Big Ben talks Ravens/Steelers, Mixed feelings on crucial AFC North win, Playoff hopes & more! Ep 112

Big Ben talks Ravens/Steelers, Mixed feelings on crucial AFC North win, Playoff hopes & more! Ep 112

Welcome back to football with Ben Roththersburgger. I am Ben and he is Spence. And we are in the basement again to talk about a big win against our divisional opponent and foe, the birds of Baltimore. Um, but this episode first and foremost is brought to you by the great people hockey. Thank you guys very much for that. I appreciate it. Um, before we dive into the game, we have to talk about something that we talked about on the live stream. For anybody that didn’t watch our live stream of the game this last week, um shame on you. Uh first, let me bring you shame on you. Uh second of all, we talked about during that episode uh or during the the show about uh a fun Christmas thing we are doing for the fans, for the family. So, we are um we ordered five 500 I think 500 cookbooks somewhere somewhere around there. 500 more cookbooks for the holiday season. Uh, we went down and I signed every single one of them. So, if you want a signed one or if you want one or you want to give a gift to someone for the holiday season, for Christmas or New Year’s or a birthday or just because you really love someone, um, go order a cookbook. It’s got, uh, a signature on the outside cover just like Evans has signed there, but it’s just mine. So, anyway, that’s I mean, that might be the most valuable cookbook. People have been asking about Evans signing. That’s the only one. that glass. Yeah. So, but anyway, yeah. So, go go go get a cookbook if you want one signed. We have there are a limited edition. So, first 500 people or something and some have already actually people already bought them already bought them during the live stream because we talked about it. So, uh thank you all the people that are helping out with that and um hopefully you get one and you really enjoy the recipes and get two get one to cook with and one as a momento. Yeah. So, anyway, that’s that’s that and um we are going to kick this show off and we get to talk about the Ravens game. We’re going to talk about some news at the end. So stay tuned all the way to the end to hear about some upcoming news for next week’s show. Yeah. And like every good footballing episode, we’re going to kick this off with a nice cold beverage. Uh yeah, you can hydrate. Um this one is a You’re not a huge office fan. Yeah, you watch office. Yeah. But this is this would be kind of a deep cut this reference here. And I don’t know how long this has been in there, where it come from. I just it’s so I’m going to proceed. This is how we do. My fridge is just full of unique weird craft. I’m going to proceed with coffee. Oh, boy. Good start. All right. All right. So, this beer is uh All right. We’re good. We’re all right. It’s from Magic City Brewing Company. Oh, that’s your You love them. That’s your That’s your go-to, right? Is it? I don’t know. Oh, no. Cigar City. Cigar City. Yeah. Yeah. I’m like I don’t know that I I don’t know that I know this city. Cigar City. Cigar City. Yes. But it’s called Florida Stanley, which if you are a fan from Stanley. Yeah. If if you are a fan of the office, not Flat Stanley. No, no. There you go. It’s a New England IPA. It’s got his fedora type hat on that one. Yes. So Fedora Stanley is or Fedora Stanley Florida. You got me, dog. Um Florida Stanley is of course the version of Stanley that shows up in Tallahassee in season 9, I believe. I mean, that’s way deep cut. I mean, definitely I knew I know who that is. Brian Bombgardner is a friend. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Kevin. Yeah, you know Kevin, he’s hilarious. He’s such a fun guy to like be around and golf with and Yeah, it’s a funny funny dude. All right. Yeah. Yeah. Smells good. Here you go. I was just about to make Oh, that’s really good. Yeah. See, Florida Stan lives his best life, you know. I was about to make it like a a false statement and say I haven’t had a really like an IPA in a while, but during the game that’s why I was drinking IPA. So, sorry. I didn’t see I didn’t say it though. That’s good though. Yeah, that’s very good. That’s very It’s not low IBUS. Got to be smooth, huh? It’s very smooth. Store drink fresh. We don’t know how fresh it is cuz we don’t know how long we’ve had it, but um yeah, very nice. 6.5. Doesn’t taste like that. I’m looking for IBU, Spence. Well, I mean, the fact that your palette can recognize it’s probably a low IBU is Well, I’m confused. It’s from Akran, Ohio. Is it interesting? Akran, huh? Huh? Florida. Stanley from Akan, Ohio. All right, there you go. Cool. We’ll have another one. Let’s talk about the game. We’re going We’re going to the game now. We’re jumping straight into the game. Um, a big win for the Steelers. It’s so Top of the North, of course, as usual. Per usual. Supposed to be. Obviously, our reactions to the game are well documented because of the live stream. sitting here a couple days later. How do you feel about the game? We’re going to dive into all this about the game, about the Steelers performance, about where we’re headed next. I want to start. Let’s just do an overview of the game because I think you predicted a loss here. Yeah, I have mixed emotions on this game. Happy we won. Yes, sure. Sad I lost. My prediction was a loss, so I lost. Um, so yeah, loss, but happy overall. I’ll take I’ll take a loss on my football and notebook over the Steelers loss, but um, yes, what a what a big win. Uh, obviously we knew that both teams were fighting for the division, a top of the division at six and six, which is crazy. Yeah. Uh, so now it’s, you know, we we have a oneame lead on them, which is huge. It’s far from over, far from a home playoff game. We still have four games left. We have I would say looking at the schedule I know it’s Miami Lions, Browns, Ravens. And I’m looking at that and I’m like, “Okay, we know about the Lions at the Lions Miami this week. It’s Monday Night Football. They’re coming into cold weather. Typically, I’d say that’s a no-brainer for us, but you know, we we’ll dive into it later. I I just they just won in cold weather, so I’m not sure. They’re fighting for their lives.” We go to the Browns. Always a win. I mean, could be dangerous because you’re going to Cleveland and any, you know, once every like blue moon. Mhm. Like the winter solstice or, you know, every once in a while they get a win. Yeah. When it’s the Blizzard game, something crazy has happened. So, you never know. But, and then the Ravens are going to come here at the end. I love them playing here, but they’re going to be fighting for their lives. And so, it’s some interesting games coming down the stretch. I like that we control right now. We control our destiny. we are in the first place. We’re in the lead. We’ve got that um that lead over the Ravens with the one game beating them. You know, how do I feel about the team? Am I ready to, you know, start celebrating that yet, we’re going to the Super Bowl? Probably not yet. I know that uh you heard a lot of the team talk about we the outside noise and keeping the internal and not listening to the media and podcasters like ourselves and this that and the other. That’s great. That’s what you at this time of year, that’s what you have