Latest / Pittsburgh Sports Memories / BONUS EPISODE: Pgh Sports Current Events - October 1, 2026

Transcript

BONUS EPISODE: Pgh Sports Current Events - October 1, 2026 · Pittsburgh Sports Memories

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to another exciting edition of Pittsburgh Sports Memories Current Events.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: As usual, we're gonna go through the current events going through.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: We got some pirates, we got some football Palooza.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think we're quite ready for hockey yet, but it'll be starting up soon.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm Steve Wirt, and I'm joined by my co-host.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Tim Hannon, and I I am excited that hockey season only starts this week.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_01: But you're right, there's not a whole lot to say.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I don't I don't know.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we'll see.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think we'll give it one more week.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Let them get started.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: See, let it let a game happen, and then we can like There you go.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: We can overreact either way.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna win the Stanley Cup.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Ah, they stink.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: So get prepared for that next week.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: So where we over overreact accordingly.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh speaking of uh maybe not overreacting at all, uh the Pirates finished their season with a win in Detroit on Sunday.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Uh was that Verlander's last game?
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um so they finished the season 82-80, third in a division.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, hey, it's a winning season, Tim.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: It is a winning season.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: Like we don't have a lot of those around here.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: So you know, it's it's I think we said it last week.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's it's an improvement.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: I if you go back to uh I was gonna pull up the clip and I totally forgot to do it, but if you go back to like our you know March current events or whatever where we were previewing the season, I think we said, you know, they won something like 73 games last year.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: If they could win 10 more this year, you know, that would be pretty good, and they could maybe make a playoff run, and they kind of almost did that.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: So they just if they unfortunately played in the National League Central, if they played the American League, they'd be right in it.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: So seriously, I mean it did that really was the um the the the the death nail was them playing in a really tough division and league.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, we'll see.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: We kind of talked about the postseason last week.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, what the Pirates do or if they even have a season next year will remains to be seen.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: So um on the football Palooza.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Woohoo! Yay! I love football Palooza.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um so pit football, they decided to play Buckfail, and um they won 59 to nothing.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: With a big fail from the Buckmail people.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're a basketball school, aren't they?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: They're not a football school, at least not at this level.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even think they're at their level.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're like one and four.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: So not only did you play like an F whatever CS game, you played like a really bad FCS team.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: And uh Pitt actually completed their non-conference schedule.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: They were four and oh, Tim.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: They didn't play anybody, but hey, you know, you only play who you schedule, I guess.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: But they played Central Florida and Miami of Ohio.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't know.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: Not not much.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um 59 to nothing.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um Mason Heitchel throws six touchdowns.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Damon Ferguson had some nice rushing yards.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's kind of like, yeah, you should do what you do against a school of that caliber.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I don't know that there's really a whole lot else to say about that game.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: There's not really.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: It was a pointless game.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: It would like if that's the first game of the season, you're like, okay, all right, we got our tune-up game in time to you know get down to real games.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: But so at you know, we welcome you back to our regularly scheduled football season.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um back to the back to the normal.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: And guess who?
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: We're playing Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Tim.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Virginia Tech, uh, they have defeated Boston College and Maryland, who are two okay college teams, and they beat their cupcakes of Old Dominion and VI VMI.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um I don't know.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: Can uh the questions are can Mason Heichel have a good game versus an actual decent opponent?
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: I guess that's the question, huh, Tim?
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna find out.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and the running game, um, can if Turner comes back and they have more consistency, if they if they can run the ball like they did against Syracuse in that third quarter, boy, they they're really gonna be on track there.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, Pitt Pitt historically beats Virginia Tech, but I'm not sure, like I I think I'm pretty sure they're probably gonna win on Friday, but there is James Franklin, and James Franklin kind of had Pitt's number the last couple years at Penn State, but I don't think he's been there long enough to really get his players completely involved yet.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: And um, so Virginia Tech is a five and a half point favorite.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Five, yeah, five point.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, I don't know, that line mode go down, but um, I think this is gonna be a good game.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think, Tim?
