Oct. 11, 2022
The Porch Is Live - What the H_LL is going on with the Steelers?
Yes... what the hell is going on with the Steelers? Well... we debate that... and decide that it's everything... and a transition. Week 6 predictions, headlines and more... join us on the PORCH!
Yes... what the hell is going on with the Steelers? Well... we debate that... and decide that it's everything... and a transition. Week 6 predictions, headlines and more... join us on the PORCH!
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Transcript
Everybody's dancing. It's a party on the pool. Not for the right reasons. Welcome to the sports porch. Thank you for listening on American Busker iHeartRadio. Hundred and fifty million subscribers. 2000 devices. 250 platforms. Catch the Sports Sports Podcast on the iHeartRadio app and also on Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you listen to your podcast. But first of all, thank you for being here. We really appreciate it. And you know, I should be playing that video from last week where Steve says, I will not melt down but after this week, we're going to jump right into it. Steve's ready to melt down, guys.
Meltdown. Steve's ready to melt down but. I'm all melted. Yup.
Just a pile of guru. Yup. Yup. Did you put up those comments? Tell us your angst. Yes. Oh, I thought so. I thought so. I don't want to be on here with angst. So, before we jump into it, I want to remind everybody, jump on to the Porches Live. com, the Porches Live. com. That is our website. You can pick up previous episode in video format or podcast and obviously read our most recent column.
Steve's going to have one coming out soon this week and we're going to ramp those up a little bit. We got some news for the upcoming week. Uh we'll get to that a little bit later on. But the question of the night. The question of the week. The question of the year. Before we do that DG reporting from the Grand Canyon tonight. The G is in the house. Tim Pomato from Palmetto checking in.
Welcome to the show.
What the hell was that yesterday? Huh? What was that? Well, first of all, honestly, I think we did all see it coming, didn't we? I mean, Bills at home. Maybe not that bad. Quarterback starting his first game. Yup. Yeah. It was going to be bad. It it had bad written all over it. It did but I think it had bad more because of the defense.
I I mean, I I did not expect the to roll over the way it did. And there are so many things to talk about about this team right now. And I'm I'm going to start. I'm going to I'm going to start with Kenny Pickett. Because that's that's you know that's the news. Kenny Pickett. Okay. I think Pickett considering his situation played well. I think it it's his it was his first official start in the NFL.
It was truly a trial by fire. Um He looked like he had command of the plays and of the offense. He knew where he wanted to put the ball. He, yeah, he made a mistake Um, no, he didn't throw a touchdown pass. Uh, but, you know, at the end of the day, if that defense doesn't roll, I mean, look, the Bills are a juggernaut.
They should, at least, anybody can win the Super Bowl once they're there, but they should make it to the Super Bowl, okay? The, the, the only team in their way is possibly in opinion is Kansas City. With that being said, I did not expect that defense to totally roll over the way it did. Totally roll over the way it did. I did. And so.
The defense is not good. Right and get to that without CJ Watt. So, there's so much to talk about. Let's start. Let's start with let's start with Kenny Pickett, okay? Alright. Well, I'll give my sort of a calmer version and then we'll get to Steve and the angst. Um because he obviously wants the year everybody else is first. I mean, to me, to be honest, I I think Kenny Pickett, the story is still yet to be written.
what I liked about him, he he showed good poise. He like he was ready. He didn't look like the moment was too big for him. Um outside of one interception, I thought he threw the ball very accurately and pretty well yesterday.
Um here's the thing, Ken Kenny Pickett's got a bunch of things going against him. Number one, the offensive line is terrible. Number two, there's not much of a run game and I believe part of that because Najee Harris is playing hurt and number and I think it's something that really hasn't been talked about that much which is Deontay Johnson and Chase Claypool are garbage. Now, you heard it here first. Now, Deontay Johnson, look, that guy's going to make an unbelievable catch once every so often but he can't hit it if you hit him in his hands or the Yeah.
Yeah. He's got a problem with that. And there was a stat that I I put out there that I read that said, seven of the Steelers, 11 drives, either ended with a Deonte Johnson drop, Deonte Johnson not keeping his feet in bounds, a Chase Claypool drop, or a Dan Moore false start. All drives where Kenny Pickett was sustaining drives, moving the team down the field. Yeah, so none of that was Pickett's fault.
The bottom line is, is that those, those guys are just not as good as people think they are. I agree. And I'd love to, and, and, you know, who's the best receiver on the field yesterday, not wearing uniform was Pickens. Yeah. Right? He needs to start you know, I think Claypool, you take him out of the starting lineup. He doesn't give you anything.
Um you know, so the bottom line is there's so much going against Kenny Pickett. Uh at the same time, I also do want to say that you know, there is another side to it which I think Steve is probably going to get at a little bit more which is great players do make other players around him better Um you know, you've seen Tom Brady. Sorry, I said the name but you've seen Tom Brady make average receivers look great.
You know, so, you know, the bottom line is you still gotta do something and it is two games, no touchdown passes, four interceptions. Um so, that's gotta be better. It's gotta be better. Now, was it did he have a chance against the Bills? Probably not but still gotta show me something and really at this point, we haven't seen anything yet. 32 of 52 for 327 I mean. But that, you know, that that's that's like saying that Carson Wentz had a good game because he threw for three hundred and three.
Don't don't don't go down the commander's route because we don't care about that. Um that's true. But what I'm I'm saying, look at that from the from the from But the that's the comparison. Those are meaningless numbers. Yeah, you're right. You're right. I I think they're meaningless But they they do, they do, they do say something. And Allison chimes and says you know it's only the beginning. Give him a chance.
Tim. Yeah. Tim says Kenny was the only bright spot going forward. Yo Carey. We'll talk about this. If the Carolina Panthers can fire the coach we should fire Canada. So you know. Alright Steve let it rip. Yeah. Don't don't have a meltdown. Let it rip. Let's have let's hear the classic. So Tim, Allison, and David. You may want to turn down your volume a little bit for this.
