At least he's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
And we are back. I am Dale LOLLI. He is the Matt Williamson and this is the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. You can hear the Drive every Monday through Friday tomorrow because there's a game right and next Thursday, and next week next night thanks quarter six pm. We were on except for holidays and game days. And you can also download the Steelers Mobile app and get the show downloaded your phone there and get all the other good content it's on it. Read me can read Matt on Steelers dot com and you can also watch on our YouTube page and leave us comments.
Well, it's been a hit, people, people hate you though. I think there he's in up. Just a couple of the fond.
Yes, and people still beating the drum. But that's okay, I went them back over there you go. H It is now time for the Fantasy Football Focus and a Matt I thought, since this is a Steeler standalone game tomorrow, okay, let's go ahead and pick a captain's game. Okay, we should be able to get this one.
Yeah, it's on love of what we're picking from and it's a little nasty and yeah.
I think we have a better, more intimate knowledge of the teams than most. It is our slumpbuster we will get if we actually, if we just started our captain's lineup last week, we would have won.
Yeah, I know, the one we did on the air. Yeah, we just didn't return on it.
Yeah, so all right, we'll do it this week. All right, So in the captain's chair, George Pickleck, Yes, what about Steelers D in the captain's chair. I don't hate it.
I think they're gonna have a million sacks.
Yeah, I don't hate it.
Okay, let's go through it. But I'm just throwing it out there.
Pickings is sixteen to five in the captain's chair. Russell Wilson is fifteen thousand, Justin Fields fourteen to seven. Justin Fields more expensive than Jamis Winston. How about that.
That doesn't make it.
That doesn't make any sense either to me. Jameis Winston fourteen to four, Naujee Harris thirteen eight, Nick Chubb thirteen to five, Jerry Judy twelve thousand, and Djoku is eleven four, Sedric Tillman ten five, Elijah Moore nine to six, Jalm Warren ninety three hundred. That would be attractive. Bailey's on the Billy's appy. You don't need Deshaun Watson, Thompson, Robinson, Um another Kyl.
There's not a ton of guys we picked from.
Steelers defense will be eighty one hundred in the captain's chair. It's not that much cheaper than Jalm Warren.
I still love it.
Twelve hundred dollars, Boswell seventy five hundred, when Dustin Hopkins is seventy two hundred. Jerome Ford is sixty six hundred, The Browns defense is six thousand. Friar Moot is fifty four hundred, Mike Williams forty eight hundred, Van Jefferson forty two hundred, darn Darnell Washington is thirty six hundred.
I don't have I don't.
I mean, you want to go to the Steelers d in the captain's share, I have no problem with that.
Yeah, and then I think we load up on the expensive guy.
I don't think there's going to be a lot of points scored by the Browns.
Let's put it down yeah, and I think there could be big plays by the Steeler d Yeah.
In fact, I might guarantee something like that, don't.
I'm thinking Minka's first turnover in a long time is coming in next twenty four hours or so. All Right.
That leaves us an average of almost eighty four hundred to spend on our five flex players. Pickens is eleven thousand, Say.
Is Pickens worth it? If we don't think they're going to throw a ton?
I think I think you have to put Nause Harris in the lineup.
I agree. Nause was the other one I was going to maybe campaign for for the captains.
Start you start there. And I also think Jalen Warren has to be in the lineup somewhere at.
Seventy two because he's taking them the same way.
He's sixty two hundred.
Yeah, I think three of those got the defense, and the two backs had a case to be in the captains.
Yeah, So that leaves us three spots we can average eighty eight hundred.
I wouldn't mind putting Winston in because he's gonna throw a lot. Yeah, and there might be a lot of garbage time and they have good weapons.
Okay.
Instead of picking Tillman or Judy or Najoku. I think I just go at the quarterblanket.
Yeah, right, Okay, that leads us then sixteen nine hundred. For our last two spots. You got Pickens at eleven thousand, Russell Wilson at ten thousand, Nick Chubb, Justin Fields is ninety eight hundred. Nick Chubb is nine thousand. I'm just looking for another cheap option, So I don't I kind of don't.
I might gonna put like Pickens in Darnel Washington.
We're pickings of Mike Williams.
Or I'm thinking big people. I don't want Austin. I don't want Jefferson. I think he is going to be a big bodied slugfest. Yeah, and could roll the dice on one of the Browns past catchers. I just don't know which one.
Which one would be the right? Yeah? You they almost a start throw.
Well, who's the cheapest. I'm sure it's Elijah Moore.
He is sixty four hundred.
I mean they.
Judy's eight thousand and Joku seventy six. Tilman is seven thousand, and Elijah Moore is six sixty four hundred.
The thing that at least in the fantasy world. Lately, all those guys are almost eating the entire pie. Yeah, I mean it's almost like all four of them are equal slices of the pie. You know, they're all getting eight ish targets or more.
What the other question is, do you do you pivot to Jerome Ford because he's out there on every third down?
I know, I just wonder how much pass blocking he is.
Going to do. He might be the dump off option like chip and dump it.
To the flat if they're losing the fourth quarter, He's gonna be out there. I mean, Chub Harley played in the second half of.
Yeah, New Orleans and again he's way. So if you do that, then you can afford whoever you want.
