DK Metcalf Gets Paid; Fearless Predictions for October 4th
A room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal bring you all the latest news from around the league, starting with a recent article published by the Guardian ranking the NFL's best analysts (3:54). Kyler Murray's "independent study" clause has been removed from his contract (12:36), and DK Metcalf signed an extension with Seattle (20:42). We cover a couple of training camp injuries (26:02) and players "holding in" (29:33) before wrapping up the news with some Odds and Ends (36:32). Then, the heroes make fearless predictions for how the NFL landscape will change by October 4th (the Tuesday after Week 4) involving Lamar Jackson (41:02), a couple of NFC South teams (45:57), the Houston Texans (57:50), a sampling of Marc's greatest hits (1:00:41), and the Indianapolis Colts (1:03:53). Finally, we close the show with a request for help from the listeners (1:09:25).
Note: timecodes approximate.
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00:00:00 Speaker 1: Be around the NFL podcast finding creative new ways to piss off Sisler from the Chris Westling podcast studio. It's around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansas, joined in the room filled with some heroes, Greg Rosenthal and yes, Mark Sessler. Mark, we're starting about seventeen minutes later than intended eighteen minutes. It just turned eighteen. We started at seventeen though, so it's seventeen and I understand that does piss you off. Apologies, sir, Apology taken accepted. Um, I'm not that annoyed by it, just you can see it coming from a mile away. It used to be a whole thing when our schedules were a little tighter back in Culver City and West and Mark and there would it would be like a conversation before the podcast, and West, as the money drop indicated, would delight in Marke getting increasingly upset. Although he would get upset your corner. I was not on an island on the one West and I very much. Um, you know, time matters to us, punctuality is important to us, and we were linked at the hip on that one. Sometimes I feel maligned in that department because just acceptance myself as the host of this program. Uh so that's accurate. While you're doing, uh your little build up for segments and you're studying. I have to do that, but then I also have to do all the other elements that go into building out a program, like working with you could just and how long have we been talking building out this show today? For instance? Minutes? Many minutes. We buried you there. But I technically do not disagree with we're we're not in contact all throughout the morning. Oh that's true, yes, since about nine am. Sure, but you can it's also in your nature, that's okay, Like it's in my nature to try to put together the best if it's not podcast related, it's in your nature to maybe be a little late to It's just part of the package. I remember when we first started, and those are dark days in some ways looking back, But when you were the boss, yes, were not early early news death days. There was like it was like handsas a clock. You weren't you weren't expecting him to to be punching in at nine am. It'd be like nine oh seven, Are you gonna bring that up? You can talk about Chris Wesling a clock to which sometimes the next day there was no clock. So yeah, we have. We have infamously told me during a I think one of our last you know, subject and boss meetings was that I began as his easiest employee and finished as the most tough to deal with. Yeah, that you know, so it's not all on you and I do. I also appreciate you want the truth. You don't just go to the zeus. No, I appreciate that you put your heart into preparing them. Yeah. I backed down, not even a little bit on this. I have no regrets. Like today is a good show. Today is going to be a really fun show. People are gonna enjoy the show, and a lot of it is going to go back to those extra seventeen notes. Yeah, you got to get it right. You don't take it out of the oven Sessler just because I know. But this is just because dinner sometimes dinner this week is becoming framed as if I have a major issue, where all I've said verbally is that I support the effort that you put into the Showug Dug Boats got a point. We're back in the studio. Is this week training camps getting rolling, We're starting to cook. It's almost like I have a point to we we are you know, we're just husks um who try to make meaning out of our lives when it's not the NFL season, family and outside things. Um. But now that it's training camp and we're being plugged back into the machine, we feel truly alive because we only feel alive when the microphone is on. Well, that's your opinion. I don't even think Mark actually said that, but that is but for all of us there, apparently that was me, that was out loud. I will speak for for all of us in thanking the people of the Guardian uh, a British daily newspaper. I think it's kind of a big publication, yes, over yonder and it was also written by Trenching source of news. It was written by Ali Connolly, who's a great analyst over there to now working for Gridiron, who we're friends with. The people is it's what did Ali? Greg is so tight he doesn't refer to the man by his pen name, Oliver Connolly. I didn't know that Holly Connolly ranking the NFL's best analysts. I've never met him, though we're spoken with him, but I've heard him on podcasts And guess who comes in at number seven, the boys of Around the NFL. Should I read this? Should I read it? Please? I should read it. You cannot separate the three main hosts of the Around the NFL podcast and TV vehicle unless it's who's planning the show morning a blending humor, analysis and ruthless honesty, the trio have built a true one stop shop for fans. The show is the number one NFL podcast in the UK, drawing fans to the circus tent with mirth before offering keyn eyed observations and updates on the league at large. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that the show has done more for the growth of the game internationally than the league sending a rope Jaguars team to London every fall. Hit it again justin number seven. How are we number seven without type of that was at the rite up is an incredible um and um I liked. I love to think it's true. I mean that the way that that right up ended, I was like, that should be a number one right up ending right. But I think we need to send that along to take it the shadowy league people take it. Yeah, Our friends at at Sky Sports will send it to them. They they've helped us, you know, with a partnership doing work with them internationally. I could. I think I think everyone needs to know, and I think it's important a couple of things. It's important that the American listeners know what ropy means, because I certainly didn't kind of figure out with context you can, but just for the record, it's British and formal slang for inferior or inadequate, slightly unwell below par. Do you feel like you should have been mentioned more in the in the blurb you specifically did? You can't separate the three, It's no. I think. I think I'm totally comfortable with the entire right up it was and it's a great list to um. I appreciated, uh that the quality of the list. I think spoke Jones at one, Mina We love Mina. Jenny Brentes is awesome. At three, Dominique Foxworth. Don't know Dominique. He does Beaumani show. He's he's an un he does deant Le familiar with Billy Gil but we respect him well. I'm not familiar though that we don't have to, but I'm sure he's great. I do if he's on this list McAfee at eights or ahead of McAfee. It's not bad. David Sampson and a keep to leave look at it keep coming in. Um, you know you know what those So we're ahead of Romo because if a keep to leave can make it, and he kind of compared to Leave to Romo UM on the list. He compared to him as like energetic and in a little different um, you know, as a listen but even better than Romo he thought right now, like in terms of energy. So so that means Romo didn't make the list, nor did any other We're ahead of Jim Nance And also missing the list was the Dan Lebotard Show featuring Stu Gotts, and apparently this didn't sit well with everyone on that particular program. I mean, how about that guy? Who is that guy? He's a top ten football insider. Why am I taking the bullet in that scenario. I I don't think that they were upset. I think I think the Billy Gil guy is involved in the LeBatard arena. Okay, so they were saying the list because he's involved with those guys, or he works for a lavatory. I don't have a great point there right now, Yeah. My point was they weren't upset at us. They were making fun of this guy saying the list was bad, Like, don't be so don't be so excited that you're on this list, Billy? Is that how you took it? Mark? I could. I'm just taking the insults again. My name in it. I mean, how about that guy? Who is that guy? He's a top ten football insider. Well you got that right, I have a story. Well he got to start it. And then