to do. You got to you you got to it’s got to shrink your your your your antennas, everything, your ears. Keep it like this. The outside noise is outside noise. Keep it right here. So, great for them for doing that. I hope they keep doing that. Um but I will say I don’t know how much more confidence I have in this team. I do I don’t know if they go to Detroit and and put a thumping on Detroit. They put a thump like I don’t want them just to barely win. I you know, they beat Baltimore and it’s like great. Anytime you go into Baltimore, beat a divisional opponent. That is awesome. I I’m not taking anything away from that. I’m not really I’m not sure how Baltimore is right now. Lamar doesn’t quite look like Lamar for whatever reason. I know he’s been really banged up. Maybe there’s something there. Uh, you know, there were some really unique calls that happened in that game that we can talk about that I think depends on what sideline you’re on you’re happy about and the other sideline wouldn’t be happy if we can. So, my point of saying that is I just still don’t know how I feel about this team. They just feel like they’re just so uh to have teams, you know, it’s you get nervous when they go into halftime with a lead because like what are we doing in the second half? Yeah. So, I’ I’d like to see what happens this week against Miami. I know Miami is kind of on that they’re in the hunt category. So, they’re going to be they’re going to come out fighting. They’re going to they’re going to want to do it, but you know, we’re going to have it’s our hall of honor ceremony. I’m going to be there and pounce going to be there. Joey Porter’s going to be there to get to get celebrated at halftime. I’d like to bring that juju. Not Juju, Mr. Houston. Hey, it’d be cool if he was there. It’d be cool. But the the the the mojo, the juju, if you will, the juice, bro. Um to the team hopefully helps them get a victory. But I want to see if this team can go on this little run of these four games and like look like legit contenders. Like I’m like, okay, then we might reassess where we’re at. But right now, I’m still in a a wishy-washy kind of feeling about the team and and where I see them going in the f in the playoffs, which I think they’re going to make the playoffs. And I it looks like they’re going to get a home playoff game, which would be amazing. Uh but but um you know, we still got four games left. Yeah. And I think the uh the my confidence in the rest of the schedule is definitely I feel like we’re the AFC North stuff I feel better about, you know? Uh I know Miami is supposed to be hot trash this year, but they get I just I’m worried about like the fluke stuff. Obviously Detroit is the one that was what we were saying before we started. I’m like Detroit’s the one they might come out and just obliterate them. You know what I mean? And then like the Steelers would beat them. Yeah. just on a fluke on a whim and maybe not even a fluke or a win. Maybe they dial in. I don’t know. It just seems like one of those things that like and Evan can probably speak to this better like on the schedule. I think the odds I don’t know what that looks like are probably in Detroit’s favor, but that’s one that like somehow the Steelers will pull out, you know. Well, look at I Yeah, I don’t disagree with you. You never know. We’ll see how it looks this week, but you know, the Steelers were six point six and a half point dogs this week. Mhm. I mean, when I mean, I don’t think anybody gave them a chance. I mean, not say nobody gave them a chance. There were some, but if you pulled the majority of the people, it’s like, uh, we probably it’s it’s over. Yeah. And I’m sure there’s, and to be honest, we talked about during the live stream, I’m sure there’s some Steeler fans that are a little disappointed because I think they want that. Like, listen, let’s just let’s start over. Like, let’s get a higher draft pick. Let’s, you know, whatever. But it’s that’s hard as a fan to sit there and say. So, especially when you have a shot, if it was if you were like, you know, three and Yeah, I know. Like it when you still have a shot to kind of weasle into the playoffs, man. Like, and then playoff football is one of those things where it’s like, dude, all you have to do is get lucky. I know, but I think fans are tired of getting in there and losing right away. And they’re like, I’d rather not. So, I used to ask this question to guys when we, you know, when I was playing, I said, hey, think about, let me ask you a question. I say, would you rather go to the Super Bowl and lose or not go at all? How would you answer that? It’s a tough Well, I’ve been both of which hurts worse. It It’s I I think you’d rather not go really going and losing. But I see I I got to win. So So you know what if you never got never got to to win one like then would do you think just tasting the game would just be enough or maybe that’s why I say I was it’s hard for me to answer that question. It’s it’s and so I guess I’m asking that question to fans like or the fans are probably asking that question like okay I’d rather not even get there. Let’s just let’s just not even get to the playoffs and go through the misery of losing the first round again. But again, to your point, you get in, all it takes is one. Yeah. And all of a sudden, now we’re like, we’re back. It could be a, you know, anything could happen. Well, yeah. And getting to the Super Bowl, even if you lose it, is almost like a proof of concept to some degree, right? Cuz it’s like, hey, okay, we we figured out a formula that whether it be, you know, finally clicked late in the year or lucky or whatever it is, we figured out to know we can make it to the show and then we couldn’t figure it out there. Yeah. No, I don’t I I know. I don’t disagree, but it would be the unique thing is is like to get to a Super Bowl, you have to be good. There’s no doubt about it. You also have to get lucky. Whether that’s injuries, a ball bouncing, a ball getting knocked out of a guy’s hand in the end zone. You You almost throw an interception having one hand on it when your knee’s on the ground. Very unique things have to happen. A ball bounces and and your toes on the line, it’s not on the line. You have that those things have to happen. Now, you’ve got to be good to begin with. Sure. I think that the Steel, we know and we talked about it, the Steelers went all in this year. They beat Aaron Rogers, DK Metaf, um well, formerly Slay Ramsey. I mean, they they it’s like we’re doing it. Yeah. If you got there and didn’t win, you’d be like, man, like, do we try it again? Like, do we do you just try every year? Do you try for the one year? Yeah, I think it’d be interesting to see what that try again would look like because to your point, it does seem like this is the allin. I mean, like obviously we just acquired Thelen. He’s like, don’t see him again next year. He’s retiring. Aaron’s came out and said, you know, alluded to the fact that like, hey man, I’m just going to come in here. Listen, if they get to the Super Bowl, he’ll come back. You think? Yes. If he thinks he’s they think they’re that close. But listen, we’re we’re jumping so far ahead. Not even to the playoffs yet. This show’s called What If with Ben. So anyway, I hear you. Yeah. Yeah. I it’s it’s an interest yeah it’s an interesting thing