Bald Guys On The Bench
Bald Guys On The Bench
When Hope Meets Reality: What Wildcard Weekend Really Told Us
Recorded January 13th, 2026
Hearts pounded, beers cracked, and the script got shredded. We dive straight into Wildcard Weekend’s chaos: Chicago’s fourth-quarter eruption under Ben Johnson, Matthew Stafford dragging the Rams to a win despite brutal drops, and Buffalo edging Jacksonville on a back-foot laser that will live in film rooms for years. We talk about how and why these games flipped—momentum, middle-eight discipline, and which role players actually win January.
College football crashes the party with Indiana’s improbable run, an emblem of how the transfer portal and NIL have permanently tilted the field. That opening-play pick six against Oregon wasn’t just drama, it was a masterclass in seizing leverage early. We map those lessons to the pros: stack advantages, stress rules, and choke the clock when you smell blood.
Then we face the hard stuff. San Francisco put on a coaching clinic while Philly asked Jalen Hurts to be a stationary passer. The Chargers fell into the same trap again—aggression without protection is just wishful thinking—prompting Greg Roman’s exit and a sober look at building an offense around protection, play-action, and a true WR1. The Steelers created turnovers, then watched Houston’s front four smother drives without blitzing, a gut-check that accelerates change on an aging roster and ends the Tomlin era.
We close by setting the stage for the divisional round: Bills versus a stingy Denver unit, Seattle’s physicality versus the 49ers machine, Houston’s defense as the great equalizer, and the Rams’ chances if Puka and Stafford stay in rhythm. It all comes back to trench play, situational mastery, and WR2 reliability. Tap in, argue with us, and tell us your upset pick for the weekend. If you’re riding with us, follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—what matchup are you most confident about and why?
#baldguysonthebench #graboneandcrackone #nflplayoffs #steelers #miketomlin #lachargers
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench podcast with your hosts Graham Cohen and Scott Wasco.
Graham:What's up everyone? Welcome back to another episode of The Bald Guys on the Bench. Wow, do we have an episode for you today? Wildcard Weekend just came and went. Shock and awe is all I can say. Scotty Wah, how you doing, brother?
Scott:I'm doing good. I'm ready to crack a beer. But you know, for the second year in a row, my squad and your squad go down wildcard weekend. At least, at least this year it wasn't the same day. At least we got to wait. I mean, you got to have a little bit of hope, you know, after Sunday night. But, you know, I don't know, man. A lot of shit to talk about. So glad we didn't do the episode last night because a lot of news came out today, and we're gonna spend a lot of time talking about everything. So, Graham, you know what time it is. Grab it, crack it, let's go.
Graham:Let's go.
Scott:And with those cracks, folks, the 2025 Chargers and 2025 Steelers season, they gone.
Graham:Boo-ba!
Scott:But anyhow, we'll get into that bullshit later and tears and you know, ends of legacies and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Graham, how was your weekend? Pretty good till Monday night, I expect.
Graham:I mean, the weekend was uh I mean the word great almost came out came out of my mouth, but look, how it started, the other games, let's talk.
Scott:I mean, dude, not even that. Thursday night, semifinals, college football playoffs.
Graham:Exactly. Both games were ex well, I can't say both games were exciting, but it yeah, you know, we're almost at the end. The big games are coming, you know. We got the matchup that that that I mean. Look, Indiana, Miami, in Miami, it's gonna be crazy. Mendoza, more or less from that area, grew up right across from the stadium. Like, that's his backyard.
Scott:Did you see how much ticket prices are?
Graham:Wow. Wow. Guess what? It's gonna be sold out. They're making that. I just I you know the thing is just thinking about it off the top of the head. What was more like what took you more by surprise? Indiana lay in that wood, or what happened to our teams?
Scott:Honestly? I don't know, that's a tough question. Right? I mean, Indiana shouldn't have been that big of a surprise the way they've been playing. Like I said last week, they've gotten better every week. Right? When they beat Ohio State, okay, yeah, Ohio State missed a field goal, whatever. They got the bye. The way they beat Bama. Everybody like, I'm sorry, what? Indiana just beat Bama? And then they come out and just boat race Oregon. I mean, like we said, they beat Oregon at Oregon in October or whatever in the regular season by 10. But when the first play of the game is a pick six, I can't actually say that I was surprised. Remember, there were three and a half point favorites going into that game. I alternate spread them to seven and a half and wish I would have done 19 and a half.
Announcer:Right?
Scott:Yeah, I I mean I I can't actually say I'm surprised about that. I mean, for me also, I also can't say I'm actually surprised about, and I'm not trying to kick you when you're down, about the result of your game. The score, yes, I'm shocked at a hundred percent. I thought the Texans were gonna win. I mean, oh and three to start the season, then three and five, 11-game win streak, I think, right now. The game you guys played last week, winning it in on Sunday night, I thought that gave you guys belief, momentum, a home game where you haven't lost in how many years?
Graham:On Monday night, 30.
Scott:Texans have never won a road playoff game. I mean, but I don't know. Uh I still Indiana. Yeah, it's a shocker. Uh it's more shocking than anything. Gotta say. Miami being there too.
Graham:Carson Beck? I mean, he let him. I people can say whatever they want about him. He I look, he they haven't won it yet, but there has to be a little form of vindication for him after everything that he's been through. Yeah. He was the backup for Georgia when they won. Uh it's just like I mean, look, he made the plays that need to be made to win the game. Kudos to them for beating Old Miss. I mean, it was a great game, came down to the wire, and hey, yeah, congratulations. Uh, it's it's obvious that they were the reason why they were chosen by the committee. Thank you. So it's just um, yeah, it it is what it is.
Scott:And can we talk about homeboy from Indiana, the wide receiver? Dude, this guy. Okay, you know who his first touchdown pass was from in 2020? 2020. You know this because we've talked about it.
Graham:Yeah, wasn't it Carson Beck himself?
Scott:No, no, smack yourself. Trevor Lawrence.
Graham:That's right, you're right. My bad.
Scott:My bad. Homeboy's still in the league. It's insane.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:I mean, you think when he caught that pass from Trevor Lawrence, he'd be like, Man, 2025, I'm gonna be in the national championship game with Indiana. Right. No chance.
Graham:I don't think anyone on Indiana thought they were gonna be catching passes and scored touchdowns this far in the season. I mean, I mean we said it during the week. If things go the way that we think things could go, and say Indiana does win, Indiana, which historically has been known for a basketball school, is it now a football school?
Scott:Well, with the transfer portal and the shit that's going on right now, they ain't going away.
Graham:Oh, dude, Signetti? If he wins, put up a statue now. What hey, I know it's year two, but you yeah, dude, you'll get there.
Scott:He's lost two games.
Graham:Exactly. You've lost two games in two years, exactly. And and then you win potentially, knock on wood, you win the natty. Like not that he can't afford it, but if that dude pays for anything. Oh, what is it? What what what city is it in Bloomingfield or I don't know.
Scott:I don't know, something like that. Home of Bobby Knight and his throwing chairs. That's a that's what Indiana was known for until this. Yeah. Yeah.
Graham:The Hoosiers. I mean, yeah.
