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Speaker 1: M back inside the locker room here on a Friday, getting you ready for game day. One of the things that we like to do on Friday's, folks. It's a simple concept. It's called five Star Friday. We told you we'd find a way to still hear from Arthur Moates this afternoon. Well, what are the five biggest matchups that will determine the outcome of Steelers Bills Sunday up in Buffalo. It's time for a little five Star Friday. We were humbled and excited to be in these five star matchups. Fast match up. Somebody leaving here with the loves, I'm not gonna be up. It's a five star matchup because we're in there stplace it here. It just hits different. Arthur Moats, I absolutely love it. I've been waiting for this all summer. Ladies and gentlemen. It's five Star Friday. Your five biggest matchups to determine the outcome of Steelers Bills Sunday up in Buffalo. Here we go. Five Star Friday matchup number one. Okay, okay, we are back in the saddle, and we're not gonna let a little Hall of Fame induction get in the way of five Star Friday. So the first matchup we're gonna talk about is Josh Allen versus Mika fitz Patrick. Now we know Josh Allen, oh world super hot, coming in very productive. But we've seen what Mika has been able to do since he's robbed the Pittsburgh, the turnover magnet, the splash king splash, splash, splash, slipping slash splash. That's what Mika brings to the table. And I fully anticipate Mika starting fast because he is ready to get paid. And the way Minki gets paid is by getting turnovers. And we know Minka needs his money. So look for my man Minka at some point in his game to capitalize on one of these improvisation plays by Josh Allen where he takes a little bit of chances right where he gets a little risque with the ball. Look for my man Mika to capitalize to show up in a big way. One of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL against one of the best young safety is one of the best safeties in the NFL. That is good on good Josh Allen. The verse menca Fitzpatrick five Star Friday and matchup at number two. Okay, well, now we gotta get to the office side of the ball for the Black and Gold team, And I'm talking about running that rock with Nag Harris versus the linebacking tandem of Tremaine Edmonds and Matt Milano. Now, listen, ladies and gentlemen, we know they got a pro bowler, and they know they got a lot of money in that linebacker room right there with Matt Milano and Tremaine Etmonds. They both present challenges in terms of coveraging and getting downhill and stop in the run. But we drafted Naji Harris in the first round four reasons, Yes, we did. We drafted Naji Harris in the first round when everybody said you don't take friending backs in the first round. We drafted Naji Harrison the first one when there was other lineman on the board, because we said, he is that much better than every single player that was available when the skills were on the clock. Bama. We've seen him hurdle, we've seen him burst, We've seen him catch players off the backfeet and go for forty seven yards, and I fully anticipate him to continue that traject three, that linear progression that Nazi Harris has been on. So, my friends, if you're ready for some action, get you a popcorn ready, because these guys, oh man, Nazi versus Tremaine a mat Oh my goodness, that is double the price of admission. Yeah, yeah, I mean all these studs already in the conversation. It's only our second matchup. Yeah, the rookie, we all know what he's capable of. We are all excited about young Naji Harris. It is a heck of a test for him. Week one to start here, you go, ruck, Welcome to the NFL. Looking across the line at you is Edmonds and Milano, a very formidable pairing. I love it. Arthur Moates, fire Star Friday. Yeah. Matchup number three, well, when we're sticking with our studs, we know they have a really, really good stud that happens to play wide receiver. I was waiting for this kill goes by the name of Stefan Dicks. We're just gonna throw him out the equation. We don't want to deal with that guy. Okay, we're not dealing with that guy. So we're gonna talk about any dB lined up against any receiver not named Stefen Dicks. Those are the ones we have to consistently win. Those are the ones that we have to come out of their seeing We won that matchup. We dominated that element because he digs, brings and we know it doesn't matter which corner we put over there. He's kind of like a b when ab was doing his being to. I mean, however long you want to continue to go with baby, certain players are just different. Diggs is different right now. But the way you can beat that, Bills Offers is making sure the rest of those receivers don't step up and kill you. Cole Beasley can't go out there and have a hunt of yard game. Gabriel Davis can't have a hundred yard game. A man you will Sanders cannot turn the clock back and have a hundred yard gate. That's how you handle it. So that's what I'm gonna be most excited about what r dbs when they line up against any receiver not named Stefon Diggs. I love it. You know, you mentioned Stefund Diggs at a start. I thought, here comes Digs and Hayden and you just absolute curveball, and that's why the people tune in on five Star Friday. Hey man, I'm just trying to put us in a position to be successful, absolutely, and that is what we love about the five Star Friday matchups. You gotta win these to be successful. So let's keep it rolling. Five Star Friday Matchup number four. Now, there was once a movie called White Man Can't Jump Started? Do you tell me you listen to me? You know? All I'm saying is you might listen to but you're not hearing Jim. You feel me. See, you might listen to you, but you're not hearing. You're not hearing us. I because sometimes we've been called Sydney Dean and Billy Hoyton. We have, We've gotten the tweets we've gotten. That's our all three egos, and we're two on two champions. We won't smoke with anybody and we'll go to the park and hustle. So you know who else happens to have that Billy Hoyt and Sydney Dean relationship? Right? Have you heard of Devin Bush and Joe Schober? Wait a minute now, but guess who they're gonna have to go against there? Two on two Zack Marson devon single to Holy wait a minute. I'm excited about this one because I do feel this is favorable for us athletically. The challenger presents, though, is our Devon and Joe on the same page yet? Right? Sure? Because just like we saw in the movie White Man Can't Jump, they were still talented at the beginning of the movie, but they weren't cohesive at the beginning of the movie. They struggled to see him. At the end of the movie on the same page productive Simpatico, I thought, who, you're dunking it now? So Joe, Devin, I need y'all to do whatever y'all need to do it with these next couple of days to get as Sam Patico as y'all, kid, because y'all to have the potential to be really good great, the same way we talk about your main amens and Matt Malona. Y'all have that same potential. Y'all just have to get cohesive. Y'all just have to get up to speed working together, and then from there we can see that. But what better way to start it out than against Zach Mawson Devon Secretary. Two young guys, good players, not great, but good, formidable, good challenge, but it's an opportunity that y'all should be able to thrive them. You should be able to thrive, should be able to kind of use that as a baseline and build on that throughout that as they as they grow that chemistry and become more and more comfortable with each other. Very well said, Very well said. And finally, I hope you got the vote. Was ready? Don't you don't you show me now? I will turn this car around. I will leave listen due right now, Unique New York. I would tell him I can't make it to the Hall of Fame the night red Leather. You better get the vocals. Figure out he got a five star Friday. Mm hmmmm, matchup number, Mama, there goes that man five. I'm talking about the man in the mirror on this one, baby. We got a newbie making his first start in the National Football League as a punter. Oh, the guy who beat out my aues friend who goes by the name of Jordan Brad. Shout out to him, just finding some new employment. But Presley, Harvin, the popping circumstances since you've arrived to Pittsburg have all been leading you for this moment right here. Yes, they have we saw you boom one in that first Hall of Fame game. We've been wiled by your practice prois with your powerful leg, thundering down, booming balls of thunder seventy yards plus five second hat time, just amazing. We need you to show up now. It's easy to do it in the preseason. It's easy to do it in training camp when the stakes earn it's high. It's easy to do it when you know this really doesn't count wins and losses. It's gonna be a different atmosphere when you go up to Buffalo, excuse not even Buffalos, or your park, New York. It's gonna it's gonna be a big difference, going to know what your park, New York at one o'clock, when you go out there, you make your first punt. I don't need you clambing up. I don't need you shanking anything, because we've seen that before. Right, that was the knocking Barry was, that was his knock. He'll he'll give you a couple of them. Riley, don't go up there, lay no duck. Now that floor has to be very high, exactly. Make Danny Smith, make Kevin Colbert, make coach Tomlin and make more importantly Art Rooney right, because they made that decision based on you. We've seen Barry come through here with multiple guys kicking against or putting against him, and he's beating them out. They changed for you, make them right, Priceley. So that's the guy. That's my fifth and final. I absolutely love it all over the board. Offense, verse, defense, quarterback verse, secondary running backs, verse linebackers, and a little man in the mirror hunter verse himself punter versus his debut as a rookie. Great stuff, Arthur Bates. One more time, if you could run us through the gamut, you know, just in case people might have turned in late, or might have might have tuned in late part of me or missed something and they just want to double check their notes. Run us down again. Those five matchups five Star Friday, the five matchups that will be determined the outcome of Steelers Bills on Sunday up in Orchard Park. Yeah. Absolutely, first matchup, Josh Allen versus Minka Fitzpatrick gets no better than that. That's