HR2: Fantasy, Picks, and Predictions, oh my!

Published Dec 6, 2024, 9:00 PM
As they always do in the final hour of the week, the guys put together their DFS lineup, pick the weekend's slate, and give their final predictions for Steelers versus the Browns.

At least.

He's the drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and Gold cast in Steelers Nation Radio.

And we are back. I'm Dale Lolli he is the Matt Williamson and August the start of hour number two here. So it's time for the Fantasy Football Focus and before we get into this week's or this weekend's DFS lineup, our DFS lineup last night, how do we do we had in the money? We're finished in the money nice one hundred and three point nine to two points, which doesn't sound like a lot, but we only you only get six players.

I'd say it's a little different with that.

It's a little different with that format. We had Laporta in the captain's chair. He got us fifteen points, six points, five catches for fifty four yards, and he's looking like he's fantasy relevant again.

I think they've I think actually the coaches have come out in recent weeks saying we got away from him too much earlier in the year. You know, he's a really good player. I mean, don't abandon that ship at all.

Yeah, we all so had Josh Jacobs and his three touchdowns in the line up.

Yeah, it was nice. Yep.

Jared Goff was another nice start there. Jamior Gibbs was didn't have huge rushing tolls, but he got six passes, he had nineteen point three points. We had Dave Montgomery threw.

A touchdown of Gibbs.

Yeah, and then the Lions defense that rounded out our lineup. So we finished in the money, which was good. You always liked to do.

A big thing that helped us was avoiding the Packers passing game. Not that it was horrible, but it was one of the weaknesses in that game.

We could have if we had paid up for a Monross Saint Brown, that might have yeah, a little bit too.

Yeah, once we thought about it, right, Yeah, So yeah, that worked out well.

So let's try to do that now for the weekend. Okay, and take a look here at the defense and special teams. The Eagles are thirty seven hundred, the Buccaneers thirty six hundred, Steelers are thirty five hundred, Vikings thirty four hundred, the Bills against the Rams or thirty three hundred, the Chiefs against the Chargers thirty two, Dolphins against the Jets thirty two hundred not bad. Forty nine Ers against the Bears thirty one hundred. The Bengals against Dallas.

Wow, Bengals against any three thousands, right, I don't their favored by like six points. I don't understand it at all.

The Cardinals against the Seahawks is three thousand. The Saints against the Giants is twenty nine.

That's what I was waiting for. Yeah, I like that Neighbors is questionable. They're a disaster. I don't think they want to win.

Yeah, I like that one a lot.

Tennessee's another one. I'd be interested to hear what they cost.

Tennessee is twenty eight hundred, so it's not much savings. I think you plugged the Saints in.

I'm absolutely fine with that. That that was my plan before we even different is good and no. If Neighbors is questionable and motivation is a problem, yeah.

Yeah, I don't see them scoring a lot of points.

So I'm gonna run something by you. Here is a different approach to our building our roster, because I think this week we've come up with more potential super cheap non quarterbacks, tight ends, receivers, the Dude in Vegas, the Raiders running back maybe we can find a couple real dirt, cheap guys and then go strong after that. Okay, I say, either pick our quarterback now as we usually do. That's fine, But then I think there's a couple cheapy running back receivers that are interesting. Okay.

Josh Allen is eight thousand, Jalen Hurts seventy eight hundred, Joe Burrow seventy three hundred, Patrick Mahomes sixty eight hundred, Baker Mayfield sixty four hundred, Tuattago Vlois sixty three hundred, Rock Purty is sixty two hundred, Sam Darnold sixty one hundred.

High win that game, big yeah.

Kyler Murray six thousand, Russell Wilson fifty nine hundred, Gino Smith fifty eight hundred, Justin Herbert fifty eight hundred, Matthew Stafford fifty seven hundred, Caleb Williams hundred, Kirk Cousins fifty five, Jameis Winston fifty four, Aaron Rodgers fifty three, Bryce Young fifty two, David or Derek Carr should say fifty one hundred.

A couple stood out to me.

Mac Jones is five thousand, Will Levis is five thousand, against the Jags. I bet they're one there they are thirty second.

Thirty second. Yeah, you could convince me of that.

Cooper Rush is forty nine hundred against the Bengals.

Wow, we get a star. Score points. They're going to score points. Caleb Williams stood out to me too.

Yeah, I like Caleb Williams.

The Niners defense is a shell of itself. I mean they're so banged up. Boss not Conlain. He throws and runs. Burrows stood out to me. I mean he's expensive, and I think Russell Wilson's too cheap. They're all kind of different tiers. I like.

I like Caleb Williams. I like that call because I think they might win that game. Yeah, I do too, even though it's in Sam fran fifty six.

For him is he's playing a little better. He's got weapons. Yeah, right now they're gonna start there and the running backs are hurt. Yeah, okay, we don't have to throw the football. Yeah yeah, and he's playing okay, Yeah.

Let's let's plug him in for anouncie where you know, if we have some money leftover, we can always pivot upwards at running back.

Now, the flaw in my cheapy plan.

Let's go tight end first.

Okay, I don't remember all the ones we've mentioned, but over the course of this week, more than most weeks we've talked about, like our Scoon Maker call last week or whatever, there's a lot of those replacement level type guys that are showing up.

Brock Bowers is sixty five hundred. McBride is sixty one hundred, Kittle fifty eight hundred, Kelsey fifty five hundred, Johnny Smith.

Was top two. Are kind of cheap for being as good as they are.

Yeah, they're not Kelsey range priced when Kelsey was.