Those of you wearing your Kenny Picket.
Everything's okay glasses. Oh god. You might you might want to take them off for a second because I'm going to give you a little dose of reality.
Okay? Kenny is allowed to make plays.
Okay? He's allowed to throw the ball where it doesn't have to be tipped. It can be right in the bread basket where they have to catch the ball. Okay? And I think that Kenny Pickett isn't okay quarterback. I think he got thrust into a bad situation. I I don't think he should be playing yet. And and there in lies the problem. You putting Kenny Pickett out there against clearly a Buffalo Bills team that is headed to the playoffs and probably the Super Bowl.
The way they're playing now, they're playing lights out. Look, they beat us thirty-eight to three and they took the foot off of the gas pedal at half time. They could have drew. Easily have scored three or four more touchdowns. Yeah. Easily. They took, they felt sorry for us. And as a and as a Steelers fan, that absolutely pains me. Well, so what did the Steelers offense do? We didn't do anything.
We, we, we failed to score a single touchdown on sustained rise. And yes, it's true. There were drop balls. Yes, there were false start penalties and holding penalties. But good teams find their ways around this. There are plenty of teams out there. Look at the New England Patriots. They're they're somebody who is less of a caliber caliber quarterback than Kenny Pickett and they're getting the job done.
The third round guy we never heard of. Right? Miami. Third round. Miami. Miami is falling apart with their quarterback. Okay. Granted. And I'll get to the defense after I'm done with the picket. Yeah. Well we'll we'll move to that later. But when it comes to Kenny Pickett he is an okay quarterback in a terrible situation. So I'm not going to bash him as a player.
I do like his feistiness. I do like the fact that he can throw the ball with some accuracy. But it's going to take time for him to have rapport with his receiver. The velocity of the ball coming to him is different than they're used to. Then it would be with All those things matter and I know it sounds dumb. But everything takes time for that timing to be right.
Especially in an NFL offense. And the fact that they're failing at it now is because he's in there soon. And he's going to continue to fail against these next three or four teams because they're damn good. They're they're not going to get a break. There's nobody in the NFL are going to be like oh the Steelers aren't playing good. You know let's take it easy on them.
And I know the offensive line is not opening up holes. And I agree with Mark. I think that Najee's running hurt. But once again that's no excuse for Najee. If he's if he's running hurt maybe he should sit down. Take a couple weeks off. Get better. Come back if full speed. Let Jalen Warren, you know, carry the water for a couple games. But these guys have too much pride and they won't stay out.
And their coaching staff are too much, they're, they're too ridiculously, they're too, they're too friendly with these guys to say, you're sitting this week. Take a week off. They won't do it and this is the problem with the Steelers. The Steelers as an organization right now are just in disarray and they need to get it back because I'm going to watch this team until I go into the grave.
But I bet a lot of you aren't going to like watching what you see the next three or four weeks.
L. Yeah. That's all I got to say. I mean, let's let's get some more comments in here from our listeners. Uh first of all, friend of mine from York, Jeff Paulis, says, hey, guys. What's up, Jeff? How you doing? Uh Kevin Culbert Senior. I'd rather see Big Ben calling plays. Well, you know what? Big Ben's gone.
you know, we gotta we gotta move on from that. DG with me and Mark. Pickett played well. All things considered. He's a rookie but played with some guts. Um Amy May. Kenny did a decent job. His receivers played horribly. Canada is awful. Canada should be fired. They just they're just coming in all over the place. Yo gents they need a clean house. And all get all new coaches. I'm guessing that's what Brad's saying. I could call better plays in Canada is.
Um Jeff says gotta give the offensive line more time. Getting better. All young guys up front. Um I've already gotten people saying to me the Steelers suck. Well you know the Steelers do suck right now. They do. And and I I just see I think it and and again, you know, we we before the show, we pregame, you can see our pregame video before the show if you want. Uh you know, we talked about the defense, special teams, the wide receivers, the running game, coaching.
This is a team that is, you know, Steve, you said disarray. It's transition.
It's a transition that they have not had to make in in almost 20 years.
So, and you've got a coaching staff. Actually, a head coach because there's been a lot of turnover in the coaching staff but you've got a head coach who walked into a pretty good situation Mm hmm. When he did. Right. This is the first time he's had to make a serious decision and I go back to, if you're not going to put Kenny in, I I I don't see how it serves Kenny Pickett. To sit him this year, okay? If if he can't learn to play under immense pressure, then, he's never going to learn to play the game.
So, what I saw was a quarterback who is young and raw, who has the skills of the makings of being a professional quarterback and you're putting him in under under the gun and that that being said against the team that is far superior I think he performed pretty well under the pressure. If anybody expected Kenny Pickett to come into that game and throw four touchdown passes and keep this competitive, no way, that was ever going to happen. Now, that leads me to the defense.
We talked about this weeks ago, okay? Without TJ Watt, that is horrible. Look, Minka is a great player but he can't play center field the whole game with any kind of effectiveness. Yeah. If they're not getting to the quarterback. Cam Hayward is a great player but he he has two or three impact plays a game And when TJ Watt is in there, that's all he has. Other than that, he hustles but other than that, he doesn't make a difference.
So, the question is not, when is TJ going to come back? Okay because he's going to come back. The question is, what are they going to do to improve the guys that played behind TJ? Because other than Minka and Cam who's close to retirement, there's nothing. I mean, you could say High Smith was having a decent year. You know, there's some guys in there that that potentially could play. Lial is actually showing some great signs which is surprising but but you can't bank your defense on one player all the time who has a history of getting injured.
Not not because he's, you know, just because he's he's such a hard player. Their defense is horrible. If that defense even puts up a little bit of a fight during the game, I think Pickett probably a touchdown pass. Cuz there's not as much pressure on him. Given all the pressure that was on him because they were down by twenty, 2-1 points. like that. You know, I I think he performed great. I think there are good things on the horizon, Not this year. But I think it, I think it's a good thing that he's in now.