really good on really good. Then at number two we gotta talk Nagy Harris versus the tandem of Tremaine Edmonds and Matt Milano. That's gonna be fun to watch. Then from there Pittsburgh Stills defensive backs versus any wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills named Stefen. I really like how you looped as many people as possible now and I love it as long as he's not named Digs. You should win that matchup, or at least be comparable on that matchup. Then from there, man, we gotta talk about our white man can't jump tandom baby, just like me, and you do what we do. I need Joe and Devon to get right in the group with us man as they take on Zack Moss and Devin Singletary. Favorable, but you gotta be on the same page. You gotta win that one. And then at number five, the man in the mirror, the young up and coming punting sensation, Pressley Harven thirds Pressley Harven the third. I guess no better than that, baby, And those are your five five star Friday matchups. Were humbled and excited to be in these five star matchups. Match up somebody leaving here with the loves. Can't have a Friday Show without having Arthur Moates and his five five Star Friday Matchups to keep an eye on those that will determine the outcome of Steelers bills on Sunday up in Orchard Park in Buffalo. Great stuff as always, they're from Arthur Moates. And one more time, congratulations to him getting inducted. Just a few hours here late this afternoon, early evening into the j m U, the James Madison University Hall of Fame. We're gonna take a break here. When we come back, we'll get into some final Buffalo Bills thoughts before we get into predictions and all that fun stuff as well. Wesley Ueler, Jacob Bract in the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Forward Store on ESPN Pittsburgh and SNR. Back inside the locker room on a Friday, another half an hour or so to go, Westley Ruler Jacob rect with you here a reminder that you will have Craig Willfleet Max Starks. They will be taking over the in the locker room duties for the rest of the season, beginning next week. You also hear those two fine gentlemen on the call of course Sunday up in Buffalo. And speaking of Sunday up in Buffalo, Jacob, we got some breaking news as it relates to those Buffalo Bills, and big shout out to Andy for pointing this out to me on Twitter. Something we talked about the Brian back O, Bill's defensive lineman Star Low too lately, was just ruled out of Sunday's game about fifteen minutes ago. I got us say Brian back on he saying, Oh, it could not be so great. It could not for that defensive line in Buffalo. Could spell a really good day for naj HARRISA. He's gotta be excited to hear. He's got to be happy. Yeah, that they're gonna lean heavy now on at Oliver. He's coming back from a from an injury plagued season last year. Now it's it's star loaded Layley with the injury, it was a calf injury that's been bugging him for a couple of weeks. He sustained in the Bill's final preseason game against the Packers, has not practiced in the past two weeks since then, and he will not play on Sunday. That is certainly a big development as we continue to look ahead here to the Buffalo Bills, and again shout out to Andy for for the hat tip. On Twitter there Andy tweeted me and said, Sean mcderbott just announced it on his his weekly Buffalo radio show on Friday mornings. Took to Google found a couple of news outlets here from Buffalo reporting it as well. So, Jacob, all of a sudden, you know, that kind of feels like it's it's becoming a storyline for both of these teams. We know these are two talented defenses. There are a lot of studs on both of these defenses. But now all of a sudden, the Buffalo Bills and the Steelers going to be shorthanded. We know the Steelers are going without Stefan to it. There's also some questions around the availability of Tyson Alualu, maybe a little bit banged up of an Alex Highsmith as well. You combine that with a T. J. Watt who hasn't had his typical offseason. There are certainly um things to be desired on the Steelers defense still, and now you look at Buffalo and a defense that has a lot of talent, but just a lot of those guys struggled to stay healthy last year, along with Ed Oliver, like we talked about, now it's star low to lay out with a calf injury Sunday, and that's just that's not ideal for the Bills, obviously, you know that is that is good for the Steelers, good for the offensive line and for Nase Harris certainly the Bills. I mean, there's you don't really have to sugarcoat it. They struggled in the run game last season. Their run defense. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly was not varsity level. And a big part of that was because Ed Oliver was injured. They get him back, they get some additional personnel in there, but now all of a sudden, a another injury, star Little Ailey going to be out. Looks like Emmanuel Sanders was limited in practice, is limited in practice right now. He is questionable for Sunday's game as well too. So who knows if we get that reunion with Manny Sanders. But these are two teams, Jacob, I mean, let's make no mistake about it. We know this in Pittsburgh. You know this in Pittsburgh if you are someone who's in tune with the Steelers throughout the entire year, not just the regular season, throughout the off season as well too. And if you've followed the Bills at all if you're any type of person who you know is a football junkie and follows what's going on around the league. Both of these teams, Jacob, there was a clear onus, from from ownership to front office to head coach all the way down, that that line of hey, we gotta be more effective at running the football, right, like that's that we all know. The Steelers from Arn't Rooney to Kevin Colbert to Mike Tomlin have preached that since March, since free agency, since the draft that it's it's It's the same for the Buffalo Bills. They're big onus this offseason as a team who went to the a f C Championship Game last year. To them to get over that hump to get to a super Bowl, to win a Super Bowl, they had to get better at stopping the run and they had to get better at running the football. Well, Jacob, for both of these teams, now with down some personnel, stopping the run on Sunday just got a little more challenging. Yeah, it did, uh for different reasons, of course. As you said, which would you like to start with, though, the Bills struggles or the Steelers struggles because let's let's go build struggles because I feel like, you know, I mean most of us here in this town. No, you know, the Steelers struggles with running the football last season. So kind of interesting road or or way the path that we've gotten to this point. That started twenty one for the Bills rushing attack. They went out on got Devin Singletary, who everyone thought was going to be there a guy, and then the very next year they drafted Zach Moss. Correct. However, that year that they drafted Zach Moss happened to be Josh Allen's arrival party to the NFL. Everyone talks about Josh Allen's progression from year one to year two, but that doesn't hold a candle to the progression he made from year two, year two to year three. And that's the same year that coincided was Zack Moss's arrival to Buffalo. So just real quick, thirteen percent better on his completion percentage from year two to year three. I mean, that's that's no small nuts. Not you don't think it's that big, but when you're talking about percentages, that is a that is a multi level grade difference. Let's say, if you were completing six out of ten passes, all of a sudden, you're completing seven out of ten, I mean an additional seven. That's that's that's a significant jump. You're going from a B minus to a solid A. There is essentially what you're doing, and it's just do I think that if if if Zach Moss was drafted the year before, when Josh Allen was only year two, that he would have been the star running back. No, but it definitely would have given more given him more opportunity to see more action. And now we know that basically, once Josh Allen had this m v P caliber season this past year, there is no threat of a running game. And I'm glad you mentioned it because so few people on the national media really talk about buffalo struggle to run the ball. They really just focused on how great of a passer Josh Allen is talented those wide receivers, not not how one dimensional the offense. You want to talk about the Steelers being a predictable offense down the stretch of season, Buffalo probably even more so, because I mean, yes, they struggled to have a a good running game, but they had even more of a reason to go past just because they had the great quarterback in Josh Allen. You knew the ball was being aired out. So yeah, I mean the issues are there, but I guess they're not as damaging of an issue considering your quarterback, especially when he's as mobile as he's. I mean, Josh and I think had seven or eight rushing down He's are RB one. That's not a horrible RVY one to have. The Steelers would have taken Josh Allen's numbers last year, and in the Steelers would have taken eight rushing touchdowns from Josh Allen last year. Well, that's nicely said by you. You're absolutely right, but that is again, as much as the NFL changes and evolves, and it certainly has in our lifetimes, it certainly has over the last dozen or so years. You to win championships, you know, to win your division, to get the a f C Championship games, to climb that ladder, to lift a Lombardi Trophy. It still does quite often come down to just as simple as you have to be able to stop the run, you have to be able to run the football. And both of these teams struggled in that department last year. You mentioned that word predictability, Jacob that that is the word for sure for the Steelers first eleven weeks of the season, right, it was working out well really, maybe first eight or so weeks of the season, and then teams started to catch up to them, and then Washington finally had the formula. For the Buffalo Bills, they had enough talent on offense and on defense to be able to still persevere or win a lot of games, win playoff games, go to the a f C Championship game. But they were unable to beat the Chiefs team that was very hobbled, that was down Patrick Mahomes couldn't run the football. What's crazy to me is the fact that the Browns had a more competitive game. Granted chat Henny was in there for a portion of