Drive10.9.26Hr2: 5 Star Friday

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It's a five-star matchup because we're in it. Five-star matchup!

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Hour number two here of The Drive on a Friday. That means it's our final hour before, of course, all eyes turn to Sunday, one o'clock. Steelers and Colts there on the North Shore at Accresure Stadium. Matt, time for a little matchup conversation here, as we like to do on a given Friday here on this program. And, I mean, is the biggest matchup, I mean, it's certainly, I think, one of the most good-on-good matchups, the one that we've referenced a few times this week, Quentin Nelson and Cam Hayward.

Well, I think that's the biggest heavyweight fight. The most important matchup to me is Jonathan Taylor. Yeah, I mean, just... Just whoever. Yeah. 11 defenders against Jonathan Taylor. I mean, the offense goes for him as much as any offense in the league. He's that good. They don't have a lot else. They could really dominate the flow of the game.

I mean, unless weird things happen. If you told me, you know, magic ball here, that Colts end up winning this game, I'm like, oh, Taylor had a big game. And he was the best player on the field.

I would think so.

Yeah.

You know, we said... We said a little bit of similar about B. John Robinson week one.

Yeah. And kind of the opposite happened. He had his big game, but nobody else did.

Nobody else did. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think you could maybe survive that way again.

Probably, probably. That's an unusual turn of events, but yeah.

But it is without a doubt. I mean, Jonathan Taylor, I think you said this in your stats packet. That's where the offense runs through for the Colts. Make no mistake about it.

Yeah.

And coming off a tackling performance that we just outlined like the Steelers had in Cleveland, you better get that going in the opposite direction if you want to slow this guy down.

It sounds like an excuse, and we talked about tackling in the first hour with Chris's article, but watch last night. I mean, part of that's just a Thursday night thing. I think tackling on Thursday night is bad. There's no doubt.

Matt, let's stick with the Colts offense. If it's not going to be Jonathan Taylor that kills you, probably the next most likely culprit would be Tyler Warren. the sophomore tight end.

Yeah.

His usage is really weird though.

It's his, his usage was kind of weird last year in the sense of just manufactured so much for him in the offense. What have you seen from him through the first four weeks?

Okay. And see that even goes back. Like a lot of people were shocked that Loveland was drafted ahead of one.

Just a couple of spots, right?

And they both were early first round picks and very early picks for tight ends. But the reasoning is, and this isn't a knock on Warren. He's a really good prospect and really a player already. But even at Penn State, they had nothing in the way of receivers. Everything was manufactured designer touches for him. Let's just get in our best player's hands no matter how. Where Loveland was like flat out beating man coverage in a more NFL manner.

But Indies use them like Penn State use them. You know, I mean, they don't have a wealth of pass catchers either. So how can we get the ball in our best player's hands? Daniel Jones coincides with him. He's really been a poor deep thrower. He has one completion of 20 yards or further. So if you notice in the packet, it mentions Warren. He's getting targeted a ton, but it's almost always at or behind the line of scrimmage.

He has yet to see a target that has traveled 15 or more air yards.

That's pretty crazy. And so many of them are, boom, get it out of your hands now.

His yards per route run are 29th amongst tight ends.

Yeah.

Despite being a really good player. No.

Protection's a bit of a problem.

A third of his targets have come at or behind the line of scrimmage.

That's the one I was looking for.

That's the third highest amongst tight ends.

This is a tight end.

This isn't a running back flaring out. This is a guy that should be getting down the field. So a lot of that's Jones.

And having said all that, he's got the second most receptions of any tight ends.

They throw to him a ton, but it isn't resulting in much. There's a lot of death by a thousand paper cuts.

The Steelers allow the sixth fewest.

But he's good.

The Steelers allow... I need a new tongue. The Steelers allow the sixth fewest receptions per game to tight ends at just 3.3 per game.

That might shock people because there's always this... Steelers have been terrible against tight ends my whole life.

And they've faced some good ones in the first four games. That's true. Fannin and Pitts.

Yeah.

I mean, Gusecki's capable.

Mm-hmm.

So, certainly, it's been a weird year for Tyler Warren. But, man, you better not let this be the game where he starts hitting those.

Oh, he could do a lot of damage, too. He's good after the catch, too. Yeah. He may even get a carry or two.

Is there anyone else on the Colts' offense? I mean, we've talked a little bit about Daniel Jones. I think Downs is a very good player.

Yeah.

I think their tackles can absolutely be had by the Steelers' edge guys. They're fine. I would say they're a below-average pair of tackles. They're not real nimble. I'm hoping the turf doesn't slow her big Highsmith Watt down all that much.

Sure.

And I don't know, I said this a week ago and I was wrong. I don't know that Jones is really equipped to, you know, be a 2.4, 2.5, get it out of your hands guy. Cause I said the same thing about Watson and he was, and he did it well. So I'm sure they'll try those things, but nothing about Jones has been real quick or abrupt. You know, he's been kind of a lumbering post-injury type guy and the later down goes, the worst things go for him.

So I do think the Steelers edge guys have a nice advantage. that hopefully doesn't get nullified a little by the weather.

