Steelers Night Shift: Week 1 vs. Atlanta Falcons

0:00Good evening, dear Stephen Fans and welcome to the Steelers. Now Steelers, night shift, I'm your host, Joe Morrison, and of course joined as always by Mr. Brendan who is no longer with the eagle. He is now a full-time reporter and beat writer for Pittsburgh Swartz now and Steelers now where can Pitt and Steelers be. Brendan, how was the game on Saturday and did you see a familiar face on the opposite side line? I sure did. Yeah, I got a video of him. I'm not sure many people, if any, I didn't see any other videos that captured Ben Rothsberger on the Miami of Ohio sideline. I think he was down there for a brief period of time. I'm not even sure that the CW cameras got him. I was listening into the broadcast as his covering game and they were looking for him and

1:02they're like, we guess he's in a box somewhere and I'm not sure they were found that box. I stopped listening to the broadcast at a certain point but yeah, I got to see him. Obviously, I didn't get to talk to him. He was busy kind of catching up with some Red Hawks fans, boosters, whatever was on the sideline there. It was busy. It was different usually as you guys know, I'm with Alan in the press box at Akashir Stadium. That was my first time without a partner. The first game I ever covered for Steelers now would have been back in 2022, I think whenever Steelers and the Raiders played on Christmas Eve for, I think it was Christmas Eve, very memorable night. I just remember that being very cold. I walked down probably about a quarter mile and my legs froze. It was literally just that far walking. But anyways, yeah, they didn't have Alan as a partner but I've worked with Alan enough to kind of see how games should be covered. Got a few stories out during the game. I got my takeaways after the game.

2:04I learned that it's a lot to keep up with for right now actually and I was talking to the athletics Mike DeFabo about this today when we're eating lunch at the facility. He thinks high school is the hardest cover and being someone who's covered high school football for the past five years and I plan on doing it on a freelance basis still. I honestly think for the moment until I kind of settle into this college stuff and the pro stuff, it's really hard. It was a lot but it was also really fun to kind of have my own fingerprints on what we report out of the game, what we said for takeaways. So I really enjoyed that. Absolutely. I can see high school being tough because there's so many schools and so many matchups. I mean, I don't know if there's only 32 teams. College football, I mean, there's a lot more teams but generally they all kind of see their clusters but I mean, high school here, I mean, I don't know how many of the Pittsburgh Cindy off the top of my head but we do have a shout out to you. It looks like your fans are spoken. And that's the Cuba joining in and Auntie Stila says good morning, that good morning auntie

3:11just says you think that the boys are here yet. They will be here soon, I imagine. But with what they said, so the first game of the rigorous you play wasn't played by the Steelers. The past hours played by pit but Steelers made it to play at Actress Adenum this Sunday. They're kicking off against the Atlanta Falcons. Lots going on as far as preparations go. And we have one person on the injured list for the Steelers. The Falcons had a few guys but Brennan can't talk about Joey Porter Jr. Looks like he was limited today. Taking anything out of it or you still think he just can't in that ramp up mode. Yeah, so before that Alan actually had us push this podcast up from 9 to 745 because he didn't want to overshadow the season opener tonight between the C.O.X. and 49ers.

4:12Is it C.O.X and 49ers? No, it's C.O.X and P.T. Yeah, anyways, I messed up that joke so forgive me. Anyways, yes, we saw Joey Porter Jr. today. He was practicing but as you can see kind of from my videos on my Twitter page, he was sending off the side during those drills and we only got to watch I think like less than 10 minutes of these drills. So I go out and I'm seeing where Jalen Ramsey is which was kind of a big thing because you know the Steelers only have one starting safety listed on the depth chart right now and C.O.N. Brisker. He was over with the safeties and Jalen is working with cornerbacks. I've talked we have talked about the Sanctuary Junior and how he could step in for Joey Porter Jr. with what he's been able to do in the train camp and prison but yeah, it is Joey Porter Jr. name. It's kind of like Kim Hayward last year and Dr. Kim Hayward today actually about this with the contract situation and him waiting until the literal deadline last year.