Yeah.
In the other spot, I.
Would say Pickens is the most expensive item. Yeah, what do we if we have two spots? Right? Yeah, if we put Pickens in, and what does that leave.
Us fifty nine hundred, which would be Boswell, Hopkins, Jerome Ford, the Brown's defense with money left over.
What if we got crazy okay and put Nause in the captain chair and put the Steelers d man. I don't know if I like that. I mean, this seems like we have more money than we need yes, because there's not a ton of options in this game, you know, right, So do we get more expensive in the captain's chair? We could and have less to play within.
The If I take the Steelers defense out of the Captain's chair and put them in as a regular play, just flop them and they're only fifty four hundred, that would leave us eighty six hundred to spend in the captain's chair. If we take Nause out of the lineup, then we have ninety two hundred for Nause. Wait, that's his regular price. In the captain's chair, Nause would be thirteen to eight to at least just four thousand, which will be the Browns defense Pat one spot, Yeah, the Browns defense Pat Fryarmouth, Mike Williams, Van Jefferson, Darnell Washington, Calvin Austin. We still have money leftover.
I think Friar move's my favorite of those. My nose targets are really far down. But I don't know if I like that system better than Steeler d in the Captain's chair because we get pretty expensive with Yeah.
I mean you could almost if you put George Pickens in the captain's chair, you can still get the Steelers defense. I got the Steelers defense in there. Nause in there would leave us then thirty one hundred, and we could still afford Van Jefferson, Darnell Washington, Calvin Austin. We just miss out on Mike Williams.
And yeah, I'm not sure this is the week to buy the most expensive captain chair. Yeah, but I do want Pickings in the lineup, right? Do you prefer nause or the therd in the captain's chair?
What about Jalen Warren in the captains.
Let's see what that shapes out to be with the.
He's ninety three hundred, he's gonna catch passes, he's gonna run. He's had He's had over sixty yards I think in each of the last.
Yeah, he's consistently put yards from scrimmage.
Yeah, their linebackers aren't great and cover and terrible, right, and so we want Pickens, right, and eleven thousand. That leaves us fifty five hundred that would get.
Us they get like Elijah Moore, We're.
Just sure of that. He's sixty four hundred. We have fifty five.
So who what's the best option there?
Probably for that's with Jayalen Warren Nause, Harris, George Pickens, Jamis Winston Steelers defense in the lineup.
I think I like our build with the Steelers d as the captain.
St We're gonna have money leftover. I can live with that. It's all about getting the best. All right, Steelers defense is in there. We got twelve thousand, they have Warren, Harris, Pickens, Winston. At this point we have Harris, Pickens, Winston, Warren, and we have fifty nine hundred remaining, which leaves us to Ford, Boswell, Hopkins, Ford, the Browns defense, Friarmouth, Mike Williams.
I think it comes down to Boz or Ford, definitely not Hopkins.
If you can get Boz, I think I will go Boswell. I mean Ford, for as much as he's He's averaging eight point eight points per game.
Brown's red zone defense is awful.
It's awful.
Yeah.
Boswell's averaged thirteen points per game.
Yeah. I just think it'll be a low bos game because I think the Steelers will punch it in better than they have.
So if he and in the game against last week, Ford had seven point nine fantasy points. He cut four passes for twenty nine yards. He had five carries for ten yards. That's not He's not very good. It's not super exciting, right, he would almost have to catch the four or five passes again to make that worth it. If Boswell kicks one field goal and kicks three extra points.
He'll do that. Yeah, Okay, I just didn't want to be so Steeler heavy forty.
No, I don't either. But if they win twenty four to ten, yeah, and the right guys score.
We have Winston, So I mean he's the one that, yeah, the right Brown to have. I definitely feel confident about that. Okay, I mean Bo's is pretty safe.
Yeah, this might be a little chalky. I don't know.
There's not that many options.
There just aren't nine hundred dollars left over. But the only other option to do with this is to start guessing which Brown's wide receiver.
I know it's kind of got that route. But who would we have to dump the do to play that game? Yeah?
Probably dump Warren. You probably dump Warren, yeah, which I don't love. But will one of those Browns receivers outscore Warren? Maybe?
Okay? Weird thing. Last last approach, I want to take pull bas and Pickens out.
If I take If we take Warren out of the lineup, that leaves us seventy one hundred. That would get us Tillman or more.
I'm not thrilled about losing Warren though.
Okay, so you want to take out Pickens and Bas. Okay, that leaves us an average of eighty four fifty.
Is it worth having two Browns receivers instead of those two? And can you swing it? Can that get you Tilman and more?
We can definitely swing it. That gets you in Djoku in Tilman.
Yeah, would rather of those two? Or would rather of Pickens and Bas? Brown's corners aren't bad. I don't know you're gonna need Pickings a lot.
I don't know that you are either, you know.
Yeah, for the most expensive guy on the slate, right, I mean he almost has to blow I think you will know that he has to blow up for them to win.
Yeah, I mean this could be a five catches for sixty nine yards or something like that.
Doesn't score and we don't win because of it, you know, right, and the Steelers win by two touchdowns.
Still, I don't mind Joku and till We Actually we could afford.
Probably any two we want. Yeah, I still think Tilman's there one.