Matt, sticking with that, we all know, obviously, Daniel Jones is coming off of a massive late-season injury, that Achilles last year. I think it's a testament to him that he was out there week one.

He was way ahead of his timeline.

And ready to go. But with that, I would imagine, listen, so much of when Daniel Jones has been at his best, the first half of the season last year for the Colts.

Yeah, he put up some monster numbers.

That year that he was with the Giants where they won double-digit games and went to the wild card and knocked off the Vikings, I think it was, and won a playoff game. His mobility has been a huge part of when he's been at his best.

Even just as a pure designed runner guy.

I would imagine we haven't seen much of that this year.

No.

And again, the best way I can describe it is there's nothing... Explosive about his movements and not that he was Michael Vick or Lamar Allen in terms of, you know, taken off, but he could run and he was, and he's fast and he was quick too. Now it's kind of like, yeah, I can move and I can run, but it's not nearly as bursty or as explosive, but you really see it with the way he throws. I mean, his feet aren't as bouncy. He's not generating the torque and the explosiveness from his lower body. I think the injury is hampering him a lot, and it really hurts his deep ball, which dies a lot. It doesn't have the same zip on at the end as it does coming out of his hands.

It's amazing how much that— And.

He throws the ball to the other team a lot. He turns the ball over a lot.

It is amazing how much a leg injury affects everything for a quarterback.

Yeah, yeah.

And that's, again, kind of building from the ground up in a lot of those conversations that we've had about how important that footwork and that mobility is. in the modern era. I mean, it has been for a long time, but especially in 2026.

I think it's heard as just as even as short range accuracy.

Yeah.

It's, it's a real kind of, I guess not trickle down effect, but maybe trickle up effect from a, from a, from a foot injury from a leg injury.

And to be fair, he wasn't the best quarterback in the league to begin with.

No, but his mobility was a lot of what led him to be able to have success. It was a calling card for him. He honestly, I, Don't think he got enough credit for that at times throughout his career.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm not saying he's Josh Allen or Lamar with it, but he was definitely in the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

20, 30 yards a game on the ground, that matters.

Those, you know, extended drives on those third and sevens where he'll get you eight that we've talked about.

Yeah.

I mean, they'll design runs for him when it's best. You don't see a lot of that right now.

No, you do not. So you mentioned you thought it was a real opportunity for the Steelers edge rushers track depending. And that's something that, you know, those, those guys, have made some noise in the first four weeks of the season. But I think a little bit more would go.

A long way. Yeah, and I think there are people that want more.

More sacks, certainly.

I'm not even going to pretend like this is an excuse. When the ball comes out in 2.5 in two weeks in a row, it's just awful hard to beat a man, even if that guy is terrible and you whip him as quick as you humanly possibly can. To me, that's the biggest issue. I don't have any worry about those three players at all.

I'm with you on that. Matt, let's spin the block now to the other side of the ball Colts defense Steelers offense. I have to imagine not quite to the extent of maybe sexy Dexy Dexter Lawrence two weeks ago, but the Indianapolis Colts have another guy who can wreck an interior into DeForest Buckner. I'd imagine that's one to keep an eye on the Steelers interior guys against a really solid long time defensive lineman in this league.

Still a great player. Great career. Much respect for him. Leader. Super long. You could see why he was a former first-round pick and highly sought after and why the Niners would have gotten a first-round pick for him, too. But the guy next to him, Grover Stewart, never gets talked about, but he's one of the hardest guys to deal with in the run game. I mean, he's a certain type of defensive tackle, but he's pretty talented, and that's a good duo.

How do you think the Colts use Sauce Garner on Sunday? Left-right. He's going to follow around DK, you think?

No, I think that he'll stay to his side.

And he'll stay on the left or the right.

However i didn't know ward was banged up until last segment when you mentioned that i mean they're pretty comfortable with both players so instead of moving them sure um even though they gave up so much for sauce they gave ward a big contract too that we're just going to keep them pretty static left right um he hasn't followed He hasn't played great.

No.

He hasn't been a disaster, but by his lofty standards, it is one of those $ 30 million corners that they gave up two first-round draft picks for last year.

And it doesn't look like a good trade, to be honest with you. Jets got a lot for him. But the way the Steelers are designed, especially without Pittman... I would think Metcalf's going to see No. 1 corners a lot, even if that's not what you usually do. You might change your tune.

That's kind of what I would do.

Yeah, I think it's still a possibility.

This is the one wide receiver that they have that can hurt us.

Right.

I shouldn't say can hurt us. But we fear the most, obviously. That can really wreck a game plan or do what we saw in the fourth quarter in Cleveland.

I mean, it's clearly the No. 1. Yes, yes.

Again, as long as Michael Pittman Jr. is out, I would expect that to be the case for DK Metcalf moving forward. Unfortunately for him, it's kind of a similar position he found himself in last year.

We've seen this a lot, even before he was here and it was Pickens.

He's going to demand a lot of attention.

It's also a real opportunity for Wilson and Bernard to be that guy too.

Absolutely.

Their book is not written.