it, but chat Heney had the most important play at the game on that third and third and long scramble. Was sad of the fourth down conversion which he threw the ball for. But the Browns in a more competitive game and kept the Chiefs offense more in check than the Bills did. Josh Allen just could not keep up in the defense, really couldn't keep Mahomes under wraps. So the reason you know you want to you want to bring up the Steeler's offense, rushing offense when talking about the Bills rushing offenses, because the Steelers went out and have and and and found a solution in Nagre Harris. Now, when we talked to Brian Bacco, he said, the Bills defense up front, they address in the first two rounds and went out got Gregor Rousseau. They went on and got Carlos Bashram, two guys on the defensive line. Now you're going to see them a lot more than you expected to with Lutta La not being with not being in the starting lineup. However, they're not starting guys even when he's out. When he's not out there, right, they are death pieces, and so I gotta wonder, Brian Bacco said. From the linebackers and behind the linebackers in the second area, the Bills are taken care of almost as consistent as you could ask for. Across those back guys, I guess you want to call it. We always call it our front seven, but how about the back eight if you will. So they're okay there, but when it comes to the defensive line, I didn't think they were really that shorthanded. It was good they went out and got Gregory Russo, but Devin Singletary and Zach Mills just aren't guys. They're guys, but they're not going to be a nag Harris. There are a lot of like what the Steelers had last year, and the guys who can have good games, but but you know, start to finish, they're they're just not the guy you want is your number one running back. And with a lot of running backs every year year and you're out on the free agent market, and certainly this year with three guys who a lot of teams would have coveted the running backs and maybe if a stretch forth with Michael Carter the backup out of North Carolina. I'm surprised at Bos didn't try to pursue one of those one of those guys. Two of them were gone in the first round, between a t N and Harris, but the other the other two were still there, both from North Carolina, and they didn't pursue either of them. I'm a little not concerned, but questioning why why not do that? If you got your defensive end and Gregory's are in the first round, great selection, why not say Okay, we did that. Lets out a different piece elsewhere. Yeah, no, I'm I'm with you on that. It's listen, Jacob. It's it's a weird kind of I don't know, it's a weird kind of back and forth that I feel like we do in this conversation when we talk about how there's not value in running backs, you shouldn't draft running backs high. Look the proofs in the pudding you can find running about all this. But then you see these teams where you look at their roster and it's like, man, if you only had a running back, we would really like what you had going. You know. I I think you could say that about the Steelers last year, right. You can definitely say that about the Buffalo Bills as well too. That's why, Jacob, A lot of people were trying to do the thirty thousand feet view thing when the Steelers took Nagy Harris, right, and they're like, you just don't take running backs in the first round. You don't do it. Their shelf life isn't long enough, the value isn't there. And that's easy to say from a bird's eye view, just throw that blanket over every situation. But when you're a team like the Steelers, and it was clear that that was the part of your offense that was holding you back that you really needed to come together for. You've got the quarterback, you've got the playmakers, you've got the defense. You need a run game in those scenarios. If that's what you need, and if you can draft the running back who brings instant value, Dude, to me, that's that's what you want in a draft pick. You don't always have to be like, oh, well, is he's still gonna play for us ten years from now? Because if you're in your super Bowl window now, who cares? When Ben Roethlisberger's gone? Who cares? Right? If Najy Harris has five really good years and then and then has a short shelf life and falls off a cliff, Okay, there's still value there. He improves the run game immediately. And you can't tell me when Ben's gone that whoever the next quarterback is, having Nagy Harris in the backfield isn't gonna be a nice way to break that guy into the league. I just it's a weird dichotomy to mean, Jacob, where we poopoo running backs, we poopoo the value there until that's the reason that you can't get over the hump, and then all of a sudden we're like, here, are you gonna find a way to run the football? Like? It just seems bess awkwards to me. If you will, it seems like a lose lose scenario if you're the Steelers who went out and and use that first round draft pick on Nasea Harris, because if you don't go out there and get them, it's, well, how how could you be a team that's in such dire need of a running back and you let him slip through your fingers? He fell all the way to twenty four for you, and you're just gonna pass up on him. And then the other side of that lose loses. What happened in reality is oh my gosh that she was when out and used their first round pick on our running back. Don't they know what the winning formula is? You can find running backs in the second and third round who succeeds so well. Some guys James Robinson went on drafted last year and he was a great addition for the for the Jacksonville Jaguars. So no matter what happened here, the Steelers were going to be criticized for the decision they made in the first round. It's just I think that of those lose lose, I'm happy the narrative is the way it is right now, where it's, oh my gosh, how could they go out there and waste the first round pick on a running back? Because realistically, I think that naj Harris was the second most talented option in this draft behind Trevor Lawrence. That you can certainly make that argument. You could, you could certainly present a very compelling case that that that is true. And again, when you're a team like the Steelers, when you've only got one, maybe two years left with your future Hall of Fame quarterback, why not get the guy that you think is going to have the instant impact. And who knows, Jacob, maybe the Bills will kind of be you know, if if their lack of run game is the reason that they end up, you know, falling short of a Super Bowl again this year, maybe they'll be kind of ruined the day that they didn't treat that position with more priority. Always interesting conversation. I do love having it. We gotta get to a break here when we come back on the other side. Oh, it's gonna be it's gonna be a little rapid fire. Folks will get to your predictions. We'll give our predictions. I want to ask Jacob his thoughts on a couple other games around the NFL. And of course we'll sing the here we Go song, Week one Buffalo Bills edition. All that, Well, you're gonna be my hype man. All right, I'll sing you'd be the hype man. Does that work for you? I'm Mac Miller, your tree j Does that work? You got? You got the boom box. We'll find what we'll find. We'll find one during commercial break. So last chance to get your predictions in. Tweet them to us at west Leuler at Jakie rec if you want your prediction, your score prediction. Of course I'm talking red on the air before we get out of here. He is Jacob Rect, I'm Westley Uler. You're listening to in the Locker Room, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store on ESPN Pittsburgh in sr back inside the Locker Room, final segment on a Friday, getting ready for Steelers Bills. We're gonna sing a song. We're gonna give some predictions here in just a moment, Jacob, I was looking over the stat sheet from last night. Rushing leader in last night's game between the cow Boys in the Bucks, Zeke Elliott, it was really thirty three yards? I thought you we're gonna say it was it was Leonard for An, Edward tom Or three yards? Was your leading rusher in last night's game. I and that kind of that picking backing off the conversation that we had in the last segment, it feels like the whole passing league thing, right, is very prevalent in September, October, maybe November, but still we know, like you gotta be able to run the football. You've gotta be able to stop the run if you want to win in December and January and beyond. But I that just kind of jumped off the page to me. Leading rusher last night in a game that was thirty one to twenty nine, plenty of offense, plenty of points, was Zeke Elliott with only thirty three yards. That explains Jacob had four carries for twelve yards in the first half last night. That explains Jacob why that game took like four and a half hours because they weren't running. I mean, you were. You were on your way back from Morgan was Virginia you were. I was asking you how that game win that you were broadcasting. You go, oh, well, it just happened to go to double overtime, as as the night games tend to do, extending your night. And I'm like, oh, am, I head, I'm thinking that sucks. You missed the whole game and still made an I want to have trip back home from Morgantown. You still saw the game winning field goal. Think about that. The soccer game that I called in Morgantown last night, W versus Georgetown seven o'clock start, went into double overtime, and I had a ninety minute drive to get home and I still was able to catch the end of that football game. Yeah, that was a long one. That was a long one last night, and certainly when you look, yes, I was happy to make it home to see the end and to see that jerk Tom Brady do it once again. You know what's funny too, I thought I had at the end of the game right before that game winning field goal was to Chris Godwin push off, push off, not push off? What's the us It's a push off. The fact that you even have to think about it. Come on, here's what I was Here's what I was gonna say. I I'm like, I would not be a good referee be because I think as well, let the let the kids play. No no, no, no, no. I think it's a referee and this is probably the wrong state of mind. Like I don't think if it's a foul in the first quarter, it's a foul with three minutes left in the game. So if Godwin does that in the first quarter, I might throw a flag. But in that situation, I'm not letting a flag decide that moment that play, I did not think it was that there was contact for sure, So I I said this to the time I made this joke with Tom. You know, people want to talk about how Gronk and Brady are the greatest tight end quarterback tandem. Brady and Randy Moss are the greatest wide receiver quarterback tandem. Forget those. You know, it's all about Tom Brady and old buddy New York Al Rivera. That is the greatest combination, That is the greatest duo in NFL history. Because once again you have a push off, and I believe it was a push off West. That kind of hurts me to say to hear you say that you don't think it was No, I'm just saying I'm not saying there was a contact. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying I would not thrown the flag in that that's fair. But I guess you're gonna agree that it was. You could say that it was off as a pass interferies you just want to you would hold your flag back. It's so here's an example for you. Right, And I might lose some people on this one, but I'll be quick. I'm even more nervous than that. Last night, in the soccer game that I was calling, right with three minutes left in regulation, there was a play where a w view defender, you know, slid to try and block a pass arms tight to the body and the ball went off the arm and Georgetown was screaming for a penalty kick for a handball in the box. But in that situation, in a tie game with three minutes left, you don't give a penalty to decide that game. That's just kind of where I'm at with last night. That's why I would be a bad referee, because if it's a if it's a penalty in the first quarter. It should be a penalty in the fourth quarter. I'm not notive enough to realize that, but I just I don't like it when referees decide games. I get that. I'd i'd rather have it play out that. It sucks too, because it's normally if if they were so many other NFL teams, I'd be okay with it. But it was Brady against Dallas situation. A situation, is there a worse ending than a tie? Because I don't want to. I would have like to see those teams tie list. I don't even want to give them the tie because that's still positive percentage points in your winning percentage. I don't want that. I want something worse than a tie, alright. I want to forfeit. I want someone to get disqualified right in the middle of the game, all right, Jacob, before we get to sing song and then our predictions. I'm gonna run through the other games on Sunday, Okay. I just want your winner. No explanation, no rhyme, no reason for just just give me the winner. Philly at Atlanta, I got Atlanta. Same here. Minnesota at Cincinnati, Minnesota really quick. The line is in favor of Cincinnati. What is Vegas thinking. I think Cincinnati keeps it closer than most would expect. But I got the Vikings as well. I got I got the Vikings San Francisco at Detroit, San Francisco by a country mile. Yeah with you on that one. That feels like the lock. Arizona at Tennessee. It could be fun, this could be this could be uh scoring game. Yeah, I got Arizona, though. I just think Kyler Murray is the better quarterback. That's what I'm going with. Seattle at Indianapolis. Russell Wilson won his last twelve games in the East Coast time zone. That's fair, But this Indie defense is pretty good. I'm still going to Seattle. I'm going Seattle because I don't believe in Carson wentz Man. That changed really quick in my life. L A. The Chargers at the football team. I got the football team. I think the football team is gonna win that division this year. I think the football team wins this game. I think the Chargers are a better team. But week one more continuity for Washington traveling across the country for l A. I'll go football team as well. The Jets at Carolina Donald against his old team. Does he get revenge? Donald gets to revenge? And it's sweet because I think it's a blowout. Maybe not as big as uh the San Francisco Detroit game, but I still think it's a it's a it's a comfortable win for Carolina. The toilet got nothing. The toilet ball. Jacksonville at Houston, do you even have to I don't care, Lawrence. Sure you can get tickets right now for seventeen dollars to that game on the secondary markets. Jacob, I'll take Jacksonville as well. Cleveland versus Kansas City fun one. This is a tough one. I think this is the game of the week. I don't think the Sunday night game is really representative of that. If not, if not, the Buffalo bill is in the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think it's the Cleveland Browns in Kansas City. But Kansas City is at home. You cannot go with Kansas City. I'm going with the Browns because because this is their super Bowl. Jacob, like Steelers not this week. If they beat the Chiefs, they're playing the parade already. Miami at New England, good game. I'm going Miami. Same here. I got faith in Green Bay at New Orleans in Jacksonville due to the hurricane. Right, I got Green Bay. I it's gonna be Good're gonna struggle this year. I don't know if they struggle. I put them as a playoff team that's in the seven seeds something. We're around there. I think their defense is still good enough, but I think Aaron Rodgers is just way better than Jameis wins Denver at the Giants a good game, but I got I got the Giants. I think I'm gonna go Broncos in a close one. Bay errors at Chargers, uh a, sorry at Rams part of sorry, thank you. If it's justin fields, it's a conversation. It's not justin fields. So I'm going the Rams. Dig it, love it, Jacob. Before we get to our predictions, it's time for me to sing that. Here we go Sunday games. Yeah, only Sunday games, because we talk about Monday night on Monday. Well, I'm not gonna be with you out of time here, all right, who's gonna win on Monday at the Vegas Raiders because of Baltimore is yeah, me too? All Right, it's time to sing some songs. You ask for it, I deliver. It's our hype song. Here we go, Buffalo Edition. Well, I gotta turn me up in my headphones. Baby, I need that beat. Here we go. Here we chair the Steelers, the Black and the Gold, just time of Pittsburgh's hard and soul. The Stealer Knee has the best radio hosts. Ain't gotta listen to yourrr emotes. Up the road we go to buff Hello, there's one thing Yan's need to know. Still, our nation is coming to party. Your pills, mafia, where's all your lombardies? Coach Tomlin is ready. Here we go, Johnson j Claypool. Here we go. Give it to Naji when we need a first time his way, He's gonna knock you first two. TJ is back for primetime, like Jimmy Fallon. Gonna be a long day for young Josh Allen wants to throw to Digs and Beasley. Here comes Manscups picking him up. He's a lee. Here we go, Now to the offense. He's ready to score. Here we go, and there's one thing we know for sure. Here we got If we don't get it all right, last verset gotta finish strong Yet thee offense needs a kickstart. Na, She's gonna be a shot to the heart, wide receivers and dropping noteballs. You'll see and we'll get the season started with us bad. What do you think, Jacob? What do you think? I gotta say my favorite line was the rhyming Jimmy Jimmy fallon with the Josh Allen. I was good. I was trying to think, like what it rhymes with Allen? Hey, sometimes it's a mona Lisa, Thanks buddy, Thanks. Yeah, that's something Motes and I do every week. We had a lot of people tweeting us about it. I couldn't let it slide. If you're one of our new listeners, I apologize for blowing out your ear drums, but that is what we do around these parts, Jacob. Before we give our predictions real quick on Twitter here, let me run down the gamut. Steel City Champ says Steelers win twenty four to ten. Josh Allen throws a pick six, Nagy Harris hundred yards and a touchdown. Randy says, Unfortunately, at the Steelers starting off of the lost to seventeen. Claypool and Friar Move both score touchdowns. James says, um slow start for the Steelers leads to the Steelers losing twenty four to thirteen. Brian from Washington says, Steelers twenty four Bills seven Downhill, hard nos running game in honor of touch. Ilkin absolutely love it. Thrash says, I hope I'm wrong, but I have Bills fourteen Steelers ten. Zack says Steelers twenty four Bills twenty one Nagy touchdown late to Nagy big play late to set up a winning field goal. Francis tweets us and says, thirty one seven Steelers is my prediction, and Jacob, that is all she wrote. So partner, what say you? What say me? West? It's it's it's another glim outlook, it's another glim prediction um for the Steelers. I got the bills in this one. See I'm I'm I'm similar to you. I I with all due respect to Brian Backo, he said thirty one to seventeen Buffalo Arthur Moss, I don't I don't have I don't have it that bad. Arthur Moates says thirty one to fourteen Buffalo Jacob, I just I'm with you. I think it's lower scoring. It always is in week one, right, like, the offenses are never quite on the same page, the same level that we expect them to be. Maybe last night Tampa Bay and the Cowboys a rare exception there. As much as it pains me, I just think the offensive line is going to take a while to come together for the Steelers. I think the defense week one isn't going to be as good as it's gonna be by week four or five or six. Joe Schobert still trying to figure things out. You've got some guys, some big key contributors absent. As much as it pains me, I am. I am on the the negative train as well too. I'm going to fourteen Buffalo. So you have the bill is covering I have the bills do not? You do not? And that is the name of the game right there, Jacob, this is a lot of fun today, buddy. Thank you. Yeah, man, we gotta do this more of you know it. You know Arthur James as a crossovers have a couple of more Hall of Fame in Ductin's for the guy he deserves him. Let me let me hang out with there you go. I love it. Great job to Jacob co hosting and producing the whole show today. Thanks to everybody who tweeted, who called in, and to our buddy Brian Baco from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette as well. That'll do it for us this week. If you like what you heard from Jacob, check out the Steelers Standard, Moates and I on the Steelers Blitz, and you have Wolf and starts back here on Monday to break down everything that happens on Sunday between the Bills and the Steelers up in Buffalo. So take care of everybody and we'll talk to you guys next week. As always, you know where to find us on your seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation. Ready, I'll