Right and Bowers probably should be.

Johnny Smith is fifty three hundred.

Ooh, he commits me of that.

Uh and Djoku is fifty one hundred. Kincaid's question. While he's forty nine hundred. Evan Ingram is forty eight hundred. Goddard is questionable. He's forty five hundred. I think he plays Kate Kate Oughton is forty four hundred.

But still not respect it. He's a good player.

Yeah, Hockinson is forty three hundred. Kyle Pitts forty one hundred, is SICKI is four thousand. Dawson Knox thirty nine hundred, Jake Ferguson thirty nine hundred, Will Disley thirty eight hundred, the one I like, you haven't manage City's thirty first against the opposing tight ends.

Are they really Yeah, he could be the number two option. There's a chance that might be number one. Doesn't Conky doesn't play. I think he's listed as questionable, so maybe we don't go down this road. But the Saints dude Jahn Johnson, Yeah, he didn't mention it.

Man's thirty eight hundred. His role's growing coming on. Cole kommt Is thirty seven hundred, Okay, Noah Fan thirty six hundred, schoon Makers thirty six hundred, Grant Calcita thirty five hundred. They're thirty second again tight end. Yeah, I think they hold him out. Calciterara could be a.

He are the type of guys I was talking about the start segment. There's a lot of this week. There's a lot of dudes that could give opportunities that aren't big names.

Juwan Johnson is thirty four hundred. But the Giants, believe it or not, are number one against opposing tight ends. Wows no figure. Yeah, Noah Gray thirty four hundred. He plays a lot too, plays a lot and gets a lot of touchdown Jatavian Sanders is questionable. He's thirty three hundred.

Ag. I think one of these cheap guys like this Ley or cheaper make a lot of sense. And that doesn't mean we can't come back. And but brought hours as our flex.

Yeah, you know, I kind of like aught In too.

Notton was cheap too. I mean he's their number two receiver.

Is last game he still got he had four catches for twenty yards, but he got seven targets.

Say he gets targeted a lot.

Gets six home games, he's got forty seven targets. That's eight per game.

Playing again, someone terrible they play? Uh uh, where's it at here? Las Vegas? Yeah, yeah, I'd say I think they win huge in that game too. Let's start with out in Vegas is thirtieth against opposing tight ends. Enough said forty four hundred. I mean he's kind of the bargain. Yeah, it is a bargain.

Let's see here we want to go. Uh, let's look at the running backs now. So Bresaw is out.

Yeah, that's one of the names. Allen was one to look like how much? How expensive? First of all is brayln Allen? How expensive is the n Wow, I'm absolutely fine with it.

Let's plug him in. If we find somebody else will be like even better. We can always what what's Gorendo cost? Whatrendo should be really chalky?

Yeah? What does the Raiders dude cost?

Let's see it. I'm just gonna jump down to the cheap running.

Yeah, I said, go like five grand under. I don't know what.

Grendo's fifty four hundred.

He's gonna be the number one.

And the uh Sincere McCormick is forty six hundred.

I mean, my only worry these guys are gonna be chalky. Yeah, but we haven't spent any money yet.

I mean, yeah, Sean Tucker, if you think that that's another one. Yeah, he's forty three hundred.

I think White's gonna He'll touch him for sure, But that doesn't mean.

He doesn't get the goal line carries or something like that.

Even when they play by fourteen in the sea, White's only fifty three hundred. Yeah, they must have thought Irving's playing. We know, we don't know he isn't, but he doesn't look good.

I like Tyrone Tracy at fifty eight hundred. Yes, even though it's against our defense, he still he's still Giants have to run.

The football in that game, and they'll catch a ball fair amount.

Grendo at fifty four hundred again, any of these, Sean White is fifty three hundred.

He'll catch the ball.

Raiders, well, see if they have a designation on Bucky Irving on here, Bucky Irving is questionable. He's sixty six hundred.

It hasn't looked good from what I've heard.

But yeah, I mean he didn't practice again today. You want to go there and if if he if he ends up playing, then we pay with White?

Is that the one you would go with? Our Tucker?

Go with White? And if where we go with Grendo is fifty four and White's fifty three hundred. Grendo is fifty four or fifty for three hundred.

One hundred catches though less probably not many. Yeah, I don't know how what kind of receiver.

I don't know either, right, Yeah, that's the thing.

He's a dump off type.

There's a little bit of unknown there. But I White will catch the football and I think they win if they even if they get let's say they get up, they're not gonna run Bucky Irving out there when he was questionable a week.

No. Yeah, and we can get out of it if Irving, Yeah.

I'm gonna plug. I'm gonna plug white with white there.

Yeah.

So now we can average sixty seven hundred the rest of the way for three receivers in a flex. Okay, that's a lot. I thought there was a cheapy receiver or two we kind.

Of like to.

Well, let's go ahead. Look in the six thousand and less. Marvin Harrison is six thousand, Deebo Samuel six thousand. Khalil Shakiir is fifty nine hundred. That's too cheap for him.

Yeah, he's good.

DeVonta Smith is going to play this week. He's fifty eight hundred.

No Dad, or too.

Brian Thomas is fifty eight hundred. Calvin Ridley is fifty seven hundred. In a big revenge game.

He gets fed the ball.

They're thirtieth against opposing wide receivers.

Their secondary is horrible.

I like that a lot. Jerry Judy is fifty seven hundred, Keenan Allen fifty six hundred. Jacobe Myers is fifty six hundred.

I like the Ridley call in this neighborhood.

Yeah, Darnell Mooney is fifty five hundred. Is he questionable?