And a real opportunity for the Steelers' tight ends to carve out a bigger role. We saw some of that in the fourth quarter too, and we've seen it at times this season as Do you think Pat Friermuth and Darnell Washington have some opportunities against this defense?

Yeah, I also think being big on offense against another highly predominant nickel team could be a physical advantage just from a blocking perspective, whether that's downfield or in the run game. Their safeties are fine. Their linebackers are really, really searching. So anyone you can get matched up on their linebackers, I think, is something you can look at.

The defense as a whole is. Not great. Yeah. I mean, it just isn't. There are a couple good players.

They've got a couple names.

Yeah, a couple. And Sauce isn't living up to his name at the moment. I mean, he's still a good player, but he's not a shutdown corner.

How do you feel? We kind of talked about some of the interior of the Steelers' offensive line and the challenges that they face there.

They can have a tough day.

How about Faltano and Maxi Honachor? We had a good write-up from our buddy John Ledger on Maxi Honachor's first two starts. Some other people around the league are starting to pick up what you've been screaming from the mountaintop. He, I thought, was really great against the Bengals and was okay against the Browns. He's two games and he's played less than 150 snaps in the National Football League at this point.

First ever road game on a short week in a loud stadium, you know.

What's the challenge for him and for how Faltano looked like on Sunday?

I meant to ask you about this, too. I mean, like, you've brought this up many times, you know, when we talk draft prospects or addressing the NFL, that playing in big games, Bama, Georgia, I don't think Max played any of those.

He did play in the college football playoff. Oh, did he?

Yep.

Arizona State got into that? Okay. I mean, they're not a tiny program, but I didn't realize it.

It's not going to the Swamp and to Death Valley every single week.

I was wondering, I just assumed that that Browns Game had to be the hardest environment he's ever played in. And he's never even played as a kid.

Yeah.

I mean, you know what I mean?

Because the college football playoff environment is different because it's more of a neutral side. Yeah.

Yeah.

Game type.

Did they ever walk into an awful, hostile atmosphere like he did Thursday night?

I mean, I'm sure he probably played in BYU and Knight and Provo, which is really tough and something like that. But that's also a good point by you.

Yeah. I mean, Arizona State has rivals like everybody else.

Yes.

It's not that he went to the Swamp or to Death Valley two or three times. You know this. It kind of drives me crazy sometimes when people act like the SEC and the Big Ten are a completely different league than the ACC and the Big 12. But they're also clearly the power, too.

Yes.

The ACC and the Big 12 have very good teams, and there's a lot of separation between them and the conferences below them. But, yeah, the environments are just insane week after week.

And the stakes aren't quite as high.

Yeah, absolutely. He did play in the college football playoff, Big 12 championship games and stuff like that.

I didn't realize they were in the playoffs.

But there's certainly from a communication standpoint.

That's what I'm saying, just more of a noise.

A noise communication. Being a tackle on the edge of the line.

I'm out here on an island trying.

To hear Zach Frazier and Aaron Rodgers.

And he hasn't played his whole life like most people. Yes. That's why I kind of bring.

It up with him. I certainly think that is a fair just kind of talking point.

To bring up. I haven't dealt with this before. Absolutely. Latu's a good player.

He is out.

They will rotate their defensive ends, their edge guys a fair amount. There's no pro bowler. So I would hope that that favors the Steelers' tackles.

I hope so, too.

Yeah.

Because, again, I mean, we could talk about the pass protection stuff, but if this is one of those you've got to ground and pound and kind of muck and grind to a victory depending on the weather, that I think will be some favorable matchups for the Steelers in terms of their offensive line in the front there.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anything we're forgetting, Matt? Does either team have a real special teams advantage that you see?

Their kicker's been great. I don't know what his history is in weather. I mean, he's a dome guy and he's a newer dude. I think the Colts have, through four games, have played better on special teams than the Steelers have.

And you've kind of outlined how some of the Steelers, I wouldn't say have had massive struggles on special teams, but hasn't been.

It could improve.

It could improve. That's a good way to put it. That's a good way to put it. So, yeah, I think. I don't know anything, anything else that I'm missing there from a, from a matchup specific standpoint, anything from the coaching staffs that stands out to you?

I mean, the rest thing is huge. I mean, I think that's very.

I think has to make a difference this week.

This is one thing we should have mentioned probably at some point about Steichen. There's a lot of talk of, is he a great head coach or not? And there's, you can kind of see both. I mean, great. He isn't a great head coach. I mean, history shows, but he's, a really good offensive mind. And if you watch their games, his scripted stuff early in the game is exceptional. I mean, that first 15 plays or so, since he's been there, is always as good as anyone's in the league. So keep an eye on how this thing starts.

Yeah. For some of the struggles we've lamented, The Steelers have scored opening touchdowns now in two straight games.

I know.

And that's not something that we've seen in a long time. We were begging for it.

All those streaks and stuff are a lot different now.

A lot different now. And so, yeah, so always fun to see what those scripted plays look like for both teams at the start of the game and where the adjustments come from.

Yep, but he's very good at that.

No doubt.