Speaker 1: M back inside the locker room here on a Friday, getting you ready for game day. One of the things that we like to do on Friday's, folks. It's a simple concept. It's called five Star Friday. We told you we'd find a way to still hear from Arthur Moates this afternoon. Well, what are the five biggest matchups that will determine the outcome of Steelers Bills Sunday up in Buffalo. It's time for a little five Star Friday. We were humbled and excited to be in these five star matchups. Fast match up. Somebody leaving here with the loves, I'm not gonna be up. It's a five star matchup because we're in there stplace it here. It just hits different. Arthur Moats, I absolutely love it. I've been waiting for this all summer. Ladies and gentlemen. It's five Star Friday. Your five biggest matchups to determine the outcome of Steelers Bills Sunday up in Buffalo. Here we go. Five Star Friday matchup number one. Okay, okay, we are back in the saddle, and we're not gonna let a little Hall of Fame induction get in the way of five Star Friday. So the first matchup we're gonna talk about is Josh Allen versus Mika fitz Patrick. Now we know Josh Allen, oh world super hot, coming in very productive. But we've seen what Mika has been able to do since he's robbed the Pittsburgh, the turnover magnet, the splash king splash, splash, splash, slipping slash splash. That's what Mika brings to the table. And I fully anticipate Mika starting fast because he is ready to get paid. And the way Minki gets paid is by getting turnovers. And we know Minka needs his money. So look for my man Minka at some point in his game to capitalize on one of these improvisation plays by Josh Allen where he takes a little bit of chances right where he gets a little risque with the ball. Look for my man Mika to capitalize to show up in a big way. One of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL against one of the best young safety is one of the best safeties in the NFL. That is good on good Josh Allen. The verse menca Fitzpatrick five Star Friday and matchup at number two. Okay, well, now we gotta get to the office side of the ball for the Black and Gold team, And I'm talking about running that rock with Nag Harris versus the linebacking tandem of Tremaine Edmonds and Matt Milano. Now, listen, ladies and gentlemen, we know they got a pro bowler, and they know they got a lot of money in that linebacker room right there with Matt Milano and Tremaine Etmonds. They both present challenges in terms of coveraging and getting downhill and stop in the run. But we drafted Naji Harris in the first round four reasons, Yes, we did. We drafted Naji Harris in the first round when everybody said you don't take friending backs in the first round. We drafted Naji Harrison the first one when there was other lineman on the board, because we said, he is that much better than every single player that was available when the skills were on the clock. Bama. We've seen him hurdle, we've seen him burst, We've seen him catch players off the backfeet and go for forty seven yards, and I fully anticipate him to continue that traject three, that linear progression that Nazi Harris has been on. So, my friends, if you're ready for some action, get you a popcorn ready, because these guys, oh man, Nazi versus Tremaine a mat Oh my goodness, that is double the price of admission. Yeah, yeah, I mean all these studs already in the conversation. It's only our second matchup. Yeah, the rookie, we all know what he's capable of. We are all excited about young Naji Harris. It is a heck of a test for him. Week one to start here, you go, ruck, Welcome to the NFL. Looking across the line at you is Edmonds and Milano, a very formidable pairing. I love it. Arthur Moates, fire Star Friday. Yeah. Matchup number three, well, when we're sticking with our studs, we know they have a really, really good stud that happens to play wide receiver. I was waiting for this kill goes by the name of Stefan Dicks. We're just gonna throw him out the equation. We don't want to deal with that guy. Okay, we're not dealing with that guy. So we're gonna talk about any dB lined up against any receiver not named Stefen Dicks. Those are the ones we have to consistently win. Those are the ones that we have to come out of their seeing We won that matchup. We dominated that element because he digs, brings and we know it doesn't matter which corner we put over there. He's kind of like a b when ab was doing his being to. I mean, however long you want to continue to go with baby, certain players are just different. Diggs is different right now. But the way you can beat that, Bills Offers is making sure the rest of those receivers don't step up and kill you. Cole Beasley can't go out there and have a hunt of yard game. Gabriel Davis can't have a hundred yard game. A man you will Sanders cannot turn the clock back and have a hundred yard gate. That's how you handle it. So that's what I'm gonna be most excited about what r dbs when they line up against any receiver not named Stefon Diggs. I love it. You know, you mentioned Stefund Diggs at a start. I thought, here comes Digs and Hayden and you just absolute curveball, and that's why the people tune in on five Star Friday. Hey man, I'm just trying to put us in a position to be successful, absolutely, and that is what we love about the five Star Friday matchups. You gotta win these to be successful. So let's keep it rolling. Five Star Friday Matchup number four. Now, there was once a movie called White Man Can't Jump Started? Do you tell me you listen to me? You know? All I'm saying is you might listen to but you're not hearing Jim. You feel me. See, you might listen to you, but you're not hearing. You're not hearing us. I because sometimes we've been called Sydney Dean and Billy Hoyton. We have, We've gotten the tweets we've gotten. That's our all three egos, and we're two on two champions. We won't smoke with anybody and we'll go to the park and hustle. So you know who else happens to have that Billy Hoyt and Sydney Dean relationship? Right? Have you heard of Devin Bush and Joe Schober? Wait a minute now, but guess who they're gonna have to go against there? Two on two Zack Marson devon single to Holy wait a minute. I'm excited about this one because I do feel this is favorable for us athletically. The challenger presents, though, is our Devon and Joe on the same page yet? Right? Sure? Because just like we saw in the movie White Man Can't Jump, they were still talented at the beginning of the movie, but they weren't cohesive at the beginning of the movie. They struggled to see him. At the end of the movie on the same page productive Simpatico, I thought, who, you're dunking it now? So Joe, Devin, I need y'all to do whatever y'all need to do it with these next couple of days to get as Sam Patico as y'all, kid, because y'all to have the potential to be really good great, the same way we talk about your main amens and Matt Malona. Y'all have that same potential. Y'all just have to get cohesive. Y'all just have to get up to speed working together, and then from there we can see that. But what better way to start it out than against Zach Mawson Devon Secretary. Two young guys, good players, not great, but good, formidable, good challenge, but it's an opportunity that y'all should be able to thrive them. You should be able to thrive, should be able to kind of use that as a baseline and build on that throughout that as they as they grow that chemistry and become more and more comfortable with each other. Very well said, Very well said. And finally, I hope you got the vote. Was ready? Don't you don't you show me now? I will turn this car around. I will leave listen due right now, Unique New York. I would tell him I can't make it to the Hall of Fame the night red Leather. You better get the vocals. Figure out he got a five star Friday. Mm hmmmm, matchup number, Mama, there goes that man five. I'm talking about the man in the mirror on this one, baby. We got a newbie making his first start in the National Football League as a punter. Oh, the guy who beat out my aues friend who goes by the name of Jordan Brad. Shout out to him, just finding some new employment. But Presley, Harvin, the popping circumstances since you've arrived to Pittsburg have all been leading you for this moment right here. Yes, they have we saw you boom one in that first Hall of Fame game. We've been wiled by your practice prois with your powerful leg, thundering down, booming balls of thunder seventy yards plus five second hat time, just amazing. We need you to show up now. It's easy to do it in the preseason. It's easy to do it in training camp when the stakes earn it's high. It's easy to do it when you know this really doesn't count wins and losses. It's gonna be a different atmosphere when you go up to Buffalo, excuse not even Buffalos, or your park, New York. It's gonna it's gonna be a big difference, going to know what your park, New York at one o'clock, when you go out there, you make your first punt. I don't need you clambing up. I don't need you shanking anything, because we've seen that before. Right, that was the knocking Barry was, that was his knock. He'll he'll give you a couple of them. Riley, don't go up there, lay no duck. Now that floor has to be very high, exactly. Make Danny Smith, make Kevin Colbert, make coach Tomlin and make more importantly Art Rooney right, because they made that decision based on you. We've seen Barry come through here with multiple guys kicking against or putting against him, and he's beating them out. They changed for you, make them right, Priceley. So that's the guy. That's my fifth and final. I absolutely love it all over the board. Offense, verse, defense, quarterback verse, secondary running backs, verse linebackers, and a little man in the mirror hunter verse himself punter versus his debut as a rookie. Great stuff, Arthur Bates. One more time, if you could run us through the gamut, you know, just in case people might have turned in late, or might have might have tuned in late part of me or missed something and they just want to double check their notes. Run us down again. Those five matchups five Star Friday, the five matchups that will be determined the outcome of Steelers Bills on Sunday up in Orchard Park. Yeah. Absolutely, first matchup, Josh Allen versus Minka Fitzpatrick gets no better than that. That's really good on