Nov. 15, 2022
The Porch Is Live - What Do the Steelers Do Now?
The Steelers beat the Saints... and does it matter?
The Steelers beat the Saints... and does it matter?
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Transcript
Alright, guys. Welcome to the Sports Sports. We are live.
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So, let's get right into it guys. I mean, we we hardly had any anytime to take any notes. Um we're just going to we're we're going to jump right into the Steelers game. No pregame. And Steve, you are at the Steelers. At the game. I was at the game. You are back to the act. Tell us tell us about your experience. Live and in person. Well, I didn't drink as much as I did the last time I was at the game.
Oh wow. Made for a that that couldn't have been hard. Uh yeah That's true. So some of your neighbors had a more pleasant time. Yeah. Right right. There were less explotives Rome. Right. I only think I went to the exploitive well once. But no so here let me let me tell you what I what I saw was I saw a bunch of fans who were kind of resigned to the fact that we stink.
And but they were still there at the party. I mean they they were there. I was at this great tailgate. Um it was Pretty incredible. The fans there didn't really care that the Steelers were terrible. They just wanted to experience a game at the act. Right. And once I got inside so these seats were free. Um my my wife actually won them. Um pretty incredible. So what you're saying is you're not rich.
You can't go to every game. Perkins Eastman coming through. I was actually it wasn't Perkins Eastman. It was some if I knew the lighting company I would say ex lighting company thank you for the tickets but I don't remember the company so sure why not. Let's go with that. Modular International. It's one big commercial on the porch. Just one big commercial. Um no so so the tickets were great.
They were actually in the end zone the the the original closed end zone not the new closed end zone so it was on the other side. Yep. Um and they were they were free from the river. They were in a great spot but the good thing was like I could walk the whole way down and I could get basically right next to the field and when I was right next to the field they were all these Saints fans.
They were everywhere and they were they all came in from New Orleans and I'm like you traveled up to Pittsburgh. They came on a river boat. They could have come on a river boat. I mass them out. I assume they flew but they could've come on a river boat. Um always intrigued me. Like when your team is terrible. Why do you travel with them? I don't know.
I don't know. They were all who they this and who they that.
So so anyway so it was really exciting to be there. Yeah let's get into the game. But what what I saw after the ball was snapped was the like and the the we were in the end zone where the the after the Steelers didn't really do anything and they kicked it deep and they got into the end zone. They were like inside the five yard line.
The crowd was just like ravenous. They were like jumping they want to jump on the field to just say you're not going to get any yards you know and that's pretty much what happened. No. And and and I think that set the tone. I think it really did. I mean I it's hard to tell like on the television and like how loud but the crowd seemed like the the crowd did seem like they were into it.
They were thrilled that TJ was back. Everybody was thrilled that TJ was back. Of course. Um and I think that just kind of set the tone and then Kenny like you could see when Kenny missed guys he missed guys like he he he looked real rusty but I have to tell you like he had presence to know when to throw away the ball which I think is really a sign of maturity and he knew he started to figure out when to run the ball like he didn't always run you could tell like he wanted to like just get up and run but every once in a while he just step up in the pocket and and and let it fly and he did make any mistakes.
So what I saw from Kenny was a rookie quarterback that is making a lot of mistakes on the field. He's missing a lot of targets and an offense that still really isn't that innovative. I saw a few wrinkles like that three where they have the three wide receivers out the one side. Yeah let's so let's let's just let's let's let's go down the list.
Let's and obviously the the the elephant in the room is Watts back. We'll talk about that. Yeah a little bit later. Let's let's Start with picking. I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what I saw watching the game. Um. Alright. I I saw a quarterback who's still learning. I I saw a quarterback who Chase Claypool is gone and it it was almost as if there was a hole there and I'm not saying that the loss of Chase Claypool is a loss, a net loss for the Steelers but you know, Kenny probably had some chemistry with him and so do I think he made some progress yesterday? You know I I I don't want to combine these two subjects but I think when we're talking about the quarterback we have to.
