NFL Cover Zero: Playoff berths being clinched!

00:00:06
Speaker 1: NFL Covers Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. Welcome Everybody to Week sixteen NFL Cover zero Podcast. I am in New Orleans, Louisiana, where earlier today the Saints got a big victory, But we're not leading with the Saints. We are leading with the fact that there were some great games today. Drew is in Lexington. Drew. I am in a very good mood because my Chicago Bears made the playoffs today thanks to the loss by the Detroit Lions, and if they can win one more game, we'll win the division after what Saturday night was probably one of the best Bears wins of my lifetime.

00:00:57
Speaker 2: Yeah, you've got to be on cloud non right now. I mean, you had the exciting comeback, the way it ended, the celebration after, and then you get what you needed today with the Lions. I saw you have won a playoff game in fifteen years. Do you think y'all can go in there and win one?

00:01:12
Speaker 1: Well? I worry that right now we're scheduled to play the Packers again, which I think would be the worst luck. I'd rather like to play anyone but them. But yeah, I mean, I guess we'll start with that. I mean, there's the games today, A couple of them are very important. But I mean, I I think you could make a strong argument that I have seen, well, first of all, that the Bears have played two of the three most exciting games of the year, right the game against the Mingles, which just kind of went back and forth, back and forth. We were at the Bills Bucks game, which was so good. But I don't know. I mean, the game itself wasn't great against Green Bay, but that comeback is like one for the ages. I mean, I would think for the Bears fan that set through that cold and soldier field, saw the on sidekick, saw the amazing Caleb Williams off his back foot throw, and then all the touchdown pass in overtime. That's gotta be like one of the best moments you'll have as a sports fan, right.

00:02:12
Speaker 2: Yeah, crazy finish. I had completely written him off in that game, like most people, I think I did. I saw, you know, the probability thing. Green Bay was a ninety nine percent in the fourth quarter and back against the wall. Not only do you get the on side kick, he makes that throw on fourth down. There were just so many ways they could have lost it, but they kept making the right play to hang on and get it done. So I was happy for you, and that was just a great game to be a fan of football.

00:02:35
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean green Bay has got to be just kicking himself. So first of all, if you were a green Bay fan, would be mad about the hit that took out Jordan Love a little bit.

00:02:45
Speaker 2: I mean you're mad because you're mad because you have to watch Milik Willis played two and a half quarters.

00:02:50
Speaker 1: That's why you're mad. But I didn't think he did bad. Yeah, I mean the third down that he gets stopped, I think if he dives, maybe he gets that. But I actually thought all things considered, he did Okay. You know, I don't think it was a dirty hit, but I also think it wasn't an illegal hit. And so anytime your player gets hurt on an illegal hit, that does kind of stink, right.

00:03:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I mean it comes right after losing Michael Parsons too. I know Jordan Loves. This shouldn't be out very long, but just to have your two stars on each side of the ball go down and back to back weeks is unfortunate. When you're in such a great place and considered a contender.

00:03:27
Speaker 1: Till you're neutral. Okay, so you don't you know, you don't care one way or the other. Are you rooting for the back? I feel like, I mean, I'm I've got the shirt on. I'm biased. I think this Bears team, though, is insanely likable. Caleb Williams, you know, I think the fact we haven't been good, I would just think objectively, if you didn't have a dog in the fight, you would be happy that the Bears are doing well. Do you think that's the case. I don't think. I don't see what how there would be any Bears hate.

00:03:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's fun. I mean, you like when a team that hadn't had much success in a while, you know, throws their name in the hat. They're a fun offense, they're young. You got a brand new coach trip and his shirt off. I saw today Caleb Williams was serving food out in Chicago and he had on a cheese Greater hat. I don't even though they made cheese greater hats, but that's pretty cool. So little he had a cheese greater hat. Yeah, I didn't see that. That's good for kla So I mean they're just having fun and having a great year. So yeah, of course it's hard. You'd have to be a.

00:04:27
Speaker 1: Hater to root against him unless you're a fan of one of their rivals.

00:04:30
Speaker 3: And I'm starting next year, Okay, you'll get the burden of expectations.

00:04:35
Speaker 1: They'll have to play a first place schedule, right, So things will get much harder next year, and so in some ways you can just have the joy of this one. Now they play the forty nine ers in the Lions. They just have to win one of those games to make the playoffs, and the Lions could go into that last week with nothing to play for. Well, we'll see what happens after next week, but you know, you gotta be happy. And then Kayleb Williams, I mean, I think he's answered all the questions. Obviously, Drake May had a great game that just finished up, and he's been and so has bow Nick's been really good. Jaydon Daniels was good last year. But I mean, I think I feel comfortable in saying the Bears have their guy, right, And how about the three of the six best or five best records in the league being these second year quarterbacks. Yeah, with Caleb Williams.

00:05:28
Speaker 2: I saw a stat that he's on track to have the lowest like interception percentage ever. He has to get to a certain baseline of his many throws, and he's not far from it.

00:05:36
Speaker 1: He has the fewest interceptions of any of any quarterback ever with a thousand or whatever it is, a thousand attempts or whatever the status. I don't think people would think that because they still sort of I think there's this perception that he's this like wild guy. You don't know what he's gonna do. Does he make good decisions? But he has like twelve interceptions in his career, which is a crazy number.

00:06:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's just had a few that had been untimely, like he throws the one away a couple weeks ago on the end zone, and they'll stick out a little bit more because they've cast him in games. But overall, yeah, he's been protecting the ball and was it like six comebacks this year where they've been growing in the last couple of minutes, and that guy just goes out there and wins.

00:06:17
Speaker 3: Like Myron Metcalf who does the ESPN show with me, he's a hater and he's like you.

00:06:22
Speaker 1: Knew you cheek s kobik. You like, we've been losing six tubs, you know those two minutes like, okay, but last year we lost all those games. So if you agree, like, the Chiefs are a perfect example, the team who won all those close games last year, it caught up to him this year. The Bears lost all those games last year. I think the Bears were a lot closer to being good last year than people realized, and then this year they win him. So I think it does even out. And this is just the math going our way.

00:06:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, the culture has completely changed with Ben Johnson too. I again watched his poach game speech. It was like five minutes long, and I watched every second of it, and I.

00:06:59
Speaker 1: Do have to say speeches are a lot like they need it. He needs an editor, Okay, I mean I think you get you know, in hockey, Rod Brendan Moore has like a forty five second for the Carolina Hurricanes. He doesn't go more than forty five seconds. That's a perfect amount. When you are like rivalry rivaling toll Stoy for length of your speech, you need to bring it back. So I like Ben Johnson, first of all, this middle aged men taking their shirts off. I'm done with that, okay. Like I talked about McAfee, Benja, y'all got to keep your shirts on. You you you know, when you have great chance to hair, keep it off. And then we got to do the link. But I do love the guy and it's been awesome havening. I think this year the Coach of the Year race is so open.

00:07:47
Speaker 2: They know the cameras are on and it's kind of like performance art to help their case for voters. I think that's the case because it's never been so wide open for Coach of the Year, and they're all trying to sell themselves in these lucky.

00:07:58
Speaker 1: Vote for in that right now. I mean, you got Liam Cohen, you got Kyle Shanahan, you got Mike Vrabel, You've got Ben Johnson, you know, and and Mikey Daniel in Seattle. Like who you who you going with?

