Inside Steelers-Falcons with Nick Farabaugh | The Pittsburgh Football Show

0:00Nationwide is so much more than a great insurance company. They're one of America's largest financial services companies, just like I'm so much more than quarterback Peyton Manning. I'm also Peyton Manning. Insurance and financial services together? It's a masterpiece. Peyton Manning does it again. For your insurance and financial needs, Nationwide is on your side. Nationwide investment services corporation, Ember Finra, Columbus, Ohio. Labor Day's savings are happening now at the Home Depot with select appliances starting at $399. Plus, save up to an extra $1,000 and get free delivery on appliance purchases of $998 or more. Get a whirlpool laundry tower featuring industry first UV clean technology designed to reduce bacteria in the wash without fading fabrics. Plus, with great prices at the Home Depot, you can save on select appliances designed to make laundry day easier, shop labor day savings at the Home Depot today off of $2,27 through September 16th. Do us only see store online for details.

1:00Dayport now here. Football is here in so's draftings. The draftings sports app is now live in all 50 states from Texas to California to Florida. In this September, draftings is giving customers the opportunity to get boosted every football game day. Every game day, all month long, draftings customers can get a profit boost on select football games. New draftings customers sign up with code Spotify, spend five bucks and get 200 in total awards within 21 days. Includes all markets. That's code Spotify, in partnership with draft kings. The crown is yours. Event trading offered by draft kings predictions. A CFTC registered Futures Commission merchant trading involves risk of loss, market availability varies, eligibility restrictions apply. $50 and non withdrawable predictions dollars issued every seven days via click to claim for 21 days. Predictions dollars expire in one year. One football boost per customer. Maximum trade limits and restrictions apply. Tokens expire at the end of the final select game each day when offer. Nationwide based on sports book predictions and or free to play sports contest availability varies by state turns at dkng.co slash offer.

2:01Every game day you show up for your team. Now it's your time. We go. We go. Ask your prescriber about we gov some maglatide injection 2.4 milligrams, a G L P 1 call 1 8 3 3 4 week ovi or visit we gov.com to view the medication guide and to learn more about we gov. Why wait? We go. We. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it ready to make anything online make sense. There's no place like Chrome check responses set up required compatibility and availability very sating plus. All right, let's keep rolling on the Steelers and bring in a friend of the show friend of the channel friend of mine.

3:02A friend of yours should be if he's not Nick Fariboff from penlive.com. Nick, what's up, man? Thanks for joining the first episode of the pit for sure. What's up, man? It's it's good to be here. This is nice seeing you launch this new thing. I can't believe I'm in the middle of this stack guest list. It's crazy. I didn't realize we were going to do like 20 guests, man. You're crazy for this, but it's good to be on. Yeah, it's awesome. I'm really excited. I think we're we got the whole band together. We got all we got that we got the gang all all in here. So should be a lot of fun. Nick, let's talk about the Steelers. Let's talk about the Steelers in general before we get into the Falcons. I was just talking about how I think people around Pittsburgh are probably underestimating how different this football team is than it was a year ago. I understand it's Pittsburgh Steelers and they are a a stayed franchise and look, you know, conservative in some ways and and hasn't the change in some ways.

4:04But man, they couldn't have made a more different pivot this off season than they did. And I think it's going to take some people by surprise at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Yeah, I mean, I think it's very different just in terms of the coaching staff. What they're going to do defensively, even though I mean, Patrick Graham has talked about, for example, Oh, we're just going to tweak it. I'll tell you what we saw in the preseason was pretty different. It was a pretty different stuff, the sim pressures and stuff that we saw. It's different and then person wise, there's a lot of different. I mean, the offensive line to out of the five are different. They're flipping sides from left to right without talking to McCormick. And then you bring in pitman and then you're going to do so many different things. There's a lot of new on this football team. And the secondary, there's a lot of new. There's new leaders. There's new voices. It's going to be different. And so I do think there's kind of people that are also looking at it from a different way, which is is the newness going to make them come out slower. And I think that's the real questions we don't know. How do they look?