Labatary jumped in you. When we were at Super Bowl Week in Miami before Corona exploded, I was wandering around, you know, South Beach, and Dan LeBatard actually was about ten feet away. Um, I don't know why. He was sort of wandering around two and these LeBatard fans um wanted to take a photo with him Lebertarians. Yeah, so the Lebertardians actually just pulled me a you know, like a civilian off. I had to take a photo of LeBatard and the Lebertarians. It's like, I work in this industry too, and little little I know that, Well it doesn't it does not. Are we in a feud? No? I don't want to know what I've heard. Good with the future. I've heard from listeners. I think there's a pretty good crossover audience. I've heard. I've heard good things about their their audience and they've built it up and I think I think there's some that that are fans of us both, and that's good. Yeah, let's take the high road on this one. If you wanted to make a statement like who you are Mark Anthony Sessler CESSI for short? Actually that Mark Edward Cessler. I work for NFL Network and NFL dot Com and I only wish to extend um good tidings to that show into all of them. Why is it always Marked that takes the st It is pretty funny though, but I guess I mean, how about that guy? Who is that guy? He's a top ten football insiders. It's like we wrote this for him to be a sound drop for us. But it's just their show, all right. Coming up on today's show, which was put together with Tender Love and Care, Fearless predictions not for the whole season, but for October four, specifically, what is October four? That is the Tuesday after Week four, we will tell you what we feel the NFL landscape will look like after what used to be the traditional quarter pole. Well they blew that up, ruined it with their greed. No asymmetry, everything must be asymmetrical. Sixteen games. Now, I don't know what it is anymore. Maybe after Thursday night at week five, is that the new quarter pole? If you did the math of it, it's not my thing. Anyway, We're gonna give you some fearless predictions. Um. I'm gonna call on the listeners to help us out with something at the end of the show. Um, but before that, we need to get caught up with the news you're full of Just what is that? Where did that come from? Dan randomly said that as we were setting up to tape our t A hits on what was that Wednesday? I don't know where it came from or why, but why did I roll out a bit? It kind of snowballed a little bit, but no more critical thinking towards Mark again, Greg thinks it wasn't even critical. It was. I was just sort of pointing that out the context it was absolutely critical, Um, very critical. My context was that they weren't like mad, they weren't on list. They were on the list, like one of their guys was on the list, and they were kind of making fun of him that like, look at this list, it's just you and a bunch of him and eggers here. Well, well, nice explanation. Um. Anyway, that was what I said, was clearly ingest just a lot of the nonsense that I'll spew before the show starts. And you know that I understand your vibe different than the studs. Different than that. I mean, as I've been noticing, and this is a becoming a recurrent thing, your guys vibe is is on a different wavelength right now. I think you missed each other. It's like it's up and down, but it's definitely like that's that's what great attractions are. Like, you know what I think. I think Craig wants it. He wants in you want I want to feel something, Yeah, you want it on the it Yeah, all right, we'll talk privately after the show. Let's get to the news and we'll start with oh man, the Arizona Cardinals. They make a decision after rap sheet with the scoopage and rap shoot was on our show this week breaking down how it all came to be. Uh, the independent study clause um that was placed in Murray's huge extension and all the Hulla Blue down that. Well, the team now is decided to eliminate that mandatory independent study clause in Murray's extension rap sheet first report, it's a rap. She's been all over this. I also have a statement here from the Cardinals, and then I want we're gonna hear from Kyler, but uh, first from the Cardinals. After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract. It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it's ever been, and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to leave this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract. That's a lot of words, salads, Sizzler. Uh, so they take it out of the contract, Kyler Murray. Cut to smash. Cut to Kyler Murray who calls his own press conference on unscheduled Thursday, unscheduled and he wants everyone to know everything's cool, and you should have given me the benefit the benefit of the doubt in the first place. Today I'm starting off. I'm talking today because um, you know, I feel, um it's necessary, you know, um, with what's going on as far as regarding me and the things that are being said about me. Um, it's it's almost, you know, to think that I can accomplish everything that I've accomplished in my career, UM and not be a student of the game and not um, not not have that passion and not not take this serious is almost it's disrespectful. And it's it's almost it's it's almost a joke. And I like this other part of the press conference or his statement really an opening statement where he felt compelled and understandably so, to explain what he's accomplished in his life as an athlete to this point. And and I don't do this often. I don't talk about myself, but today I feel like I have to. And so I'm ann list of accolades, you know, to go forty three and oh in high school, sorry much. Some are gonna say, oh, it's high school, that's cool, But nobody else has done it. Um go to college when the heisman, UM, get drafted number one over all to the NFL, get drafted number nine overall to MLB. Again, no one's ever done it. Um, Offensive Rookie of the Year, two time pro bowler, Um. And you know, I'm not I'm not six seven to thirty. I don't throw the ball any five yards. Um, I'm I'm already behind the eight ball. Uh. And I can't you know, I can't afford to take any shortcuts, no pun intended. But you know that those are those those things you can't accomplish if you don't take the game serious, if you don't prepare the right way. And you know, it's like I said, it's it's laughable. I was struck by this. I loved it. I think Kyler Murray is a different sort of quarterback and a different sort of person, and we're like learning more about him as he goes, and I I love the fire, and I think it's a it's worth pointing out, like He's right, you can't be that successful without some sort of intelligence that you see in his game and serious uh nature with which you take the game and take your career then again, and and a lot of confidence which he clearly has to uh. I think he got this far in part because he picked up the NFL game and being able to read defenses and stuff like that pretty well for a rookie. Now that that all being said, he didn't really address the exact uh parts of the clause that he had a problem with. I mean, he's sort of brought you know. I sort of took it as like he doesn't necessarily spend that much time on the iPad doing next as and ohs, like film study at home. He started talking about, like there's different ways to do film study. I like doing it with other people in the room, Like that's where I get off of it, and I take my preparation really seriously. There's different ways to prepare. There's there's no way that he's not taking preparing for the endfl seriously. But he also sort of didn't answer the specific uh reasons that it was in the contract in the first place. And then, to be fair, he called the press conference himself, and the second anyone started asking questions about the clause in the contract, he said, I'm not answering questions about that. Can we talk about something else? You called the press conference, Like that's what the press conference is about. So I think he's very sensitive about that, and you can understand that, and I appreciate him being as open as he was, But I I think it's like you can look at this from a lot of sites. No one's right and wrong in it, and had he and not eagle eyed this contract and let's say none of us knew about this. The bottom line is Kyler Murray and his representation agreed to what was in the contract. It's turned into um I mean, it's grown so incredibly annoying, almost to a delightful extent at this point. But the Cardinals this offseason and Kyler Murray have operated like a circus. I mean, it feels like a team that can't is in search of themselves on some level. And this whole Cala Maury is symbolic situation is symbolic of that. For me, though, Like I love what he said yesterday and I agree with you, Greggy changes for the most part. Yeah, it changes how I feel about him, and I do think it you know, maybe it lit a fire under him and maybe maybe it will change something for him this season. But I have to say that, like he