Bald Guys On The Bench
Bald Guys On The Bench
Rivalries, Playoff Predictions, and Snow Stories
Recorded January 11th, 2025
What happens when you mix a snowy weekend, a football fanatic named Buckeye, and the ever-unpredictable NFL playoffs? You get a lively episode packed with insights and laughs as we, the Bald Guys on the Bench, serve up our takes on recent games. We ponder Sam Darnold’s rollercoaster performances and our own balancing acts of family, work, and catching every key play. As we welcome our best friend Brian Ruckman, fondly known as Buckeye, an Ohio State diehard with a penchant for tattoo bets, the conversation turns into an animated exploration of college football rivalries.
From the legendary Ohio State-Michigan clashes under Ryan Day's strategic leadership to the controversial calls in nail-biting games like Penn State-Notre Dame, our chat covers the emotional highs and lows of college football fandom. Drawing parallels with iconic rivalries such as Carolina-Duke in basketball, we reflect on how physicality can overshadow star talent. And just as the football talk warms up, we acknowledge our shared love for golf, eagerly counting down the days to the Masters and weaving in some light-hearted humor to keep things fresh.
The NFL playoff buzz takes over as we analyze everything from Justin Herbert's early career comparisons to Peyton Manning, to the surprising strength of the Texans this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers face scrutiny as we discuss their quarterback situation, strategic evolution, and the aging defense. With a spotlight on wildcard weekend, we critique player performances, team strategies, and coaching styles, particularly honing in on the complexities of the Dallas Cowboys' management. Our discussions are peppered with personal anecdotes, predictions, and a dash of friendly banter—perfect for any football aficionado seeking a blend of humor and insight.
#baldguysonthebench #graboneandcrackone #cfp #ohiostbuckeyes #notredamefightingirish #nfl #steelers #lachargers #nflplayoffs
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench podcast, with your hosts Graham Cohen and Scott Wasco.
Graham:What's up everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench. It's football Monday. We got the playoffs, we got the Rams, we got the Vikings In Arizona. Scott, how you doing, brother? What's up?
Scott:Well, I'm doing all right, all things considered. Let's get down to it. You know what time it is. It's time to grab one and crack one. We got a fun episode with one of our best friends Going to call in in a little while. Talk a little college football. Huge Ohio State fan. We might have mentioned him before, the guy that made the bet going to get the tattoo removed, brian Ruckman, aka Buckeye. But Graham, let's grab it, let's crack it. It's time let's go. Monday night wild card. We got the Rams laying in the wood to the Vikings in the third quarter in Arizona because all the fires.
Graham:I hate to say lay in the wood, but I mean they kind of are. It's just. I guess the real question is what's happened to Sam Darnold? He's been great for 17 weeks. And then what happened last week and right now I mean watching this game? Just in their first series, in the second half he missed a wide open receiver on third down, threw it right behind him that if he threw it on perfect timing Duke could have caught it. Oh, turnover.
Announcer:Kyron just fumbled Kyron Williams and he's hurt. Oh my Lord, oh, come on, buddy, did he fumble it? It's not what we like to hear, is that?
Scott:ball out. No, he's down.
Announcer:He's down, oh, barely.
Scott:Barely by a frog hair. Yeah, yikes. But like you were just saying about Sam Darnold as a Charger fan, I'm not talking shit about anybody's quarterback in the NFL. After the performance my quarterback had on Saturday, Right. Even though we're not even going to get into that yet. Graham, how was your weekend?
Graham:Yes, weekend was good. Back at work, watched, obviously, the football games between the college on Thursday and Friday, had your game on Saturday, had your game on Saturday, had my game on Saturday. We had all the hope and positive thoughts and, you know, was at work and watched your game and it was rough. And then I left and made it home Perfect time to watch the game with my parents and the game didn't start off how I thought it was going to start off, but you know, the second half we came back.
Scott:Well, I would say we came back all right, we're not gonna get into that yet.
Graham:Yeah, we're good, I know, I know I'm just yeah, I know, I know we're gonna do it yeah uh, but my point is and then sunday came around, still had work and then watched the other rest of the games and um yeah just spent time with the fam and did that. What about you? How was your weekend?
Scott:You know didn't have to work Saturday because we got snow here and Chargers had the early game Saturday 430. And my dad came over, ava's boyfriend Andrew came over, kellen's girlfriend Addie came over and I had everybody over watching the games and, you know, kept reminding myself, kellen and I and Kristen talked about it early on Saturday. I'm like, hey, remember, win or lose, it's been a hell of a season, just like you and I have talked about on the show. If somebody would have told me before week one that the Chargers would have won 11 games and been the five seed and got bounced in the wild card round, I would have been cool with it. Right.
Scott:But anyhow, funny thing and you know me in football, as I'm picking Kellen's girlfriend up from her house, we're on the way home and I'm like Addie, I'm just going to tell you that tonight you're probably going to see a different Scott. You've never experienced Scott watching chargers football and she was like oh okay, and kind of laughed. And then, funny thing, I got to give her a shout out. Okay, kellen's girlfriend, I ordered new stickers, remember? We talked about it last week. I'm putting them in the mail tomorrow. Kellen's girl yeah, back of her phone. Bald guys on the bench, let's go. Let's go, addie. So Love it.
Scott:Anyhow, before we even get into the games, something that I brought up on an episode a long time ago and you and I were dying laughing at it, because it's 100% true. You know, I wish I had all the people text me on my birthday, that text me when my team loses. You know what I'm saying. Facts, I mean people I haven't talked to in over a year on the pick six game over buddy. I'm sorry, who are you? You don't even know if a football is stuffed or inflated. We've never talked football ever. You know. I mean whatever haters going to hate, it's all good, right, you know, but anyhow, I mean, if you want, want, it was a sad saturday for me and you it was. It was kind of like weird that both of our teams played on the same day and both lost, right?
Graham:yeah you know, they couldn't have broke that up a little bit?
Scott:right. I mean, can you at least have one of us happy for another 10 hours, 12 hours, whatever Exactly? So everyone, like I mentioned earlier in the show, we've got one of my best friends on the universe joining us right now, even though he cheers for that team in Ohio that's mascot is a nut, and that is none other than Brian Ruckman, aka Buckeye. You've heard us talk about him when he basically made the bet he was going to have his tattoo removed if he lost to Tennessee, if Ohio State didn't throw the ball. So anyhow, bucky, welcome to the show First time here. Graham, what do we do when we got one of our best friends on the universe here with us?
Graham:Like always, especially when talking sports, we got to grab one and crack one brother.
Scott:Let's go.
Graham:Bucky.
Scott:Cheers boys.
Announcer:Oh yeah, there you go. So just a little history real quick, before Bucky gets Cheers, boys Dude. Oh yeah, there you go.
Scott:So just a little history real quick before Bucky gets in here. I met Bucky at SCGA when I was an assistant pro. Way back in the day and I'm playing golf and he gets paired up with us and I see a tattoo on his calf and I'm like dude, what is that shit? I'm like you cheer for that team.
Scott:And he's like I do, and the rest was history. So I mean that started it off. I mean we could spend the whole episode talking about the three of us hanging out and drinking beers and you know. But anyhow, that's how go ahead.
Buckey:It's funny how we all have the nicknames, though. You know what I mean. So it's yeah, bucky, bucky from from ohio and we got badger from from wisconsin.
