ESPN ‘College GameDay’ makes pick for Ohio State at Wisconsin, other big games

Do you agree with their picks? #GoBucks

Even though Saturday night’s contest between [autotag]Ohio State football[/autotag] and Wisconsin isn’t a ranked matchup, [autotag]ESPN “College GameDay[/autotag]” thought enough of the game to include it as part of its selection of winners.

It was notable that [autotag]Lee Corso[/autotag] was not present, however, [autotag]Kirk Herbstreit[/autotag], [autotag]Pat McAfee[/autotag] and [autotag]Desmond Howard[/autotag] along with guest picker [autotag]Steve Smith[/autotag], the former Utah and NFL star wide receiver, were on hand in Salt Lake City, Utah, to make their picks.

Find out below who each of the analysts believe will win the game between the Buckeyes and the Badgers in prime time this evening.

ESPN College GameDay makes their Week 9 picks

Who do you have winning the biggest games of the weekend?

Although [autotag]ESPN College GameDay[/autotag] did not pick a winner between [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] and [autotag]Pittsburgh[/autotag], they still made many other picks for Week 9’s action.

The crew was missing [autotag]Lee Corso[/autotag], but [autotag]Desmond Howard[/autotag], [autotag]Kirk Herbstreit[/autotag] and [autotag]Pat McAfee[/autotag] along with guest picker [autotag]Steve Smith[/autotag], the former Utah and NFL star receiver was on hand in Salt Lake City, Utah to participate in the festivities. As always, GameDay was a fairly enjoyable watch, even if half of it was in the dark.

The four of them picked winners for the biggest games of the weekend, so find out below which teams they believe will come out victorious during today’s action.

Jerry Jeudy clears the air about Steve Smith situation

“If you feel some type of way, keep that same energy in person,” Jerry Jeudy said of Steve Smith’s comments before Thursday Night Football.

The Jerry Jeudy-Steve Smith debacle was must-see TV last week. The former three-time All-Pro wide receiver gave a scathing criticism about the Broncos wide receiver before Denver off against the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.

The reason being? That the Broncos’ former first-round draft pick is reluctant to take criticism and isn’t performing to his potential.

“He’s mentally unable to handle constructive criticism,” Smith said, adding that he would advise teams against trading for the receiver. “He’s a Tier 3 [wide receiver].”

Jerry Jeudy may have heard the criticism, prompting his animated display before the game:

One week after the hoopla died down, reporters finally had an opportunity to get Jeudy to address the situation in the team’s locker room.

Jeudy’s main comment against Smith centers on Smith not being authentic about his criticism. For Jeudy, he wants him to keep the same energy he had before. Here are his comments:

“I don’t have no hate toward Steve Smith,” Jeudy said. “He’s a good player and all that stuff like that … [but] if you feel some type of way, keep that same energy in person.”

The Denver Gazette reached out to NFL Network to ask for Smith’s response and Smith declined to comment. Thus ends the Jeudy-Smith scuffle — at least for now.

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Broncos Wire podcast: Tank watch and Packers preview

Is Sean Payton trying to tank? Ryan O’Leary and Jon Heath discuss that and more on this week’s Broncos Wire podcast. Listen in!

On this week’s Broncos Wire podcast, I joined host Ryan O’Leary to react to Sean Payton’s miscues against the Chiefs and Steve Smith’s rant on Jerry Jeudy. We then preview Sunday’s game against the Packers.

You can listen to episode 90 below:

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
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Our unedited notes for this week’s pod can be seen below.

Is Sean Payton trying to tank?

  • Against the Chiefs, the defense had its best game of the year, but the offense didn’t show up. They held KC to 19 points and still couldn’t win.
  • On Fox Sports last year, Payton said he thinks Caleb Williams is good enough that a team will deliberately tank for him and make the NFL consider switching to a lottery system. (That was during Payton’s coaching break.)
Steve Smith blasts Jerry Jeudy
Packers game 
  • Jordan Love has been sacked an average of two times per game this season and he has six interceptions and two fumbles. Denver’s defense has played better in recent weeks and they’ve forced 5 turnovers over the last three games.
  • Green Bay’s defense is allowing 143.4 rushing yards per game (fifth-most in the NFL) and Javonte Williams (5.2 YPC last week) and Jaleel McLaughlin (6.6 YPC this season) have become a dynamic duo.
  • Can the Broncos get an upset win at home?

Ryan and I will return each week during the season to react to every game.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can check out previous episodes on Apple PodcastsSpotify or on your podcast service of choice. Please consider giving the podcast a positive rating and review!

You can listen to every past episode below or at this link.

Jerry Jeudy danced behind Steve Smith after his fiery rant about the Denver WR

Does Jerry Jeudy REALLY want to poke the bear like this???

There was likely no way Steve Smith wouldn’t see some blowback for his harsh rant about the Denver Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy. And it essentially almost happened right away.

After Smith said he’d personally tell prospective NFL teams trying to trade for Jeudy that it wouldn’t be a good idea, it looks like the wideout caught wind of the comments. When the NFL GameDay Live crew moved onto a different segment, Jeudy danced behind Smith and reporter Mike Garafalo. As Smith pontificated about a different subject, only Garafolo turned around to acknowledge Jeudy’s presence.

Hoo boy. I haven’t seen a media member like Smith and Jeudy “work out” a little feud like this on live television in a long time:

NFL fans couldn’t believe that Jeudy would potentially escalate this situation after what Smith said.

Steve Smith slams Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy before ‘Thursday Night Football’

NFL Network’s Steve Smith said Jerry Jeudy is “mentally unable to handle constructive criticism” before the Broncos’ game on Thursday night.

