you happen to play those other Kansas City.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but yeah, you might not even play any of those.

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Speaker 3: You know, it's not even since he and Cleveland.

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Speaker 2: No, yeah, right, no, Cleveland. I give Browns fans for

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Speaker 2: what they are. I give them. I give them a

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Speaker 2: good amount of credit.

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Speaker 3: I have great respect. Like it depends what time of

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Speaker 3: year you get them. If they're two and ten, it's

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Speaker 3: not a hostile envirus.

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Speaker 2: Exactly right, week one, exactly right, Like like Mile High

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Speaker 2: last year in Denver, that's a pretty that's a pretty

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Speaker 2: legit and you still see terrible towels and they're still represented, right, but.

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Speaker 3: You're it's still a hostile environment.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, you put it right. And that was a hostile

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Speaker 2: environment yesterday. Patriots fans were ready, they were loud, they

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Speaker 2: were jacked up throughout that.

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Speaker 3: Game, coming off a win. They got a quarterback to

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Speaker 3: be excitedly.

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Speaker 2: And kind of you know, organizational reset that they're going

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Speaker 2: through here. But I promise you this, when these Steelers

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Speaker 2: go to l A, it ain't gonna be a hostile

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Speaker 2: environment now, and maybe maybe a couple more of these

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Speaker 2: in the in the back half of the schedule as

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Speaker 2: well too, and.

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Speaker 3: We'll talk about it. I'm sure it'll become very obvious

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Speaker 3: in the next seventy two hours. I'm sure they'll be

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Speaker 3: Viking fans overseas because they're a great fan base.

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Speaker 2: Fan base.

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Speaker 3: I mean, if we went the Minnesota that's what well,

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Speaker 3: I mean that Minnesota, that would be a hostile environment.

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Speaker 3: So I was there's gonna be a lot of there's

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Speaker 3: gonna be more Steeler fans.

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Speaker 2: I was at Vikings Stadium, but not for a game.

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Speaker 2: It was when I was still with the Eagles, the

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Speaker 2: Nick Foles Super Bowl over the Patriots, the first one

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Speaker 2: for the Eagles in twenty eighteen.

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Speaker 3: Was there in Minnesota New Stadium showing it off.

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Speaker 2: So they sent us out. You know, I was producing

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Speaker 2: our afternoon show on the Eagles Network at that point,

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Speaker 2: So they sent the three of us, our two hosts

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Speaker 2: and myself out to Mall of America Radio Row for

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Speaker 2: the week. We went out Monday morning, did shows there

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Speaker 2: all week, flew back Saturday morning to Philadelphia the day

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Speaker 2: before the Super Bowl, but I went to the stadium

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Speaker 2: to do like a site check for the game day

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Speaker 2: engineers that were going to be arriving, you know, to

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Speaker 2: kind of spot everything out for that. So I got

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Speaker 2: to go into that. I got to go into the

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Speaker 2: stadium for like an hour and get the bearings down

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Speaker 2: for the whole crew, a little little pre scout, if

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Speaker 2: you will. But there obviously wasn't a game or anything

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Speaker 2: going on at that point. But yes, another one of

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Speaker 2: those fan bases that you know, you're not taking over

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Speaker 2: Lambeau Fields, You're not taking you know. I don't think

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Speaker 2: you've taken over Minnesota as well too, But half the league,

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Speaker 2: the Steelers go there and it's a home game or

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Speaker 2: it's a like a neutral site bold game, you know

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Speaker 2: what I mean.

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Speaker 3: But yesterday wasn't one.

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Speaker 2: Yesterday was not one of them. Well I thought it

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Speaker 2: was going to be, because this is a Patriots team

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Speaker 2: that you know, they're in their post Brady Belichick. Yeah, yeah,

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Speaker 2: but but that was not the case. As Yeah, the

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Speaker 2: Browns get it done against the Packers and the Bengals.

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Speaker 2: Speaking of Minnesota, I mean that was one of the

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Speaker 2: more complete games you'll ever see a team play that

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Speaker 2: the Vikings had yesterday.

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Speaker 3: Now we get Baltimore tonight. But just to stick in

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Speaker 3: the division, the biggest news in the division is it

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Speaker 3: might be over for Cincy. And I rarely say that

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Speaker 3: in September, but I mean, Burrow is that important. This

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Speaker 3: was a crazy beat down. And oh, by the way,

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Speaker 3: the Vikings are really hard to play against. We'll start

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Speaker 3: talking with Vikings later.

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Speaker 2: They're very well coached.

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Speaker 3: They're really well coached, and they won one thousand percent

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Speaker 3: on their defense. You know that they literally scored on

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Speaker 3: defense several times since Yeah, and since you just couldn't

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Speaker 3: move the ball at all.

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Speaker 2: They were like on the very short list of teams

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Speaker 2: that had two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, two non

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Speaker 2: offensive touchdowns in the same game. Hopefully they played their

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Speaker 2: best game last week and you get them coming back

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Speaker 2: down to earth a little bit this week. But yeah,

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Speaker 2: I'm I'm with you. I know Cincinnati was able to

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Speaker 2: navigate Jake Browning to a nine and eight record a

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Speaker 2: couple of years ago, and that them that defense ain't

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Speaker 2: just defense, right yeah yeah uh, And then yeah, Matt tonight,

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Speaker 2: we might as well go ahead and touch on that now. Man,

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Speaker 2: Lions Ravens a great one between two Listen if you're

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Speaker 2: the Lions, You've had a tough start to the season,

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Speaker 2: and you're like, if we can get a win here,

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Speaker 2: Hey we're again September. We're two and one. We're fine.

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Speaker 2: If you're Baltimore, I guess kind of similar, Like you

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Speaker 2: had to open the season up in Buffalo and now

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Speaker 2: you've got the team that won fourteen or fifteen games

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Speaker 2: last year coming to town.

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Speaker 3: Several of the best teams league.

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Speaker 2: This this is a five star matchup tonight on Monday

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Speaker 2: Night for it is.

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Speaker 3: I like the Ravens, not big, but I think they

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Speaker 3: win five, six, seven, something like that.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, they're four and a half point favorites.