to kind of you know run up the flag pole I think more of what this speaks to is you know getting to the getting to the Super Bowls the consistency of this team because it does feel like some weeks you’re like oh that’s a that’s a well put together football team and other other weeks it’s like um what are you what are you doing sometimes it’s by half yes it’s and so and I think coming out of the gate obviously last week a lot of flack there was a lot of there was after the Bills, right? Mhm. It was media was crazy. Again, the team probably had to work more so um that week than any other week to try to drown out the noise that the rest of us are making out here. Um but you go in and you could only assume that this week against Baltimore, your guns blazing. And I think you see that with the first play with Aaron, what 52 yards of DK and and DK’s performance amazing. I mean, I got some stats here that uh seven catches, 148 yards. This is This is That’s what you expected to see every and what we expect to see every week. But it can’t happen if they don’t throw him the ball and take the chances. I I’m I I am on that I’m in that camp for sure. I’m like, “Yes, get get I’ve been beating that drum since the beginning of the season.” Like that’s DK Metaf even with the misses, even with some of the drops, even just keep feeding it that way. And again, situationally, you might not have that time or space to make that decision on the field. Um, but that’s a performance where people are looking at DK like, “Oh, see this is what he can do, but like you’re in week 14 now.” You know what I mean? And so, is that something that is like, “Okay, we figured it out.” Or is that a one-off? Is that an isolated week? Is it what’s going to happen next week now that teams only Arthur Smith knows that. I mean, let’s be honest. How But how do you feel seeing that performance? Is that something like finally you guys figured it out? It’s like, I can’t trust that. Yeah, it’s going to Yeah, I need to see it again. And I I want to see it continue and I want to see Adam Theling get involved. I want to see Pat Fman get involved more. You know what is Darnell Washington going to be back this week? Like you know there’s a lot of questions but get people like the more weapons you get involved. We got to see Calvin Austin take a deep shot. Um that’s smart. You’ve got to get more guys involved and and you know obviously they didn’t run the ball with a lick which is unusual and and you know ran for 34 yards which is crazy. Yeah, not for lack of trying. They did try a little bit, but but you know, it’s at some point, stop running your head into the wall and start figuring out something else to do. And I think that’s what Arthur Smith did this week. And you know, whether it’s the the line given a little bit of time, Aaron taking the chances. Baltimore, I think, also to a certain extent said, “We’ve got Kyle Hamilton, we’ve got a stud doing on our side. We’re going to go, we don’t need put two guys over top. We’re going to just play one-on-one there.” Yeah. And that’s that that that helps you as an offense, too. Now, this week, Miami might say, “Ah, we’re not we’re going to safety over top.” So, I think part of it has is dictated by the defense as well, what their their mindset mentality is. I don’t know anything about the the defense for the Dolphins. Maybe they have a stud defender that they’re like, “Okay, we’re man.” Well, M’s a safety though. I know, but I’m saying like make a revenge game. There’s going to be a little revenge factor there. Um think Mingo will blitz ever. I hope just to see just to see him, man. Get him in there. So, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think I think it just is a a defensive mentality, too. I think we face a defense that thought they could just line up and go one-on-one and shut them down and they realize they can’t. Yeah, man. It’s um it was an interesting game to watch. It was one of those things where early on, again, you go back to the live stream and watch. Early on, I felt confident after You were not confident. Yeah. Well, that’s what I needed. I needed seven minutes. After seven minutes, I felt good. And then after an additional seven minutes, I got really nervous. I got but and it was the frustration of like, man, can can we just enjoy like a game? This was a this was by all accounts a bad Baltimore Ravens team. That’s what I I felt like Yes. I I agree with you totally. I I don’t think that this is the the Baltimore Ravens what you’re used to seeing, right? And I I do think um I do think uh Lamar’s playing through something. Absolutely. I I think a lower body potentially cuz he usually is I mean he’s video game. He’s like you hey come tackle me like and you can’t like I didn’t see him they didn’t even they didn’t really even try to throw to Mark Andrews really. Yeah. That’s that’s like his favorite guy. Like what what are they trying to do? And maybe that’s Steelers to to coach Austin and and all the the people that were on him and the defense. Like maybe that’s to their their credit. Maybe they said we’re taking Mark Andrews away. Yeah. Yeah, and I think um it would be worth noting that the Steelers secondary play this game I I thought was off the charts and not really any of these studs that you mentioned earlier as far as bringing in the Rams, bringing in obviously Slay’s not here, but like I mean you have Brandon Eckles out there. You had play, you know, James Pierre with a pick, right? Picking off his cousin, which is crazy, which is unbelievable. That’s awesome. Uh I wonder how many times that happened in the backyard growing up. You know what I mean? Like that’s Eckles right now. I mean, if you if you’re talking about like a team MVP, it’s hard to like find a guy. He he his his his uh his name’s in the ring in the hat for sure. Yeah. And I and and I I feel like that’s that’s going to be kind of the turning point is like when you get the next man up mentality, you get these guys that are that are, you know, for all intents and purposes fillins, but they’re like turn out to be stars, man. And so I love seeing that. That gave me a lot of confidence in the defense. Obviously the the the um run stopping the run wasn’t great again this week, but uh but you know Smitty got involved. I mean Alex was making plays play sealed it. TJ’s getting involved. I know a lot of people always want to see more T I think they want to see TJ sacking the quarterback at every I mean they want the splash from TJ. They don’t take into consideration the the TJ effect. Extra guys blocking, extra chips, this that and the other and the the the manpower it takes to to take into account for TJ. Yeah. That that that those are the hidden yards and the hidden stats that that you just don’t see. They want the the sacks, the pressures, the TFLs, things like that. um those hidden things are are very valuable when you see like Alex getting these when Alex when Alex feasts a lot of times because TJ’s they’re occupying TJ Cam whoever it is and and vice versa it’s like that that’s why it helps to have multiple guys Herbic you know you got other guys that get to to eat when TJ’s getting you know so much attention paid to him. Yeah. And I I think it’s uh you saw when they’re running the ball. I mean I I don’t remember a time they ran towards TJ. You know, I’m watching TJ run all the way. I’m sure they did, but like right seeing him run after it. Yeah. Which is I think wisdom a game plan, right? Don’t run towards that guy. Not that it’s any better better on the other side. I mean, it’s that that whole I think our RD line is I when they gel and they play, I think that there’s some real talent on that line. Well, it felt like too like thinking back on the game and watching it was like a a bend but don’t break mentality, you know, like you’d see Henry get like seven. You’re like, “Oh, oh boy, there here they go again.” And I know Tom and always used to talk about that where, you know, every blade of grass were defending everybody glass and and and they they were moving. I know they ran for almost, you know,und maybe almost 200 yards. I don’t even know what they ran for, which seems ridiculous and that’s something that we’ve always talked about on this show. Um 217 yards. Yeah. I mean, it’s that’s crazy. But you know what? It was never, you know, it was never like, uh, yeah, too much. It’s okay. Y like, you know what? They got us here. They got us here. They got us. We We knocked them back. Got us here. Knocked them back. As long as you keep people out of the end zone, that’s what matters. Yeah. That’s tough to see, though. I would imagine as defense, they’re stoked on the win, stoked on, you know, probably a couple the key plays, but to sit down Monday morning with 217 up there, right? I would assume it’s like when a quarterback throws like three or four interceptions and still gets the win. Yeah. You’re like, man, I stunk, but hey, at the end of the day, we won. Yeah. You know what I’m saying? Like, I imagine that’s the closest thing you can get because there there were games where I’m like, I was just absolutely garbage, but we won. And, you know, I maybe made one play here or two plays that got us the win. And and and you just have to say, you know what, at the end of the day, the W is all that matters. There’s not everyone in football feels that way. I mean, we I’ve been around teammates that have had huge stat days and we’ve lost and they were the happiest person you’ve ever seen and we’ve won and they’ve had no stats and they were just super upset and like didn’t want to talk to anybody. So, I’ve seen I’ve had, you know, teammates on all different spectrums and I think that’s just, you know, kind of how each person approaches the game. So, um, you know, I I assume the defense will be the coaches are probably more dis like Sure. but we won. Yeah. Yeah. Well, let’s talk about a couple of those key plays, man, cuz there was there was a handful of them, man. I Let’s start with um I think the most prominent one that’s been talked about since then was the non-touchdown the fourth quarter. Okay. Right. Likely has it maintains control two steps, then it gets knocked out of the hands. Break down the ruling like what are the actual rules there? Yeah. And then maybe your opinion on it. Yeah, that was you know, so there were a couple controversial plays in that game. Some maybe I agreed with a little bit more than others. Some I didn’t agree with. Um, and I I also would challenge and ask people if if every single play that was kind of the controversial like this one, the one to Aaron, the the quoteunquote interception, not interception. Uh, there might have been one more, but um, I think it was out of bounds that wasn’t somebody out of bounds like that. Oh, early in the game when did the ball wiggle or not wiggle, right? Hollywood Brown maybe caught a pass and we weren’t sure about. Yeah, I’m not sure who it was. Um, if the roles were reversed, if teams were if if it was completely reversed and it happened. So that we’re talking about the Isaiah likely catch not catch touchdown not touchdown in the end zone. If that was Pat Fry move, if that was DK Maf and the exact same situation happened, how would Steeler fans be feeling today? Cuz I know Steeler fans are like, “That’s not a catch.” Nope. Good call. Great call. Great call. Are you kidding me? The referees get them all right. If the roles were reversed, they would be it would have been the most miserable thing in the world. Yeah. Right. So, my issue with that one, I think it was like personally I think it’s a touchdown. Here’s why. You need to have three things have to happen, right? You have to possess the ball. You have to um two feet down or a knee, a shin, like whatever equates it to, and that’ll make a football move. Mhm. Okay. So, he catches the ball. Obviously, he’s got possession of there’s no doubt about that. He has two feet down. There’s no doubt about that. Now, the third foot would be a football move or any kind of a tuck, any kind of a turnup, anything like that would be a football move. Did he make a football move? No, he didn’t make a football move. I I agree with that. So, then people are going to say, “Well, why is it a touchdown?” He’s in the end zone. So, he doesn’t he’s not thinking about making a he doesn’t have to turn up the field. He doesn’t have to as soon as he’s in the end zone and two feet are down, he’s thinking it’s a that’s a touchdown. You know, it’s not like now I would say this, like this is the second week in a row that he has lost a touchdown either in the end zone or as he’s crossing the end zone. Young man needs to tuck the ball. Sure. But he’s but he’s got a defender on his back and he’s thinking I’m going to keep it away from him so he can’t get it. If he was if that same play happened out on like the 30 yardd line and he catches it like that, I guarantee you he’s like trying to he’s going to twist up the field. He’s going to try and tuck it. he’s going to like he’s going to do something different. But because he’s in the end zone, he’s like I can keep running this way. I can run back. I don’t have to go anywhere with the ball, you know, like I don’t have to make a play or um like a tuck or anything cuz I’m in the end zone. I’ve possessed it and I got my feet down. I don’t have to do anything else. Again, if that’s in the middle of the field, he’s not going to hold the ball out there like this. He’s going to do something with it. So, because it’s in the end zone, to me, it just feels a little bit different. Sure. Um, again, I’d be in an uproar if it happened. It was if if the roles were reversed, one of our guys caught it and they said no, I’d be going berserk. Like, yes. Probably more so because it’s the Steelers. But I just feels like because it’s in the end zone, that third like football move needs to be like really considered differently because when you’re in the end zone, you’re not going to necessarily make a big football move. Sure. Because you’re you’re already in the you’re at pay dirt. You’ve already hit pay dirt. You don’t have to think about anything. It’s like I’m in here. Boom. Feet down. I’m good. Yeah. I know. So, it’s just weird. It’s just a that’s a very unique that one’s very unique to me where I don’t you know I can some of the other I know we’ll talk about I just that one I I have a harder time wrapping my head around the fact that that one shouldn’t have been a touchdown because now I’m glad it wasn’t don’t get me wrong but if something like that happens to us later on I want to well we’re we’re we’re continually living in the shadow of Jesse James’s touchdown you know what I mean so uh we have a yeah I’m