If they get off to a slow start, that's not uncommon for Colts opponents.

Okay.

You know what I mean? Don't lose your mind, folks, if on the opening drive they're ch-ch-ch-ch. They're pretty good at that.

Okay.

Interesting. Something, something to keep an eye on. Absolutely. There's our matchup segment. There's a little five star Friday as we continue to set the scene for the Colts and Steelers on Sunday. Let's take a break here. Let's hit around the league. Let's kind of run the gambit of the other games across the NFL.

Yeah.

Here in week five, like we always like to do on Fridays, we'll give some quick thoughts and predictions for all the other games around the national football league. And of course, you know, before Matt and I get up out of here, We will give our prediction for Steelers Colts on Sunday. A whole lot more to get to before we close down this week. Euler and Williamson, it's The Drive, Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

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Matt, it is already week five in the National Football League and always a busy slate to dig into. Begins once again at 9.30 a.m. this week.

I know.

You are welcome to all you early risers. I know for my colleague, my partner, my buddy here, Matt Williamson, that's a long day.

It's just a four, four games in a row.

I mean, you're not 30 to what about 1130 watching.

And then on this day or on this particular Sunday, Tom and I will be doing the pregame show from nine to 11 and I'll just have like the game on my phone. So I'm paying attention, but yeah, it, I love it. But you know, from nine to midnight there's a lot of football it's a lot of quadruple headers a lot.

And as we've talked about too sometimes it's just it's like you're trying to remember wait did this hat was this did the safety happen in that game yeah yeah yeah blocked field.

Goal was there's times it's like yeah.

No doubt no doubt Well, Matt, we do start 9.30 a.m. East Coast time in London. You sound like you're from London. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the Jags host the Eagles. Matt, this one with the Cam Juergens trade moved half a point more for Jacksonville. So they were seven-point favorites. They're now seven-and-a-half-point favorites.

The fact that that half is hanging there gives me the slightest bit of pause. I just have a feeling this one's going to be over by halftime. I can't imagine morale being great on a long flight over to England.

We talked about that. You get on the plane and Lane Johnson's not there.

I was going to say, like, Cam Hayward's not on the plane with us. Cam Juergens is not. He was last week. You know, like, this isn't an old summer to process situation either. And you're not winning.

And your superstar running back is out hurt.

Barkley, Devontae Smith.

And your No. 1 wide receiver is hurt.

There's nobody to get the ball to. I think they're in a really rough spot. And I love how Jacksonville's playing. And they're very used to this trip. I think they blow them out.

I do too. And you know, there's, I don't want to say vindication cause that's too serious, but I've been saying for close to two years that I felt like Philly was in a volatile spot and couldn't load. I, maybe I was, I'm never, I'm never wrong, Matt. I'm just early. But I will also.

Say it could be a down, down year.

It absolutely could.

Yeah.

I will say though, They also, the Eagles, have been pretty good over the years at kind of having that siege mentality thing of when everyone thought that they were about to implode.

They know how to win.

Now, the roster's not as talented right now as it was in these past two, three years.

Especially offensively.

As it stands today, yeah.

But, you know, their defensive line could still wreck a game. Oh, yeah. Quignon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean could still cause a couple turnovers.

Yes.

I expected that defense to be like top three, and it's been, eh, okay.

So this is just a spread that I would stay away from now that it's at seven and a half. If you put a gun to my head, I would lay the points with Jacksonville.

I didn't love that it had that half.

But I can certainly see this being a blowout. And maybe this is kind of a cop-out for me. But I could also see that siege mentality, a lot of pride in that Eagles locker room of, hey, we're not just going to roll over and die here.

Stand-alone game that the whole world's watching and you know it.

And they end up dragging an ugly 20-16 victory or something like 17-13 victory just leaning on their defense. but I would go the opposite direction if you, if you made me choose, uh, in Lambeau in green Bay at Lambeau, one of the great historic rivalries in the national football league. Maybe the power of Mike Ditka will compel the Bears on the road there against their greatest rival, Chicago, a one-and-a-half point favorite at Lambeau. I wonder how many times in the 21st century the Bears have been favored at Lambeau.

Wow.

I bet you could count them on one hand.

Probably never when Favre's or Rodgers is on the field. Probably never.

Exactly right.

I still think the number's not low enough. Or isn't big enough.

Yeah.

And I know that it's not going to be Caleb Williams.

He's not playing.

Right.

I think they're going to run them.

All over the Packers. I think green Bay is very fortunate to be two and two. I think the bears dominate this game too. There's some games. I'm not much of a better, you know, like, but I like to see when I'm right, when I'm not, and I have to pick every game every week, just for several outlets, including here. There's a lot of games. I feel really strongly about this week. Like, This line seems goofy. And usually that's when things go wrong in the betting world.

That rat poison, that Vegas rat poison.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And this is another one. I think both these games, I'm like, Jacksonville's going to blow them out. Bears are going to win big.

I'm not much of a better either. I have a sports betting account. I make, I don't know.

And people ask me all the time what I think.