initially agreed to this, something about what the Cardinals saw in his preparation in his game. He acknowledged, yes, I will sign this, and that's part of the contract. He had an issue with it. He should have brought it up before. Maybe the Cardinals, you know, maybe it's not a clown car over there. Maybe they galaxy brain this thing. I don't think they've lit this huge inferno underneath their wildly talented quarterback. Um, I'm pretty much kidding, but it maybe does achieve that effect because now he's gonna have a huge chip on his shoulder, um after being called out in this way. And that's what he was. He was called out by his own team that gave him a hundreds of millions of dollars, but said, you're gonna do it the right way. So yes, I think why I remove it? Then? I don't know that's why that's why the clown music is played, Greg, because I don't know it's that's a half measure. It's like you should either should put it in and kept it or not put it at all. But when you do, you just make it a fresh story. Again, we're not talking about this with such vigor on a Friday after this happened initially on Monday or whatever, if not for this. So they've they've kind of botched us. And I'll give Murray credit. He was smart enough to get in front of the story and I thought he comported himself well with the opening statement at least. Um, it's probably the first kind of good smart thing he did this offseason. He didn't have the best office offseason either with some of the things he did through his agent. UM. But hopefully the team can move past this and start focusing on football now. It's a big part of the story the agent because his introductory press conference when he signed the contract, he threw some shade at his own agent. I don't know if it was totally intention to block himself. UM. His name is Eric Burkhard, and he said that, Look, Kyler said, look, I took a lot of grief soft season, um, in part because of my agent, because of that statement, and he just said that. That was before all of this happened. By the way, Kyler did that press conference knowing that they were going to take the clause out of his contract, but we didn't know that at the time he did that press conference. There is some speculation this was from Pro Football talk, that he might be getting rid of his agent and that and like, and that's part of all of this, that they're taking it out, that it's maybe helping the agent to save face. Who who knows, But it was a messy week I think for the two people that agreed on it, which was ultimately Cardinals ownership in the agent, I think are the ones that were kind of at faultier. All Right, we're just getting started. Let's take a quick break and then spend through the rest of the news. Alright, moving on, another wide receiver gets paid. It is dk metcalf, member of the Superstar Club, big time playmaker for the Seahawks. Will be very interesting to see what kind of year he has with Russell Wilson now throwing spirals in the Rocky Mountains. But the Seahawks want him as part of their future, so they give him a three year, seventy two million dollar extension that runs through two thousand. Nearly sixty million of that is guaranteed. So this is a big time contract for a big time player. Mark Sesler had to do this. I mean there were were months removed from the idea that he could have been traded away out of Seattle. Um. The only thing that I you know, the money is great. He's totally deserving. He's a he's a rare, unique type of talent who fits Seattle really well. My one problem is with their quarterback situation. I mean, this isn't his fault. I think you're wasting one of those years with their quarterback situation this season. Well they're trying, yeah, but they're I agree, but they're also trying to win this year. Whether that works or not to them. I think it's pretty meaningful to win nine games versus five. Let's say, and you DK Metcalf needs to be a part of this team either way. He gets to be a free agent when he's twenty seven again, so it works out great. It's just I find it interesting with these wide receiver contracts. I think people are gonna look at a little differently because man, the market changed, and and I think it makes sense. But these contracts that A. J. Brown got, Deebo Samuel is probably gonna get an almost identical contract. He has the same agent as DK Metcalf and Terry McLaurin, and J. Brown has that same agent too, so that agent is doing quite well. All these all these contracts are basically quarterback tracks. I mean, they're making like what Ryan Tannehill makes for the Titans. They're getting thirty million dollars signed, but their quarterback country. And I think that's fine, But it also gets to this other like nagging point that's bothered me for many years, which is the whole like, well, you gotta win on the rookie quarterback contract, you gotta win on the you know. It's like what an advantage you gotta do this. Well, it's like no, Now, these other contracts are also quarterback contracts, and that was sort of the case anyways, What what is this huge difference between having twenty five or thirty on the books for a receiver and having thirty five or forty on the books for a quarterback. Going back as far as we can, those courts about contracts were still only taking up of your cap and that that's a lot, but you're also wasting tons of money on tons of terrible signings on the rest of the contract. And I think the receiver contracts and these other veterans getting this sort of money points that out. I think you can absolutely win with big time contracts on whether it's quarterbacks or sure. I think gets twisted so to turn into a hot take that all those people are wrong. But it is harder when you have the quarterback giant salary on the books. It's it's harder, you know, But you don't know if that can quantify that. I'm not a math major, but I will also say, and you cannot, you can't sleep on what a huge advantage it is to have the rookie quarterback who's a stud on his rookie contract. But my point is, like you can think of the advantage now to have DK metcalf on his rookie contract versus this contract. Or when you're a defensive end, think of the advantage of having Aaron Donald when he was on his rookie contract compared to his veteran contract. And all these are just percentages. Like now it's going from just a couple of percent of absolutely but all all it is is like of a two hundred and thirty million dollar cap, and there's money being spent well and money spent poorly all throughout the rest, and it's only a small percent. You do go. You do get teams though, because I'm looking at like, for instance, with the Browns did with the Shawn Watson that two years from now he counts fifty five million against the cap, Myles Garrett counts another thirty two. That's they'll they'll change that, they'll change. That's not and they got you. If you add a couple of their other players too. I mean, you've got a significant portion of your cap tied up in three or four. My overarching point is it's harder to find great players than it is to work around the great players contract that it's worth the they're worth the contracts because you can figure out the rest of the roster if you're smart. I just like that. You you you know, Greg, you did your debate club and high school, and I just model congress how you like slipped in a data point there. It's five percent harder. I just do that. It's like, oh, like, if you take Greg on his worst, it's like he won the argument. It's only five percent. All I mean is like, what what is d K mccalf even even now? What is he taking up of the cap? It's like it's twelve the quarterbacks are taking up fifteen seventeen percent. It's still like st I just think the last year's Super Bowl is a case in point for everything you're talking about. The Rams pay up so many huge contracts go win the Super Bowl. On the other side of the field is the Bengals, who have all this young talent on rookie contracts. There's multiple ways. There's a million ways to do it. But but the hardest part, I think is finding the great players. That's the part. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Absolutely. I would also point the last Seahawks Super Bowl championship and their back to backs are Bowl run. It's when they have the rookie quarterback and they could spend out the wazoo for everyone else. It's an advantage. It's a huge advantage. It's not that huge my five percent, You're right, you won. I forgot speaking. There was good news about the Seahawks. Here's bad news about the Seahawks. Jamal Adams is seeking a second opinion on a hand injury. He doesn't have a timetable on his return to our friend Michael Shawn Dugard's m s D MSD for the initials. Anyway, surgery is possibly in play here, according to Pete Carroll, not obviously very uh scary situation for the Seahawks. Really, we all know the story about Adams and how much the Seahawks gave up to get him from the Jets, hoping he was going to put them over the top. He struggled to say healthy, mark playing and simple. This has not worked out at all for them. I mean, Jamal Adams does a lot for your defense. But this is a team that waved goodbye to Bobby Wagner. You've got Quandre Digs, Jamal Adams if he's not healthy, not able to get on the field soon. I just look at this deal and say, this was viewed by John Schneider Pete Carroll as the final move to put Seattle over the top and make them a Super Bowl contender again in the NFC, and it has gone completely backwards. It's discouraging. I mean, speaking of spending cap resources poorly, this is sort of what I'm talking about that, Like, the advantage is having a great quarterback, whether it's on a rookie deal or or even if you have to pay his worth. Like having the great quarterback is the value wasting resources in terms of a draft, and then contractual resources and Jamal Adams is how you get in a really tough scot if you make a couple of series out on that yes hear me out on this thing. Back to your point, once Russell got the huge contract, your your line, your margin of error gets almost raised thin with how you construct the rest of your roster, especially the big contracts. So Jamal Adams is a good example of the dangers of building a roster when you already have a huge quarterback contract on the book. Absolutely, I guess my thing is with with these rosters, it's just there's so many, Like there's ten big contracts now, like the cap has really gone up. Seattle is not a great example of one that has years with huge UH numbers on the books. But you look at a team like the Chiefs to the rams man, they find a way to put five, six, seven of these huge contracts on the same cap and still have a great team. Speaking of bad injury news early in camp, the Buccaneers might not have their star center Ryan Jensen this season at all. NFL Network insider Ian rapp Report reported Friday Purse sources that the team is waiting final word as of right now, but the fear is that Jensen has suffered a season ending near and knee injury suffered in practice on Thursday, got carted off. It looked bad at the time. You we've mark we've done this long enough. When this type of ramp up usually tells you swelling goes down. You get the m R I and it's a tear in there, and that's the season bad news for the Bucks who are already you know, a lot of transition on their line. Um, so this is made in the pivot, mark in the pivot. Yeah, you've got a you've got a new left guard, Shack Mason is a very good new right guard, and it looks like someone like Robert Hainze might step in place. Center. You could go out and get someone like J. C. Treader who was with the Browns previously. That's that's the one that they've mentioned. Um, this was the fourteen best center in the league last year according to PF and Tom Brady has you know, at his age, it's been so well protected behind that line. I remember, I mean we all do. At the end of last season, heading into the playoffs, when they started to have injury issues along that line, Tom Brady was not the same. And that's this is a major concern. This is like the leader of their line as well. Um, we're gonna have more in this later, uh in the show. So hold further thoughts on this. Let's move on. Hold in talk. Greg, you took credit for holding I like that that was a bold move on Wednesday show. So here are some more. Chargers coach Brandon Staley said that Derwin James, their star safety, will sit out practice until his contract is resolved. The same can be said for Steelers wide receiver Deonte Johnson, who also is sitting out team drills. And Deante Johnson might want to get back to practice because I feel like the Steelers greg don't tend to give out a second contract to wide receivers for the most part. But hey, listen, it's a strategy now. And it's also like one of these I like Deanti Johnson a lot, but compared to Deebo Samuel and Derwin James in in d K for a few days, that's sort of the level of player that has been able to pull off these holdings. And it doesn't sound like Deante Johnson is going to get a contract out of this. So he's just gonna skip a few weeks of practice most likely, and then just come back to practice. And and that's fine. I kind of like, I think it's telling and I like that these teams are handling this in a way where it's not It doesn't seem like there's hard feelings here between the series, Like Derwin James is absolutely getting done with with Deonte. You know, like Marktboli of The Athletic who's covered the Steelers forever, basically said the team does not have any interest in paying him Terry McLaurin type money or anything like that. So I'm with you. I think it's just like a take a couple of weeks off and go probably get your money on the market next off season, or does get Franz size tagged. It's a pittance for these players. He hasn't gotten a huge deal yet Johnson, but he if he doesn't get a new deal, is he gonna have to pay all the fines from us? And it comes with a literal cost. Now, if I had put in the kind of prep that Old New Old Blue Eyes here did, I could have done a search on Pro Football Reference. I would recommend stat Head if you're into its liken a month, but you can. You can do all sorts of great stats searches on Pro Football Reference and what I would search and maybe I'll do it here during the show. Uh, it's a little complicated, Like who has more targets than Deonte Johnson over the last two years combined a hundred and forty four hundred and sixty one. My guests would be he is in the top five in all receivers. Now the production, yeah, well, he'd have to be signed in it. It's a little complicated. You gotta put the put on its narrative. Combined, he's gotten twenty one yards. He is a productive receiver. He's very good. He's not quite at the McLaurin or Debot type of difference maker level, but I love him. I mean he also at worst he's a great number two. And we've had a tough quarterback situation last couple of years too. Chase Claypool is a guy I'm interested to see what his season looks like. Alright. Recovery news. David Baktari, the great left tackle for the Packers, whose career has been thrown into limbo because of a knee injury. Can't seem to get right from basically missed all of last year. We learned now that he had another surgery on the same knee recently. He's out indefinitely. Also, the Washington Commanders Chase Young coming off that a c L tear. He looks like he will miss the beginning of the regular season. We don't know how much. Same can be said for Michael Gallup standout widersty with the Cowboys likely to miss regular season time, all all vitally important players to their respective teams. Greggy, Yeah, it's just the time of year and it's hard to know like which injuries to bring up on the show because we're getting new injury for me every every day. But yeah, these are the three where it's like, Okay, if there was hope that that young and Gallup could be back sooner than expected and back for a week one, that's not happening. And when they give out the the idea this early in the process, it's usually a bad sign. And that best you're gonna miss a few weeks and that that's really significant. And then bak tr between him and Elton Jenkins, who's their second best offensive lineman who's coming off a torn a c L and potentially those are their two tackles this year. Jenkins has played all sorts of different positions, but that that's like a pretty big X factor here with the Packers going into the season, there too tackles who are the next two best players on the offense. I would argue to Aaron Rodgers along with Aaron Jones here, It's like that that's pretty massive for them heading into the season. It's like, we don't hear that much details about surgery sometimes, but bak tr Essentially it isn't really even the core A c L injury at this point. It's that the first surgery never sat well with him, had to get a second one with young sirs. I read surgeons grafted part of his healthy left Patel attendant to help repair the injured nee. So it's like you're going and taking part of the tendon and bone or whatever and put it onto the other one. I mean, that does not sound doesn't sound great. I do have an update on the target situation. Is it worth heading back? You know, that's like a podcasting question. It's too late now I have gone back. You're back. But just like sometimes it's not worth stopping the flow of the show to go back. Now, let's see if we can figure it out. I'm going to say I feel very confident that Davante Adams is on this list. He's number two. Yeah, give me, give me who else would be who is constantly targeted in their offense? McLaurin, No, he's tenth. Let's see Mary Cooper no, he was injured. Listre I believe. All right, let's hear the list. Stefan Diggs number one, DeVante to Cooper cup three um and then Deonte Johnson is number four in the NFL. Keenan Allen Tyreek killed justin. Jefferson our next on the list, but Deont John's in the fourth most dark. Very interesting. All right. We don't have Colleen here for to sing her odds and ends jingle, but we do have Mark Sessler. So Mark Sessler pinch hitting hit it. How does it go? Odds in it? The music? He was ready then, I like he didn't know that it's and ends and ends. I really sucked at this. That was pretty good. I was lost confidence midway through. It was already ready in my I don't know. I think you might have better. You might have to replace Colleen. Take here we go this time I started to be doing something. I don't think you could do what Connie does. I don't want to try it. Go ahead vocals, yeah, yeahs and ends, odds and odds and the first one, well it's getting worse. Yeah, it's a little bit of she can sing your girl. You started. It's like us here I'll just do the Colleen thing and then you can maybe do it here. It is, this is what Colin does. More like odds and ends, odds and everybody get rid of for some odds and and all right, you get the time. I think she says, tell your friends, your friends. Maybe Greg should do it? All right, do it? Greg? Well, I just got you served odds and ends. Odds and ends? You want to tell your friend with odds and ends coming up? Now? It's all right, let's at eight o'clock to light. It's like, how does she end it? Danny? Well, we need Colleen here. That's what we learned. Danny ammon Dola has retired. Ricky Hollywood favorite Bill Belichick even spoke highly of him in the press garments. I love Danny, good player, long career. Do you remember the video of Danny Ammondola's dad who was a coach, where that runaway cart was um veering over the turf and he got knocked over and taken out. He was finding the end, but it was one of the more bizarre football videos I've ever seen. Carlos done up is headed to the Chiefs. Eric Armstead is out a few weeks. Kwon Alexander going to the Jets. Speaking of the Jets, Mackay Beckton and Karl Lawson off the publist. Good signs, Greg, I think it's been a very positive feeling Jets pup season and Kwan Alexander played pretty well for the Saints last year. I think that's a nice a nice signing. They all right, justin Ross out for the season. Raiders starter Denzel Good retires. How about that? That's rough for the Raiders because their lyne, I think is their achilles heel. Right now, They've got a lot of shifting new faces and that's that was someone they were relying on, all right. And finally awards Slash Conklin on pup, does Denzel Award Denzel Ward foot injury, Tyler Conklin, Jack mcconklin, former Titan right tackle. Brown's got some questions, I feel like, not not that so much, but on the offensive line and some questions. Playoff Danny, by the way, playoff, Danny. I gotta you know, they don't win that Super Bowl, uh in, which is probably my favorite Patriots super Bowl when it comes down to after the first you've finally gotten off that foogazy corner when you said that horrible Rams Pats Super Bowl was your favorite. Bother you, but he was. He was a monster in that comeback against the Ravens in the Divisional round and then had a big touchdown in a big game in the super Bowl against the Seahawks too. All right, we need to take one more break and then get to the set. Let's do that. We'll be right back with some Fearless predictions for October four. It could have been different, mis to Walker, you should have allowed nature to take its course in the end. It will anyway, So let me get off. Oh. Yes, Mark Wahlberg from Fear. Remember Fear. Oh I saw it in the theater. You know what I thought was always so effective about that movie. For the zoomers out there, that actually is Mark Wahlberg. Like, clearly Mark Wallburg probably did that to one of his ex girlfriend's father's through a door somewhere in the suburbs of Boston. Feels organic. Uh. And that is also the same Mark Walberry that left the three Super Bowl early. So just it all ties together. So it's all connected. When you try to make your like public facing profile, like as a sports fan, like that's part of the agenda and then you have a moment like that. It's like it all coming back. Yeah, anyway, fear fear. Fear is a terrible thing. Fear is a part of human nature. Um, we s chew that we fear nothing. We fear we go where others fear to tread. We are fearless. We are making fearless predictions for October fourth, two thousand twenty two, that is the Tuesday after the conclusion of week for the NFL season. Does it all? Does it all make sense? So specific? Does fo? Yeah? Shoo? So I just looked it up. I think you're both both that it does. Haven't heard the sea parts hard. I've always said a shoe. I feel like the word has kind of lost its footing. People remove to bring it back. Time to bring it back a shoe or get rid of it entirely, just removed from that's the right way to say it. What was the one you did? What were the boats in the you butchered the boats in Italy? What was that? I don't recall I was in Italy when I did this. No, we were at Vegas. Gondola's gondola. You called it a gondola, right right? You gotta take the L on that one, I'll take the L and s chew. If two Gondola, I'll do further research on that. What about Quebec, Well, no, it was not, though it was not depending on where you get riveting stuff. Here, we'll cut all this out of the show. Let's get into Fearless Predictions Fortober four. Get us going, Okay, UM, I'm gonna make a prediction UM in the form of an actual piece of writing that's gonna go up on the NFL dot com that week. It's gonna be written actually by Mark Sessler. So I'm predicting what you're gonna write as the new um Helmer, the new captain of QB Index. I hope you don't mind that. I guess it's not aware that I. Um, I thought it was a different column or something. No, it's gonna be your your QB index column, which Mark has taken over. West wrote it at one point I I had started back in the mix. I did it last. So it's great. It's a family, the family operation. But here it is QB Index. After week four, UM, Mark's writing Lamar Jackson number two. This is his his profile. Wow, Lamar is up at number two. Through season and subsequent offseason of endless storm clouds, waves of chaos and l fortune. Lamar Jackson never blinked. The renewed emphasis on Lamar's legs and the Ravens running game is overshadowed how big plays with his arm left the Patriots, Bills and Bengals looking like soaking school children who lost their umbrellas. The volters circling around Lamar now resemble bright yellow chickadees with the only foul carcass in the a f C North lying a nert to the north in Cleveland. I will use that. You absolutely should like that would be a little inside joke just between us and uh. We need the Browns, the stink, We need that Lamar to come through strong. I guess you could move the ranking around if you did. Did see were full on? You know, Lamar, for a guy that's already an m v P, does have a lot of people in the football cognance sent They who are deep in his corner and will go out of their way to pump them up. Greg's one of them, for example. UM like I saw a report, the latest report Lamar Jackson throwing incredible spirals this summer it's like, well, do you want to be pay I think in the past there. You're right though, that there's been some off season hype for the Lamar lovers out there that like that, like he's really been focused on his passing he wasn't happy, and that he's added fifteen pounds of muscle and it might all be nonsense, but if you're so inclined to believe in Lamar, and they really did kind of focus their off season on I think rebuilding that running game, that that was more of the idea that that's gonna be the bedrock. I I do think they've got a tough schedule early, but it wouldn't surprise me here. Lamar, I don't love the group is problematic. But if he if he's beating the Patriots, Bills, and Bengals, um all right. So that's something I feel like you really want to happen, but you actually feel it. Yeah, I think I think Lamar and the I think Lamar is set up for an excellent season and the Ravens are set up for an excellent bounce back. And actually one of those lines in the article I lifted exactly from a Mark Sessler right up of the Ravens from last year. Well done, well done, all right, let me um, it's the storm clouds, waves of chaos and ill fortune. No one has written waves of chaos on this site other than Mark. Like if anybody else wrote it, you would be kind of flagged as a plagiarist. I love you, buddy, I love you. Also know that was love through um plagiarism. I don't think. I don't think stuts. If he were to meet me, maybe he would feel differently. You know what, even just putting my myself in the mind of Mark Cessler, I think opened me up. Like that line I said, they looked like soaking school children who lost their brother. That was good. I should I should use lines like that. Why if you walk away from QB index, there's you know, two big um columns per week? Is is is a grind? I got the picks um, I've done QUB. I was really happy that you Pring did it last year just to pick I'm just doing the picks um and just timing of the working weeks. We've got a lot, we've got more talking to do