00:08:13
Speaker 2: I've said on here the last two weeks to watch Liam Cohen climbing the ranks, and then with his outcome today, I'm sticking with him. That's been my pick for a while and I think he's Uh, they've played their way into it well before.

00:08:24
Speaker 1: Before we switch, we'll go to that one next. But before we switch to that game, I have to tell you I've watched the Bears lose some version of that game my entire life, and to actually have it go right for once yesterday was just like a great sports day for me. Kentucky won, Duke lost, Caliperry lost, and then you get this Bears win, which was bigger to me in some ways than all of them. I just I loved it, and to my fellow Bear compatriots out there, let's enjoy this one because that'll be one. You know, that'll be one that when you're doing the top ten season wins of all time, you'll put that one up there. Now, the Jaguars to kind of destroyed Denver on the road today. I don't think anybody saw that coming. I think at this point now everybody has to say, A the Jaguars are for real and b Trevor Lawrence is good. And I think six weeks ago no one would have said the second one of those. I saw Trevor Lawrence. In the last four games, He's got twelve hundred yards, fourteen touchdowns, no interceptions, and they're four to zero. I mean that is like an MVP stretch. I know, he's not doesn't have enough time to go in the MVP Award. But since their bye week they have been unbelievable. And then what he did today, Denver has got the best defense in the NFL. He went and scored on like six out of seven drives. So just an.

00:09:52
Speaker 2: Unbelievable game by the Jaguars, and they're doing this all not that Travis Hunters that way. How do you say it?

00:10:00
Speaker 1: Jaguars, Jaguars, Jack Wars. I mean, I still don't haven't gotten any one to tell me what the right way is. Everyone makes fun of mine Jaguars. I don't think jag wires is correct either, and so I'm just gonna say it's an unpronounceable work.

00:10:16
Speaker 2: But but well, they deserve some respect on their name the way they certainly do.

00:10:22
Speaker 1: And if your Denver, you know now you know that? I think is who has the tie right now? Is it the Patriots or the Broncos for the one seed because they have the same record. I'll be honest, I was not wanting that.

00:10:36
Speaker 4: I believe it's the Broncos. I don't know if this is updated, but the one I'm looking at right now in NFL dot Com says Broncos.

00:10:43
Speaker 1: Well, I'm sure, I'm not sure if that's right or not, but either way, one of them does. But the Broncos I think could have maybe locked it up if they had won today, but they don't. Are you are you buying Jacksonville as a Super Bowl contender or is this one of these where they're the two seed and they get upset in the first round lose to a seventh seed at home.

00:11:08
Speaker 2: I think I'm gonna say they're a contender because they're turning it on at the right time. There's not a lot of football left, We're heading straight for the playoffs, and they've been beating good teams. Like I said, just beat the top defense. They got a little swagger. I don't know if you saw Liam Cohen kind of clap back at Sean Payton after the game. Sean Payton had said something like they're a good team for a small market, and Liam Cohen let off his press conference saying not bad a small market can.

00:11:29
Speaker 1: Go into Maha and get a win. So yeah, they're kind of feeling themselves a little bit, Liam Cohen, and you and I have been around him a lot. For a dude that is as dorky as he is. He talks an amazing amount of trash in some ways. He's kind of like Billy like like he has like like Billy, you talk more trash than someone like you normally would. And I think Liam Cohen is kind of like that. You have a mouth, that's kind of Liam Cohen asked.

00:12:00
Speaker 4: But that just doesn't come out of nowhere. That's because I'm ultra confident in what I do, and so maybe he is. Yeah, he's prepared.

00:12:07
Speaker 1: More success than you do at this point.

00:12:11
Speaker 4: But I guess, but if you were head.

00:12:13
Speaker 1: Coach of the Jaguars you might have that success too. We don't know.

00:12:16
Speaker 4: Both employees in the NFL, So I say that we're closer than maybe you think. I had an observation in this game. I want to ask you, guys, because there were a couple times in this game where the players couldn't hear the whistle. The loud was the crowd was so loud in Denver. Do you think that technology will ever change? Well, we have whistles twenty thirty years from now.

00:12:37
Speaker 1: Oh what would you suggest instead.

00:12:39
Speaker 4: Lights in your elements? Maybe lights in the helmets? Yeah, I don't know. Like when the play's over, the work. I don't know, the play's over, and then like red lights go in your helmet, so you know to stop.

00:12:51
Speaker 1: But if red lights go where like you don't, like in your peripheral some way, I don't think they're looking. I mean you're talking about peripheral business.

00:12:59
Speaker 4: Yeah, like you'd be able to see a red or green light when the play's on or the plays off. I mean, it just seems like technology that could be up to.

00:13:06
Speaker 1: Or the red light that's on a shot clock in basketball.

00:13:09
Speaker 2: Just put that on every helmet and if you're running out a guy and his red light goes off, you know the plays did.

00:13:14
Speaker 1: It's a genius, Billy. Yeah, there's a solution. A solution though in looking for a problem. I mean what like like okay, so that happened twice today. I mean I first, if I was in the NFL, would start with making the goal post higher. I still don't understand why they're not higher. Yes, and then they've already got rid of the chains, so like I'm ready, I mean they've they've made a big step. I will say, Billy, I've never heard anyone even fathom that is a thing that needed to happen. So that is a very unique thought.

00:13:44
Speaker 4: Just trying to prevent injuries. You know, plays happening after the whistle.

00:13:49
Speaker 1: Just trying to prevent injuries.

00:13:51
Speaker 3: Okay, did you think Dion Sanders was at that game and he had a whistle?

00:13:55
Speaker 1: On today? He was. He was always in his whistle. He was in the suite watching Shador and he had a whistle. And I like the idea that he just walks around all the time with a whistle, and I want to think he blows it anytime he sees something wrong, like in the airport, you you're cutting the line with blow the whistle. I like Dion constantly having a whistle.

00:14:20
Speaker 2: He seems to always be wearing a whistle and a cowboy hat these days, and I'm all for it.

00:14:24
Speaker 1: They don't really go together, but I like it. I like that I don't know what the cowboy hat is at first of all, Colorado was not even known for cowboys. Like He's not like he went It's like he went to Maine and decided he was a cowboy. Colorado is not. That's not what they do there. That's like mountains and skiing. But nevertheless, so the Jaguars with a big.

00:14:44
Speaker 3: Victory, let's talk about the game that I So.