Maybe a dozen bets a year. And you'll laugh, Matt. I think most people, this is the time when they're active with betting and gambling and stuff. Football season. Yeah, yeah. I'm a March Madness guy.

That makes sense, yeah.

Of the 10 or 12 sports bets that I make a year, I bet you eight or nine of them are March Madness. Because that's, I can sit back, I can enjoy it. It's not work. It's not work at all.

It's total leisure.

Total leisure. And it's just, I think, the greatest individual tournament in all of sports. Every week though, my buddies will text me on like Sunday morning, like group chat with my friends and be like, all right, Wes, give us some picks. And I usually give them three and I've done pretty well so far. I've gone two in one, I think every single week. So not blowing the doors off, but I'm making my buddies money. This week, though, there's some weird ones that seem like too good to be true.

There's a couple that I'm jumping at. I'm hitting this hard, but who knows?

This might be another one, Matt. I'm with you, though. I think Chicago is just too much on offense now for the Packers to keep up with. If Micah Parsons was back and healthy and that stuff, maybe it's a different conversation, but I just don't think the Packers offense is going to be able to score enough to win this game.

From a Green Bay perspective, I worry that When Parsons is back, their season might already be shot.

Might be.

I mean, they're grabbing any offensive lineman they can off the scrap heap. They can't run the ball at all.

Matt, this might be another one of those, is it too good to be true type lines. Houston in Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans. Who would have thought before the season started, both of these teams would be 0-4. The Texans are a seven-point road dog.

How many 0-4 teams on the road are a seven-point favorite?

Sorry, seven-point favorite. That's why I said seven-point road dog. In NFL history, they might be the only one.

How often does that happen? Once a year, maybe? They're never not even close to once a year. What am I talking about? And I still would take Houston. I just think that.

I'd like to get this at six and a half if possible, but I would take Houston.

I don't know if they're capable of beating anyone by seven, but I do think two games... Sean Payton sounds like he's really grabbing a hold of the offensive play calling, and D'Amico Ryans is really grabbing a hold of the defensive play calling for Houston, and I think that matters. I just think there'll be a lot less errors, and we'll look at Hunter and Anderson and all these studs they have, and I think they'll be studly.

Cheapest get-in price of the weekend there at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. $ 32 can get you a ticket. By the way, Lambeau.

Is London the most?

London is the most, but I kind of— Yeah, I guess. Because that's just such a unique one-off.

Right, right.

Not one-off anymore, but it's a tourist event for a different country.

People bought those tickets way— Yes.

Lambeau, Packers-Bears. Oh, that makes sense. $ 301 to get you into Lambeau on Sunday. Matt, another one of these is-this-too-good-to-be-true type lines. The Bengals are in Miami to face the Dolphins, and they're a six-and-a-half point favorite.

This one for me is, I think it's Miami.

Really?

I think Miami's hard to play against. I think it's hard to play at.

I will say, it's supposed to be one of those, it's supposed to be hot, sunny, and in the 90s.

Yes, and I don't think Miami's talented at all, but they're playing hard, and they've got a lot of young guys with a lot to prove, and I don't think Higgins or Chase is going to play. I don't think the Bengals are going to lose, but I'm definitely taking points in this one. That's another one's jumping out to me.

I think you were kind of feeling the other way.

I was kind of feeling the other way because I'm like, ah, Cincinnati will just go in there and let them win by a touchdown. But I guess you're right. I'm not thinking about their two biggest weapons on offense, both.

They're just baking in the sun on that sideline.

It's not in the shade.

And yeah, I think Miami can keep it close.

Interesting. I'd probably still lay the points with Cincinnati at six and a half.

I'd love to see it at seven.

If it's seven.

Yeah.

Then, then a different story. Matt, another very intriguing game this weekend. Means a lot for both teams early in the season. The Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough host the 3-1 Las Vegas Raiders. New England a three and a half point favorite.

It's another one I feel strong about.

Taking the points?

Raiders. I hate that it's a one o'clock game on the road for a young team that probably hasn't done that collectively very much. And I think Drake May is back to being Drake May. But I still think the people around him aren't very good. Especially on offense. I don't know if Gonzalez is playing.

If this is two and a half, I'd lay in with the Patriots all day.

I'm definitely taking the points.

But three and a half, I'm taking the points with the Raiders.

I think the Raiders have a very good chance to win this game.

I think they'll keep it close and maybe even win it. I'm with you. In New Orleans. I don't think anyone saw this coming. A 4-0 Vikings team against a 1-3 Saints team. This one means a lot for the Saints.

Yeah, it could get ugly quick.

Keeping pace in the division.

It could get late early for the Saints.

It sure could. The Vikings are two-and-a-half point road favorites.

This one I don't feel strong about because we've talked about this. Sometimes I just look at teams and I'm like, that Vikings seems good, but they're not a 5-0 team. That Saints team.

Might not be as good as I thought they were, but they're not a 1-4 team.

Are they a 1-4 team? You know, right. In a tough place to play. But I'm sure Flores will throw a lot at them, and the offense isn't blocking anybody right now. I guess I'll take the Vikes, but this one I don't feel super strong about.