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Speaker 3: I would take I would lay lay the.

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Speaker 2: Points with Baltimore and.

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Speaker 3: Detroit's really really good and they're coming off a super

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Speaker 3: impressive performance. I think the Ravens are just a tier

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Speaker 3: ahead of them, though, especially the quarterback position.

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Speaker 2: I think so too. I think the Lions are in

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Speaker 2: that second tier.

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Speaker 3: Of yeah, yeah, contender, super.

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Speaker 2: Bowl contenders, whereas the Ravens are in the super Bowl

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Speaker 2: favorites category with just you know, Buffalo and Philadelphia. I agree,

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Speaker 2: Chargers maybe moving Yeah, let's talk about the Chargers a

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Speaker 2: little bit on the other side. I want to get

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Speaker 2: your thoughts on Herbert as well too, because last week, Matt,

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Speaker 2: you said that Herbert might move into that unicorn territory

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Speaker 2: with the four quarterbacks that we mentioned, and my goodness,

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Speaker 2: did he play great yesterday.

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Speaker 3: He's really something.

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Speaker 2: Let's let's let's talk about that will do more around

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Speaker 2: the league. Actually, you know what, let's close down with

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Speaker 2: that and talk to Rob King when we come back

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Speaker 2: on the other side. He's calling a little bit of it. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: that's fine. We got plenty of plenty of time. I mean,

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Speaker 2: we're just flying out of the country here in a

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Speaker 2: couple of days. We got nothing but time. We'll talk

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Speaker 2: to Rob King when we return on the other side.

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Speaker 2: West Ruler, Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers Nation

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Speaker 2: Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tuns.

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Speaker 1: About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of

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Speaker 1: the Black and Goal.

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Speaker 2: Steelers Nation Radio. Back on the Drive here on a Monday,

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Speaker 2: of course, breaking down the Steelers twenty one to fourteen

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Speaker 2: win over the Patriots in New England to move their

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Speaker 2: record to two and one here early in the season.

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Speaker 2: Joining us now to continue the conversation, the voice of

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Speaker 2: your Pittsburgh Steelers, Rob King king Er, thank you for

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Speaker 2: taking the time as always, And I just got to

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Speaker 2: say right off the bat here before we get into

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Speaker 2: the game, I thought, you know, this is my second

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Speaker 2: season in the booth with you now, so I've heard

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Speaker 2: you call what twenty some games if you include preseason

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Speaker 2: and playoffs and all that. I thought you and Max

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Speaker 2: had maybe your best call through that time period yesterday.

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Speaker 2: How much of that is you two just hitting a

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Speaker 2: groove versus what was I think by far the best

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Speaker 2: broadcast vantage point in the league that we had there

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Speaker 2: at Jillette Stadium.

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Speaker 4: That's so funny that you say that, you know, what

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Speaker 4: a subjective business, because there are some moments in that

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Speaker 4: game where I'm like, man, that was It felt like

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Speaker 4: one of those moments for me. Oh my goodness, my

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Speaker 4: dog is eating. Oh I think my dog just get

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Speaker 4: an entire love for bread. I am. I think I

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Speaker 4: might be. I think I might be show. Why not

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Speaker 4: listening to the show. No, it's fine, honey, dog didn't

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Speaker 4: get it. Don't worry. Yeah, you know, first of all,

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Speaker 4: I think I think Max.

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Speaker 3: Is Max might have eaten a loaf of bread in

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Speaker 3: the meantime today.

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Speaker 2: No, that's just that's just.

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Speaker 4: Right. Okay, So I I think you know max is

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Speaker 4: he's tremendous. He's so easy to work with, so knowledgeable,

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Speaker 4: he's on a advantage point. Was outstanding by the way,

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Speaker 4: and should point out to what a tremendous job Missy does,

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Speaker 4: you know. And she's got a little more room now

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Speaker 4: with with one fewer person. Of course we're all wishing

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Speaker 4: there were still four of us, but you know, she

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Speaker 4: she does a she does an incredible job and just

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Speaker 4: a great as we all know, great team player. You know,

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Speaker 4: I'm taking the eyes out of Missy's name, as I

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Speaker 4: think I told you guys before, I'm gonna spell it

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Speaker 4: the teams smith team uh pronounced Missy, but spelled I'm

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Speaker 4: gonna take the eye out.

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Speaker 2: Of because there is no I in Missy. There's only team.

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Speaker 4: There's no I. There's no I in Missy, and there's

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Speaker 4: no I in team. So she's gonna be spelled M

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Speaker 4: T E A M S s t E A M.

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Speaker 4: I don't know how you pronounce it. The team steams

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Speaker 4: something like that. Anyway, she's phenomenal and thanks That.

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Speaker 3: Joke might need workshopped a little bit. We'll unleasha on

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Speaker 3: the public a little bit here. Yeah, we'll work on

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Speaker 3: that in Ireland. We'll work on that over a pint

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Speaker 3: in Ireland.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it may it may sound better over

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Speaker 4: a pint around radio. I mean, I'm sorry. So anyway,

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Speaker 4: all good, and they won and move on and try

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Speaker 4: to improve the three.

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Speaker 3: And one thousand percent. I mean, to me, that's the

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Speaker 3: whole key is you won. You won an AFC game

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Speaker 3: on the road. There's a lot to work on. But

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Speaker 3: there was a lot of progress too. I mean, is

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Speaker 3: is there a one area that you thought, boy, they

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Speaker 3: made a bit step in the right direction of what

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Speaker 3: we expected mine to be Cam Hayward, Herbing Watt.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, hard to discount that pass rush. And you know,

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Speaker 4: I think Harmon made an influence, right, yeah, you know,

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Speaker 4: Harmon brought there's a ripple effect on the D line,

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Speaker 4: you know, right, yeah, right, And I think that's only

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Speaker 4: going to grow. And I don't think we've had a chance,

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Speaker 4: because of injuries, to see the full compliment of what

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Speaker 4: we expect out of the defense. You know, basically, you know,

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Speaker 4: you've been down four starters with Harmon high Smith, Deshaun

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Speaker 4: Elliott and Joey Porter now it's a no excuse league, right,

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Speaker 4: so you've got to adjust, You've got to find ways

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Speaker 4: to still be successful. But I thought for me that

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Speaker 4: was the number one improvement was the defense beginning to

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Speaker 4: really look like the kind of defense we expect to

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Speaker 4: see more and more and more of as the season

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Speaker 4: goes on. And I also think again, you know, trying

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Speaker 4: to we're always trying to walk that line between reasons

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Speaker 4: and excuses, and to me, I think it's it's a

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Speaker 4: real you know, they they played, they were they've been

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Speaker 4: banged up, they've been playing teams that are not really

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Speaker 4: you know, suited particularly well for what I think they're

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Speaker 4: going to be successful and you know, defensively, and I

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Speaker 4: think later on in the season, if they played the

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Speaker 4: Jets again, they would do a much better job of

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Speaker 4: shutting down the run. There's some newness there as well.