Uh I can't tell because you know and I was texting you guys during the game the offensive play calling is still atrocious Canada is the problem Canada is the problem and I don't think that Kenny Pickett is going to be able to make or any quarterback for that matter would be able to make any significant strides in that offense there was still no game plan the Saints are a horrible team right now yeah okay and for Pickett to learn he's gotta have a real coordinator and and that's where I fall I mean I agree with you Steve you know there were yes he it looks like he's he definitely has always had a presence about him he knows how to play football okay somebody's gotta teach him how to play NFL football yeah but it's not going to be Matt Canada he's figuring it out I mean the the bottom line with Kenny is he's figured it out the second bottom line is that defense was really good even without Minka clearly there are different defense with TJI there.
Yeah. I mean it made Heismith a better a better player. Was like really disruptive. Yeah. I mean because nobody's double teaming him out and and and and when you have Cam jamming up the middle like they had that fourth and short and Cam was like you're just not coming through me. Don't even try it. Yeah. And let's face it. Dalton is a terrible quarterback.
Yeah. Like I don't understand why they continue to play Dalton. Well it's it looks like he belongs on the I know Winston's I know Winston's going to make mistakes but the reality is he could've chucked the ball deeper than Dalton. He's hurt. Yeah. He's hurt. Is he still hurt though? I don't know. I don't know but Schwab, what did you think about about Pickett and his play? Let's let's stick to that song.
Well, you know, I I I hate to be on the downside with but you know, here here's my thing with Pittsburgh. Now, I I can look at it through rose-colored glasses and I can say he played better this week. Uh he played well enough to win a game. Right. He avoided mistakes which have led to the Steelers losing games. But the only thing I'm really seeing at this point is which is a step up.
You know he's he's becoming a decent game manager. Right. And the the problem that I'm I'm sort of sitting with right now is I'm trying to say to myself we just haven't been wowed yet you know like I I kind of like yeah like I I look back like I'm I've been thinking about this you know like thinking back to like Jaylen Hertz you know when it was his rookie year right of course you would now Jaylen Hertz had some bad games he had some you know no touchdown three interception games right right right but he also threw in one of those games where it was like he ran for 75 yards had two rushing touchdowns and had three throwing touchdowns and interceptions right right you I mean and and for that minute we were like whoa like this guy's got serious talent like maybe.
Right. You know and I just sort of feel like with Kenny I haven't had that that wow moment yet like what I'm sort of seeing is I'm seeing a progression to maybe a you know at best maybe like top 15 quarterback but I'm not seeing any star power just yet. I I think and I'm kind of wait I'm still waiting to see that and I don't know I just don't know if it's if it's going to happen or not I I think I think he's going to be a serviceable NFL quarterback but I also don't know that that's what you want yeah I I I still it's still too early it's first of all he hasn't even played a full season and I mean it's still too early look at look at look at Daniel Jones of the Giants yeah who looked horrible until he's finally got a good offense coordinator this year on his in his fifth year right so yeah so I mean the possibilities are still very well out there for Kenny Pickett to be really good but I would like to have that one game even if it's against a bad team where I just say like yeah oh he he kicked their **** this week you know three touchdowns no interceptions 357 yards ran for 40 right you know what I mean like yeah but you're not going to get that you're not going to get that from him this year with this offense you're just not going to that's exactly right the Eagles offense is geared towards that high-end offense where they could easily go and throw for 350 or 400 yards every game the Steelers offense isn't geared like that and and they won't be and let's face it I mean you know he doesn't have the running abilities you know so I mean that Hertz has yeah that Hertz has not quite like Hertz but I think he can run he can he can run when he needs to but you're not going to design plays to run like Hertz they do with Hertz well I understand what Mark saying I I you know I know his legs well taken.
It's like we haven't seen it that flash. The reality is you know he made progress this week. Yeah. Let's see what he does this coming week. And and that's that is my point entirely is I think the flash is there. I don't think it's coming with this offense. If you remember last year you know the scuttle butt was that Big Ben and Canada were at each other's throats because Ben had been had enough command of the offense and had enough of a presence being the hall of fame quarterback to say no.
I'm not going to call that play and he had the clout. Kenny can't do that. Yeah. Kenny can't do that and Canada is so bad at his job and I'm just I'm tired of this. To for me as a Steelers fan right now I I'm I'm sick and tired of watching the same seven plays get called. We had an over under. Schwab had an over under on the Jet sweep.