5:04Are they going to look great? I don't know because wide receiver, you know, had a lot of issues. This training camp and pitman and Rogers haven't been able to build a rapport necessarily. And then in the secondary, I think every single starter pretty much outside of Jamel Dean has been hurt. So how's that secondary jelly together? So there's just so much new really on the back end of that defense, the schemes. And yeah, we're going to see all this looks. It's going to be a different team. And it's not going to look the same as Mike Tomlin's team from last year. At all, despite there being a lot of familiar faces. Yeah, and I think, you know, as we move into talking about the Atlanta Falcons in this week, I do think there should be some concern about the level of newness on this team. And the fact that the way their schedule lines up, they really do have to win these games early in the year. Like this is a very important game for the Steelers in their in their 2026 season. They cannot really afford to fumble games against teams that they ought to beat.

6:04And the Falcons at home are a team they ought to beat. The Falcons are also going through a lot of the same newness that the Steelers are. They have a new head coach, although he's not unfamiliar to Steelers fans and Kevin Stofansky. But you know, they have some newness. They also have or maybe had a new quarterback and two a tongue of eye. He left practice yesterday, not sure what his status is, but whether it's two or whether it's Cooper Rush or whether I don't know, maybe they'll bring Michael Pentax back. Maybe we'll see Jack Strang, who honestly, I think it's probably the one of those guys I would be the most interested in seeing. The Steelers going to the better quarterback on the field on Sunday. There's only going to be so many times they can say that over the course of this year with Aaron Rogers turning 43 later this season. They really have to take advantage of these ones when they get these opportunities. But I do think compared to a different type of opponents, these Falcons do seem like their newness should offset some of the Steelers newness at least in week one.

7:06It should. I do think Kevin Stofansky being from the Browns and having a kind of knowledge of the Steelers personnel is does help them a little bit. I think he'll be able to do some things to minimize it. And we've seen Kevin Stofansky let teams beat the Steelers with some optimal quarterback play should or Sanders last year, Dorian Thompson, Robinson, James Winston, all players that have played for for Kevin Stofansky that have beat the Steelers and Cleveland. Now that was in Cleveland and Thursday nights were involved in some of those, but I do think that's part of it. But I also think the Steelers have more continuity in terms of what they're doing from quarterback down at least this year. Right. The fact that Rogers at least is being here for a second straight year. I think that helps a little bit and he's a guy that played with Mike McCarthy. So the quarterback part of this is the one that's actually the one that has the most continuity. And I do think that helps the Steelers a little bit. Plus you have the second year where DK Medcalf and Friar Mooth and Warren and those guys building chemistry.

8:07So any that side of it will help a little bit. I do think though that the the Falcons also have some defensive continuity Jeff all works still there they face all these systems. So I'm really interested to see how that goes and with the lack of past Russian and they were second in the league in Blitz rate last year. All bricks entire identity throughout his career has been a blitz kind of a blitz first guy certainly would seem this is going to be a team that ratchets up the pressure. And that regard. So there's going to be a lot of newness on both sides of the ball for the Falcons, but that defense is going to be a little bit more kind of it's it's I would seem that there's not going to be as much change defensively for the Falcons as say maybe the Steelers on both sides of the ball. So I'm interested to see this how that plays out to. And you know the there is notice in the scheme and continuity the players and I think the Falcons have one of the best groups of playmakers in the NFL when you look at beach on Robinson Kyle pits, Drake London like those are guys that can really challenge a defense.