You can't thoughts. But here's the thing. at the same time though, I get, I get where you're coming from, but it's hard to say somebody played great, or even played good when you lose thirty8 to 3. Right. And if they didn't take the foot off the gas, could have been like sixty to three. Yeah, I agree. I I look, I agree. I I'm not saying. Right. I'm not saying that Kenny Pickett played great. What I'm saying is, given the circumstances that he was given, and the fact that the rest of the team disappeared, okay? Cuz there's there's 22 players that play, alright? I think Kenny Pickett played great under circumstances that he was given and it was his first NFL start against probably the best team in the league and the probably the best defense right now in the league.
No, I think corners out. They they got they got safeties out. Tampa Bay has a really good defense too. So, he's got his work cut out for him again this week. Right. As far as as far as the defense goes, they gotta stop that big play. I mean, look, they can out and they had the ball on their own two-yard line and they let the quarterback drop back, throw, chuck it down the, down the road. Oh, they got burned.
55 yards and the guy was wide the freak open. That reminded me of the commanders. Like, like, here's the thing. Here's the thing about the defense that they need to get a handle on and I'm I'm looking at you Terrell Austin.
Stop the big play. You gotta stop the big play. I don't care if that means that we're giving up ten-yard dinks and dunks. If what you gotta do, you gotta do it. You can't let a team like Buffalo come out and chuck it deep twice on you and be like, that's it. It's over. I mean, Yeah, you gotta play Ben. This is the and this has been the problem with the defense in the preseason.
I I pointed it out earlier this year. They give up too many big plays. With or without TJ Watt. This is this is still gave up. Of this defense. Yeah. They give up 2five, 30 yard, big chunk plays like they're it's Halloween and they're handing out candy. Here you go. Have a touchdown. 98 yards, 75 yards, 60 yards. Just go for it. I mean, it's they're all over the place.
So, that's what the defense has to do. What does the offense have to do? They've gotta get a little bit more creative than run, run, pass, short pass, right? And like, when it's third and fourteen, please don't throw it seven or ten yards. They don't even throw it that far. They throw it three yards. Three yards. Okay. Yeah. I mean, this is this these are the baby steps that this team needs to make to show us.
they can they're they're a contender again until they start doing that. They're going to be at the bottom. And and I don't care if Pickett's out there. I don't care if Trubisky's out there. I actually think they need to go out there in three wide receiver sets maybe at the beginning. Like I I don't I don't agree you need to start Pickens. I just think he needs to be on the field more.
More three wide receiver sets.
Gentry. I mean who gives if you have two tight ends in there. If your offensive line can't block another tight end isn't going to freaking help.
And Steve finally melted down.
Uh oh.
said frick. Yeah.
Well, I I. That's that's where that's where I see they can have opportunities for improvement and I do think they can do that but I don't think they can do that with this coaching staff. I think Brian Flores is a joke. I mean, come on. They have the highest paid defense and he's supposed to come in and help that. I was going to bring that up. He has not helped this defense. Well, here's here's go out and get some. That's go out and get some assistant coaches who will help Tomlin do it and if Tomlin doesn't want to hire assisting coaches, well then, maybe you need to make a change at the head coach level.
Hm. Well, You know, that's an interesting comment because you you sit here and you say to yourself, how can they be the highest paid defense? Yeah. Obviously, Minka, maybe high-paid safety, I think. TJ Watt. No, he was. He operated somebody else. TJ Watt was high speed. The lineman, I'm sure when he got his contract. Um so, those two are going to factor in, maybe skill it a little bit. I just honestly think there's a lack of talent. Well, Cam gets paid, you know, Cam gets paid well.
I just think there's a lack of talent. I mean, and sometimes, you know, coach need players, right? I mean, that's the bottom line. If you don't have players like, for example, like there there was an another interesting thing that I saw out this week and it was it was like Bill Wolf's without Joe Montana Tomlin without Ben Roethlisberger, Bill Belichick without Tom Brady.
All under 500 coaches. All under 500. So, the QB matters. Yeah, the QB matter. I don't know the QB matter.
but I but I also but I'm just saying as a whole all players matter too. Right. I mean, you know, Brian Flores can't coach guys who play. Yeah. Yeah, you know. Yeah. I mean, or are just middle-of-the-road guys. Like, you know, like, for example, like, who's the corner who made a nice interception in the end zone? Uh, who was that? Uh, with a W? Is Leslie? Wallace. Wallace. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, Wallace, yeah. So, Wallace, right? Wallace. Um. Former Buffalo Bill. So, like, you know, like Wallace, you know, he's he's kind of Like you're, I mean, on a good team, he's probably a backup, right? But he's a starting corner on this team. So, how how you going to get him better? Now, some coaches are going to get players better. Um some some coaches are going to scheme guys to to be be in a better position.
That's right. But you know, it it it's tough. It's tough when the talent's not there. I mean, so you have to go, you have to go the what they call Tampa too. You have to go to a zone defense. You have to you have to find a way to make it a little bit more difficult to let a guy run past a guy he knows he can beat deep just chuck it deep to him.
Right. Because they just don't have the competitive spirit to go out and and just grab it away from 'em. I mean, Minka could've probably made that interception but let's face it, the other guy made the play. Where do we see that before? In the freaking New England game where Hore did the same thing. Just throw it up. Hey, they'll get it and they do. They out, they outplay our defensive backs and that's about skill at that position and we don't have a lot of skill there.
So, you have to, you have to scheme again that and all I'm imploring the Steelers to do is try something different. Stop run, run, pass, and do a defensive scheme that slows down the other of the opposition so that let's do something different. So guys, you're going to expect the same results. So, we're we're going to get some comments here from our listeners, Mike Lawrence. Well, Tomlin really make changes or is he all talk? Well, he said he's going to make changes.
Yeah, we'll see. Well, he also said that that was improving and then he I know I know. Be careful. DG's back in the hunt here. Claypool and Johnson are no help. They do not act like the ball is theirs no matter what. Pickens goes after the ball. I'm on that bandwagon. Pickens is a real receiver. These other two guys not so much. Yo Carey says he'll watch till death.