They still did five. I mean come on. It might have been more. I'm not sure what I called. I mean those are the five that he counted. Right. You know I mean I think I think it I think it's though. In fairness, I think two of them worked. Yeah. Well, right. Of course. Because I'm willing to do. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and that leads me to this.
That's because the running game was better. And Naja Harris had a very good game. Yeah and at the game and maybe this looked the same on the television. I mean, clearly, Najee's the better runner than Jaylen Warren. Of course. I mean, he just is but I do like what they're doing with. Yeah, no, I did too. It's like a one two punch and Warren's getting stopped now.
So, people are putting the breaks on Jaylen Warren being the starting running back which was ridiculous well I never thought it should be that but I do like how they're using him a little bit more they're giving him more runs and Najee did look like I think I think David said it Najee looked like he had a fire under his **** like somebody said hey Najee time to get going maybe he's feeling a little bit more healthy I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that's DG's comment right there basically it was there all along though he just had to hit the hole instead of dancing yeah he still did he still did some of that.
Let's face it. Yeah. But yeah. It was it wasn't as noticeable. And and to Chris's point which I think we should all take the Saints are terrible. The Saints are not a good team. Yeah. I mean they're not a good team. Yeah yeah. So it's good to know that we can play well against not good teams when we have TJ Watt in the lineup and the defense performs outstanding.
Yeah. Mhm. That's that's a good a good thing to know. But I don't think we learned anything new. So I'll tell you he made a great play yesterday as Mollett.
Yeah. Yeah. He made it really good. Well that's a good he's a good guy. And that Kozi he's not terrible either. They've been missing him since the beginning of the season. Yeah. So. Well he's decent. Well actually decent. Yeah but and he only plays because Minka's out. So you know that's the problem. Like they gotta find a spot for him on the field guys. Well wasn't the idea with him to start alongside Minka? Yes.
Yeah. Yeah. You know. Well that was the idea. Too much time has passed now and yeah well Minka had an appendectomy so you going to do. Right right. Yeah. Yeah. So he'll play he'll probably play the next few games. Yeah anyways. Yeah but I think it's it's definitely it's definitely encouraging because whether or not the Saints are horrible team. You still have you still have guys like Cam Jordan on the other side. You still have big bodies on the defensive line.
Guys that can fly around the defense is decent. Right. You know so the fact that Najee was able to rip off 100 yard game. You know that's that could be taken as encouragement. Ninety9. Ninety9. Close enough. Uh yeah and that that not if you have them in fantasy like you couldn't get one more yard I need those three points I lost by three points exactly exactly so you know I think that the offensive line Najee running the ball I like the way they used Warren I mean some people I I I think they're but it's almost like they're doing this after all of us start saying this is what you should be doing doesn't it feel like that doesn't it feel like to Steelers are adding little things as the crowd says try this, try that.
No, I think I think we're we're impatient like we see it. We won it now and they just can't do it right away. One person who did have a terrible game, Matthew Wright. That guy. Yeah, I feel bad for that guy.
Yeah. That was that was a really bad miss. Yeah. It was like it had to have been tipped, right? Yeah. The first one was a really bad miss but the second one really didn't mean anything because the second one actually get blocked but it still went through. No. Is that a different? No, that was a different game. Yeah I think that was a different game. Yeah. No no no. No the second one like he hooked it to the left or whatever but they they wouldn't have gone up by more than two scores and that would the it didn't really mean anything but the fact that he missed it.
I mean just terrible. We need Boswell back. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz yeah yeah I mean I don't I don't think What happened to Boswell anyway? I don't know. I didn't I didn't see I think he has a groin injury. Uh yeah. There you go. Joe Carey's got I think they're saying four weeks when it happened. Yeah. Whoo. Man, I'll tell you what, I was, I've been thinking the last couple weeks watching these kickers come in and out of the league like, man, I'm going to go out and start kicking some footballs around.
I mean, the guys, if you're not on the roster and you're not a full-time kicker, there's nothing out there. Yeah. They picked up that kid like San Diego picked up that kid. Did you see? Yeah, he picked up for the Eagles to kick the game winning field goal. Yeah. Yeah. Gonna kick the game winning field goal for San Diego. Dicker the kicker. Yeah. That's a dicker the kicker. And then he got three more field goals this week.
