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Speaker 1: You were tuns about Drive on your twenty four to

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

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Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive on the Steelers

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Speaker 2: Audio Network. While Shouler and Matt Williamson with you here

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Speaker 2: for the next two hours on a Wednesday. Is the

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Speaker 2: weather's a little bit warmer here today?

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Speaker 3: Yeah, melting we hit it, suns out.

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Speaker 4: That part's kind of nice.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, the melting parts nice.

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Speaker 4: Last night, I'm.

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Speaker 2: Trying to take the trash cans out to the curb,

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Speaker 2: but I'm like, where do I put these?

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Speaker 4: Kind of it's just two feet of snow.

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Speaker 2: The same thing, Yeah, everywhere you look, but a little

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Speaker 2: bit sunnier here today.

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Speaker 4: It is a Wednesday. We have got plenty to get to.

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Speaker 2: Our schedules, still a little convoluted as it's only our

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Speaker 2: second show of the week, but it is a Wednesday.

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Speaker 4: So Matt, I figured we would lead.

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Speaker 2: Off here with an exercise that we typically do on Tuesdays,

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Speaker 2: but just to kind of get us started here on Wednesday,

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Speaker 2: how about we take a look at these power rankings

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Speaker 2: now that now the week fifteen is in the book. Yep,

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Speaker 2: And Matt, I know you're shocked by this but in

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Speaker 2: the basement once again as the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Speaker 3: Oh, they're just making a stronger and stronger case. I mean,

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Speaker 3: their numbers in that past game, like first downs didn't happen,

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Speaker 3: yardage didn't happen. I mean, ridiculously bad, and they ount

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Speaker 3: of talent. I mean, they're really in a bad spot.

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Speaker 4: They are.

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Speaker 2: I guess maybe the only good news is they're on

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Speaker 2: track to get the first overall pick.

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Speaker 3: Right But if you live at one of those two

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Speaker 3: quarterbacks in that situation, well.

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Speaker 4: That's exactly where I was going.

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Speaker 3: I know.

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Speaker 2: I would almost be like, I'm trading down. Yeah, you know,

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Speaker 2: give me, give me a top ten offensive or defensive lineman,

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Speaker 2: give me another first round talent somewhere, the.

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Speaker 3: First rounder for next year, and maybe go get the

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Speaker 3: guy that right now, because I just it's unsavable with

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Speaker 3: one quarterback, even.

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Speaker 2: If it was for failure, even if it was a

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Speaker 2: Trevor Lawrence Andrew Luck Joe Burrow type prospect, I would

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Speaker 2: still be hesitant to PLoP them into that situation.

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Speaker 3: I know. And these guys aren't I Mendozy nine, but

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Speaker 3: they're not like that. They're not let no brain or

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Speaker 3: over pass up.

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Speaker 4: On them, no doubt, And we'll get to that more

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Speaker 4: an hour. Number two. We'll do a little around campus

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Speaker 4: today as well.

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Speaker 3: That's the thing like hockey and basketball, you just take

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Speaker 3: Lebron or Lemieux or Crosby or whatever. You know, we'll

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Speaker 3: figure it out. But here it's like you can ruin it.

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Speaker 2: You can break these guys, you can dave the car

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Speaker 2: these guys, oh yick. And yet it's a tough situation

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Speaker 2: for the Raiders right now. And then at number thirty

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Speaker 2: one staying here, I think you and I agree, but

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Speaker 2: they're in a much better situation.

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Speaker 4: It's the Tennessee Titans.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I might even sure if they'd be thirty one.

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Speaker 3: I mean, they play hard, and they're playing better than

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Speaker 3: some of the junk teams. I might have the Jets

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Speaker 3: thirty one. Jets have been pretty terrible.

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Speaker 2: I might have the Giants thirty one. Yeah, it's a

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Speaker 2: lot of splitting hairs. Again, they're all bad between bad

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Speaker 2: hairs there. But the Giants, you know, remember way back

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Speaker 2: to that Thursday nighter against at home against the Eagles

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Speaker 2: and what was kind of the Jackson Darton cam scatterby party.

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Speaker 2: They've lost eight straight since that and at least if

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Speaker 2: you're the Titans, You're like, hey, we've got cam Ward,

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Speaker 2: We've got some guys on our defensive line.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, we're in a good spot.

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Speaker 5: Like that.

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Speaker 3: Would mind be the GM of Titans.

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Speaker 2: I think that's probably the best way to put it

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Speaker 2: to me. If you say, of all these bottom five

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Speaker 2: or six or seven teams, if you had to be

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Speaker 2: the GM of one starting tomorrow.

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Speaker 3: Raiders is my last choice.

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Speaker 4: Raiders is my last choice.

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Speaker 3: Browns.

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Speaker 4: Browns is very low on the list.

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Speaker 3: They have two first round picks.

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Speaker 4: The Jets.

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Speaker 2: Like, I think number one for me is obviously Tennessee

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Speaker 2: number two. Number two is probably the Jets, just because

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Speaker 2: they've got a ton of assets.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, they at least have an offensive line.

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Speaker 2: You've got some young pieces on that offensive line that

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Speaker 2: you can build around.

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Speaker 3: If you I just don't love dart. But if if

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Speaker 3: you were someone and I understand the people that do,

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Speaker 3: if you love darts, they don't need a ton that's fair.

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Speaker 4: You know, the defense, the defense could easily be much better.

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Speaker 3: Neighbors comes back.

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Speaker 4: They've got some pieces on the offensive line.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, it's not terrible. I just don't love dart.

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Speaker 2: Same if you if you like Dart. I don't think

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Speaker 2: you're crazy. If you love Dart, I think you might be.

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Speaker 3: But yeah, yeah, yeah, I get both sides. I mean,

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Speaker 3: I'm not setting stone that he's gonna stink for it. Sure,

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Speaker 3: but sure I leaned towards you would not be the

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Speaker 3: guy I built around.

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Speaker 2: I lean towards that best. He might be a I

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Speaker 2: don't know who's a good example. Jalen Hurts. Yeah, that's

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Speaker 2: as a Super Bowl champion and the VP.

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Speaker 3: But but I mean his sporting cast was so good,

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Speaker 3: you know right.

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Speaker 2: Yes, Number thirty is the Giants. Twenty nine is the Jets.

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Speaker 2: The MetLife portion there towards the bottom.

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Speaker 3: Of Llie just playing terrible football right now.

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Speaker 2: They are they've done the can coon on three. To

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Speaker 2: quote Arthur Motes, they are booking their they're booking their

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Speaker 2: January plans.

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Speaker 3: And he crushed them two weeks ago. I mean rushed.

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Speaker 3: I mean they're playing Brady Cook.

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Speaker 2: It looked like the varsity team scrimmage and the jv

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Speaker 2: team and Jacksonville yank the running back out of here

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Speaker 2: in the second quarter.

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Speaker 4: Don't get him hit anymore.

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Speaker 3: Yes, Jacksuvill did a number on two.

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Speaker 4: Twenty eight is the Cleveland Browns. I think that they're.

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Speaker 3: They have a defense.

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Speaker 4: I think they're the.

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Speaker 2: Best of these teams because they at least have a defense.

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Speaker 2: But man, they look like another team that's started to

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Speaker 2: think about their their January vacation plans.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and their pressure rate allowed is worse in the league,

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Speaker 3: you know, And the Chargers are gaining on them quick

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Speaker 3: because they don't have anybody. But they're the two worst

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Speaker 3: by far. So it's really hard to evaluate Sanders or

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Speaker 3: anyone for that matter, because they can't block anybody right now.

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Speaker 3: I mean, to me, those are the two teams, the

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Speaker 3: Chargers and Browns that just don't block anybody. I mean,

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Speaker 3: the Chargers are overcoming it somehow.

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Speaker 4: As Harbert's and Genie, yeah.

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Speaker 3: And everything else around them is much better than what

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Speaker 3: the Browns have.

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Speaker 2: Number twenty seven stay and put as they have lost

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Speaker 2: eleven of their last twelve games. The Arizona Cardinals still.

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Speaker 3: Think they're better than these other teams.

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Speaker 2: They've got some pieces. Ye, Bride is top five tight

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Speaker 2: end in the NFL, having a huge year, and they've

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Speaker 2: got you know, they've.

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Speaker 3: Got a lot of guys down yeah, right right.

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Speaker 2: They're another one of those I think if they made

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Speaker 2: the right higher, if they hit the right buttons in

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Speaker 2: the offseason, Not that they're gonna, you know, win nine

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Speaker 2: or ten games and contend for a playoff spot, but

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Speaker 2: I think that they could be a non disaster and

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Speaker 2: non pushover in twenty twenty six.

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Speaker 3: So it's weird, and I'm not doing this to try

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Speaker 3: to get everybody psycked up. But they did a mail

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Speaker 3: bag podcast today and one of the questions was, who

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Speaker 3: are teams that are picking later, like in the second

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Speaker 3: half of the first round that could trade up to

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Speaker 3: like number one or number two, you know, like the

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Speaker 3: Eagles did for Wentz or that year was Goff. And

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Speaker 3: then they say, is there any other sleeper teams that

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Speaker 3: could trade to the very top for a quarterback?

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Speaker 2: You're not talking like the Chiefs did to go to

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Speaker 2: what ten or eleven and get Mahomes in that vein,

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Speaker 2: but more like Les Wentz example is a good one.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean that's they took him two trades to

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Speaker 3: do it, you know.

