00:00We got Brown Steelers on Sunday.
00:02The Browns trying to win their first game in Pittsburgh in the regular season in 23 years.
00:07To talk about that, we're going to head out to the Weishart Wright, We Make It Right,
00:11call Kyle Wright Hotline, and welcome in Odyssey NFL insider Ross Tucker
00:15of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast.
00:18And this insider call, this NFL insider call, is presented by Nationwide.
00:22For your insurance and financial needs, Nationwide is on your side.
00:26Ross Tucker, welcome back, buddy.
00:29What up, fellas? How are you?
00:31We're doing all right. I'm pretty jazzed about this Brown Steelers game.
00:35This is probably the earliest in a week I'm excited about the next week's game
00:39as opposed to just basking in the glow of another victory Monday.
00:43How big of a feat is beating the same NFL team inside five weeks
00:51if that's what the Browns can accomplish on Sunday?
00:54So, first of all, I ask how you're doing, and you say, I'm doing all right.
00:58You should be doing better than all right, okay?
01:02Your team is five and two.
01:04Secondly, did you hear what you just said?
01:07Rather than basking in the glow of yet another victory,
01:10I'm already moving forward.
01:13What's gotten into you?
01:14Sounds very Bella Chickian.
01:15Winning.
01:16Winning.
01:16Who are you?
01:17No days off.
01:19You're not even basking in the glow of another come-from-behind last-second victory.
01:23I'm already wondering how hard it is to beat a team twice in one year.
01:28I don't know.
01:29I mean, it's hard to win any game,
01:30and especially if you're the Browns
01:32and you're winning it by a field goal at the end every week.
01:35It's certainly going to be hard to do that.
01:37But, you know, there are people that do statistics on these type of things.
01:43Nailed it.
01:44And the Browns are winning more than their fair share of these close games.
01:53Statistically, nobody really cares, you know?
01:55Like, nobody cares about those nerds that say that.
01:57Because, ultimately, you either win or you don't.
02:00What I will tell you, though, is very hard, unless you have Mahomes or whatever,
02:05to win double-digit games like this.
02:08And the law of averages typically will catch up to you at some point.
02:15So, even if the Browns finish the year winning over 65% of these close games,
02:21these one-score games, that's wonderful.
02:23That's amazing.
02:24But if they keep being in them, they are going to lose a couple.
02:28They're not going to, you know,
02:29they're not going to get the game-winning field goal every week.
02:32So, it sounds like you're falling into the category of people
02:34that are suggesting it's unsustainable.
02:38I think, yeah, I think winning in the manner in which they have is,
02:45they can do it over time and win the majority of them.
02:50But I don't think winning it every week is sustainable.
02:53Correct.
02:53You know, and I think that's no matter who your quarterback is, by the way.
02:57But especially, you know, and Deshaun's been great at the end of these games.
03:03But even, remember the one year, over two years,
03:06the Chiefs had won like 14 straight one-score games?
03:10Well, when they lost, like...
03:10They went perfect.
03:11It was 20-24.
03:12They went 11-0 that year.
03:13Yeah.
03:14And then the next year...
03:15And the next year, they won six games, and it completely flipped,
03:17and they went 1-9 in one-score games.
03:19That's correct.
03:20So, that is unusual.
03:23It's usually more towards the middle in that one season.
03:28So, I think the Browns, because of Todd Munkin,
03:31and because of how Watson's playing,
03:34and because of the belief they now have in these games and these situations,
03:40I think they can keep winning a lot of games this way,
03:43maybe even double-digit, maybe make the playoffs.
03:46But I don't think they're going to do it every week.
03:47Some of these games are going to go the other way.
03:50Ross, we already got some action for this game between the two teams.
03:54Jared Verse, back after the Thursday night football win for the Browns,
03:58said he thought the Steelers were dirty.
04:01Cam Hayward said on the Rich Eisen show yesterday,
04:04those comments will be addressed.