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Speaker 4: But you know, I do think that this game, uh,

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Speaker 4: you know, Sunday in Ireland and Matt and I run

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Speaker 4: another program, uh West talking about this. I think this

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Speaker 4: is more suited to what the students defense should be

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Speaker 4: able to stop. You got firepower, well, we got corners,

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Speaker 4: you know, probably provided people are healthy and uh, and

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Speaker 4: we've got guys that we can you know, now, those

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Speaker 4: corners are going to help the rush, and the rush

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Speaker 4: are gonna help the corners, and so we'll see, we'll

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Speaker 4: see if that's the case. But you know, I thought

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Speaker 4: that was the biggest improvement Matt.

438
00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,240
Speaker 2: For me and I I think a huge part of

439
00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:05,040
Speaker 2: the defense's performance. And again there's there's stuff in there

440
00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:06,520
Speaker 2: not to like, you know, Rob, you and I we

441
00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,919
Speaker 2: talked about the third and fourth down, the possession down

442
00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,720
Speaker 2: success for the Patriots, and different things like that. But

443
00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,919
Speaker 2: I think part of the overall encouraging performance, the five turnovers,

444
00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,160
Speaker 2: the five sacks, the just turn it into a brick

445
00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,399
Speaker 2: wall in the red zone, had to be from the

446
00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,560
Speaker 2: start from the offense. Matt talks about this all the time.

447
00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,840
Speaker 2: You know, this Steelers defense, for as successful as they've

448
00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,240
Speaker 2: been at times over the years, for the sack numbers

449
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,879
Speaker 2: that are outstanding for the defense and specifically for TJ. Watt,

450
00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,880
Speaker 2: they've done that so rarely operating from a position of lead.

451
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,800
Speaker 2: You know, from a lead, they are typically you know,

452
00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,560
Speaker 2: chasing the game and holding the offense in the game,

453
00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,880
Speaker 2: as opposed to you know, the Steelers offense coming out

454
00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,479
Speaker 2: and scoring two touchdowns on their opening drive, and all

455
00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:55,520
Speaker 2: of a sudden, the Steelers defense can do what they're

456
00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,439
Speaker 2: built to do, go hunt quarterbacks, go get sacks, go

457
00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:02,000
Speaker 2: get turnovers. I think that start for the offense, while

458
00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,200
Speaker 2: they quickly kind of stalled out until the very end,

459
00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,240
Speaker 2: was also important in what we saw for the performance

460
00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:08,920
Speaker 2: by the defense.

461
00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:11,959
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, you know, I don't think I understand

462
00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:13,639
Speaker 4: what you're saying. We I don't think most teams are

463
00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,640
Speaker 4: going to abandon their game plan until late in the game.

464
00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:18,280
Speaker 4: I mean, where I want to see a two score

465
00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,480
Speaker 4: lead and when I'm really curious to see what everything's

466
00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,080
Speaker 4: going to look like, is if the two sides can

467
00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:28,200
Speaker 4: play in concert. The offense instead of having essentially five

468
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,760
Speaker 4: consecutive three and outs, which is basically what they had.

469
00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:36,040
Speaker 4: There's a turnover in there too, you know, continues to

470
00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:39,040
Speaker 4: apply some pressure and now maybe that's a ten point

471
00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:42,199
Speaker 4: lead in the fourth quarter, and now maybe you know,

472
00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,520
Speaker 4: because you've held the ball longer and scored more points,

473
00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,399
Speaker 4: you've won the time of possession, that defense hasn't been

474
00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,080
Speaker 4: out there as long, and they're fresh and they're ready

475
00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,040
Speaker 4: to go, and you've turned the team in your opponent

476
00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,840
Speaker 4: into a one dimensional team. And now here we come.

477
00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,320
Speaker 4: Here comes TJ. Watt, here comes herbig and high Smith

478
00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:03,280
Speaker 4: and Hey and Harmon. Maybe some maybe we'll see more

479
00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,280
Speaker 4: inside linebacker blitzing out of a Patrick Queen, who you

480
00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:09,159
Speaker 4: know was effective doing that when he was in Baltimore.

481
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,040
Speaker 4: You know, man demand defense. It's gonna make you hold

482
00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:15,159
Speaker 4: the ball a little bit longer and give time for

483
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,280
Speaker 4: that pressure to get home. That's what I'm That's what

484
00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:19,520
Speaker 4: I'm eager to see. We haven't seen it out of

485
00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,960
Speaker 4: this iteration of this defense yet. Hopefully those days are coming.

486
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,600
Speaker 4: I think that, you know, I've told both of you guys,

487
00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:30,720
Speaker 4: I'm probably a little guilty of looking at this team

488
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,360
Speaker 4: thinking they're a better team than they were a year

489
00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,400
Speaker 4: ago and then expecting that right from the jump instead

490
00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,879
Speaker 4: of the normal evolution that it's going to take with

491
00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:44,280
Speaker 4: young offensive lineman, new personnel on defense, that sort of thing. So,

492
00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,240
Speaker 4: you know, even guys like Caleb Johnson and Roman Wilson,

493
00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,719
Speaker 4: I think later on in the season they'll play bigger

494
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,960
Speaker 4: roles than they're they're being asked to fill now as

495
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,919
Speaker 4: they get acclimated to the NFL level. So, you know,

496
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,080
Speaker 4: I think positives and the biggest positive to me is

497
00:23:58,080 --> 00:23:59,399
Speaker 4: it's it's one of the win column.