Yeah. They He was the guy to get obviously. Damn it. I should have picked him up in famous. So I think the one thing that we learned about the Steelers this week. The one thing that we learned is the thing we knew all along. And that was that TJ Watt is the whole team. Yeah. Right now. He's a difference maker for sure. Yeah. He's the whole team. Right. But we didn't learn that.
We knew that. That's what I'm saying. But he just reinforced it by playing another great game. Right. Right. I mean it it'll reinforce it again after he gets injured in two weeks. Yeah. That's exactly right. Yeah and that's the problem.
That's that's the problem with guys like that you gotta have more than that you gotta have more than that so I think for the next weeks we should start thinking about to put a meter on where we think the Steelers are draft picks going to be based off of where they're what the other teams are doing because I look at some of these other teams like Detroit's winning so they're kind of holding pace with the Steelers like in the lost column while the Raiders keep losing so now that that New Year's Eve game's looking like the battle of the losers like maybe for a three or four spot. Yeah. Lot different than the Immaculate Reception.
Pretty awesome. The Eagles have the Saints pick.
There you go. Yeah. So we got we currently have the number four pick in the draft. And you can catch that on the Sports Porch Philadelphia edition which we're debuting in a couple weeks. So yeah I mean you know for me I I think that Watt being in the when I heard that Minko was out. Yeah. I thought oh boy that's going to you know even though Watt's coming back now we got a big hole in our secondary.
Right yeah. So now Kazi comes in there. He plays outstanding. Mollett has a bunch of good plays. Of course Watt you know he takes a double team every single time. Yeah. And and yes High Smith when Watts back High Smith. High Smith is an above average linebacker to begin with. When Watson now he's now he's steps it up a notch. And Bush he turns into Bud Dupree and Bush made a really good play on a dead ball.
He yeah yeah he was he was he was wild. Breaking In fairness that Devin Bush I didn't notice him too much. Yeah yeah yeah. The guy who you noticed was Splain. He couldn't cover that that tight end. Yeah that's true yeah. Yeah. Like he made a big play at the end though didn't he? Splain? He did okay but like like towards the towards the end of the first half like they were like oh Splain's on whoever throw it to where whoever's Splain's trying to go.
Spelling's kind of like one of those guys that like when you're a legitimate contending team he's a special team Splyer. Yeah exactly. That's exactly right. And Miles Jack didn't play. So I I don't know what happened there. I I guess he's clearly injured. But I mean Splain played okay he's played okay well I think this this year again well look they stopped Alvin Kamara I mean that's what was amazing about yeah that's true he wasn't even a factor in not a factor in the passing game or the running game yeah I mean and he he's a dual threat yes I thought he was going to rip off yardage although I was I didn't think so really because you know like when you have Andy Dalton as a quarterback you know you can shut down Kamara yeah I think you're right I think that's what happened yeah I I think when you have Andy Dalton as the corner as the quarterback you can shut down the whole team.
He belongs on the show Viking. And doesn't he look like a devil? I was just saying that he belongs on the show Viking. He looks like the devil. Really? I didn't I guess I didn't see a picture of him. He's got like spiked red hair. Yeah. Spiked beard like that. Yeah he does.
Oh my god. What is he doing with his hair? It's unbelievable. Lot of gel. So Yo Carey stops and chimes in and says someone get Hayward some fountain of Youthwater still a **** but definitely slowing. Well yeah of course. Yeah. But he is for sure. You know I I I think that once again even though it's a victory and it's good to see a victory it's still a push you know and it's because the offense is not evolving I mean what we're picking stats you know he had some plays he had some plays but I mean they gotta they gotta loosen that up they gotta let Kenny throw the ball they gotta let him make mistakes they gotta stop playing this game of out patterns and these jet sweeps and it's it's just it's hard it's still hard to I think they will when they have to you know what I mean I don't think let's say let's say let's say Cincinnati goes out 14 nothing against us then they'll let they'll let pick they'll let pick it be pick it go ahead and chuck it deep try and make some big plays because at that point you might as well right I don't have anything to lose and he needs to gain experience trying to come back from you know a two score deficit so I I think they'll only do that when that happens otherwise they think they're in every game and they can just play the conservative offense and let the defense win the game yeah I I don't do that that frustrates you you turn off your television now.