9:09Some of their pieces on offensive line are pretty good I think right tackle is a big question mark, but I mean that they've got some dudes there as well. This ought to be an offense that is pretty good outside of the quarterback position. Like you said, Kevin Stofansky does have some experience in getting some success out of teams that have not had good quarterback play. I want to talk specifically about some of those matchups when we talked about the secondary of the Steelers, don't know what's going to happen with Joey Porter Jr. Whether he's going to play, whether he wants to play, whether he's actually hurt or not, honestly, no, nothing. We know Jamel Dean's going to be out there and he has some history with Drake London. It's a pretty good history with Drake London. How do you expect the Steelers to match up, especially when terms of coverage against those three really dynamic past catching weapons? I think that they have to really focus on pits. I do and that's kind of interesting to say that because I think obviously you can't let be Jean take over the game.

10:12But I think they're going to really rely on Kyle Pits. If you know Kevin Stofansky's offenses and really watched him in Cleveland, you know, you would see guys like David and Joku and others like Harold fan and last year, became real featured pieces in their quick game to try and allow these quarterbacks to stave off past rushes and really just kind of utilize their mind. And so pits is going to be a big part of that. So I would wonder how the Steelers are going to try and shut off Kyle Pits in the quick game. Because to me, that's the most dangerous run after catch guy in the receiving core. He's someone that I would be worried about there. It's with his four or five speed and someone that can really run on drag routes and turn what is a five year round to a 20 year gain right down the sideline if you can't keep up with them. So I'm interested to see what they would do there. My guess is to Juan Briskler and Jalen Ramsey are going to have a pretty big role in that area with London, you know, Porter plays. I'm not sure, you know, he's going to be on the full snap count, even if he does play a pitch count, make some sense, given where he's at right now. I think he that's kind of my prediction right now is he plays on a pitch count.

11:15And so I'm not concerned about, you know, like Jahan Dodson or Alameda's Kies who are some of the other guys Sam, you'll should be fine on those. But Porter plays, I think Porter Dean is going to be fine with Drickland. I don't think you need to travel necessarily, especially for a guy like Joey who's coming off, you know, just not even practicing for most of the summer. So I'm not sure traveling with London's a good idea there. But I am, I think the one thing I can keep coming back to with this is if they let Beijon Ramsey take over this football game, the seals are going to be in trouble. I mean, that's really the object of this if they can slow down Beijon and force to a Cooper rush, whoever it might be quarterback to do 30 longs and the Steelers can just pin their ears back and rush the passer advanced Steelers all the way. So they have to stop the run and really the key is they cannot let Beijon get the space and create explosive place because Kevin Stupensky is a very, very, very vast screen game. They'll get screens out to him. They'll get swing passes out to him in space. And Beijon to make you defend every single blade of grass with his athleticism and contact balance.

12:21So to be while it's a really impressive group, I think the two objects should be do not let Beijon take over the game on the ground or in space in the quick passing game and then do not let them have conduits really to call pits in the quick passing game. Because to me, that's the way that they can stave off the Steelers past rush, which I think has an advantage of this game, especially when you look at, you know, Joanne Taylor, right tackle who's certainly struggled over his career. Jake Matt is still right. I mean, Jake, he's, yeah, he's didn't practice. He should be fine. I think from what it sounded like, but is he 100% that's another question. And Jake Matthews is still there, but he's not the same Jake Matthews, he was at his prime. So, you know, you should really feel good about both your matchups attack. I think the last year or that line, I think you're pretty solid, but like the Steelers should have an advantage of front in this game. But if Beijon and Kyle Pits are winning in the quick game, that's really how you struggle against a team like this. I think this is really a big game for that reason for Peyton Wilson and Patrick Queen, you know, the Steelers linebackers, I think it's very safe to say, did not perform up to expectations last year with Queen.