We could actually even get Russell Wilson in the lineup at both quarterbacks. It's just kind of putting the carp and still have enough for Elijah Moore. I think there's a good chance Fields just finishes out the game. And Wilson's joking on the sidelines. There's a chance, you know that doesn't he didn't. Yeah, throw three touchdowns already. But so if we if we went, let's saying Joku and Tilman, m h.
It would be my choices of the four if we can have anybody, if price doesn't matter.
We still have twenty three hundred dollars left.
Though, Wow, it's not what I'm saying right, Yeah, but if we pulled Warren out and put Pickings in.
We don't have enough money to do that. We could we could actually pull Winston out, but that and get Pickings in.
But then with the other two guys.
But yeah, that's the right man. He was a nice blanket over the Yeah, let's take Tilman back out, put Warren back in. We have ninety three hundred that would get us chubbed. Pickens is eleven thousand. That doesn't do it. So if we go more sixty four hundred. That gets us a ten to five. Still not enough money.
Does this bring us back to the conversation of we want to change the people? With Winston in the captain's chair, he's way too expensive. Okay, he's extremely expensive to do that, and then we lived on Elijah Moore's and Warren's and those types. Steeler D Nause.
We can try it, but I mean Winston is, uh, where's the add on here? I gotta take him off the Okay, So Winston is ninety six hundred. Whoops, No, that's that's his regular price. This is gonna work. Winston in the captain's chair is fourteen to four.
Okay. Can we put two guys I have to have? Are Steelers d in nausey?
Okay, Steelers D's in there? Nause is in there?
What can we get out of Warren?
Let me see here, Warren is in there? Rounds receivers. I thought Friarmouth was too cheap. If you want to throw a cheap ye in there, I could live with Ford Boz if we went Friarmouth, that gets us a let and two, and we could get Pickens in the lineup. But that would be Winston in the captain's chair Nausea Harris, The Steelers defense Friarmuth, Jalen Warren, and George Pickens.
Right, so we kind of cover all bases.
Unless Winston gets hurt. Right, then we lose because I don't think they're going to run the ball.
Who were the five we have?
Nausea Harris, Steelers defense Pat Fryarmouth, Jalen Warren, George Pickens.
All right. My last suggestion, if we pulled friar Muth and Pickens out, could we get into Joku and Tilman or two of the four Browns receivers? Seems overpriced to me for this game.
We can actually get them both. Yeah, we can get Djoku and Tilman.
I like that.
And have two hundred dollars left over.
That's it. That's the least we've had leftovers.
I think I think we had that with the last bill too.
Yeah. So am I right? The Winston and the Captain's chair, Yes, nausey Steelers Norman Nadjoku.
Warren, Yes, I like it. Okay, So that's Jamis Winston at fourteen to four in the Captain's chair nause Harris at ninety two hundred. Steelers defense at fifty four hundred, David and Joku at seventy six hundred, Jalen Warren at sixty two hundred, and Cedric Tillman at seven thousand.
So with our luck in DFS, that means Herbig's gonna blow by that Jabroni left tackle on the first play of the game and knock Winston out of the game. Correct, yep, yes, perfect winning.
Then all right, I'm entering it. It's locked in again. These are match lineups. These are not necessarily my lineups, but this is this is what he would do here. I'm just paying for it.
Yeah, buy your beer.
Yeah.
Uh.
Anyways, that's our DFS lineup for this standalone game.
That's not an easy puzzle there.
They never are, and they don't we love doing it either.
Yeah. But because the captains share is a lot of weight, yeah.
You know, and you got to get the right guy in the captain share. We did it last week with e Kolar.
Yeah, that was a good build. Yeah.
So I mean you got to kind of pick the team that's gonna lose in some cases and you think they're gonna be playing a lot of catch up.
That's screams Winston to me.
Yeah. But are they going to score enough touchdowns?
To right?
That's the key.
But if he throws for three fifty in one touch.
I don't think he's not turned for three fifty.
And the wind and all that. Yeah, if he throws for two to eighty in a touch, is it worth.
It as long as you don't throw three picks and fumble.
For their negatives on these two yeah, yeah, yeah, I think they will be a turnout.
And it could be okay. Yeah, but I yeah, I don't. I don't hate it.
I like it.
That works. That's our fantasy football focus for today. We're gonna get through another break. He is the Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network, Matt and I'll be back with more right after this. At least.
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
And we are back. I'm Dale Lolly. He is the Matt Williamson and this is the drive on the Steelers Audio networking. We briefly touched on it before we had Bob on a little bit with Bob as well Miles Garrett poking TJ Watt with the stick.
Yeah, I kind of heard it indirectly somebody the way I understood it, and you know, better than I would. Somebody asked Garrett the other day, yesterday, whatever, you know, did TJ deserve the award more than you? Or something like that?
Last I think it was more, you know, did TJ? Were you upset that what didn't go to the event?
Ah? That's all started, okay, Yeah, and I yes, he responded something along the lines of, well, nobody asked me that when he won the award. Yeah, he I guess he felt he deserved it.
The year Watt won it, I think he's full of crap. I don't remember his year well enough, but I thought it wasn't close. I mean I can go back. I mean TJ set the NFL record right for sections a single game, and he missed two games.