00:15:03
Speaker 1: Let me back up a second. So people who don't we've talked about him by I'm calling the New Orleans Bowl Tuesday, and a lot of you listening at home you might be like, what's the New Orleans Bowl? And that's your loss, because it is the this is the twenty fifth edition. Billy's alma mater, Western Kentucky is playing the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. But more nerve wrecking to me is I've never called a play by play game and I have to do it. And we've talked about this. I've been very nervous. So Friday night I freaked out a little bit because I realized, Hey, I'm about to do something I've never done on national radio. So I've spent most of the weekend the games I'm watching, I'm calling them. Okay, So I've been standing in my house by myself, calling the action as the TV is muted. If you walk by my house and could look in, you would think I was a crazy person. Well, today I had to fly to New Orleans and I had to watch these games on the plane. And I was sitting there and I was watching Detroit and Pittsburgh and I was flye and I was calling the game in my head, but I realized at some point that the words were starting to come out of my mouth and I was literally quietly but going Roger straps back looks over the middle first time, and there was a guy sitting across from me. And to his credit, I know he heard me. He had to have heard me, and he never brought it up, and he never embarrassed me. He had to think I needed to be put out to pasture. But when I realized, I turned really red. I kind of covered my face. But to that man, if you happen to be listening, thank you for not embarrassing, because I do think I was out loudled on a flight calling the Steelers' lines game play by play. You're just working man, You're a professional, just doing your jobs. He doesn't business that businessmen work on planes. I bet you, Tony Romo, Tom Brady. They sit there and mumble college games on the back of the seat in front of them when they're on planes. It's all part of the business of First of all, they're full, probably flying private, and they're probably not in an economy seat celebrating that I got an exit row It's probably not one of those conversations. By the way, I don't like now that on the exit row you have to have a long verbal exchange to get to sit on the exit row. And they used to just go, are you okay sitting on the X row and you go yes. Now they like ask you ten questions and you have to go, and you can't just nod that. They go, I need a verbal answer yes, yes, and you're you're trying to do play by playing why she's asking you if your camp that's right? So I did play by playing the game, and what I saw was a pretty impressive win by Pittsburgh on the road. Detroit fans boo their own team, but then Pittsburgh ends up winning at the end. Double offensive pass interference calls on two of the last three plays. What did you think of it?

00:18:17
Speaker 2: I mean that last play was just mayhem and I was waiting for a replay. They gave us a while to get to it, and I thought this better be a clear offensive pass interference. And then yeah, he pushed off pretty hard. It was kind of unnecessary how hard he pushed off, Jay.

00:18:30
Speaker 1: Because I couldn't hear the sound. I was only trying to call the action myself. Yeah, what did the referee say? Like that whole period of time they were talking and like what was going on.

00:18:45
Speaker 2: Well, when the referee tried to announce to the public what they had decided, I bet he wants to take that one back.

00:18:50
Speaker 1: He was saying, Well, we.

00:18:52
Speaker 2: Started off saying the call on the field is a touchdown, but then he has to go to offensive pass interference, therefore no touchdown. But then he kind of fumbled over the no touchdown and some Lions fans are cheering and some are it was the moment was way too big for the white hat right there, and anything like we can't replay Yeah, no, they can't replay it because it's a pass interference, so there's nothing they can do about it.

00:19:17
Speaker 1: So he basically was like, you scored, but no you didn't, and you don't we're not looking at it. Is that kind of what he said.

00:19:24
Speaker 2: It actually would have been much better if you had put it that way, because he was like stammering a little bit.

00:19:29
Speaker 1: And what was the argument they scored a touchdown? Was that not like his forward momentum had gotten stopped? Well, uh, same brown lateral to golf who jumped in, they stopped his for they had running back like before he lateral, they pushed him back like five yards.

00:19:46
Speaker 2: Yeah, it none of it mattered once they had the flag for the pass interference.

00:19:50
Speaker 1: But John, I guess it just because yeah, it.

00:19:54
Speaker 2: Was an offensibility and then there was no time on the clock. But it was a pretty blatant push off too. But it was a chaotic ending there, and no one really had answers because they weren't showing no replay for a couple of months.

00:20:04
Speaker 1: On Both of the calls were valid, but I'm surprised they called them right. Like I think you could call especially the picks, I think you could call those a lot, and you probably could call the push offs a lot. And to call those in Detroit.

00:20:24
Speaker 5: On the last on two of the last three plays, I don't think they were wrong, but I'm very surprised they called when when they huddled the four officials, you could almost see them like, oh my god, there's a lot at stake here, because it's truly deciding a game of playoff inplications.

00:20:41
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they got it right, but it was a wild ending. It couldn't have been easy on them. But I think they did get it right. It helped that the defensive backs sold the push pretty well.

00:20:51
Speaker 1: Danelovsky was angry. I saw him on you know, he was a former lines back, so he's a big lines guy. He was very angry about it. He was like, you can't call that, you can't call that. And then there were just people saying just that, just people just yelling at him. That's why you should never talk on Twitter. But I think it's probably the right one. And now, by the way, the Steelers are nine and six in the driver's seat to win the division. All they need to do is win one more game Aaron Rodgers. First of all, Mike Tomlin is going to have a winning record again. That to me is the most amazing stat. I mean, give me a more amazing And oftentimes it's like nine to eight, and yet he still has a winning record every single year. And the fact Pittsburgh wants to get rid of him, it's kind of odd to me. I mean, they boot him three weeks ago. I don't get it, Like, if you fire Mike Tomlin, another team's gonna hire him immediately. Right.

00:21:53
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I'm sure they were wishing they hadn't boot him because he's done nothing to win since then. But it's just also amazing that. I mean, that's not like a powerhouse division, but it's not terrible to be being five hundred. You have the Browns, but the Bengals and had some really good seasons during that run, and they still manage to get above five hundred for almost two decades.

00:22:11
Speaker 1: And they also have that insane staff at what they've only had like three coaches in sixty five years or something like That's that is unbelievable. And Aaron Rodgers, I'm a hater and I'm still a hater, but he probably has been a little I don't think he's been great, but he's been a little better, certainly better than I thought he would be. Do you think he keeps playing beyond this season? I don't know.

00:22:42
Speaker 2: He's he's looking so old over there on the sideline. They kept showing his face when the Lions are.

00:22:47
Speaker 1: Driving like cold. He looks very cold. He had a nice not look past today. He still got that in him.

00:22:53
Speaker 2: Did you see DK Metcalf get into it with the fan that was the other big story.

00:22:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I did see that.

00:23:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, And the fan was interviewed and he said all I did was call him by his full name, like just yelled, I.

00:23:05
Speaker 1: Don't believe that that fan is live. He did not, like he did not you could call me Matthew Harper and I'm not going to punch you in the face. I do not believe that in the least, do you no?

00:23:18
Speaker 2: But I also wondered how the fan was even in that spot, like where's the security on the rail to be like, hey, fan, why are you leaning over in.

00:23:24
Speaker 1: DK Metcalf's face? Like how did you even get to that point? Is what I wonder you. The fan is very lucky that he had the blue hair covering his face, because we have no idea who he is, you know what I mean? Like he didn't this was not a situation. Well this is a little bit of a digression. But do you remember the Coldplay concert couple? Of course, so the woman, I don't know if you saw this. The woman was interviewed this week by the New York Times. Did you see this? I saw that. Now I have the controversial view which no one wants to hear that I kind of feel sorry for this woman, and I actually was interested to hear what she says, and her life seems like it's been off, like people like yell at her, and she hasn't been able to like go back to work, and she doesn't feel like she She's only now is like she can go in public. So I was like, I think this is fascinating and it shows how we pile on someone in society, et cetera, et cetera. And so then I look the New York Times posts a story and I go read the comments on social media. People just hate her, like they hate her so much, and I feel sorry for this woman. That could have happened to this Detroit Lyons blue hair guy if he was not careful.

00:24:39
Speaker 2: Wasn't that The point of her interview is that you shouldn't be hated for making a mistake. And then she just keeps getting hated now that she did the interview.