Scott:Yeah. But anyhow, what do you like? Indiana's laying seven and a half next Monday night. We are we gonna do the episode during the game? I mean, we could, I don't care. Yeah. Yeah. Indiana's laying seven and a half.
Graham:A hundred percent.
Scott:It's a lot of points.
Graham:I might alternate spread it to ten.
Scott:Miami's got an amazing defense. It's gonna be a tough matchup for 'em.
Graham:But give me the Hoosers minus 13 and a half, baby. Let's go ride them while they're hot.
Scott:Let's go. Alternate spread that shit. I mean, dude, they're special, right?
Graham:Yeah. It's a team of destiny.
Scott:I mean, dude, Oregon. Boat race, dude. Boat raced.
Graham:Trust me, as I witnessed in my game last night, when you can take another team's morale just right away from them, like that they made the Steelers one-dimensional. They just beat them down. I mean, what Indiana was doing to Oregon, like, it got to a point where like there was nothing they could do. I mean, what did what did Lansing say at halftime? Uh, well, guys, uh, don't get hurt.
Scott:Hey guys, let's try to, you know, play hard, you know. But dude, like I said, the opening kickoff. Homeboy though returned it got smoked. First play of the game, pick six. I mean, the Oregon quarterback supposed to be was going in the game. Is the are the Raiders gonna take him or are they gonna take Mendoza? And then whatever.
Graham:I don't know. Indiana. When it went. I just I I don't uh I don't know.
Scott:Uh it's crazy. Good for them though. Good for them. It's a story, it's a great story. And like we always say, you know, sports, the ultimate reality show.
Graham:It's 2026, bro. Times have changed. What used to be is not no more. Yeah, coaching carousel, I mean, just everything, the college landscape, things are not how they used to be. And look, it's time to accept and just enjoy the ride and figure it out.
Scott:Hey, even if you went back to 2020 when that Indiana wide receiver caught that his first touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence, okay? If the writing was on the wall and they told you and I this is the new NCAA landscape, the NIL, the transfer portal, and this and that, in your wildest dreams, if somebody told you Indiana's gonna be in the national championship game for college football, you'd be like, bro, you'd be like, bro. This ain't back to the future. This ain't the Stimpsons with their you know projections back in the you'd be like, bro, whatever you're on, you there's this place called rehab.
Graham:Hey, I I got one better for you. If you would have said at that same time, oh, Indiana's gonna be good is gonna go to the national championship and Bill Belichick's gonna coach the Tar Heels, you would have been like, uh I would believe Belichick go into the Tar Heels before Indiana played in the national championship game.
Scott:Wow. Yeah in 2020 before, I mean yes, yes, wow, all right, yes, yes, but I don't know, man. Anyhow, we didn't really talk about weekends. I mean, we all know what we did. We watched, I mean, five days of meaningful football games starting Thursday night, you know.
Graham:As we said on the podcast last week, was that not the best five days of sports? I mean, it was essentially, I mean, it didn't turn out the best way, but like yeah, for football fans, a hundred percent. Yeah. I mean, it's not like, yeah, well, yeah, but I don't know, man.
Scott:Wrap up in the wild card weekend, you know, like I was talking earlier, four amazing games that had you on the edge of your couch, you know, starting with the Rams, Panthers, like Jiminy Crickets, you know, four awesome games. And we're like Sunday, I'll know Kristen was like, oh my god, all these games have been so stressful. That means the Chargers game tonight's gonna be stressful. I'm like, Kristen, it's a playoff game, it's always stressful. And you know, like I told you, four games were amazing, and then our two teams lay duds.
Graham:But they started off okay.
Scott:Yeah, they did. I mean, before we even get into my game, your game, you know, Rams obviously beat the Panthers the next game that night to the Packers and Bears. Didn't know what to expect at all. At halftime, it's 21 to 3.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:And I don't know if you've heard this, but Bears players came out after the game was over and said Ben Johnson made them watch the Patriots come back when it was 28-3 against the Falcons.
Announcer:At halftime?
Scott:Not at halftime, but in the week during the week. Week building up to it.
Graham:Wow.
Scott:And his and his whole half-game speech was that dude. I mean, Jordan Love just came out slinging it, right? I I mean, dude was looking like a beast. Start of the fourth quarter, your boy here, stupid bet, but knowing the bears all year, right? What have the bears done all year? Come back.
Graham:Yeah, right.
Scott:And the fourth quarter, I bet money line bears plus 600 or whatever it was. Yeah. And I'm like, oh, this is good. Gets to five points. Kristen went to bed. She's like, this shit's over. I text her, I'm like, oh my god, the bears are gonna win. And then she's like, Are you serious? What's the score? I'm like, they're down five. And then the Packers score that tutty. And I'm like, Yeah, never mind, never mind. Game over, Packers win. Uh hold my beer. And then, like I've done all season, I'll do it again. And I have no shame in my game. I'll eat that crow with Caleb Johnson.
Graham:Who?
Scott:Oh, whatever. God dang it. I said his name wrong. Caleb Williams. My bad. There's my smack. I'm still shocked about the way this dude's playing. He's balling, dude.
Graham:First thing is first.
Scott:Well, I hope you can get your thoughts right because you're just like Adam Sandler said and Billy Madison.
Graham:Your underline, underline, underline, underline exclamation point. Does the hype of Ben Johnson for what he did for Detroit and then coming over to Chicago? All the stuff that was said preseason and how they looked, and by they I mean Caleb Williams. Not Johnson, I'll smack it again, whatever. And that offense, it's just like, has there, I mean, just off the top of your dome, what the hype of getting him and how he's been able to turn that around and what he's done for them, it's just like, What?
Scott:Let's don't forget their offensive line last year was terrible. Yeah. Okay. Not as bad as the Chargers this year, but they were terrible. Okay. And let's also don't forget, you know, they spent a shit ton of money on offensive players, right? But let's don't forget they were 0-2, bro. They lost week one to the Vikings by three. Boat race by the Lions week two. Beat the Bears week three. Beat the Raiders by a point. Then beat the Commanders by a point. Okay.
Graham:They had a lot of close games. Close wins.
Scott:Yeah. And then came back against the world. The Bengals game was insane. But I mean, you know what? You gotta do that shit. And he's got those guys believing. And I don't know if you saw the the locker room speech by Ben Johnson. Yeah. When he got done, Caleb started talking. It was insane, dude. That team's rallying. That dude, you know, I mean, they're doing special shit. And their defense ain't that good. You know, they made the right play at the right moment.
Graham:Yeah, I mean, look, they they did what they needed to do. And we can make, you know, comments, arguments on look. The Packers missed two field goals.
Scott:And an extra point. McManus cost them seven points. Seven. Seven. That's a tutty and an extra point right there.
Graham:Yeah. Drop passes in key moments in the four in the fourth quarter. It's just like, look, as they say, you play to win the game. You can only react to what happens. So kudos to the Bears. I'm happy for the organization. Well, I mean, I'm happy for the fans. I mean, what they've gone through, the torment, especially in the playoffs, all that stuff. I get it. Believe me. What Pittsburgh's gone through in the last 10 years, I get it.