So of course there's been a lot of what Garrett stuff, as there will be for Eternity Brown Stealers Week, And you guys know my thoughts on Garrett. Yeah, but I know I would have voted for Watt last year, and I would have voted Watt for the year that he wanted. I don't think as great as I think Garrett is, by no means that he deserved it last year. No, I mean he really didn't.
It was it was a career Achievement award. Miles Garrett.
I felt like the voters decided that in September or you know what I mean, that it's his year, his year, right, and he's finished the season really slow. Yeah, and people forget that far like he was great for twelve weeks or whatever it was.
It wasn't even that long.
It wasn't. I would think it was like a month and a half where he was I think calling it up here. But I mean the sack totals were really low at the end of the year.
The last like seven or eight games of the year, I think he had one sack. It was just was not.
That's what I remember too, but I thought it was like five or six.
It was. Yeah, it was not a good finish better year. Undoubtedly, he led the league in sacks once again. So Miles Garrett after Week ten, so yeah, there was the last seven weeks of the season had one sack. Yeah, Yeah, he had two, three, five, eleven tackles, eleven tackles and one sack in the final six seven games of the year on a.
Good defense, on a good defense. That's more competitive team than is now. And I think the biggest argument was that, well he had a better pass rush win rate.
And I think that's where, you know, we get back into this analytics bs again, somebody's sitting in.
Doublin or whatever.
The double team rates were ridiculous. I can remember looking at that and people would actually use that as a stat. Well, he gets doubled way more than TJ.
Watt.
I'm like, what are you.
Watching as nobody gets doubled way more than TJ Watt. No, maybe one more game maybe, but nobody gets doubled way more than.
Because they didn't. They didn't consider at that time for that particular stat and they've since changed. His pro football focus has changed, some of the other ones have not.
Because it used to be like seventeen percent.
It was fourteen. They had Alex Highsmith being double team more than TJ. Watt, And I said, look, I see every Steelers game, I'm in the stadium watching that and oftentimes I've got my binoculars trained on these two guys the ends. I'm watching them both because I can watch them both through the binoculars, and I can guarantee you that Alex Highsmith is not double team more than TJ. Watt.
Ax is wonderful, but his path to the quarterback is easier than Watts. Yes, and everyone on the planet will scheme that way. But they did the same with the Browns.
They didn't consider it a double team if it wasn't two offensive linemen getting hands on the guy.
Which is ludicrous, ridiculous because especially because what usually wins almost always wins to the outside shoulder of the tackle. I mean, he's he has a diverse.
His explosion and.
Ridiculous the same way a lot for all the great pass rushers of all time. He wins with the same approach as much as any of them, you know what I mean. And that doesn't mean the one trick pony. But he always almost wins to the outside shoulder of the right tackle. Yeah. Now, sometimes but pinballing off this running back and this tight end and hustling all that stuff. But you can't get two offensive line My point is two offensive linemen aren't gonna touch. We're gonna get out there, right. He might get touched by three human before he touches the fourth human being the quarterback. But you're not gonna double them with a guard on the outside shoulder of the tackle.
Yeah, they're not. They don't. They didn't count the chip from the tight end and the chip from the running back, which allowed the offensive tackle to recover.
The obstacle course and.
Get out and get out there and set the final wall up.
Yeah.
Yeah, they don't consider that a double team.
Right, which is ludicrous, which is why we laughed at it. When they're like, oh, these guys have been doubled seventeen. No they're not. No, they're not.
It's ridiculous. Yeah, but Brown's fans would argue, well, Miles Garrett gets doubled twice as much as t. J. Watt.
Yeah, that's true.
It's bs.
This is not true. He stunts more into the inside. It's it's easier for two linemen to touch him than it is to touch why. Yeah, if that's how you're going to judge it, But that's not how you should judge.
It's not how it should be judged. How many hands are on you? Nobody, As I said, then it would be criminal if the offensive coordinators of the league were only double teaming Watt fourteen percent of the time.
You'd have thirty seven, as with Garrett any of the right and that's why you double team.
They're all good.
Right. If high Smith gets eighty six percent of his snaps alone with a left tackle and no one else bumps them, he would have fifteen sacks.
Yeah. You know what isn't happening now that used to happen back in the day are tight ends. Teams using just a tight end to try to block those outside linebackers. That used to happen a lot, all right. And the Steelers when when the Steelers got an outside linebacker, if it was Jason Gilden or if it was Joey.
Por five man front, they would yeah.
On out on a tight end. It was over.
It was over.
But that doesn't happen anymore. And I'll never leave alone on a back No. Like football history.
That was part of the brilliance of Lawrence Taylor is they called on my linebacker like people followed me know that It bugs me that they called that position an outside linebacker. You don't back the line. But it's a sneaky parcels thing to say he's a linebacker, he's Jack Ham, he's Brooks.
Yeah, you know, he's a line in the coverage.
He can, but he's a terror off the edge, and people were blocking the l team in his rookie year with tight ends, you know. And then then uh, Gibbs creates this h back situation and puts his back over there, like nobody knew how to block him. You know what the plan is with Lawrence Taylor because he's standing on two feet, he's not a quote defensive end. Should we dedicate a tackle to him? You dedicated with everybody to him.