Also from day one till zero tase if I can love the Pirates. I can love the Steelers while sucking. Uh Allison, you all know when a team's not doing well no matter what team they are, people say their team sucks, people need to get over themselves. Tony Soprano, he says Tony Soprano is in the house. Yeah, he's in from Jersey. Uh everyone is blaming the coaches but the players are to blame.
I mean, they they have to execute.
true. Mike Lawrence all talk but he might surprise us. Um I I I think that's about the coach. Surprising. Um stop Ash and Kenny says Allison.
Tony says weather some homeless guy calls a runner. Matt Canada does is irrelevant. Players of the Braim. Uh you know we just got we got a ton of comments coming in here and obviously, you know, obviously. Did anybody see Canada's suit walking into the game the other day? Um no, but CD says. Describe it. CD says, sorry I'm late Steelers son. All I can say is, I didn't realize that Canada was so concerned about his appearance. Cuz he's paying a lot of time. He's paying a lot more attention to how he dresses than game play.
That's for sure.
Well, and I and I've been saying this for the last year and a half. Um you know, Matt Canada is a horrible offensive coordinator. Uh yes, there are a lot of issues but there is, there is never, I mean, you say they do run, run, pass, run, run, run, pass. There's still no game plan. It doesn't look like they do and and I I know they they they have to.
They're an NFL You know, they're in the film room. They're studying film. But to me, it doesn't even look like they're studying film. What team has a weakness even the strongest team. Yeah. So, to me, every time, doesn't matter that it was the Bills game or or the game before against the Jets or up against the the the Brady and the and the I was going to say the Patriots.
Brady and the Buccaneers. Look, it doesn't look like they're even studying film. They they don't they don't they have no concept of whether this player likes to play off, whether this, you know, whether this, the tendency for this defense is to play the top and shade it to the right. They have no clue and when you're the offensive coordinator, that's what you're doing. You're looking at your strengths and you're exploiting your the your opponent's weaknesses and I don't think Canada can figure out what their strengths are and I'm going to I'm going to say one more thing about this and and and all all due respect to this guy but I I do not think that Najee Harris is the answer at running back.
I know he's playing with a high ankle sprain right now but the I've watched this guy over the last 2 years. He does not have a burst of speed even when there is a hole he can't find it. And I expect more from him than what I've seen. I just I don't think he's going to be the answer. Time will tell. I hope he is.
Because he's a good guy. He's a hard player. He's a hard worker. But I watched Jaylen Warren. And that guy's got a burst. He's got a quick step. He can find hole.
not, yeah, look, you guys are making fun of it. You're in love with a third round. No, listen. No.
The problem with Jaylen Warren is, A, he's too small. B, he fumbles the ball. If you give him the ball as much as you give, Najee I promise you won't like him as much. I I I. That being said, I would love for Najee to sit a couple games, get healthy, and watch Jaylen Warren fumble the hell out of the ball. Yeah. No. I mean, because what will happen.
You guys are missing. You're right.
got a great and that's all. Good speed and he looks like an NFL running back and I agree with you there. He is all of that but by himself, he is a disaster. No, no, no, no. He's an absolute disaster. You were running. Yeah, but you know if he can hold on to football. You're missing, you're misinterpreting what I'm saying. I am not saying that Warren should be the every down back.
What I'm saying is that there are certain things that Warren has that great running backs in the NFL all have. And that great vision, a burst of speed, and the ability to sidestep and make something out of nothing. Now, he's missing number five. And what's that? A good offense line to give him a hole. Right, I understand. Right. But. Without that one, all the other four fall. What I'm saying is that Naje does not have three out of those five anyway.
Anyway. So, even when he gets a good offensive line. I think maybe. I think. Yeah, but there's there are also running back styles that run people over. Yeah, right. Yeah. Well, I mean, he doesn't really run people over runs into them and then drags him a little bit. He can. Alright. Well, this is a debate that will happen. This is for coming from the guy who said that I think before the season, you said Najee Harris was going to be like, possible MVP.
Well, I didn't say possible MVP but I said he could be the best running back in the league and I'm I'm willing, I own that and I'm willing to walk that back a little. So. Leadership's important, right? So, so we've so so new count on. So, I I hold myself accountable. I do. I do. I said that but I'm I'm What's the bottom line on this team? Transition. That's the bottom line.
This is a transition.
I think it's five weeks. I think it's worse than transition.
I think we don't know where it's headed. Okay. I think this team is complete disarray. They will not be the same until TJ gets back in the and Kenny throws a couple touchdown passes and he finally becomes an NFL quarterback. Well, you know and that doesn't sound too bad to me.
You you know what I mean? I mean, that that that sounds like, you know, I it train is worse. I think transition. I, you know, I called this team to be, oh and what are we, what are they one and four now? I called, I called them to be oh and five by now. They're one and four. Uh you know, we're going to go into this a little bit later. They're they're they're most likely going to end up one and five, okay? So, I never went into this season even with thinking Kenny Pickett. When I thought Kenny Pickett would be end up being the quarterback, especially after the first couple games of watching Trubisky play but I I I never thought that they would have a winning record this year.
still definitely don't think they're going to winning record and I always thought this was going to be a transition year. And that's the thing. We we had this this text chat. We we you know, guys we you know we're we're talking about this twenty-four seven, the three of us. We're going at it all the time. Through every game, messing with each other. I I I said this yesterday. You know, welcome to the rest of the NFL.
As Steelers fans, you've had eighteen, 19 years of no losing. Couple 500 seasons, lots of playoff appearances, didn't win a whole lot of playoff games. 2 super Bowl wins and a Super Bowl loss. Hey, listen. Unless you're the you you didn't have a better situation. You really didn't. So, now all of a sudden, you're in transition and the sky is falling. This is the way the NFL works. Well, you know, it is falling.