Scott:We talked about it weeks ago. Just like the NBA with the Knicks getting back. The NBA's better for having the Knicks in meaningful games. The NFL is better with the Bears. Agreed. Dude, he scored 25 points in the fourth quarter.
Graham:Is that any good?
Scott:Dude, they're done. They're down 21 to 6 at the start of the fourth. It was insane, dude. It was insane. You could see the momentum, right? And Caleb made those throws, and you know, i everybody in the world's talked about everybody seeing the highlights. It was insane. This week against the Rams? I don't know, dude. Like we were talking about it before. I don't know what to expect. The Rams have played shitty the last month.
Graham:Yeah, yes, but I mean, how Matt Stafford brought that team back against the Panthers, which was that this was that the same Panthers group that played in week 18? Was that the same team?
Scott:Hey, they had a chip on their shoulder. Nobody gave them any respect. Ten and a half point dogs at home. I get it. They came out balling, dude.
Graham:Yeah. Well, I mean Matt Stafford says, hey, get on my back. I'm gonna get this dub. And he took them right down. I mean, they look that game could have been over so much sooner.
Scott:Especially with his injury on his hand.
Graham:Yeah, dude. Puka dropped two touchdowns.
Scott:That one before halftime was like, wow.
Graham:That's what I'm saying. I mean, it's also just bringing up like how it was in the Packers game. When plays that normally would happen happen, the outcome would be different. They didn't in these cases, so what happened happened. Like, I get all that. I'm just saying, like I mean, you can't say, well, if what happened was supposed to happen, I mean, like, look, you gotta play the game how it plays. Like, I get that. I have confidence in Matt Stafford to go in there. And I mean, look, we're saying the Bears defense, it's banged up those linebackers. You don't think Puka over the middle? You don't think Devontae, dude? Devante had two drops on third game.
Scott:Uh, when do you see Devontae drop balls?
Graham:Uh never. So that's what I'm saying. I mean, with the run game and how the offense is, I like the offensive line. I mean, sorry to say, I like the defensive line from the Rams.
Announcer:I it dude.
Graham:All you can say is you looked at the body of the work, you know what the you know the players they have, you know how they like to play. Do teams usually live up to how they play? Uh, most of the time, but sometimes things happen. I I don't know. I mean, look, there's a reason why they say any given Sunday. Things can happen. I get that. Um, you know, my only question is you know, have you heard some of the quote unquote controversy over the weekend games? And Tony Dungey brought it up.
Scott:About the scheduling. Yeah, that's bullshit.
Graham:Dude, how does the NFL do that?
Scott:The Niners make them play on Saturday.
Graham:So it's like you played on Sunday, but your the your game next week is on Saturday, and your game this past week was Saturday, now you play on Sunday. That's a huge difference.
Scott:And not even that. Oh, well, obviously that, but let's bring up your game last night. Okay, NFL. You have two games on Saturday, three games on Sunday, and a game on Monday. Uh why can't we go 3-3? Now the Texans, even though they're playing, where they're playing on Sunday, I think, but still in New England, still, why do we have to push this shit to Monday?
Graham:Well, Pittsburgh played on Monday. It would have been unfair if they're done to play. Yeah, it would have been unfair if they played on Saturday, yeah.
Scott:No. It's anyhow. That last drive in the Rams-Panthers game, the last time I'm gonna talk about it, when the Rams got the ball, the Panthers just went up. TP texts me and he goes, All right, everybody's crowning him the MVP. Let's see an MVP drive. We saw it. That throw that he made the throw away and the catch. I mean, obviously both. I think that both.
Graham:I think the catch was better. But that like the catch and then how he turned his body to stay in bounds.
Scott:It was sick.
Graham:And then have the momentum to go up the field and get that touchdown. You're just like, sheesh.
Scott:Yeah, yeah. Anyhow, let's move on. Both games on Saturday. We talked about the Bears, we talked about the Rams. Uh early game on Sunday was the one that everybody was looking forward to. Myself and Graham and other people were locked and loaded on the Jags. Good game. The Jags were lucky to be in it after the first half. Lucky. And the Bills should have been up 20. It was awful. And dude, didn't disappoint. The end of the first half, I talked about it with you Sunday, even though you were still sleeping. Uh, the end of the first half, the Jags get the ball, bomb from Lawrence, get down, spike it, and the biggest leg and kicking misses a 40-yarder. Huge. Huge. It was like, wow. But hey, Josh Allen put the team on his back. Everybody that listens knows I always hate on Josh Allen. It's fun to hate on him. But that throw he made off his back foot.
Graham:Wow.
Announcer:Two? Do you remember?
Scott:Um, oh, it was Cooks, right?
Graham:Brandon Cooks recently signed. The fact that he's still bouncing around the league.
Scott:Dude, that throw was like, wow, wow, wow. If they end up winning the whole thing, everybody is gonna go back to that throw. Not everybody, not everybody will, but real football nerds like you and I go back to that throw.
Graham:You know. Just thinking about this. Is 2025 the realization for Scott in the sense of quarterbacks where it's just like, oh, Caleb Williams might be that guy, and Josh Allen is not a glorified tight end throwing the ball?
Scott:Dude, I give Josh Allen shit. I know I've given him his props, dude. Relax. I mean, uh, but something I really want to, dude. What's everybody always said about the Bills this year? They're wide receivers aren't good. Keon Coleman, why is he not active? This, that. Dude, Khalil Shakir. Shakir?
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:12 receptions. 12.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:12. He didn't, he had 82 yards. Not a massive yardage, but 12 receptions. He came up and was a stud in that game.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:And don't forget, you know his wife taught him in middle school, right? Uh this guy. Uh but dude was a stud, man. I I mean the I mean, the tush push that almost went 10 yards.
Graham:I there's so many things that are just like I don't want to say unexplainable, but you know, going into it, Jags defense was looking hot, their offense was looking hot. I mean, look, the Jags had a chance.
Scott:They were pounding Josh Allen, pounding his knee. He had to get off the field for a concussion test, getting killed.
Graham:Yeah. Dude, that's great game. It it's all how the ball bounces. That tipped pat. I mean, they had a chance to win the game. They had a minute left or 50 seconds left. I mean, the tipped ball that caused that caused an interception. I mean, to go down like that, it's just like suck the wind right out of your sails. Like, I I mean, I would have much rather have seen like about a down pat, you know, take him down the field, like something. Yeah. To go down like that, you're just like, it's so gut-wrenching. I mean, you feel for him. Look.
Scott:Hey, and don't forget, that was Josh Allen's first road playoff win.
Graham:Insane. I mean, Trevor Horse looked good.
Scott:You know what? You know what? Josh Allen's gonna get his second this week. Let's go.
Graham:Hey, I for as much as you hate the donkeys and been saying all this shit, I I just I'm not saying they figure it out. I I I I don't I'm not as confident as you. I want the Bills to win. A hundred percent. I definitely want the Bills to win. I think it's gonna be a close game. I think it's gonna come back. Of course. It's of course I just I look as we were saying, receivers. Denver's D-line's not terrible. Their back end's not terrible either. So, I mean, who's last year's defensive player of the year covering?