498
00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:03,879
Speaker 3: Yeah, and you kind of as you mentioned, I'm looking

499
00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:08,879
Speaker 3: forward to hopeful, not expecting necessarily, but hopeful we'll see

500
00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:14,080
Speaker 3: more wrinkles on defense, more press man, more exotic blitzes,

501
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,560
Speaker 3: more safety rotation. I don't know if it will happen

502
00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,320
Speaker 3: or not, but I think there's a really good chance

503
00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,359
Speaker 3: that that's been the offseason plan every step of the way.

504
00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,920
Speaker 3: And a guy that maybe can get overlooked that has

505
00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,800
Speaker 3: missed is Elliott, and I think he's so key for

506
00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:34,840
Speaker 3: middle of the field pass defense, which has been problematic, communication, stability,

507
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,919
Speaker 3: tackling some of the things they haven't shown to be

508
00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:42,359
Speaker 3: a strength at this point. But I also think Rob

509
00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:46,040
Speaker 3: that through three games, a lot of defensive players have

510
00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:49,720
Speaker 3: played snaps that might pay off when they're called again

511
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,000
Speaker 3: to do it in week ten or eleven. I mean,

512
00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:53,920
Speaker 3: there's a lot of bad things on the horizon. It's

513
00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:54,720
Speaker 3: going to happen, you know.

514
00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:58,960
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you, Matt. I mean I think

515
00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,119
Speaker 4: there's a there's a line there, right like, you know,

516
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,360
Speaker 4: you'd like to be able to bring along guys at

517
00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,720
Speaker 4: the pace you want to bring along along at you

518
00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:12,560
Speaker 4: know that, lawyer, Yeah right, that's yeah, that's why you

519
00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:15,000
Speaker 4: have coaches and plans and all those other things. And yes,

520
00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:18,520
Speaker 4: injuries forced those plants out the window. And you know,

521
00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:21,960
Speaker 4: you'll never have to convince me that the team is

522
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,359
Speaker 4: better with Deshaun Elliott, you know, and I've told this

523
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:28,480
Speaker 4: to people before. When they signed to Shawn Elliott, I'm like, man,

524
00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,199
Speaker 4: I've always liked his game. I'm glad they got him

525
00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,200
Speaker 4: kind of an under the radar signing like jan Thornhill

526
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,440
Speaker 4: was an under the radar signing. I've seen less of

527
00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,920
Speaker 4: jan Thornhill in his career than I've seen in Deshaun Elliott.

528
00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,280
Speaker 4: And then I saw Deshaun Elliott playing every day, and

529
00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,720
Speaker 4: I'm like, man, he's even better than I thought. You know,

530
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,520
Speaker 4: that one from a solid signing to a terrific signing.

531
00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,800
Speaker 4: In my opinion, you never have to convince me that

532
00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,159
Speaker 4: a defense is better when Deshaun Elliott's out there. I

533
00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,760
Speaker 4: think he's an excellent player. I think he adds a

534
00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,120
Speaker 4: lot to that defense for all the reasons you mentioned.

535
00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:01,320
Speaker 4: I think, you know, if you get him back and

536
00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:05,440
Speaker 4: you get Joey porterback, and Joey allows you now to

537
00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,040
Speaker 4: not have Jalen Ramsey playing that deep middle. Get him

538
00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:10,800
Speaker 4: up there in the slot, and get him up there

539
00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,359
Speaker 4: on the team's best receiver. I want to see Jalen

540
00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,159
Speaker 4: Ramsey chasing around Justin Jefferson. That's what I want to see. Uh.

541
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,080
Speaker 4: And then I want to see the other guys dealing

542
00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:24,160
Speaker 4: with Jordan Addison, you know, that's you know, that's and TJ.

543
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,720
Speaker 4: Hockinson and the weapons that Minnesota has, And I want

544
00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,720
Speaker 4: to see them giving t J. Watt and those guys

545
00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,280
Speaker 4: an extra half beat of time to get home and

546
00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:37,640
Speaker 4: sack Carson Wentz. Uh. So, you know, these are these

547
00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,720
Speaker 4: are all the things that I'm looking forward to with

548
00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,520
Speaker 4: this defense that we haven't been able to see because

549
00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:44,960
Speaker 4: they haven't been healthy. And again keep in mind you

550
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,880
Speaker 4: talk about communication in the back end and again trying

551
00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,399
Speaker 4: to straddle the line between reasons and excuses. You know,

552
00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,240
Speaker 4: Chuck Clark signed at the end of camp. Uh. You know,

553
00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:58,360
Speaker 4: other guys that maybe maybe Echos wasn't getting that much

554
00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,280
Speaker 4: work with the ones, and now all of a sudden,

555
00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,280
Speaker 4: you're out there and instead of you know, you're communicating

556
00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:06,920
Speaker 4: with Pierre and and you know, Chuck Clark and other

557
00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,679
Speaker 4: guys and you know, and thorn Hill or what have you.

558
00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:12,120
Speaker 4: Now you're out there dealing with a completely different group

559
00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:15,639
Speaker 4: of guys and getting acclimated that way. So it's not

560
00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,280
Speaker 4: like it's been one guy. It's been a couple of

561
00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:19,879
Speaker 4: guys back there. So I think there's a lot of

562
00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,720
Speaker 4: reasons you can point to. Now it still has to

563
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,520
Speaker 4: happen on the field. I mean, if you know, if

564
00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,399
Speaker 4: we're pointing to these same things in week eight or

565
00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,600
Speaker 4: week nine, then there are larger problems. But I just

566
00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:33,879
Speaker 4: don't think that's the case. I just I just think

567
00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,479
Speaker 4: that what we're saying and what we're kind of pointing

568
00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,440
Speaker 4: out are if you want to talk about the issues

569
00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,840
Speaker 4: this team is facing a two and one, I think

570
00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,639
Speaker 4: those issues are being caused by the reasons we say.

571
00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,400
Speaker 4: But again we'll see come week eight or week nine.