See I I'd almost rather you know you know I feel like you know it it's it's almost like it it's Tomlin and look you you should always try to win the game obviously. But I I feel like when they play that way it's like can we finish 500. You know where I would rather them open it up even if it meant losing more games and getting a better well so what you're really hoping for is for the Steelers to get the nine losses sooner than later.
Yeah. So they can just let it fly. Let it rip. Right. Yeah. Let it rip and let's see if they develop. That's been my point with Canada all up. He's never going to do that. He's out to prove a point. He's out to prove a point. We didn't get to see them let it rip in a probably the last four games of the season.
Yeah. So what so what do we what do we think next week? Bengals. Yeah and you're going to that game right? I will be at that game not quite nice seats but you know I got a free seat up high with my buddy Scott so I probably won't get to see much in the second half to be honest with you.
I I fully expect to be what's going on with the Bengals did they lose last week they were on a bylas by week oh bylas yeah but the before that did they lose I feel like they're coming off a loss no I think they won but remember that was the mix in six touchdowns oh yeah you guys should know about that yeah yeah we do know yeah yeah we know all about it well then you you should remember getting your best game of all time yeah they'll never have a better that happened to us in the Super Bowl that's the thing about the Bengals this year Jamar Chase is now right? Yeah.
I don't know if he's going to play or not. They said he could possibly be back sooner. I'm personally hoping that he does play for fantasy services. But other than that if he doesn't play they still got two really good wide receivers. You know Tyler Ward's going to Boyd's going to light it up because he's playing in Pittsburgh. And can we stop Joe Mixon? That's really what it comes down to.
Yeah. If they can stop Joe Mixon like they did Alvin Kamara. Everybody like we stopped Alvin Camaro. We can stop Joe Mixon. Well he's a different running back. See no. He runs with a little bit more and since he's a little better team. And and since he has a a little bit better quarterback. I think Joe Burrow might be a little bit better than Andy Dalton even though he didn't play Andy Dalton.
What are you talking about? He's way better. And you think he's way better? Dude Joe Barrow like I I kid you not. I think Joe Barrow's like top five quarterback in the league. I do. I mean I I mean obviously you got Mahomes and you got go ahead. Name four name four quarterbacks above him. Mahomes and Allen. Yes. Mahomes and Allen. Right.
Okay. Go ahead. See your buddy. Jaylen Hertz. Come on say it. To be honest I wouldn't put him in the top. Honestly Gino Smith is playing better now than Joe Burrow. I I I swear I thought Steve was going to jump over the table as soon as he turned out. I swear I thought I'm just sitting here watching Burrow is a top ten quarterback but a top five quarterback.
You're not scared of Joe Burrow. Well enough. Let me put it this. If you could take Joe Burrow right now. You take him in a heartbeat.
Absolutely. On the steal. Of course you would. Why wouldn't you? The guy plays with some ops. He's got a good arm. But you know what? Take away take away his good wide receivers. He's not that good. Yeah. Well I thought a lot of people. Yeah. I was going to say. I mean other than great quarterbacks can throw to anybody. Look at Mahomes this year. Lost the number one wide receiver who probably is an MVP candidate for Miami.
Yeah yeah yeah. And he's still doing great. Yeah yeah. I mean so clearly he's in that level. Yeah yeah yeah. You know. Not good enough to help us beat Joe Mixon last week though. Yeah. Yeah. So and Josh Allen yeah he could throw the ball but he can't really take a snap from under center again. Yeah. He's he's he's interesting. He's so good and yet he still kind of finds ways to lose.
I don't understand. Yeah. Uh it really is. It really isn't. I don't know. I don't I don't know what he's sticking to. It's the curse of the Bills. Maybe it's the curse of the Bills. No it is. Jim Kelly was fantastic until it mattered. Right. You know what I mean? Maybe it is. I mean there's something going on there that's not right with you.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean. Yeah. You you can't lose a snap in your end zone. Like you can take a safety there and still be okay Right. Yeah. Yeah. That's what we're talking about DG. DG says did you see the crazy finish to the Vikings Bills game? Of course. Yeah. Yep. The bonus coverage. Yeah. It was and that really was. That was a crazy finish.