Yeah. This guy is definitely falling. Right. I mean, you all want to accept that. You don't want to say, you want to know what? Let's just let let's let the team get through this year and at the end of the year, you know, plug the holes. Draft you know, get good offensive lineman. Fill in some needs on defense. Let your quarterback be your quarterback. I will accept it once I see a plan that makes sense.
Until I see a plan that makes sense, I'm going to say this team is in disarray. Alright, so I'm I'm going to bring this up. This is for Schwabber's benefit here. Bobby G from our college days. Good job, boys and sorry about your Steelers. When we talk about the last undefeated team this season, go birds. So, good transition. If you're watching, if you're watching this on Philadelphia social media, we're going to tease this. We will be having a Philadelphia Sports Sports debuting sometime in November.
Yes. And Undefeated. Schwaber will be the host and we can't wait to start that Philadelphia Sports Show. I'm so excited about it and we have you guys to thank for that. So, with that, we're going to move right on to. I don't even get to say anything about it. No. Because this is not your show. Your show. Well, I'm just going to shout out to the Eagles that are five and oh in the NFC East looks to be rebounding except for the Commanders.
Correct. No, it's Rob the Forgears. No. Hey, five and oh. Feels good. It should.
Tell me when you get to thirteen. Uh there you go. There you go. There you go. So, so that being said, taking a real quick step back. AFC North, we had Cincinnati losing to Baltimore last night. Looks like Baltimore is going to take command of the division maybe.
Cleveland They got a great running game but obviously, did you see the way they lost? Cleveland? They're ridiculous. I love it. I loved every second of it. That head coach from from San Diego had the balls to go for on like the forty-two yard line. So stupid. And that wasn't even close, right? Yeah. Game the ball. They all they had to do is make one reception.
They got it and they missed a field goal. Well, also, you know what I didn't like. I didn't like the fact that they're just like. Okay, it's 51 yards. We don't need anymore. We don't need anymore yards. So, let's not make a forty yarder. Yeah. Yeah. We can make it from fifty-one. Yeah. What what sense does that make? Yeah. You know. Yeah. I I I'll tell you.
I must love the fact that Cleveland sucks too. You know, I'm sorry but you know, misery loves company. Yeah. Well, and this division is it looks like it's going to come down to, I mean, the the Ravens look like probably the better team in the division but you never know when Cincinnati will turn it on because he said the Ravens were the best team in the division at the beginning of the year.
Yeah. That sounds familiar. Yeah, that sounds like you did. Yeah. Um.
X. What what what is this? I I I don't I don't I don't know what's going on with all the comments again. Jeff Paula says Philly Sports get to discuss Drexelt now. Uh CD says Klein. K name is York.
Nut said. I I I have no idea. Are you drinking? I think he's got Sassafraski. Yeah probably.
DG's I'm not I'm not putting these comments up my **** DG says Steelers in transition. Okay but let's admit the Steelers haven't planned well for this. Yep. That's exactly right. Oh no. David you're right about it. So we want to talk real quick about the NFC East and we'll keep it short for right now but you know you got you got three teams at four and one. You got the Cowboys or I'm sorry. You got the Eagles at five and oh, Cowboys and the Giants at four and one.
Uh the Commanders who I said at the beginning of this year and you actually laughed at me would probably be the worst team in the NFL are starting to live up to that bill but it's because they're not the Redskins. They gotta fight the Steelers for that Monica. So, so in the NFC East, here's my question and and and this is a question that I think it actually needs to be asked and I don't know that I've heard anybody ask it.
When Dak Prescott gets better, let's assume that the that the Cowboys beat the Eagles. I'm not, we're not making any predictions. We're going to go Yeah, we're going to do that.
It's just to piss you off. No, no, I think the better question is because he's supposed to be ready this week. He is supposed to be ready. Will they play him? Will they will they stick with Cooper Ryan? Yes. For another one. Should they stick with Cooper Rush? Cuz let me tell you, that guy looks like the real deal. Oh my god. No. He's not. This is an Eagles.
This fans. They're winning in spite of him. He's he's doing some nice game managing but it's all defense. Yeah. It's all defense. I mean, come on. Well, that's true. Come on. I got two words for you. Oh my god. Micah Parsons. Right. Yeah. That guy is a beast. He's going to be defensive player of the year. And they've got secondary and they've got DeMarcus Lawrence. Yeah. Yeah. You think they got a good, they got a good mindset.
Okay. But the NF the NFC East right now for all intensive purpose and the Giants are a huge surprise but the NFC East is back. So, it's funny though. We were all writing off well, not me but you guys are writing off Dallas and a lot of the media. We were, yeah. Yeah. Dallas is done. They're all in one. Yeah. They lost their quarterback. They look like **** It's the same old I will say this.
And here they go. I will say this though.
the fact that Cooper Rush has come in and been a game manager and won four games in a row.
I actually do think. Yeah. Even though it's clear as day, the Dak Prescott is the better quarterback. And you have to go back to him. You do. I do actually think it will not be a good move.
Because what's going to happen? Because well, no, the body, the bottom line is is that with Dak Prescott, everybody waits around and waits for him to do something incredible. Yeah. And, and the way they, they, they basically, the Cowboys have reshaped the team into being a defensive team game management, protect the football With Dak, I guarantee you, they're going to want to be the number one offense in the league that they were last year and that's going to make his share of mistakes. Yeah, I agree with Mark on this one. Yeah. I think that the thing about Dallas's offense that I like is they have a plan. They want to run the ball first and then they can hit the big play the Lamb, they got Schultz across middle.
They got a lot of targets.
back. Yeah. So, I mean, so they can hit the targets whenever they want but Dak seems to like want to force it. He always wants to make the big play, the CD Lamb when he wants to do it, not on some timetable that the the coaches are sending and by the way, they have some really good coaches there. I don't think McCarthy is a great coach.