Yeah, good idea. You quickly figured that out. But his rookie year or two, the league didn't know what to do with those guys, No for sure. But even this season, like Garrett, he has seven sacks for the season. He had three in one game.
Yeah, he hasn't had a great year.
No, he had, he had three and one game. He had a great year.
But he has not had to blow your doors off defensive MVP.
He has a game with one another game with one assist in a game with no stats whatsoever. They must have given him assist after the fact because it wasn't on the original play sheet. I went back and looked, I'm like I I mean I watched a game. It was it was a game against the Ravens. I'm like, he out there and I look at the stats and he had no tackles, no sacks, nothing, And then I go back and look, now I'm looking at this and they credit them with it with an assist.
Anyways, but back to the interview earlier in the week, what did did he say something? What was the why is he poking the bear? Like? That's what I don't quite remember.
So after what was in Vegas for the awards ceremony, But he didn't go to the awards ceremony because he knew he wasn't going to win, and he tweeted out but he was a finalist. All he did was Yeah, all he did was tweet out nothing I'm not used to. And of course Miles Garrett, being the slappy that he is, took that as an affront and said that tj owes him an apology. No, he didn't say nothing to me. Well, first of all, he hadn't seen you yet. You guys haven't played. Secondly, he says he's got to apologize me when I see him. Really, what's you have to apologize for?
No, I don't understand the logic behind that.
I think Miles Garrett is a slappy I do. I think he's I think he's kind of slappy.
I don't like his personality.
I don't like it, you know, the whole basketball thing. And he's an odd dude. You don't have to be flashy. Put up the numbers and then, you know, that's the one thing that you can appreciate about t J. Watt. Yes he'll celebrate a sack, Yes he'll get excited about strip, but he's never disrespectful grind Stone.
Yeah, you know you're straight late.
Yeah, Miles is.
You don't need to say that, say there's nothing.
To begin, take the high road. You won the award.
Yeah, Watt didn't say Garrett stinks. No, I mean that's not what he tweeted or anything like that.
Right, what led to league in sacks for the third time and at that point in fourth time, fourth time, fourth he's the only guy since sacks became in history league, Right, since sacks became an actual statistic in nineteen eighty two, he's the only got to lead the league in four times in sacks. Yeah, and he didn't and he's only one defensive Player of the Year once, like he's gotten jobbed a couple of times. Actually, trying to think who won it the other years that he twenty nineteen, he probably it was.
One, he won one of them.
Yeah, the other two Donald Donald. I think Donald won one. The cornerback Gilmore year, Gilmour year.
I didn't. I forget there was a couple strong but not obvious candidates that year. I kind of felt like Gilmour wanted by the fault that was Wats.
Like that was like Wat's coming out year. That was his first year. He led the league in sacks. Sacks were down that year. Remember voting was legal, Yeah, yeah, yeah, but the Steelers had a really good defense. Again, this is twenty nineteen. They won games with their defense.
Yeah, Like Gilmore was not the best defensive player on the planet that year. Now, it was a good corner. I'm not sure he's the best corner league at that point. I mean, he was a good corner. I that didn't settle with me either. I'm not sure I would have voted for what that year. I don't remember, but I would not voted for Gilmore.
Yeah, but what definitely should have won it last year.
Oh, I think so too.
And for Garrett to sit there and say, what owes him an apology? Yeah, take your apology and stick it you know where. Yeah, So I TJ Watt in this game every time I get a sack, and I think there will be multiple ones. Yeah, but every time I get a sack, I'm doing my celebration and looking at the sideline. There's your apology out kick kids direction. Yeah, take that for an apology.
So where's what on the sack leaders now for the season. I know he's not super high. Hendrickson's number one.
Yeah, Hendrickson's number one. Hendrickson is not going to win Defensive Play of the Year.
No, he's not, definitely not.
I mean, and I'm just wondering, just can't do that?
Can Tj get to another sack title?
It's he's not out of the right. He's got seven and a half right now.
So about an hour ago, I think the Steelers are going to have a dozen sacks the next two weeks. Yeah, that might be low.
Henderson has eleven and a half right now. Okay, But to your point, so the leaders are right up to the top. He's right now, Watt is tied for seventh.
Okay, I knew there's quite a few between them.
You've got Hendrickson with eleven and a half. You've got Dexter Lawrence with nine, but he's been stuck on nine. He's not gonna that's not He's not gonna He might finish with like ten or eleven.
He might demand a trade.
They're just not He's not gonna have any situations to sack the quarterback the rest of the year. As great as he is, it won't be him. Nick Benito, really good player. Denver has nine.
He's not gonna win sack.
Dante Fowler has eight and a half.
He's not a sack title type player.
No. Andrew Van Ginkel with Minnesota has eight. Okay McDonald has eight.
Part time player on a team that's falling apart two.
Danielle Hunter has seven and a half.
He would worry me.
He's already played eleven games though, by yeah, they haven't had their buy yet. Watt has seven and a half.
Who's nipping on their heels. Who's at six and a half or more?
Well Eighten Hutchinson still have seven and a half. That's not gonna happen. Trayvon Walker, that's not gonna happen.
These are a lot of on bad team guys.
Yeah, Will Anderson's got seven and a half.