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Speaker 2: Same with Buffalo to get Allen right, but he was

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Speaker 2: seventh overall, which is still a little bit finger back.

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Speaker 3: I mean, I'm trying to read the tea leaves of

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Speaker 3: this draft, because I think there's only gonna be two

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Speaker 3: quarterbacks and they're gonna both go top five. I mean,

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Speaker 3: you're on topas I agree.

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Speaker 2: I think ty Simpson could be the third, but there's

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Speaker 2: still some wait and see what that.

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Speaker 3: Where Allan and Mahomes were much better classes. You could

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Speaker 3: go to seven, ten, eleven. But anyway, the team and

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Speaker 3: only team I could come up with the Steelers, I

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Speaker 3: mean to be honest, like someone that's picking like a

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Speaker 3: playoff type team that would make the huge splash, go

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Speaker 3: all the way to two, three, one, whatever. But I

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Speaker 3: also see the Cardinals in there. Like the Cardinals end

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Speaker 3: up with the eighth or ninth pick. Sure they could

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Speaker 3: be the bryce young team that go from ten to one,

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Speaker 3: you know, and I would understand it for them the

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Speaker 3: same here and not the worst infrastructure to go into.

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Speaker 2: It would make sense for them in terms of Listen,

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Speaker 2: we don't think about this much in Pittsburgh, but some

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Speaker 2: teams like strike while the Iron's hot, sell some more tickets, jerseys,

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Speaker 2: get some more butts and seats.

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Speaker 3: They need to think about that there.

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Speaker 2: Like I remember telling you when the Colts came here

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Speaker 2: and they were what seven and one at that point.

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Speaker 2: I think the Colts were or seven and two something

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Speaker 2: like that. And this was before the sauce trade. Like

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Speaker 2: talking with their broadcast guys and them being like, we're

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Speaker 2: we're trying to strike while the iron's hot this year,

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Speaker 2: like we're putting out more content than ever. Yeah, team's

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Speaker 2: being more aggressive than ever because we got it.

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Speaker 3: It's a weird world to not be in the same world,

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Speaker 3: you know, to have to do that.

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Speaker 6: But whatever, and there's he I mean, we we see that,

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Speaker 6: you know in their businesses.

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Speaker 3: People forget these are businesses, right, there are thirty two

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Speaker 3: individual business.

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Speaker 2: It's why the Pittsburgh Pirates have fifty bobblehead nights every year.

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Speaker 4: Because you've got to you gotta fireworks.

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Speaker 3: You got there's.

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Speaker 2: Something to get the butts in the seats. Number twenty

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Speaker 2: six is the Washington Commander's.

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Speaker 4: Mass They're pretty terrible, right, They're pretty terrible. They are.

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Speaker 2: I think another team that is, if you have a

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Speaker 2: good offseason, you could turn this around pretty quick. Yeah yeah,

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Speaker 2: but that defense is old and they just they need

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Speaker 2: a lot of retooling.

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Speaker 3: They need a lot of defense, you know. But they

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Speaker 3: have a quarterback too, they do. I don't know if

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Speaker 3: I'd have them over Arizona. They're both pretty terrible.

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Speaker 2: This team at twenty five, I might have a spot

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Speaker 2: or two higher, although I'm looking at the teams above them,

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Speaker 2: and I think it might be fair. But how about

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Speaker 2: the New Orleans Saints.

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Speaker 3: I like that they're this high. I mean most of

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Speaker 3: us look at him like, oh, they're terrible. They're playing hard.

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Speaker 3: They're playing hard, all right.

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Speaker 4: They're winning games.

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Speaker 2: The games that they lose, it doesn't look like a

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Speaker 2: Jets loss, it doesn't look like a Raiders loss. Like

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Speaker 2: they're still competitive in their losses.

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Speaker 3: I think Kellen Worres done a good job as head

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Speaker 3: coach there. Same here and I will be the starting

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Speaker 3: quarterback next year.

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Speaker 2: I think he will too, and that is good news

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Speaker 2: for the Pittsburg stillers. Number twenty four of the Atlanta Falcons.

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Speaker 3: The shared little signs of life lately, but it's been

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Speaker 3: a bad year.

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Speaker 4: They're they're a weird one, Like what do you do?

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Speaker 2: What do you do with Kyle Pitt's You know, what

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Speaker 2: do you do with your quarterback situation? You don't have

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Speaker 2: a first round pick. Bijeon's right in his absolute prime,

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Speaker 2: one of the best handful of players in football right now?

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Speaker 2: Do you build around that? It's just there's no easy

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Speaker 2: answer for London being ow.

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Speaker 3: It's really hurt them too because they don't have other,

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Speaker 3: you know, wide receivers. They do pass catchers and pits.

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Speaker 2: Bengals checking in at twenty three h after a some

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Speaker 2: feel good against the Ravens on Thanksgiving. It's kind of

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Speaker 2: gone backwards these past couple of weeks and all the

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Speaker 2: you know, Joe Burrow cryptic comments.

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Speaker 3: Did you have the Bengals or Dolphins higher? It wasn't

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Speaker 3: the best performance by the Dolphins.

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Speaker 2: They just bench, but I was gonna say I'd probably

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Speaker 2: go with the team that didn't just bench them.

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Speaker 3: I was thinking too, like the I mean, they're gonna

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Speaker 3: roll out yours. They're probably only going to go backwards

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Speaker 3: in this list.

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Speaker 2: And I don't know if you saw some of the

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Speaker 2: numbers today, but it's basically like it costs the Dolphins

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Speaker 2: just as much to cut to a dead cat money

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Speaker 2: as it does to keep them next year like they are.

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Speaker 3: It'd be worse than Russell Wilson with the Broncos, which

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Speaker 3: has been the worst dead hit in NFL history.

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Speaker 2: They might be in they might be neck and neck

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Speaker 2: with the Cleveland Browns in terms of the worst quarterback

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Speaker 2: situation in the NFL.

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Speaker 5: Right now.

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Speaker 3: Agree. So at this conversation, Tua was the topic of

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Speaker 3: the day in terms of other podcasts, and so that's

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Speaker 3: the biggest national news for the day. Matt, what would

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Speaker 3: you do as the Dolphins? And I rarely take this attempt,

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Speaker 3: but i'd strip it for parts. I mean I would

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Speaker 3: I would tank. I hate the word tank, the one

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Speaker 3: I used to hate the word tank, But I mean

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Speaker 3: I would trade Waddle, I would trade a Chan, I

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Speaker 3: would trade Minca.

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Speaker 4: So you don't mean like these last three games.

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Speaker 3: No, I'm talking about right, they already fired the GM.

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Speaker 4: You would tear it down to build it back up.

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Speaker 3: I think you're getting a new head coach. I think

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Speaker 3: I would go and get every draft pick I possibly

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Speaker 3: can and try to be picking at the top of

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Speaker 3: next year's draft.

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Speaker 2: When there's quarterbacks anyone who's not going to be around

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Speaker 2: in two, three, four years, get rid.

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Speaker 3: Of them, I mean the Mincas of the world. Yeah.

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Speaker 3: And I rarely take that approach because I think that

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Speaker 3: does inreparable harm to a locker room, you know, and

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Speaker 3: just killing the winning culture is never a good idea.

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Speaker 3: Not they have a great winning culture. But whatever you built.

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Speaker 3: But man, they're really financially straft Tyreek gone. You know,

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Speaker 3: all those type of dudes. I think I would go

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Speaker 3: down to nothing and try to just eat your vegetables

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Speaker 3: in this upcoming Yeah, yeah, one one brutal year.

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Speaker 2: At least they have so of these teams that are

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Speaker 2: in this situation don't have any assets, don't have any

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Speaker 2: parts that they can strip off and sell.

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Speaker 3: That's why later is the worst job ever.

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Speaker 4: The Dolphins.

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Speaker 2: I mean, you've got some rif if you were to

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Speaker 2: fire sale that thing, you'd have some really attract you

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Speaker 2: picked some stuff up right, you'd have a lot of

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Speaker 2: people stopping at your yard sale to bargain with you.

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Speaker 2: Be something that lazy boy sitting over there and that

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Speaker 2: beer fridge, and they're in really good condition.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, all of a sudden, like I got some Yeah,

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Speaker 3: I get some change in my pocket.

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Speaker 2: Minnesota Vikings at twenty one won a couple of games

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Speaker 2: here JJ McCarthy showing some life.

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Speaker 4: They're not completely going in the tank.

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Speaker 3: They'd be better than anyone mentioned, are They.

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Speaker 2: Another one of those teams that could trade from the

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Speaker 2: middle of the draft up to the top five to

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Speaker 2: get a quarterback.

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Speaker 3: I think, well, that's another conversation.

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Speaker 4: We had McCarthy looks on these these Yeah.

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Speaker 3: I mentioned him more than any other quarterback of that one.

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Speaker 3: Let's see the rest of the League of the Year playout,

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Speaker 3: because it's been better the last couple of weeks. He

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Speaker 3: has so little experience. Yeah, yeah, if he could play

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Speaker 3: like this, you'd run it back. I'd run it back

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Speaker 3: with him and Eddie Dalton, you know, you know some

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Speaker 3: mentor type you know.

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Speaker 4: Number twenty the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Speaker 3: Wow, amazing the.

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Speaker 4: Lowest that they have been probably since I.

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Speaker 3: Mean, especially with factor that Mahome's not the quarterback.