sure we’ll we’ll be I want to call it a curse but that’ll happen to us a bunch I’m Um, so how much different is are refs looking at that those three components if it’s towards the sideline cuz how many times are you seeing just toe taps and and then hey that’s in with possession and then it gets knocked out. I seen you’ve seen I feel like you’ve seen that all season. That would be my that would be my thing. So if a guy catches the ball on the sideline you talk about San Antonio Holmes in the Super Bowl. If he if he if he has if someone has the ball in the sideline in their hands two toes in and they’re falling to the ground. They don’t tuck it. They just fall to the ground. Yeah. And and and lose the ball there. Lose Well, if you lose the ball there, then it’s then, you know, you lost it to the ground. But again, if he hasn’t, he’s going down and you know, a guy like lands on him or whatever and it just I don’t know. It’s just there’s just some uniqueness. I get it. I’m I’m I know people are going to disagree with me and that’s fine. And Ben, you’re not making sense. It needs to I I I get it. I just think in the end zone there’s a little bit different. There needs to be a little bit different on that third on a football move because a guy’s mentality is different when he’s already in the end zone. Yeah. Well, let’s talk about uh another one cuz I I would love to see that conversation take place in the comment section here cuz there’s a lot of there’s a lot of people online doing it. Should have brought it up in the uh live stream so we can hear what the football and family is saying. Uh because I agree. But whatever question you ask or however you feel also in in in the next part of your comment say how would it be if the roles were reversed what would you say? Yeah. And I know they’re going to be like oh I’d feel the same. No but really really like come on now. Um well I want to talk about you mentioned it. I want to talk about the one where like Aaron got batted down or he threw it back batted back to him. Um I I think Zack Frasier came up with it ultimately but they said that the the Ravens had had it and picked it off but Aaron had possession with one hand with a knee down. So, he was down by contact before he got ripped out, right? Uh, break that down for us. Very Well, it’s hard to break that play down. Um, note to self, when a ball gets batted back to you, just let it go. But, it’s hard cuz you’re just like, “Oh, like it’s it’s your reaction.” But, um, that one I can see a little bit more. Now, again, I think it’s crazy that they they called it a turnover, which then obviously made him review it. And I understand that Aaron had like one hand kind of on the ball with both I don’t think both knees down, but I think I mean again so there by he’s down. He he’s holding it. My question would be like did he really have it? Like was the ball did they just catch it where it wasn’t moving? He had it enough. I’m holding this thing right here but at what point am I do I not have it? Um I’ll take it. But that one I can see a little bit more where it’s like, okay, when you when you stopped it right there, you paused it, he had enough of it. Yeah. And now did did he ever possess it? Like, you know, is there possessing the ball? Because he never end up cuz then right after that, you can see like both arms are like not on the ball. So, but there’s but there’s no letter of the law like you have to possess it for a certain amount of time. Well, I see that that call on that play actually makes more sense to me than I feel like the call that happens most of the times when that happens or or fumble you’re getting on it cuz so many times like there’s a fumble, there’s a loose ball or maybe it’s a bobble pick and you’re fighting over it on the ground. It’s just whoever comes up with it at the end is like but I’m like heyreng I got it and you got it and we’re both down it’s down by contact, right? It’s just I have most of it. you we’re down but it’s never called that tie goes to to the offense like this that and the other. So again, I can see that that one as crazy as as much as I thought like if they would have said Baltimore like kept it with Baltimore, I’d been like probably so but then when they overturned it like I was like woo all right we got away with one there and then as I’m watching I’m like okay like that one that one didn’t sit as like hard for me like I can make sense now obviously the touchdown to to likely that that’s a game changer like if they score there who knows what happens like I get that. Um but again I just so so Aaron’s play doesn’t that one’s not as tough for me to to to to live with. And again if roles were reversed and it was um uh Lamar and the same exact thing happened I’d probably be going nuts be like no he didn’t possess it. He didn’t have it. He didn’t have it. Yeah. But you know I I I’m not as I’m not as upset about that one I don’t think as as the touchdown one or not touchdown. Yeah. I’m trying to remember. I’m trying to look this up. um of what the um one out of bounds was because I remember watching it. I think it was the first play like early on for Z Flowers was the Oh, Z. Yeah, Z Flowers where where he caught it and they thought the ball moved right then and it was on the sideline out of bounds. Um again, those are all just like because I thought DK’s later I thought I saw and we saw it on the live stream. I thought the laces you saw the laces switch a little bit. Sure. So those ones on the sideline, you know, it to me that’s u how much did it move? Did he did he lose possession again? Did he lose possession when it moved or did it just move? Because I can hold this again. We have a football. I can hold this. I know we football somewhere in this house. Oh, there’s one over there. Oh, yeah. You want to grab it? No, it’s okay. It’s not a big deal. If I’m holding this and I go like this. Yeah. I never lost possession of it. It move. Or or or if I go like this, if if I cut a ball and I just twist it in my hands, it you might see the ball turn and rotate, but I never truly lost possession of it. Yes. You know what I’m saying? Like even now, I would say like you never have possession of this. Sure. But but if I have it or even if I if you catch it and you go to tuck it and it turns as you tuck it, you’re going to call that lost possession. They can. I’ve seen it happen because you see the the rotation of a ball. Just because a ball rotates in your hands Yeah. doesn’t mean you necessarily lost possession of it. Yeah, man. Listen, so those ones again, I’m not as as upset about those ones. Again, the touchdown one, I just think to me that’s the only one that if I was a Steeler fan, I’d be going nuts for. Yeah. And I think that if it was the other way around. Yeah. Sure. Oh, for sure. There were plenty of times when we’re watching this game, we’re like, listen, I will take it. Like, don’t like and and you see that I I think you saw that uh early on when Aaron got like super frustrated. He was trying He wasn’t sure about a catch. He was trying to rush it. He was trying to rush to the line. Yes, that’s right. Yelling at somebody. That was awesome. Yeah. Um and so I I think there’s a lot of those things where it’s like listen man like Well, I’ll say this too because like to Aaron’s credit and I know it’s happened to me a lot too. Players