13:28I think it's a great start with Wilson. I think everybody was looking for a big jump for him that just really never happened. And to me, if you say, well, you can't let Beijon Robinson take over this game, and I completely agree, the guys who need to contain Beijon Robinson are those two offball linebackers, both in terms of stopping the run and covering him in the passing game where honestly, he might even be better than he is as a ball carrier. So, I think that's a great start with the first weapon in the short passing game. What have you seen from those two guys since the start of this offseason process, the Steelers showed a lot of faith in them by bringing them both back. They added nothing to the room. The one guy they added, a land in Roberts, doesn't even make the team. They seem to have planted their flag with Wilson and Queen. How do you think that's going to go? I think he paid most of the time a nice, nice summer. I think he looks good, but the real question I have about this whole room is, is there any consistency to it? Because to me, this room really came and went last year with how Patrick Queen did. He was a guy that you didn't know what you were going to get week to week literally until you showed up on the football field.

14:31Sometimes you got one of the best linebackers in football. And other times you got a guy that was flying with his head off, missing tackles, like if they come out in this game, and when we see Patrick Queen missing tackles in space on Beige on Robinson, that's how Beige on Robinson gets out of the gate and makes an exposed play happened. And so that's going to be something, but I have seen a Patrick Queen, I think embrace a new scheme. I think it fits him a little more. It's more downhill. You know, when he was at his best, he was in that Mike McDonald scheme where he could blitz and just kind of uses speed. I think you would hope with maybe the addition of Sebastian Joseph Day with the second year, Derek Carmen that maybe this DeLonk keep those guys clean. Because these are not stack and shed linebackers. They are guys that kind of need to be free and loose and can use their speed to shoot gaps. I think the students are going to use more run blitzes to try and get those guys free. So I think that's one thing. We did see PQ blow a touchdown, you know, against the jets in the preseason. That was a miscommunication. I've long held the belief that I think PQ while being a very talented linebacker is probably better off not being the green dot.

15:38I think he's better when he's kind of just the second off ball guy and can think of that way rather than having to call a defense while doing it. So we'll see. I'm a little worried about that room though. I think the spine of the series defense. If you have a worry about this defense, I think it's perfectly fine to be worried about the spine of it. You know, and Wilson, I think Wilson looked really good in the training camp sessions we saw. And then I thought we know when we got to the preseason, I thought there was some rough tape, you know, and stack it sheds. He's getting swallowed up by some double teams and combos. I think he's going to be really good in coverage. That will help with the very least, you know, against guy like pits or a guy like be Jean. I think his coverage reps have actually been fed pretty phenomenal. So I feel very confident in that, but I am a little bit questioning the consistency of this room, especially with a safety room behind them that kind of needs the help. Yeah, let's, let's, I agree with all of that. And I really think one of the, that's one of the things to watch is like the students can probably win this game.

16:39Even if the middle of the defense gets, gets beat up a little bit, but if they do, I think it's a real bad sign for this team going forward. But if those guys, like we said, like all new scheme, you know, takes up, takes up what Patrick Graham is doing, the safety position holds on and looks, looks passable given the injury there. That to me is a very good sign. And, you know, I'm not sure what they're going to get next week with AJ Brown looking like he's not in for that one with that high ankle sprainy suffered in the opener. But since the night he's only two weeks after, two weeks after this game. So there's not like a friendly warm into the season. Can he's into the season for the Steelers past defense. They have figured it out real quick. Let's move over to the office side of the ball. I want to talk about that because one of the things I think we all noticed from very early on in training camp was, oh, this, this offense is going to use the middle of the field, a heck of a lot more than it did in the past. But very specifically, I remember this game in Atlanta two years ago, Mike Tomlin talking about not throwing the ball in the middle of the field and Jesse Bates being the reason why they didn't he's still out there. And now you're going to see your watch who is a very good second safety.

17:54It's a good Atlanta secondary. It feels like that's the key match up here to me. I think the Steelers in general this year are going to struggle to run the ball. Can they do what they want to do and use the middle of the field, even though that's where the best part of this Atlanta past defense lies. Not only that Devon Diablo really out on the radar last year, long back or I just, I mean, if I were the Steelers, I get what they want to do, but that's just not where I would attack this defense. I would attack them on the outside. You know, I'd go after Mike Hughes in some respects there. Second, you know, trust pitman to win underneath. I would go despite this past rush, not being good. I would do a lot of quick game stuff because I think you're all being a good player. Can you get DK free on some of those slants. I think that's kind of where I come in on the middle of the field. Are they going to be throwing up the scene of time in this football game. I don't know. I don't know about that. They do have a rookie nickel corner and avion terrell. Maybe you can get the rookie nap in a little bit in his first game.