00:24:45
Speaker 1: It's like, yeah, people are mad at her for doing the interview, but like, what do you want her to do? Do you just want her to like she just wanted to like move to Mars, Like it's like she has to have a life. She didn't commit a crime. She's got to go live in the woods by herself and never come out. Yeah, she not allowed she never allowed to ever Okay, she messed up, but she never allowed to move on with their life ever. I just was try for that woman, and I know nobody else does, but I do. People make mistakes. I mean Burton Ernie or was it Sesame Street. It was like, everybody makes mistakes? Can we not give him a break? I don't know if that was exact lyrics, but that was the premise. Yeah, yes, they do something something your sister and your brother and your dad and mother too. Yeah.

00:25:30
Speaker 2: So you're saying the Detroit fan was kind of like the Coplay company, and he's very lucky because he could have become that woman and then he would be doing a New York Times spread. Now DK shouldets suspended. Yeah, you can't be doing that, especially midgame. I don't care what he yelled, and I'm sure he yelled much worse than DK's full name. We can't have you leaving the bench to go grab a fan by the collar and upper cut them.

00:25:54
Speaker 1: So how did he hear him? Like? How did he hear it? The stadium is very loud.

00:25:59
Speaker 4: I don't know when I hear my full name from my fiance or my mom, it's like piercing it.

00:26:04
Speaker 1: You don't punch your mom.

00:26:06
Speaker 4: No, I would never go that far, but like I can hear it, but I know of Yeah, and.

00:26:10
Speaker 1: What does it went? Detroit?

00:26:11
Speaker 2: Malice in the Palace Now this it's like they're fans Detroit.

00:26:15
Speaker 1: I have my passport in Detroit. I can see it. Yeah. I mean, although I do think people use Detroit now as like this, like, but it's actually it's nice. You know, what's the city you would want to go to the least in America? Like I say to you, you have to go spend one month in a city of some size. You know, let's say a city that has a professional sports team. Okay, what's the city that I say you have to live there for one month that you would want to do it the least?

00:26:48
Speaker 2: Probably Orlando anything. I just don't do the crowds and touristy stuff.

00:26:55
Speaker 1: I actual think Orlando is a good answer, But I don't think I would have said that.

00:26:59
Speaker 2: I think if I could just play golf, I'd be fine. But if I got caught up in Disney traffic and hour waits, good families and rides and like snotty kids.

00:27:12
Speaker 1: Tigers I mean, like I don't know if they have tigers, but you know the Yeah, that's a good one, Jack. I don't know.

00:27:20
Speaker 4: For me, Maybe.

00:27:21
Speaker 3: See Jacksonville, I think is a good call because like, jackson is not even on.

00:27:25
Speaker 1: The beach, right, we'll even for Orlando. I've been to Jacksonville three times and had zero fun. So through Florida City's being on our list, which is weird because at least the weathers although the weather's not even necessarily going to be good in Jacksonville all the time. And tell me Jack Jacksonville, that's a good call. Jacksonville's mind.

00:27:46
Speaker 2: Until we had gone to Buffalo and I met those beautiful people and joined the mafia, I might have said Buffalo as someone stereotyping it from Afar, but I had too much fun to say Buffalo.

00:27:56
Speaker 1: Yeah. My point is a lot of people would say Detroit, and I think that would be the wrong answer. I actually think Detroit would be you know, a pretty good place, uh good place to go. Oklahoma City might be up there too, what is it like Wood and I don't know, lot of hotels, yeah, those might be uh might be the two. Now the rest of the games today, there's a lot of games that sort of on paper were meaningless, but we just finished one with the Patriots and the Ravens twenty eight to twenty four. Lamar gets hurt. It's ten ten at halftime. When he gets hurt, you kind of think, all right, game over. But then the Ravens score two touchdowns. They lead twenty four to thirteen. Snoop hunt Lea's playing pretty well and then great drive, two great drives by Drake May. They get a turnover at the end and the Patriots win. Drake May had a pass to Williams that was an amazing pass, an amazing catch and as a I really like cousin sal and the ringer would call him Drake and maybe and I've wanted to do that, but I think now he's the Drake. Yes, I mean he is. He's he's good and the Patriots are good, which makes me mad.

00:29:28
Speaker 2: Yeah, that throw is incredible to the side of the end zone. He had a long run. I mean, he's looking like he can do it all right now. But I had them completely written off, even though they were just down ten early in the second half. I thought this was going to be a big blown opportunity. When Lamar went out and they still weren't getting anything done and Derek Henry was rolling over him, running over him, and then you look up and they pulled off at the last minute. I'm pretty shocked by that, and the winning continues for New England.

00:29:53
Speaker 3: I didn't snow Putley, by the way. I believe he backed up Bernie Kosar. He has been in the he has been in the league for a long time. I actually thought he played admirably well.

00:30:04
Speaker 1: I don't understand why the Ravens went away from your goud Derrick Henry, though. I mean, they're up by they're up by three, they have like four and a half minutes to go. All they need to do is get two or three first downs and they hand the ball to the other guy whose name is escaping me. I called it on the plane a couple of times, Cameron Mitchell maybe yeah, Ken, yeah, See again. When you when you're a play by play guy, you remember these people's names, Cameron Mitchell. But they didn't give it to Derrick Henry. I didn't understand that in those key moments down the stretretch.

00:30:38
Speaker 2: Now, he had a bad fumble early in the game, which is you know, this has been a year of fumbling for him, something he had never done to this season. But other than that, he had been great. He was running all over him, had the two touchdowns like one hundred and thirty something yards. It's like he's right there, and he's right there. There's why he dack Henry. He's Dereck Henry. I mean, there's nothing he's better at than the clock churning end of game runs. That was the thing he was so amazing at with the Titans year after year. I just I did, I did get.

00:31:07
Speaker 1: You know, that's your season on the line, and you got Snoop handing it to Mitchell and you go, this is not what you all were, this is not what this was supposed to be.

00:31:18
Speaker 2: That's exactly why you signed Derrick Henry. As everyone else gets tired, he just gets more downhill and picks up steam. The later the game, the better he gets.

00:31:25
Speaker 1: And just completely went away from him.

00:31:27
Speaker 4: Do you think we've seen Lamar's peak? He's injured another back. Injury numbers haven't been the same since the hamstring.

00:31:33
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:31:34
Speaker 3: See, that's a tough one because I there's no quarterback that to me is more vulnerable to his age.

00:31:43
Speaker 1: Than the Lamar. But I also don't like there's still moments, there's still Sparks. I don't know, he's injury prone, clearly. He seems to have done a better job in recent years of evading the injuries. But this year especially, it's been like four different things, so that does worry me. Drew. I hope we haven't seen the peak, but I kind of think maybe we have.

00:32:09
Speaker 2: Yeah, this year it's just been several different injuries. Seems to have lost a step. If you look at his rushing stats, even when he did have some healthy games, he's not running it as much. I feel like he's hitting that decline a little bit. So we'll still have some good football left, but the MVP caliber Lamar I think is behind us.

00:32:26
Speaker 1: Well. I do think when he hits that moment, and I don't know if he's hit it yet, I'm not willing it, but like he'll fall the planet, like I think it'll it'll be like you know, I mean, that's kind of what happened to Michael Vick. It was just over at some point. You know, he had that one good year coming back for the Eagles and then it was just over. Like like it's just I kind of worry about with him. Russell Wilson, it was just kind of you know, all of a sudden, it was just it was just over there.