No?

Uh, DeAndre Hopkins fifty four hundred. Jaylen Waddell is fifty four hundred. Adam Thielen is fifty three hundred.

I think Wattle's too cheap too.

I can't go there.

I know you've been bro Jets.

The Jets cornerbacks are.

I'm sure they're good.

Sauce Gardner might not play though, oh really.

Yeah, but I know that good against opposing receivers. Yeah.

Roma Dunezia is five thousand.

If I was organizationally where you're at, it's time to pivot to A Doonsay. Is the number one receiver?

DJ Moose questionable as well.

I didn't know that. I mean, I like that hookup. I don't like the met hookup. I don't really love the Allen hookup. But a Doonsay I don't mind at all at that price.

Dunezia over the last we had six targets last week, but only had two catches for twenty five yards.

He hasn't been super productive.

Yeah, the week before that it was five for thirty nine, six for sixty five, three for twenty three, and then all the way back against Arizona was five for one oh four. He hasn't scored in any of those games. No, his stat's got one touchdown. I think we have money to spend. I think we spend.

Is there anyone cheaper than these guys that stands out? I mean we're getting pretty. I don't want to go. I mean we've got money.

We don't need to go cheap, right, I mean we just don't.

All Right, who are the big big dogs?

Well, you're looking at Jamar Chase is eighty five hundred, AJ Brown eighty one hundred, Justin Jefferson seventy eight hundred, Pokin the Kua seventy seven hundred, Ceed Lamb against the Bengals seventy three hundred.

Chase and Lamb could go insane in that game.

Oh, that could be up and down the field.

Uner Higgins cost I bet he's worth it.

Mike Evans is seventy two hundred, Taysom or tot. I'm sorry, Tyreek Hill is seventy one hundred, Cooper Cup seven thousand, Milik Neighbors sixty nine hundred.

But it's questionable.

George Pickens sixty eight hundred, Devonte Adams sixty seven hundred, Garrett Wilson sixty six hundred, T Higgins sixty five hundred.

I love that one.

I'm plugging that in.

Yes, Yes, that's too cheap, and that's under that's under budget.

We might be able to pay up for one of those for a.

Burrow, yeah, or any back we want flex situation.

Take them out at taking getting pivot away from one of those sheeper guys.

Does LAMB do anything for you? I mean, we could afford any of those receivers.

Well, here's some other guys. So Drake London is sixty four hundred soda is. I understand that Cousins hasn't been great, right, but but London, despite Cousins throwing four interceptions in that game last week, London got sixteen targets, had nine catches for eighty six yards.

Pitts isn't even on the field that much anymore. And I got no problem investing in London. I think he's a really really good player.

Yeah, and they're gonna, I mean, they're gonna have to score. He got seventy catches. I don't know, let's let's let's look at Smith. Fine with it, Smith and Jigba is sixty three hundred.

He's spreading pretty consistent lately too.

Lad McConkie is sixty three hundred.

I like it if you know he's playing. Yeah.

DK metcalf is sixty two hundred.

That whole neighborhood's interesting to me.

DJ Moore sixty one hundred. Question he's questionable. So all all three of those mconkie, metcalf and more are all questionable before you get to Marvin Harrison at six thousand.

Okay, and we started calming down from there, there's a handful in that neighborhood.

I like, you know what I'm thinking here? And this would be the game where Chase Brown goes nuts. But give it Chase Stack, Burrow, Chase and Higgins.

Wow, where would we be short? Our flex wouldn't be a souper. We didn't look at any of this super expensive running backs. Let me let me just see what it looks like. So Burrow at seventy three hundred, and if we plug in Chase is questionable. Chase, oh yeah, but if maybe we can avoid that one, Let's go Higgins Burrow.

If we plugged him in at eighty five hundred. We could always pivot off that. If he's not gonna try, well it's Monday night though. Well, if he doesn't play, then you pivot to Gasiki or u Cyvus or something like that.

And eat like six thousand dollars.

I understand, Yeah, there's there's danger in that.

I think he's gonna play.

I think he's gonna play too. That leaves us then ten dollars to fill a wide receiver in a flex spot.

Okay, what if we like londoned it or I know it won't give us a ton left to flex, but there were some cheapies we liked under six thousand. We couldn't afford London though we London would have like four grand left, we'd have less.

Than four grand.

Okay, yeah for a flex for a flex spot, Smith and Jigba. If we went say Khalil Shakir at fifty nine hundred, there was a hand woul leave us in forty two hundred for the flex spot. It's not much that would get you. Let me see here, let's just take a look. We'd be in too Bengal greedy. Maybe that would get you, Like if we turn chase into London. Our flex would be.

Yeah, then you're then you're talking about a wide receiver. If you throw another wide receiver in there. Looking at Let's say you like London and you like Smith.

And Jigba, we get both with the flex.

There are sixty three or sixty one hundred, sixty three hundred, Actually.

We could, I bet we could.

That would be both of those guys on the money.

I like both.

So let's go Smith and Jigba, and then we have sixty four hundred left for the flex. That would be either Tony Pollard or Drake London.

I prefer London. We didn't look at any the expensive back. So Tony Pollard is playing jackson They're playing Jacksonville.

They're thirty first. They don't do anything well.

They're the worst team in the league right now. Pauler's fine. I think they win you too, And I think he gets he's had a really good year and nobody seems to talk about it. Yeah.