04:06Mason McCormick, the guard for the Steelers,
04:08is talking about getting a little payback there.
04:11I'm just curious, how much does billboard material actually matter,
04:16considering you played in the NFL,
04:18and you would know more than certainly somebody like myself would?
04:22Middle of the season, you know,
04:24when you're kind of in the middle of the grind or late,
04:27I think it matters a lot.
04:29You know, I have a lot of respect for Vers's mindset
04:33and the way Vers plays the game,
04:35but I would never, ever, ever do that,
04:38especially if I were a defensive lineman
04:41because now he's a marked man.
04:45So they already obviously want to be physical.
04:48They want to win the game, all those things.
04:51But now during the week of preparation
04:53and then certainly on Sunday,
04:57they just have a little more incentive
05:00to try to go ahead and get a shot in on verse.
05:03And by the way, there are schematic things you can do
05:08to really, really rock his world.
05:12I mean, you can slide that way.
05:14You can have the tight end come in motion
05:16and chip on his way out.
05:18I mean, I would think that the Steelers
05:22would try to send a message to him pretty early.
05:25He doesn't seem to care about it.
05:27It's one of the things I love about him.
05:29He's Eastern PA, by the way.
05:30That's the Eastern PA young man from up in Bloomsburg.
05:35And he's going to have to earn it the hard way on Sunday.
05:38I hope he has the right mindset.
05:40I know he will, but pretty clearly he's going to be a marked man.
05:45Ross, what's funny to me about this game
05:46is it feels like national pundits are calling
05:48both the Browns and the Steelers a little fraudulent.
05:51And in many respects, it's for the same reason on each side.
05:55So I'll ask you this then.
05:56Who would you rather have quarterbacking your team on Sunday?
05:59Forget the names, forget the careers.
06:01Would you rather have Deshaun Watson quarterbacking your team
06:03or Aaron Rodgers quarterbacking your team?
06:06Ooh, good question.
06:07I mean, it is kind of wild that we're even asking that, right?
06:13You know, I don't think anybody thought the last couple years
06:15that Deshaun Watson would still be the quarterback
06:17for the Browns in 2026.
06:20And Aaron Rodgers would still be playing.
06:23I think based on what I've seen so far this year,
06:26I think I would probably say Watson.
06:28I really like the mobility.
06:30I really like the running ability and the big plays he's made with his legs.
06:36So you've got a guy that's been consistently clutch this year
06:40and has an element with his legs.
06:43I know Rodgers scrambled for eight yards and everybody went crazy
06:46and sealed the game for the Steelers.
06:48But I like having that ability to get a couple extra first downs
06:53and the threat that Watson is with his legs in the red zone.
06:57So I would take Deshaun.
06:59So I'm kind of curious because I'm trying not to do the sustainability
07:02in the real thing because I don't really care.
07:04The Browns are 5-2 and I'm having a lot of fun with it
07:07and we'll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.
07:09And I also think you can do something for a season
07:13that might not be transferable from one year to another.
07:17But is there a point this season, is there an amount of wins
07:21or one-point games, one-possession games that the Browns can win
07:26where at least for this season, in-season,
07:29we stop asking ourselves about sustainability
07:32and how real this is in that whole conversation?
07:35Or are we just in for that ride as long as it goes the way it's been going?
07:39I think it's sustainable and real.
07:42I think it's both of those.
07:44I think the Browns are going to be in the mix until the end.
07:47I think they'll win at least eight games, perhaps as many as 11.
07:53But I think we're going to be talking in December
07:55about the Browns as a legit playoff contender.
07:58I think this is very real, very sustainable.
08:02I'm just saying if they play a one-score game every week,
08:07they're going to lose some of them.
08:08You know, they're winning more than their fair share,
08:11and you're allowed to win more than your fair share.
08:14But when it gets to the point where it feels like it's this many in a row,
08:19then usually, you know, you're going to stub your toe at some point.
08:23Maybe it's Sunday in Pittsburgh.