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Speaker 4: No doubt.

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Speaker 2: Then Yeah, and even some of these teams behind them,

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Speaker 2: they might be favored over the chief Like if the

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Speaker 2: Vikings and the Chiefs played this weekend, I bet you

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Speaker 2: the Vikings are favored slightly.

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Speaker 3: That's almost how I started the response when you said

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Speaker 3: the Chiefs, I'm like, oh, but they'd be favored. Everybody

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Speaker 3: else might well not now.

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Speaker 4: Not now, they wouldn't be it last week they would

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Speaker 4: have been.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, big favorites.

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Speaker 4: Nineteen the Dallas Cowboys.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, they're kind of dwindling a little bit.

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Speaker 4: Dangerous but dwindling.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and they can still knock off somebody and play

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Speaker 2: a big factor in this thing down the stretch.

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Speaker 4: But ain't looking good, bro.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, although they're another one right off season, and they could.

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Speaker 3: Be good next year.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: I think Pickens will get franchise or extended draft defense

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Speaker 3: like crazy, they get some extra picks too. They could

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Speaker 3: be right in the trades.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, they're starting to starting to bear fruit for them.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, good young o line.

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Speaker 2: Number eighteen Matt unable to take advantage of the Buccaneers loss.

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Speaker 2: It's the Carolina Panthers.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, it's Carolina or Tampa. I mean, who's worse right now?

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Speaker 4: Seventeen? I mean I think that's good.

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Speaker 3: Like I'd have them right next to each other.

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Speaker 2: They play, they play two times here in the next

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Speaker 2: three weeks. It's gonna set up to be a lot

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Speaker 2: of fun in that regard parts school. Yeah, that part's great.

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Speaker 2: Same with the Packers and the Bears or you know,

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Speaker 2: got the second half of that. I'm going to give

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Speaker 2: the Bucks the edge because of the experience, because of

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Speaker 2: the quarterback too.

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Speaker 3: Is they could the Bucks could at least convince me

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Speaker 3: in the next three weeks that they could win a playoff.

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Speaker 4: They find something.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, like I remember that team. They're just

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Speaker 3: in a bad place right now where Carolina they could

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Speaker 3: win out that. I'm not going to pick them the

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Speaker 3: win round one. Great's no way agreed.

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Speaker 4: Sixteen The Indianapolis Cults Matt.

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Speaker 3: Kind of a weird one.

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Speaker 2: Life comes at you fast in the National Football League.

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Speaker 3: The fact that they were competitive in Seattle, I give

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Speaker 3: them some credit for. I mean, he can't throw anymore.

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Speaker 3: What he did from the neck up was pretty remarkable.

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Speaker 2: It's a crazy I mean, the Colts in the Bucks

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Speaker 2: were top five in the Power rankings. It points that

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Speaker 2: long not that long ago. Yeah, and now they are

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Speaker 2: down closer to twenty fifteen. The Baltimore Ravens a much

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Speaker 2: needed response for them from them.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and hey, that's the neighborhood they're in right now.

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Speaker 2: Their next two weeks are really tough. They are New England,

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Speaker 2: a Patriots team that's going to now be pissed off

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Speaker 2: and looking to stick with the Broncos. And then they

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Speaker 2: have to go to Lambeau and what will be a

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Speaker 2: Packers team that is likely going to have plenty to

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Speaker 2: play for as well.

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Speaker 5: Well.

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Speaker 3: Of course, now lamar definitely looked his best of any

390
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Speaker 3: day since his injury. Yes, so that's encouraging, But I

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Speaker 3: still think both their lines are not good enough.

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Speaker 4: Fourteen. The Steelers upcoming opponent the Detroit Lions.

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Speaker 3: Out of the Lions ahead the Steelers, Yeah, that's only

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Speaker 3: the Lions are awfully good. They're just something. I mean,

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Speaker 3: they are like the number one offense in the league.

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Speaker 3: I mean, they have some defensive injuries. I know they're

397
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Speaker 3: on the outside looking in. But without Micah Parsons, are

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Speaker 3: they a better team than the Packers? Like just her power?

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Speaker 5: Now?

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Speaker 3: I don't care about the math. Yeah, how you get

401
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Speaker 3: in just like on a neutral field.

402
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Speaker 2: I don't know, like thirty thousand foot view. I would

403
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Speaker 2: say yes, because I think they're pretty darn good too, right,

404
00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,720
Speaker 2: But they've just lost so many close games this year.

405
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Speaker 2: I know, I know that it's almost become like the

406
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Speaker 2: Chiefs thing of like I know who you are, I

407
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Speaker 2: know what you are, but you got to.

408
00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,760
Speaker 3: Show it, you do. You know, they've won so many

409
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Speaker 3: games the last couple of years.

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Speaker 4: I totally doubt totally, Like, I still.

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Speaker 3: Think they can win the Super Bowl. I mean, if

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Speaker 3: you paint a little bit of a rosy picture. I mean,

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Speaker 3: they may not get in I understand sure, but.

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Speaker 2: They Yeah, they have the roster build and the makeup

415
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Speaker 2: to absolutely.

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Speaker 4: Go on a run. I agree with you on that.

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Speaker 3: They're a little better the last couple of years than

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Speaker 3: this year, but I still think they're dangerous.

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Speaker 2: They are definitely dangerous. I'm with you on that. And

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Speaker 2: the Steelers checking at thirteen just one spot.

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Speaker 3: Ahead of them, I've just probably flipped those two.

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Speaker 4: But I don't.

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Speaker 2: I think that that's the right range for all these

424
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Speaker 2: teams Detroit, Baltimore, Pittsburgh last.

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Speaker 3: Two weeks, So it would definitely helped the Steelers obviously.

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Speaker 4: The Eagles checking in at number twelve.

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Speaker 3: Defense is really good. I think the offense is sort

428
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Speaker 3: of broke. I mean, Hurts has really hurt them, and

429
00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:28,440
Speaker 3: they're very predictable. Lane Johnson being out this seems low.

430
00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:29,879
Speaker 4: For Lane Johnson going to be back ors.

431
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Speaker 3: I don't know, you're sitting here and thinking the same thing.

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Speaker 2: I'm not sure they needed what they need to do

433
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Speaker 2: and beat up on a really bad Raiders team.

434
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Speaker 3: Yeah, last week it didn't show me anything.

435
00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,600
Speaker 2: That just shows me that they can still hang around.

436
00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:43,920
Speaker 2: What their ultimate ceiling is? I have no idea, but

437
00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,680
Speaker 2: I think you're right. A lot of that uh circles

438
00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,560
Speaker 2: around depends upon the form the play of Jalen.

439
00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,160
Speaker 3: Hurts, Yeah, which worries me a little bit.

440
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Speaker 4: Number eleven the Chargers three straight wins.

441
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Speaker 3: I may have a couple of these teams ahead of Charge.

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Speaker 2: They're another one that are tough for me. But they're

443
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Speaker 2: despite every reason not to. They keep finding ways to

444
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Speaker 2: win games.

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Speaker 3: And I think they're coaching quarterback are really good at

446
00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:06,880
Speaker 3: what they do. Agreed, Yeah, and that goes a long.

447
00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,479
Speaker 4: Way, very very much agreed.

448
00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,320
Speaker 2: Number ten, they might be Matt and Nice picking the

449
00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,400
Speaker 2: AFC right now, if we had to do it, Matt

450
00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:15,679
Speaker 2: might have some cheddar on these guys to win the AFC.

451
00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,720
Speaker 3: So the Houston Texans, Yeah, I mean it just power ranks.

452
00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,240
Speaker 3: They would be number one for me in the AFC.

453
00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:22,920
Speaker 3: I think they're the best team in the AFC right now.

454
00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:25,399
Speaker 3: Now I understand why people don't rank them that way.

455
00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,800
Speaker 2: You know they they certainly have the best defense in

456
00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,399
Speaker 2: the AFC right now, which is clearly we know that

457
00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,119
Speaker 2: that travels and we know that that's huge part of

458
00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:33,960
Speaker 2: the equation.

459
00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,240
Speaker 4: This time of year. Number nine is those green Bay Packers.

460
00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,560
Speaker 3: That might be for me, might be a little high

461
00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,880
Speaker 3: considering the losses they just sustained, you know, I mean they.

462
00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:44,879
Speaker 2: They're already Downcraft Parsons is going to be out for

463
00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,480
Speaker 2: the rest of the year. Watson's hurt, Zach thom is hurt,

464
00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:48,600
Speaker 2: Kway Walker's hurt.

465
00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,520
Speaker 4: Evan Williams. Evan Williams is hurt.

466
00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:53,480
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's a really good safety. People know about it.

467
00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,000
Speaker 3: They're getting hit hard at the wrong.

468
00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:56,880
Speaker 2: They are getting hit hard at the wrong time. Yeah,

469
00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:02,320
Speaker 2: very good way to put it. If they're completely healthy, they're.

470
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:02,960
Speaker 4: A top three or four team in the league.

471
00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,640
Speaker 3: But they are them chiefly dropped at least a tier

472
00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:08,040
Speaker 3: this past week. If not to.

473
00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,920
Speaker 2: I'm with you on that the Niners stay at number eight.

474
00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,240
Speaker 2: I mean, Brock Party probably his best performance of the season.

475
00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:19,480
Speaker 2: Ricky Piersoll emerging, having a big nearly one hundred yard day.