This is one of the ones that I would not want to touch in terms of actually investing my cheddar on. I think I'll take New Orleans plus 2.5 at home.

Okay.

Totally get it.

Desperate, desperate team at home.

I'm not sure if Jefferson's playing or not.

Is he from Louisiana?

I mean, it just dawned on me he's an LSU guy. I have no idea.

Good question.

Yeah, I don't know.

That's a good question.

Is that a homecoming for him?

You can find this out real quick. He is from St. Rose, Louisiana.

Oh, okay.

Tell you what, they breed some good ones down there in Louisiana for sure. In East Rutherford, New Jersey, MetLife Stadium, the 1-3 Jets host the 3-1 Browns. One of these teams is going to be feeling really good about it. themselves when they leave.

Yeah.

If you're the Jets, it's like, hey, we just beat a team that started strong. We're two and three. We're still hanging around. If you're the Browns, you're four and one. And holy cow, look at us. The Jets, a two and a half point favorite at home.

I'm taking the Browns. I think they're better. I mean, I think their defense is the best of the four units. kind of starting to buy in that Watson's good enough to beat teams like the Jets. You know what I mean? Jets hang around, but, and they're at home. I just think Cleveland's better, but I also look at, like, the Browns aren't a 4-1 team.

Right.

But they might end up being on Monday.

So, Matt, let me ask you this. To me, you know, kind of thinking about this game, I thought, man, I can see this going a lot of different ways, but the Browns are the ones with the substantial rest advantage.

Oh, that too.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I wonder, though, could that be a double-edged sword for Cleveland? Because Todd Munkin gave those guys off for four days after the Steelers win. They didn't have to report back to the facility until Tuesday. They were off Friday. They were off Saturday. They were off Sunday. They were off Monday. I'm sure plenty of those guys got out of town.

Oh, yeah.

Went home. Went home. Went to their college campus. Took their significant other or their kids and went to Cancun.

For a weekend. or maybe got in trouble or whatever, you know.

As we have outlined. And I know this is more of a fan thing than a team thing, but that's the Superbowl for the Browns every year. It could be a letdown. Is there a threat of we took the foot off the gas during this rest period and we have a little bit of a slow start and a letdown? I think maybe.

For a really young team like that?

I'm talking myself into it. I'm taking the jets. I'm laying the points.

I think that's a pretty strong point. You start smelling yourself a little bit and be like, I don't stink.

Because I was like, you know what? The difference in this one for me is going to be that rest for Cleveland. But I'm like, they rest a little too much. You know, the Steelers have been sitting up in their chair for those days paying attention.

Oh, yeah.

Everything around us is being scrutinized. And the Browns are like, Brother, we're three and one.

We just beat the Steelers.

We are the most popular team in town. The Guardians are in the playoffs, in the MLB playoffs, and they're talking about us.

We got it all figured out.

I'm laying the points with the Jets. I think the Browns might have smelled themselves a little too much over this long break. In our nation's capital, not really Landover, Maryland, but a couple of years from now, I'll be able to say that, and it'll actually be true. The Commanders host the Giants. Matt, this is one of those.

This actually matters a lot in that division.

Matters a lot in that division. All of a sudden, Jaden Daniels is back, which is important to note. Washington's a four-and-a-half-point favorite.

I know.

That might be the biggest.

Rat poison of... Winston still stinks, too.

Don't get me wrong.

They're in first place even if they lose this game. That's the state of that division. I keep thinking about Dallas. Dallas should be winning this division.

Dallas should run away with this division.

And if I'm Jerry Jones and look at him in the box last night, he feels it. I mean, like, we should be dominating this division right now, and you lose to the Bucs at home on a short week with a backup quarterback? Yep. I'm taking the points.

I am 1,000% taking the points.

Yeah, yeah. That's a big number.

It's a huge number.

And I do think Daniels is going to win.

And I understand that's a big emotional lift and just a talented player. He's a good player.

Especially over the third string.

I know some people are selling their Daniels stock. If he can stay healthy, I'm a believer. That's a big number, though, between what should be a close, low-scoring game.

I think they're equal, yeah. I think that should be a pick-em game.

That game's supposed to have some rain and some nasty weather, too. I will take the four-and-a-half with the Giants all day.

All day. Rain might help them, too. They're a physical, ground-and-pound, heavy guy, you know?

Matt, in Los Angeles, the 0-4 Chargers, just like we all saw coming, host the 2-2 Denver Broncos. Broncos a three-and-a-half point road favorite.

I bet this whole place is either angry Chargers fans or Orange. I mean, the Chargers fans are going to be there or not going to be their friends.

There's going to be a lot of Orange there.

I think both their tackles are out. I think McConkie's out. I don't know if Derwin's playing this week. I love that Peyton's taking back over. I'm definitely taking Denver on this one.

This, to me, is pretty easy. Maybe if it was like four and a half or five and a half, I'd think about the points. But everything you just said, I think is spot on. And I it's not just late early for the Chargers.

Oh, I think it's over.

Cinderella's glass slipper has has fallen off and their their carriage has turned back into a pumpkin. And it's going to be a pseudo road game for them at home, which I think when you're an 0 and 4 team and you run out and you see orange everywhere, you've got to be human and that's got to be demoralizing.

