Friday’s “First Call” features Russell Wilson’s projection on how long he wants to play in the NFL. There is a roadmap for how — and when — the NFL plans to reach an 18-game season.

We review the basketball version of Backyard Brawl as well as the rest of the local college basketball roster.

Additionally, in hockey, the Pittsburgh Penguins are in desperate need of wins, while Robert Morris’ men’s team looks to stay in the lead.

This happens as soon as possible

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell plans 18-game season, And he is by attaching them to the organization of international games.

Via ProFootballTalk.com, the commissioner wants to play 16 international matches per year. He linked this international expansion to the creation of an 18-game regular season schedule.

“We hope to be 16 within five years,” Goodell said, according to Sports Business Journal.

Goodell made the comments Thursday at Liberty Media’s investor day.

“We’re looking at a change from the format of 17 (regular season) and three (preseason) to maybe 18 regular season games and two preseason games,” Goodell said. “This will open up more inventory for us to play globally.”

The irony of this statement is that the NFL does not need international expansion like any sort of catalyst or excuse to extend the schedule by another week.

As PFT points out, 16 matches could already become international events. Each team plays 17 matches per year. Each club could play eight home games, eight road games and one neutral site game.

THE the moral of the story is the NFL doesn’t need a reason to extend the schedule. It just goes develop the calendar. The only problem is how quickly and smoothly they can reconfigure the collective bargaining agreement to make an 18-game season a reality.

The current collective agreement expires in 2031, but he can be revised quickly if both parties agree to undertake this exercise.

Five-year plan

Russell Wilson plans to play another five to seven years. This is what the Steelers quarterback said in an interview with Hannah Storm that ESPN job THURSDAY.

Wilson turns 36 later this month. So that means he should play until he is at least 41 years old.

“I certainly I want to play another five to seven years,” Wilson told Storm. “I think that’s always been my goal. I have been very clear about this from the beginning. I think this has always been my mindset: longevity of the game.”

Now that Wilson is past the calf injury that plagued him early in the season, he feels positive on his physical condition.

“I feel good, I feel young,” Wilson continued. “I feel like I can move around, make all the decisions, all the throws and throw the ball where I need to throw it.”

Wilson, however, has not committed to playing in Pittsburgh beyond this year. He only has a one-year contract.

“I never really think about the years (of a contract) most of the time when I’m playing,” Wilson said. “I’m so absorbed in the moment. It’s so essential to be that way. It’s too hard to think about what lies ahead or what is this behind. It’s about being here.

Wilson played in 191 regular season games in his career and another 16 in the playoffs.

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On the front of the stage

The highlight of the local men’s college basketball weekend will be the renewal of the Backyard Brawl between Pitt (3-0) and West Virginia (2-0). The Panthers and the Mountaineers will meet again up at the Petersen Event Center at 8 p.m. Friday.

Pitt is a 6.5-point favorite, according to ESPNBet. Top/bottom is set at 149.5. Pitt won this game 80-63 in Morgantown last year. That ended a six-game losing streak that lasted 10 years.

The schools have met 30 times since 2000, with Pitt winning 18 of those matchups and WVU winning 12.

As for Duquesne, the Dukes are in Chicago to face DePaul at 9 p.m. The Blue Demons won their first three games under first-year coach Chris Holtman, while the Dukes lost both. of their games in Princeton and Lipscomb.

DePaul finished 3-29 overall a season ago and 0-20 in the Big East. The Dukes won the last meeting between the teams in Pittsburgh 66-55 in 2022.

Meanwhile, Robert Morris hope to improve to 3-2 against Lindenwood at 7 p.m. Friday After beating Stonehill 63-51 on Thursday.

On the women’s side thingsDuquesne hosts Niagara at 7 p.m. Saturday, And Pitt plays at Binghamton at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. RMU is off until Wednesday at home against St. Francis.

It’s time to enjoy it

There are not so many Eastern Conference teams are worse than the Penguins these days. But Friday night, the Pens will face one of them.

The Penguins visit Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. The Penguins have just six wins in 18 games. The Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens are the only two teams in the East to have fewer, five each.

At least the Jackets can boast a decent home record. They are 4-3-0 so far at Nationwide Arena. But At the moment the club is mired in a six-game losing streak overall.

Columbus’ last win was a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders. Since then, the Blue Jackets have scored just 11 goals during this six-game stretch. Actually, Dean Evason’s team hasn’t scored more than two goals in a game since a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on October 28.

This is a good thing for the Penguins, because with 3.83 goals allowed per game, they are 31st in the NHL. Only Montreal is worse with 4.06.

On Saturday, the Penguins will return home to face the San Jose Sharks. They stink Also. They also have just five wins and 13 points from 17 games. The Anaheim Ducks are the only team with fewer points (12).

San Jose can’t score at the moment either. With 2.33 goals per match, they are 31st in the championship.

Speed ​​it up

The Robert Morris men’s hockey team hope that a weekend off didn’t quell the early season momentum.

Coach Derek Schooley’s team heads out to Connecticut to play Sacred Heart in Fairfield for a two-game Atlantic hockey series. The first match will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. and the second on Saturday at 4 p.m.

RMU has only one regulation loss in its first seven games. The team is 4-1-2 overall and 1-1-1 in AHA play. The Pioneers are 4-5-1 (3-3-0 in the Atlantic). The Colonials received votes in this week’s USCHO Men’s Hockey National Poll. This is the second time this season that the Colonials have attracted so much national attention.

Zacher gives us the lead before the end of the period ???? pic.twitter.com/oF4wnp067k

– RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) November 5, 2024

As for the women’s team, they have a record of 5-6-1 (0-1-1 AHA). They play Mercyhurst at home this weekend. Puck drop will take place at 7 p.m. Friday at the RMU Island Sports Center and 3 p.m. Saturday.

Listen: RotoWire’s Tim Benz and Jeff Erickson host their weekly fantasy sports podcast.