Scott:The total. Man, I wish I had my glasses on.
Graham:How old are you?
Scott:I can't tell if that's 46 and a half or 48 and a half. What do you think? I it's 46 and a half. Open in line Sunday night came out, Bills were favorites on the road. It's a hundred percent flip. Now it's donkeys minus one.
Graham:I'm gonna say over. I'm gonna say over.
Scott:I think so too. I think so too.
Graham:Because you can score on the bills, right? And if you can score on the bills, and if anyone has any faith in Josh Allen, they can score points too. So I mean, I just I would feel more comfortable taking the over than any part of that game.
Scott:Yeah, I really money line bills minus 108, Broncos minus 112. It's as close to a pick'em as it's gonna get.
Graham:Yeah, I mean, it's just yeah, it is what it is.
Scott:Anyhow, let's get into the sad news.
Graham:Oh, we don't want to talk about the other game.
Scott:Oh, Eagles Niners.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:I mean, if Kyle Shanahan didn't just wrap up coach of the year, even though voting has to be done before the postseason, I think that's stupid. But I mean, dude, what the Niners did on Sunday afternoon was crazy. It was awesome. They played D trick play at the end.
Graham:Uh dude, that was the play.
Scott:AJ Brown and Siriani, you know, their bullshit, AJ Brown. Yeah. Dude, I I don't even know.
Graham:It's how about this? This is the perfect transition into in, you know, into your game. It's kind of important to have a good offensive coordinator that knows how to use the skill players they have in the right way.
Scott:And like I was saying earlier, what did Jalen Hurts not do? Run the ball. Yeah. That's he didn't. One of his best qualities. Yeah, strength. He's not a pocket passer.
Graham:No, keeping you on your toes, the threat of the run is what makes you dangerous. Like when you have the threat of the run and you can go outside of the pocket, all the DBs and Libraries are like, oh, where'd he go? Where'd he go? What happened? What happened? Uh well, what had happened was he just ran for a first down. What had happened was is he he punked you, you thought it was gonna run, so you stopped, and then he threw it over you and hit the wide receiver. No, I'm just gonna drop back and just sit here in the pocket and throw to the outside. Did you see him throw it to the middle of the field?
Scott:It was awful.
Graham:It was like he was allergic to the middle of the field.
Scott:Well, I the only person in the middle of the field that does anything for that team is Goddard. Yeah. And after after scoring two tutties in the first quarter, pretty sure the Niners were like, Salah was like, hey, everyone, you might want to cover that guy. I just I mean, if you bet Goddard two touchdown scores last week, good for you. I mean, you have many crickets, but dude, the defense for the Niners played their asses off. I don't know, man. It was insane.
Graham:And they lost Kittle to an Achilles early. Early. Early, early, early. Dude, I I really feel bad for that guy. He gets banged up so much.
Scott:And he's such a stud and good person. And did you see what happened when he got in the locker room after the injury?
Graham:Yeah, you told me to say it. That's hilarious.
Scott:Dude, the owner was like, owner came down to visit him in the locker room, was like, anything I can do for you? What can I get for you? He's like, uh, how about a bottle of tequila? Thanks for playing.
Graham:Tick, please. Let's go.
Scott:I I just I am it sucks because Achilles, you know, he ain't gonna be playing in the beginning of the year next year. That's what sucks for him.
Graham:I mean, do they need him in the beginning of the year?
Scott:Yeah, I I get what you're saying.
Graham:To be fair, that division and who they they played this year, statistically, based off the teams, was significantly easier than who they'll play next year, so who knows? I mean, look, perfect example. This is the first time a division had three teams win twelve or more victories. That's insane. Three teams and one that's including the playoff wins. No, they had 12 at the start, I believe, at the end of the season, each team.
Scott:Okay. That's insane. Dude, it it was I mean, what the Niners did, too many crickets.
Graham:I mean, so uh we'll talk about it later who we think about next week, but I mean I mean, what what after the game's over and we talked about it? I'm like, you think they got a chance against Seattle, and you're like, no chance. But how do you I mean, how do you say that?
Scott:You can't because it's a division game. Yeah, that's what I mean.
Graham:Dude, there's a chance Seattle as the one seed could play two division teams in the playoffs.
Scott:Back-to-back games, back to back.
Graham:Also, like I said, two teams that won 12 games each. Like, what I don't know. I don't know. It's insane. I guess the real question is was this in the quote unquote NFL script at the beginning of the season? How everything went? Oh, there's a script. There's a script. I just what? I don't know. I don't know.
Scott:Yeah, I don't know, man. I just I'm pumped for Niners fans. I'm pumped for my boy Fuji. I mean, I I don't even know what to say. You know, Eagles are banged up a banged up offensive line, you know, is what it is. Everybody has injuries going into obviously the postseason. Yeah. But AJ Brown, everybody says he's gonna be traded. Dude, if he gets traded the dead cap money, it's gonna be hard to happen.
Graham:Well, I just saw something about that. I just saw something about that before we got on where it just said his dead cap changes based upon when he gets and but notice how I said not if when he gets traded. So look, Hyrie Roseman, best in the business? 100%. So I guarantee you he has his calculator figuring it figuring out what needs to be done.
Scott:And dude, him and him and his cap analysts are the best in the world because they front load everything.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:Give them more sign a bonus, and that's how they make this shit happen.
Graham:But good luck. Just popped in my head. What about Cliff in Philadelphia? Could happen. That's wow.
Scott:Could happen.
Graham:McDaniels. McDaniel. I just uh just so much stuff. We'll we can get in out of this time.
Scott:Yeah.
Graham:Sunday night.
Scott:Sunday night game had T-Bone over. We're all here ready for the game. You know, it's in New England. It's the matchup the Chargers wanted. We talked about it last week. The Patriots pass rush, not their best. Chargers offensive line, worst in the NFL. We all know. Missing two all-pro tackles. Beginning of the game stars. Patriots get the ball first. Three and out. Chargers get it. Three and out. Pin them on the two. Next play, interception. First and goal inside the 10. Fourth and two. Everybody that listens to us, and mainly you know how I feel about leaving points on the board in big games. I'm screaming, I'm going nuts, and we go for it. No points. Okay. It is what it is. I'm like, I can't even tell you my words that came out of my mouth.
Graham:Not to interrupt, the play call. Oh, it's awesome. The fact that they went for it, the play call is just I'm yelling at the screen. I'm like, Scott, like, I'm my dad's watching it with me, and I'm like, Scott's gonna tell you take the points. He's gonna tell you take the points. They're going for it. And then that play that they ran, I just looked at my dad and I'm like, are you serious?
Scott:And talking about the play they called, it all goes back to what? Our first round draft pick. Okay, Hampton.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:He's been he's been hurt. He sat out against Denver last week. And he's they activated him. He was on the field for one play, one carry, negative one yards. And like TP and I were talking, you know, teams that draft running. In the first round, are what? Usually one piece away. The Chargers were not one piece away when we drafted him. When we drafted him, when we drafted him, we had already signed Najee. Okay. We got exposed in the playoffs last year by the Texans by what? The weakness of our interior offensive line. And you know what? We signed Becton in the offseason, okay? It was it was the right move to make. That move backfired on us, and he was awful. But we also made that move thinking, guess what? You know who's to the right of him? Joe Wall. And not having a running game ultimately killed us on that. If Hampton's healthy, who's getting the ball? Duh, we know. Okay.