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, and it's a Friday game, too, which is interesting.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: All the games this week are gonna be done by the time we get to the weekend.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're gonna have the whole weekend off and to do whatever we want to do.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, it just hey, you know, and Franklin and um Narduzzi were actually uh cordial to each other.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I guess the media was trying to stir stuff up and neither of them would bite.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: So good for them, I guess.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sure that I'm sure Narduzzi was like I'm sure that killed him.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm sure if Pitt wins, he'll he'll have you know some kind of passive aggressive, you know, something up his sleeve.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: So on to the professional part of our broadcast podcast here, um, the Steelers.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: I did not see this coming, Tim.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: If you had the Steelers scoring 30 points, um you're a better football prognosticator than I.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um they beat Cincinnati 30 to 27.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: What the heck?
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Rodgers, three touchdowns and an interception, and the interception wasn't even his fault.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, my goodness, 292 yards, so almost 300 yards and three touchdowns.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: That's a good game.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_01: It it it yeah, it's a really good game.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's great to see.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: This is what you wanted to see when you hired Mike McCarthy.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_01: You want to see an offense that looks like a modern, you know, um in a good flow kind of offense.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: And Rogers, yeah.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_01: I Rogers did have a really good game.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: I also think that, and it's I it's like hard to criticize him when he like the numbers that you put up there, but when you watched them, he his accuracy was not great.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: And there were three or four throws where he missed guys that would have been like decent games.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: Fryer Fryermouth was wide open and he missed him.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think he was on the run or being pressured, he he just missed them.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: He might have been on the run.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think I think a couple of those he was kind of like scrambling, but it wasn't like he was running for his life just trying to fling it.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he had time to like aim and throw.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: And and there was one to Metcalf like that.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: There was one to um, yeah, the one to Firemouth.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: There was even one that was like over the middle at a Pittman where if you saw on social media, they were everybody was like trying to read his lips and it looked like he was mad at Pittman.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I I don't think he was I think he might have been just mad at himself there for for missing.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: So it's it's yeah, he like I said, really hard to criticize him this week because it's like, wow, great game.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: But he he wasn't great on his accuracy, and I just wonder if that's if that's gonna be a pattern or if that was just a thing on Sunday.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um speaking about the the Bungles.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh oh, by the way, Jalen Warren had 127 yards rushing.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: He was stud, man.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: He should have had a touchdown in that game.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: He should have had two touchdowns.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he just kept falling down.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: One was on a like a hold call back, and the other he fell down.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: And the and the in the 87-yard run or whatever that he had that got called back was I mean, that was a that was a really ticky tackle when he called Metcalf.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: And then yeah, the other one, he was like running into the end zone and got tackled by the turf.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: I think I think I I said at the time, I said I bet Aaron Rodgers will blame pitch for that one, but he did not.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um I I Joe Burrow for his part was 28 of 37.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: I think at one point he completed like 14 or 13 passes in a row.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: And uh he had three touchdowns, um, no interceptions.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Jamar Chase was they couldn't stop him.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: That guy is so good.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and when you when you don't have your best corner, it it's yeah, 98 yards and a touchdown.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um and he was and he was open.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like last week we were talking about how the stewards receivers never get open.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he's so just like the literal opposite of that.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: It's like you know he's gonna get the ball.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like, yes, they have other weapons, but you know he's gonna get the ball, and he's just always open.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: And and you're right, like missing like Porter missing the first two games, it's like, okay, well, defense still did pretty good.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like that that was just an obvious hole with him missing on Sunday.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: And Steve, what did you think of the defensive game plan for that game?
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: I thought it was exactly what it should be when you have the people that you have.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_01: See, uh I'm in the minority because everybody else said the same thing.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: And I get it.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: If they I they just kept everybody back, make them work the field.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: So what?
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, okay, yeah, Joe Burrow won fantasy football, but he didn't win the game.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I I I think if you have Joey Porter Jr., you're probably a little more aggressive.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: But I I get it.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Like it like it just it I I I'm not a huge fan of like conceding that, you know.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's like that line in Tombstone when like when Kurt Ross is like, I can't beat him, can I?
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's like I can't we can't possibly beat them.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: We just they're just too good.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: Like, let's just let's just play back and you know give them yards, but like not give up any huge plays.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: It just it's it's playing into their fears a little bit.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but again, it worked, it's what they needed.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: They made a play, they actually made a couple plays at the end, but they obviously made made a huge play at the end.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: So like it's hard for me to criticize, but I'm like, can't we be like, are we that afraid of them that we can't just play more aggressive?