After beefing with former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith and running back Phillip Lindsay last week, current receiver Jerry Jeudy now seems to have beef with former NFL receiver Steve Smith.

Smith recently criticized Jeudy on his podcast and he apparently planned to apologize to the receiver before Thursday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. During NFL Network’s pregame show on Thursday night, Smith said he went to apologize to Jeudy and the receiver told Smith — with some colorful language — that he didn’t want to talk with him.

Smith then unleashed on the 24-year-old receiver on national television.

“He’s mentally unable to handle constructive criticism,” Smith said, adding that he would advise teams against trading for the receiver. “He’s a Tier 3 [wide receiver].”

With the NFL’s trade deadline (Oct. 31) approaching, Jeudy is expected to draw interest (at least one report says teams have already called about Jeudy and four of his teammates).

Jeudy will aim to prove Smith wrong in Kansas City.

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Steve Smith completely sounded off on Jerry Jeudy after a heated exchange on the sidelines

Jerry Jeudy lost before the game even started.

NFL players are used to pregame trash talk. It’s almost expected at this point. But what about former players doing pregame coverage for NFL Network getting into it with players?

That would have to be a first.

Former NFL receiver and five-time Pro Bowler Steve Smith Sr. was working sideline coverage ahead of Thursday’s game between the Chiefs and Broncos when Smith and Denver receiver Jerry Jeudy had an apparent exchange off camera.

When it came time for Smith to go on the air, he explained what went down from his perspective and proceeded to go off on the Broncos receiver. It was absolutely wild to hear.

Smith admitted that he had criticized Jeudy in the past but wanted to offer Jeudy some encouragement before this game. Jeudy, though, wasn’t in the mood to hear any of it and dismissed Smith right there on the spot.

Smith went on to say:

“I hope today that you actually show up in a way that you haven’t showed up in the last couple years since they drafted you. So if you ever have a problem with Agent 89, I’m sorry for saying that you’re an average wide receiver that will eventually move on. And when teams call me asking if they should trade for you, I will say,  ‘No. Don’t trade for Jerry Jeudy because he’s mentally unable to handle constructive criticism from people.’ … Can he be a wide receiver? He can be a wide receiver. He’s a tier 3. Go back into the studio. I’m done now. Thank you.”

And he dropped the mic.

Predictably, NFL fans were stunned with those remarks on air. Just whoa.

Watch: Steve Smith breaks down Puka Nacua film, wonders if Cooper Kupp will remain WR1

Steve Smith Sr. broke down some of Puka Nacua’s film and loved what he saw, comparing him to a “savvy veteran”

Rams fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua has caught the attention of everyone. Fantasy owners, Rams fans, NFL analysts and even former players. His historic start to the 2023 season has put him on everyone’s radar, including Steve Smith Sr.’s. And he knows a thing or two about playing wide receiver.

In a video for Underdog Fantasy, Smith broke down film of Nacua from the first two games of the season and he loves what he sees from the rookie. With some of the releases and route running that Nacua showed, Smith compared him to a “savvy veteran,” raving about his awareness and intelligence.

At the end of the video, Smith gave an interesting take. He doesn’t know if when Cooper Kupp returns, he’ll immediately go back to being the No. 1 receiver in this offense.

“I don’t know if Cooper comes back and he’s the No. 1 receiver. I love Cooper and you know how I feel about Cooper, but do you sit the hot hand for a guy who hasn’t played in six or seven weeks? Who’s not up to game shape? He may be practicing, he may not be. But playing in a game is totally different than practicing in a game.”

Nacua and Kupp are both going to get plenty of looks in the Rams offense and Sean McVay isn’t going to bench the rookie when the veteran returns, but with the offense playing so well right now, it’ll be interesting to see how the Rams handle Kupp’s return and whether maybe they take it a bit slower with him initially.

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Steve Smith talks about scouting Seahawks training camp

It is no secret the Seattle Seahawks boast one of the best receiving corps in the entire NFL.

It is no secret the Seattle Seahawks boast one of the best receiving corps in the entire NFL. The squad is led by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and it is now being supplemented by Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Seattle’s first round pick from the 2023 NFL draft.

If there is one person who knows a thing or two about wide receivers, it is former Panther and Raven Steve Smith. Smith took it upon himself to scout the Seahawks’ training camp. Below you can watch the 49 minute breakdown of Seattle in the eyes of Smith.

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Panthers QB Bryce Young talks about his first NFL training camp

Bryce Young talks all things Panthers Training Camp in interview with NFL Network

The hype of being the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft is over and this is where the rubber hits the road for former Alabama Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag]. This past week marked the beginning of training camps across the league.

Through OTA’s and other organized activities Young has been outstanding, both throwing the football and by what he has been able to pick up on mentally. Camp is the first chance the media and fans get to see what’s going on and meet with their players to gauge where they are all at heading into the season.

Young sat down at the Panthers training camp with franchise legend Steve Smith and Colleen Wolfe to discuss what his first training camp has been like in the NFL. The first question people always want to ask Young is what he expected coming into the league and what NFL practices and camps are like compared to what he experienced at Alabama with Nick Saban.

When asked that, he chuckles, because you can tell the media always want to know what goes on behind the curtains in Tuscaloosa and what kind of grueling work they put in. However, Young has the coach speak in him as he says,

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into training camp. It’s a new environment, something I have never done before. First training camp. Just being able to be here and bond with my teammates, being able to get away for a little bit and focus on ball and coming together as a team.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Bryce Young and other former Alabama players now in the NFL as the 2023 season approaches.

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