00:32:57
Speaker 3: They're guys who well, I mean those are not those quarterbacks are all not the same.

00:33:03
Speaker 1: But but there just hits a moment for some dudes when you're not just a guy relying on your arm when you're doing it. I wonder if it allading to Josh Allen at some point, like, is there gonna come a point that he just hits a wall. I hope that hasn't happened for Lamar because he's my favorite player. Yeah, and for the Ravens too. They're in a win now moment.

00:33:20
Speaker 2: They completely wasted this season and win now Derrick Henry, you know, even though he seems like a robot that's not gonna last forever. You went out and got DeAndre Hopkins, who's getting old. I mean, this was a win now season and they've completely dropped the ball. Yeah, well, tough, tough loss.

00:33:37
Speaker 1: And now you know the Bills were hoping for that loss to have a chance to actually win the division. That makes that's almost impossible at this point. All right, let's go through a lot of these other ones. We'll kind of go quickly. The Eagles beat the Commanders. I didn't watch one minute of this game, so one of you has to tell me something that matters from this.

00:33:56
Speaker 2: Marcus Mariota got hurt, so they had to turn to Josh Johnson for the Commanders.

00:34:00
Speaker 1: That's what he's still in the league.

00:34:02
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, the true backup quarterback champion.

00:34:05
Speaker 1: Josh Johnson. Yeah, there's a name I haven't thought about a long time. So when I thought he was a.

00:34:13
Speaker 4: Singer, now it was his nineteen since two thousand and nine, the Commander.

00:34:20
Speaker 1: How was he great?

00:34:22
Speaker 4: No, he was bad. But the Eagles they clinched the division and it's the first repeat champion in that division in twenty years, so that I remember.

00:34:31
Speaker 1: I saw that statistic. That's an amazing statistic. Although Eagles fans to have won the division still have a shot at like winning the super Bowl, they hate their team, just hate it, like they hate them so much. I now want to watch the game just to try to remember what Josh Johnson looked like.

00:34:49
Speaker 3: I have no visual in my face, but I feel like I've seen him a lot well, other than Washington running out of quarterbacks.

00:34:55
Speaker 2: The other story is the Eagles went for two up by seventeen with four minutes left in Atlanta and turned into a brawl. Pretty good fight, lots and lots of fists. Things in my field i've been. I have no patience for people complaining about that stuff.

00:35:11
Speaker 1: Stop them? Who cares? When did these athletes? Like when did they get their feelings hurt? So much like it when you played as a kid, Did you ever go Okay, everyone, there's a minute left, let's stop trying. No. No, One's like, why do we expect these athletes to stop? Plus there were what seven minutes to go, like even less? Why can't they go for it? It's like there was six seconds left.

00:35:39
Speaker 2: Thought they were running up on him. I think it started with two defensive back shoving. The lineman knocked one over, and next thing you know, the bench is cleared. Uh Saquon Barkley, I can't remember who he said. He was running towards the pile and someone from the commanders, maybe Wagner, stopped him. Was like, don't don't go in there and gets this mess like a bunch of people. You're gonna break a hand on a helmet, You're gonna get the reserves. Reserves, Yeah, Like, what are we doing here? If the game's over? Let's not mess with this.

00:36:05
Speaker 1: I like it hockey where and this happened the other night when the Hurricanes played the Panthers. Two players were mad at each other, but it was like Andrew Marchan, who's like the Panthers' best player, and it was Aho, who's like the Hurricanes's best player. And so they appointed two other guys to fight for them enforcers. Yeah, but like they went on, they literally almost went on the ice like ceremonial. You and I have to fight because they're too good to fight. I was like, only in hockey is that the case? Football has that too, though. If you're if you're a reserve, if you're a special teamer, you fight.

00:36:43
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:36:43
Speaker 2: I've always thought if I was in a bench clearing brawl, which I wouldn't because I don't play sports, but I would find someone and that doesn't want to fight either, lock up and we'll just kind of maneuver and.

00:36:54
Speaker 1: They lock up and then they just skate in a circle and hold each other. Yeah, that's the we were fighting, but we're not. We're we agree we're both too pretty for this.

00:37:04
Speaker 2: We just wanted to a little good on camera that we were there for our teammates, but we're not actually mixing it up.

00:37:08
Speaker 1: That's what Mike Greenberg does at ESPN, by the way, he lets the other guys fight, and then Mike Greenberg he grabs Joe Buck and they just circle around in circles and make sure not to hit each other.

00:37:20
Speaker 2: Well after this, after this Commander's fight, dan Quinn said, we'll see you on in two weeks because I guess they play again. I don't know what they're going to do in two weeks because they have Josh Johnson as their quarterback with this ain't over.

00:37:31
Speaker 1: It's not over, champions, and I'm ready for the Josh Johnson era Saints. When going away against the Jants, I you know, you need to shut the shuck up because he is absolutely killing it for New Orleans. Right.

00:37:46
Speaker 2: No, they are very few quarterbacks playing better. I think they have their franchise QB. That's three straight wins. He was connected with the Lave all day, had like one hundred and forty yards, two touchdowns. He made a few impressive throws, one kind of similar to that Drake maythrow you mentioned. So yeah, it looks like New Orleans might have found some life and Neil.

00:38:05
Speaker 4: Shuck While we're talking Saints, Taysom Hill became the first player in the Super Bowl era to have a thousand yards passing, rushing and receiving in a career.

00:38:14
Speaker 1: HM, that's an interesting stat That's another dude who's been playing since the sixties. I mean, like, and he's for a guy who is like essentially like a utility infielder of football. The fact that he's been on the same team, he's got to be the Saint that's played well, aving Kamar if he's still in the league, but otherwise, he's got to be the longest serving Saint, right.

00:38:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's crazy. It's so weird that it's only been one of him and he just his last so long and he threw that long touchdown today. It's elave So, I mean, he's out there contrued as Billy said, he does it all and there's never been a utility player like him.

00:38:50
Speaker 1: Multiple coaches too, Like, I mean, he continues to stay no matter what the regime. It's like, we gotta have our And they always call him a utility knife, which I don't know, like do people under the age of thirty carry utility knives anymore?

00:39:06
Speaker 2: I think it's DoD ether if you carry a knife. No, No, I had one when I was a cub scout. That didn't last longer.

00:39:14
Speaker 1: I remember my grandfather would be like, no man goes without a knife.

00:39:17
Speaker 3: And now I love my grandfather, but that seems like a psychotic thing to have said.

00:39:22
Speaker 2: Well, my grandfather would pull his knife out of his pocket. It would be dirty, and he'd carve an apple and eat off the knife, like the knife. He had always had the knife. It was used for everything.

00:39:30
Speaker 1: But that person just walking around with a knife, Now, I think I would call authorities. I'd be like, this man has a knife and we're at the burger key. But like there was a time that everyone did that. Apparently they carried their own. Taysom Hill. The Bills played the Browns twenty three twenty. I knew this game would be closer than it should be. I knew the Bills would play down in the competition. I didn't realize that Shador Sanders would take three straight sacks on the game winning play and it would be fourth and forty three. He didn't play play good, he didn't play terrible, but he had a chance and then a terrible final drive. Yeah, he started off grade he ended up going the wrong way. He completed his first eight passes and scored on the opening drive. Can we get a shout out for Harold Finn and Junior? By the way, from where from from bowling grind? That's another touchdown. I saw. I saw a tweet while I was sitting on the airplane where somebody wrote people didn't think Harold Fannin could play in the NFL, and he showed him and I thought, well, I know one person that did. I know one person that believed in Harold Fannin Junior. Well how about today?