476
00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,520
Speaker 2: George Kittle looks back to form. I don't think the

477
00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:24,840
Speaker 2: Niners can win the Super Bowl, but I think they're

478
00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:28,000
Speaker 2: a really dangerous team that they've got the culture of

479
00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,399
Speaker 2: been there, done that in the postseason a lot of times.

480
00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,760
Speaker 2: They just know how to win games. They're going to

481
00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,640
Speaker 2: be a very tough. They're that classic, that proverbial very

482
00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:36,240
Speaker 2: tough out.

483
00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:37,520
Speaker 4: Yeah, come to play.

484
00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,120
Speaker 3: They could definitely. They're they're that uh lot of defensive

485
00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:41,920
Speaker 3: injuries all year.

486
00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,359
Speaker 2: They're that feisty mid major that you don't want to

487
00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,359
Speaker 2: see in the second round. You know, you're you're Duke

488
00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:48,679
Speaker 2: or Kentucky and you're like, man, I really don't want

489
00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,120
Speaker 2: to see Mercer. Those guys can scrap. Those guys could

490
00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,600
Speaker 2: play defense. Those those guys will run with us for

491
00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,119
Speaker 2: forty minutes. I don't think they're gonna win a Natty,

492
00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,240
Speaker 2: but they're but they can knock somebody off who could.

493
00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:02,359
Speaker 3: Yeah, Oh, they definitely could. In the NFC, though, I

494
00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,320
Speaker 3: think i'd have San Fran ahead of Green Bay. Yes,

495
00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:09,720
Speaker 3: I might have Detroit over both. Oh, I know Detroice

496
00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:11,920
Speaker 3: on this weird thing. For ten games they've gone win lost,

497
00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:12,240
Speaker 3: win lost.

498
00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,640
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's on paper. I certainly think they're

499
00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:16,840
Speaker 4: more talented right now.

500
00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,639
Speaker 3: On their best day is better than either one of

501
00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:19,760
Speaker 3: those teams best days.

502
00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:20,800
Speaker 4: Number seven.

503
00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,120
Speaker 2: See, I think you might sing a similar tune. It's

504
00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:29,359
Speaker 2: the Jacksonville Jaguars, fresh off of five straight wins.

505
00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,320
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, become believer. I mean Lawrence's playing great. I

506
00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,640
Speaker 3: think the coach is doing a tremendous job. Jakobe Myers

507
00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,880
Speaker 3: was like the exact puzzle piece they needed to complete everything.

508
00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:40,520
Speaker 3: Defense is fine.

509
00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, they got the Broncos this weekend. That one,

510
00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,320
Speaker 2: I think will tell us a lot about both teams. Yes,

511
00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,320
Speaker 2: number sixth, highest we've seen them in a long time.

512
00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,480
Speaker 4: Du Bears, that's funny in here close to the top.

513
00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,160
Speaker 3: Put the Bears and Jags like right next week. Yeah, yeah,

514
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:57,240
Speaker 3: And I think that.

515
00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:58,200
Speaker 4: That's a similar situation.

516
00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,520
Speaker 2: Yeah, quarterback trying to find its way first time head coach.

517
00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:03,879
Speaker 3: Absolutely, it's not one a lot lately.

518
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,440
Speaker 2: Exceeding expectations ahead of schedule. Just get to the playoffs

519
00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,680
Speaker 2: and everything else is money in the bank. Number five

520
00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:13,920
Speaker 2: into the top five, dropping just one spot after blowing

521
00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,280
Speaker 2: a big lead to their division.

522
00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,080
Speaker 4: Fow the Buffalo Bills. It's the New England Patriots.

523
00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:21,280
Speaker 3: I wouldn't crush them for that.

524
00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:22,000
Speaker 4: They were due.

525
00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:24,919
Speaker 3: They were due, like they started strong, they couldn't close.

526
00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,600
Speaker 3: That's about where they belong. I'd have them over the

527
00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:28,960
Speaker 3: last two teams imagined.

528
00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,920
Speaker 2: And I almost if I was a Patriots fan, which

529
00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:33,520
Speaker 2: makes me want to throw up on myself saying that

530
00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:34,040
Speaker 2: out loud.

531
00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:35,719
Speaker 4: I almost think that might have been a good thing

532
00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:36,040
Speaker 4: for them.

533
00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,840
Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe, like this doesn't come as easy as you

534
00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:40,880
Speaker 3: guys think, young pups, like, yeah.

535
00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,200
Speaker 2: This was not gonna be though, We're gonna win fourteen

536
00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:45,320
Speaker 2: games and waltz to the super Bowl from from being

537
00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,199
Speaker 2: where we were the last two years to that, Like,

538
00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,800
Speaker 2: there's gotta be some roadbumps, playoff type, there's got to

539
00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:52,840
Speaker 2: be some roadbumps along the way. You got to take

540
00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,280
Speaker 2: your medicine. You got to learn your lessons. Every young

541
00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:59,359
Speaker 2: ascending team and every sport has to do that before

542
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,840
Speaker 2: they get up, before they can get you get your team.

543
00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,320
Speaker 2: They you know, they the last ten weeks they've been winning,

544
00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:09,320
Speaker 2: and they walk into the team meeting on two Mondays. Yeah,

545
00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:10,960
Speaker 2: and now it's like set up in your chair and

546
00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,640
Speaker 2: pay attention, all right, because now it's starting to get

547
00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:14,200
Speaker 2: more difficult.

548
00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,159
Speaker 6: I think that Josh, hey, they would have loved to

549
00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,240
Speaker 6: have clinched the division and in the home playoff game

550
00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:19,920
Speaker 6: and all that, but.

551
00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:21,920
Speaker 4: I think that that loss might go a long way

552
00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:22,199
Speaker 4: for them.

553
00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:23,840
Speaker 3: I need to see who the Patriots play this week.

554
00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,600
Speaker 3: But as you talk through that, I'm like, I bet

555
00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:26,200
Speaker 3: they win big.

556
00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,680
Speaker 4: If it's just an average of Baltimore Ravens at.

557
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:31,320
Speaker 3: That's a good time for That's good for the Steelers.

558
00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:35,359
Speaker 2: That's a good Baltimore momentah, because then Baltimore goes the lambo.

559
00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,440
Speaker 2: So yes, it is, it is in Baltimore. Number four

560
00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:38,520
Speaker 2: of the Buffalo Bills.

561
00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:40,640
Speaker 3: Yeah they're hot. Yeah.

562
00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,280
Speaker 2: Again, they are not the most complete team. They are

563
00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,600
Speaker 2: not the most talented team. But they have two things

564
00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:48,560
Speaker 2: going for him. One they're built for.

565
00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:52,439
Speaker 6: This time of year, yes, finally, And two they've got

566
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,400
Speaker 6: If I if I was starting an NFL franchise right

567
00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,320
Speaker 6: now to head into January and head into the postseason,

568
00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,440
Speaker 6: that's my first pick is Josh might.

569
00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:01,120
Speaker 3: Be enough this year.

570
00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,560
Speaker 4: No Mahomes right right, Burrow, you could have no Lamar

571
00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:05,480
Speaker 4: right right.

572
00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,960
Speaker 3: That's pretty nice. And if he's a superstar.

573
00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,080
Speaker 2: I mean, if you get Bill's, if you get Bills Steelers,

574
00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,760
Speaker 2: round one one of those MVP quarterbacks is going home.

575
00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,800
Speaker 4: I mean, you know like it. You're starting to look around.

576
00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,880
Speaker 2: If you're Buffalo and it's been a weird season and

577
00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,280
Speaker 2: you're not nearly as confident in your team as you've

578
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:26,120
Speaker 2: been at other points in but you might be looking

579
00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:28,119
Speaker 2: around at your neighbors and going, you know what, like

580
00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:32,200
Speaker 2: our front yard. It's not the nicestly landscape that's ever been,

581
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:33,200
Speaker 2: but it's looking.

582
00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,800
Speaker 4: It's looking better than Tom Dick and Harry down the tree.

583
00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,480
Speaker 3: Right, and I get to snap at the josh every time.

584
00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:39,040
Speaker 4: That's right.

585
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:40,919
Speaker 2: Now, I got the best grass cutter. I had the

586
00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,359
Speaker 2: best browns keeper in the entire neighborhood.

587
00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:43,560
Speaker 5: Here.

588
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,359
Speaker 2: Number three the Seattle Seahawks. They drop one spot. I

589
00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,840
Speaker 2: don't know if I agree with that, but they take

590
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:51,919
Speaker 2: care of business. It was an Ail Bier over the Colts. Hey,

591
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:53,440
Speaker 2: that's a good team. The Colts are not what we

592
00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:55,200
Speaker 2: thought they were a couple of months ago, but they're.

593
00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,440
Speaker 4: Still a good team. And they were desperate, desperate a

594
00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 4: lot to play for.

595
00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,159
Speaker 2: That's another one for Seattle that I think, the way

596
00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,399
Speaker 2: that played out, might that's probably better for them than

597
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,840
Speaker 2: winning by twenty one points. Maybe, you know, find a

598
00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,480
Speaker 2: way to the other team takes a lead with a

599
00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,240
Speaker 2: minute left, we find a way to get that ball

600
00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,680
Speaker 2: down the field, kick a field goal and win.

601
00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,119
Speaker 4: Like I think that's a good.

602
00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,200
Speaker 2: Playoff type, low scoring, don't blink game for Seattle.

603
00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:20,000
Speaker 3: Yeah, and we'll find out a lot about them tomorrow night.