Graham:Or Najee.
Scott:Or Najee. But like we always say on the show, even Mike Tomlin says it, if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle. Okay.
Graham:I thought you said that.
Scott:Well, I say it. Tomlin stole my closet. He said nail parts because he's scared. But, you know, anyhow, our defense was insane. Got that early interception. You know, Patriots go down, score the three points. Anyhow, we're driving into the second half, and that miss non-call. Yes, we all know there's miss non-calls in the NFL. We've talked about the bullshit over and over and over. But like we talked about last week, the face mask. Was it old miss in Miami, the missed face mask? How do you miss a face mask? Like that's the most blatant penalty ever. Hands to the face, illegal blow to the head on Herbert on third and six. How do you miss that?
Graham:Especially when I brought it up to you. Yeah. And that dude, at the start of the game, they said the announcers, during the playoffs, there are extra officials that are there. They have officials specifically for the game bowls. There's officials that had jackets on. Like it's so frustrating to say this. It's just like, how do you have extra officials there and you still miss calls?
Scott:Especially something like that. My buddy texted me after that play, and he goes, It's a shame in pro football, especially in the playoffs, they don't have one official dedicated to solely watching the quarterback. That's a first down. We're driving. It's a momentum killer. And we get the ball coming out of the second half.
Graham:That's what I'm saying. Because didn't they score right after the they kicked a field goal to go up six to three? Yeah, they got few. Yeah.
Scott:So we go in the halftime tied, and we have a two-fur possession. But anyhow, I mean, the defense played their dicks off. Greg Roman made no adjustments at halftime. Drake May played well. And like I said, I gotta give credit where credit's due. The game plan for the Patriots defense, especially their DBs. Insane. You know, insane. Everybody, you know, the thing, yeah, we lost. That sucks. We lost. We lost, giving up 16 points. Okay. I mean, minus the Chargers scoring three and the Steelers scoring six. The Patriots scored the least amount of points of the third least out of all the games. Dude, our defense made plays. We got that sack fumble from Owe. We had opportunities, but like I've said all year, offensive line. People hate on Herbert. I get it. Okay, the first year we were up 27 and we lost a playoff game in Jacksonville. He didn't turn it over once. Okay. That's on Staley for not running the ball in the second half. Okay. I give him a buy on that. Last year, he had three interceptions the entire season. I had, I think, four in the playoff game against Houston. Okay. Terrible game. But the interior offensive line, the weakness, screwed us. This year, the guy had the 32nd ranked offensive line in the league. What do you expect homeboy to do? I mean, yeah, I'm just gonna say this, okay? We had zero 800-yard receivers. We didn't have an 800-yard rusher, 32nd ranked offensive line in the NFL, won 11 games with a broken left hand.
Graham:Okay. That guy won us the 11 games. Yeah.
Scott:And let's don't forget, okay, all you haters, and I'm gonna go out there with Joe, my old Callaway rep, okay, that texted me yesterday. Herbert's not him. And I'm like, dude, neither is Joe Montana behind our offensive line. Okay. Let's don't forget, first three playoff games, Peyton Manning, 0-3. Herbert, 0-3. Peyton Manning's numbers, 50 for 104, Herbert, 58 for 106. Herbert, 674 yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions, Peyton, one touchdown. The thing that stings, dude, and this is why we fired Roman. The Chargers have had one touchdown in two playoff games.
Graham:One. One.
Scott:The also the other thing that stings, uh, and we talked about it earlier, Jennings, the wide receiver for the Niners, that threw the pass to McCaffrey.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:He has two playoff touchdown passes. Herbert has two.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:I we've talked about it since the first episode. The very first episode with Vincey Glenn, when I brought him up. What does Vince say? In five seconds, any wide receiver in the league can get open against any corner in the league. How about one and a half seconds? If that. Did Herbert miss throws? A hundred percent. Not taking that, not even sticking up for him on that. Did Keenan Allen drop passes? A hundred percent.
Graham:I'm just gonna say third down passes.
Scott:Yeah, which he never. What's his nickname? Third and what?
Graham:Third and Keenan.
Scott:The thing that I read after the game. Three points is the lowest score in the NFL playoffs since 2020. Okay. And like I told you, pop quiz. Who was the offensive coordinator of the last team that only scored three points? Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Greg Roman.
Graham:There were plays, as you said, the momentum killer with the non-call for the rough and the passer. The Patriots. I hate saying this. The Patriots looked like the better team, but there were plays if things happened, if as to say, if the ball bounced the other way, the Chargers could have won that game.
Scott:Even at the end, when we had that, we had the drive going down the field, Herbert gets sacked. You know, fumble. The end. I mean, the offensive line, they had dudes, uh, whatever. The PFF came out and everybody's blasting it. Dude, Saylor wasn't even ranked, he didn't have enough plays to be ranked.
Graham:Yeah. I I I mean, look, if you would have won, I think you would have played the Texans. Did you want that?
Scott:No, we would have gone to Denver.
Graham:Oh, yeah, that's right, because you were the lower of the seed, yeah.
Scott:I wanted him. Yeah. But anyhow, we lost. We got 100 million in cap space next year. We fired Roman today. Mentor is probably gonna leave, which sucks. Herbert's gonna be on his fifth offensive coordinator in seven years in the league. Think about that. But a lot of cap space.
Graham:You know who's available?
Scott:Sharon Moore. Oh, I was gonna say me, the Waffens. I mean, hey, I would have had, dude, Tucker Fisk had more targets than Gadson, okay?
Graham:I mean make it make sense. I mean, hey, hey, if you would have told me we won 11 games, bro, would it have been easier if we won six? Maybe.
Scott:But the fact that we won 11 games with that shit happening, your number one draft pick going out for multiple weeks, your all-pro left tackle going out in camp, your number one draft pick last year, alt going out in week four, and then making the Pro Bowl as a left tackle, only playing six games.
Graham:I'll say this. I'll say this. You know, for someone that uh, you know, has rooted for the Chargers, you know, team B over here. Um, knowing you for as long as I have, and you know the arguments that you've made over the years, which are are justifiable. Going into next season, the opportunities, granted, with new coordinators, the opportunities of what could happen are so high that it just comes down to the one saying that we always say it's not the best team, it's the healthiest team. Yeah, if you guys can stay healthy, if you would have had those tackles, if you would have like we we said this in the in the playoffs, even the even when the Chiefs were winning and were throwing it all over the yard, what did they do in the playoffs? They ran the ball. Like you have to run, you have to run the ball.
Scott:I said it last week. If Alton Slater were healthy, we're the one seed.
Graham:Yeah, but still without a doubt, if they were healthy, and then also the backs that you had. If if you guys can stay healthy next year, I mean, let's knock on some wood over here. I mean, it it's it's I mean, there'll be some changes at the wide receiver position a little bit, but like you guys have the opportunity. I mean, with that line, those running backs, how you run the ball, it's just like the defense was there. I mean, I I also forgot that um I forgot Bud Dupree was hurt because you know you guys still had the best, yeah. Yeah, I saw him in the silence, but it's just like, and plus the also the main reason if you can stay healthy, that money, yeah, that cast piece with who you guys can get, it's if you guys stay healthy, you should win.