But I actually got to see it.
I made it. You made it home. Yeah. And I'm like this game is like you know what it was? I was on the subway coming back to the car and the guy had it on. It was like Vikings thirty-three Bills thirty-three and I'm like are you crazy? Like that game was like 30 to 17 or something. Yeah it was yeah it was it was crazy. I mean Justin Jefferson made an unreal it was sick. Yeah it was totally sick.
So alright well you got we got the Bengals next week. Uh Steve's going to be at the game. We'll we'll see what happens. Uh let's move on. Thank you for clarifying. I'll be at the game. That's right. You will be at the game. So let's let's move on a little bit. One last thing on that game though. Yeah. This is a this is a perfect opportunity where Kenny Pickett can have a signature game. True. You know like this is a real good opportunity.
You know you're coming off a win. You're at home.
You you're going against the Bengals team that's a little depleted you know without you know Jamar Chase you know if you know the Steelers defense should be strong gets the run to stop Joe Mixon right you know this is an opportunity where like he actually he doesn't have to have a great game but if he let's say he throws two touchdowns no picks and they win the game yes then that's that's the start of something anyway that's like that's what I'm looking I like where you're going with those I I agree with everything you just said maybe first and and in spite of the that I keep blaming everything on on Canada at some point right it does fall on his shoulders to execute no matter what and right right if he executes I mean like this past game there were a bunch of throws where he was off the mark if he had executed that the game would've even though they won you know the game would have looked a lot different so alright well listen guys thanks for listening on American Busker iHeartRadio and remember to catch the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or Apple or Google or Spot and visit the website The Porch's Live.
com. Remember after every Pens game your hockey Jesus down there. Jesus. Does an update. And with that being said we are going to Jesus for our Spanish lessons. Oh wait a minute I I we should wet games first don't you think? Jump the hockey. Well maybe but I I just want DG because Mark wasn't one. DG says it would be nice for Mark to explain his award from last week's boondoggle.
Um and Mike says we look like we're freezing. We are freezing. We are. Look how cold this nose is. Because the heater blew up. And the heater on the porch is not working tonight. So we bring it to you from the porch. Yes. Live from the porch. From the porch. The porch is live. Yes. So you guys want to pick the games now instead and then we'll talk about the pens.
Yeah yeah. We should stick with let's stick with the NFL though. We got nothing left to say. So last week we had the Falcons at the Panthers. I took the Panthers. Mark and Steve take the Panthers.
I said I I said I felt like they needed to win a game. That's what I said. You could back you go back and listen. You felt like PJ Walker. Yeah. I did say that. I did. Honestly I said. I think he did. You know I did. PJ Walker is. I did. Yeah he's the quarterback. Right. He's the quarterback Temple. Temple. There you go. See Philly boy right there. Philly boy. Chargers and the Niners. Temple.
Chargers and the Niners. We all had the the Niners so we won that one. Minnesota, Buffalo, we all had Buffalo We lost that one. So I was two and one. The boys were one and two and that puts us for the season I thought I was getting back to five hundred. I am in the lead at 19 and eleven. Mark who disputes this where he wants to have a recount. Yes there will be. 18 and 12.
Steve is 14 and 16. Can somebody say a hanging chat? So this week this week. A hanging swab. I just gave him. It's a hanging swab. This week Thursday night game. Titans at Packers. Tie. I'm going for the tie. Go for it Steve. No no I'm last. I'm going to be picking last. Alright I'll pick first. Since I'm in the whoever's in the lead that week. Alright Titans at Packers. I'm taking the I'm taking the Packers on that one.
Are you? Yeah I think the Pack is back. Yep. They beat the the boys. Titans at Packers. Sorry Christian Watson.
The Titans. Mark's taking the Titans. So you got the Pac At home. Coming off a big win. I want to take the Packers so I'm taking the Titans. Alright. Mark and Steve have the Titans. Sunday night. Big game. Chiefs at Chargers.