5:15We were in the car on the way to New Jersey, Allen, Nick, Ed and I and that news broke. Steelers man is probably hoping that that same sort of thing happens maybe even earlier with Joey Porter Jr. this year just because of the importance of the defense and Kim Hayward talked about how he's grown within that defense since arriving here. It's still really interesting situation. I feel like a lot of Steel Cloudy is not a certain thing that we see him out there whether that be because of the back injury mentioned or because he's upset with the numbers that he's being paid. So I guess we'll see there. Certainly, doesn't have a whole lot of leverage to sit out but you know I read something and wrote about it's Bill Barnwell kind of a BSPN. He reminded folks of Jalen Ramsey's situation back between 19 when he was with the Jaguars out. He had a little bit of a back injury come up then of course Ramsey wanted to trade away from Jacksonville because Jacksonville stunk and he got traded to LA and suddenly everything

6:23was magically healed. So I think it's going to be interesting because Steelers don't negotiate in season so it's kind of like what is Porter going to do at that point. I don't see him wanting to get traded away but he doesn't play and it's because of anything other than the coaching staff wants to get a ramp up. I feel a little concerned. So we'll definitely see what happens here. Melvis has a comment here. Can you ask have you guys noticed more gamesmanship with this coaching staff on the previous one seems to me McCarthy is tight lift about a lot of things. For it and I'll let you take that one first. I think he answered his own question. Yeah. I feel like the general sentiment is it's kind of surprising how much Mike McCarthy doesn't want to give up which like football coaches out their core seem to be paranoid all the

7:23time. You see this we see this all the time but yes to kind of put things vaguely it's not what I expected. Like you see Mike McCarthy and he's this kind of jovial big guy Pittsburgh these back in Pittsburgh like that sort of thing but yeah just just kind of leave it at that is he's not particularly what I expected so far. And back to the Joey thing I want to mention this. I want to send him the sidelines I practice say during that viewing period. And it kind of popped in my head like is it awkward for Joey for the junior to like sit there and like he's ramping up with the back injury but is it awkward for him in the locker room with his coaches with the people in the building to like know that he's kind of the topic of conversation right now not because of his play but because of the money that he wants. And now and I were talking like it's Kim Hayward also touched upon it after like he talked

8:24about there's no friction in the locker room there's not this tense feeling in the locker room because of like the weight that's going on and you'll hear from every player from Jalen Ramsey a few weeks ago he brought it up without even being asked like hey pay Joey. I we talked to Patrick Queen about it on Monday he said he understands other way with Joey it's a business he wishes the best for him with the contract stuff. Then Kim Hayward they he took it in an entire another level with talking about him basically just bashing the franchise tag as hard as he could like it's stupid and we don't need it like that sort of thing it restricts players that all that and then like saying that he understands where Joey's coming from I guess a little and as a defense Kim wishes that this kind of what I got cleared up honestly probably some of us do too we wish someone's got cleared up in the winter or in the summer like we saw with the three

9:25guys I got paid Nick Herb and Keone Benton don't know Washington and that's another thing I like goes into that like for someone who the team believes is so important to this defense to not be paid and see three of his draft classmates get paid like I feel a little disrespected I feel some type of way about that if if I wasn't being paid what I felt was was fair and that might be the hold up with I think I'll talk to you today with the guarantees and stuff but yeah I just was wondering from and we'll probably hear this from him if and when a contract does get ironed out like say within the next few days we had talked him if it happens and kind of get to hear about those feelings that go into that because I think Nick Herb talked about that at one point when it was one of those three guys Nick Herb talked about like having to wait and what goes into that the emotions of it I'm kind of interested to hear what's been going through Joey's head through this whole process because with mentioned I lived about things we haven't really