604
00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:22,359
Speaker 4: Yeah, I can't wait for Denver.

605
00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:23,879
Speaker 3: I assume the Rams are one.

606
00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,320
Speaker 4: I don't think one Broncos or two Broncos were.

607
00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,280
Speaker 3: Playing quite well with the like eleven game winning streak.

608
00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:29,240
Speaker 3: That's hard to argue.

609
00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:30,320
Speaker 4: It's hard to argue.

610
00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,399
Speaker 2: The one thing for Denver that really is starting to

611
00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,520
Speaker 2: make me think, okay, they could win the AFC and

612
00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:37,840
Speaker 2: go to the Super Bowl is Drake May is playing

613
00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:38,680
Speaker 2: better Knicks.

614
00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,080
Speaker 3: Yeah right, we're just talking the other guy.

615
00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:42,679
Speaker 4: Sorry, bow Knicks is playing back.

616
00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,439
Speaker 3: As the best game he's ever played, I think it,

617
00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:45,399
Speaker 3: and he's starting to get it.

618
00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,720
Speaker 2: I think at times this season they were kind of

619
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,359
Speaker 2: carrying him along. Oh not that he was weighing the

620
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,480
Speaker 2: team down, but he wasn't. He wasn't a high tide

621
00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:56,760
Speaker 2: that was raising any ships either.

622
00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:58,880
Speaker 3: Definitely not. They were kind of not They were winning

623
00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,480
Speaker 3: in spite of him, but they weren't winning because of them.

624
00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,119
Speaker 2: Correct, I think. I mean, hey, three hundred yards and

625
00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:08,399
Speaker 2: four touchdowns. I think bo Nix is heating up and

626
00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,680
Speaker 2: turning a corner at the right time. And then number one,

627
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,040
Speaker 2: I think you and I have been on this same

628
00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,800
Speaker 2: page for for a while now. I think the team

629
00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:16,200
Speaker 2: that we would both pick to win the Super Bowl

630
00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,840
Speaker 2: if we had to today, the eleven and three Los

631
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,160
Speaker 2: Angeles Rams, who took care of the desperate Detroit Lions

632
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:22,720
Speaker 2: this past weekend.

633
00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,520
Speaker 3: We'll bring up tomorrow. But I was a little shocked

634
00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,280
Speaker 3: to hear today that they're a dog in Seattle. Yeah,

635
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,000
Speaker 3: I mean it's Seattle short week. Wante Adams is probably

636
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,919
Speaker 3: one play, but still I think I would take points

637
00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,879
Speaker 3: with them against anybody anywhere right now. What was it

638
00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:38,360
Speaker 3: one and a half, It's only one and a half.

639
00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:42,040
Speaker 4: It's not surprising. Slight home field advantage for Seattle.

640
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:43,840
Speaker 3: But they're better on the road than at home.

641
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,240
Speaker 4: That's true. It's a very good point the Rams right now.

642
00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:49,159
Speaker 4: Are they got it all going on?

643
00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:49,440
Speaker 5: Yeah?

644
00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:50,320
Speaker 3: I think they're complete.

645
00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:52,159
Speaker 2: They got the quarterback, they got the trenches, they got

646
00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:53,680
Speaker 2: the playmakers, they got the coaching staff.

647
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:54,320
Speaker 4: They're complete.

648
00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:54,720
Speaker 3: Yeah.

649
00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,840
Speaker 2: Davante Adams hamstring injury, but still relatively healthy. Like that

650
00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,320
Speaker 2: doesn't seem like it's something that it's gonna keep him.

651
00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,240
Speaker 3: On a Sunday Monday he probably plays.

652
00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:04,040
Speaker 5: Or.

653
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:08,040
Speaker 2: Or if the Rams are playing the Raiders on Thursday

654
00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:10,320
Speaker 2: night football, you're like, let them rest it's kind just

655
00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,200
Speaker 2: just get right for the stretch run here. But I

656
00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:13,600
Speaker 2: don't think either of us have any problem with the

657
00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:14,439
Speaker 2: Rams being number one.

658
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,640
Speaker 3: No, I think they're pretty easy number one at this point.

659
00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,359
Speaker 2: That is our power rankings here week fifteen of the books.

660
00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,359
Speaker 2: Looking ahead two week sixteen. We will get back into

661
00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,240
Speaker 2: some Steelers specifics with our buddy Chris Halleck when we

662
00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,639
Speaker 2: return on the other side. Just getting started here on

663
00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,920
Speaker 2: a Wednesday, Well Shuler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive

664
00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,800
Speaker 2: on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

665
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,280
Speaker 1: Your tune's about Drive on your twenty four to seven

666
00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,199
Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

667
00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:51,920
Speaker 2: Rolling along here on a Wednesday, into the phone lines

668
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,200
Speaker 2: we go to talk to our buddy, Chris Halleck, of course,

669
00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,440
Speaker 2: covers the Steelers for dk Pittsburgh Sports. Chris, thank you

670
00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:59,639
Speaker 2: for taking the time. As always, buddy, let's jump right

671
00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:03,199
Speaker 2: into would hear you? You're a reporter? I mean you

672
00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,120
Speaker 2: are you know, a beat writer, to use an old term.

673
00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:08,880
Speaker 2: You are around the team, the locker rooms, the practice

674
00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,040
Speaker 2: is all that. Obviously much more than Matt and I are,

675
00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,600
Speaker 2: so just kind of a thirty thousand foot vibe check

676
00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,840
Speaker 2: to get us started here, I got to imagine that

677
00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,240
Speaker 2: that the atmosphere that the energy around the locker room,

678
00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:27,000
Speaker 2: around practice is is much different this week and recently

679
00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,920
Speaker 2: than it had been, say maybe after that Buffalo Bills game.

680
00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,080
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, of course. Yeah, the guys feel pretty good

681
00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:37,520
Speaker 5: about themselves. But I don't see, I've this has been

682
00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,720
Speaker 5: pretty consistent, not just this season, but over my time

683
00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,240
Speaker 5: and covering the team, which has been since the twenty

684
00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:49,399
Speaker 5: twenty two and they stay pretty even keeled. Mike Tomand

685
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:53,160
Speaker 5: does a pretty good job of keeping keeping the team

686
00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:57,480
Speaker 5: from riding the emotional rollercoaster. And you know, I've seen

687
00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 5: you know, two and six starts in twenty twenty two,

688
00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,000
Speaker 5: and I've seen you know this this type of a

689
00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,880
Speaker 5: season where it's just up and down, up and down,

690
00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:07,160
Speaker 5: up and down, and but they've they've remained pretty even

691
00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,960
Speaker 5: killed the entire way. It's not really been anything crazy

692
00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,000
Speaker 5: where you know, you're seeing you know, after like that

693
00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,879
Speaker 5: Bills game, you're seeing guys you know, walking around with

694
00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:18,600
Speaker 5: long faces and hanging their heads. And you're also not

695
00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,119
Speaker 5: seeing you know, parties in the locker room after winning

696
00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:25,359
Speaker 5: too straight either. But overall, yeah, the vibes are are

697
00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,800
Speaker 5: are good there. You know, there is energy and you

698
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,320
Speaker 5: hope that it can carry on, especially into what's going

699
00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:34,000
Speaker 5: to be a really difficult match up on the road.

700
00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,160
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it would be a really difficult matchup.

701
00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,200
Speaker 3: And having Derek Harmon back I think would go a

702
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,280
Speaker 3: long way if you're feeling good about him being a

703
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,880
Speaker 3: startery back again in Detroit. And how do you see

704
00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:47,760
Speaker 3: the defense with and without him? I mean, I know

705
00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,640
Speaker 3: everyone knows the rushing numbers are crazy skewed with them

706
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,120
Speaker 3: without him, but how do you see the ripple effects

707
00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:54,840
Speaker 3: or his value?

708
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,560
Speaker 5: I mean, listen, I think one of the things about

709
00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,280
Speaker 5: Derek Harmon that that that they loved whenever he was

710
00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,560
Speaker 5: coming out of Oregon. This is like before they even

711
00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,800
Speaker 5: drafted him, was just how smart of a football player

712
00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,719
Speaker 5: he is. And it's not just you know, understanding his

713
00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,640
Speaker 5: role on the defensive line or just on the defensive

714
00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:19,560
Speaker 5: front in general, but it's also what he does when

715
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,360
Speaker 5: he's like he understands his role in the one out

716
00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,240
Speaker 5: of eleven, he understands what he needs to do for

717
00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:27,440
Speaker 5: all eleven guys on the defensive side of the ball

718
00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,520
Speaker 5: to do their job, and not as you know, sometimes

719
00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:34,120
Speaker 5: it takes NFL players years to understand something like that,

720
00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:36,640
Speaker 5: and the fact that he can come in as a

721
00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:38,520
Speaker 5: rookie and understand that. I think that's one of the

722
00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,360
Speaker 5: reasons why the defense in general has been so much

723
00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:45,040
Speaker 5: better with him against the run, because he doesn't, you know,

724
00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:49,280
Speaker 5: abandon gaps. He holds his ground, he under he's a

725
00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:51,360
Speaker 5: smart football player. He understands where he needs to be

726
00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:55,320
Speaker 5: to make his to make the linebackers jobs easier. I feel,

727
00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,200
Speaker 5: you know, in terms of his availability, I feel a

728
00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,719
Speaker 5: lot better about him playing this week. The fact that

729
00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,800
Speaker 5: Mike Tomlin in his press conference yesterday said that he

730
00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,120
Speaker 5: was probably healthy enough to play against the Dolphins on

731
00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,239
Speaker 5: Monday night. That's usually a really good indication as long

732
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,400
Speaker 5: as he has no setbacks in practice this week, that

733
00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,560
Speaker 5: he'll he'll be playing on Sunday. Now, we have yet

734
00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,000
Speaker 5: to see the practice report today. They pushed back everything

735
00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:21,120
Speaker 5: an hour today. That's usually pretty typical after a Monday

736
00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,440
Speaker 5: night game for them to push practice, every practice and

737
00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:27,880
Speaker 5: everything else back on Wednesday back an hour. So it'll

738
00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:29,479
Speaker 5: be a little bit later today when we see that.