572
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,320
Speaker 2: Just a couple more minutes here with the voice of

573
00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:53,439
Speaker 2: the Steelers, Rob King King or you know, it's like

574
00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:55,960
Speaker 2: I feel like Matt and I we ask this same

575
00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,840
Speaker 2: question of our guests every single week here, But just

576
00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:01,360
Speaker 2: your thought, that's your takeaways from what we saw from

577
00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:05,119
Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers. You know, I think we all know, you know,

578
00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,560
Speaker 2: he's forty one years old. He is, you know, closer

579
00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,480
Speaker 2: to the eighteenth fairway certainly than he is the front

580
00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,520
Speaker 2: nine of his career, to use a golf analogy. But

581
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:17,720
Speaker 2: I think what we've seen so far, I think, particularly

582
00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,960
Speaker 2: what we saw yesterday, was exactly why he's here to

583
00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,960
Speaker 2: be the guy that can improve you in the margins,

584
00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:26,720
Speaker 2: to be the guy that when it seems like all

585
00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,120
Speaker 2: the chips are down, he can put it together and

586
00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,640
Speaker 2: just make enough plays to get you over the line.

587
00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,600
Speaker 4: Yeah, and I don't want to I don't want to

588
00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,520
Speaker 4: damn him with faint praise by pointing out some of

589
00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:40,120
Speaker 4: the some of the things that you're talking about and

590
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:41,720
Speaker 4: some of the things that I want to extrapolate on,

591
00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,600
Speaker 4: because I think his arm talent is still incredible. But

592
00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,440
Speaker 4: you know, the ability to come up to the line

593
00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 4: of scrimmage, figure out what plays you should be in,

594
00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,440
Speaker 4: figure out where the mismatch is, read the ball as

595
00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,560
Speaker 4: a defense is shifting its defense. You know at the snap,

596
00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:02,240
Speaker 4: you know all getting you had a bad situations, taking

597
00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,959
Speaker 4: care of the football. Those are all things that are

598
00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:09,480
Speaker 4: hallmarks of Aaron Rodgers. And you know, if he decided

599
00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,560
Speaker 4: to play four years from now, those things would still

600
00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,600
Speaker 4: be true, you know, and maybe guys would be running

601
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:18,960
Speaker 4: shorter patterns and and you know, but you know he's

602
00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,680
Speaker 4: also got he's also still got a great arm, a

603
00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,680
Speaker 4: great arm, not just a hey, pretty good arm for

604
00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:29,440
Speaker 4: forty one year old. I see it. To me, I

605
00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:31,960
Speaker 4: think I'm still seeing a really good arm, you know,

606
00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:36,200
Speaker 4: an upper level NFL throwing arm. You know, he doesn't

607
00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,760
Speaker 4: is he gonna move around as well as he did

608
00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:44,239
Speaker 4: when he was you know, twenty six? You know, let

609
00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,600
Speaker 4: me know when you turn forty one and you tell

610
00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:47,920
Speaker 4: me if you're moving around as well as you did

611
00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:52,320
Speaker 4: when you're twenty six. It's father times, it's inevitable. But

612
00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,080
Speaker 4: I mean he's still I think week one, I thought

613
00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,560
Speaker 4: he looked slower, and he said he had a stiff back.

614
00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,000
Speaker 4: I think we two, he looked great and mobile, and

615
00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:03,200
Speaker 4: he's able to move around a little bit in the pocket.

616
00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:05,120
Speaker 4: Now you don't want him. You don't want guys in

617
00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:08,360
Speaker 4: his face. You didn't want guys in Peyton Manning space

618
00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,760
Speaker 4: or Tom Brady's face, particularly as these guys get older.

619
00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:14,000
Speaker 4: It's just part of it. That's just the way it is.

620
00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,760
Speaker 4: But I still see a quarterback who is the best

621
00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,760
Speaker 4: quarterback we've seen in quite some time in Pittsburgh, and

622
00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:24,040
Speaker 4: a guy who is more than capable of not only

623
00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,320
Speaker 4: just guiding you to wins, but winning a game for

624
00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:28,200
Speaker 4: you when he needs to.

625
00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:31,960
Speaker 2: Rob King kind enough to give us a few minutes

626
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,600
Speaker 2: of his time on a busy, abbreviated week, partner, Thank

627
00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:37,760
Speaker 2: you for the time, and we'll see you on the

628
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:38,560
Speaker 2: plane on Wednesday.

629
00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,200
Speaker 4: Should be fun looking forward, due guys, and I'll work

630
00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,360
Speaker 4: on that. I'll work on that that we're gonna we

631
00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,840
Speaker 4: got some workshopping to do.

632
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,240
Speaker 2: I'll work on that, work on that and work on that,

633
00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,360
Speaker 2: and make sure you get it departed, download it onto

634
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,200
Speaker 2: your iPad or your phone, all right before we get

635
00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:53,760
Speaker 2: onto the plane.

636
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,120
Speaker 4: I have seen that movie. Maybe I need to see

637
00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:58,560
Speaker 4: it again for you.

638
00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,000
Speaker 2: Call your mother and tell you don't be home for suppa.

639
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,400
Speaker 4: Thanks King, Thanks guys, see it there.

640
00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,120
Speaker 2: He is the voice of your Pittsburgh Steelers, Rob King.

641
00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,240
Speaker 2: And I wasn't just saying that to blow smoke. I

642
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,719
Speaker 2: thought him and Max it was a game that was

643
00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,160
Speaker 2: plenty to talk about, funny to you know. There wasn't

644
00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,200
Speaker 2: a lack of excitement or talking points from Sunday. But

645
00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,160
Speaker 2: I thought him and Max had a outstanding broadcast. They

646
00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:24,880
Speaker 2: speaking of walking the razor, walk in the tight rope.

647
00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:26,880
Speaker 3: It's a new booth like the Steelers, you know. I

648
00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,600
Speaker 3: mean they're hitting their stride in week three, Wait until

649
00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:30,960
Speaker 3: week four, wait until week.