He needs come back this week. Yeah, him and Hunter our feet off each other.
Cal van Noi has seven, Miles Garrett has seven, Frankie Luvu has seven, Jonathan Greenard has seven. Pat Jones from Minnesota has seven. Patrick Jones, that's what the pick kid. Nick Bosa has seven, Oway has seven. Two two Tupolo two has seven.
So you named like twenty guys that are they are the top twenty give or take sac leaders as we speak. I think there's like four names that can win it. I'm here the Henrickson can because he's got a lead. Hunter.
You can't give it to Hendrickson on an awful defense.
Now, I'm not talking about player of the year. I'm he's got the lead and he's really good. But they are seasons in jeopardy. I mean, bad teams aren't gonna get a lot of sacks. I think both Houston guys have a chance. They might cancel each other out, though more likely of the two. I think Watt has a chance. I think Hendrickson has a chance. I could still write a story that Garrett gets a ton of sacks half the way. But I also write a story that his foot's a mess and they shut him down in week twelve.
Yeah.
Other than I mean, it's not gonna Benito, It's not gonna be I'm just going a sack leader. I like Wat's chances. I know that the way teams play make it really tough on him, and his impact has been felt more than the sacks. But these Browns and Bengals games, Let's say gets two in this game, I think. Let's say he gets Let's say he gets three into two games against the Browns. Well, now he's at ten and a half. Let's say he gets gets five in the next two weeks.
Let's say gets two or three more against Bengals, which is certainly possible.
Horrible tackles and live an eleven personnel and they want to throw the football chippers. Yeah, I mean you may get another one. Yeah, I don't think it's the people in front of him. Aren't that difficult?
He also gets Kansas City with Juwan Taylor.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's Vane Johnson's a problem. That's a problem. Baltimore is not a good sack team just because the way you play them, but those are Ohio teams. You get eight between those four games. Now you're back in there. You're not that far from twenty. All of a sudden.
The thing that he is doing really well this year. He's second in the league, one behind Van Ginkel with tackles for a loss with twelve.
I think he's the best run defending edge player in the league. Yeah, including true four to three end types that are bigger than him. Yeah.
Yeah, he's got three pass defenses. He's got four forced fumbles, which.
Obosa's the other name I thought could win it. But his hip is a disaster right now. He plays like two plays gets off the field.
I mean, the four force fumble still leads the league.
He's one of the best ever at that.
Yeah, he's gonna get some opportunities to get some more.
Yeah.
You know, so if he starts hitting the quarterback more often, which is gonna happen here, and.
I say it's setting up pretty well for a sack run.
Yeah.
So high Smith jury back and which helps you know, So.
Keep talking, Miles, keep poking the bear.
Miles has nothing to lose or win by all of it. I mean, he's on a terrible team. Stuck in purgatory forever. He really is. No one's feeling bad for him. But man, what what would the Lions have given up for Miles Garrett at the trade deadline? Take whatever you want, Yeah, Browns might have been better off for it. Give me three first.
Miles Garrett this year has twenty three tackles in ten games. He's averaging listened two and a half tackles per game.
I hate that stat, but that's still unbelievably low.
Yeah, and that's uh yeah, he just up and not being very He's impactful again. Yeah, he's impactful when he's on the field because you have to account for him. But they just don't have anybody else.
No, they don't. And there's just some of these got some of these teams, like Lawrence is gonna be the same way as the Giants, Like you're throwing the vido out there and you know, he's a shot. I mean, it's it's hard to thrive, it really is. How many leads are gonna play with with you, the Giants or Browns the rest of the year, you know. Yeah, for Salisa, Bengals might or at least be in games or throw Yeah.
Yeah, so we'll see if t. J. Watt makes him eat some of his words this weekend.
I like him. His chances are to uh challenge for the sack leaders here, though in a couple.
Of weeks it's not it's not been extended. I mean Henderson is averaging basically a sack per game, which is what he did last year.
Yeah, he had seventeen last year. But you know, yeah, I would vegas odds. I'd still put Hendricks in his best chance to be sack leader. He's got the lead, yeah, and he's really good. So let's get to another break. He is the Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. When we come back, Matt and I'll make our game picks for tomorrow's matchup against the Cleveland Browns. I think I know where we both might be leaning here, but we'll see.
Right after this.
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
And we are back. I am Dale LOLLI he is the Matt Williamson and this is the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network and it is time Matt to make our game picks for Steelers versus Browns that will take place tomorrow on Thursday eight fifteen up in Cleveland, and I made the first pick last week.
You're up.
I think the Steelers will win and this will shock people.
Yeah. I don't know if it's gonna be low scoring, grinded out, run, run, run. I don't care how we score six ' nine type of game or is it gonna be thirty to nothing type of game? Just because you're better. The weather, to me's makes me think that the Steelers aren't gonna put up thirty you know, and they might, I don't think they'll have to. I picked the game twenty three ten Steelers. I get the feeling that the second half won't be competitive.
Okay, yeah, I'm just looking at this. Actually, I was thinking twenty three to ten was in my mind.
Yeah. I feel great about my score, but I feel good about the winner and covering all.