Now, last week he only had eight carries for thirty five yards. They got killed, but he did catch four passes for thirty three yards. He still had nine point eight points. But if you look at his game logs, I mean it's been pretty good over the last nine point eight. Twenty four point nine. They got killed by Minnesota. That was in the twenty four point now in a win over Houston, four point nine against Minnesota, ten point three against the Chargers, twenty one point four against New England. Again they won. So if you think they're going to win the game, I do, or at least be very competitive.

The three point favorites, and I think there that's still too low.

He could have a monster game.

I'd like London as well, but I'm cool with both. That's our flax. That's right.

We're talking about the flash puzzle, right, Yeah, do it. Tony Poller did this.

All right?

So that gives us Joe Burrow at the quarterback.

Yeah, yeah, real nice.

At seventy three hundred, Braylan Allen at five thousand at running back, Rashad White at fifty three hundred at running back.

T Higgins is going to get out of White if Irving plays.

Yeah, okay, we'll pivot to. Yeah, I have to do something.

To There was the Raider guy. There was a couple of cheapy running backs in the neighborhood.

Maybe I could go up and a couple hundred dollars or one hundred dollars to Grendo White's fifty three hundred, T Higgins at sixty five hundred, Jackson Smith and Jigbitt sixty three hundred, Khalios Shakir at fifty nine hundred, the total quality Kate Otten at forty four hundred. We could also move down a tight end a little bit if you needed to. There are some of those guys that we really liked, Tony Pollard at sixty four hundred in the Flex and the Saints defense at twenty nine hundred.

Cool, lock it up.

That's a good lineup.

I like it.

I like it. Burrow could just go nuts on Monday night.

Yeah, I think you will. Yeah, I think you will. Yeah.

So there's our DFS lineup for this week. We'll see if we can turn that into winter. When Matt and I come back, we'll take a look at all the games, excluding the one we've been talking about all week long, the Steeler game. We'll talk about that one in the final segment. He's Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lollie. You're listening to the drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. We'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 cast in Steelers Nation Radio.

Welcome back. I am Dale Lolly, he is the Matt Williamson and Matt it's time to take a look at this week's schedule of games. We just kind of went through some of this stuff a little.

Bit here, but sure.

Kicking off our one o'clock schedule, the Jaguars at two and ten are at the three and nine Titans Tennessee favored by three and a half. The over under is thirty nine and a half. No Trevor Lawrence in this one, so it is going to be Mac Jones.

I feel pretty strongly about the Titans covering that. Yeah, and I don't even think they're great, but I think their defense is good. They did give up hard two hundred and sixty four yards on the ground last week.

Oh I know, I know.

I mean they're not a great team. I'm not saying that.

There's no way Jack Wars stink.

I think they're the worst team.

They're pretty walking.

Day yea right now.

Yeah, they know the coaches and coming back the coach knows he's not coming right. Those guys are all, as you said, a bunch of time with the Browns. This time of the year. Everybody's office door.

Is closer all of a sudden it used to be open. Yea, what they're talking about.

Everybody's on the phone whispering and the.

Need job buddy guy spots for me over in Cleveland or over in Chicago or wherever.

Yeah, that's the kind of stun that's going on there.

Yeah. I think that they currently owned the number one pick, which I bet they wouldn't mind keeping.

Yeah, I think that. I think that the Titans rolling that one. Uh, the three and nine Jets are at the five and seven Dolphins Miami favored by five and a half, the over under forty four and a half.

I know the Jets d's still decent, but I think Dolphins smoke them. Well.

I think with Sauce Gardner out, do we know he's out? I think he hasn't practiced all week. Yeah, it wasn't looking good. I think to it carves them apart. Yeah, and I think their defense pretty decent. They're at home that Aaron Rodgers was talking badly about management. It's falling apart.

Yeah, I guess he's worried about his documentary and stuff too. Like it's there's no way I'm on the Jets.

No, No, I think they get smashed.

I think they get smashed like Hulk more than most weeks. There's games I think are I'd be willing to put my hard earned money.

On teams that have something to play for against teams that don't.

There's some lines I don't quite get this, yeah, which always scares me when you start doing that. But you know, I mean big lines too, not dummies. Right, you got the Kirk Cousins revenge games is another one. The Falcons at six and six, are at the ten and two Vikings Minnesota favored by six the over under forty five and a half. I think Minnesota destroys them. I don't think going back to Minnesota in his current state is good for Cousins. No, I don't think so either. He doesn't get out of the way of the rush. They're gonna blitz them with it the brazy it's not out of them. Yeah, Darnold worries me when he's under pressure. They're the worst pass rushing defense in the league. Like I think there's this is a horrendous matchup in Minnesota. For me, it would be nice to see Justin Jefferson perhaps get into the end zone in one of these weeks. I know you have some thoughts on that.

Well here's it's like, so, cousins, just I'm sorry.

Yeh.

Darnold has gone over three hundred yards and two touchdown passes, and like five consecutive games, none of those touchdown passes have gone to Justin Jefferson. I mean, what are the odds?

All right? He's not doing wrong?

No, I mean he's catching passes. He's not like he's not been productive in most of those games. He's just not getting in the end zone.

I could also see like Beijon in London and those guys having decent games. And I don't think this is going to be very close.

Falcons are one and five against the spread against teams with winning records this season, oh and four in their past four.

Yeah, I think they get beat YEP. I don't think they're very good.

The Saints at four and eight, are at the two and ten Giants New Orleans favored by four in the road. The over under is forty and a half.

I'll gladly lay four.

Yeah. I don't know how those Saints score all their points, right. We probably should have looked at Alvin Kamara maybe in DFS, but he's expensive at this point.