00:40:44
Speaker 2: He set the Brown single season record for most receptions by a rookie with his sixty seven and it was a touchdown, and he hit the six seven when he scored.

00:40:52
Speaker 1: So what a day from my again?

00:40:54
Speaker 4: A rushing touchdown?

00:40:57
Speaker 1: Yeah he did. He was one of they brought him in there for the rushing touchdown. So Hill's win. I still don't know whether Chador's.

00:41:05
Speaker 4: Good or not.

00:41:06
Speaker 1: I think we're going to be like that, probably for his entire career. I want to pause just a second, show something. Look what I bought. This is my Tom Heart said I needed a car. Now you can see this as big Tom Heart said, said, I need a card to put the lineup on and all this. So I bought these two pieces of poster board. Look at that. Here you go, and this is going to be I'm going to work on this tomorrow. But this is my chart where I will put the the you know, rosters for both teams.

00:41:48
Speaker 4: Those are giant, Like that's like an art project board.

00:41:52
Speaker 1: That's exactly what it is, an art project board. But they didn't have the one was just like the size of a sheet of paper, and the other one was massive. This was like the only middle size they had.

00:42:01
Speaker 2: So do you have a color, you have a bunch of markers to be color coordinated, or you got I have.

00:42:05
Speaker 1: Mark I don't. I'm just gonna use one color. I'm not gonna be all wild. I don't. Also don't have all that much time. Can I give you a stat I learned about each team? We'd love yes, Please let me start with Western Kentucky. Well, did you know Western Kentucky has had a top three round draft pick each of the last four seasons. They're the only team and the group of five that has done that. They Western Kentucky has had a guy picked in the top three rounds the NFL Draft the last four years. Isn't that amazing? It's impressive. I'm trying to think a bit more of a reaction from you all on that. I think that's crazy for a school like Western Kentucky. I was looking at Billy and the alum and he's just acting like business as usual for Western over there.

00:42:49
Speaker 4: It's been like this for like a decade or so. They've they've been a little bit of a stepics for four years.

00:42:54
Speaker 1: As I said in the stats, it's not been a decade. It's been that way for four years.

00:42:58
Speaker 4: Yeah, So who is that? Like Malachi Corley and Bailey Zappy or uh?

00:43:04
Speaker 1: And then there was a defensive player I think class year.

00:43:06
Speaker 4: Was the often stout on the forty nine ers.

00:43:11
Speaker 1: Then I will tell you for Utah or Senior Southern miss The new coach is Blake Anderson. This is his first game. So interesting story he was they named him the interim coach for the bowl game and because the coach left, and he said, well, I would like to be the full time coach, and they said no, we're having a coaching search. So they made him interview. They made him meant the like, they made him do all the same things that they made other candidates do and then they still picked it, so which is interesting. You would think like he was already there, he had been working there, but they ended up picking him. What I like about him is at his press conference he had frosted tips in his hair. He's a fifty five year old man and he came to the opening press and press conference with frosted tips, which I kind of gave him a hard time about today on the radio. I was like, you show up. You showed up at your prescott because I saw a picture of Mary this year didn't have frosted tips. He got frosted.

00:44:14
Speaker 4: Tips mid tips. Wow, huh mid.

00:44:18
Speaker 3: The opening for the like he didn't have it a few weeks ago, so he got it for the opening presscott Lins.

00:44:26
Speaker 2: So do you think maybe the second interview is like is he did you already have the frosted tips or is he so confident after the interviews.

00:44:32
Speaker 1: Like maybe he got the frosted tips and they were like, no, wait a minute, we need to do this interview. Oh that's what happened.

00:44:40
Speaker 2: He was his normal self, got the frosted tips, Like we don't know this version. We need to re meet you. Again, we need to start from some square one. Blake, are you going through a midlife crisis?

00:44:50
Speaker 1: Now? What is happening? Anyway? By the way, I have to meet him tomorrow for a coaches so I don't know. I may not bring up the tips in person. He's probably listening to this. Your Titans won against him. How was that? Well?

00:45:06
Speaker 2: Remember I told you all last week this would happen. We just keep getting better and better. Ward made some awesome throws. I'm really starting to believe in him. He's getting better each week. DK Receiver. They connected on some big plays. We're using big Jeffrey Simmons on offense and back to back weeks. Who cares throw it out there? We're having fun. I was in on the tank before, but I got admit I was very happy for them to win the last couple of weeks.

00:45:30
Speaker 1: So Gardner Minshew followed up Pat Mahomes' ACL Tayor with his own ACL Tayar ACL tayars for everyone, who is the guy they put in that that was a guy never heard of?

00:45:42
Speaker 4: What was his name, Oh god uh alaka Do from South Dakota State. It was his second.

00:45:48
Speaker 1: Ever heard of that guy and now he's gonna play. He's gonna start the next two games. I would assume, right.

00:45:54
Speaker 2: Uh, he has to start Christmas Day against the Broncos. How much do you make the schedule with the TV schedule? Hates that alaca do. That reminds me of my favorite nickname of any athlete ever.

00:46:05
Speaker 1: Billy Drew. Ain't know this, but there was a guy basketball player named Mama do in Ja and on Sports Center, one of the announcers said, ain't nobody love him like his Mama do in Jab. It's one of the all time great A good one. That's that's I think you like. You don't get a better nickname than that, so olaka do Uh. He's the Christmas Day games, He's starting one of them. Josh Johnson could be starting the other one, and Max Brosmer could be starting the other one. Christmas Day took a huge hit with the injuries. Three. Yeah, well, now you can actually see your family during that. Uh. As opposed to as opposed to watching football, Chargers beat Cowboys. I didn't see one minute of this anything that I would need to have seen. Uh.

00:46:56
Speaker 2: Cowboys went up earlier looking pretty good. Pickings had a big game, but the Chargers just came back and pulled away. Herbert had a pretty good game. It was just a pretty standard, uh you know, nothing nothing too out of the ordinary other than Cowboys blowing that early lead.

00:47:11
Speaker 4: No Dallas quarterback has ever led the NFL in passing yards. Dack is on pace to do that. And Harball has a new saying. It's called the worm has turned. And I didn't look it up.

00:47:21
Speaker 1: But what's wrong with that?

00:47:23
Speaker 4: Is that is say, what, oh what is this? I didn't know that.

00:47:27
Speaker 3: No, I mean that's the same. I don't know what if why? But that's like he didn't make that up?

00:47:31
Speaker 1: Like that's the worm has turned is a thing you say, But why why did you look it up? No?

00:47:38
Speaker 4: I did look up.

00:47:39
Speaker 1: No, it has like that's a real saying, the worm has I've heard it. I think maybe it's maybe it's like there's something about a change.

00:47:47
Speaker 4: I mean, they're changing or evolving.

00:47:48
Speaker 1: They got it.