Horrible. But I think they got like Dan Quinn. Dan Quinn. The defensive coordinator. He's amazing. Like, so, so, there's a coach. Yeah. Who's pretty terrible as a head coach but at least he's smart enough to know I'm dumb about some things. Let me hire a guy who can run it and just stay out of his way. Right. Like, that's pretty smart and that's why I like that team from the beginning.
And they were going to be tough. And that defense was pretty bad before he came on. By the way. He was the same guy. Listen, you have to give it to the Phillies too or the the Eagles. The Eagles are playing great ball. They didn't look good yesterday but they still manage the win and there's something about winning games that you're supposed to lose that helps you at the end of the season.
No matter Whether you maybe you don't have the the best scheme going. Look, they rely a lot on Jalen Hertz and he didn't have a great game. So, you know, they gotta fix that. And they're young. They're young. Yeah. Well, hey, I mean, the bottom line is you you usually you can tell a team is a good team if they can win ugly too and that's what they did.
They won ugly yesterday. That's the point. Agree. You know, that's the point. Great division. I think that. Yeah. I was surprised. I thought that division would be one of the worst. It's one of the best. Could be a shocker. Yeah. It could be a shocker coming out of that division. So, what are we picking this week, guys? Let's let's go back to last week's picks.
Uh can we just skip over that? Nope.
You're not actually going to post those. Well, well, one more comment from CD McCarthy, a Greenfield Pittsburgh guy, thought you all blindly loyal, the Pittsburghers. Alright, Burgers. That's enough. You know, we love him. You're banned for life, you know. Alright. Who knows? You might be the next Mike Tom. Uh DG says not mentioned earlier. I do think the low hit on Pickets Legs was a dick move that justified his anger. Uh you you want to know what? We we're not going to talk about that here but I did see that replay and yeah, I agree that that but what I you still agree with David on that.
That's right and I did like the fact that his teammates came in there and defended him. I I I think they I think they're behind him all the way. So okay. Another one actually. Where he was sliding and he got hit. Yeah. Yeah. So last week. That guy. Like he was carrying a pink smoke bomb. Wow.
Last week we picked the Colts at Broncos. Um Steve got that. Steve wait. Steven Mark got that right. I got it wrong.
Mark Mark, Mark, and Chris picked the Ravens. Steve picked the Bengals. I picked the I I I paid Russ for that one. All three of us got hammered because we picked we picked the over the Cowboys. So Steve was one and two. Chris was one and 2. Mark was two and one last night. Right Mark. So our picks this week lead us to Chris at eight and seven. Mark at nine and 6. Steve at six and nine. It's starting to tighten up. Okay. Starting to tighten up. So this week cream starts in the top. This this week is cream's starting to rise to the top.
This week is you guys.
Yeah. This week. Creams in 69. First of all, as always, as as as always, we're going to go back to our preseason predictions.
Steelers, Tampa Bay, and big announcements. Steve and I will be at the Tampa Bay game. Let's go. Down at the field formerly known as Heinz, Aquasher Stadium. On Sunday, we will be in a luxury box and doing a special edition of the sports board. Shrinking our champagne. From the luxury box. And I will be on the cellphone. And Mark will be at home. Maybe. So yeah. Yeah. We'll get him. The smart one who didn't pay all that money. Yes. To see that. Shh. Don't tell anyone. Hey, they don't need to know. I might tell anyone. So. As far as they know, our sponsors. Anyway, I think all three of us have Tampa Bay winning that game.
Yeah. Yeah. Alright.
So, as is tradition, we're going to pick the Thursday night game. First, the Thursday night game happens to be a barn burner. It is the Washington Reds at the Bears. Who you got going, Steve? I'm going with the Bears. I'm not really going to put any thoughts into this other than you think they're the worst team. You'd like to follow them. I'm going to agree with you. I think the Bears are better than I thought. I'm going to go with the Bears.
Um nine seven.
Alright. This could be the only game of the year that I say the Bears are a sure fire lock.
Uh I'm going to say 13 to seven Bears. Alright and I'm going with. Scoring. I don't know. I'm going with the Bears. I'm not even going to name a score. Come on. Come on. They got me five forty-two. Six to three.
Six to three Bears.
Alright. Next next up on the docket. Sunday night's game. Big game. Cowboys at the Eagles.
Is Prescott coming back? Schwaber will let you pick. Cowboys with the Eagles. I don't know. Uh look I I'm sure I'm just Way too biased for this. Uh. Go with your gut, Mark. You know, let's just say, you know, I think it's actually a good thing that the Cowboys are four in one because think that that means the Eagles are not going to take him for granted and they're going to show up and they're going to have a double digit win.
I'm going to say they're going to win twenty-eight to 17. Alright, Mark's going with the Eagles. 28 to 17. Steve, what you say you? I like the boys You have to because you predicted them to go to the Super Bowl. Well, you know, I didn't I I should have taken Baltimore last week because I like them to win the division. So, I'm I'm just going to go with the boys because that's what I'm going with.
Okay and I'm picking the Eagles. I think they're on a roll. Um I think there's a lot of, first of all, Cooper Rush coming in. If he plays that game, that's going to be a tough game for him to win in Philadelphia. I don't care who you are and Dak Prescott coming back. He's going to be rusty. I think the Eagles are on a mission right now.
a long in. They could go through a rough patch but they're going to ride it. They pulled this victory out against the Cardinals. Uh you guys are right. You know, good teams find a way to win ugly games. I think this is a rivalry game and the Eagles have something to say. So, I'm going with the Eagles. Um I I think they're going to wipe em out. I think it's going to be 35 to 17. Ooh. Whoo. Whoo. Looks like I'm making up some ground. Jalen Hertz. Jalen Hertz. Uh. Let's go. Okay, next game. Another great game.
Bills at the Chiefs. Preview of the AFC Championship again? No.
Go ahead, Steve. Do it. I don't know, man. This is a really tough one for me. You know, I I I think we all took Buffalo to go but he didn't. You and I took Buffalo to go in the Super Bowl and win it. He took, I think. I'm the Colts. He took the Colts. He was, he's so good at this. He took the Colts. He took the Yeah. Well, the Colts are still.