Scott:We're all transplants yeah, but anyhow, facts bucky's been wanting to come on the show. I told him it had to be the right time and there's no better time than right now, with Ohio state obviously making it to the national championship game playing against Notre Dame. But before we even start talking about that, let's, you know, rewind us as sports fans. Before we even start talking about that, let's rewind Us as sports fans. We got blessed with five days in a row of playoff football, starting Thursday night Penn State Notre Dame, friday night Ohio State Texas, then the NFL. So let's start it off. Penn State Notre Dame. What do you got to say? I mean?
Graham:besides, penn State was dominating in the first half. Look, you know, I'll kick this off being a Pennsylvania guy myself and a Penn State fan family's alumni. Look, franklin. I mean everything kind of led the way you would think things would go, in the sense of, hey, we had a good season, the new playoff 12 team system, we got a great seating. We have the easiest road to the national championship. Penn State was blessed. I mean, look, did they get special privileges?
Scott:I don't know how anything works, but we'll take it. You know who was blessed more than anyone? That team that has a goddang nut as their mascot, because if it wasn't a 12-team playoff, guess who's not in the four teams. Facts, but it worked right.
Buckey:Well, I think it worked in a sense. I think it's got to be tweaked to where and I've said this to you before, just talking to you casually that I feel like you have to take away the automatic bids for winning your conference championships, because I don't think any of us would agree that boise state and or arizona state was one of the top four teams in the country?
Scott:is it take away the automatic bids or is it take away the buy?
Buckey:well. So that's, that's what.
Buckey:No, no, well yeah I guess, you can say either way, but I I said my throwing this in there would be. You can weigh them winning the championship into where you rank them, but just go one through 12 and whoever your top four is get the buys. You know what I mean. So Arizona State's maybe a five, boise State's maybe a six, what have you? But in my opinion they are not one of the top four teams in the country. Now, they played well, granted, especially Arizona State. They had a real chance to win that game. A couple missed calls here and there.
Graham:I mean, I can make a point that they should have won that game but, we'll get into that, but still I mean that was the worst call I've seen almost ever. I mean my brain can't think of all the shitty calls I've ever seen, but that one was. That was bad. I mean You're talking about the targeting call.
Announcer:Oh yeah.
Graham:Or the non-targeting call. You can't preach something for years upon years upon years and then when a textbook situation happens, oh no, no, no, that didn't happen, right, okay. I saw videos online where some guys are trying to say that like, well, it's not really an official playoff system. You know the call it, the. They were saying that the college football playoffs can basically pick who makes it to the next round. So if they, like arizona state, won this appeal and those other bullshit, I was like bro that's never gonna happen.
Buckey:Well, wait a minute, whatever the final score. So so did you hear about the the field?
Scott:yeah, but the ball, you remember, if it hits somebody's hand and goes through the uprights, the play is dead. If it doesn't hit somebody's hand and goes through, it, hits the ground and bounces in, it counts. I looked it up. Well, that's what happened.
Buckey:Yeah, it was blocked. It was blocked and then hit the ground and went through the upright.
Scott:As soon as it hits somebody's hand and then hits the ground and goes through the upright, it's dead. Yeah, If it doesn't get blocked, because remember, remember Flutie used to do the old drop kick, try to field goal thing back in the day yeah, yeah. So if it hits somebody's hand, the end so. But anyhow, dude, Penn State had a great season. You know their tight end's a stud. Notre Dame here's something that I was thinking about when I was thinking about the notes for this episode. Okay, the two teams that are in the national championship, Notre Dame and Ohio State. They might have had the absolute worst losses in the season this year Notre Dame losing to Northern Illinois At home and Ohio State, a 20-point favorite, losing to Michigan. Okay, the two worst losses. And look where they're at. Right.
Buckey:The Northern Illinois. One might be worse, but Holy crap, did they go on a tear? Absolutely, what is it? What is it? 12 straight or something like that. But so I'll give you this little nugget, and it can't actually came from a Michigan fan, a guy I work with.
Buckey:You know I was dreading the Monday after the Ohio state Michigan game, for obvious reasons, and we sat around at the coffee at our table at work drinking our coffee in complete dead silence for like 10 minutes. He goes. So do you want to talk about what happened on Saturday? I said absolutely not. He goes. Okay, fair enough, he goes. But here's what I will tell you he goes. I have a feeling that Michigan just woke the giant. And that actually came from a michigan fan. So I was like, well, you might be right on that, you know, and I I'm still baffled at the play calling. I'm baffled that. You know, when jack sawyer intercepted that pass on the goal line, I was like perfect, ohio state's got seven minutes in the fourth quarter. Go down, kick a field goal, we win the game. And you know, obviously that didn't happen.
Scott:But Ryan, Day and his sharpie beard tried to out-physical the team instead of using the best two wide receivers in college football and dominate Michigan, which they did. Their last possession on the first half. What happened? Boom, boom, boom, boom. The end Touchdown right, yep, and then they tried to run the ball. It was like he was pounding his chest going. I'm going to be the more physical team. How'd that work out, right?
Buckey:Well, because they were saying something. You know. The stat is something like 22. For the last 22 straight years, the team that's won the run game has won the game, and he got caught up in that, you know. So that's why I told you like Tennessee, they were built just like Michigan, and if Ohio State didn't throw the ball tattoo gone, Damn, why couldn't?
Announcer:that shit happen. Didn't throw the ball. Tattoo gone, Damn. Why couldn't that shit? Dude him and Chip.
Scott:Kelly, they knew they weren't going to try to do that. I mean, I don't know but Penn state, notre Dame.
Scott:What a good game, right. I mean the. The officials tried to hand the game to Penn State the whole time. I mean pass interference homeboys throwing in the quadruple coverage throws the ball 10 yards short. The receiver didn't even see the ball, dude. But whatever, tomato, tomato. Nothing is worse than the Ohio State-Texas game when they got it first and go on the one. Worse than the Ohio State-Texas game when they got it first and go on the one and just Sark shits the bed. I thought the play calling was great. Yeah, as an Ohio State fan, of course.
Buckey:Of course, Shocker. I saw them run wide on that third down and I was like that's great, that's perfect. And then Scotty's boy came to the rescue and sent us to the trip.
Scott:Oh, dude, you know the proclaimed Ryan Day legend. Oh yeah, you know legends. Aren't 0-4 against the team from up north, aren't 0-4 against the team from up north? I mean, the play that he's most thought about this year, is most memorable, was trying to tackle the Michigan cheerleader after the flag was planted.
Graham:I mean whatever, hey put some respect on my name.
Buckey:Put some respect on my name. I just think that you know you're gonna try to go plant a flag and turf. You know it's not even natural grass. How are you gonna get it in there, dude? You know these guys ain't smart enough all that, bro, dumbass michigan players, that's what it is. I mean?
Scott:I mean, you know, these guys ain't smart enough to think about that.
Buckey:You know who started. It was baker. Was Baker Mayfield back in Oklahoma?
Scott:Didn't he do it at Ohio State? Yeah, and then somebody at Texas did it this year against Michigan when Texas beat Michigan. But anyhow, something that I always will remember and we talked about it last week when you guys won, you were a little, maybe over-served. You might not remember it After you win yeah, was something you said to me the last time Ohio State beat Michigan. You were like dude, this is the greatest rivalry in college football. I mean, they call it the game for a reason, right, and you used to always say a rivalry is not a rivalry unless both teams win. As an Ohio State fan that just laid the wood to Michigan for year upon year upon year 100%. That's how good that rivalry is.