Chargers suck. Oh I gotta go first. That's me. Yeah. Oh sorry. Yeah.
We already got the one. Uh Chiefs at now I am taking the Chiefs on that.
Chiefs at Chargers. So I want to take the Chiefs. So guess what boys? Chargers. It's the Chargers. And I will take the Chiefs with my homie.
Okay.
And then the pick em game this who'd who'd have thought who would have thought at the beginning of the year this this would be a game to watch that we would be picking we would say we gotta pick this game the Jets we did we looked at it we're like we have to take this the Jets at the Patriots oh it's me I I'm sorry guys you thought I'm I'm I think the Jets are back JETS Jets Jets Jets is Mac Jones playing quarterback they could be anybody yeah like literally Belichick's like oh well he's looks good for the first quarter we'll even Yeah.
He only made one complete. It's in New England though? It is in New England. Uh I'll I'll take Billy Belichick. You're taking the Patriots. This is a tough one because if I think the Jets are for real okay. I do think the Jets are better. But do I think the Patriots are as good as the Jets? I think they're probably both equally bad. Yeah.
See I just look. One of them's going to make the playoffs though. I know Carey says Joe Carey says you're overthinking the picks. I looked at Zach Wilson's stats and I fine then I'm going with the Patriots. No reason behind it. Alright. Patriots. So you're going with the the Patriots. For no reason. Thanks to Yo Carrie. Alright. Alright. So we got the picks in. You know Bill Belichick could always come out and say well you know going to go with Steve DeFlitch a quarterback this week.
Yeah. No. I don't think he'll say Steve Flitch. Yeah you don't think so. You might say that drunk guy watching the Cincinnati game. I want that guy in. I want that drunk guy up in the five thirty-two. Alright so alright hockey Jesus. We got one more segment. We're freezing our our **** off here. Uh what do you think? What's going on the Pens they seem to be up and down the Pens are up and down here's here's the thing let's so let's talk about the Penguins we all know what they did in the off season they pretty much signed the same team back right so nobody really expected them to come out four and oh right out of the gate and just blow the socks off the teams but they were and nobody could explain it and the reason they couldn't explain it was because they it wasn't for real you know like the goaltending was too good the way the defense was playing was above what their status really is so what happened is they went on a road trip and they kind of fell back to the norm which is right they're not that good of a team right when they don't get good goaltending and their defense doesn't know when to engage if you will basically the defense is is meant on always being in the play so you always have five people in the play in the offensive zone that's the way the Penguins want to play Hawk Right.
They always want to attack and when that happens and you don't get good goaltending, guess what? The other team scores lots of goals and that's what was happening. So, they come back home and the the thing that was really frustrating during this first stint was the Penguins would score a lot of goals and they would still lose. Yeah. So, the one thing I think is very frustrating.
The the one thing I think they did out was they know they have to slow it down and they did a good job of that. I I thought they did a really good job of that. Uh definitely in Washington certainly in Toronto and the problem is is when they play against teams like Montreal where you have a lot of fast skaters just a lot of kids who don't care they will not slow down no matter what yeah they get beat in in the third period because they're just faster and they don't slow down and the Penguins can't stop them even in their trap scenario so that's what happened I mean that Montreal team was good by the way that that Toronto that Toronto game was incredible.
Like if you can go back and watch that Toronto game, that was just so much fun to watch. That it was just a lot of back and forth, a lot of really good action, some great hockey play from from and goalie play from from both teams. The Smith actually looks like the better goalie right now which is bad news for the Penguins. They need they need Jarry.
They need Jari to be that that that all pro goalie like he was but he's not right now.
And that's why that Montreal game was such a complete disappointment because the Penguins ran out of gas it and you know I'm not a big I put it this way overtime I lost it three on three awesome I love it too but it's only for entertainment you can't get anything out of playoff teams when you go to overtime like oh well they won so many overtime games well overtime hockey is way different than regular season hockey unless they're going to change it yeah sure like it doesn't make it doesn't make any sense to me how you can say well they're clutch because they won so overtime games.
No, they just have faster skaters who know how to hold on to the puck and get a good shot. It's it's also too. It's like one bounce and you've got a two on one. Yeah, either way. Or two on nine. Yeah. And then if you get if you get a good you get a good goalie save and then. Right. Right away.