739
00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,600
Speaker 5: But either way, I feel pretty good about him playing

740
00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,040
Speaker 5: and it'll be a big boost especially knowing that they

741
00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,440
Speaker 5: have to play a Detroit Lions team that has Jamior

742
00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,160
Speaker 5: Gibbson and David Montgomery. It's a really good deal that

743
00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:41,080
Speaker 5: they have a running back.

744
00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:45,560
Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly, and kind of sticking with the trenches there

745
00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:49,120
Speaker 2: and as it relates to Detroit, but spinning the block, Chris,

746
00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,120
Speaker 2: I thought it was a outstanding performance from Dylan Cook

747
00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,960
Speaker 2: on Monday Night football against the Dolphins. We know Detroit's

748
00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,560
Speaker 2: very talented in the trenches both sides of the ball,

749
00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:02,920
Speaker 2: but certainly defense as well. On just Pete status still

750
00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,200
Speaker 2: up in the air, but I gotta think you're we're

751
00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,560
Speaker 2: all pretty confident if they have to run it back

752
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,320
Speaker 2: with Dylan Cook and Detroit on Sunday.

753
00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:12,840
Speaker 3: And Chris, if Pete were healthy, do you think he

754
00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,720
Speaker 3: would immediately become the starter again or is that for debate?

755
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:20,080
Speaker 5: I think it's at least up for debate at this point.

756
00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,520
Speaker 5: I don't think it's an automatic thing where where Pete

757
00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,280
Speaker 5: just you know, gets the nod. And no matter what

758
00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:27,680
Speaker 5: I think, if if Dylan Cook goes out there and

759
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,560
Speaker 5: he gives up you know, seven or eight pressures and

760
00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:34,400
Speaker 5: you know, really really struggles, I think it's usually a

761
00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,760
Speaker 5: pretty good, pretty easy decision for Mike Tomlin to be like, Okay,

762
00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:40,880
Speaker 5: let's go with the with the veteran, but when when

763
00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,520
Speaker 5: he plays the way he plays, and listen, we've seen

764
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:48,040
Speaker 5: it happen this season when when players step in and

765
00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,240
Speaker 5: take advantage of their opportunity to play, seeing it with

766
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,280
Speaker 5: James Pierre, you know, with Nick Herbert. When guys play

767
00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:58,320
Speaker 5: really well, they they earn elevated roles. And if Dylan Cook,

768
00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,400
Speaker 5: you know, if Andres Pete is not going to be

769
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,959
Speaker 5: able to go, or at least if he doesn't, you know,

770
00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,520
Speaker 5: get a chance to clear a protocol until later in

771
00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:09,880
Speaker 5: the week, then maybe that's a decision when Mike Thummins

772
00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:11,600
Speaker 5: got to scratch his head a little bit and then

773
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,840
Speaker 5: see what should we go with Dylan again, you know,

774
00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,080
Speaker 5: or or the fact that he's making it even a

775
00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:20,880
Speaker 5: decision is just indicative of how well he played. And

776
00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:23,400
Speaker 5: so I don't think it's it's as easy as of

777
00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,120
Speaker 5: a decision as Okay, Pete, clear the protocol, Okay, let's

778
00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:27,440
Speaker 5: put it back in. No, I think you have to

779
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:29,800
Speaker 5: seriously consider, like, all right, let's see him.

780
00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,000
Speaker 3: Do it again. How do you decipher the wide receiver

781
00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,160
Speaker 3: pecking order and usage at the moment.

782
00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,200
Speaker 5: Well, obviously d Kays off the top, and after that,

783
00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:47,520
Speaker 5: I I would call probably Adam Field probably w R

784
00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,920
Speaker 5: two right now based off of you know, snap count

785
00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:55,200
Speaker 5: and usage, even though the volume of targets isn't exactly there,

786
00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,760
Speaker 5: the usage, how much they trust him to run routes correctly,

787
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,000
Speaker 5: how much they trust him uh in run blocking and

788
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,360
Speaker 5: things like that, I think, And.

789
00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:08,600
Speaker 3: He was out there quite a bit with two receiver sets.

790
00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,400
Speaker 5: Yeah, so I think he's your your de facto w

791
00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:16,200
Speaker 5: R two right now. And then I think after that

792
00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:21,239
Speaker 5: it's kind of this mixture of it depends on what

793
00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:23,640
Speaker 5: we want to do. If we want to attack deep,

794
00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,200
Speaker 5: MVS is gonna go out there, then we can have

795
00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,440
Speaker 5: two deep threats. And it's just you know, pick your poison,

796
00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:31,280
Speaker 5: you know, I mean, it's you know, we're gonna go

797
00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:34,040
Speaker 5: out there at twelve personnel, Okay, Well, the two receivers

798
00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:36,080
Speaker 5: are going to be Metcalf and MVS. And if you're

799
00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,200
Speaker 5: gonna run too high and take that away, okay, well great,

800
00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:39,520
Speaker 5: now you're gonna hold up the middle of the field

801
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,040
Speaker 5: for the tight ends, which we saw the Steelers do

802
00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,160
Speaker 5: against the Dolphins. The one the one play. I think

803
00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,320
Speaker 5: that's just really indicative of that. It was the r

804
00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:50,320
Speaker 5: p O that they that Rogers through to Friar ruth

805
00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,680
Speaker 5: uh for for twenty two yards. But then you know,

806
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:56,760
Speaker 5: if it depends, you know, you might want something where

807
00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,360
Speaker 5: you want to utilize some speed underneath and that could

808
00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,000
Speaker 5: be Calvanov, you know. So I think after that, it's

809
00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:03,520
Speaker 5: kind of it depends on what they want to do.

810
00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:07,120
Speaker 5: I think it's more based off of schematics of what

811
00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,319
Speaker 5: they're expecting from the opposing defense. I don't think it's

812
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,200
Speaker 5: as solidified, but I think you're gonna see you're gonna

813
00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:15,239
Speaker 5: see Mbs continue to get opportunities. You're going to see

814
00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,680
Speaker 5: Calvin Austin continue to get opportunities. So but I would

815
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,240
Speaker 5: say that the clear number two right now is probably

816
00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:22,479
Speaker 5: Adam feeling so real.

817
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:24,440
Speaker 3: Quick the piggyback off that just kind of dawned on me.

818
00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,040
Speaker 3: And I don't know how much you've looked at the Lions,

819
00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:30,200
Speaker 3: but I'm halfway into my prep is usual on Wednesday,

820
00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:34,080
Speaker 3: but they're they play with their bet base defense for

821
00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,360
Speaker 3: three three four, you know, for four defensive backs on

822
00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,680
Speaker 3: the field, more than any team in the league.

823
00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:41,120
Speaker 5: Yeah, I was actually just looking that up.

824
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, so, I mean that's what they want to do.

825
00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:49,879
Speaker 3: Do you think the Steelers might try more three wide?

826
00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,560
Speaker 5: Yeah, no, it's not what it's not what they do,

827
00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:55,080
Speaker 5: but that they could. I mean in theory, you know,

828
00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:58,319
Speaker 5: it's not like that. Yeah, the Steelers don't run a

829
00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,440
Speaker 5: lot of eleven personnel compare to the rest of the

830
00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:08,400
Speaker 5: but but the percentage is still it's still high. You know,

831
00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:10,840
Speaker 5: it's still what do they still do a lot of it? Anything?

832
00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:11,400
Speaker 4: Right?

833
00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:11,680
Speaker 3: Yeah?

834
00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:14,040
Speaker 5: What did they do more than anything else? They're an

835
00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,920
Speaker 5: eleven personnel more than anything else. But yeah, that that

836
00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,360
Speaker 5: doesn't mean that they, you know, use their teen personnel

837
00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,120
Speaker 5: more than any other team except for the Rams or

838
00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,319
Speaker 5: anything like that. But no, that they still run a

839
00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:29,200
Speaker 5: healthy dose of eleven personnel. It's just not as much

840
00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:31,759
Speaker 5: as the rest of the league is. But so that

841
00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,000
Speaker 5: they have it, they have the ability to do it.

842
00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,120
Speaker 5: And now, you know, when you have K K.

843
00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:41,040
Speaker 7: Metcalf and that feeling and MVS and Calvin Austin and

844
00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,920
Speaker 7: you know, Scotty Miller, possibly you've got some receivers that

845
00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:46,600
Speaker 7: you could probably trust a little bit more.