really good. Then at number two we gotta talk Nagy Harris versus the tandem of Tremaine Edmonds and Matt Milano. That's gonna be fun to watch. Then from there Pittsburgh Stills defensive backs versus any wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills named Stefen. I really like how you looped as many people as possible now and I love it as long as he's not named Digs. You should win that matchup, or at least be comparable on that matchup. Then from there, man, we gotta talk about our white man can't jump tandom baby, just like me, and you do what we do. I need Joe and Devon to get right in the group with us man as they take on Zack Moss and Devin Singletary. Favorable, but you gotta be on the same page. You gotta win that one. And then at number five, the man in the mirror, the young up and coming punting sensation, Pressley Harven thirds Pressley Harven the third. I guess no better than that, baby, And those are your five five star Friday matchups. Were humbled and excited to be in these five star matchups. Match up somebody leaving here with the loves. Can't have a Friday Show without having Arthur Moates and his five five Star Friday Matchups to keep an eye on those that will determine the outcome of Steelers bills on Sunday up in Orchard Park in Buffalo. Great stuff as always, they're from Arthur Moates. And one more time, congratulations to him getting inducted. Just a few hours here late this afternoon, early evening into the j m U, the James Madison University Hall of Fame. We're gonna take a break here. When we come back, we'll get into some final Buffalo Bills thoughts before we get into predictions and all that fun stuff as well. Wesley Ueler, Jacob Bract in the Locker Room presented by your neighborhood Forward Store on ESPN Pittsburgh and SNR. Back inside the locker room on a Friday, another half an hour or so to go, Westley Ruler Jacob rect with you here a reminder that you will have Craig Willfleet Max Starks. They will be taking over the in the locker room duties for the rest of the season, beginning next week. You also hear those two fine gentlemen on the call of course Sunday up in Buffalo. And speaking of Sunday up in Buffalo, Jacob, we got some breaking news as it relates to those Buffalo Bills, and big shout out to Andy for pointing this out to me on Twitter. Something we talked about the Brian back O, Bill's defensive lineman Star Low too lately, was just ruled out of Sunday's game about fifteen minutes ago. I got us say Brian back on he saying, Oh, it could not be so great. It could not for that defensive line in Buffalo. Could spell a really good day for naj HARRISA. He's gotta be excited to hear. He's got to be happy. Yeah, that they're gonna lean heavy now on at Oliver. He's coming back from a from an injury plagued season last year. Now it's it's star loaded Layley with the injury, it was a calf injury that's been bugging him for a couple of weeks. He sustained in the Bill's final preseason game against the Packers, has not practiced in the past two weeks since then, and he will not play on Sunday. That is certainly a big development as we continue to look ahead here to the Buffalo Bills, and again shout out to Andy for for the hat tip. On Twitter there Andy tweeted me and said, Sean mcderbott just announced it on his his weekly Buffalo radio show on Friday mornings. Took to Google found a couple of news outlets here from Buffalo reporting it as well. So, Jacob, all of a sudden, you know, that kind of feels like it's it's becoming a storyline for both of these teams. We know these are two talented defenses. There are a lot of studs on both of these defenses. But now all of a sudden, the Buffalo Bills and the Steelers going to be shorthanded. We know the Steelers are going without Stefan to it. There's also some questions around the availability of Tyson Alualu, maybe a little bit banged up of an Alex Highsmith as well. You combine that with a T. J. Watt who hasn't had his typical offseason. There are certainly um things to be desired on the Steelers defense still, and now you look at Buffalo and a defense that has a lot of talent, but just a lot of those guys struggled to stay healthy last year, along with Ed Oliver, like we talked about, now it's star low to lay out with a calf injury Sunday, and that's just that's not ideal for the Bills, obviously, you know that is that is good for the Steelers, good for the offensive line and for Nase Harris certainly the Bills. I mean, there's you don't really have to sugarcoat it. They struggled in the run game last season. Their run defense. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly was not varsity level. And a big part of that was because Ed Oliver was injured. They get him back, they get some additional personnel in there, but now all of a sudden, a another injury, star Little Ailey going to be out. Looks like Emmanuel Sanders was limited in practice, is limited in practice right now. He is questionable for Sunday's game as well too. So who knows if we get that reunion with Manny Sanders. But these are two teams, Jacob, I mean, let's make no mistake about it. We know this in Pittsburgh. You know this in Pittsburgh if you are someone who's in tune with the Steelers throughout the entire year, not just the regular season, throughout the off season as well too. And if you've followed the Bills at all if you're any type of person who you know is a football junkie and follows what's going on around the league. Both of these teams, Jacob, there was a clear onus, from from ownership to front office to head coach all the way down, that that line of hey, we gotta be more effective at running the football, right, like that's that we all know. The Steelers from Arn't Rooney to Kevin Colbert to Mike Tomlin have preached that since March, since free agency, since the draft that it's it's It's the same for the Buffalo Bills. They're big onus this offseason as a team who went to the a f C Championship Game last year. To them to get over that hump to get to a super Bowl, to win a Super Bowl, they had to get better at stopping the run and they had to get better at running the football. Well, Jacob, for both of these teams, now with down some personnel, stopping the run on Sunday just got a little more challenging. Yeah, it did, uh for different reasons, of course. As you said, which would you like to start with, though, the Bills struggles or the Steelers struggles because let's let's go build struggles because I feel like, you know, I mean most of us here in this town. No, you know, the Steelers struggles with running the football last season. So kind of interesting road or or way the path that we've gotten to this point. That started twenty one for the Bills rushing attack. They went out on got Devin Singletary, who everyone thought was going to be there a guy, and then the very next year they drafted Zach Moss. Correct. However, that year that they drafted Zach Moss happened to be Josh Allen's arrival party to the NFL. Everyone talks about Josh Allen's progression from year one to year two, but that doesn't hold a candle to the progression he made from year two, year two to year three. And that's the same year that coincided was Zack Moss's arrival to Buffalo. So just real quick, thirteen percent better on his completion percentage from year two to year three. I mean, that's that's no small nuts. Not you don't think it's that big, but when you're talking about percentages, that is a that is a multi level grade difference. Let's say, if you were completing six out of ten passes, all of a sudden, you're completing seven out of ten, I mean an additional seven. That's that's that's a significant jump. You're going from a B minus to a solid A. There is essentially what you're doing, and it's just do I think that if if if Zach Moss was drafted the year before, when Josh Allen was only year two, that he would have been the star running back. No, but it definitely would have given more given him more opportunity to see more action. And now we know that basically, once Josh Allen had this m v P caliber season this past year, there is no threat of a running game. And I'm glad you mentioned it because so few people on the national media really talk about buffalo struggle to run the ball. They really just focused on how great of a passer Josh Allen is talented those wide receivers, not not how one dimensional the offense. You want to talk about the Steelers being a predictable offense down the stretch of season, Buffalo probably even more so, because I mean, yes, they struggled to have a a good running game, but they had even more of a reason to go past just because they had the great quarterback in Josh Allen. You knew the ball was being aired out. So yeah, I mean the issues are there, but I guess they're not as damaging of an issue considering your quarterback, especially when he's as mobile as he's. I mean, Josh and I think had seven or eight rushing down He's are RB one. That's not a horrible RVY one to have. The Steelers would have taken Josh Allen's numbers last year, and in the Steelers would have taken eight rushing touchdowns from Josh Allen last year. Well, that's nicely said by you. You're absolutely right, but that is again, as much as the NFL changes and evolves, and it certainly has in our lifetimes, it certainly has over the last dozen or so years. You to win championships, you know, to win your division, to get the a f C Championship games, to climb that ladder, to lift a Lombardi Trophy. It still does quite often come down to just as simple as you have to be able to stop the run, you have to be able to run the football. And both of these teams struggled in that department last year. You mentioned that word predictability, Jacob that that is the word for sure for the Steelers first eleven weeks of the season, right, it was working out well really, maybe first eight or so weeks of the season, and then teams started to catch up to them, and then Washington finally had the formula. For the Buffalo Bills, they had enough talent on offense and on defense to be able to still persevere or win a lot of games, win playoff games, go to the a f C Championship game. But they were unable to beat the Chiefs team that was very hobbled, that was down Patrick Mahomes couldn't run the football. What's crazy to me is the fact that the Browns had a more competitive game. Granted chat Henny was in there for a portion of it, but chat Heney had the