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I guess you're right, without Porter, maybe we're not.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh Sonny Samuel.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, he is who he is.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: He's just you know, he's not gonna be as good as was it Higgins or Chase who caught that one at the end.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_01: That was Higgins, and that was like, man, talking about that.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: That was a spectacular catch, yeah.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that was right in the corner where I was sitting, and I was like, oh my gosh, like it you you couldn't what can you do about that if you're Samuel?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Like you couldn't Well, he's like 5'6, right?
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's like there's nothing.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: He just boxed him out like a basketball player.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: That's like Shaquille O'Neal like boxing out like the the point guard.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: You just can't do anything.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I just I wasn't a huge fan of that game plan, but I get but I also get it, and like again, they won, so what can I say?
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know that Mike Tomlin wins that kind of game.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll say that to take a shot at Mike Tomlin for no reason.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: How so?
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Well, he just doesn't let the offense score that many points, or well, I guess they've gotten in the shootouts before.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: I I don't know.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_01: Well it depends on it depends on which Mike Tomlin like shows up that day.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_01: Because there you're right, there was a time, especially when they had like those Ben offenses where it's like they they were on a ton of shootouts.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_01: But you're right, the last couple of years, you know, with like if he didn't if he didn't have full 100% confidence in the quarterback, yeah, it's it's like it's like he's care he it's almost like he's carrying like an expensive like vase around.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: It's like be careful.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Don't walk too fast, you're gonna drop it.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I I think you're right.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: And like it was a it was and it does look like, like I said, like a modern offense.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's been l that was definitely a lot of it.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: It was kind of the opposite of how the defense, like the the offense went very aggressive, and the defense went very conservative.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: So well, I I I think I think yeah, aggressive is a good word because I don't think that they punted.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: I think maybe I'd have to look this up.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_01: I think they only punted the Steelers only had to punt twice, and both times were disasters for the Bengals.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: So well, I was just getting into that.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: That I think the Bengals lost this game more than the Steelers won this game.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't mean no disrespect to the Steelers.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know, when your appointments just makes a mistake, I've seen plenty of teams not take advantage, and they totally took advantage.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, they're roughing the kicker.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: Come on, man.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: What are you doing?
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, I mean, I guess that was more like uh, you know, it was it was definitely roughing the kicker.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_01: There's one thing, it's one thing, Steve, when you're like running really fast and your momentum kind of carries you into him.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: But that that guy just like dove right at his leg.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that was like brutal.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: I I was really surprised Johnston didn't get hurt there.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: I thought he was he got up.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: He got hurt what the other year in that same way a couple years ago, yeah.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, that's how he lost his job the first time, and now he's back for a second stent.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: And and they scored a touchdown right off that.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then the second one was a muffed punt, and that that turred the game.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like the the Bengals are in total control that game and they're about to get the ball back.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and he muffed the punt.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: The defense did their job.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: And then, of course, the PSD resistance is the uh devastating fumble by Joe Burrow.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: It the worst like he played a perfect game until that fumble.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like, if he just takes a sack there, they're they're not in great shape, but at least they still have the ball.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, and Derek Harmon's another guy that's he's really become that guy looks like he was a great first round pick so far.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: He just awesome.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: You realize that was the Steelers' only sack of the game?
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, good timing.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: Perfect time for it.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: You talk about like, you know, what's his name?
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Make it a play.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: He made a play, yeah.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Higgins made a play, and Harman made a play.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: So you know, like like we said, the defense just played a lot of keep it in front of you.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Patrick Queen actually had a good game.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: I was kind of surprised.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: I think he also was good.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Jalen Ramsey.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, nice, nice game from him.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um just a question about Jer Joe Burrow.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: What what what what what do we make of him against the Steelers?