846
00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:49,320
Speaker 5: Listen, I keep bringing up Scotty Miller and I understand

847
00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:53,600
Speaker 5: he hasn't been talked about a lot, or he's really

848
00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:56,200
Speaker 5: gotten targets or anything, But I feel like if there's

849
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,880
Speaker 5: ever a time where he just kind of becomes somebody

850
00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,719
Speaker 5: you know that could possibly be dependent on, it won't

851
00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:03,600
Speaker 5: be the most surprising thing. This is a guy who's

852
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,240
Speaker 5: earned a lot of praise from you know, Tom Brady

853
00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:08,560
Speaker 5: and Aaron Rodgers like to the.

854
00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:18,040
Speaker 8: Yeah, yeah, So I'm just saying like, when you talk

855
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,440
Speaker 8: about you know somebody who you know, Hey, Calvin Austin's

856
00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:22,640
Speaker 8: out for a little bit, you know, you need Scotty

857
00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:23,120
Speaker 8: to step in.

858
00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:24,440
Speaker 5: It's a game where you're gonna have to do a

859
00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:26,920
Speaker 5: lot more eleven personnel. Maybe Scotty can be that guy

860
00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:29,360
Speaker 5: to jump in and be dependable to be a professional.

861
00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,600
Speaker 5: But yeah, I think it's intriguing to see what the

862
00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:38,160
Speaker 5: what the solution will be. Are we gonna fight fire

863
00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:41,680
Speaker 5: with fire and just you know, run pretty much run

864
00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:43,840
Speaker 5: into the teeth of what the Lions do really well,

865
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,959
Speaker 5: or are you going to force them to do something

866
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:48,799
Speaker 5: a little bit different, get other their comfort zone or

867
00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:51,239
Speaker 5: try to beat you with their base defense while you

868
00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:53,520
Speaker 5: put you know, some smaller personnel packages on the field.

869
00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:57,719
Speaker 4: Mm hmm. Plenty to ponder ahead of this weekend. Chris.

870
00:36:57,719 --> 00:36:59,520
Speaker 2: The last one I wanted to ask you about is

871
00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:03,480
Speaker 2: this Steelers secondary and Matt and I discussed this a

872
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:07,200
Speaker 2: little bit yesterday, but just how different it's wound up

873
00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:09,239
Speaker 2: shaking out than we all expected. You know, back in

874
00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,040
Speaker 2: July and August at training camp. Back then, it was

875
00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:15,759
Speaker 2: you know, a Sleigh and Porter on the on the boundaries.

876
00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:17,920
Speaker 2: It was Ramsey in the slot, but kind of as

877
00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:19,759
Speaker 2: a jack of all trades as well, and then you

878
00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,440
Speaker 2: had Elliott and Thornhill playing at safety.

879
00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,200
Speaker 3: Not to mention how different it was even from what

880
00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:28,200
Speaker 3: they finished twenty twenty four, absolutely made a ton of

881
00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:30,040
Speaker 3: changes just to get to the point that you brought up.

882
00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,040
Speaker 2: And then you know that has all changed now to

883
00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:35,880
Speaker 2: be Ramsey back at safety, with Kyle Dugger who was

884
00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:39,120
Speaker 2: acquired mid season, Joey Porter Junior kind of being the

885
00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,759
Speaker 2: one main stay there, but now with Eccles and to

886
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:47,200
Speaker 2: Sante Samuel Junior playing every defensive snap, pierrelayed great, Pierre has.

887
00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,200
Speaker 4: Played outstanding, Chris.

888
00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:52,319
Speaker 2: It hasn't, obviously, you know, shaken out the way that

889
00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:55,279
Speaker 2: any of us thought, But man, I think for how

890
00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:57,520
Speaker 2: much they've had to overturn that group. I think they've

891
00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,960
Speaker 2: found the right formula and found it at the right time.

892
00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, they might have figured it out finally after a

893
00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:03,400
Speaker 3: lot of the trage.

894
00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:06,640
Speaker 5: Yeah. Yeah, well, I think I think when when the

895
00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:08,680
Speaker 5: results were were as bad as they were, and I

896
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,480
Speaker 5: really think back to the to those those games against

897
00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:14,239
Speaker 5: the Bengals and Packers, when it got as bad as

898
00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:17,239
Speaker 5: it was and it got exposed that listen, this is

899
00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:20,000
Speaker 5: not going to work now. You know, Mike Tomlin could

900
00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:22,799
Speaker 5: have continued to you know, to ram his head into

901
00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:25,000
Speaker 5: a brick wall and be like, you know, no, this

902
00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:27,040
Speaker 5: is going to work. He could have been stubborn about it.

903
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:29,000
Speaker 5: Or he could have just decided, you know what, we

904
00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,880
Speaker 5: got to change some things up. Well, they changed some

905
00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:35,960
Speaker 5: things up, and now they're they're not as predictable as

906
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,319
Speaker 5: they were, you know, even last season playing a lot

907
00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:40,719
Speaker 5: of spot dropped cover three or or doing the things

908
00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:44,399
Speaker 5: that they're doing this year, where you know, sometimes they

909
00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:45,920
Speaker 5: go into games they run a lot of too high.

910
00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:48,120
Speaker 5: Other times they'll go into games and go back to

911
00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:49,880
Speaker 5: playing a lot of single high and man, you know,

912
00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:54,040
Speaker 5: it's it'll be interesting to see, you know, what they

913
00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:56,360
Speaker 5: do you know, you know each week, you know that

914
00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,960
Speaker 5: they're kind of keeping you guessing a little bit, and

915
00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:02,080
Speaker 5: that's what defense should be doing, you know, and you know,

916
00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:05,239
Speaker 5: credit to Tomlin, credit to to Tara Laustin for doing that,

917
00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:09,320
Speaker 5: and you know, to to have to overhaul the secondary

918
00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,440
Speaker 5: the way they have, not only because of injuries, but

919
00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:17,000
Speaker 5: because of performance, and and you know that requires players

920
00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:19,480
Speaker 5: to be willing to say, listen to the team is bigger

921
00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:21,080
Speaker 5: than me. Jale and Ramsey could have been like, you know,

922
00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,439
Speaker 5: screw this, I'm gonna play the position I want to play,

923
00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:25,879
Speaker 5: and nobody he was like, no, I you know, I'm

924
00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:27,440
Speaker 5: going to move to safety and I'm fine with that,

925
00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,160
Speaker 5: you know. So kudos to the players for buying into what,

926
00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:32,920
Speaker 5: you know, what needed to be done. To the coaches

927
00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:34,759
Speaker 5: for getting done when he needs to get done. It's

928
00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,160
Speaker 5: not been perfect. There have still been some weeks since

929
00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:41,879
Speaker 5: then where it's been pretty rough, but ultimately it's it's

930
00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,319
Speaker 5: getting better, and it's getting better at the right time,

931
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,200
Speaker 5: and that's think probably the most important thing. If the

932
00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:49,520
Speaker 5: Steelers end up making the playoffs, win in their division

933
00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:52,560
Speaker 5: and go into the playoffs and win at least a

934
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,319
Speaker 5: playoff game and show some improvement, you know, and the

935
00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:58,080
Speaker 5: defense is becoming better, you know, And that's one of

936
00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:00,680
Speaker 5: the reasons why, you know, I I don't think people

937
00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:04,680
Speaker 5: remember as much about like the low points of the season.

938
00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:06,560
Speaker 3: Chris, we were about to let you go. But there's

939
00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:08,080
Speaker 3: one thing I've been mean to ask you for a

940
00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:09,600
Speaker 3: couple of weeks. And I don't know if anyone knows

941
00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:13,000
Speaker 3: his answer, But is Elliott season done? Or is there

942
00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:15,879
Speaker 3: a chance we see him in the playoffs or week

943
00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:17,640
Speaker 3: eighteen or well?

944
00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:20,080
Speaker 5: I I reported this on our on our DK Pittsburgh

945
00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:23,560
Speaker 5: sports app a few weeks ago. I won't say, maybe

946
00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:28,279
Speaker 5: four four weeks ago or so. I reported at the

947
00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:33,600
Speaker 5: time that while he hasn't been officially ruled out for

948
00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:38,239
Speaker 5: the season, the overwhelming feeling on the inside was that

949
00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:40,520
Speaker 5: he's probably not coming back this year.

950
00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:41,000
Speaker 3: Gotcha.

951
00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:44,560
Speaker 5: That was again. It's it's an overwhelming feeling. If there's

952
00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,080
Speaker 5: any player that you don't want a doubt to come

953
00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:50,479
Speaker 5: back from an injury, it's Deshaun Elliott. You know, he's

954
00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:53,359
Speaker 5: motivated to play as always, But.

955
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:57,480
Speaker 3: Yeah, you lean towards chances are it's probably done.

956
00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,279
Speaker 5: I leaned toward no, And if there's any chance it's

957
00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:03,759
Speaker 5: probably going to be probably going to be in the

958
00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:07,120
Speaker 5: playoffs at the earliest. So no, I don't anticipate. I

959
00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,560
Speaker 5: would not expect to see twenty five again this season, gotcha.

960
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:12,839
Speaker 3: Oh, they're better equipped to handle it now than they were.

961
00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,480
Speaker 2: They are, they are certain, but that is that is

962
00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:18,000
Speaker 2: definitely still a bummer. Great stuff as always with our

963
00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:20,080
Speaker 2: buddy Chris Allick. Chris, thank you for taking the time

964
00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:22,240
Speaker 2: here on a Wednesday, and we will talk to you soon.

965
00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:24,520
Speaker 5: All right, Thanks for having me, guys. I appreciate it.