most important play at the game on that third and third and long scramble. Was sad of the fourth down conversion which he threw the ball for. But the Browns in a more competitive game and kept the Chiefs offense more in check than the Bills did. Josh Allen just could not keep up in the defense, really couldn't keep Mahomes under wraps. So the reason you know you want to you want to bring up the Steeler's offense, rushing offense when talking about the Bills rushing offenses, because the Steelers went out and have and and and found a solution in Nagre Harris. Now, when we talked to Brian Bacco, he said, the Bills defense up front, they address in the first two rounds and went out got Gregor Rousseau. They went on and got Carlos Bashram, two guys on the defensive line. Now you're going to see them a lot more than you expected to with Lutta La not being with not being in the starting lineup. However, they're not starting guys even when he's out. When he's not out there, right, they are death pieces, and so I gotta wonder, Brian Bacco said. From the linebackers and behind the linebackers in the second area, the Bills are taken care of almost as consistent as you could ask for. Across those back guys, I guess you want to call it. We always call it our front seven, but how about the back eight if you will. So they're okay there, but when it comes to the defensive line, I didn't think they were really that shorthanded. It was good they went out and got Gregory Russo, but Devin Singletary and Zach Mills just aren't guys. They're guys, but they're not going to be a nag Harris. There are a lot of like what the Steelers had last year, and the guys who can have good games, but but you know, start to finish, they're they're just not the guy you want is your number one running back. And with a lot of running backs every year year and you're out on the free agent market, and certainly this year with three guys who a lot of teams would have coveted the running backs and maybe if a stretch forth with Michael Carter the backup out of North Carolina. I'm surprised at Bos didn't try to pursue one of those one of those guys. Two of them were gone in the first round, between a t N and Harris, but the other the other two were still there, both from North Carolina, and they didn't pursue either of them. I'm a little not concerned, but questioning why why not do that? If you got your defensive end and Gregory's are in the first round, great selection, why not say Okay, we did that. Lets out a different piece elsewhere. Yeah, no, I'm I'm with you on that. It's listen, Jacob. It's it's a weird kind of I don't know, it's a weird kind of back and forth that I feel like we do in this conversation when we talk about how there's not value in running backs, you shouldn't draft running backs high. Look the proofs in the pudding you can find running about all this. But then you see these teams where you look at their roster and it's like, man, if you only had a running back, we would really like what you had going. You know. I I think you could say that about the Steelers last year, right. You can definitely say that about the Buffalo Bills as well too. That's why, Jacob, A lot of people were trying to do the thirty thousand feet view thing when the Steelers took Nagy Harris, right, and they're like, you just don't take running backs in the first round. You don't do it. Their shelf life isn't long enough, the value isn't there. And that's easy to say from a bird's eye view, just throw that blanket over every situation. But when you're a team like the Steelers, and it was clear that that was the part of your offense that was holding you back that you really needed to come together for. You've got the quarterback, you've got the playmakers, you've got the defense. You need a run game in those scenarios. If that's what you need, and if you can draft the running back who brings instant value, Dude, to me, that's that's what you want in a draft pick. You don't always have to be like, oh, well, is he's still gonna play for us ten years from now? Because if you're in your super Bowl window now, who cares? When Ben Roethlisberger's gone? Who cares? Right? If Najy Harris has five really good years and then and then has a short shelf life and falls off a cliff, Okay, there's still value there. He improves the run game immediately. And you can't tell me when Ben's gone that whoever the next quarterback is, having Nagy Harris in the backfield isn't gonna be a nice way to break that guy into the league. I just it's a weird dichotomy to mean, Jacob, where we poopoo running backs, we poopoo the value there until that's the reason that you can't get over the hump, and then all of a sudden we're like, here, are you gonna find a way to run the football? Like? It just seems bess awkwards to me. If you will, it seems like a lose lose scenario if you're the Steelers who went out and and use that first round draft pick on Nasea Harris, because if you don't go out there and get them, it's, well, how how could you be a team that's in such dire need of a running back and you let him slip through your fingers? He fell all the way to twenty four for you, and you're just gonna pass up on him. And then the other side of that lose loses. What happened in reality is oh my gosh that she was when out and used their first round pick on our running back. Don't they know what the winning formula is? You can find running backs in the second and third round who succeeds so well. Some guys James Robinson went on drafted last year and he was a great addition for the for the Jacksonville Jaguars. So no matter what happened here, the Steelers were going to be criticized for the decision they made in the first round. It's just I think that of those lose lose, I'm happy the narrative is the way it is right now, where it's, oh my gosh, how could they go out there and waste the first round pick on a running back? Because realistically, I think that naj Harris was the second most talented option in this draft behind Trevor Lawrence. That you can certainly make that argument. You could, you could certainly present a very compelling case that that that is true. And again, when you're a team like the Steelers, when you've only got one, maybe two years left with your future Hall of Fame quarterback, why not get the guy that you think is going to have the instant impact. And who knows, Jacob, maybe the Bills will kind of be you know, if if their lack of run game is the reason that they end up, you know, falling short of a Super Bowl again this year, maybe they'll be kind of ruined the day that they didn't treat that position with more priority. Always interesting conversation. I do love having it. We gotta get to a break here when we come back on the other side. Oh, it's gonna be it's gonna be a little rapid fire. Folks will get to your predictions. We'll give our predictions. I want to ask Jacob his thoughts on a couple other games around the NFL. And of course we'll sing the here we Go song, Week one Buffalo Bills edition. All that, Well, you're gonna be my hype man. All right, I'll sing you'd be the hype man. Does that work for you? I'm Mac Miller, your tree j Does that work? You got? You got the boom box. We'll find what we'll find. We'll find one during commercial break. So last chance to get your predictions in. Tweet them to us at west Leuler at Jakie rec if you want your prediction, your score prediction. Of course I'm talking red on the air before we get out of here. He is Jacob Rect, I'm Westley Uler. You're listening to in the Locker Room, presented by your neighborhood Forward Store on ESPN Pittsburgh in sr back inside the Locker Room, final segment on a Friday, getting ready for Steelers Bills. We're gonna sing a song. We're gonna give some predictions here in just a moment, Jacob, I was looking over the stat sheet from last night. Rushing leader in last night's game between the cow Boys in the Bucks, Zeke Elliott, it was really thirty three yards? I thought you we're gonna say it was it was Leonard for An, Edward tom Or three yards? Was your leading rusher in last night's game. I and that kind of that picking backing off the conversation that we had in the last segment, it feels like the whole passing league thing, right, is very prevalent in September, October, maybe November, but still we know, like you gotta be able to run the football. You've gotta be able to stop the run if you want to win in December and January and beyond. But I that just kind of jumped off the page to me. Leading rusher last night in a game that was thirty one to twenty nine, plenty of offense, plenty of points, was Zeke Elliott with only thirty three yards. That explains Jacob had four carries for twelve yards in the first half last night. That explains Jacob why that game took like four and a half hours because they weren't running. I mean, you were. You were on your way back from Morgan was Virginia you were. I was asking you how that game win that you were broadcasting. You go, oh, well, it just happened to go to double overtime, as as the night games tend to do, extending your night. And I'm like, oh, am, I head, I'm thinking that sucks. You missed the whole game and still made an I want to have trip back home from Morgantown. You still saw the game winning field goal. Think about that. The soccer game that I called in Morgantown last night, W versus Georgetown seven o'clock start, went into double overtime, and I had a ninety minute drive to get home and I still was able to catch the end of that football game. Yeah, that was a long one. That was a long one last night, and certainly when you look, yes, I was happy to make it home to see the end and to see that jerk Tom Brady do it once again. You know what's funny too, I thought I had at the end of the game right before that game winning field goal was to Chris Godwin push off, push off, not push off? What's the us It's a push off. The fact that you even have to think about it. Come on, here's what I was Here's what I was gonna say. I I'm like, I would not be a good referee be because I think as well, let the let the kids play. No no, no, no, no. I think it's a referee and this is probably the wrong state of mind. Like I don't think if it's a foul in the first quarter, it's a foul with three minutes left in the game. So if Godwin does that in the first quarter, I might throw a flag. But in that situation, I'm not letting a flag decide that moment that play, I did not think it was that there was contact for sure, So I I said this to the time I made this joke with Tom. You know, people want to talk about how Gronk and Brady are the greatest tight end quarterback tandem. Brady and Randy Moss are the greatest wide receiver quarterback tandem. Forget those. You know, it's all about Tom Brady and old buddy New York Al Rivera. That is the greatest combination, That is the greatest duo in NFL history. Because once again you have a push off, and I believe it was a push off West. That kind of hurts me to say to hear you say that you don't think it was No, I'm just saying I'm not saying there was a contact. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying I would not thrown the flag in that that's fair. But I guess you're gonna agree that it was. You could say that it was off as a pass interferies you just want to you would hold your flag back. It's so here's an example for you. Right, And I might lose some people on this one, but I'll be quick. I'm even more nervous than that. Last night, in the soccer game that I was calling, right with three minutes left in regulation, there was a play where a w view defender, you know, slid to try and block a pass arms tight to the body and the ball went off the arm and Georgetown was screaming for a penalty kick for a handball in the box. But in that situation, in a tie game with three minutes left, you don't give a penalty to decide that game. That's just kind of where I'm at with last night. That's why I would be a bad referee, because if it's a if it's a penalty in the first quarter. It should be a penalty in the fourth quarter. I'm not notive enough to realize that, but I just I don't like it when referees decide games. I get that. I'd i'd rather have it play out that. It sucks too, because it's normally if if they were so many other NFL teams, I'd be okay with it. But it was Brady against Dallas situation. A situation, is there a worse ending than a tie? Because I don't want to. I would have like to see those teams tie list. I don't even want to give them the tie because that's still positive percentage points in your winning percentage. I don't want that. I want something worse than a tie, alright. I want to forfeit. I want someone to get disqualified right in the middle of the game, all right, Jacob, before we get to sing song and then our predictions. I'm gonna run through the other games on Sunday, Okay. I just want your winner. No explanation, no rhyme, no reason for just just give me the winner. Philly at Atlanta, I got Atlanta. Same here. Minnesota at Cincinnati, Minnesota really quick. The line is in favor of Cincinnati. What is Vegas thinking. I think Cincinnati keeps it closer than most would expect. But I got the Vikings as well. I got I got the Vikings San Francisco at Detroit, San Francisco by a country mile. Yeah with you on that one. That feels like the lock. Arizona at Tennessee. It could be fun, this could be this could be uh scoring game. Yeah, I got Arizona, though. I just think Kyler Murray is the better quarterback. That's what I'm going with. Seattle at Indianapolis. Russell Wilson won his last twelve games in the East Coast time zone. That's fair, But this Indie defense is pretty good. I'm still going to Seattle. I'm going Seattle because I don't believe in Carson wentz Man. That changed really quick in my life. L A. The Chargers at the football team. I got the football team. I think the football team is gonna win that division this year. I think the football team wins this game. I think the Chargers are a better team. But week one more continuity for Washington traveling across the country for l A. I'll go football team as well. The Jets at Carolina Donald against his old team. Does he get revenge? Donald gets to revenge? And it's sweet because I think it's a blowout. Maybe not as big as uh the San Francisco Detroit game, but I still think it's a it's a it's a comfortable win for Carolina. The toilet got nothing. The toilet ball. Jacksonville at Houston, do you even have to I don't care, Lawrence. Sure you can get tickets right now for seventeen dollars to that game on the secondary markets. Jacob, I'll take Jacksonville as well. Cleveland versus Kansas City fun one. This is a tough one. I think this is the game of the week. I don't think the Sunday night game is really representative of that. If not, if not, the Buffalo bill is in the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think it's the Cleveland Browns in Kansas City. But Kansas City is at home. You cannot go with Kansas City. I'm going with the Browns because because this is their super Bowl. Jacob, like Steelers not this week. If they beat the Chiefs, they're playing the parade already. Miami at New England, good game. I'm going Miami. Same here. I got faith in Green Bay at New Orleans in Jacksonville due to the hurricane. Right, I got Green Bay. I it's gonna be Good're gonna struggle this year. I don't know if they struggle. I put them as a playoff team that's in the seven seeds something. We're around there. I think their defense is still good enough, but I think Aaron Rodgers is just way better than Jameis wins Denver at the Giants a good game, but I got I got the Giants. I think I'm gonna go Broncos in a close one. Bay errors at Chargers, uh a, sorry at Rams part of sorry, thank you. If it's justin fields, it's a conversation. It's not justin fields. So I'm going the Rams. Dig it, love it, Jacob. Before we get to our predictions, it's time for me to sing that. Here we go Sunday games. Yeah, only Sunday games, because we talk about Monday night on Monday. Well, I'm not gonna be with you out of time here, all right, who's gonna win on Monday at the Vegas Raiders because of Baltimore is yeah, me too? All Right, it's time to sing some songs. You ask for it, I deliver. It's our hype song. Here we go, Buffalo Edition. Well, I gotta turn me up in my headphones. Baby, I need that beat. Here we go. Here we chair the Steelers, the Black and the Gold, just time of Pittsburgh's hard and soul. The Stealer Knee has the best radio hosts. Ain't gotta listen to yourrr emotes. Up the road we go to buff Hello, there's one thing Yan's need to know. Still, our nation is coming to party. Your pills, mafia, where's all your lombardies? Coach Tomlin is ready. Here we go, Johnson j Claypool. Here we go. Give it to Naji when we need a first time his way, He's gonna knock you first two. TJ is back for primetime, like Jimmy Fallon. Gonna be a long day for young Josh Allen wants to throw to Digs and Beasley. Here comes Manscups picking him up. He's a lee. Here we go, Now to the offense. He's ready to score. Here we go, and there's one thing we know for sure. Here we got If we don't get it all right, last verset gotta finish strong Yet thee offense needs a kickstart. Na, She's gonna be a shot to the heart, wide receivers and dropping noteballs. You'll see and we'll get the season started with us bad. What do you think, Jacob? What do you think? I gotta say my favorite line was the rhyming Jimmy Jimmy fallon with the Josh Allen. I was good. I was trying to think, like what it rhymes with Allen? Hey, sometimes it's a mona Lisa, Thanks buddy, Thanks. Yeah, that's something Motes and I do every week. We had a lot of people tweeting us about it. I couldn't let it slide. If you're one of our new listeners, I apologize for blowing out your ear drums, but that is what we do around these parts, Jacob. Before we give our predictions real quick on Twitter here, let me run down the gamut. Steel City Champ says Steelers win twenty four to ten. Josh Allen throws a pick six, Nagy Harris hundred yards and a touchdown. Randy says, Unfortunately, at the Steelers starting off of the lost to seventeen. Claypool and Friar Move both score touchdowns. James says, um slow start for the Steelers leads to the Steelers losing twenty four to thirteen. Brian from Washington says, Steelers twenty four Bills seven Downhill, hard nos running game in honor of touch. Ilkin absolutely love it. Thrash says, I hope I'm wrong, but I have Bills fourteen Steelers ten. Zack says Steelers twenty four Bills twenty one Nagy touchdown late to Nagy big play late to set up a winning field goal. Francis tweets us and says, thirty one seven Steelers is my prediction, and Jacob, that is all she wrote. So partner, what say you? What say me? West? It's it's it's another glim outlook, it's another glim prediction um for the Steelers. I got the bills in this one. See I'm I'm I'm similar to you. I I with all due respect to Brian Backo, he said thirty one to seventeen Buffalo Arthur Moss, I don't I don't have I don't have it that bad. Arthur Moates says thirty one to fourteen Buffalo Jacob, I just I'm with you. I think it's lower scoring. It always is in week one, right, like, the offenses are never quite on the same page, the same level that we expect them to be. Maybe last night Tampa Bay and the Cowboys a rare exception there. As much as it pains me, I just think the offensive line is going to take a while to come together for the Steelers. I think the defense week one isn't going to be as good as it's gonna be by week four or five or six. Joe Schobert still trying to figure things out. You've got some guys, some big key contributors absent. As much as it pains me, I am. I am on the the negative train as well too. I'm going to fourteen Buffalo. So you have the bill is covering I have the bills do not? You do not? And that is the name of the game right there, Jacob, this is a lot of fun today, buddy. Thank you. Yeah, man, we gotta do this more of you know it. You know Arthur James as a crossovers have a couple of more Hall of Fame in Ductin's for the guy he deserves him. Let me let me hang out with there you go. I love it. Great job to Jacob co hosting and producing the whole show today. Thanks to everybody who tweeted, who called in, and to our buddy Brian Baco from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette as well. That'll do it for us this week. If you like what you heard from Jacob, check out the Steelers Standard, Moates and I on the Steelers Blitz, and you have Wolf and starts back here on Monday to break down everything that happens on Sunday between the Bills and the Steelers up in Buffalo. So take care of everybody and we'll talk to you guys next week. As always, you know where to find us on your seven Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation. Ready, I'll