Buckey:They got to a point where Michigan was almost irrelevant. Ohio State had nine in a row, and then now here we go with Michigan's four in a row. It just makes it for a better rivalry year in year out?
Scott:Absolutely, graham. Why are you shaking your head when I said it's the greatest rivalry in college football? What's?
Buckey:better.
Scott:I think it's the greatest rivalry in all sport, in college sports. Okay, let's not college football, I mean Carolina, duke rivals it college basketball Two universities that are literally separated by a freeway. That's true. I mean Browns, ravens. Dude, smack yourself. We're talking about college sports.
Graham:I just did, I know Well, I'm just saying it's the greatest ever.
Buckey:He's mad because he can't name three players on Penn State's team Got him.
Scott:Show me your hands, graham. Show me your hands, don't Google it.
Graham:My phone is on the game right now, bro. I don't got time to Google and look at all these people's names and what other shit you got me. Woo-hoo-hoo, I don't watch college football until the fucking playoffs. Big fucking deal, because only the last three games of the season matter anyway. Like, let's be real.
Buckey:Sorry, graham, I still love you, kid.
Graham:First off Ohio State barely beat Penn State number one.
Announcer:We didn't play you Michigan.
Graham:Barely yeah what it came down to the end. They stopped him and they scored another touchdown at the end. That was meaningless. What did he fucking do?
Scott:Your pedophile university didn't even score an offensive touchdown, were they in the game At the beginning. Did they have a chance to win the game? Yesterday, the Broncos scored first two, did they have a? Chance to win the game 7-0. How'd that work out?
Graham:you know what we don't? We don't need to start getting into feelings over here bro we got a lot of sadness to talk about chops, but anyhow, a lot of sadness.
Scott:Later buckeye was in the golf world and worked early when I met him for a company that did pro-ams and stuff for the PGA tour. And you know me, you and Buckeye all met because of the sport of golf. So I figured, as we continue and Buckeye hangs up and we get off of here, I just thought I'd bring this up 89 days till the masters, I know, 89 days until the Masters, I know I can't wait 89 days, your boy actually gave you a ticket.
Graham:Did what Did your boy that you told him to sign up for the ticket and got it. Is he giving you that extra ticket?
Scott:He's talking to you, Bucky. I'm talking to you, bucky. Oh, I'm sorry, sorry your boy that won the lottery that I didn't hear you one more that won the lottery and got two tickets that you told him to, or how the lottery is he taking you?
Buckey:no, no, he's gonna take his wife, I mean, come on yeah come on, I don't blame him. I would probably take my wife too. I don't know.
Graham:I mean, I for someone that would have never done it anyway and she would.
Buckey:She would not, she would not go and ride in the golf cart with me if I was playing nine holes, but she would go and watch live. Yeah, yeah, so, and, and, so, and, and you know I'm I've never been to the masters. Um, I, I know she hasn't, but I would probably end up taking it as well, one year it's going to all work out.
Scott:I hope man God knows I don't know, but anyhow, bucky love you. I. Anyhow, bucky, love you. I'm glad you finally got on. Good luck to hey man. Thanks for having me.
Graham:Before we kick him out, we got to ask him the most important question who do you got in the final?
Scott:game and what's the score? You already know the answer to that.
Graham:Well. I want to know, how much he thinks they're going to beat their ass by. That's what I'm really asking.
Buckey:I think it's 35, 17 ohio state fair enough I like it.
Buckey:So just looking at the teams between texas and notre dame, notre notre dame plays a lot of man coverage in the back end and texas plays a lot of zone. That's why you didn't see a whole lot of jeremiah smith in the texas game. He had one catch for three yards. So I think I think he gets more involved, uh, against notre dame and but I'm looking forward to it because it's you know they stack up two, two great defenses and you know we're gonna see. We're gonna see where it all shakes out. You know, I still think the Buckeyes are on top 35-17. I like it. And then I'm taking Tuesday off.
Scott:Hey, your boy's going to be down in Orlando for the PGA show and I ain't got nothing going on Tuesday. And you know, unfortunately if Ohio State wins, you and I win a pool. So unfortunately I kind of have to root for that team. But the only good part about that is if Ohio State does win, they still lost to Michigan in the same season.
Graham:Is there any way they both can lose?
Buckey:I told you I would trade a national championship for a Michigan loss Stop it when your university losses out every M at the horseshoe for a game.
Scott:Don't even tell me that that's just because they got nothing better to do, exactly but deliver pizzas. Anyhow, buckeye, I love you. Thanks for coming on the show. That's just because they got nothing better, exactly, but deliver pizzas. Anyhow, buckeye, I love you. Thanks for coming on the show. Good luck, even though I want you to lose, but I like my love you guys. I like my wallet better than cheering against teams. So you know, let's go, damn right. I appreciate you guys.
Scott:Yeah, buddy, love you, be good very well and we'll talk to you soon, yes, sir, but I'm just gonna start it out talking about my chargers, and then we'll get into your steelers game. And, like I've mentioned over and over and over, was I bummed? Of course I was bummed, dude. I mean my team lost, but was I devastated? No, at least we got blown out and it wasn't a a 27-point lead against the Jaguars and we lose, you know. But anyhow, the game starts off, dude, couldn't have been better. We get the ball first, go down the field, kick a field goal 3-0.
Scott:The Texans' first play on offense homeboy fumbles. You know we're up six to nothing. We're dominating the game. And then you know it's back and forth, back and forth. But you know me, I don't want to. We got the shit kicked out of us.
Scott:Herbert threw four picks, but it's six to nothing. Late in the second quarter picks, but it's six to nothing. Late in the second quarter. We've got them pinned and stroud is getting rushed. Throws it out of bounds. Should have been intentional grounding. Intentional grounding in the end zone is what a safety charger should have been up. Eight to nothing and getting the ball back.
Scott:Twitter went ballistic, I went ballistic, harbaugh on the sidelines going ballistic. Okay, whatever. On that same drive. A couple plays later, it's third and 16. They're on the four-yard line. Stroud wasn't even ready for the snap. It bounces off his helmet.
Scott:The entire Chargers defense runs to the ball. Stroud launches a 40 yard pass, first down. They end up scoring a touchdown. Chargers go three and out. Texans get the ball go down the field, kick a field goal. I'm like holy shit, we were just dominating the first half and now we're losing and the Texans get the ball coming out of halftime. What happens? Texans get the ball coming out second half, throw a pick. I'm like let's go and it is what it is. You know we lost. Herbert threw four picks. Two of them were his fault, two of them bounced off receivers. Everybody wants to go out and blast Herbert and say he's shit, he's this, he's that. You know. I'm just going to go back and say this. You know who started off 0-2 in the playoffs? Peyton Manning. He had a pretty good career. He didn't win a playoff game until his sixth season.
Graham:I mean.
Scott:He ended up. All right, dude, I get it. He had the worst game of his career. Okay, our left tackle and our right tackle, our left tackle. All pro pro bowl right tackle been amazing all year. They had the worst games of their career. Okay, right, I get it, it is what it is career. Okay, right, I get it, it is what it is. But let's just remember this, and after the dust has settled and I've thought about this since Saturday all chargers, fans and chargers, social media and press we're doing what go into the last week of the season. Steelers lose, chargers win, we get the five seed. We kept five seed, five seed, five seed, five seed. You don't think that's bulletin board material for the Texans?