can can see the game differently than the even the coaches on the side or up above. Like there are times like Aaron knew. Yeah. Aaron’s like we got to go. Like that’s happened to me before too where I’m like hey I don’t know if he caught that. We got to go. Or or no he caught that. And everyone’s like freaking out like, “No, no, he like he caught that.” Yeah. Like we can see things on the field sometimes and and players like that’s why you had to trust your receiver, too, cuz you need a receiver to be like, “Hey, we got to go. We got to go. I didn’t have that.” Or, you know what I’m saying? Like you you have to have that trust. So Aaron saw it. He knew what he wanted to go for whatever reason. Now he was yelling. I thought he was yelling at at um I assumed he was yelling at Arthur Smith. I think Tom was walking by to calm him down. I don’t think people thought he was yelling at Mike at Coach. I don’t think so. Um, now what can happen is Oh, Debo. Why is Debo call? Debo, you know I’m doing a show. Are you doing a show right now? You doing a show? What are you trying to do, man? Um, uh, um, Arthur Smith. Arthur. Aaron should be able to at least we were always able to like you had a like it’s just like you had like a code word play that was like get up and we’re going to run this quick play. You don’t have to think about a thing. So if Aaron was in doubt or thought about that, he now if coach is sending in substitutes, then you’re then that’s a mess up. But you should be yelling like like whatever your code word is, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s do it. And um it didn’t happen. But again, there’s a lot of scenarios, situations that can change that, but um you know, he knew it. He knew what happened. And and and you got to be able to make that call as as a player to like Aaron did to help him. Well, you saw that later on in the game. You had another one he was just rushing up to and it was like, “Hey, back off.” And I would imagine I I understand his frustration in that like I would imagine with a guy like Aaron that that uh control over the offense would have just been given right to where like if somebody like if he’s trying to rush for somebody to be like hey man no hold up again he could but if coach is sending in subsure then you’re in trouble cuz then you’re like what are we doing? You know what I’m saying? Now, part of me too, like as a and I don’t know, I don’t know what happened. So, I don’t know that I would have wanted this truthfully, but the other reason I think a touchdown would have been potentially good there for I talk about the likely touchdown for Baltimore for Baltimore to take a lead there. Part of me would have liked to have seen that because I would have wanted to see what resolve and what the Steelers offense like what what was the answer. Sure. Can they go down? I think they would have they a field goal would have what was the final score? They would have tied it with a field goal, I thought. Okay. Yeah. you get, you know, you got that locked up with Boss. Um, well, no, 27 29, they would have won it. Okay. So, but so like what would that have done for the confidence of an offense going on the go like taking the field, driving down the field. Now, obviously there’s a flip side of that. You lose the game, but you get to drive down the field, you get a confidence builder, you go down and you get the ball to Bonds or you throw a touchdown pass and now it’s like, man, the off maybe that’s maybe that’s just the little extra something the offense needed. Now, obviously, as we say, that goes with a Okay, we could also lose the game. Yeah, but I you don’t do it, but but I still I would have liked to have seen that have a chance to do that. I I 100% agree with you, man, because I feel like in in that little push, that little pressure in that moment, I would have gained so much more confidence in our offense having seen, oh, we can do this. we can unlock that kind of like vintage Aaron Rogers that kind of like oh then okay would have been great to see and I think it would have been a nice little boost for them. Now listen we won the game we’ll take all that so we’re not we’re not saying like don’t take that chance but it I would have like a small part of me would have been like okay I like this chance I like I like seeing this. So yeah let me dial you up another one of these. Okay. Um yeah. So I it’s it’s interesting. It’s really interesting, man, because like super obviously stoked to to own the North to to it’s just beating the Ravens is always nice. I mean, you know what I mean? Like Oh, it’s huge. That’s a that’s a huge win for us. But um especially B tie the top. Yeah. And and I think that the Let me let me tell you this real quick. This is New Realm Brewing. Hazy like a fox hazy IPA 6 and a half. There you go. It’s got untamed aromomas. You know what I mean? Um, what do you think? Oh, bad story. I don’t like that as much. I mean, it’s okay. Like, I I’ I’d do I’d drink one of these, but not Maybe that thing was just really good. Yeah, maybe I I messed up the order, man. That Florida Stanley was That’s really good. Florida Stanley be living, you know? This one’s a little unique. Um Yeah. Yeah. But I’m thinking about I’m thinking about AFC North, man. I’m thinking about um the future of this schedule, right? Future Steelers knocking out the schedule. I don’t like that. Cleveland. Yeah. Not good. All right. Well, you know, can’t win. No offense. New. Um who’s who’s going to be Cleveland’s quarterback? Shador Sanders. You think they named him start the rest of the season? Really? Mhm. Rest of the season. I could I mean, he played well enough. Obviously, we talked about against Tennessee, you don’t want to jump through it. you know, maybe he creates just enough of spark enough spark when we get there. But listen, we we got we got some ways to get to that one. So, we got we got to worry about that. We got Miami next. I I because I the reason I’m I’m I’m putting the pause button on you there is because I want to see another week with him. Like he he looks really good in the one week, second week like h next week uh like but the two weeks he looked the best were the Raiders and the Titans. Yeah, that’s so let let’s see. See, I don’t know what their schedule looks like the rest of the way, but let’s let’s before we start worrying about the Browns, which really never should happen. Let’s just um you know, let’s put a pause button on them, but let’s let’s do hit the Miami game real quick. Um fighting for it. They’re on the hunt. I don’t still don’t know what what’s Someone had texted or or said something about it was Tua’s first game winning in like under 30° or something. you know, maybe the Dolphins ever. But, uh, so it’ll be cold and everything, but we’ll see. They’re they’re fighting for it. I still don’t see us losing this game. I think the Monday night I think the crowd I think I think the crowd’s going to be in it now. Back I think they’re going to be back into it a little bit. Sure. Were you you were worried about that? A little bit. A little bit. Yeah. I mean, I thought if we lost to Baltimore, I was like, man, fans are really going to just be done. It’s But it’s it’s Steelers fans, man. They can’t. They part of their expression of fandom is just the angst, right? Yeah. They’re probably there’s a lot of us that