Madden Monday: NFL covid-19 problems. Pat Narduzzi is ‘a blowhard.’ Metro Division fit for Marc-Andre Fleury?

No Steelers content to discuss for our “Madden Monday” podcast this week, as the team is coming off its surprise bye weekend. That’s thanks to the postponement of their scheduled game against the Tennessee Titans.

Mark Madden and I start the show talking about how the NFL is handling their recent covid-19 problems. The big picture question is: what’s the goal?

Is it to squeeze in as many games as possible for television purposes before (or unless) coronavirus topples the entire house of cards?

Or is it to be as fair as possible to every team between now and Week 17. Because the first goal is a heckuva lot easier to attain than the second.

Mark believes that TV is king in this equation, even if delaying the season is part of that plan.

“Heck, push the Super Bowl back. Play in March if you need to,” Madden says. “The goal is to get these games on TV and get that network money. And all you need every week to do that is five games. Thursday night. One o’clock on Sunday. Four o’clock on Sunday. Sunday night and Monday night. The NFL will stay in business. They were never shooting for uniformity.”

Then we get into the incredibly disappointing Pitt football result over the weekend. The 24th-rated Panthers lost their home game to unranked N.C. State 30-29.

So much for all the hype about Pitt (3-1) being the third-best team in the ACC. So much for all the grousing about how they were underappreciated in the polls. Pitt did to itself what Pitt always does to itself: it undercut its own success by losing to a lesser foe just as the program was building some momentum.

Same story. Different year.

“It is so typically Pitt,” Madden agreed. “(Head coach Pat) Narduzzi is a blowhard. He’s all hat and no cattle. He is in his sixth season as Pitt coach. He has never had Pitt in the top 20. He is a zero. And that program under him is going nowhere.”

Madden and I talk some hockey, too. Specifically, the new contract for Tristan Jarry. He got a three-year, $10.5 million deal. That signifies that he will be the starting goaltender next year, and that signifies that Matt Murray will be traded.

“I think it is the right move,” Madden said. “But it is amazing how quickly Murray got placed on the pay-no-mind list as surplus requirements here in Pittsburgh. (Just) three years after winning a second straight Stanley Cup and you are probably going to give him away, to get rid of a cap anchor like Jack Johnson perhaps.”

Many are speculating that the Penguins will make a play for Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to be Jarry’s backup. But he’s got two years left on a contract with $14 million remaining. That’s likely too rich for Jim Rutherford’s blood, given the salary cap constraints the Pittsburgh general manager faces.

Madden gives us another Metro Division team as a potential landing spot for Fleury.

“I think the best fit for Marc is Carolina,” Madden said. “If you still believe Marc could put together one more big year as a No. 1 goaltender … I think Carolina is the right place to go.”

Madden and I also dive into the state of the Steelers and the AFC in general, and we have an in-depth discussion about the Netflix show, “Cobra Kai.”

Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Steelers off week, Pitt loss and Penguin moves