The Giants are another one that are just miserable. They're picking second or third right now, and I don't think they mind.

Drew Locke did not look great on.

Their shutting guys down neighbors is out, I mean questionable.

As bad as Luck was in the game on Thanksgiving, he's still better than Tommy DeVito.

Oh yeah, yeah, he's a the NFL quarterback. Yeah.

Right, But Derek Carr actually, since he came back in Week nine from that oblie, been good. Six touchdowns, no interceptions.

Yeah, yeah, Like their offense has been respectable. Yeah, but no no target, nobody to throw to, right Nola, he just right? Okay? No, I think there are two tiers ahead of the Giants.

Yeah, I think that the Saints. So when that one going away, Uh, you've got the three and nine Panthers at the ten and two Eagles. Yuck. Yeah, Philadelphia favored by thirteen, the over under forty five and a half.

It's a lot, but I still would take the.

Eagles Saque might run for three hundred yards and.

Say the biggest mismatch of the whole week is the eag lined versus the Carolina line.

Panthers are allowing one hundred and sixty point one rushing yards per game, which is worse than a league, including two hundred and thirty six last week against Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is a good offensive line, but they don't have Saquon Barkley.

Or Mulatta or Lane Joe.

It's again, they might run for over three hundred yards.

I don't think Hurts will be under any pressure. I mean, I think they'll do whatever they want one of them.

The only fear with with like if you wanted to start Barkley in the DFS league, is that he's not going to be in there in the second half.

Maybe not, maybe not. AJ Brown might not either. Kenneth game Well might run for one hundreds. They may not even throw a pass in the second half. Yeah, which is exactly what they did. It might be Kenneth Gamewell getting twenty carries in the second half of that sneaky DFS start.

Yeah, uh yeah. I think the thirteen a lot. I think the Panthers have or the Eagles have their way with them.

Eagles defense is playing, it's been playing league right now. Yeah.

Maybe the only way I could see Carolina hanging around is if the Eagles have a little bit of a letdown. Good after going into Baltimore and winning last week, and who did beat the week?

There's a human nature to it. It's in Carolina, right, No, it's in films. Yeah, I'm not picking the Panther.

No, I'm not either. Another mismatch here. You got the two and ten Raiders at the six and six Buccaneers. Tampa Bay line's too low to Tampa Bay favored by six and a half, the over under forty six and a half.

They're a much better team than the Raiders. Yeah, in their building, a lot to play for. Atlanta loses, they win, They're right.

Back in first place, right in the driver by themselves.

I think they're gonna win that division. Yeah, I think so as well. And I don't know where the Raiders have advantages.

How about this little stat though, Aidan O'Connell, he hasn't been horrible. Who will get to start this week for the Raiders. In his career, he's made thirteen starts, He's eleven and two against the spread.

Oh wow.

I mean, just that's the best of any quarterback in the Super Bowl Area era with at least ten starts.

Okay, so he's not terrible.

He keeps them like maybe this the lines are a little what.

He thinks they're. Yeah, horrible, but it's not terrible. I mean, I think that's that's what it tells us. I believe it. But I don't think they are within a touchdown in this game. And I don't know that the betting public is changing that or onto this or anything. Yea, for they aren't. I could see the Raiders with a little back door cover there. They've got weapons, they got weapons. I mean I thought about Bowers for DFS. Yeah, he's a monster. You know, he be offensive Rokie of the year. I kind of think he should maybe if you're gonna catch him, and he might be the best sight in the league. Yeah.

By the way, he looks like he's like forty five years old.

I bet he is when he was ten too. Yeah. Yeah, one of those dudes.

I mean, he's got less hair than I do.

Yeah, he's been a full grown man like forever.

Uh Okay, moving on to the four o'clock games. He got the Seahawks at seven and five are at the Cardinals at six and six. Arizona favored by two and a half, the over under forty four and a half. I don't know what to think of this game.

Maybe maybe you know last night game aside, this is the biggest game of the week. Yeah, I think whoever wins this wins the West. I do too if you look at their remaining schedules and tie breakers and all that. I mean, this is a months one of the biggest games of the year period. I think it's a very equal match or matchup. I like where both defenses are playing. I think Seattles is more talented. I just was gonna take points, Okay, I'm not sure who's gonna win. If you're gonna give me points, I'll take it. Yeah, I mean, I just don't too I think he said right two and a half, two and a half.

I just don't know which Kyler Murray.

It's been a little up and down.

Yeah, it's really they can't be happy with how he's played over all this year.

They'll probably grin and say yes, but probably deep down he's a B and we need an ayah.

Yeah, yeah, and yeah, so.

Yeah, I.

Think in this matchup, I'll go with the home team. It's only two. If it were three, I might take the points. But two and a half, I think somebody wins this by a field goal. I'll go with the home team winning it by a field goal. Okay, you got the ten and two Bills at the six and six Rams. Buffalo only favored by three and a half. I know the over unders forty nine and a half Bill's nation.

I would say, I bet a lot of peop wouldn't mind geting out of Bufalo right about now. Yeah, go to La and get a little son.

You can get a flight from Buffalo to La. It's probably about six different changes.

But I think the Bills win by a touchdown or so. I mean, this might be high game at half, but I don't know if the Rams can hang around for sixty years of the team. I think they get after Stafford. Yeah yeah, and make him. Their defense have been really solid, it has, and yeah, I'm sure Alan will get.

We started Khalils Shakir and our H. I think I think the Bills put up a bunch of points.

The Rams.

The Rams can score points.

This might be higher score might be a sneaky over.