08:24We'll see.
08:25What do you think this game is bigger for?
08:27Russell Wilson was on TV, and he was trying to make the case that this is like the Super Bowl
08:31for the Steelers this weekend, and then ending it while saying this also might be the Super Bowl
08:35for the Browns, too.
08:36So I just am curious where you stand on that.
08:39Yeah, it's bigger for the Steelers, I'd say.
08:41And because the Browns already got them once, home game for the Steelers, you know,
08:48if the Browns win this one, holy cow, man, then it really feels like they're playing with house money.
08:54If the Steelers lose, you know, it's okay.
08:58They're not out of it, but then that's two losses, two division losses to another team
09:03that you're going to be battling with for the division championship.
09:06It's not real good.
09:08So I would think that this game, because the Steelers lost the first one, because it's a home game,
09:14I do think it's bigger for the Steelers.
09:17I'll also say, you know, I think the Browns benefit from the Steelers having played in Paris on Sunday.
09:23You know, I don't know.
09:25I mean, I don't think anybody would recommend it.
09:27They chose not to take their bye after the game in Paris.
09:32So that would seem to be less than ideal.
09:36And maybe the Browns can take advantage of it.
09:39But listen, it's going to be like all these games are.
09:41It's going to be 20 to 17 or 17 to 14.
09:45It's going to come down to probably one turnover in the fourth quarter.
09:49And it could go either way, which, by the way, is a great place to be if you're the Browns
09:55this year.
09:56And it's a huge reason.
09:57You guys know I have that betting podcast, the Even Money betting podcast.
10:03I love the Browns getting three and a half points.
10:06I love it.
10:07It's a toss-up game in my mind.
10:10It's a field goal game either way.
10:12So Browns getting three and a half points, for those of you that are so inclined,
10:17number one, you should listen to the Even Money betting podcast.
10:19But number two, that to me feels a little bit rich, a little bit disrespectful.
10:25I mean, I think it should be closer to two and a half, one and a half maybe.
10:29I think the Browns have a good chance, especially because of the travel thing we just talked about.
10:34Odyssey NFL insider Ross Tucker with us right now.
10:37Nationwide is so much more than a great insurance company.
10:41They're one of America's largest financial services companies as well.
10:46Nationwide is on your side.
10:47All right, right now, if you had to vote for NFL Coach of the Year and you were given two
10:52options,
10:53would you vote for Todd Munkin or would you vote for what John Harbaugh has done with the Giants?
11:01Todd Munkin.
11:03I mean, what Harbaugh has done is impressive, no doubt.
11:10And I think he's changed the culture of that team and doing it with multiple quarterbacks,
11:18three different guys to start games.
11:21That's really good.
11:24But when we're talking about the Cleveland Browns and we're talking about Deshaun Watson
11:28and they got hammered in the first game, hammered.
11:34So you throw out the first game, the Browns are five and one.
11:40I mean, five and one in their last six, you know, the Jets game is one that they'll probably look
11:45back on now
11:46and say it never should have happened.
11:48But also, I was like the only person that came on your show when they hired Munkin
11:54and said it was a great hire.
11:55And so if he wins Coach of the Year, that makes me look good.
12:00You guys can finally do some extra work after hours.
12:02Go back, get the audio of me praising Munkin, saying he's no BS-er.
12:10He's an awesome coach, perfect hire.
12:13Looks good for me.
12:14It comes back to me, guys.
12:15Remember, like these awards.
12:16Do we put that audio before or after your season win total prediction?
12:22We're not talking about that.
12:23No, we don't talk about that.
12:24We buried that.
12:25We can't find that.
12:26I couldn't even remember it off the top of my head there, Ross.
12:28Can't find it.
12:28Didn't exist.
12:29I'm just making things up now.
12:30The question was about Coach of the Year, okay?
12:32I don't recall being asked about the season win total.
12:35I recall being asked five minutes ago about Coach of the Year, and I think it's Munkin.