18:55I think that would be something, but I'm not sure you're going to see, you know, throwing the ball five times up the seem to pass where I moved in Darnell Washington in this game when Jesse Bates and Xavier Watts are there. I mean, you can look at the guy that the teams are going to face this year. They may arguably not face a better safety to all their schedule. Maybe the Texans, but even then, you know, I mean, it's just a really good duo that they have. And so to me, you know, I would try and attack them in a little field more so in that 10 to 15 yard area, you know, on slants on a little look kind of digs. Things like that where you can maybe get easy passes. I would try and set the easy button up in this game because I do think, you know, you can scheme that up, especially against an aggressive defense. That's probably going to play a lot of man and man coverage, like Jeff Olberg's defense does run some pick plays right do some things like that and try and get these guys free and utilize their speed. So that's kind of what I would do. The Steelers very well might try and do some play action under center. I think that's fine to do, you know, because I mean, you can get the linebackers to come up and maybe hit them behind that. I think that could be something that would also work in this game.

20:01And they shouldn't have to worry about the past rush here that much. Maybe the interior past rush. There are some guys that at least are fine on the interior for them with past rush wise, but like Brandon Dorolis, Gravon Dexter is now there. They're big on the interior. So I'm not sure they're going to be able to run the ball just because there's a lot of size for the Falcons on the interior D line. But I do think, you know, when I kind of think of how you attack this Falcons team, I really kind of think, you know, you get them moving horizontally and then you beat them after the catch you schemes stuff up that beats man and man coverage and your playmakers have to make some plays on top of that. And I think the series do have enough playmakers that they can make some big time plays. And I do think in this game because it's week one, there's so much newness, you know, the difference between a win a loss can be that one explosive play. So if you get DK Metcalfry and he takes up all 70 yards for a touchdown. I mean, that's a that's a game changing play in a match that I think is going to be so sloppy and probably loads scoring honestly.

21:02Yeah, I think to me, the big thing for the Steelers offense is they should feel like they can protect Aaron Rogers in this game. And when he struggled in 2025, it was when teams were able to pressure him. I do not think the Atlanta Falcons will be able to pressure him. And I think that opens up so much more for the offense. Unlike the defense, I think the Steelers offense should have a pretty easy time with this. And I think it's going to be it's it's it's it's a bit of a it could be a bit of a red herring. If Aaron comes out here and throws four touchdowns this week, I'm not going to annoying him is like always back to old Aaron Rogers because I think this defense does not present a lot of the things that challenged him and them significantly in 2025. Nick, that's all the time we got for today. Thanks so much for being a part of this for a show. You're going to be with us every week if we can make the schedules line up, which is awesome. I was so excited. Go check out Nick's stuff at penlive.com also you can check out his video works. Steelers break down. This is fully podcast and what do you call the thing where you just put bad thumbnails on a five minutes video.

22:06Steelers rewinds or check out there you go. Steelers rewind. Check that as well. Nick, thanks so much for joining us and we'll catch up with you on Sunday. It takes you around me on man. Appreciate it. Football is back and so are the predictions who makes the playoffs who wins their division who takes home the title on call. She America's number one prediction market platform. It lets you trade those predictions in a live market. Maybe you like the Steelers in week two going to England. $100 trade pays out over $300 if they pull out the upset win on the road against last year's AFC championship patriots on call. She you're trading against peers in a live market. Meaning there's no house and as the probability changes you can buy in and out of your position trade the draft pick the game and more on call. She download the call. She app and use code FFSN to get $20 when you trade $20 KAL S H I call. She trade on anything 18 and older only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors.