00:47:50
Speaker 2: It is someone who was previously meek or long suffering suddenly becomes assertive, defiant or fights back.

00:47:58
Speaker 1: But what does but why do what? Worms do they turn? What is that? Like? I mean worms have to turn at some point? Why do worms turn? But you guys getting why that's the same. Like, no, I'm telling you what I know. I mean, they kind of said the alligator has turned. They say the worm has turned clearly for some reason. I'm just telling you what goes Billy while we talk about when you look up and find why the worm has turned. I mean, I understand the concept of turning. The question is why do we say the worm has turned? This is the most Jim Harball thing you could possibly say. I know that much. I still don't know why the way it is a real saying. I've heard it. I just never really had contemplated me, Well, he looks that looks that at Cowboys out of the playoffs. So Vikings beat the Giants, Bingals beat the Dolphins. Uh, neither of those games really matter, except I do think Mike, Uh, Mike, and Daniel is likely gone, don't you. I don't know.

00:49:02
Speaker 2: I would have thought that earlier. I think they might keep him and get rid of to it. There is some reports of that after the game today.

00:49:07
Speaker 1: I was there. I didn't see that well too. I mean, the problem is that they're on the hook for fifty million dollars or two it whether he's there or not.

00:49:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, Quinn yours actually played pretty well today. I mean didn't get the win between.

00:49:22
Speaker 1: The years and rookie end, but they were down what like thirty four to three, and then he started playing decently well.

00:49:27
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, just for a rookie thrown in like that, it could have been much worse. Burrow was insane, that's for sure. He had four touchdowns. Looked like the Burrow of all them. Fun again, they can put those Andrew luckincerns to bed. He was looking great out there.

00:49:40
Speaker 1: The Falcons played the Cardinals when I was in the Atlanta Airport. For reasons that only the people of Atlanta know, that was the only game available in the entire airport was the Falcons and the Cardinals, which is not a fun name game to watch. I mean, lines were playing the Steelers are like, nope, can't watch that anywhere. Only Falcons Cardinals. So I did get to see a lot of that victory. Texans nearly blew it to the Raiders. You know, Raider's been awful and they had a shot in this game. They did. When I first.

00:50:14
Speaker 2: Flipped over, I was shocked to see that the Raiders were winning. I mean, they've been terrible and you're playing the Texans maybe the hottest defense in the league years now in Houston. Yeah, and there were scoring points on them, but Houston was able to just.

00:50:26
Speaker 1: Hang on and win in the end.

00:50:27
Speaker 2: That would have been a terrible loss for Houston, which still at that point was in contention AFC South still are, but at that point the Jags hadn't won yet.

00:50:35
Speaker 1: That would have been a horrible loss. So why does the worm turn? Really?

00:50:38
Speaker 4: It comes from a fifteen forty six collection of proverbs by John Haywood in which he said, trade a worm on the tail, and it must turn again. And I don't know there, That's all I got.

00:50:52
Speaker 1: That still doesn't explain what that means. Trade a worm on the tail and.

00:50:57
Speaker 4: What and it must turn again at the time again also meant against or a pose.

00:51:06
Speaker 1: A worm on the tail and it must turn a game?

00:51:11
Speaker 4: Yeah, fifteen forty six.

00:51:13
Speaker 1: So I'm not even sure what that sentence means.

00:51:17
Speaker 4: I don't either, But John Haywood was was preaching it back in fifteen forty six about how any.

00:51:22
Speaker 1: Animals John Haywood's nonsensical poem in fifteen becomes something Jim Harbaugh says, I mean, I guarantee you Jim Harbaugh is not or you know, not read that.

00:51:36
Speaker 4: He may do. He'd be the guy. He'd be the coach to read this to his team. That is the same.

00:51:43
Speaker 1: I think of all the coaches, he's the most likely. He's the weirdest. I'm gonna neither of you have give him any answers. So here's what I'm gonna do. I'm just gonna gig google. Do worms turn? Do worms turn? Yes? Worms can turn. Well that doesn't answer my question either. M Hey stupid. All right, Next, the Bucks lost to the Panthers. I'll leave the floor to you. Are Bucks fan, Billy? How mad were you at this loss today? Yeah?

00:52:14
Speaker 4: But this was tough. I mean they started five and one, they're now seven and eight. Todd Bowles should be let go at the end of the year. It's just unacceptable. But you still can win the division. I mean, ultimately, you played the Panthers twice. You just need to win one of the two. So if you had won today, I think you were in really good shape.

00:52:33
Speaker 1: Now as I see it, it's basically whoever wins the next one, the Panthers will have to beat you both times.

00:52:37
Speaker 4: Well, yeah, we got to beat Miami next week. And Carolina. We got to win these last two and then we're in. But I mean then you still win the division, right, correct? But the magic's gone regardless, like the Baker MVP discussion, the litany of receivers, it's just not lining up this year. And I mean to lose to Carolina like that was just embarrassing. I mean it's I know that's a franchise trying to turn the corner, but I mean, you've lost to New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina in three straight weeks. It's embarrassing. By Tom, that is embarrassing.

00:53:06
Speaker 1: I was happy to see when it was the NFC Champ South, you know, one of the it's a game between the top two teams, because glad they gave it to Chris Myers. I thought they wouldn't reward him for all of his NFC South service. They did, so that made me very happy for you.

00:53:22
Speaker 4: I thought of you guys because Chris Meyers said, I've never heard of December crowd in Carolina quite like this.

00:53:29
Speaker 1: Well, he would know, he would definitely know. You can take that to the bank. I didn't know. He said that. That's great. There's no one I trust more to measure the volume of Carolina crowds than Chris Myers. I would trust him more than I would the guy who owns the franchise. Actually, all right, So tonight or tomorrow night, Philip Rivers takes the field against the forty nine ers. I am extremely eager to see. I think there's a chance this goes horribly wrong. I also want him to win, and I want it to be a Disney movie. But you know, it's one thing to do at once to another thing when your body's like, okay, we're not doing this again, are we? I think this could go horribly wrong.

00:54:21
Speaker 2: I can't even believe we're here where on It's almost Christmas and I'm excited to watch Philip.

00:54:26
Speaker 1: Rivers play football. Me too.

00:54:28
Speaker 2: If you had said this before the season began, I wouldn't even know what situation could get me to watching Philip Rivers play football. But here we are, in prime time. I'm gonna believe he gets it done. I think they're gonna win. I'm gonna do in Philip Rivers. I'm sure he's been on the peloton all week, if not in the ice tub all week. He's gonna look even better in his second game. Now is it Brock Party or Mac Jones. Again, they're the same person.

00:54:53
Speaker 1: In my mind. I think it's Brock Party, right, it should be Rock all right. I think they're gonna destroy them, But I will say this, I think it'll be an amazing environment when you consider the fact that if the Cold win, they still are set up in that last week of the season to play the Texans to win for the division. But they have to win to Mark so it's a must win game. It's Monday night football. It's this Philip River situation. I do think that will be a crazy good atmosphere. And what if he does it? What if they look good with Philip Rivers. I mean, come on, work with me here.

00:55:29
Speaker 2: I know you think he's gonna get killed, but the Colts still have a lot of talent.