Graham:Did you want to go to Baltimore?
Scott:I agree. I agree, but let's also don't forget a lot of people had the Texans as the one seed going into the season, after what they did last year.
Buckey:And let's also don't forget their defense.
Scott:I mean they were top three in the NFL in sacks and the one guy on the right number three overall pick. The dude on the left. You don't give somebody $50 million guaranteed because he sucks For two seasons.
Graham:Yeah, you hey, as the kids say, you ain't wrong.
Scott:And you know, you know something I have to remind myself, and you know me, dude, I love Herbert. He gets bashed for the Jaguars game. We were up 27 to nothing. He didn't turn the ball over in the entire game, right, okay, I can't defend him for what he did Saturday. One of the dumbest throws. I've ever seen him make his first interception. I mean, my guy had three interceptions the entire season. He had four on Saturday. We've been talking about it all year. He has no weapons.
Scott:Okay, ladd was not supposed to be the number one. Ladd had nine catches for a shit ton of yards and a touchdown. You know what? The next highest reception guy was on the team, two more than me and you, yikes, that's rough. We couldn't run the ball. Dobbins had like nine rushes for 26 yards, I mean. But all I can say is this Like the Broncos, like the Chargers, like the Redskins, this was not supposed to happen for these three teams. That happened this year and this is the worst team that Harbaugh is going to have. This is the worst offense that Herbert is going to have. Sean Payton for what he did and you know me, I hate the Broncos more than any team in the NFL For what the Broncos did this season is amazing, with the dead space on cap. Because of Russell Wilson and for them, redskins won four games last year.
Graham:So who's your coach of the year then?
Scott:I would, honestly, I'd give it to Sean Payton. Wow, yeah, the more you think about it, the more you put everything out there. The dead space from Russ, I mean, how do you not? Yeah, they got blown out by the Bills. Okay, whatever. Yeah. Look what he did, dude. Their win total in Vegas was five and a half. I don't disagree with you, I know I mean they're all valid points, all valid points.
Graham:I'm just curious, because usually the coach of the year it's down to one or two, but you could almost say a couple of guys.
Scott:There's a lot dude, yeah, and you could argue all of them. Yeah, I mean the Vikings, dude O'Connell. I know it's tough, but you know what I mean. As the season ended for me, you know it was bad. Like I said earlier, I'm glad we got the shit kicked out of us instead of a last second loss. Now I'm a Chargers fan dude. I've dealt with last second losses forever. I'd rather let's go. I'd rather it be.
Graham:Vikings decided to make this a game.
Scott:And by making it a game, you're saying down 17?. Hey it can happen, they got a touchdown.
Graham:They got a touchdown.
Scott:Yeah, but I don't know.
Graham:Now we just need another field goal.
Scott:And as the Chargers wrap up the season, I can't hang my head low, dude. I mean, it is what it is.
Graham:And you shouldn't.
Scott:No, I'm, I sent Rob and I haven't sent it to you. Uh, the three and out podcast. If you haven't ever listened to it, for anybody out there, listen to it, cause it's pretty good. And homeboy is like why all the herbert bashing? Nobody ever said he's the guy. Nobody's ever said he's better than burrow, better than lamar, better than better than Kermit. But guess what? He's probably five. Are they going for two?
Graham:They are.
Scott:They are, if they get this.
Graham:We can get over ten and a half right here. Nope, not if you throw up behind the line of scrimmage. You, son of a Wow, so six and three is nine yeah, wow. Mitch. You, son of a wow, so six and three is nine yeah, wow, but way to go you know, our boy, rob, is out there.
Scott:Get rid of Herbert. Get rid of Herbert, all right, who do you want? Rob said this, all dude. If I even read what he texted me after. I said in the podcast. All right, I mean I gotta blast him we're on the air. I gotta blast him and then we'll move change subjects what why, did you not tell me this before?
Scott:all right, so I sit in the podcast. I know he and I'm like go to the 26 minute mark. This dude is spot on. He responds late last night. I don't agree with him. Herbert's not, and I doubt he will ever be, a top-10 quarterback. People suck him off because of his supposed arm talent. But a real top quarterback finds ways to take over games and will his team to win. He does not have the internal makeup to win big games. Name a big game that he has ever taken over and led the team to a big win. Three weeks ago it's the Broncos. That was a pretty big win on Thursday night football. Then he says as much as I hate my homes, he finds ways to win. Herbert fits the charters organization perfectly because he finds ways to lose. Look at Alan. He takes over games, not just when playing the Raiders, but against the best teams in the NFL.
Graham:Rob was at the game that you and I were at for the Steelers-Chargers game. You tell me Herbert didn't put the team on his back and win that game.
Scott:And ran for 1,000 yards.
Graham:Like what what. Oh.
Scott:Rob, yeah, and I'm just sitting here going. All right, you got Lamar, you got Josh Allen, you got Kermit and you got Burrow. Okay, there's four quarterbacks. Then you got you know. Now you got Jaden Daniels. That's five. Now you got Bo Nix there's six teams. Okay, how many teams are in the NFL?
Graham:32 32.
Scott:Okay, so there's six teams that are perfectly content with their quarterback position going forward. You're telling me the other 26 teams wouldn't take Herbert in a second.
Graham:I can't argue any of that? Not at all. Hey, come to Pittsburgh, bro.
Scott:It's kind of like it's kind of like all your Steelers fans, as we transition to your game, out there calling for Tomlin's head. Who do you want? Who do you want? Who do you want?
Graham:Even if they supposedly found the next guy, the next guy is not fixing the quarterback situation. If there's no one coming out in the draft and no one's going to give away a legitimate starter, so you're only going to take a backup, then what are we doing? We've got two backups. As it is right now, we'll probably retain one of them, aka Fields or Russell Wilson. But it's like what is getting Kirk Cousins going to make us better? No. Is getting old-ass Aaron Rodgers going to make us better? No. Is getting old-ass Aaron Rodgers going to make us better? No, so who's out there, right? So if that's the case, what's the point of changing the head coach? I mean, to be honest, everyone was all excited when we got Arthur Smith, because it's oh. We're going back to Steelers football.
Graham:I've been hearing some things recently and it's just like this is 2025. The old way that football used to be played doesn't happen in the league anymore. This is a passing league. I mean, it's been a passing league for a while, for a while, but it's just nowadays the old let's have a great running game, a great defense, we'll pound the rock, just be efficient on third downs and we can win these games. We can.
Graham:I don't want to say not struggle, but like we can handle how each game goes. But here's the thing If you're a good football team, you don't just methodically I don't know what to say you don't just manage games to get by and win right. The great teams blow other teams out and the Pittsburgh Steelers have not done that in any capacity in the last. A hot minute right, and a lot of that comes down to the quarterback position, obviously. Yeah, we've had a couple good games in the past, don't get me wrong. Look the game that I flew back for against the Jets. At least I can look back on the season and say I had some good memories. I mean, that was a great time with A&E and stuff and all that.