10:29heard much from either side so with that I wonder just what the the mind frame is during something like this because like I said I'm sure even if it's not awkward in the build I'm sure it's kind of weird just as a human being to not be outcasted but not fully be part of the team I guess if I'm putting that the right way so yeah that's just a thought that I had today that I'm not talking about that I thought was pretty cool absolutely yeah when I've been writing about the quarter situation franchise tag I guess one you mentioned that I just I literally feel like every Joey you know right about it ends with ultimately this is going to lead to the franchise tag ultimately this is going to lead to the franchise tag and yeah it's weird because the franchise tag we think about it I don't know if any of the major sport uses a franchise tag the way the NFL does or has like a type of designation because I can tell you the NBA doesn't otherwise the brawn wouldn't

11:29have left Cleveland the first time because they were a tag them until they couldn't anymore so it'll be interesting to see how that progresses hopefully it does come you know it does get done Saturday maybe with Sunday morning so we have a question here from Matt want to talk a little about the offense now he says coming in late here boys that's all right we'll let it slide Matt the BTS what do you expect from the rushing attack in week one talking to Alan yesterday we brought this up on the live Alan said he does not expect very much running he mentioned that in training camp they didn't see a single run call until eight practices in something like that uh which I thought was wild but I don't know I feel like me a good game to test the edge because the backings are down the top two edge rushers and they traded for a jibbaran

12:33dexter who was in Chicago and they have the LSU to consackle his name last name smith so I don't know I don't think it's gonna be a heavy running attack for sure but I've got an adjunct at least tested out Brendan with your thoughts I think the thing you mentioned about the Falcons being down the two top edge rushers kind of factors into that and maybe that's what you guys were saying last night I did pop in for like two minutes and Alan just like bullied me out of there so wrong that yeah I was driving back from uh I covered a boy soccer high school game uh just to go out and do it and um I was driving back and I was like get him out of here so I got out um but yeah I I am more interested to see that I think the Steelers know what they have in Jalen Warren and uh re-goed out all like I heard their nickname as this and that I wasn't in that

13:34scrumble jalen yesterday I was uh forget throwing Monday I forget what it's on to but um like they're going to be capable rushers I am more interested to see and I would if I were feeling like I would want to see how the passing game meshes early on with I mean Aaron Rodgers hasn't been on the field in a game actually with Michael Pittman or Jeremy Bernard we saw Roman Wilson last year and we'll talk about this kind of ad nauseam leading up to the season where where's Roman Wilson now after the train camp after the offseason uh where's his headspace and then obviously I think my biggest storyline of the season start out on offenses how much the DKMEC have gonna get the ball because um I did draft him for one of my fantasy teams just my friends like of course yeah like you got him and I said like I saw in training camp how much Aaron Rodgers going to him early on so I feel like get him going early on get him a few receptions and see where it goes because especially with that receiving core which is uh I feel much better than last year I feel like

14:37that's the general sentiment on that uh Mark has vowed to the scantlin is out there somewhere Calvin Austin is now hurt in New York we won't see him this year and Adam D. Lunders retired so that kind of just tells you uh where that room was uh this time uh or not this time last year as the season progressed last year because two of those guys came in late but I I don't doubt around in game I think if they want to use that early it probably will work with those two like they both have goals of hitting thousand yards I'm interested to see how that goes but yeah overall and this might be the typical like through training camp through the preseason buying into a team that you cover every day uh which I doubt will always be the case but I feel like this season much more than last I'm confident with this office can do yeah I think a lot of people are feeling that way um with the offense map as a follow up as well saying hopefully we could find a balance although I enjoy passing off that I think we could mix it up I think a lot of folks are going to enjoy that uh I mean that