Scott:We have young corners with still and heart, dude. The defense, uh, I mean, the defense played their asses off. 16 points, 16 points, you know, and you score three. If you would have told me at the start of the game, we're only gonna allow 16 points. Your boy's over here going, let's go. I'm with Kittle. Get me a bottle of tequila. You know, I mean, let's go. Yeah, but you know, I mean, I I don't know. I just like I told you, yeah, it sucks that we lost. It is what it is. The thing that crushes me the most is the Herbert hate. You put him on any team that's remaining in the playoffs. Thanks for playing.
Graham:Dude, if Herbert was on the Steelers, we'd be going. Any team. Any team. If Herbert was on the Broncos, dude, they wouldn't have lost a game.
Scott:Wouldn't have lost a game. Oh, brother. I mean, they need a true number one receiver. We need a center. You know, I don't know.
Graham:Hey, I've been a charters fan since 2003. Okay. Let's go. No fair weather fan here.
Scott:I'm glad we got rid of Roman. The thing that sucks that's weird to me, and my dad and I were talking about earlier. We fired the offensive line coach, too. Like, it ain't his fault, dudes got hurt.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:Well, I mean, what are you supposed to do? You have 47 different combinations of offensive linemen. What are you supposed to do?
Graham:Hey, 7-Eleven. They're pros, aren't they?
Scott:That used to play football from somebody's practice squad. Hey, you want to come play left tackle in the god dang playoffs? Yeah, okay. Uh I mean, whatever. I agree. I agree. Whatever. I don't know who's gonna be our next offensive coordinator. Don't know, but it better be the right decision. That's all I'm gonna say. Dude.
Graham:Hey, uh, I told you when Harbaugh got there, I was surprised that he brought Greg Roman.
Scott:Dude, Greg Roman's Greg Roman's the only offensive coordinator he's ever had in the NFL. And then his brother had him in Baltimore, got fired when Harbaugh got hired and hired Roman as the offensive coordinator. I remember seeing on Bleach Report all the Ravens fans coming in on the Bleacher Report forum. Boo, boo, boo, boo, boo. But anyhow, let's get into some news with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Graham:Do I need to start crying now?
Scott:And by news, I mean, you want to start with the game? I mean, do we even talk about the game? The one thing I'm gonna say about the game real quick before you even get into anything. Okay. The Chargers defense only allowed 16 points against the Patriots. What do you think the Texans defense is gonna do against the Patriots?
Graham:I'm gonna tell you something. We were on the phone. I told you while that was going on, or toward no, I'm sorry, after the game was over. How does New England have a chance? And then you said, oh, New England's winning that game. Like you just brushed it off like it was nothing. And I'm like, are you like, what are you on? How much are you drinking?
Scott:I did, but the more I think about it.
Graham:Will Anderson Look, obviously, Miles Garrett's defensive player of the year. I get it. Understandable. Will Anderson will be the defensive player of the year soon enough.
Scott:Most underrated edge rusher, I think, in the league.
Graham:Yeah, well, dude, he won rookie, defensive player of the year.
Scott:Yeah, but I mean But anyhow. Your game was good.
Graham:Seven to six, dude, at halftime. If you would have told me before the game started, the Pittsburgh Steelers would have two fumbles on defense and an interception, three takeaways, and we lost, I'd be like, what? Dude, we had two turnovers before the half, and we were down a point. What?
Scott:Would y'all get three points off the three turnovers?
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:We started the game. Two turnovers, two charters, two turnovers, zero points.
Graham:First play of the game. Run for ten.
Scott:Dude, y'all came out like gangbusters.
Graham:You paid $120 million to DK Metcalf for four years, $30 million a year. You threw to him three times in the first quarter, and then the next time you threw to him was in the fourth.
Scott:And traded a second away for him, right?
Graham:Yeah. Last year's second, yeah.
Scott:Yeah.
Graham:So we traded a second and then paid him.
Scott:Two catches, 42 yards, five targets.
Graham:The momentum killer, you know. Keenan dropped that third. In the second half. I'm sorry, Keenan. I'm saying the the the two passes on third down that drops were momentum killers. Dude, in the second quarter.
Scott:You said Keenan.
Graham:Yeah. I'm just in referencing between third and Keenan, and then how DK in the second quarter before the end of the half, Pittsburgh has the ball. We're driving down the field. We're on like the 35 or no, we were closer to midfield. On third down, I'm just I'm so distracted, even thinking about it. DK coming across the field wide open. 25 yards down the field, wide open. Rodgers makes a pass, beautiful, hits him in the hands, drops it. Like when you here's the thing. When you're David and Goliath, and obviously the Pittsburgh Steelers were David in this situation. When you're playing a team and you're looking up the whole game, when you have opportunities to make plays, you have to make them. Like you can't expect to Win when you have opportunities and you can't take advantage. If he catches that, granted, that's minimum three points. Because we would have been in field goal range because we would have got down to round the 25-yard line. That's minimum three points. Potentially a touchdown. Missed opportunities kill teams. What kills teams even more is when you get such few opportunities to make plays, and then you don't make them, it just makes that hill you're trying to climb higher and steeper. And there's nothing you can do about it. The hope in the first quarter, yo, we still got a chance. Hope at halftime, we got a chance. Dude, they the Texans had the ball to end the second quarter. And the fact that we stopped them to get no points because we knew the Texans had the ball at the half, I'm like, yo, we good here. Seven to six, alright. We haven't looked. I mean, look, look, the offense hasn't looked great, but here's the thing. If they're locking our corners down, I'm sorry, if they're locking our wide receivers down, they're dude, their corners are playing like safeties. I look, you have to give credit where credit's due. The the Texans defense, there is a reason why they were number one. There we go. I mean, it's not even close how good that defense was. Obviously, our offensive line was banged up. I mean, not to where your guys' was, but it's just like, look, they just devastated. Dude, there Rogers got sacked, and he didn't even get tackled. He tripped over his own guy when the pocket collapsed to get us out of field goal range. Um, there were multiple plays. Yeah, Rogers has an arm. He his arm's live, he can make throws. Yeah, that's great. But there were four plays specifically that if this was Rogers 10 years ago, he's running for a first down. And in football, extending drives is the name of the game. Your offense is more potent if you have a quarterback that can use his legs and keep your defense on its toes. They pinned their ears back, the Texans. They knew all they had to do, and here's the worst part. They only rushed the four decent defensive linemen. They didn't blitz. I mean, not that they didn't the whole game, but a handful of times, they didn't need to. There was nothing that we could have done. Absolutely nothing. We had a couple key plays here and there, but as the game progressed, especially in the third quarter and then in the fourth, I don't care how good your defense is, if it's on the field for that long, it's gonna get gassed. I mean, our defense was looking great the first half. You know, there's times where it looked good in the second half, but it's just like you literally let the Texans go almost 90 yards down the field, score, and then your next series, you throw an interception.