Graham:So I mean it's just like I don't know for the Steelers what has to change. Obviously, look with what Russell Wilson did when he came in and he looked like the guy. He had those beautiful moon balls. We looked like a decent squad. But then it's like this is also early in the season when you can't tell if a team is suspect or if they're actually bad. You know what I mean. And everyone's going back oh, you beat these teams and they were shit. Well, they weren't that shit when we played them. We just didn't know they still played. Well, it's like when we lost the week before. So week five, when we lost to Dallas on Monday night, obviously Dallas turned out to be what Dallas is. We still played it. It was still a pretty decent game going back and forth.
Graham:You know what I mean. It's just like sometimes things happen. And with the Steelers organization it's just like I think the most telling part was watching that game on Saturday Pittsburgh Steelers the offense wasn't getting it going in the first half but they got it to. It was like fourth and inches, it was barely even a yard, or if they said it was a full yard. Tomlin didn't even blink and send out the field goal unit.
Graham:Tomlin went for it in like what week two On his own 23-yard line. You'll do it then, but then you won't do it in the playoffs. Like we weren't doing anything to move the ball. We actually had it on our own like 40-yard line or 45-yard line. Bro, quarterbacks need to do something. Tush, push, like why we're already down seven or we were down 14 at that point. Like you can't. Just, I know situational football, but like, bro, you have to do something to give the offense confidence, to go out there and do anything. And when they came out in the second half, yeah, we looked better. But, bro, when you're down 21 to nothing, like you can only go up. And yeah, we got a quick score when we came back from the half and, you know, made it a 14 point game and then the defense let up and then they score. It's just like we got it to a point where we were within 14 and we had a chance, but it's just like we weren't aggressive.
Graham:You make all this hype about justin fields. You say that you're gonna put him in packages. He only went on the field twice. Wow, now look. Going between two quarterbacks in the game is not the best strategy, but there's still. Look the commanders. They had a package with mariotta and uh and daniels. Granted, it was mainly for mariotta to do the the tush, but there was a threat.
Graham:if you know someone's only going to be there for rushing, that's fine, but now this is the playoffs. At least do something where you make them think that it's going to be a run and then drop back and you could have had a wide receiver wide open. You know what I mean? Like things could have happened and it just seems like, look, I'm a big Tomlin guy. If you listen to the podcast, you know where I've been. But there, as you know, I've been. But there's just some times where it's just like, bro, you can't do things the way that you've been doing them and expect things to change. And the worst part is our defense is getting older. Cam Hayward's playing almost his best season and he's 35. They even restructured his deal, do you? They would make him take a pay cut to come back to play. I don't know if he's still under contract for next year. Don't quote me on that right now.
Buckey:I'm not, but it's just like you know TJ, another year older.
Graham:Granted, he's still only. I think it's year eight for him. It's the same with Mika Fitzpatrick, like I mean, at the start of the season our defense looked like everything was gravy. So the question is, was it gravy, or were all the teams at the beginning of the season just not that good, or like like? What happened like I mean all I know hard knocks all I know is watching your game.
Scott:All I could think about was a conversation you and I had friday night after buckeye got off the phone and we were looking at draft Kings, you were looking at bed MGM and we were looking at player props and you and I were both like you were putting together your lottery ticket parlay and I was like, dude, you got to take what? Over five and a half tackles, it's a lock.
Announcer:Yeah.
Scott:You know how many tackles he had in that game.
Graham:Nope, hit me with it.
Scott:The same amount as you and I Wait what he didn't have one tackle. I'm looking at it right now.
Graham:No, I believe you, I just I don't. I, how can you say someone is not who they used to be? Like, I don't know.
Scott:Well, the Ravens game plan. You know, we're sitting here watching it. They added King Henry. Okay, they now have a massive running back and we're sitting there watching it. And we're watching the RPO with Lamar literally fake handoff to Henry and TJ instantly goes straight to Henry and levels him and then the whole right side of the field is wide-ass open. When Lamar has the lead, it's impossible to defend. We've talked about it forever the only way to beat the Ravens is make them one-dimensional, and they made the Steelers have to defend. That it was. You know it was bad, you know it was, I don't know. The Steelers looked like they came out flat to me to see, to see a team and a franchise with the history of the Steelers that are known for defense and the Steel Curtain, and to give up 186 yards to King Henry and then 81 rushing yards to Lamar. Well, you watched the game.
Graham:I know you watched the game. Who's stopping them? I know, when they play like that, who is stopping them? Detroit, probably, not the Eagles. I mean Kansas City.
Scott:Kansas City ain't stopping them. I mean, the goddamn Patriots put up 200-0 on the Bills. I mean, granted, the Ravens laid the wood to the bills week three or week four, but that was in Baltimore. Let's see what happens this week. It's going to be a hell of a game.
Graham:I can't wait, oh, I can't, I agree.
Scott:The real question is the Steelers. They got a lot of things to figure out in the offseason. I mean number one who's taking snaps, because both of those guys are free agents.
Graham:Well, I went that third quarter over 10.5 points. I know See you later, by what? Thanks for that. A point no nine because they didn't take the field goal or they didn't take the extra point, they went for two.
Scott:So we lost by a point and a half. Wonderful.
Graham:Yeah. But, and, mind you, that was with six minutes left in the third. Nothing happened.
Scott:And then Pickens in his press conference at the end of the game. I'm sure you saw that when they asked how confident he was in the offense moving forward, his response was nah Nah was nah I, I that guy, that guy needs to go to the Canadian Football League.
Scott:Well, that's not happening, I know, but he needs to leave your team. He is not a Pittsburgh Steelers. When you think of Pittsburgh Steelers, like I talked about earlier, you think of strength, physicality, football players. This dude, he ain't it. He ain't it when you're trying to fight the home crowd. That's enough. You're looking at the fourth quarter numbers. I know I can tell by the look on your face. Ladies and gentlemen, we have created a monster.
Graham:Yes you have. Hey, you got to make up what just happened, bro. 12.
Scott:And a half, as they say it's the worst thing to do.
Announcer:I know.
Scott:What's the score right now? Over 100 live is 48 and a half. Yep, I'm just leaving it alone. Sometimes, you know, like my boy, kenny Rogers, said, you got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run. Wow, that was a song I didn't think I was going to be singing tonight. Let's go.
Scott:Anyhow, let's move on, because the next game we're going to talk about we already kind of talked about it, summed it up uh, donkeys, get up to a seven, nothing lead. And that was the end of that. So, eagles, move on. Uh, yes, aj brown reading a book on the sideline.
Graham:He's like oh, I do this every week, I have this here and I'm like bro, there's no way. I'm like dude, if you pulled a book out, one camera would catch that.
Scott:Right. I agree.
Graham:Especially if you did that every week. You think Pittsburgh has problems. Look, philadelphia, looks great. But what are you doing about that situation? Oh, he's gone. Aj Brown is not going to be a Philadelphia Eagle next year. What do you have? One catch? I'd trade him for Pickens. Let's go Come on now.
Scott:You're getting rid of one. Like I told you last night, you're getting rid of one prima donna wide receiver for another one.
Graham:Yeah, but I don't know he wasn't prima donna when he was getting the ball. It's just they got a lot of mouths to feed and that was also before Sequel and Barkley. I'm just saying I get what you're saying. Yeah. I get it. I'm just saying, if that's the case, he wouldn't be happy anywhere. He'd be happy on a shitty team that just has to throw in the ball every time.
Scott:So now that, years later, everybody's blasted the Titans for trading him, were they?
Graham:right, yes and no, but they did that for picks, I mean.