Yeah, this would be a game. What was the over forty nine and a half? So Vegas thinks it's going to be a higher scoring game.

I'd stuck, probably lean towards the over yain.

Yeah, you got the four and eight bear at the five and seven forty nine ers. San Francisco favored by four the un three and a half. Chicago isn't won in quite some time. They were four and four.

At one They have really found some ways.

There were four and three at one point.

Yeah, I think right, they've been really good at finding weird ways to lose. Yeah, I'll definitely take the points.

New coach.

Yeah, I don't know if that gives them a bump or not or whatever. I mean, probably to some degree. I think Caleb Williams and the offense is playing much better since the coordinator change. Although now you take the coordinator out of the coordinator job. Weird. But I just think the Niners are a disaster. And I hate to say things like this, but they've had multiple players lately lose children, you know, like terrible.

Things, Yeah, I mean like awful life things.

Yeah. Like and oh, by the way, your stars are going to fall and left and right, the injury and it's just it has to be a bad environment right now.

Yeah, it's not good, not good at all.

Uh.

The Sunday night game, this is a big game, Hm, the eight and four charge at the eleven to one Chiefs Kansas City favored by four forty two and a half is the over under. So they don't think a lot of points. No, and in a case where they're not, there's not gonna be a lot of points scored. He'll take the points.

Me too, me too. Overfield goal. Yeah, this feels like seventeen sixteen, twenty one to twenty Hardbaugh keeping his team in it. I'd love to know if mcconkey's playing just because you need some kind of weapons.

I think he end up packing will and he was he was, he was limited yesterday, so I would I would think he plays.

Yeah.

I think they might win outright, and this is a I think they will too. I think that's certain certainly a possibility because they'll get a pass rush on Mahomes. Yeah, against those tackles.

Oh, they'll own those tackles.

And the other thing. I think that's kind of under reporter right now. The Chiefs kickers. Now, Matthew right now, I like Matthew Wright.

Sure, it's a good opportunity for him.

But he doesn't have a big leg.

He's not bucker.

No, and they kick a lot of field goals.

I'm sure be windy and yeah, the Chiefs have been kicking a lot of field goals. If this was a pick'em game, I'm not sure who i'd take.

Yeah, Herbert is two and seven against the Chiefs in his career, but he is two and seven, so it's not like he never beats them.

Yeah, I mean that was also Staley as as head coach.

Yeah, the Chiefs have won fourteen consecutive games by one score or less, which is the longest streak in NFL history.

And that's awesome, and there's an art to it at some point that ends. Yeah, I just think they're doing the hidden vigorous is there. I think they have some secondary issues. Their pass rush is falling off a cliff. I bet Herbert does well in this game.

I'm looking here at the I always use the ESPN kind of model here. Yeah, they give you all the games and you just get out there. All three of their guys who pick are people who pick games, picking the Chargers to win outright, to.

Win out right?

Yeah, with that, I think I would too.

Yeah, and the Monday Night contest, this line doesn't add up to me either.

The Bengals at four and eight are at the five and seven Cowboys, who actually have won two games in a row.

No, they're doing good things.

Uh, Cincinnati favored by five, the over under forty nine and a half.

I think this game should a pick them like.

I don't know if it should be.

Here's clearly Burrow gives you an advantage. It's huge, I mean, much better quarter.

The question that you have to ask yourself when picking the Cowboys is Ken Dallas's offense with Cooper Rush score enough points to keep up.

With Burrow because they probably will put thirty on you. They're gonna put up at least thirty mid twenties minimum because Dallas's defense is not great. It's not great at all. Yeah, I mean Parsons could have a day, but they are going to score on Yeah, there's no question Dallas is running the ball better. I mean they're a little more well rounded now. Rush is finding himself as a well below average quarterback.

But not Farson's back.

Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you're at home. I think they're better coached. Yeah, I mean I'll take the points. Sure. I mean, if it's a pick them game, I'd probably would take the Bengals. Yeah, but I'll take the points.

I hear you on that one. I think, if anything, I would just play the over under. What is it, forty nine and a half. That's lower than I thought. Yeah, I mean you leaning towards the over. I soon, I mean, put a bunch of Bengals in our lineup. Yeah, yeah, right right, I could have. Yeah, I'll take the I'll take the Bengals. I'll lay the points. Just take the Bengals. I think they do. They do, but I think Burrow kind of wills them to win it in a game in which his defense isn't markedly worse than the defense Steelers defense.

Yeah, right right, it is Monday Football. He's super proud. I get all that.

Yeah, and he goes out and has himself a game.

I don't doubt that one bit. I just think their defense is what I saw from it last week. I can't go down that road as a favorite. I mean, I hear I mean, if this was a two point game, maybe, but over a field goal.

I hear you, but I just don't know if the Cowboys as currently constructed, if Dak Prescott was playing.

Oh yeah, yeah, the it's probably a pick them game.

Yeah. I don't know that they can keep up with.

Your points valid, I mean, there's no question. But can rush feed ceedee lamb fifteen times? I mean targets?

Yeah?

Probably try. Yeah, I don't know if that results in thirty points or not.

Yeah, I don't know either. It might might and then the Bengals just go down to score again.

Yeah, I'm sure the Bengals will do well.

Yeah, but anyways, that's this week's slate of games. Remember there's a spreads six teams on the by this week, including the Ravens, so we won't get to see them go out and match up again. There Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, New England and Washington. So a couple of those teams you don't mind being off because they don't have to. They aren't the affront of your eyes. That Yeah, you don't have to watch New England once again.

No other division teams to watch on Sunday though.