Scott:Let's don't forget Woody Marks ran his ass off.
Graham:Yep.
Scott:Chubb ran his ass off. I mean, they had 164 combined rushing yards.
Graham:Dude, they had a hundred at halftime.
Scott:And I was going into the game going, the reason I bet you guys was I'm thinking, all right, the Steelers are gonna try to make the Texans one-dimensional. It's cold. They're gonna try to 100% stop the run game. If they do that, put the ball in Stroud's hands. And y'all didn't stop the run. At all.
Graham:I mean, Stroud was Stroud was terrible. He didn't have a game. Their best player, Nico Collins, was out in the second or third quarter. What killed us? Christian Kirk is saying this?
Scott:Who? Christian Kirk. Wow.
Graham:I'm sorry, he paid for 144 and a touch. Look, I'm a firm believer in things happen for a reason. That being said, how have I, I mean, what has my conversations been with you on this podcast the last six weeks? Six weeks ago? Fire Tomlin.
Scott:You didn't want to make the playoff.
Graham:Then if everybody listens to the show, if you're a listener every week, you can see your excitement getting more and more and more and more and more. And granted, we should have lost to Baltimore. I get that. But how we played without DK, to knowing we're getting him back, and how I mean, look, look, the games, the announcers said it. Or maybe I don't know if it's the announcers or people that I was Steelers, you know, Steelers beat reporters I was listening to. Teams that we played that had a great defense, we got destroyed. Yeah. So what do you think is gonna happen when you play the best team of the league and on defense?
Scott:And like I told you earlier in the game, with as bad as Stroud was, if Davis Mills was playing quarterback for the Texans, that game would have been over early in the third.
Graham:I felt like the game was over early in the third, to be honest. It wasn't, it wasn't. I mean, it wasn't.
Scott:Y'all were still there. No, but the the the Dude, after three quarters, what was the score? Seven to six.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:And then the Texans put up 23 in the fourth. Granted, two of those were defensive touchdowns, but still it's points.
Graham:No.
Scott:But it was the game heading in the fourth. Look. My question, and I'm not trying to beat anybody up, you know. I love you, you're my best friend. But TJ Watt, dude, where was he last night? Well, I mean, he caught the I saw him on the sideline numerous times, and I'm like, what?
Graham:I mean, he he he got the uh the strip fumble recovery in the first. I mean, he made plays I I I just Look. We're the second oldest team in the league. That being said, who's older than us? That's now I'm like, who's older than us?
Scott:That being said, maybe maybe Washington. I don't know.
Graham:I I I I I look the writing apparently was on the wall. We gave hope when we thought there could be hope. I I it's just it's an end of an era. And like, that's really what it comes down to. You know, we chatted before we got on today, and it's just like, you know, you asked me, you know, how you feeling, and I'm just like, you know, I this is unlike you and how your fandom has been with your team, just the up and down the seesaw effect of uh of how the charges have have been the last almost 20 years now, or a little over 20 years. You know, I I'm in that same boat. I mean, I got it serious in watching football around right around the same time with you. Um, I basically started being a fan when Pittsburgh drafted Rothlisberger. I mean, I've watched games before, but once Rothlisberger was there, that's it. So to go from Rothlessburger for 18 years and then the continuation on up until now, it's just like I've always been on the plus side, I've always been on the high side, and you know, I've always been the person that looks at the glass half full, as they say. And the thing is, is look, you can say whatever you want. Stats are stats. If you haven't won a game since 2015 in the playoffs, like there's a reason. I know for a fact I've made accusations that there were years where the most ridiculous things happened that caused us not to win. And look, it is what it is. I mean, the AFC Championship, them overturning the overturning the Jesse James touchdown at the end of the game for them to not go to the Super Bowl. Yeah, that's unexcusable. It uh the refs got us again, but the refs seem to get everyone, and the NFL just doesn't care. Like that that's what kills me the most, especially with with you know the ref in the past where they didn't call on Herbert. All those extra refs.
Scott:Same shit happened last night on the on the sack fumble against Rogers. When Homeboy got the sack and returned the fumble for a tutty. Are you trying to tell me that Rogers didn't get hit in the head?
Graham:I like not to go off tangent here, but like how do the like the owners vote on this?
Scott:Dude, and I sent it to I sent a tweet last night after that happened to Andy, and it was like a headshot, but never recall when the team they want to win does it. And Merriman's like, well, according to the Chargers game, you can punch people in the face now.
Graham:Yeah, it's just like I don't understand how the owners just allow things to happen. It's things like this where the whole conspiracy of the script has any life, right? So, you know, just backpedaling, excuses are excuses, players getting hurt at the wrong time, and Tony O'Brien getting down. Like, look, we had the killer bees and we didn't do anything. How do you have the best wide receiver, the best running back, a top five defense, a hall of fame quarterback, and we couldn't make it to the Super Bowl? Really? I mean, yes, I get Tom Brady was there. Granted, also how we got hosed in the AFC Championship against them at home, by the way.
Announcer:I I just it is what it is.
Graham:All that being said, look, after the game was over, I was listening to the different beat writers from the Steelers that I follow. A lot of them was just like, hey, changes need to be made. Offensive defensive coordinator, boa-ba, old ass defense, boa-ba. Um, but they were still like, hey, Tomlin, we don't know. You know, it's who knows? And then today, what happened happened. I like it's not that I'm in shock, it's just it's more of like, okay, we're there. You know, I mean, look, I said it six weeks ago. See you later. But then we got hope.
Scott:Thing I told you tonight. When you lose last night and Talman calls a team meeting at 2 p.m. today, the day after a loss, the decision had been made. Right? It was done. Talman had already made his decision. If they won last night and lose next week, the decision was made. He was toast.
Graham:Yeah, but I mean, as they say, the icing on the cake, you can't take an ass open like that. I mean, dude, yeah. I don't know if you did, but like his press conference after it was over.
Scott:It was yeah. But this morning when I woke up, Kristen and I wake up, and Kristen's like, holy Steelers getting their ass kicked. And I'm like, Kristen, the score was a lot closer than the final result. It was seven six going into the fourth.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. And the thing that haunts an organization like the Steelers. Okay. Twenty-eight different head coaches have won a playoff game.
Graham:Said Tomlin won a game. And I was looking at those names, and I was like, what the shit? Kevin Stefanski has won more games than him. On the Browns.
Scott:Can I just say a name? Anthony Lynn.
Graham:You love him, by the way.
Scott:But I mean, hey. It's 1153, Tuesday, January 13th. Tomlin got fired eight hours ago.
Graham:My first question to you is right now, who would you want for your head coach? I mean, if we're talking of we're not talking shit.
Scott:We're I'm just saying right now.
Graham:No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Right now. It's one of the front runners, someone that I've been, you know, something that I've said during the season. I mean. Does it have to be it has to be Flores, right? Who I mean, it's not obviously Harbaugh. It's not like for what's available, who do I want? I mean, Cliff's not coming.
Scott:That's the crazy thing. There's all these jobs open, nobody's signed. Why? They're waiting for the chips to fall. As soon as one signs, bada bing, bada boom, bot, right? Personally, I mean, like I said earlier.