15:40the results with McCarthy are undeniable like Green Bay Dallas had some really good offenses um I mean there was one year that I really was told me Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott's like really close to both getting a thousand yards one half thousand one was like in the high eights so it I mean it's possible the big thing with the ground game and the modern NFL is as so much fall you know as it is being effective I mean if you can pop off four to six yards carry you're in pretty good shape uh you have a fan here who wants to give you a shout and ask you a question Brendan uh Lauren says love to see you Brendan uh if you had to pick one Steelers player absolutely has to have a big game for in the beat new England who are you picking and who you actually comfort and them uh looking a little head there to New England but I mean let's let's go ahead do for a thousand to New England uh there's a situation we should probably change that up to include

16:42the focus there like um is that offensively that question was just so we offensively be very fine uh I think he's just in general uh in are you actually confident that's got to be the key part are you actually confident I think against the Falcons both Patrick Queen and Cam Hayward have talked about this is something I'm going to write about uh Bijan Robinson's talents as one of the best backs in the game kind of uh budding into one of them there if he's not already uh so I think Patrick Queen in the middle and Peyton Wilson uh to put two linebackers like they're gonna have to chase him around for a good part of the day or at least fill those gaps and make sure that he can't get loose too much because he probably is one of the best backs of their gonna face the season um New England I haven't really thought that for a head I would say with Christian Gonzalez like we didn't see him on the field last year one Steelers plate New England um so in that aspect I'm guessing he'll be following DK around a good bit so with that

17:49with him going up against DK Michael Peyton will probably have to have a pretty solid game that day in Foxborough which I'm looking forward to that trip to Boston it's gonna be a good time to get some cam shout out and go with some Samuel Adams brewing um I'm gonna add mine in I'm gonna do offense and defense and I'm gonna do it for someone who's been de-impactful for both games I think defensively it's got to be Derek Harmon because at least I'm gonna wonder in the ball and the Patriots are gonna want to run the ball too um yeah they have AJ Brown a throw two and I'm just gonna face the open things out but you know talk I talked to Alan about this you know on our live broadcast just you know in space uh and I say this is a this is probably a Derek Harmon game where he's got to make a big damn cat because it's undeniable his impact in the run game I mean last year when he didn't play they gave up upwards of a hundred eighty six yards of game and he did play it was close for 86 I mean

18:49that that's a huge difference like monster difference that's that's exactly what they got to have impact wise against me John and uh I know Trigger on Henderson's out tonight but next week I might be back who knows but he's a dynamic running back too um so I think he's gonna be important offensively I'm gonna say Pat Friday because the offense I wrote good secondary and Patriots I really good secondary if there's gonna be a mismatch established tied in and I think this is gonna be a big year for Friday because you've seen a lot of tight ends under Mike McCarthy uh really do well I mean we got guys I put the Rogers uh for Michael Finley they all had big gears under uh Mike McCarthy with Rogers at quarterback so that's what I'm gonna say uh for Belly Impact yeah I think I feel confident that's it yeah I think I feel better here about that

19:52Matt following up uh he says he has another question for us he asked Alan this and it was uh included on the morning rush episode after the draft how would you define success for 2026 random I'll let you start off with that one I think that what we've heard since like with the playoff wind drought that this team has like get to playoff's one again like for me though as someone this is Aaron Rogers last ride like he's going after this you're not seeing him again so he says I don't I tend to believe him on that I feel like he's telling the truth unless he's really trying to follow him and footsteps a bright far of who tried to walk away from football like 10 times before side to find the call quits um with that with the improvement on in the receiving core a defense that I think should be solid at least with the secondary that they have especially like we mentioned

20:54earlier jol4 junior if he ends up being a guy that's out there on a consistent basis uh it's a really deep cornerback room um when to show an ally gets back I feel like it'll be pretty solid safety room as well um racial Jenkins is kind of stepped up but uh obviously not starter level from what the depth art says right now like a playoff wind would probably be nice for the Steelers right but for like storyline sake I would say getting to the playoffs and making a run like maybe you win that wild car game maybe you get to the division of playoff and you put up a fight like there can't be another blowout playoff loss this season like it if they even make it there if they don't make it there then that's a problem itself but like there can't be another demoralizing loss where we're writing the same thing this January where I have the past two years with Alan of the somber locker room after Baltimore just to sounds but I wasn't even at that game and I could tell like