No, that's it just Steelers Bengals or Steelers Browns I should say, ye, that's it. We will talk about that game and what we think is going to happen in that one when we come back. He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network, and of course you can listen to the Drive every Monday through Friday from four to six pm right here on these very airways where you can download the Steelers Mobile app and get the show downloaded to your phone. You can also watch the show on YouTube. Leave us your compliments or complaints in the comments section there, but we'll be back with more right after this.

At least.

He is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and Gold cast in Steelers Nation Radio.

And welcome back. I am Dale Lolly. He is d Matt Williamson, and this is the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. And Matt, we have the Steelers injury Report here, okap. And it is interesting because cropping up on the injury report today George Pickens, Oh wow, questionable. Well, there's a limited participant today. He's got dealing with a little bit of a hamstring.

Okay, that's totally news to us, right, it is completely new. Yeah, Wednesday Friday or Wednesday Thursday, he was full go right, yeah, okay, don't love hearing that. I mean, he's been pretty high on my list of guys not to lose.

Yeah. The only other guy on the Steelers injury report is Montrevius Adams. Listed is out, but he hasn't been activated from I are yet. Everybody else is good to go.

Okay, Well, obviously keep an eye on pickings. Yeah, hopefully it's just precautionary. Something's bugging them a little bit, you know.

Yeah, kind of that's the way it looked.

That's usually the thing.

From what I saw practice today, I was interested to see how they would list him. Let's put it that way.

Okay. I know you can't say certain certain things. But it wasn't like, oh my han string popped and nothing like that. Bring the card out. Yeah, season over, Yeah, crazy stuff.

So all the people if he doesn't play, all the people ripping on pickens all they got to get rid of them. They got to do this, they got to do that. Be careful what you ask for.

Oh yeah, he's really good.

Yeah, might change the game plan a little bit.

Absolutely. Brown's injury reports different story, right, Yeah. Yeah.

They They've got four guys out and three guys questionable for this game. Cornerback Harden with the tibia is questionable. One Thornhill, the safety with the calf injury. He was limited all week, he is questionable. And Jamari Thrash, one of their wide receivers. He was limited yesterday and today, didn't practice on Wednesday. He's questionable. That is significant because well, looking at the guys who were out, Cedric Tillman did not practice again today. He is an out. Two of their defensive tackles Maurice Hurst and Sam Kamara both out, and Jedrick Wills.

Uh yeah, also shot.

There no shock.

There, but okay, Yeah, Tillman was the one you had a thought might but then early early in the practice week it was pretty clear.

So they only have five receivers on their roster, okay, and you know Tillman's out, so that knocks him down the four.

Judy and Moore gonna play everything else.

If Thrash doesn't play, now you're down to three.

I wonder if you go to a lot more twelve, you.

Don't have to bring somebody about the practice squad.

I'm just thinking, how how am I going to help my edge past protectors. Maybe you get bigger bodies out there and don't play as much eleven as you usually did.

Don't want to run, they want They never run the ball man. That's the thing.

I would think Najoku gets a spike in production or while he had seventeen targets last week, I meaning more than that. But I bet they throw them a lot. Yeah.

So, uh, the Steelers in this game favored by six and a half, the over under forty three and a half.

I realize I'm right on the total. Basically, what do you see happening in this game, Matt, I have Steelers winning twenty seven seventeen. I didn't realize I was right on the total. I think the story of the day is the Steelers defensive line is the best unit out there and is a totally dominant pass rushing and run defending front. And I still think the Browns will make plays. I mean, Winston makes plays. I think their pass catchers are still good enough that they'll move the football and maybe they get behind the defense and do some things. But I do think there's some revenge here. The home factor. Steelers are in a good spot overall. The other side of the ball I don't think will be as good for Pittsburgh, but I still think that back to Wilson keeping them out of bad plays balance, I expect there to be a nice run pass balance. Pickingsing gives me a little bit of pause, but I'm gonna operate under the assumption he's playing, and I would still pick the Steelers to win without him, but probably in a different manner. I mean, he gets people out of the box and makes safeties rule direction, and you know, I think there'll be a lot tougher sledding if he's unable or pulls up lame halfway through or whatever. But I think the Steelers are just better, and I don't think a lot of the bounces and things that didn't go their way are going to have the same effect this year the time around.

Yeah, I think getting high Smith back is big. Yeah. As we mentioned, just one tackle for a loss for the Steelers in the first meeting while the Browns had eleven out.

I'm not saying it's gonna flip, but I bet the Steelers get more than the Browns do.

Yeah, and the Browns don't run the ball all that much. But I still think the Steelers getting behind the line of scrimmage more often. I don't think this. I think the offensive line comes out and plays a little better this time around.

Yeah.

Yeah, they're going to know exactly where Miles Garrett's at and how to shut him down.

That's as possible.

Sure, I think TJ. Watt has the better game this at all. Yeah, and maybe solidifies his rankings among the or NFL Defensive Player of the Year. So you sent me an article from today that's on the Pro Football Focus. A guy from Pro Football Focus championing championing Cam Hayward as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

I think he has a case. Yeah, I mean I don't know this, but I mean, don't the Steelers vote on defensive and offensive MVPs every year or they just do a team they do a team MVP. It might be Cam Hayward, it might be yeah, And I don't think TJ. Shabat and I or you know, I mean, Hayward's been unbelievable this year. Another Pro Football Focused thing I tweeted out I found interesting was they put a graph out today of all the edge pass rushers. They're their PFF grade, so take with a grain of salt, but it's still something when they truly have one on ones the top five guys in the league, and then there's a little gap and there's Hendrickson and Bosa, but the top five guys in the league, as you'd expect, are Parsons, Garrett, Watt and her Big and Heismith. Yeah, they have three of the top five, like, come on, man, and they're gonna feast. I think.