Scott:I'm not saying you're wrong, I get it.
Graham:I get it.
Scott:Yeah, anyhow, donkeys bills, boat race donkeys. Sorry about it, you know, I still, like I said earlier, mad props. They did a lot with a little Can't hate on it. Like we said, episode one of this journey, we don't talk fan ball, we talk football. You got to give respect where it's due and they did it Anyhow.
Scott:Eagles Packers you know, opening kickoff of the game. Packers are receiving the ball. Opening kickoff. You know, we talked about it last night. Homeboy from the Packers fumbles the ball, which number one should have been helmet to helmet Number two. He fumbled it, then recovered it and then all 22 players jump on the pile and he doesn't survive the pile and the Eagles guy gets the ball. That was basically the end, the end, and now you can actually review that. And they reviewed it and the Eagles still got the ball. Whatever Did the better team win? Yeah, they did. But finally, last night in the wildcard round, we got a good game because, as we're sitting here on Monday night, this is a blowout. Because, as we're sitting here on Monday night, this is a blowout. Other than Washington, at Tampa, every game was a snooze fest. Right, right, dude, dan Quinn, they used to call Ron Rivera Riverboat Ron because he used to gamble. What kind of gambling nickname can we give Dan Quinn, because my guy in his fourth down?
Graham:They've seen what can happen, folks.
Scott:Dude, the commanders, here's a fun stat for you their last five wins have all came down to their last possession. You, their last five wins have all came down to their last possession. And last night, dude, I couldn't be happier for anybody on that team more than scary terry, because he's been there forever. I mean, washi didn't have a kid in 2006. That's crazy to think about, right?
Graham:You know, it's funny that you say that, because I saw a stat last night on SportsCenter and I took a photo of it.
Scott:Here we go. If you throw out the stat that I was going to throw out, I'm chugging this beer.
Graham:Well, no, it just says notable droughts. For the Commanders entering 2024. Alright, it's not good, I don't have to chug this. Last winning season, 2015. Snapped. Last playoff win 2005. Check Last playoff win 2005. Check Last conference appearance. I'm sorry, last conference championship appearance was 91, and last Super Bowl appearance was 91. Obviously that's still to come, but when I saw that stat I was like whoa, these people haven't won since 2005? Sheesh, it's crazy.
Scott:It's crazy. It's crazy. Especially they're not that good. They don't have players on defense that are difference makers. They got 38-year-old.
Scott:Bobby Wagner, and he is making a name and he played his ass off last night. I mean Jaden Daniels. There's nothing more I can say about this guy and I'm getting ready to say something and quote me. Write it down. Take a picture, I don't give a bleep.
Scott:Jaden Daniels is the guy that everybody thinks lamar jackson is right. The dude is ridiculous. Right, the poise in this guy ridiculous. I mean, the game's tied that tampa kicks the field goal to tie it up with four minutes and 41 seconds left and what does Daniels do? Takes Washington down for the drive of his career, milks the clock all the way to the end to kick the game, winning field goal as time expires. Yeah, it was a doink, but whatever went in. I mean, what else can you say about the guy? Well, I'm going to say it right now. You ready for this? Here's the stat that I thought let's do it. In NFL history, there have been three instances of a team having zero turnovers and zero punts in a game behind a rookie, starting quarterback, regular or post season. All three by the commanders Jaden Daniels this year, week two, week three and last night.
Announcer:That's insane.
Scott:I mean week two, week three and last night. That's insane. I mean the guy's legit dude. And guess what? They got a shit ton of cap space for next year, right, and you know what else? Jerry Jones, take note this how stupid do you think Daniel Snyder feels right now, the second year he hasn't owned the team, where he turns the team over and allows football people to make the decisions? Yeah, how are they doing?
Announcer:that's a good. How are they doing? That's a good question. How are they doing?
Graham:That's a good question.
Scott:I mean that's Daniel Snyder's I mean.
Graham:Look, it's a perfect example of any organization. When you get rid of a bad leader and you bring in people that do it the right way, and what you thought you had and wasn't going the right way now has the right people and it starts going the right way, you're like, oh, it wasn't us, it was you. And now the writing is on the wall. So I mean, look, you can't feel bad for someone that bought a team for what? $800 million and sold it for $5 billion Still.
Scott:So not that money's the whole factor but I'm just saying Right, right, right, no, I get it.
Graham:It's the coincidence of the situation.
Scott:But he also gave up the decision-making.
Graham:The new owner, he's allowing football people to make football decisions and, to be honest, take a page from Jerry Jones' books people. Sometimes let the people that know what they're doing do it. You can still be a hands-on owner without making decisions.
Scott:well, you know what I'm trying to say you just said take a piece from jerry jones. No, jerry jones doesn't allow people to do that no, that's my point.
Graham:My point in saying that is, if you do what jerry jones does and he wants to run everything and make all the decisions, you'll have a franchise like the cowboys, who are like, let's be honest, since they had their three superwolves in the early 90s, they're a fraudulent team. Like I'm like, what's worse than being a cowboys fan? I mean, let's seriously think about it. How many of those years are you? I mean it, it's like you know. I mean I'm not going to compare it to the Steelers, but it's just like, in the sense of all the hype, oh we're America's team. And oh, blow this and blow that. Like, oh, we're good. How many 13-win seasons do you have in the last 20 years that you got knocked out in the first round or in the second round? Because you got the first round by?
Scott:Not only that, but you know, we all saw the news today McCarthy's not coming back and it wasn't even an argument over money, it was an argument over years on the contract. And after Vrabel went to the Patriots, mccarthy hired Tom Brady's agent, switched agents and you don't think after Vrabel got hired, mccarthy's agent was like yo, we got them by the balls. We can say whatever we want, we can get whatever we want. We can get whatever we want. They're either going to pay you, yeah, or you're gone. And you know what.
Scott:I like mccarthy and I'm happy for him that he's out of that organization and right. I've strongly believe the reason he wanted the extra years on his contract is he's looking in the division and he's going. We got the Eagles that have the best GM in the game, that are 10 players better than us on their roster. We got Washington that has second or third most cap space. The Giants are a dumpster fire. We're not even gonna talk about them. But he needed time. He realized that to get this thing right and when they didn't give him the extra years, he's like deuces. You don't think he's going to be a head coach in the NFL next year.
Graham:Of course he is. Oh, I'd be surprised if he's not the head coach of the Bears next year. To be honest, I agree.
Scott:I mean the Bears asked the Cowboys, hey, can we interview him? And the Cowboys were like no. Number one douchebag move of the year, jerry Jones, you're going to release the dude and you say no.
Graham:First of all, douchebag. Award of the year already was taken by him in Week 18, when he didn't start yeah, Cooper Rush. Thank you To save 500 grand. Are you kidding me?
Scott:And then act like he didn't even know about it.
Announcer:Shut up, guy Get the f*** out of here.
Graham:Come on. I mean, his kids have to be like Dad, come, dad, come on, please stop shooting us in the foot here. But the thing like, but he keeps saying it's his team, he can do whatever he wants, and it's just like. Well, when you make that comment, I'm like so when you pass, are you not giving it to your sons? Are you selling the team? But then would you sell them to your. That just doesn't make any sense To not keep it in the fam. And then, if that's the case, why would you sell it? You don't need the money and you're going to die. Everything about it just makes absolutely no sense. So, as the son, how do you tell your dad yo, it ain't you anymore.