00:55:32
Speaker 1: They still I don't think that's good for football. I don't think it's good for the sport. If it can be proven that a man can do nothing for five years, get old and fat and have to and be around kids, and they can come back in like three days and win a football game, I don't think that's good for the sport. I think it says like there's no other sport where you could do this. You can't just like not play baseball for five years and go hit a home run, right, You can't not pick up a golf club for five years and win the mat like this is. This can't happen.

00:56:12
Speaker 2: It is a bad look for like young quarterbacks with all the training and supplements and everything you have now. And Philip Rivers says into a microphone, I'm fat, and then goes out there.

00:56:21
Speaker 1: And plays the exact same position in the same sport.

00:56:23
Speaker 6: That the young, more athletic guys do, and he is I read a column somebody in Indianapolis, I think, wrote a column that said Philip Rivers has made me feel older than I ever imagined because he is only forty four.

00:56:36
Speaker 1: But we talk about him like he's Grandpaul Simpson, so like it kind of stinks because he's younger than I am, but I talk about him like he's going to that he fall over, And so that's also kind of phil demoralizing that I act like he's decrepit, but it is true. But I'm rooting for him. I mean, I've said a lot of mean things. I'm rooting for him, and I want it to work. And if it works, maybe they'll bring out more people from retirement, maybe other sports will try.

00:57:07
Speaker 4: No.

00:57:07
Speaker 1: I like that we find out that next week instead of Josh Johnson, we get Joe Montana.

00:57:12
Speaker 4: And Drew Brees here he comes another season on the line.

00:57:16
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I guess they can do it. I mean it's better than.

00:57:20
Speaker 4: Who is the guy again for the Chiefs South Dakota sat written down somewhere.

00:57:28
Speaker 1: Ola dunke Oli Duke Well Hola duken Ola dokin Well I Ola can't wait to watch him. Man. I hope he uh, I hope he crushes it. All right? So did any of us get touchdowns?

00:57:42
Speaker 4: Drew hit with JJ McCarthy with a rushing touchdown, he is up to four points. Matt a Houston running back did not score a rushing touchdown, so you stay at five and you check all of them, all of them did did not, and then Trey McBride did not score. So it is five five four in there.

00:57:59
Speaker 1: Trying to make a late comeback here at the end of the season.

00:58:02
Speaker 2: And I think the ones I've hit have been like ridiculous, Like when I picked Josh Allen, doesn't hit JJ McCarthy, who got hurt in the first quarter, hits makes no sense?

00:58:11
Speaker 1: All right, who who's the Who was your survivalley?

00:58:17
Speaker 4: It was the Saints and they did win. So we move on. Now do you want me to change the game at all? Like you said, I need to pick in categories?

00:58:25
Speaker 1: Next week?

00:58:28
Speaker 3: Well, well we'll have what are we doing a midweek podcast?

00:58:34
Speaker 1: Have we talked about that? It is great, Chris? What's our question? Yeah? Yeah, I don't know. Well, just in case we don't, let's go ahead and say I do think you need to pick in categories. So what you need to do is, first, is the way they do this is the Thursday, Friday, Saturday games. Okay, all the games before Sunday. You have to pick one of those. So what are the choices of those games?

00:58:55
Speaker 4: You've got Cowboys, Commanders, Lions, Vikings, Broncos, Chiefs, Texans, Chargers, and Ravens Packers.

00:59:03
Speaker 1: You have to pick one of those. So which one do you want of those? Well?

00:59:07
Speaker 4: Do I need to go by teams I haven't picked yet? Or are they all on the table? Yes?

00:59:10
Speaker 1: So no, you have to pick. It has to be one of these teams those five games, and it has to be.

00:59:16
Speaker 4: Someone that you have not well I know, I haven't picked.

00:59:18
Speaker 1: Who have you picked out of that group?

00:59:20
Speaker 4: I have picked Kansas City. I have not picked Dallas or Washington.

00:59:26
Speaker 1: Okay, have you picked the Lions or Vikings.

00:59:28
Speaker 4: I have not picked either of those teams, the Lines.

00:59:32
Speaker 1: Or the Texas Texans Chargers.

00:59:35
Speaker 4: Texans Chargers, I've picked both. And Ravens pack Ravens Packers. I have picked neither of those teams.

00:59:43
Speaker 1: All right, so you you've got some choices. Who do you want? See?

00:59:48
Speaker 4: This is a lot on the line here that I'm having to make a decision on the spot. If I haven't picked Denver, then I think that's the choice. I gotta go here, Denver, Denver.

00:59:57
Speaker 1: Well, that's certainly the choice. I mean, you're we've already said they're playing a quarterback none of us have heard of.

01:00:02
Speaker 4: Yeah, so I think I'll pick Denver there for that category.

01:00:05
Speaker 1: Right now, you go to sun You're gonna need to pick one of the Sunday or Monday. It has to be somebody you haven't picked.

01:00:12
Speaker 4: Okay, somebody I haven't picked. Looking through this list, here quickly, the Titans play the Saints Drew, How confident are you and cam wardering?

01:00:20
Speaker 1: Oh no, you definitely would want the Saints. There. I don't like that pick up.

01:00:24
Speaker 4: I've already picked the Saints, so I can't do that. You know, I haven't picked the Bucks yet. They have to win on the road in Miami. It'd be poetic if they lost. So give me you pick the Seahawks. Yes, I have picked the Seahawks.

01:00:38
Speaker 1: What about the Patriots? Uh?

01:00:40
Speaker 4: Yes, I've picked the Patriots.

01:00:42
Speaker 1: Okay, Well, I wouldn't want to pick Steelers Brown.

01:00:46
Speaker 4: Just give me Tampa. I'll go down with the ship if it goes. So give me Denver and Tampa. It is my two picks.

01:00:53
Speaker 1: I like those, Denver and Tampa. You could get through this and then you would be down to the final week Denver. So your two picks are Denver and Tampa next week and then the next week that all the games are once so you don't have one more. Now. Again, you missed a couple of weeks, and they were the ones where everyone walst. But nevertheless, that wasn't your fault. That was the way the life works. All right. Well, I want you all to listen to the New Orleans Bowl.

01:01:21
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, we will.

01:01:22
Speaker 1: Oh I'm missing that. I've got my board. I mean, right now, nothing's written on it. But this is what it's going to look like. And you know, you people, right now, you don't know much about quarterback Braylan Braxton, but you're gonna know on Tuesday as he takes Southern miss against what is it Tisdale, the quarterback at Western Can ask your question, Billy, because no one's answered. Why did they take out their one quarterback and put in Tisdale halfway through the ar You got hurt Maverick mcgiver, Yeah, because his name was Maverick mcgiver, which is a great name, the best.

01:01:58
Speaker 2: Quarterback, and he put up crazy stats at his school in Texas.

01:02:03
Speaker 1: He put up crazy stats earlier. He was named like the player week three out of the first seven weeks, and I thought he got bitched, But him getting hurt actually makes a lot more sense, if I'm not mistaken.

01:02:13
Speaker 2: Maverick's offensive coordinator came with him from Texas to Bowling Green.

01:02:16
Speaker 4: That's correct.

01:02:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, well see that wasn't in the not so thanks. Yeah, the first time for both of them. Yeah, coach, Maverick's not playing, so it doesn't matter. All right. Well, thank you guys very much. We will see you later. This has been NFL Cover Zero NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio is the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.