21:57just what a kind of like funeral feel it was then last year after the Texans game and then morning after and Tom and seven down like I was another really interesting feel of just being on a locker room and kind of feeling that like dejectedness like I said maybe the playoff wind but I think it's weird to say you can't or you can define success by not losing by a lot but especially on that stage like I just feel that can't happen again yeah it's so funny like the wild car game gets Houston they were in it until two defensive scores put the game away for the for the Texans so it was like I know a lot of people look at the audio also are you six deep and it's only allowed about 16 points and that was like compared to what we're used to before there used down 1421

22:5728 to nothing but we got the first quarter I think success wise I mean I'm always someone who's always believed that if you don't win the Super Bowl at rear you can't you can't call me think really a success I'm a harsh critic in that way but I think to say things are taking a step forward I definitely agree gotta win a playoff game and I'll agree with the divisional playoff part making competitive I would say close to like a 2015 playoff round where you gather at least win that and be in it's in the divisional round until till well the 2015 2015 conversation something you're not seeing this team perform like that team did that was probably most fun I had watching the Steelers in my life Mike Tomlin actually talked about that I think it was yesterday for the day before that he said that was the best team he ever coached and you remember that playoff game that divisional at Denver where they keep up with Peyton Manning

24:02Fitzgerald Tucson's Fumble that game I will forever remember Fitzgerald Tucson's name just because of that play they were playing without Antonio Brown and without Ley Villanbeau like I hope that entire week like sitting by the radio or like TV like listening to injury updates that somehow AB would be able to like miraculously play and obviously that wasn't the case and what we've seen from then is interesting and it's yeah that that team is one that yeah they let that one get away right anytime I think about that season and I think about the Birkitt hit obviously everyone looked at the Birkitt hit and says that was the the get it but again if you will for AB but I also think of you know we've talked about the injury parts Adam Patman Jones was like maybe fake didn't you know he he did something with like a Grammy I think he said he said he went Oscar he winked at it

25:03yeah he was like he was you give him a he was a totally like what he meant to say Oscar but there's something way off and Antonio Brown posted a like a photoshop job of him and a Michael Japhison suit and it was great um yeah on the 2015 that was a fun year I will say the 2017 now that was super fun I should feel memorable year to me but before we get off track let's uh follow up here with Nubat says predictions for Brown vs Steelers um I'm gonna hold off on that because I need to see how first week goes because there's two Browns matches a year and never optimistic about the first one everyone knows when it is where it is and yeah I'm gonna hold off on that didn't or just out and talk some like that yeah last night about about the Browns game and that kind of feeling like an automatic loss

26:04just being nice tonight and Cleveland yeah third tonight's in Ohio do not go well for the Steelers historically so at least in in the recent years um I've covered both those games where the snow and Cleveland was really cool that night uh that was probably the most interesting weather game I'll ever see I'm guessing and that's something like tornado through Acresure um and then last year since then Adi was also a very weird night just in terms of how they went in there and they kind of could have taken a strong ripple in the division and they walk out of there and felt like the season was ending that night yeah they haven't won a Thursday night road game since like in revision at least since 1967 something wild like that it's something like really wild like way out there but yeah we weren't talking about that yesterday on the in the space that if you don't win against that lances then got between the road and Cincinnati at home and Cincinnati at home is winnable but I mean you're probably