Yeah, I expect to see her Big on the field a lot with those other two guys. It's a shame thing. Yeah, they play all three of them.

I did a Thursday night show with Mike Pursuda and Merrill and we were talking about that more and more, and I think it's probably a maybe maybe it's five snaps.

Yeah, maybe it's five to ten snaps.

But if you keep Herbig off the field, right Yeah. And if I was them, I'd play Watt a little bit less snaps too, not that he's been overworked, but you don't have to play him a ton.

Yahrston Smith might be out there in first and ten. I got this from being a little higher scoring than you. I got it I got Steelers thirty the Browns twenty four. Okay, I do I have respect for the Cleveland's offense in the football.

I do too. I just think that he's gonna be under a lot of the rests and I'm expecting way more negative plays. Yeah, it doesn't mean they'll be less positive, but I think they'll be way more negative.

That's the thing. I think for every positive play he makes, let's say, for every two positive plays he makes this has just been the course of his career, there's one negative. So it's two steps forward, one step back for Jamis Winston all the time.

And something might not even be him, might just be sacks and pad batted passes and stuff. The Steelers do well. Yeah again, I really think the d line's in a good spot.

Yeah. And to our point earlier.

You think Porter follows Judy, Now I assume.

I don't think he does. I they just play sides because you know they the other guys have been good too.

Yeah.

He just he spreads the ball around so much that.

They all get targed. Yeah.

Yeah, but I do think you see Manka a lot on the Joko again, Yeah, I think I think I think that worked the first time around him.

Yeah, wouldn't you do that again after seventeen targets last week? Okay, Tillman's out. Yeah, that adds, so we could.

I mean if they try to target and joke, who's seventeen times with Minkea Fitzpatrick and primary coverage, We'll say ten of those make and Fitzpatrick's getting a turnover.

Oh, I like his chances no matter what. Yeah, but we've been saying that for a while.

But yeah, but most teams don't throw at him a whole lot.

If they don't have a lot of other options, they will, they'll throw at him if he's on the joko. Yeah.

Yeah. The Steelers right now have a ninety nine point three percent chance to make the playoffs. If they win this game, they have a seventy one percent chance to win the AFC North. The Ravens fall to twenty nine percent.

Okay, as they sit on buy. Yeah, obviously that's up.

So that's what's kind of at stake here with this game.

And no matter how it goes, if they lose Monday, I'm gonna be a little concerned. Yeah, I mean, not that they won't go to the playoffs or can't still make noise, but it's not where you want to be in this season. I mean, this is one I think you kind of have to have.

Yeah, this is one at home that you'd better wine if if you were the team.

And they truly want to be the team, you think you can be.

Yeah, yeah, so you got to get the take care of business here. That would also give Mike Tomlin. I think it's eleven ten win seasons.

I think you're right.

That would tie him with Andy Reid for the most ten win seasons. Second most ten win seasons, I should say since two thousand and seven.

Wow, I assume Belichick.

Belichick one with fourteen. He's not going to add to that total.

He's not gonna add that. I wonder where it is all time. It's gotta be pretty.

High percentage wise, I would think very high. Yeah, yeah, ye, yeah, So that's what you're that's what you're looking at here, And well we'll see, you know.

How this lies going to get to ten no matter what.

Yeah, but yeah, I think the Steelers handle their business in this one. I think.

I think Cleveland covers I don't six and a half's a lot. It's a big one. I was shocked when I saw that number the first time around. I was like, I thought it would be like four in that neighborhood. I'm just betting on the Steelers D line more than anything.

Yeah, I hear. I mean, that wouldn't surprise me if they blew him out. But I just I do have a respect for what Jameis Winston is doing right.

Now very much.

So it would if this were Deshaun Watson. The line couldn't be big.

Enough, wouldn't be big enough, right, and they would have cashed it in and their whole attitude to be different wouldn't shock me. At the defense scores, yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah, it's a tip ball and make it exit.

Something along those. Yeah, I do expect. Well, Calvin Austin is not even on the injury report this week, so he's been cleared. True, So that's a good sign the Steelers will have. Even if Pickens were to not play, they would.

That would change my tune. I don't like hearing that at all. I still think they win and I would pick them to win. I wouldn't take them the.

I think the defense wins this one.

Yeah, I think all the defense even if it is.

And I know my score was thirty to twenty four. H But if a team's gonna come out and throw the ball sixty times in today's NFL, you're gonna score points.

Yeah, to score points, But the other thing is gonna get hit. There's gonna be negative plays. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I just don't know. I think the Steelers will play it much closer to the best without pickings. Yeah, run, run punt. Okay, we'll be fine. Defense has things, you know. I think it'd be a much lower scoring game. Yeah. That's gonna do it for the week one week. Yeah, good week. We'll be back on my five day week for the first time.

Absolutely, get a five day week next week as well, so that'll be fun.

Uh.

But for my partner Matt Williamson, for Justin Miller here on saite running the Justin Miller hotline, well done. Yes, absolutely. For Tyler Viittmyer here making sure our video makes it out on to YouTube. You need to check that out if you haven't. I am Dale Lolly. We thank you for listening to this edition of the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network.

SNR Drive with Matt & Dale (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Dale Lolley and Matt Williamson tackle the days topics regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers each aftern 
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