this season, um and so two big column A little worried about power rankings this year, bringing it back to us. See you're on one, that's what's like four columns and one? What if I get like three weeks and then I'm like, this is not for me. A little like four four columns? Are you okay with? That is a lot of work? Mark? Are you worried about maybe that could affect Marks performs on the show if QB index turns into a bear, that would become not Mark's fault but yours. No. I think Mark is like Lamar right now, He's in the best shape of his life and he's going to be cranking at least through week four. I worry more about it. Wouldn't in theory, I'd be better on the show if I'm doing more and more work. Right, I'm gonna circle back to Tampa Bay. As I hinted at earlier, my fearless prediction is that the Bucks are going to be let's say one in three um after four weeks, and there will be panic in the streets, and a lot of it does go back to what Mark said about the uncertainty around that offensive line with Ryan Jensen most likely out for the year. Then you look at the schedule schedule makers. NFC South is typically a pretty decent place to be, but it doesn't start out well for the Bucks at all at Dallas to twelve and five team in their building at New Orleans, Dang, they might be the only NFL team that starts with two road games and respect and as Marks want to say, the Colts start at Houston at Jacksonvilleka, George Mark, you love to talk about how the Saints always take it to Tom Brady. So at New Orleans in week two, that building is gonna be on fire home versus Green Bay, Week three, home versus Chiefs in week four for a team, for a team with a offensive line, very real issue. It's that you could were edging into crisis territory. Now Ali Marpett retired, you have Ryan Jensen, as they said, out for the year. Most likely who else did they lose? They lost Kappa, they lost the guard there. So there the three new interior blockers needed time to gel and I think there's going to be a lot and other fearless prediction here, Mark Wahlberg, through the people let me in the f and house is a lot of people are gonna take that and wrongly put it on Brady and say Brady is getting old. Fine, not anymore. Listen, you own up and you move on. People will think it's Brady because Brady will be struggling statistically, and he's gonna be getting hit a lot, and they're gonna say, well, well, without a good offensive line, and he's another year older. Maybe this is the end. Spoiler alert, It is not the end, but it will not. It will not begin well. They had troubled a couple of years ago when they won the Super Bowl. They were a little slow out of the gate. I mean, there are different reasons for that, but I could totally see that does he rough month of game that is fearless though, I'm definitely not on board. To me, the Bucks despite losing Jensen and that that's a pretty big one. J C. Treader would be a nice pick. It takes time even to me, who's an upgrade from Kappa. So that's one guards. But they did draft a second round pick. You know, Brady makes these guys look better. I kind of I'm buying into that. Julio fits in here as like a nice piece. They just have so many weapons on both sides of the ball. The record after four weeks those that's a tough schedule. I would probably if I had to pick through go three and one to shape. If they're three and one out of the gate here this year, to me, I would put them in the bills as like the two best rosters and the two teams. I think that I would have the hardest time scene struggling, Like at any point, do you worry at all about Todd Bowles? Oh, thank you for bringing it up, Todd Bowles, Like we all talked too. We're happy you've got another chance too. It was kind of behind the a ball with playing coaching for the Jets, but it is that's a big change for the team as well. And you just, um, you wonder if there's just going to be an early season adjustment period and the team will come out eventually starts law. That's what I predict, fearless and Jensen. Jensen is the guy they prioritize the most in this free agent class where we didn't know who they'd be able to bring back. You know, they got Godwin back, but it's like they really put Jensen even ahead of Carlton Davis and some of their other guys. That's how important he was to them. Then you mentioned Chris Godwin not healthy early and not healthy right now either. So he's been cleared for the beginning of camp with that a c L. But it might take some time. Lavante David that Harlett Liz Frank also an issue stuff. So there you go, all right, how about you? I feel like I nailed that one. Greg's was right? What do you mean, Well, Gregg's was based on me, So why would that not? Why would it would be just a ruin more for style over substance here, I'd I think it was a good Uh, it was a good entry point to it and better out of the first two. That's a tough call what he can be. Honest, I won't get mad if you feel don't do not answer this question, Gaber unless it's me. You can't win this. See here's the thing. It's like, you can hype up a fan base or you can cast doom and gloom over a fan base. And I do feel like Greg's decision to hype up the Ravens might be better taken, better energy. Yeah, that doesn't mean anything, but when it comes to accuracy, Oh that's what I'm looking for. Probably who knows? Who knows? We should be feelings though not pandering too fan bases. Would you wouldn't you agree as a producer of the show. That's true. That's a kind of our bread and butter. Right, what was in the right up by the Guardian? What did they say? What we do? We are ruthless, honesty, you what we're about? So not just hey, I'm gonna make you feel good. Stick to the integrity of the fearlessness of the segment. All right, Mark, how about you? All right, let's stay in the NFC South. Um. I thought a lot about this because this came to me and I'm a little concerned. Um, this is not pandering to anyone. This is this is this is um a different way to do it. Baker Mayfield wins the job in Carolina. Start right there. Things start swimmingly as Baker throws a pair of gutsy fourth quarter touchdowns to slay the Browns and the opener we all want to see that happen. The offense stumbles from there, though, as the team drops three straight against the Giants, Saints and carts. Baker's killer interception against Arizona, which seals the team's tumble in overtime, propels coach Matt Rule to announce that Sam Donald will start the team's Week five tilts against San Francisco. Rules. Master plan goes awry, however, when Donald is sent to the hospital for observation after being overwhelmed by a gang of children. This is this is all the rage in America right now. Child gangs is huge in America right now. They swarm the streets, they fill the malls, they spin havoc at will Donald knows this is positive. No, Dwayne Reid is safe. Know Donald's prognosis is positive. Those kids just gave him a shiner and stole his clothing. But the misadventure allows Baker to step in and register a stunning upset of the Niners and keep the job. Donald doesn't play another snap in two and struggles to live down the reality that he was snowed under by a flock of agitated pre pubescent boys and girls. Wow, so this wasn't amazing. I mean, first of all, that's what Cecy does. Know he's got the gang of children. Didn't see that coming. And then you went to the end of the season, so the fearless prediction is now well passed week for Baker keeps the job all year. I like it. I like that you said like like it was nothing. The Panthers destroy the Browns in Week one, like we all want to see what what world are we living? Well? I think I think if you're like the the Justice Angle of like Baker having revenge would be a sweet storyline. Still not dubious, but I'm curious what Mark Sessler's headspaces one. He's a top ten football insider. Well, I know that where's not gonna be Week one of the Browns are playing on Sunday. I don't feel much towards them right now. I'm just gonna be more of a agnostic as they say, Um, you know, Greg, before I swing it back to you, mine is also Panthers related, So why don't we just knock them out together? So much? Panthers? Yeah, you know what we're all about? The NFC South apparently tonight. Um, there's always a team, always a team that gates gets out of the gates quickly and then are quickly you know, reality takes hold, like the Panthers. Last last year, it was the Panthers. This year it's gonna be the Panthers. Back to back year is here? How is Here's how the Panthers season begins. I think Mark might have mentioned some of the opponents, but I'll just go over it again. Home against Cleveland at New York Giants, home against Saints, home against Cardinals. Three home games. Yes, some tough games in there, but also Saints and Cardinals in your building. I like Jamis Winston on the road. I never have fear about that. Who knows what we're getting with the Cardinals destroyed him early last year. Yes, that's true. We also don't know what the Cardinals gonna