are over some aspects of what this team has been doing lately, but at the same time, it’s like you really think you really thought there could have been opportunity that they just wouldn’t show up to a Monday night game. Got to work on Tuesday. Yeah. They got to work on Monday, man. Like it’s But that’s the that’s that’s Ste fans, man. We’ll we’ll see. Um The key will be, you know, is is, you know, is Brennan Connley going? Well, that’s a good question. Do they have White Claw? He’ll be He’ll be there if they got White Claw, that’s for sure. White call doesn’t freeze quite as fast as as Beer does, right? Wouldn’t know. You wouldn’t know. He does. I heard Brennan, help us. Wouldn’t know. Um, no, but I don’t I don’t I I have this as a win. I’m going to keep it as a win on our on our book because I think the power of Pouncy. Yeah. Yeah. Pound. That’s That’s very power of pounce. He may run in the field. He’s a little too skinny. He might run out. That won’t stop him. No, it won’t fight his butt off. Uh so anyway, yeah, I think that’s I think it’s going to be a good win for us Monday Night Football. Excited to be there. Um to be a part of that game, go out halftime, probably freeze. I’ll be out in a snowsuit. Look like Ralphie from uh Christmas story. But you could probably line pounce up as a white out now. Now I He got the speed. He got He didn’t have to. He’s got the He’s got the the uh violence. He’d be out there. He thinks he’s got the hands, too. So, uh, all right. Before Evan comes down, was there anything else that you any other questions you had? Sorry, I kind of game cuz I know we talked about during the live stream. Yeah, a lot of it’s a lot of it was really just like what does this one mean? And and one thing I saw like was nice wasn’t that nice but funny is the media was asking Aaron like you know what is what does this win mean? You know, after a rough week and he’s like, well, hopefully it mean that you’ll shut up for a week. There you go. I was like, that’s what I say. That’s awesome. We’re probably not well, now that we are the media a little bit, we are not going to shut up. But um but that’s what you need. You need you need that outside noise this time of year so that they can like come together. You know what I’m saying? It’s like the perfect time to Yep. Everyone’s talking about us. Good, bad, ugly. Here we go. Yeah. Circle the wagons as Boomer would say. The no one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills. So, we’re we’re bringing it in and uh you know, we’re leading the division uh AFC North right now, which is obviously a down year this year, but it’s okay. Yeah, but then you start thinking about other divisions. Is like a bad AFC North still better than a good like NFC South? Some of them maybe. Like I always say that just cuz I grew up there. Right on Q. So, look at this guy. Right on Q. Trained professional. Ladies and gentlemen, Chef Evan, did I tell you I was hungry? Usually am. Look at that. Evan, how are you? Welcome everybody to the family dinner brought to you by Giant Eagle. We appreciate Bill and everybody at Giant Eagle for supplying us with this amazing food for Ev. Look at this. Evan, talk to us before we get into a couple things as we wrap the show up. Talk to us about what we have here, sir. Right on the top left corner on the saltine crackers, those are called cottis. I’m sorry. So, cottis. So, it’s salted cod and potato mixed together. A little bit of like a fish ball. It is correct. Yeah. Fishball definitely sounds better. Traditionally, they’re served with a saltine cracker and yellow mustard. Oh, this Who we playing? Where did this come from? Baltimore. Oh, okay. Okay. Where did this come from? Do you just take a bite of this? Uh, yeah. I mean, you can put a little of the if you’re a mustard fan and then just or you can put it underneath it. It might be better. Okay. Go ahead. Spend the next one while I take a bite of this. All right. The next one is a Baltimore pit beef sandwich with the the tiger sauce, which is like a horseradish sauce. Then a little bit of crab dip, some pita chips. This here little look at that. Oh, I get Baltimore, Maryland crab. Yeah. Crab cakes and football. All right. How much football last week, huh? You see that? All right. So, we’re going to two quick things and then we’re going to wrap the show up and talk about next week and kind of our last little bit. First thoughtful thing. Yes, chef. Do you want to talk about the good or the bad first or question? The question a good question or bad question first? Uh, I’ll take the bad question. Take the bad. Okay. Notre Dame. Oh, man. What? What? I did not see it going that way. What? What do we think? I Are you okay with them not making the playoffs? Uh, by the way guys, for those of you who don’t know, Evan is a dieh hard Notre Dame fan and they are not making the college playoffs and they are actually not going to go to a bowl at all. They took their ball and went home, which I don’t really agree with, but again, who am I? But, uh, yeah, I don’t think they they should have been left out of the college football playoff, but I’m kind of one of those fans that that I look at things and and I’m a realist about it. So, you’re not in a conference, you don’t play a conference championship game, and then you’re like, “Hey, why aren’t we in the playoff?” So, I mean, I get why they aren’t in a conference and so on and so forth. But, at the same time, you know, I think Alabama got mollywapped and they shouldn’t have been in the playoff at all because Georgia just destroyed them and they’ll give you that. So, I mean, am I upset? A little bit, but I mean, do I understand why? I do. And Okay. You know, I think at that point, you know, you’re trying to you’re trying to prove a point by not going to a bowl game, right? And, you know, but at the same time, you know, you’ve got a couple players on there that are going to be going into the draft like Jeremiah Love and stuff like that and who you want the Steelers to take, right? Uh, I would be I wouldn’t be upset with it. I would I would I would love Jeremiah Love to be a Steeler, but I think we need a couple other things before we go running back. But all in all, I get it. I understand it. But I think they they’re doing a disservice to the fans by not doing a bowl game. But I understand the point of you don’t want people to get hurt and ruin their draft stock and so on and so forth. Yeah. I don’t I don’t like it. Okay. What does college on real football? What does college football come to? I I don’t know if it’s not if it’s not the NFL breaking my heart, it’s college football. So yeah. No. Okay. So let’s talk about real football. Pit football. No, actually not. Whoa. Just joking. Another one. Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah. What do we how just give me what’s our thoughts after this week? How are we feeling? I think a lot of things went Pittsburgh’s way like referee wise and I think Aaron Rogers did did a great job leading and you know conducting the offense and man when he throws a deep ball and DK is right where he needs to be and that that just brings back old memories of old Steeler football. You know what I’m saying? Yeah, but you know, it’s good to see that. Um, there was a couple good plays on offense, but I think it was a breakdown of Baltimore’s defense. Jaylen Warren on that little pass to the side there on No, I was shocked. I don’t even think I yelled. I just stared. That’s why I was saying like I’m not sure like how I feel cuz like Baltimore just didn’t look like Baltimore. Lamar doesn’t look like Lamar really. Like I think he’s a little banged up. I don’t know. But but anyway, it just win’s a win though. Yeah, for sure. Especially at this point in time. Yep. For sure. Well, good. Well, we’re we’re excited for this week. Got a big one this week in Miami. Let’s pump the brakes. I’m not too excited about Miami. What do you mean? I don’t. It’s It’s just feels like one of those games again where Finn’s down. Yeah. You mean Stop it. You got Miami coming from a warmer climate obviously and they’re going to be playing a Monday night game. I don’t know what the the temperature is supposed to be. I’m sure that cold. I’m sure that’ll that’ll affect they’re going to be all tense and cold. Their coach might come out in a tank top and capri and ready to go. Lululemon Lululemon pants double tag still on the shoes and those glasses looking like it’s going to be it’s going to be a glass off. Who’s got the better sunglasses or coach? No, that’s a tough That’s a tough one. His are gold framed. Tom or silver framed. But the Steelers have to be hitting on all cylinders, you know, cuz if this is a team that’s going to be Miami is going to be making mistakes, then the Steelers have to be able to capitalize on those and like turnovers, get some points, you know. You got good field position. Don’t just dink and dunk. Let’s get down the field, get in the end zone. I like it. You know, they have put on the gas, baby. Arthur Smith, you hear that? What’s that? Arthur Smith, you hear that? Evan said what to do. These are all suggestions. These are my opinions. Well, we we appreciate those opinions, Evan. Uh if you don’t mind staying here just for we’re going to just close this thing and and land is obviously guys part of the family dinner uh of course brought to you by Giant Eagle. We want to um mention uh we talked about next week those you watched the live stream. Next week is going to be a little different. Um Spence is not going to be here and we are going to turn it over to Spence to give as much or as little information as he wants to give, but he will explain quickly why he’s not going to be here and then kind of fill you guys in on what we next week looks like. Yeah. So, those of you in the family dinner that have or in the family dinner in the family that have kind of watched this show since its creation, uh, know all the stuff that’s been going on. My youngest daughter, she was born with chronic kidney disease, has about 8% kidney function. We’ve been last two years have been, um, kind of navigating what that means for our family and on Thursday, she’s getting a kidney transplant. So, we are going, my wife um, by God’s grace was a match. And so, we we are going, my wife on Thursday is going to donate a kidney to my daughter. me and my daughter go in tomorrow uh to get prepped. So that that will, you know, prayers for all of that. But uh then we’ll be two weeks recovering in the hospital. So um kind of holding it down there. So next week, obviously, I won’t be here, but I appreciate all you guys that have um reached out and prayed and continue to do that. Uh that’s a that’s a real big deal for us here on football, but also for for my wife and and my children. Um, I’m a big proponent that prayer works. I’m a big proponent that, you know, I I have evidence that in my life for the last two years, our family has been sustained by your guys’ prayers, you and many others. Um, we got to do that prayer last night with all of our our closest friends, which was really cool. So, thank you guys for those of you that have reached out, prayed, or are continuing to pray um or said a kind word or um we just did a donation um drive for the holidays that a lot of you guys gave to which was insane that you guys um stepped up for that. So, that’s awesome. Thank you guys. We appreciate you. I hope next week goes well. I have no doubt Ben actually I we put all this stuff in front of me, but Ben actually runs all of it, so it’ll go very smoothly. Uh and I’m excited to watch it an episode as a fan. So, I’m stoked for it. Well, thank you, Spence. We obviously will be praying and have been praying. We’ll continue to pray for you as a family. That’s why we wanted you here, Evan, to be a part of this and to let people know. Um, not just for your wife who’s doing an amazing, brave thing, and your daughter who’s going to be the bravest little Samoan girl that I’ve ever seen. Um, but also for you, bud, as a as a dad who who has to stand by um their little girl while their wife’s in another hospital getting stuff done. It’s, you know, it’s we we’re here for you, buddy, and we’re praying for you. So, um, yeah. So, next week will look a little different. Uh, it will be, uh, myself down here and Evan’s going to run the board. Oh, yeah. Lots of buttons. No, just joking. U, but Evan will be here. But we are going to have a special guest host with us. Guest host, guest. I don’t know, however you want to call it. He probably not a host. He’s going to be a guest, but it’s going to be the one, the only Mel Haj is going to be here. He is going to talk about the game. He’s going to talk about the Hall of Fame or the Hall of Honor ceremony that is going on this weekend. Uh obviously myself, Pouncy, and uh Joey Porter are getting into the Steelers Hall of Honor on Sunday night, getting uh a special thing at halftime, but that Sunday night dinner slashawward, not awards, it’s a um thing. Nailed it. Um Maro is actually the MC for that. So, he’ll get to talk a little bit about that and then we’ll talk about the game and recap the the the Dolphins game. Hopefully, a big win for the Steelers on Monday night. So, anyway, uh prayers for you, Spence, the family. We will look forward to seeing all of you a little different next week, but we’ll be here and we’ll be doing our best to give you the best show we can when we don’t have the wizard helping us. So, anyway, we will uh thank you guys again for your prayers and support. We appreciate you. Thank you for supporting the show and we will don’t forget the cookbooks by the way. We will um look forward to seeing y’all next week. See you.

In this episode, Ben and Spence discuss the Steelers’ recent victory over the Ravens, reflecting on the game’s key moments, controversial calls, and the team’s current standing in the division. They explore the implications of the win for the Steelers’ playoff hopes and share personal updates, including a heartfelt family matter. The conversation also touches on the upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins and the importance of maintaining team confidence as the season progresses.

Footbahlin Cookbook Volume 2:
https://footbahlin-with-ben-roethlisberger.clockwise.io/products/footbahlin-cookbook-volume-2

00:00 Introduction and Cookbook Announcement
01:45 Game Overview and Reactions
03:36 Steelers vs. Ravens Game Analysis
07:19 Team Confidence and Future Games
11:06 Playoff Aspirations and Fan Perspectives
14:50 Controversial Calls and Referee Decisions
20:32 Key Plays and Game Dynamics
27:48 Looking Ahead: Miami Game Preview
33:26 Family Matters and Personal Updates