The goalie just ticks it up the center ice and somebody's there to grab it. Yeah. Another two on one the other way. Yeah and it's really entertaining but it's hard to know hard to know if that makes any difference and you know what as long as they're going to give the loser point. I'm okay with it with the overtime being the source of entertainment because then it rarely gets to a shootout and shootouts is just a skill competition so.
Yeah shootouts is actually kind of like lost its luster I think. Do you think? Yeah it has. I agree. It it's like I I'd almost rather what is it? It's a five minute overtime period. 5 minutes yeah. I I'd almost rather there be like no shootout and play like 8 minutes through and three or something like that. Yeah it's gotta figure even 10 minutes because after 10 minutes somebody's going to get tired yeah right you know yeah I mean the shootout's boring to me at this point but so that's what's going on with the Pens I I mean I wouldn't I I don't really expect it to change that much like unless the goalie play gets hot like maybe the Smith is the guy they want to play more then maybe we can talk about a goalie controversy I mean you know got Gino coming up I think a week from tonight will be his 1, 000th game.
so you've got highlights like that like that's a about this Penguin team like you're going to be celebrating Gino's one thousandths game in a game where they may lose four to three because they stink. Yeah. You know. Yeah. We mentioned that last year. Yeah. Booger update. There is no booger update. He has yet to play this season. What's going on? Why not? He's got a the dreaded.
Are you ready for this? Lower body injury? No, it's a lower body injury. Oh, that's even worse. The dreaded lower body injury. And you know, the thing is like he's been skating and everybody's like, boy, he looks great skating out there. Like, why is playing like yeah and then that's it nobody talks about it after that and DG chimes in and says I'm always nervous when the Pens have a lead in the third no matter how big so you should be David because that's the way it's going to be but if you go back and look at that the Capitals game or the Toronto game that's the clinic that's what they want to run they want to be able to run that trap I I think the big problem right now with the Penguins is their first line their first line is I don't want to say garbage but their first line is not playing well and they have too much talent on that line for it not to be playing well for a cup of coffee in the last game they actually had Josh Archibald on the first line they took he's a fourth liner and they took Brian Rust off there only for two shifts but it was noticeable to me that clearly Sullivan's thinking like something's not right and unfortunately the way Sullivan gets like That second line is so hot right now.
Mhm. It's incredible. He won't pull Raquel off of there for fear of messing up that mess that up. But if if Rust is the problem I don't care. Get him off there. Like and the problem is it's at the beginning of the season when they had the four game win streak Russ wasn't on the first line and the first line was going gangbusters.
So was the third guy on the first it was Raquel. Oh okay. Okay. And and and of course some of this some of the some of the lost stuff really had to do more I think with the fact that Carter was not playing on the third line was hurt. So I think they really need those three guys to to play well.
Maybe when Bluger gets back they'll do something different with that first line but they gotta they gotta do something. They gotta do something. I think Bluger's that important. I think it frees I think it frees up some talent that you can you can mess around with the second and the the third and fourth line. I just want the Blueger update to come back.
I'm not I'm not bringing him up for no reason. Yeah. I hear him he's crucial. I mean they did sign him to a three year track. Clearly they think he's the lynchpin on that four. He is the lynchpin. He is. He makes things happen. Alright. Well. And you can catch the hockey Jesus update every night after the Pens game. If it's a West Coast it'll drop in the morning.
Or you put my notes on Instagram. And your notes are on Instagram. They are kind of entertaining. Yes. And the notes go on Instagram. I I usually get it like at least two people suck in a game. Right there. Yes. Yes. So you can look to see who sucks just by checking out those notes. You don't have to listen.
Three or 5 minutes. Alright, that's it for us, man. We are freezing out here. We got a Monday night football game to watch and we want to thank you for listening to us on American Busker, iHeartRadio, hundred 50 million registered users, 2000 devices, 260 platforms, and don't forget you can follow us on in a as a podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google, anywhere you get your podcast. Catch the Hockey Jesus Update after every Pens game. Wednesday this week. Wednesday day this week. That will be the next one. And with that guys I think that is it.
We are out. Alright guys. Be sure.
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