23:10Call she products are not available in all jurisdictions prices values and available markets may differ from those mentioned for more information see call she.com backs last regulatory. Nationwide is so much more than a great insurance company. They're one of America's largest financial services companies. Just like I'm so much more than quarterback Peyton Manning. I'm also Peyton Manning insurance and financial services together. It's a masterpiece. Peyton Manning does it again for your insurance and financial needs nationwide is on your side. Nationwide investment services corporation and for Finra Columbus Ohio Labor Day savings are happening now at the Home Depot with select appliances starting at $399 plus save up to an extra $1000 and get free delivery on appliance purchases of $998 or more. Get a whirlpool laundry tower featuring industry first UV clean technology designed to reduce bacteria in the wash without fading fabrics plus with great prices at the Home Depot.

24:11You can save on select appliances designed to make laundry day easier shop Labor Day savings at the Home Depot today. Offered out of August 27th through September 16th. We only see store online for details. Dayport now here football is here in so is draftings the draft King sports app is now live in all 50 states from Texas to California to Florida. In this September draft Kings is giving customers the opportunity to get boosted every football game day. Every game day all month long draft Kings customers can get a profit boost on select football games. New draft Kings customers sign up with code Spotify spend five bucks and get 200 and total rewards within 21 days includes all markets. That's code Spotify in partnership with draft Kings the crown is yours. Event trading offered by draft Kings predictions a CFTC registered futures commission merchant trading involves risk of loss market availability varies eligibility restrictions apply $50 and non withdrawable predictions dollars issued every seven days via click to claim for 21 days predictions dollars expire in one year. One football boost per customer maximum trade limits and restrictions apply tokens expire at the end of the final select game each day when offer nationwide based on sports book predictions and or free to play sports contests availability.

25:16Various by state turns at DKNG dot co slash offer. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome you think you know a browser but Gemini and Chrome that's new it can help you with practically anything on the web like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it ready to make anything online makes sense there's no place like Chrome check responses set up require compatibility and availability varies 18 plus. Every game day you show up for your team now it's your time. We go. We go. Ask your prescriber about we gov some agglatine injection 2.4 milligrams a G.O.P.1 call 18334 we gov or visit we gov.com to view the medication guide and to learn more about we gov. Why wait? We go. How do you guarantee your Jaeger Meister is always ice cold well you could move to Antarctica sure frostbite is a thing you're dating apps won't you set your radius to 3000 miles.

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27:28Get a whirlpool laundry tower featuring industry first UV clean technology designed to reduce bacteria in the wash without fading fabrics plus with great prices at the Home Depot. You could save on select appliances designed to make laundry day easier shop Labor Day savings at the Home Depot today. Offered out of August 27th through September 16th, we're only seeing store online for details. Dayport now here football is here in so is draftings the draft King sports app is now live in all 50 states from Texas to California to Florida. In this September draft Kings is giving customers the opportunity to get boosted every football game day every game day all month long. Draft Kings customers can get a profit boost on select football games new draft Kings customers sign up with code Spotify spend five bucks and get 200 and total rewards within 21 days includes all markets. That's code Spotify in partnership with draft Kings the crown is yours. Event trading offered by draft Kings predictions a CFTC registered futures commission merchant trading involves risk of loss market availability varies eligibility restrictions apply $50 and non withdrawable predictions dollars issued every seven days via click to claim for 21 days predictions dollars expire in one year.

28:33One football boost per customer maximum trade limits and restrictions apply tokens expire at the end of the final select game each day when offer nationwide based on sports book predictions and or free to play sports contests availability. Various by state turns at DKNG dot-co slash offer every game day you show up for your team now it's your time. We go. We go. Ask your prescriber about we gov some mag letied injection 2.4 milligrams a G. O P one call 18334 we gov or visit we gov dot com to view the medication guide and to learn more about we gov. We gov. Why wait.