650
00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:33,240
Speaker 2: Five, exactly right right. And they do a great job

651
00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:37,280
Speaker 2: of just informative and professional, but they also throw in

652
00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:39,640
Speaker 2: some funny jokes and and things like that, and they

653
00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,240
Speaker 2: don't take themselves too seriously at the same time. It's

654
00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,880
Speaker 2: a great listen and was a great listener on Sunday

655
00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:48,440
Speaker 2: to the tune of a twenty one to fourteen victory

656
00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:49,960
Speaker 2: at Gillette Stadium.

657
00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,640
Speaker 3: I'm a psyched to see and hang and have a

658
00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:54,840
Speaker 3: beverage with Max too. I don't get to see him.

659
00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:56,000
Speaker 3: I don't go in the road with you, guys.

660
00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:58,240
Speaker 2: Combine is probably the only time that you really.

661
00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,360
Speaker 3: That kind of thing. Though. We'll hang a little bit,

662
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:02,400
Speaker 3: maybe even get him on the air.

663
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,880
Speaker 2: Spoiler alert. I bet you he will eat plenty of

664
00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:09,120
Speaker 2: food while oh, I would think, so we are over there,

665
00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,800
Speaker 2: I'm sure he is. He's having himself a great time already.

666
00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,280
Speaker 2: And yeah, we'll get some stories from Max in the

667
00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,080
Speaker 2: back half of the week, certainly, But we've got to

668
00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,680
Speaker 2: get to our last break of the day. When we return,

669
00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,440
Speaker 2: we'll close out kind of running the gam bit of

670
00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,240
Speaker 2: talking about some more of these NFL games across the league.

671
00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,480
Speaker 2: In Week three, West Wheeler Matt Williamson, it's the Drive

672
00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:37,560
Speaker 2: on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.

673
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,640
Speaker 1: About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of

674
00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:48,520
Speaker 1: the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

675
00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:51,680
Speaker 2: So much still to get to in so little time,

676
00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,640
Speaker 2: So let's jump right into it is running through and

677
00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:58,080
Speaker 2: getting some you know, maybe sixty second ninety second thoughts

678
00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,640
Speaker 2: on these games from Week three Mats at Colts three

679
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:03,840
Speaker 2: and A, Titans zero and three. I think plenty of

680
00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,000
Speaker 2: people had that on their Bengo.

681
00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,440
Speaker 3: Yeah, but the ward's still promising. I mean that fan

682
00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:10,880
Speaker 3: base should just be patient, chilled. You might have a

683
00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:12,920
Speaker 3: guy matters.

684
00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:16,400
Speaker 2: And trending in the right direction there, But we mentioned

685
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,000
Speaker 2: it like the only couple teams in the league that

686
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:19,920
Speaker 2: are feeling really good about themselves right now. But the

687
00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,160
Speaker 2: Colts are certainly right for you see a lot.

688
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:25,480
Speaker 3: Of the list considering where expectations are versus what they've.

689
00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:28,360
Speaker 2: I have the number one of my power rankings that's

690
00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:28,840
Speaker 2: not what.

691
00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,920
Speaker 3: I was suggesting, but I mean in terms of higher

692
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,280
Speaker 3: than where I'd have them in preseason power ranks to

693
00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,960
Speaker 3: where now they're probably the biggest jumper.

694
00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,120
Speaker 2: I would think easily Seattle, seattlewhere in there?

695
00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,800
Speaker 3: But yeah, go and wow?

696
00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,480
Speaker 2: Want to start for them? What to start for Daniel Jones?

697
00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,960
Speaker 2: Indianapolis Jones And we will see them later on in

698
00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:53,320
Speaker 2: the season as well, Matt. One of the crazier endings

699
00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:56,680
Speaker 2: as the Eagles were down twenty six to seven to

700
00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,280
Speaker 2: the Rams, came back blocked a field goal to win

701
00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,080
Speaker 2: it at the end and move to three and oh

702
00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,680
Speaker 2: against two, I mean, two of the better teams in

703
00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:07,560
Speaker 2: the league. And that game lived up to its billing.

704
00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:12,359
Speaker 3: It did, and really the the underlying storyline is more important. Well,

705
00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:14,000
Speaker 3: there's a lot of block kicks across the league, but

706
00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:15,560
Speaker 3: which is weird, but.

707
00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,000
Speaker 2: In big moments too, like not just in the second right.

708
00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:22,000
Speaker 3: Right, there's a lot of big kicks that mattered. A

709
00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,799
Speaker 3: huge thing that happened though, was Hurts was able to

710
00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:29,200
Speaker 3: get the ball to Goddard Smith Brown when they were down.

711
00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,880
Speaker 3: You know, like I always questioned, how does that team

712
00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,239
Speaker 3: play without a lead? You know, I mean, that's not

713
00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:39,280
Speaker 3: how they're built right, right right, and he the passing

714
00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:41,319
Speaker 3: game stepped up big and got him back in that

715
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,280
Speaker 3: position where blocking the kick mattered.

716
00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:46,839
Speaker 2: You know, Bucks moved to three and oh, Jets moved

717
00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,040
Speaker 2: to oh and three. Speaking of block kicks, that didn't

718
00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:50,560
Speaker 2: bite the Buccaneers in that.

719
00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:51,160
Speaker 3: One, yeaheah.

720
00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,160
Speaker 2: But that's another team, Tampa Bay that's off to a

721
00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:55,000
Speaker 2: great start.

722
00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:57,879
Speaker 3: They've got all kinds of O line injuries, but they're

723
00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:00,680
Speaker 3: weathering the storm and they're like the better version of

724
00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:03,120
Speaker 3: like the Steelers, where you know, you got some concerns

725
00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,400
Speaker 3: and things aren't perfect, but they're the three and O

726
00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,160
Speaker 3: version exactly right.

727
00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:10,000
Speaker 2: And how about Marcus Mariota in that performance he was

728
00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,520
Speaker 2: able to put in. As the Commanders beat the Raiders

729
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:13,759
Speaker 2: forty one to twenty.

730
00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:15,200
Speaker 3: Four, I'm starting to look at the Raiders like they

731
00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:17,359
Speaker 3: could be cooked too, Like, yeah, I mean they beat

732
00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,400
Speaker 3: the Patriots, they do only they have a win. But

733
00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,080
Speaker 3: if they were towering three, I'd be like, oh, they're

734
00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:27,400
Speaker 3: and I just don't think they're playing particularly well. I

735
00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,920
Speaker 3: mean I would be concerned for Raider Nation.