Scott:Not only that, what head coach wants to go there?
Graham:A first-time head coach.
Scott:You know who it's going to be. Who.
Graham:What Eric Bien-Ami.
Scott:Kellen Moore oh yeah. He is going to be the next Dallas Cowboys head coach.
Graham:Yeah, jerry Jones wouldn't hire Eric Bien-Ami. I'm not implying anything, I'm just saying.
Scott:No, I'm just saying Kellen Moore is the guy.
Graham:I mean, if track record proves anything, with jerry jones spot on, I mean washington almost hits again, it's gonna. Washington almost hits again. Want to tell the folks what happened yesterday about the bet last night yeah, the bet last night.
Scott:Oh man, sometimes you do very smart things when you've over-served yourself. And I got lucky and bet. You know, on our betting apps you can bet what's going to happen on this drive and it's either touchdown, field goal, punt or turnover or safety. I literally tell Graham turnover's coming Five to one and here comes a little $5 stupid bet on turnover. Literally the next play, turnover Easy $25.
Graham:Let's go, god, lucky, lucky. Sometimes you get lucky.
Scott:You know facts. Hey, better to be lucky than good, right, yeah, but anyhow, you know this game. There's nine minutes left. This has been a long ass game. Uh, rams are up 27 to 9. Looks like the r are going to go on the road and play the Eagles next week. We got Washington at Detroit, we got Houston at the Chiefs and we got the Ravens at the Bills.
Graham:So let me ask you this, since you already said all the games, at this point I wouldn't say there's any. They're all great teams, right. So you can't say there's an upset, but do you see any? Either road team or well, it would be the road team because they're the higher seed. Do you see any higher seed winning?
Scott:If I was going to pick one, it might be the Rams, yeah.
Graham:Rams or the Eagles, probably the best choice.
Scott:I will say this If Houston can rush the passer like they did against us, they can make that a way closer game than expected. I'm not even going to say anything about the Bills and the Ravens.
Announcer:Who knows?
Graham:Because, that's going to be a game. Yeah, what about the Commanders and Lions? I don't know, dude. I don't know I think that I mean it could go either way.
Scott:I mean I still like the Lions, but I don't think Washington has enough pieces on defense. I mean the Lions offense is ridiculous. I don't know?
Graham:Oh bro, they're nasty.
Scott:And the Lions are getting Montgomery back supposedly. Yeah, they're getting a couple.
Announcer:Which is huge.
Scott:Yeah, they're getting a couple dudes back on defense, but you know, jayden daniels is jayden daniels I I don't know right no I I, I agree.
Graham:I mean there's a lot to go on here. I mean I think it's going to be hard to pick these games. I just which, now that I say that I feel like we kind of should considering our next episode won't be until after the games are over.
Scott:so you got the Texans at the Chiefs. Chiefs are a seven and a half point favorite.
Graham:Alright, how about this? Take the spread and then the money line who you like.
Scott:I'm going to I don't know dude, Because I'm I don't know Chiefs are going to win.
Graham:I'll take the Chiefs.
Scott:Yeah, chiefs are going to win. I'll take the Texans to cover, okay.
Graham:I'll take the Texans to cover. Okay, I like that.
Scott:Later, that same day, you got Washington at Detroit, detroit laying nine and a half Oof.
Graham:Yeah, I'll take Lions-Moneyline, but I'll take the Commanders plus the points I mean. Well, with anything, it's either a blowout, not a blowout, but it's either a 10-point game or it's tight, which, oh gee, graham, that's a very intelligent decision there.
Announcer:Okay, not at all. Tell me better.
Scott:Not at all, because I said the same thing to my dad right before your game kicked off Saturday night. I said the Steelers are either going to win or they're going to get killed.
Announcer:Oh yeah.
Graham:And the latter happened yeah.
Scott:Then they don't have the lineup for the winner of this game playing the Eagles. But then they got the Ravens at the Bills. Ravens are one and a half point favorites on the road.
Graham:I'll say this the blowout of the Donkeys surprised me, especially when they went up that seven quick. I knew well I can't say I knew I had a feeling Buffalo was going to win the game. I just didn't expect it to be that way, especially against that defense. So it gives me a little more confidence in. Buffalo. I don't know if you got to watch that game at all. Not in its entirety. Well, the end of the first half I was watching clips of it.
Scott:The end of the first half I don't know if you saw the Broncos went down the field with less than a minute and had like a 45 yard field goal, I think, to tie yeah and they missed it and that was the end yeah, I.
Graham:I mean, look, the billets had a couple games that they were suspect on the run defense. I mean, look the game three or four weeks ago that I thought was a lock of the year against the Patriots, and the Patriots ran all over them. Look, dude, it's going to take a committed effort to stop Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. So I just look, I was telling you earlier this week like bro, I'm liking the Ravens to win it all. They're plus 600 right now and if they do win it all, if you're going to make that bet, then you're saying they're going to beat the Bills, they'll beat the Chiefs and then they'll beat the winner out of the NFC, which I think will be Detroit, but any given Sunday, who knows? So I mean, look, if and I want to be cautious, but if the Ravens win the teams that they went through to get there, I mean you got to give credit where credit's due.
Scott:You want to hear something funny. Let's hear it About the Ravens, and I heard this the other day and I was like, oh God, they're winning the Super Bowl. Funny how things in history coincidence, oh.
Graham:I know what you're going to say, but go ahead.
Scott:They won the Super Bowl in 2001. They won the Super Bowl in 2013. 12 years later, it's 2025.
Graham:Yeah, joe Flacco was 28 years old when he won it. Lamar Jackson is how old? 28. 28 years old, I mean people can make anything out of anything. I mean yes, I get it, I get it, I get it. But that being said, and like I told you early in the podcast and during the week, if the Ravens play like that against Pittsburgh, science still delivered.
Graham:But as you said the only way to stop the Ravens is to go up on them and look, their defense has looked better. I mean, now that they put Kyle Hamilton back into the safety position, he doesn't have to really play corner, they shorted that defense a little bit. I mean, they dude, they held Pittsburgh's. Najee didn't even have 25 rushing yards, warren didn't have 25. Granted, we had to throw, but still, even when they knew that we had to throw, so they didn't load the box, they still stopped us. So was that on our shit offensive line? I mean that's whatever is whatever stopped us. So was that on our shit offensive line? I mean that's whatever's whatever, but I don't know. I mean. That being said, I mean the way I'm talking, I guess I mean I like Buffalo too. That's the worst part.
Scott:All right, so here's the question.
Graham:I'm taking the Ravens.
Scott:Here's the question Gun to your head who is taking snaps at quarterback next year for your Steeler?
Graham:Russell, the fans want Fields. Look, I would prefer Fields. It's just. Here's the problem Fields doesn't throw it as well. If you can't pass in this league, you can't win. Running quarterbacks are great, but look all the stuff people were talking about Lamar and what his record was in the playoffs and he can't do it. I think Lamar was just like yo. I get it. Now I've calmed down. I'm not nervous. I mean to watch him throw the ball and was accurate and did what he did. Fields is not that, not even close.
Announcer:Yeah.
Graham:So if you're not, yeah, I mean. Yeah.