966
00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:27,200
Speaker 2: No, we appreciate you. There he goes in the same

967
00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:29,239
Speaker 2: breath as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, the great

968
00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:34,400
Speaker 2: Chris Hallick. Matt breaking news from Ravens Practice. Lamar Jackson

969
00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:37,960
Speaker 2: set home with the flu or sorry, kept home with

970
00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:38,359
Speaker 2: the flu.

971
00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:40,080
Speaker 3: He seems to get sick a lot.

972
00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:41,840
Speaker 4: You know why, I gotta.

973
00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:44,720
Speaker 2: Look at TV when I say this, because something's going around.

974
00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,000
Speaker 4: You guys, hear about that something's going around.

975
00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:49,319
Speaker 3: And actually said that about Lamar for a couple of

976
00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:52,879
Speaker 3: he gets the flu or stomach stuff. I mean a lot.

977
00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:54,160
Speaker 3: I don't know, he's.

978
00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:56,040
Speaker 4: Trying to do the Michael Jordan flu game thing or something.

979
00:41:57,080 --> 00:41:57,839
Speaker 3: I'm sure, it'll be fine.

980
00:41:57,880 --> 00:41:59,759
Speaker 2: We gotta wrap up the first hour of the show

981
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:02,440
Speaker 2: when we return in West Shuler, Matt Williamson, It is

982
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:05,440
Speaker 2: the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,

983
00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:07,239
Speaker 2: Your tuns.

984
00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:09,360
Speaker 1: About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of

985
00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:15,680
Speaker 1: the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

986
00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:22,200
Speaker 2: We got a short segment here to close down the

987
00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:26,200
Speaker 2: first hour of the show, but I did want to

988
00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:29,359
Speaker 2: just we got two tweets. It's kind of piggybacking off

989
00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:31,120
Speaker 2: of a couple of things there that we just discussed

990
00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,759
Speaker 2: with Chris Hallick in the last couple of days here.

991
00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:36,760
Speaker 4: We've gotten a couple tweets, one from Jeff, one.

992
00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:42,480
Speaker 2: From Brad, and one from Doug talking about how impressed

993
00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:45,919
Speaker 2: they were with Dylan Cook saying that the only time

994
00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:47,640
Speaker 2: you know, Jeff says, the only time I heard his

995
00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:49,960
Speaker 2: name on the broadcast was when Troy Aikman mentioned him

996
00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,520
Speaker 2: one time to compliment him. Matt, I think that is

997
00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:56,439
Speaker 2: huge for this team moving forward, especially against a team

998
00:42:56,520 --> 00:43:01,200
Speaker 2: like Detroit, and you kind of accompany that with guys

999
00:43:01,239 --> 00:43:05,440
Speaker 2: like Assante, Samuel Junior, Joey Porter Junior, Kyle Duck, like

1000
00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:08,399
Speaker 2: a lot of these guys, it just feels like elevating there,

1001
00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:11,600
Speaker 2: but stepping into roles and keeping that train moving, you know,

1002
00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:15,400
Speaker 2: hopping on that moving train, and for the more established

1003
00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:18,799
Speaker 2: guys kind of elevating their roles here as that road

1004
00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:19,480
Speaker 2: is narrowing.

1005
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:23,719
Speaker 3: Obviously, that's a testament to the players and cooking specifically

1006
00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:26,799
Speaker 3: and all those things. But yet, folks that don't want

1007
00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:30,040
Speaker 3: to give coaching staffs credit. You get these guys ready quick,

1008
00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:32,000
Speaker 3: you know, and get them up to speed. And being

1009
00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:34,440
Speaker 3: a practice squad player and a tackling dummy, he's a

1010
00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:38,440
Speaker 3: lot different than blocking Bradley Chubb for sixty snaps or whatever,

1011
00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:40,360
Speaker 3: you know what I mean, and all the scheme of

1012
00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,160
Speaker 3: it all, and our past pro adjustments and the mental

1013
00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:45,680
Speaker 3: stuff and playing next to a guy and see them

1014
00:43:45,680 --> 00:43:47,840
Speaker 3: all who even left you know, the game. You have

1015
00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:49,839
Speaker 3: that safety blanket. You're right, you know, I just kind

1016
00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:51,960
Speaker 3: of dawned on me too. Now I don't have the

1017
00:43:51,960 --> 00:43:54,799
Speaker 3: stats in front of me on cook and pressures and

1018
00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:57,120
Speaker 3: some of those things. Pressure rate I don't think are

1019
00:43:57,160 --> 00:43:59,840
Speaker 3: setting Stone. Sure, but he did a lot of work

1020
00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:02,359
Speaker 3: one on one against.

1021
00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:04,000
Speaker 4: Chubb against a veteran past Yeah, he's.

1022
00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:06,720
Speaker 3: A good player. He's not Miles Garrett. He's a good player,

1023
00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:10,840
Speaker 3: but I think he allowed like one pressure alone against

1024
00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:12,960
Speaker 3: him pretty good. Now this week he gets Touchinson a

1025
00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:15,120
Speaker 3: lot side.

1026
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:17,480
Speaker 2: This week he does get a guy who you know,

1027
00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:19,520
Speaker 2: I was gonna say, Miles Garrett caliber.

1028
00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:21,719
Speaker 4: I don't know if anybody's playing at that level right now.

1029
00:44:21,640 --> 00:44:22,879
Speaker 3: But he's a Tier one guy.

1030
00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:26,000
Speaker 2: He's a tier one had a really good chance to

1031
00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:27,640
Speaker 2: win Defensive Player of the Year last year if he

1032
00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:29,280
Speaker 2: didn't have that gruesome leg injury.

1033
00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:30,600
Speaker 3: He's outstanding.

1034
00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:33,480
Speaker 2: He's outstanding, and that's that's gonna be a real challenge.

1035
00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:35,200
Speaker 2: But I think they're hitting it with the right kind

1036
00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:36,080
Speaker 2: of momentum.

1037
00:44:36,239 --> 00:44:41,840
Speaker 3: And just or Pete or Cook you're helping with Hodge totally,

1038
00:44:41,880 --> 00:44:43,439
Speaker 3: I mean, no doubt, totally. Yeah.

1039
00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:44,879
Speaker 4: Last one here before we go to break.

1040
00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:47,319
Speaker 2: I like this from Annie, She said, I smile when

1041
00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:50,040
Speaker 2: I listen to you guys talk about jpj's improved play.

1042
00:44:50,360 --> 00:44:52,640
Speaker 2: I can hear Dale saying, you know, you're allowed to

1043
00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:53,120
Speaker 2: get better.

1044
00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:56,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, we say it a lot. If he would just

1045
00:44:56,719 --> 00:44:59,759
Speaker 3: write these guys off twenty four year old, I mean,

1046
00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:01,399
Speaker 3: what are you like, twenty four year old? You don't

1047
00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:02,480
Speaker 3: want to know right exactly?

1048
00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:06,800
Speaker 2: Had long hair, Yeah, and did a lot of the

1049
00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:08,440
Speaker 2: goof did a lot of goofy things.

1050
00:45:08,680 --> 00:45:10,960
Speaker 4: Yes, yes, no doubt, as I think many of us did.

1051
00:45:11,040 --> 00:45:13,800
Speaker 3: Coverage stats are another one I don't take as gospel,

1052
00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:16,640
Speaker 3: but I tweeted something yesterday that Pro Football Focus put

1053
00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:18,960
Speaker 3: out of you know how they build those graphs. Well,

1054
00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:21,239
Speaker 3: he's in the top right corner of all corners this

1055
00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:25,359
Speaker 3: year in terms of just the very coverages. I mean,

1056
00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:27,239
Speaker 3: go check out my time like that Williamson NFL. I'm

1057
00:45:27,239 --> 00:45:28,359
Speaker 3: sure you figure that out.

1058
00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:32,120
Speaker 2: But he's playing really really well, very well, yes, like

1059
00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:35,080
Speaker 2: at like it, at an all pro type level this

1060
00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:36,239
Speaker 2: this last month and a half.

1061
00:45:36,320 --> 00:45:38,719
Speaker 3: People throw a wide receiver one around way too much,

1062
00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:40,480
Speaker 3: Like I don't think Metcalf's will wide receiver one. I

1063
00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:42,080
Speaker 3: think he's a really good player. But there's like twelve

1064
00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:43,360
Speaker 3: of them in that I get what you're saying, you

1065
00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:45,239
Speaker 3: know what I mean, true, BONI five, there's not thirty

1066
00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:47,880
Speaker 3: two of them, is my point, you know, But Porter's

1067
00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:49,880
Speaker 3: knocking a door being a corner one, you know, and

1068
00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:51,839
Speaker 3: there's not thirty two of them in the world either.

1069
00:45:52,120 --> 00:45:55,279
Speaker 2: That's a good place to be. Yes, certainly, one hour

1070
00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:56,880
Speaker 2: in the book's another hour to go. We will go

1071
00:45:56,920 --> 00:45:59,840
Speaker 2: around campus and hour number two. We've got some clarity

1072
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:06,160
Speaker 2: around some of these quarterbacks and some other certainly certainly could,

1073
00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:08,560
Speaker 2: and some quick thoughts on the opening round of the

1074
00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:13,120
Speaker 2: college football playoff as well. We'll get into some conversation,

1075
00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:15,600
Speaker 2: more conversation about the Lions and hour number two as

1076
00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:18,280
Speaker 2: we roll along. Euler Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers

1077
00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:20,480
Speaker 2: Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.