Hey folks, good afternoon and welcome to another episode of the Steelers Morning Rush. I’m Alan Saunders. It is Monday, October 26. The Pittsburgh Steelers are back in the Eastern time zone, landing back in from Paris very early this morning, just after midnight last night, but they’re still not on Eastern time. later practice schedule this week as the Steelers try to get themselves adjusted ahead of this Sunday’s suddenly massive game against the Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. at Agasher Stadium. I know some folks were maybe miffed is the right word that this game wasn’t flexed to Sunday Night Football with the sort of lackluster matchup between the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles left in that space. But you know I was sitting there thinking about it and this to me is one of the most important Steelers Browns games in recent memory in the regular season. Obviously, they had that 2020 playoff game. but this will be the first time in a very long time, maybe even pre-expansion Browns, that this late in the season, the Steelers been Browns will be playing for first place on the line. the Steelers, of course, winners over the New Orleans Saints in somewhat uninspiring fashion. but in Europe, you’ll take that. the Browns on the other hand really struggled with the Tennessee Titans but did eventually do enough to come away with a victory in that one yesterday. and so now Pittsburgh and Cleveland at top the AFC North at 5 and two and the Steelers with a loss to the Browns already would really be putting themselves behind the eightball if they lose this one as well. Honestly, when was the last time there’s one of these games outside of like one of those week 17 kind of deals where the Steelers were already clinched or something like that? You could make a good argument that because the Browns have already won one, this game actually means a lot more to the Steelers than it does to the Browns. The Steelers are much worse off with a loss than the Browns are in that regard. But with these two teams at the top of the AFC and the Bengals coming back to beat the Ravens on Sunday, those teams a game back. the the teams that everyone expected to be at the top of the division are at the bottom. And the teams that everyone expected to be at the bottom of the division are at the top. And six games is, you know, a good percentage, a third of the season. At what point do you start to believe that you are who your record says? I know that’s the quote, but like right now do you buy who you are, who your record says. Do we think the Minnesota Vikings are the best team in the NFL? I sure don’t. I probably picked the 49ers. I might have picked the Chiefs until last night. That’s how this thing goes. but I think this is a a big game, but I am not yet buying the Steelers or the Browns as the best in the AFC North. I think those other teams are going to have their say, and I would not want to be the loser of this game for that reason more than anything else. Sure, if you fall behind Cleveland and you’re Pittsburgh, that’s not good. and especially with two losses. But in a different division, it might not be the worst thing in the world. I think it would be very foolish to assume that Baltimore and Cincinnati, and by the way, they haven’t been bad. They just haven’t been as good as we thought they’d be. I I would be very foolish to assume that’s going to continue with the likes of Burrow and Lamar Jackson at quarterback. This does not so much feel like a game of the winner of this game plants their flag as the favorite in the AFC North as it does the loser of this game should now feel very nervous about their standing in the division with an equally subpar talent level team ahead of them in the standings and two sleeping giants behind them. That is really where you don’t want to be. Steals and Browns 1:00 Agasher. Beautiful fall weather. I feels like I’m in 1989 again. I love it. I love all of it. I’m fired up for a big Steelers Browns game and I hope you all are too. More on that as we go through the week, but just wanted to touch base there. Talking to Mike McCarthy and the coordinators today, assistant coaches, I’m sorry, the the players are off. Mike McCarthy and coordinators today and then a relatively normal week although we will have to deal with some as I mentioned adjusted timing of the practices. Everything’s a little bit later this week especially in the early portion of it as we move through the Steelers adjusting back to the Eastern time zone from their win over the Saints in France. That’s all I got for this early afternoon. I’ll be back in relatively short order along with Smitty 6 o’clock YouTube audio platforms after we’ve heard from all those coaches and have the latest from Mike McCarthy and more. Until then, thanks for listening, thanks for watching, and we’ll see you next time.