736
00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:35,799
Speaker 2: Yeah, that offense is just that offensive line was again

737
00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,080
Speaker 2: to your point, you think the Steelers offensive line is bad.

738
00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:39,479
Speaker 2: Go watch Las Vegas.

739
00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:40,879
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a lot of them out there that are

740
00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,920
Speaker 3: much worse, real bad. They're not opening holes.

741
00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,359
Speaker 2: Right, I mean Panthers Falcons we talked about a little bit.

742
00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:47,200
Speaker 4: Shocked me.

743
00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:48,319
Speaker 2: Thirty to nothing.

744
00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,520
Speaker 3: I never buy into the Falcons and I did actually

745
00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:54,080
Speaker 3: put a couple of bucks on them the cover, and

746
00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,000
Speaker 3: I thought Carolina was cooked, which I'm not so sure.

747
00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:59,839
Speaker 3: Caroline's great, but it was a Falcon blow up.

748
00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:02,279
Speaker 2: And listen, it's a division game, right, Yeah, weird things

749
00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,359
Speaker 2: can happen in division games. But I think even the

750
00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:09,280
Speaker 2: biggest Panthers fan didn't see a thirty to nothing route

751
00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:10,360
Speaker 2: Now of the found.

752
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:11,919
Speaker 3: Over from the beginning it was over. Yeah.

753
00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,239
Speaker 2: Uh, Jags getting it done seventeen to ten at home

754
00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,959
Speaker 2: against the Texans as they fall to Owen three.

755
00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:20,160
Speaker 3: I think that's the story is. I think that the

756
00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,440
Speaker 3: Jags are gonna be one of those borderline playoff teams

757
00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:26,360
Speaker 3: in the AFC. That seventh spot might not go to

758
00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,960
Speaker 3: a world beating type of team, and they could be

759
00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,480
Speaker 3: that type of team that sneaks in. But it's time

760
00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:33,200
Speaker 3: to be real worried in Houston.

761
00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:37,719
Speaker 2: Three games behind Indianapolis. Yeah, you now have a Hey,

762
00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,759
Speaker 2: the first two losses were NFC games, they.

763
00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:42,840
Speaker 3: Don't hurt you as bad. But this one, just steeler

764
00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:45,239
Speaker 3: related to that Seattle one. That loss doesn't hurt you

765
00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:45,839
Speaker 3: nearly as bad.

766
00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:46,040
Speaker 4: As it was.

767
00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:48,600
Speaker 2: Correct dam, But get this for the Texans. They're ower

768
00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,040
Speaker 2: and three. Okay, they get the Titans at home next week.

769
00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:52,840
Speaker 3: You better win that one, okay, And that's the start.

770
00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:54,520
Speaker 2: But then they have to go to Baltimore, they have

771
00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:57,920
Speaker 2: to go to Seattle, they host San Francisco, they host Denver.

772
00:36:58,400 --> 00:36:59,440
Speaker 3: Wow, I mean.

773
00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:03,600
Speaker 2: Better might be favored in one of their next five games,

774
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:04,359
Speaker 2: and they're three.

775
00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:06,160
Speaker 3: I'd say you probably need to get three wins out

776
00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,160
Speaker 3: of that power to really be in the mix.

777
00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:11,440
Speaker 2: That's It's a tough start to the season for Houston.

778
00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:13,480
Speaker 3: Really tough Chargers.

779
00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:16,560
Speaker 2: Broncos another one of those teams that, rightfully so should

780
00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,160
Speaker 2: be feeling very good about themselves as the Chargers. Tough

781
00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,839
Speaker 2: injury to Nauji Harris, that's stunt to see for him,

782
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:27,760
Speaker 2: right But Matt justin Herbert with one of the more

783
00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,799
Speaker 2: impressive quarterbacking performances. I know it's only three weeks into

784
00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:35,840
Speaker 2: the season, but I thought he was outstanding against defense,

785
00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:36,720
Speaker 2: really good defense.

786
00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:38,960
Speaker 3: Yes, I think he is leveling up. I've always been

787
00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:42,040
Speaker 3: a fan. I'm certain you asked me this, But I

788
00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:44,920
Speaker 3: thought he was number five on the quarterback list. I

789
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:46,759
Speaker 3: wouldn't have stood on the table and bet everything I

790
00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:50,200
Speaker 3: own on it. Now he's creeping, maybe into the next.

791
00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:50,760
Speaker 2: End of the unicorn.

792
00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:55,799
Speaker 3: Creeping isn't word. Maybe sprinting into the next level not uncommon.

793
00:37:55,960 --> 00:38:00,440
Speaker 3: But like Pennix, Nix hasn't looked as good, you know.

794
00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:02,920
Speaker 3: I mean some of these year two quarterbacks, we just

795
00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:07,439
Speaker 3: assume that they're over the hump, like Jon dam right right,

796
00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,759
Speaker 3: Stroud has not been quite the same. I mean Nix

797
00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:12,080
Speaker 3: is struggling this year though too.

798
00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:15,719
Speaker 2: Yes he is, Yes he is. And I don't think

799
00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:17,759
Speaker 2: the Broncos have any reason to mash the panic button

800
00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:20,560
Speaker 2: at one and two lost. I think they've lost two

801
00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:23,160
Speaker 2: close games to two teams that are six and oh combined.

802
00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:27,080
Speaker 2: But you just still you don't, you know, the tough ones,

803
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:30,239
Speaker 2: like if the Chargers are in the pole position, you're

804
00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:32,279
Speaker 2: fighting for one of those wild card spots and you

805
00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:34,160
Speaker 2: look around the AFC and that's gonna be tough.

806
00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:37,280
Speaker 3: Yeah, And if your quarterback doesn't I mean, hey, Steelers

807
00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,280
Speaker 3: understanding stuff. Your quarterback doesn't add up to the Herbert

808
00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:45,600
Speaker 3: Mahomes Lamar Allen first round team. You gotta play, eh, it's.