Graham:Yeah, but that being the case, he would need to stay in an organization that wants to develop him and do all that. So I would love him to stay. The question is for him does he think it will help his career if he does stay? Because he has to say to himself am I a starter anywhere? No, so if you're going to be a backup somewhere, be in a spot that you know will coach you up and give you an opportunity to be that guy.
Graham:I mean, look, you had the first six game for us. You did well. I mean, like I get it, you did well enough. But how much of that in the beginning? Like we won games, that the four games that we won was a lot of. It was because of the defense. But the plays on offense that we made, like we weren't wowing anybody on offense, it was. We made the one play that we needed to. We made the one play that we needed to. We made the one play that needed to happen.
Graham:And it's just like you can't win games in the nfl. I mean like you can. But what's the point of going 10 and 7, 11 and 6, 12 and 5 and making the playoffs and having a first round out it literally means absolutely nothing if you're not contending for a championship. What's the point? And that's what they say say you know, the Pittsburgh ownership was like well, we're all about championships, like I get that, but it's a double-edged sword because as an organization that's used to being a good organization, obviously you strive for the Super Bowl, but from the fan side of it, would you rather be a Browns fan? Would you rather be a Lions fan? Like have shit years for almost all your life, but then now you have these three years of like oh my god, this is amazing, right, and it's just like. I mean, I give credit to the other teams that it's just like for their fans, like the fact that you put up with this and you watch it like that. That just shows you love ball.
Scott:I'm just like I'm, as if I was a Steelers fan and they were my team. I would let Russ walk. He's at the end of his career. Keep the younger guy Because, remember, Russ comes off the books, I believe, with the donkeys. So now you're going to have to pay him. Yeah, he does. Now you're going to have to pay him.
Graham:Yeah For the future.
Scott:I'm going Fields.
Graham:I totally agree and something I'm just thinking about right now all the teams are watching everybody right. Who, like, is another team seeing what Russ did in the last five games and saying that's our starter? I'll name one games and saying that's our starter, I'll name one. I mean, I'm sure there's a few teams, but I'm just saying, like the question is, could Pittsburgh get away with being like here's 20? That's what I'm saying. Look, russ said this was one of his favorite years being in the NFL. He loves Pittsburgh, he loves Tomlin. I mean, look, I love Russ, but he also likes to fluff up a situation.
Scott:Yeah, like my old boss Flint said, I'm from the IRS and I'm here to help. I mean, come on, he also used to say something else. We're not going to air that on on the podcast. I'll tell you that off?
Graham:um rust to the saints yeah I mean he could go a bunch of places, but it's still, it's a stopgap. He's a stopgap until they draft someone else. You know what I mean. And it's just like Pittsburgh's ownership feels that we're not in a stopgap year. And now that we realize that I mean as a Sealer fan do you have to just read the writing on the wall and be like, all right, I guess he's not it? I mean, was I bamboozled from what I saw at the beginning of the year or in the middle of the year when he had that success? Who knows, there's so much situational stuff.
Graham:Our offensive line looked like dog shit during the year when you can't run the ball. My thing thinking about it is, if we got rid of some of these players, najee could go somewhere else and could kill it, pickens could go somewhere else and kill it. It's just knowing we've had good players, but we're just missing little pieces, those. And it's just knowing like we've had good players but we're just missing little pieces, and those little pieces are serious things. Like we lost our center for the year, we lost our tackle, or I mean our guard for the year, and it's just like look, I know the next man up, I get it. But there's just certain things where it's just like you could only do so much with what you have and moving forward like what you know. Draft pieces will help, we'll have some money to spend and it's kind of like we'll see what happens. But then again, look, how do you make decisions when? Look, we got Mike Williams when he actually was put into the game. He made some plays, they just weren't putting him into the game.
Scott:And he's a free agent.
Graham:What? And yeah, so you're trying to decide which wide receiver is going to play, and some of that has to do with the type of the offense. So if we go away from Arthur, Smith. He's not leaving. Well, that's my point. So if he doesn't go but I'm just saying hypothetically if he did go and say we got one of these new, like I know it will never happen, but if Ben Johnson came, the offense would look completely different and maybe we would use the wide receivers that we have in a different way.
Graham:I mean look, we didn't even use Roman Wilson, didn't even suit up this year. Wow good stat right there and my point in saying that is.
Scott:Wasn't he a third, second, third round pick?
Graham:Yeah, he was a, yeah, he was a third, and that's my point. I'm saying I feel like we've had pieces. I just don't. I don't know if it's the message is not being received or what the correlation there is. You know what I mean? Like I don't know if it's the game plan and then within the game, it's just like I don't know. There's games that we looked really good, yeah. Then there's games that we look like, uh, which?
Announcer:way did he go?
Graham:I agree. Which way did he go? So I'm almost like it's. I'd rather be in your situation where it's like, you know the direction that it's going and look, I mean I get it After having been Ralph's worker for 18 years. We were spoiled, I get it, and these last five have been absolutely brutal. So it's just, it is what it is.
Scott:I don't disagree with you and you know as a Chargers fan. We had Rivers for X amount of years. We moved on to Herbert Tyrod had a game of years. We moved on to Herbert Tyrod had a game in between. We've talked about it. There's organizations that have been spoiled with starting quarterbacks, and then you look at a franchise like the Browns, washington, miami, you know, but anyhow, we could sit here all night and love it because our teams just got bounced Saturday and we're already talking about the future. That's why I love the NFL right.
Graham:When's the draft?
Scott:Yeah, april, right, something like that. Yeah. But anyhow. Uh, there's three minutes and 26 seconds left in this game Rams up 27-9. Looks like the Rams got a matchup with the Eagles next week. So what are you crossing your fingers for? What bet did you make?
Graham:You know I couldn't, bro, you know I couldn't.
Scott:Didn't I just sing Kenny Rogers?
Graham:Yeah, I know. Well, when Minnesota was driving the ball down the field, there was an alternate spread. Well, I took an alternate spread because it went down to like 13,. So then I dropped it down to 11.5 for minus 130. No one four. It was minus one 40. I think so. Yeah, so your boy took it for the game, for the game, for the game. Oh, rams, minus 11 and a half.
Scott:Dude Cook just had the text of the year in our San Diego thread.
Graham:I mean, can we say it on the air?
Scott:Yeah, Watching the Vikings is like going to a strip club it's all promised till the end and you walk out with blue balls.
Graham:Folks, if there's a mic drop moment there, it is Scott. It's a pleasure doing the podcast with you. I mean anything else before I let us go?
Scott:Thanks for coming on the show, Buckeye. Appreciate it. Good luck to your pizza delivery guys next week in the national championship game. It's been a fun episode.
Graham:That it has, that it has. Hopefully Rams can hold out and it all works out for me. Scott, I can't wait for episode. Next week Conference championships will be decided.
Scott:And, by the way, we may or may not have a special guest next week on the episode. As you know, I'll be in Florida at the PGA show in Orlando. We may or may not have somebody on the show.
Graham:Wait, you got Tiger Woods to come on. Yeah.
Scott:Me and Eldrick hanging out.
Graham:Well, scott, pleasure doing the podcast with you. Bucky, thanks for coming on, had a great time and, folks, until next time, as the best homie always says, buh-bye.
Scott:Good night friends. I'll see you next week in orlando gym dance for the second year in a row.
Announcer:Can't wait this episode of the bald Guys on the Bench podcast is brought to you by our friends at Northstar Credit Union and Southern Auto, located in Southeast Virginia.