We don't need to do it now, but we laid out on our podcast earlier who the starting five linemen for the Chargers are, most of whom no one would have heard of.

I bet it's not great.

No.

Man.

Things are getting worse there. I bet Khalil Mack gets traded. I mean, I think, yeah.

Tell you what, though.

For them, it could set up nicely to draft one Jeremiah Smith if they end up holding on to a Justin Herbert.

Oh, yeah.

Matt, in Arizona, the Lions are on the road at State Farm Stadium. Detroit a five and a half point favorite against the Cardinals on the road. That's a... That's a chunkier number.

That's a big over-under, I think, too.

It is.

54 and a half.

Both those teams are always high scoring.

Both of those teams can score, and both of those teams don't really play a lot of defense.

I don't feel strong about it, but I'll take the Lions.

I'm going to lay the points with the Lions, too. I think they'll have enough juice to win by at least a touchdown there. And it's obviously not a difficult place to play. I'd imagine there'll be a lot of blue in that stadium.

Yeah, probably.

Matt, what might be the game of the weekend? The Seahawks host the Niners, 3-1 against 4-0, a classic divisional rivalry clash in Seattle. The Hawks, a three-point home favorite.

Which I totally get. But I think the Niners are playing better than Seattle right now.

I do too.

Yeah.

I'm taking the points, and I think I might take the Niners to win straight up. They've played there a ton. I don't think that phases that team all that much going to Seattle. I don't feel great about it. I mean, their offense is the best in the league by a wide margin, but their defense has been really good to Warner and Bosa and all those guys. I think they might have a better roster.

They, they might have a more, they might have a more complete roster. Yeah, absolutely. I think I'm going to lay the points of Seattle though. I just, I realized, I realized that the Niners opened the season against the Rams, but there was no Aaron Donald. Miles Garrett was injured. I realize that they just played.

The Rams were a shell of themselves in that Australia game.

I realize that they just played the Broncos, but the Broncos' defense has not been up the snuff of what we thought it was going to be this year. I don't think the Niners... I know they are humming on... They are firing on full cylinders, all cylinders on offense. I don't think they've seen a defense like this in Seattle, though.

I agree. I said that on the show earlier. I don't think they're going to score 30... You know, like I'm not sure I'm starting Brock Purdy this week in fantasy like the no-brainer before.

I wish that was two and a half Seattle instead of three because I could see Seattle by a field goal, but I'm going to lay the points with the home team.

I can't imagine either team getting blown out, so I'm definitely taking points.

I like your logic there. This is the second most expensive get-in price for the stateside games. You've got to play close to $ 300 just to get in and get a nosebleed seat, and it is supposed to be good weather, 60 degrees and sunny there in Seattle for what is a game, Matt, that– Mike pursuit of Charlie batch. And I will have on in the booth when they're doing, when they're doing the, when they're doing the post game show, I'll tell you that for sure. Sunday night football. This one didn't look intriguing when the schedule came out, but it really does now with the way the Atlanta Falcons have been playing.

And I don't think Lamar is going to play.

It's a battle of the dirty birds and the rat birds, the car down there at Mercedes Benz stadium. As I always tell you, my second favorite stadium in the national football league, speaking to Lamar, not playing, and how well the Falcons have looked the last two weeks. Who saw this coming? Atlanta's a three and a half point favorite against the Ravens.

I mean, if you told us that after week one or two, we'd be like, no way.

What are you, smoking mud?

Yeah, there's a whole Ravens team banged up, you know?

Did they travel with just the practice squad?

Both these teams are going to run the ball like crazy. This game's going to be over early. I think I'm buying in on Atlanta, though.

Three and a half's a number, though, man. It's over three. It's three and a half. It's another one that I would just stay away from.

I'll take the points. I mean, I can't imagine Baltimore losing by more than three. I'm definitely staying away from it.

Same, but I'm staying away from it.

There's a good chance the Ravens lose, though, just from a Steeler perspective of not picking games. That'd be great.

I really like the over in that. The over's only 43.5. I bet it's low, yeah. I like the over. Matt, that'll do it for the Sunday slate. Of course, there's a very intriguing game Monday night between the Rams and the Bills, but we'll talk more about that on Monday. Dude, some rat poison lines, man. Oh, you know what? Guess what just happened in real time. The Cincinnati number just moved from 6.5 to 7.

Really?

That means people have been hitting the Bengals.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, maybe they think Chaser Higgins is playing. I assume they weren't.

That number just moved in real time.

And that's a big move. That's not from 6 to 6.5. That's going to 7.

So I don't know which one of these lines I like the most this weekend.

I have four or five.

Giants plus four and a half might be my favorite bet of the weekend. I'm trying to think of which ones I'm going to send to my boys Sunday morning. Giants plus four and a half might lead off the list, might lead off the list. But there's there's some really intriguing games for a lot of different reasons on Sunday.