I think the Steelers score three touchdowns in this game, Okay, and I think they win, let's say twenty four thirteen. Okay, I think it's I think it's a comfortable win. That the Steelers are favored by three and a half four points when it seems low to me. Yeah, and you know, if you look at some of the other spreads, what the overunder is, it's it's low. It's like thirty five. Yeah. I thought coming out of the gate there were some other games like Baltimore's favored by the same amount in LA against the Chargers, like.
M okay, yeah, that that seems like a much differ test. Yeah. I think if we think the Ravens and Steelers are equal, play that game.
I mean, they just.
Played, but they're both good.
Yeah.
Going to LA is a much different test and going to Cleveland.
Yeah, even though the only thing I figured was a short week maybe was getting factored into that. Yeah, that kind of stuff. But I thought it was kind of like, it's kind of disrespectful to the Steelers that they're only favored by It opened it like three and a half, it then went to four, and now I think it's back to three and a half.
I'm sure vague. I don't know a lot about betting, but I'm sure Vegas treats Thursday night games differently.
A little bit, and maybe the weathers has held that down a little bit. But I just think the Steelers are are the better football team, and I can't get past that in like every area, in every area, there's no area in this game where you would look at it and say, you know, the Ravens or the Browns are clearly better.
There's two things I think that scare me, other than your whole starting defensive line gets hurt or you know, yeah, eight turnovers or something bonkers, you know, Boswell, can't you know, can't kick between the uprights anymore? Or something crazy? Could Winston really get super hot and throw for over three hundred yards?
Maybe?
Could Garrett cause you massive problems?
Maybe?
I mean they're like the only like matchup.
I don't think he will though, because I just they are not going to let him do that, right, you know, that's just they've never have I.
Know, I mean again, and I think the Steelers pass defense and pass rush won't let the if the former one happened either, right, you know, like like you're gonna He's just not gonna in the Browns win is the only is what I keep racking my brain here is Garrett has four sacks and it's the most disruptive.
Player in twelve career games against the Steelers. He has nine sacks.
I mean, they're gonna put Darnold Washington all over.
He's gonna get double teamed constantly. Yeah, and you're just gonna not not allow him to take the game over. Is he gonna get to the quarterback on occasion? Sure?
Yeah? Yeah.
Is he gonna get hits?
Yeah? Just the makeup of the team. The Steelers are way better set up to help on Garrett than the Browns are.
And what I just I think the Arthur Smith factor is huge in this one.
Yeah, they're not gonna come I mean, if they come out in double tights, Revin Jordan and the joke who aren't blocking her big no chance.
But the Steelers guys, they all can't. They all can do that, right.
Their backs are better in protection. Washington's a tackle. They'll throw a six offensive lineman out there at times. Pru It's not a joke as a blocker, you know. I mean, they'll fine Hayward up in the backfield as a full back. You know, like if he's the whole problem the second half, he's gonna have to go through like six dudes.
They're just gonna build a you know, all the way down and damn Moore's actually done an incredible job against him over the course.
We haven't talked about this, but I would put Garrett on Jones's side more often, especially on passing down Yeah, without question, and challenge him as a pass protector even then.
I mean, Jones has played better the last couple of weeks, and.
I still like the chance of Jones and Washington blocking him.
Yeah, you know, so Jones got He got called for two penalties on the same drive last week against the Ravens. The first one, I don't think they called the right guy because I saw a replay. I saw a replay of the play and I'm watching him what he did. He didn't do anything that would have even closely resembled a hold on the play.
Really, I don't remember that in real time.
But the second one that he got called for, he took his guy who was trying to go to his left to hit the guy the defender was trying to go to his right, and he drove him into the ground to his right. He didn't hold him, He didn't pull him. He did he just buried him, and they called that a hold.
He had a few of those. Yeah. Pressure brought this up earlier in the week, but short week. I think since the bye, these have been his best two games.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
And Protection still.
There were people though that on the comments section, you know Dan Moore is he you know, what are they going to do with Dan? Or with Broderick Jones. I'm like, he's actually played really well. But people heard the two penalties last week and automatically dinged him for it. I don't think. I don't think either one were warranted.
I have to look at him, I believe you. I mean, but I thought in the run game he was a plus player for sure, both those games, and I think Protection still needs work. But to be frank, I mean before the bye, he blocked the wrong guy. He wouldn't snap counts would be bad, like I think getting away and like being okay, you know, let's Rea said better than this. Yeah, set, I think it has helped him a lot.
And I thought Mike Tomlan Mike Tomlan again, Tomlin was asked about him this week. You're worried about Brody Jones because of the two penalties. Again, what are you watching?
People?
You don't just corner yeah one, don't just listen to Oh he had two penalties and say he had a he had a bad game. That's not the case. But secondly, Tomlin said, look, you gotta understand he's younger than Zach Fraser and Mason McCormick.
Yeah.
Yeah, he's twenty three years old.
He's a boss. Yea, right, he's a puppy.
He should still be in college.
Yeah. Yeah. And it's the nature of the business too. If you're a tackle or a corner, ninety six percent of your plays could be great. Yeah. But the fans were like, remember that touchdown he let up?
Yeah, I think Joey Porter j he's having a bad year. All of his penalties came in two games.
He was awesome in his past game too. Yeah.