look like. No, DeAndre Hopkins early. The Giants are the Giants, and until they show that they're not the Giants, they're still the Giants. And the Browns are middling team. We know even though Deshaun Watson still we don't have any answer on that, and there was report today we don't won't get one this week either, So at some point Deshaun Watson's situation will be made clear, but it's not there yet anyway, Long story short, I don't know who's gonna start, probably Baker. I think the fans and Caroline are all about Baker. Well, I've told you that that's that's the case, right Marx made his fearless prediction. Um, I know Donald badly outplayed Baker day one of camp. Then I believe it's gone the other way. They are splitting reps. It was Donald first team day one, it was Baker first first team day two, and they're splitting rep stay three. So so far Rule is very much playing this right down the middle. And I see, say, with a healthy Christian McCaffrey, now that Robby Anderson has dropped the y and is now R O B B I E. I think that's going to create some positive juice. And uh, I see them starting three and one and people getting pumped up. Well, I like the I E move for Robbie. He's right, it does look better. That was his explanation. It's just like it's just late in the game to do it. I don't know. It feels like he's pivoting off of the Darius leonard Um to the dinner table on that right. I I think this the off season so long that you come around on some teams, and I'm not. I haven't come around in the Panthers mattering, but I do think that they have a lot of professional football players and adding Baker to a much improved offensive line on paper. I don't think Matt Rule has been a terrible like offense, Like everyone's like, how is this gonna fit with Ben McAdoo. It's like it's a Matt Rule offense, Matt Star. I don't think Matt Rule is going down in his career by handing over the keys to his entire offense to Ben McAdoo. It's a Matt Rule system which gets rid of the ball quickly. Baker's got to learn how to do that. But I think for the most part has done a good job like getting his getting the ball. The playmakers like, there are a lot of players here. The defense, while they're like statistical rankings were overinflated, also have a lot of professional players. Their secondary is kind of fun if J. C. Horne is healthy. I don't think this is a good team, but it's it's one of those teams that it's like, it's not that hard to win seven games in the NFL, and they feel very much like a team that can at least win seven games and and sometimes you win three out of the first four. Again, but the Falcons one seven year ago. I also say like the Panthers were stymied by the loss of Christianacaffrey again and the worst quarterback play in the league. And uh, to be clear, I do believe they help will have fast start, but I think just like last year, they'll fade. So I don't know what these predictions are. We don't know, right. I can only tell you that they'll be three and one and I won't be buying in on October four. They'll be like, nice start and you won't be caught off guard. I will not. And I will also say I'm kind of down. Um, I'm kind of down with this quarterback battle because Greg, as you pointed out, we don't have enough of them anymore. And I'm just looking at the Charlotte Observer. In the past hour, new Cole and Sam Donald led a two minute touchdown drive and made the throw training camp thus far wasn't enough to win the day against Baker and Mayfield. This is great. This is gonna go all through the next few weeks. He's like he's throwing ed. I love this stuff. I love the Geno lock battles. Supposedly Gino had that doesn't sound like a battle day no, but that Gino also supposedly had like the worst possible Day two or he was just like fumbling, like snaps over and over. Alright, how about another one? Alright, um my, this is another um preview of NFL dot com content. Uh on October five? Is it Tuesday Week four? Tuesday October four Power rankings coming in at number twenty the Houston Texas and here's the content. The old zuser doesn't know what to do with these three and one Texans. One point went over the Colts, and the opener was all about special teams, and it's tough for dan zeus to get excited when they dispatched the moribund Bears and three and Sunday's win was a classic case of Chargers gonna charger. Still, the old New Blue Eyes has to admit a fondness for Davis Mills. It is becoming impossible to ignore the eradicable greatness that Cayamie Fairband has given the world after another game winner, especially to Daddy Rich. Oh shoot, um, I like the style. I think you hit some points. I didn't even know one of the words that was that was both of years. I lifted an actual sentence, and the irradicable greatness of Coamie Fairbaron was actually an actual quote. When he hit a banger game winner. I've never I've never used any of my nicknames in written content, but otherwise I enjoyed it quite a bit. It would be funny if you did, but because you haven't it it would be funny if self contained in the student because that's only one team that you you would have used four or five nicknames if you did that for every team. So the Texans at three and one and that schedule, okay, but you're not buying in really because there's three and one. They barely beat the Colts. It's like you could see that happening. Uh. They got the Bears early, which is a winnable game. They did beat the Chargers last year, like there is a route here for them. I do think they're team. They're a little like the Panthers to me that I think they're going to be a lot more competitive than people than they were the last two years. Put it that way, all right, that would be a surprise. And like a lot of veterans, they're not a young team. They're one of the like older teams. They signed a lot of like Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison and I actually kind of believe in this coaching staff to get these guys to play like respectable football and to just be a respectable team and win some games. Smith around the NFL guest, you know he was. He was a wonderful He was a wonderful guest. Enjoy talking to him. He seemed to have a really good perspective about where he was in his career back in February. Maybe that's changed this then, Well that's what David Culley thought a year ago, which I hope. You know, they've got to have a little more consistency there. Uh, David Cully should have never lost his job. But that's neither here nor there. I'm tapped out. Do you have another one? Mark? I have a couple of quick ones, Okay, I kind of struggled to come up with. UM. I just wanted to be honest about things that came to me, and these could Let's see, this will all happen by week four. Um, we will be deluged with a controversy that becomes known as bounty Gate. Two point Oh that's going to be annoying. Okay, say yeah, you gotta say some of these for the sandwich props before, these are different. These are different, um, Erica tamp Posey will become a national figure of interest when during the Rams victory over the Niners on Monday Night Football and Week four, she rips across the field during the third quarter to tackle a burly male streaker. WHOA that would be a great hero moment. So like security, she's on security for the Rams. She just feels it's in her purview and abilities to take the sky out this. People would love that. People, I think would find that they might find out later that it was all set up previously to make Erica a national figure by Erica's one power. I'm not sure about that one. UM. This this one, I always feel. Whether the Rams camp next Friday, by the way, yes, and we'll see. We'll see her unless she hurt her on Mike if she can. She's not busy tackling drunk strangers right well now, that will happen a Week four UM one NFL game will be postponed by Week four by either a and earthquake. Um I've mentioned that before because I really feel that I'd say one of those things that may be happy a year or two later, or be if not an earthquake, a highly unusual weather event involving birds turning on humans. Um One NFL coach will be fired by week four due to a scandal involving M d M. A secret Sessler's greatest hits right now fired through scandal, the natural disaster, last person running on the field. What else have we got? I nailed it last year. We got kids attacking people earlier in the episode. Now it's birds. That's a that's happening. You know, the rolling Stones, they play, the hits they're gonna play. Satisfaction starting saves them for I guess this is the last one. We're enjoying them, by the way, just learning to really lean into it. Kyler Murray introduces a new end Zone celebration where he pretends to sit on a chair like on an air check right while flipping through a book and screaming independently study this. I like that he should do that. He just leans into it. I really liked his yoga pose. I feel like that actually is one of the most underrated touchdown celebrations go in the last few