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: He's four and four.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: He has eight touchdowns and ten interceptions with two thousand and one hundred and thirty-six passing yards.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, I like because I was kind of thinking, I was like, well, Joe Burrow really hasn't burnt the Steelers, but then you look at the diamond like, well, I guess he's won more games than I remember him winning.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: I I'm not sure what to make of him against the Steelers, except for that he's been hurt a lot.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I think it's like you said, it's somewhere in between.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_01: It's not that he destroys us, it's not that like we have his number, it's just somewhere in the middle.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: Fair enough.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: Can I go back to your point about the the Bengals losing the game because of their mistakes?
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: They did they're the Bungles, like cue the Miron Coke.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: I I agree with you.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: However, however, however, the Roman Wilson interception.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that was that was fluky.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that was a that was a huge, huge, like that almost I know that happened right before halftime it didn't say I think the Bengal stuff happened in the fourth quarter, that's why we remember it more.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: But it was I think it was 17 to 10 stealers at that point.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: They were driving for hopefully at least a field goal.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: And so instead of 20 to 10 at the half, it's like it's 17-17 at a half.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: And it's because of that play.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and and like the ball hit him in the hands.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like that, you know, it that wasn't like uh No, it wasn't even high, or like you said, like he threw a perfect pass to him.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: You just gotta catch it.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: It wasn't like the defense made a play, stripped somebody of the ball, or you know, jumped a jumped a corner out or something to intercept it.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: It was just literally it's like he was open, hit him in the hands, and he just pops it right up in the air, right to them.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: So so yes, the Bengals made their mistakes, but so did we, and that was it, that that could have turned the game too, Steve, because if it was 20 to 10 or 24 to 10 at halftime, then it's a very, very different second half.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's true.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: The Steelers probably run the ball a lot more.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: And then maybe you don't need the muff punt.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: And they're probably able to blitz more, maybe, because they're not as afraid of getting up with a big play.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's also true.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe you get a little less um yeah, so so yeah, so uh the Steelers have their mistakes too.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: Well, their mistake so it's on to Cleveland, which this is airing on Thursday, so I guess that's today, right?
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, tonight.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: Cleveland is 2-0.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: 2-0, 2-1.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: So the Browns don't be Browns.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: They beat Carolina 21 to 18.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: Deshaun Watson has been playing better, even you know, though the fans in Cleveland don't like them very much.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Cleveland games in Cleveland, I think the Steelers haven't won in Cleveland on a Thursday in a long time, or maybe ever.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: They haven't won in Cleveland for five years.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: So uh I don't know.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: I I think the Steelers need to, you know, maybe it'll be different.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that was more of a common thing.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe under McCarthy it'll be different.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: The Steelers really need to gut out a win in Cleveland somehow because that would really set them up nicely for the first month of the season.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: Difference between three and one and two and two, I know is only one game, but I think it would make a big difference for the Steelers.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: And it hasn't been like an impossible schedule for them either.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: They've had like a uh like probably middle of the pack schedule.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like we had a couple tough teams, a couple easy teams.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: So well, and and three and one with two of those wings coming in the division too would be yeah, that would be really helpful, especially since right now everybody's two and one.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: So it it looks like it's gonna be a tight race.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: I know that's super early to say that, but that would be a good one.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're only yeah, we're so three and won, four games in, one month in, you know, it'd be nice.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: Did you did you see any of the uh Baltimore game?
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: I saw how it ended.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: That how did how does that happen?
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like that's the most insane.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like they literally threw a 30-yard pass with seven seconds on the clock.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: You're not supposed to be able to do that.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: But I guess when you have one timeout and they'll just they'll let you call a timeout like you know, as the guy's going down.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: I that was crazy.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: It went it wasn't quite Michigan Western Michigan, but boy, that was Yeah, this is getting a little silly with the NFL.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's basketball on grass.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's whoever gets the ball last wins.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: This is stupid.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_01: Well well, and you should be able you should be able to kick a field goal with seven seconds left and be guaranteed to if it's a if it's a go-ahead field goal, you should you should be guaranteed to win minus like a Stanford ban miracle kind of play.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: Or you should be guaranteed to go into overtime.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: And the fact that they kicked up field goal with seven seconds left and they and they lost.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: Now, to be fair, you know, maybe Dallas, I don't know why they kicked the ball into the end zone.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_01: That was dumb.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_00: Well, the kicker kicked one out of bounds earlier in the game, so maybe he was just struggling on his kickoffs.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: I would have rather like see in that situation, I always thought, now I liked it more with four seconds left to do well, you're not allowed to do onside kicks anymore.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: But like I always liked an onside kick in like the four or three seconds it situation because maybe no way you can get it.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and the ball bounces around and like whoa, you know.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: Well, yeah, or what happened to the old squib kick?