All of his penalties came in two games. He has ten ten penalties on the year, Nine of them have come in two games. Two six of them came in one game. With Clete Blakeman's crew working, I forgot to even look to see who's working this game tomorrow night.
Yeah, I don't know. I didn't.
I had no idea, and that that's usually again short week. I just didn't didn't have time to.
Uh. I mean, all of my stat packs are paid shorter than it usually is, right, And you know, it's just one of those things. It's just like you gotta cram it in.
People expect this stuff too for me.
Yeah, yeah, we should get over it.
Uh So it is Brad Allen's crew. I think that we had Brad Allen's crew recently.
Sounds familiar.
Yeah, but yeah, I'm trying to think. I think he's done a Steelers game recently.
Already said, I think we had to talk over the last four weeks or so about him, But I don't remember it being egregious one way or another.
No, I don't think he's one of the high penalty guys. Yeah, go ahead and take a look here. But yeah, I mean you're gonna have games like that that just doesn't go your way. Yeah, Brad Allen's crew is actually one of the better. They only call eleven penalty eleven penalties per game, which is the league average is twelve point seventy three, So they're below average on that. And if you're looking at what they like to call, let's see what Steeler game did they do here, Brad Alan Bright Allen. No, they haven't. They must have done a standalone game that I was talking about because they haven't done a Steeler game yet this year. So yeah, so they're Their most called penalty most often is false start twenty seven of those, you're gonna have to call that. Seventeen holding penalties, so one point seven per game. You can live with that. H twelve defensive pass interference penalty, so one point two per game, seven roughing the passers. So they that's a little probably higher than most.
So okay, well it doesn't sound like that shouldn't affect the clean game. It shouldn't be littered with flags.
And the Browns are the more penalized team.
Yeah, they're right top of the league. Yeah, they're not as bad as Ravens, but they're real close. They're not bad, They're not far off. Yeah, r So keep that in mind as well. I mean, once again, special teams, turnovers, penalties.
The margins all favor the Steelers. Offensively favors the Steelers, defensively favors the Steelers. Is to your point, special teams favors the Steelers. Coach, coaching favors the Steelers quarterback. There, they should win. They should win. Absolutely, can't put it any more simple than that.
I just keep going back the short week on the rest.
Short week is the only thing that throws it into the U the mixer a little bit, absolutely kind of levels of playing field. But other than that, I mean the Steelers have an advantage no matter how you look at this game.
Don't mean the jinks it. But we get back here on Friday and you're nine and two, feeling pretty good, pretty strong.
I will say this to about this particular team. I wanted to bring us something we were talking to Bob. I see a maturity level with this team because of the leadership.
I say, I think Wilson helps.
Wilson helps that.
I've been so young on offense the last couple of years.
Yeah, and so he's the kind of the voice in that on that side of the ball now, and I think everybody accepts him as the leader.
Yeah.
Example, he took the defensive captains out. He already takes the offense out every Thursday night. Last Wednesday, the whole offense and pays for everything. It picks up the check that'll get you some uh.
Bottle of wine, you know.
But on Wednesday of last week, going into a game against the Ravens, he took all the captains out to dinner. Yeah, so what you know Hayward uh killer brew Yeah, and himself and they just went out and they and they talked, just kind of having a pulse of the team kind.
Of thing, which is a good pre Ravens thing to do, you know what I mean.
I mean Mike Tomlin has been more prominent in the locker room of late, just kind of walking through and you know, getting a feel for the I just feel I feel maturity in this team.
Yeah, they seem like they're in a good spot, a good blend of youth and Wilson Hayward types too.
Yeah, you know, and even like guys like what and make a Fitzpatrick who was you know, some more of your leaders Friarmoth. These guys are starting to grow into being that.
Yeah.
Yeah, they've been through a lot of these battles and so they have a better understanding of They're not the wide eyed first or second year guys anymore, like, Wow, I didn't expect that. No, They've been through so many of these battles now they know what to expect in these games.
It seems to me too that the rookies, especially Fraser, aren't goose.
No, I mean, Peyton is a serious dude. McCormick's a serious dude.
They're not laughing and joking and nothing off and you know, playing grab ass. Yeah right, these guys are They're here for business and team you know and businesses. I mean I talked to Fraser after the game last week. I said, did you have a Welcome to the to the Rivalry moment? He's like, first of all, he's like, that was fun. I can't I can't wait again. Yeah, that was really fun. Get I said you did you have that welcome to the Rivalry moment? He goes, oh, yeah, it was well, you know, me and Humphrey went at it, you know, like like I can't wait to do that again. Yeah, we get to play again. Great forward.
Yeah, taking taking part in something like that, yeah, I'll sign me up for that.
Yeah. So and that goes back to Omar in the front office and going your homework on guys.
So it should be fun. Yeah, we'll be back on Friday to talk about it. But that's going to do it for our show today. So for my partner Matt Williamson, for Justin Miller here running the Justin Miller hotline and making sure we stay on the air, and for Tyler Viittmeyer making sure our video gets out there on YouTube. Go ahead and leave us your comments there. Take it easy on Matt.
Please all you want, but don't. Yeah, you're right for ESPN for ten years. You think your skinning gets real thick from the whole mash, I'm Dale, Lolly.
We thank you for listening to this edition of the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network.