Yeah. They're not out of it. But let's stick to this game. Bills and the Chiefs. Oh, man. This is a really tough one. I mean, I like Kansas City. They're playing in Kansas City, right? Yes. I like Kansas City at home. I know Buffal got revenge on their mind. I think it's going to blind them too much. Coming out of this preseason game against the Steelers. I I just don't see that as was is a very good warm up for them.
I think the way to beat, the way to beat the Bills is to run the ball and Kansas City can't run the ball. God, there's just so many things. I'm going to go. I'm just going to go off my head here. I'm going with Kansas City. Taking the home team in a pick em game.
I'm going to go Bills. Uh I think they're going to win 35 to twenty because I think they are that good. But I will also I also want to say this.
Is that by winning this game it's going to help them lose in the end.
Kansas going to beat them in the playoffs. Alright. Alright. So. See I think the opposite. And and I'm going with I'm going with the Chiefs only because if I go with the Bills and I every game that Mark picked and I can't pick up any ground on him at all. So You might need to pick up ground on you. Yeah, I don't really care about you.
So, You just hurt my feeling.
And that's impossible and you know that. Um no, I I think the Chiefs are going to win this game because I think I I think the Bills are definitely, you know, we've we've said enough about the Bills right now. Uh but the Chiefs at home and Andy Reid and the way he can game plan, they're up against the totally different sort of animal coming off the Steelers who didn't gain plan for anything. Right.
And And Reed is the consummate head coach, okay? This guy is evaluating every single scheme, lineup, player positioning, defensive, and he is going to set his players up to win this game. That's what I think. Chiefs over the Bills. So, alright, there you go. We'll catch up with that next week on Monday. Um so, that's it for our sports talk. We know we got hockey coming up soon. As soon as that happens, hockey is going to be on on on it.
He's probably going to be doing some some live podcasting on a nightly basis after the hockey games because he did he did assure me last week. I asked him. Mhm. It's true. How many hockey games do you usually watch? Let me answer that. All of them. And we will be coming back to you with our update. Yes. Bluger's injured by the way. He's going to be in for the home opener. Oh spoiler alert. I'm going to be at the home opener for the Pens game too.
Oh. And also Check out the Sports Porch is live on probably, let's say Wednesday, I'm putting out my Penguins preview. You're going to want to read it. It has all the information you need in there to know about what to look for in the pens. The Porches Live. com, The Porch es Live. com. You gotta say it three times. One more. The Porch Is Live. com. That's our website. Please visit. Okay. The Canes will be in there, Carrie.
So, there you go. Okay. You got it. Alright, moving on.
It means thing. We scour the internet to find headlines that we find very appropriate to today's world and that actually means something. I'm going to start with I'm going to start with Mark actually. Uh we got one more quick comment. Jeff Jeff, my buddy from York says, have a good evening all. My picks, Steelers over Tampa Bay. That's because Jeff's a homer. Keep in mind. Hey, you. I knew this guy in high school.
He was a Montreal Expos fan. So, that tells you all you need to know there and I can't wait to see you for the New Orleans game, Jeff. It'll be. the Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're in trouble now, Paulus. You're in trouble. Alright. So, Mike, you know, I just gotta just gotta do this real quick. Allison, come back next week. We'll talk some pens. Alright, absolutely. Listen. Okay. Uh headlines, it means something.
Uh Mark's headline this week. Uh we're going to put that up right now.
Bacon Theft, Lands Woman with 34 rest behind bars. So, she's done this. Back behind bars. Back behind bars. So, she's done this a couple times. Uh 30 arrests. Uh ten previous convictions. Uh one arrest was for stealing four packets of Kool-Aid.
Um Oh wait. You can get arrested for 4 days. She's hungry. Just no, just so you know, this is. This is a hard place she lives. Just so you know, this is over $100.
Bacon was stolen and the only reason why. Those are baked. The only reason why this one stood out to me was, all I can tell you is, you know what? I get it. I love bacon. Yeah. I get it. I got no problem with this. What if? If you're going to steal something. if you're going to steal something, steal something? Stealers worth of bacon. I I got no problem with it. I understand. But they gotta put her in jail for it.
Sure. Alright. Now, she gets her bacon for free.
theft lands women with 34 arrests back behind bars. Back. That's a good find. Back. Oh yeah. Back to bacon. Back to Thank you. Uh Allison says, what's the website again, guys? Uh I'm going to break protocol here. I'm going to put that up for you right there. It's The Porches Live. com. The Porch Is Live. com. Thank you. Go subscribe, Alice. Okay. You get it right to your Email. Yeah, you can subscribe to our Email list. Uh we're compiling that list and getting things ready there. So, next headline, Steve's headline.
Mark, I thought you'd like this one.
Lamar Odom says, Kobe Bryant came to him in a dream.
That's awesome.
you hear about this? I did not hear about this. Well, Shannon Sharp has a podcast. You know, he invites guys over. And Lamar Odom was like breaking down. He was like really taken aback by this. He was said he was on like Big Brother House or something like that. You know, I guess he was one of the they have a celebrity one where he was in. He was like, man, I was in there. Kobe came to me in the dream one night and he said, wait, I want to make sure I get this right. He said, the last stream was real vivid. He's going to say something I'm never ever going to forget. He said, hello.
The afterlife ain't what people make it up to be.
And then he disappeared. And and Lamar was like really shaken up by it. He was like, I don't know. I don't know what it meant. He said, he said something along lines like, did he, did he misses his girls? Is his missiona done? He was like, you just don't know what to expect and that just stuck with me. Oh, and he was really like, he was like really. All I can. Really? All I can say is you have to think that if Kobe could speak to the living from the other side, he probably wouldn't go to Lamar Odom for.
people he's talked to and they just haven't admitted to it yet. You know, they were they were shooting. Maybe there's an apology he would make. You know, possibly. He said, they were just shooting hoops and he just showed up and you know. Of course. And that was it? Of course. He was just shooting hoops. Yeah. Okay. Alright. My headline is my headline is one that I just found great.