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_01: Are you not allowed to squib kick anymore?
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: I guess you're not gonna get it.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I guess it just has to hit in that like unless you can like hat in the hit that box area, like maybe you can kind of pop it way up, but it doesn't start running until somebody touches it.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I I I don't so if you're gonna give a team the ball at the 35-yard line, and then kickers can kick 60-yard field goals pretty easily now.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: That used to be like near impossible to kick a ball that far.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now pretty much every team has a kicker that can do that, even Tyler Loop, apparently.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_01: Like so, so really you're gonna give them the ball at the 35, and then it's like like you said, that that is time for a 30-yard pass.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: If it if it's a 50-yard pass, you probably don't have enough time for that.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: I think the key is you gotta pop it up and try and catch have them catch that inside the five.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_00: So that they, you know, even I don't think you can call a fair catch on that.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: Well, even if you did, you'd be at the five.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so you want him to run around a little bit so they only have like maybe four seconds and then you're it's hail marriage.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: But then you're risking but then you're risking a return.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's the problem.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: That's why people used to squip kick back in the day, because you don't want to kick off like and have and have it be a return.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: You can't.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: You just have to I know.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: It depends on how much time's left.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: If there's four seconds left, blast that crap out of the end zone, man.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's just it's a Hail Mary at that point.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: But if it's like six or seven seconds or five, like, yeah, then you if you're gonna think there's more than three to four seconds, you have to just kick it in the field to play somewhere.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_01: I ye I I I don't like, I I just don't even really like these these kickoff roles.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_01: I just don't, I think.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_01: It's not football anymore.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it's just I know I'll sound old saying it, but just go back to the old kickoffs.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_01: The 20 yard line is the touchback line, you know, and I know they're trying to protect players.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_01: I get that, and I I think that that's a good thing.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: I just don't I just don't it it it's dumb.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like you shouldn't be able I'm sorry, that just shouldn't happen.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_01: Like I said, minus like a Stanford band kind of play.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like I get that.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: But like just being able to literally touch back and run a normal play, and then you can still win.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_01: That just shouldn't happen.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: Now, Dallas could also play defense and not give up a 30-yard pass.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I guess their secondary had a lot of players hurt, but but still, like, don't give up a 30-yard or or keep everybody in front of you and have them catch it and then like run the last few seconds.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: So so it I just thought that was silly.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: You shouldn't be able to do that with seven seconds left, but whatever.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you want to talk about some surprising teams in the NFL, Tim?
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: Are you surprised?
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: They're so bad, it's scary.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: The Chargers are 0-3.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think somebody's getting fired, and it's probably Mike McDan McDaniel, who's the offensive coordinator.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, which is surprising because I thought he'd be a really good like I know he kind of flamed out Miami, but you thought him coming to coach Justin Herbert would be like a great fit.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: He's a good offensive mind.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know what happened to them.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: And they play um they play a lot of good teams, too.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I forget who they play this way.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe Seattle, somebody like that.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: It's like somebody really good.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, oh, they're gonna be in a lot of trouble.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um the Texans with whoever's playing quarterback, who's playing quarterback for them these days, Tim?
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: CJ Stroud.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he he's terrible.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, he's he's gone that like that what we talked about with Drake May last year, where it's like, man, this guy is a stud.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: His right his first year or two, it's like this guy's so good, and then he just has progressively gotten worse ever since.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um the Giants are two and one, believe it or not, and they're gonna have apparently Jameis Winston the rest of the way.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: Well, did you see who they traded for?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, JJ McCarthy.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I the JJ McCarthy files are yeah.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: I I so when does he start?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: Because I think Winston is terrible.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_00: Like Winston Winston's a turnover machine, not even Bruce Arians could get him, right?