27:11gonna get Joe Burrow very healthy more than likely so that's gonna make things tough to be tough to go to New England and if you don't win at Lanza there's a not a bad chance of doing in step browns game or win three so yeah that would be very wrong you must as a guy circle back on the question of week two I'm not gonna lie yesterday talk to me on week three about the browns going up to that game I'll I'll entertain a little more I don't know I like I hate doing predictions multiple weeks out but yeah I don't know what will definitely see so folks were at the two minute warning here I want to thank everybody for joining us always a lot of fun to do this you know doing this on Twitter doing this on you know three platforms on Wednesday nights tomorrow night I'm gonna release the interview I did with Dom from 9 to 9 the game he is a Balkans expert in guru but

28:21he's also a stupid stand had great conversation with him about everything going on week one so be sure to check that out we'll have it I think release a 745 tomorrow's what we'll do to you that way you have time to listen to it and you're not interrupted by the or you're not interrupting in the 49ers and LA grounds going down to the up back strip on the body night you waited all podcast episode all podcast you're right so all right we got one more question then we're gonna do some predictions while we're at it uh true steaver for life I love that name that says question what are we doing it inside land backers hoping playing a run down or is it all real simple here um it's interesting because I thought Roberts was gonna be the run down flying backer he got let go so I don't know bringing what are your thoughts on that

29:22yeah that situation itself still kind of confounds me but yeah I think I honestly think the series want to see more out of Peyton Wilson than they will call him I'm not saying that Hoke him won't have like at least somewhat of a role but if I were them I'd want to see what Peyton Wilson can do especially with Patrick Queen on a contract year so we'll see how it goes um Patrick Queen and uh Peyton Wilson blood team tackles last year see if that end up kind of replicating itself this year and if it does probably an okay sign um but if you're seeing a lot of Kovalcom I feel like I tired because Peyton Wilson is injured or he's not playing nearly as well enough in the need soon no then that's what happened last year's well actually when they went into New England uh speaking of New England again uh they put Kovalcom in there uh as the starter um he got a lot of run down looks so we'll be very interesting there um so with that being said

30:27Brendan it was time for the first I don't know if we did a preseason predictions or not I think we talked about things we want to see we do any actual predictions though because you can't predict preseason it doesn't count uh what are your two predictions including a score going in the side I think DK McAf goes for a hundred yards and at least one touchdown and I would say that the dealers come out of this one on top I'll they're I'll put it 31 14 31 17 or do you want something okay not that I'm going to say as far as prediction go nonscores Jawant Taylor who used to play for the Kansas chiefs is now with the Atlanta Falcons you would have a issue with that uh Kansas City who got got going early uh I'm going to say he's flagged for

31:28false start at least three times I think I think we're going to catch him I think it's pretty good to a TJ Watts going to intimidate them Nicarbogs don't give them a little giri I think he's going to get flagged at least three times and everyone that happens you guys all owe me a soda pop that's what we'll say I'm just kidding uh but score wise I think I think the Steelers aren't going to hit 30 but I think they'll get I'll say 26 to 14 I think that's a it'll be like a weird score like that so with that being set I appreciate everyone shooting for winning us this evening and before we close out Brandon tell the folks what you got going on and we're to find you if they're not familiar with your work you can find me at steosnow.com very obviously Pittsburgh's for us now covering the pit panthers fancited and anything else uh somebody loves this you can go google me

32:28um probably use your food and me listing it all out for you got the Kirk Signeg I think going on google me he wins uh folks appreciate everyone joining and uh we look forward to seeing you all next week don't forget to check out the afternoon drive in the morning rush and tomorrow night we will have another edition of the Steelers now Steelers night shift they're pretty recording the interview but we'll be dropping it tomorrow night uh around 745 everyone have a good night and let's see how the Steelers do 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 a hundred dollar trade pays out over three hundred dollars if they pull out the upset win on the road against last year's a fc championship patriots on call she you're trading

33:29against 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 twenty dollars when you trade twenty dollars k a l s h i call she trade on anything eighteen and older only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors call she products are not available in all jurisdictions prices values and available markets may differ from those mentioned for more information see call she dot com backslash regulatory