Did you know that China may be using the sea to hide its submarines? Well, you would think. What? Be the place. Did you know that is tricky? Well, some had some hide them in the ocean. Yeah. So, they're going seas. Yeah. Yeah. So, did you know China hides subs underwater? I mean, this is what our military intelligence is coming up with nowadays. I never. Hey, wait a minute. I think it's possible that I I I haven't seen any Chinese submarines in a while. Yeah. Maybe. Maybe they're hi them under the water. Yeah. Yeah. I I I couldn't help myself. Oh safe Beth. That's where they are.
Yeah, I would say so. I would say so. Alright, headlines.
Alien ships. Oh, yeah. Alright. So, we yeah and I had an chips thing on our previous show Off the Grid Uncommon Ground. Catch that podcast as well. So, what we're watching, what we're watching, what we're streaming on the internet, what we love, what we don't love, we'll start with Mark's show this week is The Rookie. Now, is this a is this a comedy? It's on ABC. No. Yeah. It's on Who? So, I figured. Wait a second. That's not a show.
I figured how you could stream it on Hulu. You can stream it on Hulu. That's a streaming show. It says right there. I think it's all streaming nowadays. Come on. I take it early. I figured I would just keep it simple. There's a few regular TV shows that I that I still do enjoy. And the rookie is one of them. Uh did you guys ever watched Castle by any chance? No, but my mother was a huge fan. Okay, so this guy, Nathan Fillian, he he was the star of Castle.
And here's the thing, it's a great cast.
It's, you know, you know, it's an hour of, you don't have to think, and it's, and it's exciting, and it's fun.
Now, it's in its fourth season now.
Seasons 1 and two were unbelievably great. I mean, now you're in the season 3 and four and it's starting to get like things are getting a little ridiculous. Okay. You know, but it's good. I mean, like, you know, if you like a cop show, it's interesting. It's fun, alright? Just a little mindless fun for you. Mark. Rookie.
Is watching the rookie on Hulu or ABC.
Steve, Uh I think I, yeah, there we go. Steve Show. I am watching a thing called Unwell. That doesn't sound good. It does not sound good but it actually is about bidding well.
Is it? Yes. It it's it's basically like strange things like essential fasting, you know. Yup. They have they have this thing called bulking up with breast milk which I haven't actually. Did I really just hear that right? Yes. Yes. Yes. I actually I haven't seen that episode yet so are you looking forward to it? I'm actually thinking of skipping that one. Really? Yeah. Why? Why would you skip em? Never mind. Uh because I want to get to the the bee stain therapy. Oh. Wow. You know, because when you want to get stung by a bee, that can kill people. As to. Breast milk. Yeah, right. Yeah. So, there are all these weird things that actually people are doing and it's like a multi-billion-dollar industry like all of these things.
Oh yeah. I'm sure.
or like people are trying to become well again. Right. But they're saying like, it could make you unwell also. So, depending on how you actually go about things. Oh, I agree. You can take it to a different level. Yeah. Like with with essential oils. Alright. Like, it's it's good. Like, you know, that's good. But people are like eating it. Like putting it in their drinks and stuff. Right. It's like, eh, you might, that might be something you want to think twice about. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So, I like it the the fact they actually show like people taking it to the Dreams and kind of like ridiculing them and people kind of in the middle like actually using it for good life. Yeah. It's kind of like smoking Doritos to see if you get high in college.
Right.
It's effective but you want to do it every night. Yeah.
Alright and this is a shout out to Schwabber because I am going to prove again that I am still not an unselfish washer anymore. I am now watching Bad Sisters. Oh, how do you like it? On Apple TV Plus. I I I gotta tell you, I I I like it.
but I have to catch up to the Irish accent. Yeah, you do. You know what I mean? You know what you gotta do. You just, look, you gotta just. Just read it. You gotta suck it up and with the subtitles. Go with the is that a good one for that? Yeah. Alright. Cuz you know what? All I can tell you is this. It helps. I I I pushed off.
I pushed back on that for the longest time but Amy, you know, struggle sometimes to hear and she wants them on there all the time. First of all, it's great because she never has to say, I can't hear what the Turn it up. Right. And secondly, you know, after doing it for maybe like 2 months, it's like, I don't even notice it anymore. Right. Yeah. Oh and I've done subtitles before but yeah, I I might I might do that but I I find it to be fascinating and the guy that they that that the husband.
Yeah, he's total dick. He's the worst. Oh my god. Yeah and it's actually funny the stuff he does. Right, right. You know, where she's like, I have an announcement. He's like, you're pregnant. You know, it's like hilarious. Very pregnant. It's hilarious. It's like the worst human being on Earth. Yup. So, Bad Sisters on Apple TV Plus. Give it a shout see let us know what you think and with that guys, I'm going to put the website back up here.
Uh The Porches Live. com, The Porch es Live. com. Wanna thank you for listening. If you're listening to us on American Busker iHeartRadio, iHeartRadio, hundred 50 million registered users, 2000 devices, 250 platforms, and you can catch the podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, anywhere you want to listen to your podcast. I'll be dropping it later tonight. Subscribe to us. Check out The Porch es Live. com. Next Sunday, we will be at Ackersure Stadium.
Steve and I for a preview special sports porch from a luxury box watching Tom Brady hopefully lose to the Steelers but probably not. They're going back to the act. And we're going back to the Act and we'll of course be on at our regular time on Monday. I always miss these last goodbye comments.
Allison says. Not today. Awesome broadcast guys. Jeff Paula says have a good one all. DG says thanks. Catch you next week.
Krista Flitch gives us a whole bunch of thumbs up and then a bunch of rabbits or squirrels or something or whatever that is. Squirrels. But thanks so much.
Thanks so much for being here guys And with that I think that's the show. And we are out.
Hey real.
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