809
00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,839
Speaker 2: Tough way to live. Quiet matt quietly at three and oh,

810
00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:52,239
Speaker 2: maybe even like I think Tampa's a quiet three and oh.

811
00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:56,040
Speaker 2: But how about the Niners as they squeak by Arizona

812
00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:59,360
Speaker 2: sixteen to fifteen despite a lot of injuries and a

813
00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,719
Speaker 2: lot of miss fortune to start the year. San Francisco's

814
00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:02,000
Speaker 2: three to.

815
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:03,399
Speaker 3: Zho nick Bos is out for the year.

816
00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:06,799
Speaker 2: But speaking of misfortune, Yeah, that's tough over.

817
00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:10,880
Speaker 3: That's a TJ. Watt like type. He's at that level.

818
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:16,200
Speaker 3: The defense has been playing well, I mean backup quarterbacks

819
00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:19,879
Speaker 3: and a rash of injuries across their pass catchers too.

820
00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:22,360
Speaker 3: I give Shanahan credit. I mean he's keeping them on

821
00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:25,279
Speaker 3: the trails. I mean, the first two wins weren't overwhelming,

822
00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:28,280
Speaker 3: but this is a division win against a pretty quality team.

823
00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:31,520
Speaker 2: I think without a doubt. Brown's Overpackers was the most

824
00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:35,040
Speaker 2: surprising result of the weekend, But right on their heels

825
00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:37,719
Speaker 2: might be how comfortably the Bears took care of the

826
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,960
Speaker 2: Cowboys thirty one to fourteen. Yeah, Caleb Williams one of

827
00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,279
Speaker 2: the better games of his career, which I know isn't

828
00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,640
Speaker 2: a crazy high bar to clear, but that's what you

829
00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:46,640
Speaker 2: that's what you want to see.

830
00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:49,560
Speaker 3: We're talking about the second year quarterbacks. His first two

831
00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,200
Speaker 3: were a lot of highlights, a lot of low lights.

832
00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:55,359
Speaker 3: This was just really strong play. And I said it

833
00:39:55,400 --> 00:40:01,200
Speaker 3: really after Week one, Dallas's start all your fantasy players

834
00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:04,520
Speaker 3: against those That defense is going to be bad, bad,

835
00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,239
Speaker 3: and they're gonna be get right teams or get right

836
00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:08,239
Speaker 3: for some offenses.

837
00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:11,200
Speaker 2: I think that that defense was going to struggle before

838
00:40:11,239 --> 00:40:12,560
Speaker 2: they traded Micah Pussons.

839
00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:13,400
Speaker 3: Now it's going to be.

840
00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:15,680
Speaker 2: Now it's one of the worst units in the National

841
00:40:15,719 --> 00:40:19,680
Speaker 2: Football League for sure. Matt last, but certainly not least.

842
00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:23,920
Speaker 2: The Chiefs get that first victory twenty two to nine

843
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:28,080
Speaker 2: over the Giants. I know the score looks fairly comfortable,

844
00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:31,880
Speaker 2: but it was still far from a from a.

845
00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,040
Speaker 3: Lot of field goals, far from a space field encouraging.

846
00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:36,239
Speaker 2: All the Chiefs are back type performances.

847
00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:38,680
Speaker 3: Yeah, again, they had to get this win, you know,

848
00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:40,640
Speaker 3: I mean not that there will season be over at

849
00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:46,400
Speaker 3: zero to three, but they're a superior quarterback organization team

850
00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:51,520
Speaker 3: to the team that they beat. I know Russ is

851
00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:55,960
Speaker 3: coming off a monster game, but I think Dart's spanging

852
00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,319
Speaker 3: on the door. That's like all the commentators could talk about.

853
00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:03,800
Speaker 2: Yes, the Giants fans were chanting, we want we want Dark.

854
00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:06,320
Speaker 3: And you know the commentators always meet with the coaching

855
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,000
Speaker 3: staff ahead of time, and you know Dark got actually

856
00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:11,400
Speaker 3: got on the field, but they brought it up like

857
00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:14,640
Speaker 3: ten times. This organization is so unbelievably high on Dart,

858
00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:16,759
Speaker 3: Like I get it, you know, I mean, I bet

859
00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:17,759
Speaker 3: he'll be out there soon.

860
00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:22,640
Speaker 2: I think we definitely see him in October with before Halloween.

861
00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:23,480
Speaker 2: He'll be starting.

862
00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:25,640
Speaker 3: The fact that they have a package for him, and

863
00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:28,280
Speaker 3: the packages he comes in for one play and just runs.

864
00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:30,080
Speaker 3: I mean, like that's not really at.

865
00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:33,560
Speaker 2: The Lamar Jackson, you know, getting worked in with Joe Flackhouse.

866
00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:36,080
Speaker 3: It's it's like we had to put him on the field. Yes,

867
00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:37,160
Speaker 3: I think it's pretty telling.

868
00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:39,560
Speaker 2: I'm with you on that as well too, And I

869
00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:43,320
Speaker 2: think that is a case of sooner rather than later inevitable.

870
00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:46,800
Speaker 2: Yeah for Jackson Dark. That will do it for us today.

871
00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,000
Speaker 2: Big thanks to Rob King for joining us. Thanks to

872
00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:53,680
Speaker 2: Matt Williamson for being the best in the business. As always, Matt,

873
00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:54,960
Speaker 2: good stuff. What do you say we do it again

874
00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,240
Speaker 2: tomorrow might as well. Big shout out to our video

875
00:41:57,239 --> 00:42:00,919
Speaker 2: producer mister TV as well for those of you checking

876
00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:02,719
Speaker 2: us out on the YouTube side. We will be there

877
00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:06,319
Speaker 2: Monday Tuesday, but no video stuff the rest of the

878
00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:10,080
Speaker 2: week as we will be on the Emerald Island in

879
00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:12,920
Speaker 2: just a few short days. But that'll do it for today.

880
00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:15,280
Speaker 2: We'll be back with you, same time, same place tomorrow.

881
00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:17,000
Speaker 2: As always. You know where to find us. It's on

882
00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:18,919
Speaker 2: your twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold.

883
00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:21,840
Speaker 2: It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.