12:40Hey, Ross, I do want to ask you, because I've seen the coverage map.
12:43Basically, the entire country will be watching your game between the Bills and the Ravens.
12:47In leading up to this game, and obviously just doing a bunch with the NFL in general,
12:51but you get really to dive local into what the stories are when you do these games.
12:56Have you been surprised by the coverage around Lamar Jackson
12:59and the response by Baltimore fans for Lamar not playing the previous couple games?
13:05Not really.
13:08There's something unique going on there in the sense that it really just feels like
13:15there's a lot of frustration among the fans,
13:19and I'll be curious when I meet with them on Saturday to hear kind of what they say about it.
13:24You know, I think ultimately it's Lamar's call, and everybody respects that,
13:28but what's interesting is, you know, when the coaches try to act like a guy's day-to-day
13:35and they do that for gamesmanship because they want the other team to have to prepare for them
13:41or whatever, it does lend itself to people being frustrated then when the guy doesn't play.
13:49You know, I can remember we had a guy that had a fractured kneecap in Buffalo in 0-4, our
13:56center,
13:56and I was filling in for him, and I don't know that they thought it was that big a deal
14:01or not,
14:01but they kept listing him as questionable.
14:04I guess they thought that was that much of a liability.
14:06I don't know, but they kept listing the starter as questionable,
14:09but we all knew he had a fractured kneecap, and he wasn't playing for at least four games,
14:13and so every week he would stand there at his locker, and the coaches would, you know,
14:18the reporters would say, all right, Trey, your list is questionable.
14:22Are you going to practice today?
14:23How's it looking for this week?
14:24So I think finally I got to the third game.
14:27He went to the head coach and was like, listen, I'm not doing this anymore.
14:31You guys are making me look like an absolute joke, like I'm soft.
14:35When you list me as questionable every week, and you act like I might play, and I keep missing it.
14:41He really did not like it and said either you tell him or I'm telling him,
14:44and so that's the risk you're in, and I don't know that the Ravens are doing that.
14:49I just know sometimes when teams try to play games with the injury report,
14:55you know, that can get frustrating for certain players.
14:57That's the one example I have I can think of.
15:00Ross, we're pretty pumped you're on this Bills-Ravens game.
15:03It is such a massive game.
15:05Is it too early to say that this will be the season for Baltimore
15:09if the Ravens lose and fall to 4-4?
15:14You mean like the season's over if they lose?
15:17Yeah.
15:19Yeah, I would say it's too early to say that.
15:21You know, they're just too good, too talented.
15:25Lamar's too good.
15:27You know, this game could go either way.
15:29I don't know.
15:29We'll see if he's 100% or not when he gets out there.
15:32But nowadays, you know, with a 17-game schedule, think about last year.
15:38I think the Patriots and the Broncos both – I think the Broncos won double-digit games in a row.
15:45The Patriots only lost one in the last two months of the season.
15:49So you can easily have four, even five losses, and then go on a, you know, 8-1 run or
15:58whatever to end the season
15:59and still make the playoffs.
16:01So I would say it's too early.
16:03I would also say, though, they play the Jags Thursday night.
16:07So they have to play the Bills Sunday, and then short week back in Baltimore, Jags Thursday night.
16:14Losing both of those would really, really be tough for Baltimore.
16:20I still wouldn't say at that point that they're out of it, but certainly these are two big games.
16:25They've got to at least find a way to split these two games so that they're 5-4,
16:30get those extra 10 days to rest and heal, and then try to go on a run for the last
16:34eight games.
16:35Ross, enjoy the Bills-Ravens call.
16:37We'll talk to you next Wednesday.
16:38Thank you, Ross.
16:39Later, dudes.
16:40Ross Tucker there, Odyssey NFL Insider on the Wise Heart Right.
16:44We make it right.
16:45Call Kyle Wright Hotline.
16:46And this NFL Insider call presented by Nationwide.
16:49For your insurance and financial needs, Nationwide is on your side.