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: And and they scored 12 points last week on field goals and they won.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think that's sustainable for them.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: But McCarthy, like I don't know if he's any good or not.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I've heard a lot of people don't like him.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: They don't I I don't know.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if he's gotten like a real chance, but he's in Minnesota, and that guy's a quarterback whisperer, right?
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: A really good quarterback guru.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: So wouldn't wouldn't it wouldn't it have been better for them to trade for like someone like Mason Rudolph or Aaron Rodgers?
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: Well, they're probably not in an air, like I thought the Bears, but I forgot the Bears had Case Keenum, and he's doing really well for them.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, yeah, and Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be on the market.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm just saying, like somebody that's like a veteran, yeah.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like why JJ McCarthy?
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: I just thought that was odd.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: Because he called his brother and like, hey, what do you do?
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean that's obvious.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_00: He's great, he won me a national championship.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_01: But but like if he's really like let's just say he's really good.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you already have your young quarterback.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's true.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_01: So like wouldn't you just want wouldn't you just want like the remember that year that Joe Flacco had that really good year for the Browns and got into the playoffs?
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's what I think you'd be looking for.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_01: Something like that.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: Heck, trade for Flacco.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_01: You know, he played for Harbaugh.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: He's on the Bengals.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he played for Harbaugh for how many years?
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, that would have been a good fit.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't know.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_01: I I just I thought it was odd, but whatever.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_01: Good for them.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I'm glad they're doing well because I kind of want to see Harbaugh succeed there.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: But um, yeah, who I don't know how long that will last without a quarterback.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_00: I think the most surprising of our is the Raiders, wherever they're playing.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: I are they 3-0?
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're 3-0.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_00: That's gonna fall.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: The wheels are gonna fall off that.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: So far, so good.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: But they're in the West, so they they still gotta play Kansas City and San Diego.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh who's gonna I don't know, if they don't totally quit, that I think San Diego's gonna be okay.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: Although I don't know who San Diego is, but sorry, Los Angeles, whatever.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_01: The Chargers.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_01: They play they play the they play Kansas City this week.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: The Chargers or the Raiders.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: The Raiders.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: The Raiders.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I don't know what happened.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: I guess, you know, what's they got um what's his name?
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: The quarterback I can never figure out.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there's like, why are there so many quarterbacks?
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: And like, are they good?
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: Are they not good?
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_00: Or is it just because the league has like, like you said, like weird rules where anybody like it you can be pretty mediocre and look good?
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like Dak Prescott, there's another guy.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like, is Dak Prescott good?
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: Is Kirk Cousins good?
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh uh Yeah, I mean, I think it's I don't know.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe it's always been like that.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, think about uh just trying to think like years and years ago.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: Like, was Trent Green really good?
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like I that's another yeah.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_01: But he was but he was a guy that you probably wanted to be your quarterback because he was definitely good enough to start and he could win you some games and he was probably better than average.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_00: Rich Gannon.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, Rich Gannon won an MVP, didn't he?
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: So there's always been guys like that.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: Stan Humphreys in the 90s, you know, for a while, he was you know, he was really good.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: Like Neil Lomax in the 80s, like you just keep going back and back.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: Neil Lomax.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: Like these guys, I mean, and those guys aren't Hall of Famers, Dave Craig, like those guys aren't Hall of Famers, but it's like they they led good teams to playoff appearances, you know what I mean?
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_01: So Kirk Cousins is kind of in that category.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_01: I think Dak's probably in that category too, but they're not Mahomes or Brady, yeah, or any of them guys.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, speaking of the Raiders, it is really nice to see something could happen to Tom Brady because that guy's had so much hard luck.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I guess we'll end it on that note, Tim.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, here goes hopefully Pitt brings home a winner against Virginia Tech and the Steelers finally winning Cleveland on Thursday.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_01: So Yeah, yeah.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: We'll know we'll know by Saturday what kind of week it's gonna be.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you for tuning in.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_00: Uh check us out on Get Us a Coffee.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: What is what is it?
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_01: Buy me a coffee.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, buy me a coffee.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's just like a tip jar.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_00: If you like to hear this content and you want to hear more of it, give us a buck or two.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_00: And uh check us out on Facebook, there'll be lots of good content there, and uh give us a five star radio podcast service.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_00: And um, that's about all for now, and uh, we'll check you next time.