And and I'm looking forward to to watching it all play out. The most important one, though, of course, takes place on the North Shore Sunday one o'clock Akershire Stadium between the Steelers and the Colts. Before we get out of here on the other side, Matt and I will tell you how we think that one plays. out. Wes Shuler, Matt Williamson, final segment of the week ahead. It is The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light.

There's nothing better than the clean, crisp There's nothing better than the.

Clean, crisp.

Uh, what if we just got out of here and grabbed some Bud Lights? But man, we're on air for four more hours.

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Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean, crisp taste of Bud Light.

Stock up now. Bud Light.

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Steelers Colts Sunday, one o'clock right here on the North shore, of course, at Accresure stadium, Matt, I said it in the opening segment of the show when we were kind of doing the traditional scene setter. I'm going to say it again. There is a big difference between three and two and two and three. just how it feels on the surface perspective wise and what it means for a, for a playoff race and all those things.

And we just know how our fans and listeners would be. I mean, back-to-back losses of the Colts and Browns is not going to settle well.

I mean, it's, it's the nature of being a fan. I told this to you guys Saturday, Saturday night, WVU lost a shootout against Iowa state 45 to 42 fell to three and two. The Mountaineers are now. I mean, I mean, I'm demolished. You know what I mean?

No, I'm sure. I knew it would hit you hard, yeah.

If we win that game and we're 4-1, I'm like, we're 4-1. We're way ahead of schedule. We only won four games last year. We've already won four of our first five.

That's a different feeling than 3-2 versus 2-3. I mean, 4-1 is like, oh, baby.

Oh, baby, we're right where we want to be. You win next week, get to 5-1, you're probably ranked. Right in the thick of the conference race. There is, man, these early season games, it's just you win and you feel like you're on top of the world and everything is ahead of you. You lose and it's like, oh, my God, who are we picking in the top 10 in April? Yeah. This is a big one for both of these teams.

Whose turn to go first?

I think it's yours, right?

All right, I'll do it.

I don't know. TV, who's going first? You tell us.

I think it's my turn.

I think it is, too. I'm pretty sure I went first last week.

I have the Steelers winning.

Steelers are three-point favorites, by the way.

Okay. And I feel pretty confident that they'll win. I think we went through the matchups. I know we don't have a ton of time in this segment. Just rewind. But, I mean, a lot of the matchups do favor Pittsburgh. I originally picked them to win 20-10. Weather might make me think 17-10, but in that neighborhood, I'm going to stick with 20-10 because when I officially did my pick, that's what I picked.

So you're coming in way under the over-under, which is 43-1⁄2.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

And I wonder if I don't think these are high flying. If we do get to Sunday and the weather is what it could be, potentially, I wonder if that comes down to forty one and a half or forty and a half.

I wasn't aware of the over under. I knew they were that's a real goalish favorites.

Bigger number than I than I thought it would be. But you know what, Matt? I think when you look at the struggles that these defenses have had.

Yeah, Colts allow a lot of points.

It's not the highest flying offenses, but the Colts did just score 30 last week. It's not the highest flying of offenses, but the Steelers have scored 27 in back-to-back weeks.

True.

I'm going Steelers as well, Matt. I know that we've got some listeners that are like, you guys just pick against the Steelers every week because when you pick against them, they win, and when you pick them, they lose. I'm going Steelers 24-20.

Okay, I can see that.

And I think it could be a little more comfortable than that score looks, but I'm going Steelers 24-20. I don't know if it'll be pretty. It might even be a game where you're down at halftime and you have to come back and win, and you kind of decisively take control in the second half. But I do think the Steelers get it done. I think this is an opponent they've had a lot of success against, and I know it's a new coaching staff and a lot of moving parts, but sometimes there's just some of that weird history that permeates. I like the Steelers to bounce back, something that organizationally they've done very well in these spots in recent history.

I have a feeling on Monday we're going to be talking about the Steelers' defensive front. in a positive manner.

I hope that's the case.

Yeah.

I hope on, I think the.

Backbone of the team right now, and I bet they step up.

I think on Monday, we're going to be talking about the Steelers offensive line, taking another step forward.

That'd be right too.

But that will do it for us this week. A big thanks to Missy Matthews for joining us today. She's got fashion show tonight, pit UNC Saturday Steelers Colts on Sunday. She was still kind enough to find the time for us today. We appreciate her as always. And a big shout out to Mr. TV, Tyler V. the intrepid video producer of this program. For Matt Williamson, I'm Wes Shuler.

Have a great weekend, everybody. And you already know the drill. Win, lose, or draw. We'll be back to break it all down with you on Monday. As always, you know where to find us. It's on your 24-7 home of the black and gold. Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light. There's nothing better than a clean Christmas. There's nothing better than the.

Clean, crisp.

Uh, what if we just got out of here and grabbed some Bud Lights? But man, we're on air for four more hours.

I'll figure it out.

Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean, crisp taste of Bud Light. Stock up now.

Bud Light.

Louis, Missouri.

I told you they were building their own line. I win the bet.

Get 100% fiber internet with Verizon Fios, because when it comes to your team, it's 100% or nothing. Call 1-833-VERIZON to switch today.

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Bruh.

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