Graham:Pittsburgh native. I don't think McCarthy's a I yeah, I got faith in McCarthy, but like, here's the thing. And people will always say this. Ben, there's only a handful of coaches, and I don't know if this is recency bias. There's only a handful of coaches that I can say coaches made the team better or the quarterback better. What Ben Johnson has done, what Kyle Shanahan has done. Who the coaches that are available, who's coming into the Pittsburgh Steelers, which they don't have any draft position to draft a quarterback because there's not really that many good quarterbacks coming out anyway. That like they can't move up high enough to get anyone. I say give Will Howard a chance.
Scott:You know what you do? You go sign Malik Willis in the offseason.
Graham:Okay. Look, Pittsburgh was looking at him. We could do that, but like, who obviously I this is an offensive league. I would say I would love an offensive guy, but like Pittsburgh is known for defense. Like, we have I I I just but then again, it's also the changing of the times. How old our defense is. Who I I don't know. I I I just look, I've always had faith in the Celtic organization that they're gonna do the right thing.
Scott:Look, Tomlin was they've had three coaches since like 1960, whatever. Okay, yeah. They hired, I talked about it with you earlier. They hired Bill Cower when Cower was what, 34. They hired Tomlin at age 34. Who's 34 out there? And the the best thing about the Steelers never really thought about it until I was on my ride home from work and thinking about it and listening. The the thing about the Steelers, you know, they're not gonna make that knee-herk reaction and be like, you're fired after two years, Titans with Callahan.
Graham:They're gonna give you time. And they're gonna get it right. They always do.
Scott:And they will. I mean, look at Tomlin. Yeah, we're we're talking shit about him for not winning a playoff game. The dude has had has never had a losing season, and he had Rothlisberger for X amount of years, then went to Kenny Pickett, and then went to, you know, whatever, Rudolph and got old man Rogers. He still hasn't had a losing season.
Graham:You know who can't say they've never had a losing season? Belichick. What do we crown Belichick? The what? The goat. I look, I've been hanging my hat on that statement forever. Look, look, Tom What's a Hall of Famer. Like, I I you know you don't even need to say that.
Scott:Everybody knows that.
Graham:I I I I know.
Scott:It's just But you know what everybody doesn't know? God dang, you need to shave that bald ass head of yours and stop holding on your case. Dude, that shit is struggling right now. I had to put a smile on your face somehow. You're all depressed and shit. I mean, my boy sleeps in till like six o'clock tonight, and I text you when Tomlin gets fired, and I don't get a response for like three and a half hours. And I'm like, are you kidding me right now? My wife knows that Tomlin got fired before Graham. Hey Graham, you know, we do our nap podcast, you know. I mean, it's it's about sports, but anyhow, Graham. Hey, our squads are over for football. We still have football. I always say it. The divisional round of the playoffs is the best week in sports. In football, in my opinion. Okay, we got four games. Winners go to the championships. Uh, we got first game on Saturday, Bills at Donkeys, Bills plus one and a half. We got Niners at Seattle, Seattle minus seven and a half, Sunday, Texans, Pats, Pats minus three, Rams, Bears, Rams minus three and a half.
Graham:What do you think? I as of right now, Rams. Everyone's saying Seattle, but there's just a small part of me that says the 49ers. I don't know why, especially after how they got their ass kicked in week 18. I don't know. I I just I'll go with the national. I'll I'll go Seattle. Um dude, I'm taking the up. I mean, it is it enough set because it's only you know six small single digits. I'm taking Texans. I I don't think the pay look, Drake may I'll just how they've played, it's it's just like there's like it's hard to say something nice about a team when there's nothing attractive about what they do. They just make plays. Like, okay, yeah, like you know what I mean. Like, if the Texans defense played like they did yesterday, who and I'm not gonna say who's beaten them. If the Texans play like that, and I don't know, Stroud gets his head out of his ass and actually plays a game. If Stroud figured it out, that's the 08 Steelers right there.
Scott:Dude, game manager, it's Tom Brady's rookie season.
Graham:And then the Donkeys game against the Bills. I'm rooting for the Bills. I mean, like, I got a small place in my heart for the Bills as well, just like a lot of friends, and how close it was to where I lived. I I'm rooting for the Bills. I hope they win. It's just as you said, what have the donkeys shown us in the last couple weeks? I I who knows. I mean, it's gonna be a rocking atmosphere, yeah. But how do you bet against the reigning MVP?
Scott:And I'll say this, and I bashed them last week. The Bills defense has stepped up. Stepped up. And the Broncos offense, we all know, ain't that great. Okay, Bo Nick's not taking anything away from him. He's solid, but I don't know. If there was ever a year for Josh Allen, like everybody's always, like everybody's saying right now, no Lamar, no Burrow, no Kermit.
Graham:Oh, it's all the pressure's on him.
Scott:Dude, could you imagine?
Graham:It's all on him, yeah.
Scott:Bills Texans AFC championship game in Houston.
Graham:It would be in Houston. Yeah, dude, in a rematch, because they waxed their ass. Was that six weeks ago?
Scott:Oh my god, they sacked, they sacked Allen like 37 times. Yeah. I think it was a Monday night, it was either Monday night or Thursday night game, whatever. It was a national televised game. But that's what I'm pulling for, dude. Bills, Texans, yeah, would be awesome.
Graham:Love it.
Scott:That's what I'm that's what I'm who are you rooting for? I'm rooting for the Bills and the Texans.
Graham:Which of those teams have a chance against the NFC?
Scott:Texans. Because of their defense.
Graham:Yeah.
Scott:That's the only reason. I mean, Seattle's defense, ridiculous.
Graham:At what point of the season did you say to yourself, the Texans have a chance to go all the way? None. And if anyone does, they're a homer.
Scott:To quote one of my favorite bands, staying.
Graham:It's been a while.
Scott:I mean, dude, they were 0-3, dude. 0-3. And then went three and five. Nobody did, dude. Nobody. And like beating the book you said last night. Does any wide receiver get more hurt than Nico Collins? Dude. Anyhow, Graham, we're an hour and 30 minutes into this. Whatever. Don't care. I know people will listen to the end.
Graham:Bro, of course it's an hour and almost 30 minutes. It's the it's the send-off for both our teams. Our next episode's gonna be 45 minutes. Yeah. But who cares?
Scott:But anyhow, Graham, get us out of here. It's been a fun episode. And you know, like we said, the very first episode, no matter what happens, Graham and I are gonna talk football. Yeah, we're fans of teams, but we're not gonna talk fanball. I think what we've talked about tonight's been very honest and realistic, and you know, is what it is, it is what it is.
Graham:Exactly. That being said, Scott, it's been a sombering weekend, sombering into this episode, but I couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else. Love you to death. R.I.P. Mike Tomlin, wish you the best. And hey, as the best homie always says.
Scott:Booba. Good night, friends. Good night, Chargers. Good night, Steelers. Good night, Mike Tomlin. Good night, Melissa Stark.
Graham:Not giving my boys goddamn good luck on Sunday night, you old ass bitch.
Scott:I don't like you anymore. I'm just kidding. I love you. Good night, everyone.
Graham:Bubba.