years. And if he pivots to something like this, that would be excepting, you know, would be kind of cool to just to show that he's got more edge now. Uh, and he's pumped up. He could start in the yoga pose and then when the camera the fox runs in with the camera guy, he like explodes, like Mark Wahlberg in Theory, He's like, let me in the house. The house is the end zone. I feel like that the culture reference is a little dated, but it might cause some of the again the zoomers out there, Beck, what is he? What is he referencing? All of a sudden fear is number one streaming on Netflix. It's a good strategy for for Netflix. Apparently the yoga pose was a nod to baby Yoda in Star Wars. So, um, I'm sounding like a boom or not really even understanding what what the reference was. Dan doesn't understand that baby yoga, Baby Yoda. There was always doing that little peah, that's it. Oh yeah, I do have one. Um. Mark asked me to come up with one when we were doing the text threat on Sean, we see you on camera, Mark, you asked for a Titans prediction, but to honor the segment, I honestly like, fearlessly cannot I'm distracted by what's happening behind me. I can't fearlessly predict something about the Titans because it fills me with fear that I'll either be right or wrong. So I have a Cults one and this tracks with the Houston prediction too. I say Cults start one in three first four games at Houston at Jacksonville, verse Kansas City, and then against the Titans at home. You know those division games are always tougher than you think. Houston Jacksonville. Greg says Houston can beat the Colts. So you know what's crazy is the Cults have started one in three twice in Frank Craig's for your career. They're kind of a team that gets better as the season goes on. Do you guys know the last time the Colts won their Week one game Andrew Lux rookie year, Andrew Lux second year in the league in a long time. Man, that's random, but that is true that Reich's including with luck has started slow a few times and last year, uh, they certainly had to dig out of a hole. You have went three in the division potentially on the game fearless it is to have a host of a Titans podcast predicting doom for their arch rivals. That doesn't strike me as fearless. That's that's like, you know, me, you know, picking on the Jets or something like that. It's pretty good though, because nobody everybody thinks, you know, the Cults were a winning team last ye, even as badly these things ended, and a lot of people think they could be, you know, in the driver's seat in that divisions where they're acting like Jesus has returned with Matt Ryan's place. So far, I believe they are the Vegas favorites, but they are the favorite they implied odds there if you like, convert the plus minus whatever to imply to odds. It's like for the Colts thirty five percent for the Titans, which is kind of a big difference. That's pretty dist Digger um, before we sign off, good seg. We're all done right that, yeah, Um. Developing news here out of Buffalo Bills training camp. Nothing too concerning, nobody. Don't get worried Bills fans, but Greg, this is one of your making the Leap candidates. Elena Getzenberg reports Josh Allen went to the ground after Ed Oliver ended up near his legs on a play. Alan got right back up, but Sean McDermott immediately kicked Oliver off the field. Do not dive at the kid's legs, not that kid. It sounds like everyone's healthy, though, yes, does this concern you at a doghouse at Oliver goes, I thought Ed Oliver was maybe going to get injured during this. So I'm happy that everyone's healthy. But he has learned a lesson the hard way. Do not go near It's like, no, you may not keep practicing in degree heat with pads on against other three pound men. You will be punished very good. Hey, one last thing before we go, I had an idea. It might be a bad idea, But the good thing about this idea is that if it it turns out to be a terrible idea, it will just be something that we won't go on. It won't moving forward, it will never be brought up again. Mhm. It's kind of like that um that segment we did a few times that with Baker Mayfield shoot. I wish I had remember what's Greg talking about? You've lost me launching him into the sun. No. This offseason we were doing the spotlight you know someone's spotlight. Wait, we could edit all that. We nail that was a home run side, but then it went away. We never heard about it. We can't even remember the name right now, what's it called? Well? You you described it so poorly. Yeah, that was flashpoint. It was the last point. It's gonna go away like flash point. Oh that was a bad segment. It was such a home run. You always say the right thing. We just did like two of them and then they were gone, never to be heard. Do you remember that whenever we flashpointed someone within within a fortnight, they were the centerpiece of NFL and you don't force it. There wasn't a flashpoint that really came into focus for us and the world moves on. But trust me, the flash point will be back, okaywhere it never went away, right, it's just waiting. It's like it's like a cobra waiting to strike. I was just noting that. I think it had two appearances and it hasn't been mentioned since. Well because you kind of took the l because you thought it was going to be a bad seg and then it was a good seg. And then just because we went away from it, you thought, oh I got the w that's gone. It was m let's go back and listen to a crystal ball starts. If you're just joining us and this is what I want to do. Listener, we have an assignment for you, Grave Digger, you can help fill in the details. The Washington Commanders, you know, they've got a lot of branding work to do, because they don't they're not the Redskins anymore. They changed their name. They're now the Commanders. Everyone knows the famous fight song Hailed to the Redskins also now irrelevant. It's the funct they s chew it. Put that record back on the shelf. Put it on the shelf. Now we still have the music of the song, which sounds like this. I think this isn't Yeah, it sounds right, great, Digger, what are the what are the commanders asking their fans to do? So basically, they put out a tweet they're gonna change the lyrics to their fight song, obviously because the name of the fight song was their old mascot. And they basically they just put out two options where they changed the line that used to be hailed to the word but the offensive man Scott. Now they have two other options. Fight for our commanders is one of them, which will be said twice or leaders on a mission. You can see in context say lines around hail to the commanders, hail victory, fight for our commanders, fight for old d C. Okay, now do the other one. Hail to the commanders, hail victory, leaders on a mission, fight for old d C. So it's either fight for our commanders or leaders on a mission. But I don't know neither of those areas getting ready to take command like that they've been cultivating that we're trying. Uh maybe sometime command how they lock in as those are the only two options. They both are raw, non police. Rivera said he liked leaders on a mission. I think that just is strange. Commanders a couple of times just take command. Well, I was gonna say, if the listeners wanted to submit a song with their own lyrics, maybe it'll be better than what they're trying to get. Tap into the creative So yeah, resources of the fan base. Yes, if you get your creative juices flowing, great, bigger if you could send somewhere or whether it's on Twitter or on the subredd or whatever, give them the bed music and then write your own lyrics to the song. Stay within it melodically. Uh, take it easy with some of the certain things. Use some discretion because you understand we can't play if you go all in on certain figures. Not to protect certain figures, but we can't play things about certain figures if you go to on the nose with it. Does everybody know what I'm talking about? I think so well. I believe you're maybe referring to the owner who spent twelve hours being deposed by United States Congress on Thursday. I'm just saying, yeah, you can include facts, of course, but just stay within reason or we're not gonna be able to use it, even if it's tremendous. So keep that in mind. Those are the guardrails. Listen, you have to operate within the guardrails that we have to operate within if you're gonna be on our air waves. But send in something graver, uh? Is it? What's our Gmail? The A t N podcast at gmail dot com? What's going on in that when you when you go into that mailbox right now? What what sort of action is happening? I have never checked it? Say it again for everyone, the A T N Podcast at gmail dot com. Now. I don't want every song version to include this because then it would be too repetitive, But personally I probably will give a little extra pop if you can seamlessly, we've in um maybe we're trying to start to as we all know, decided to really go ahead and start to take command. Yeah, I think it's safe in a fun way. You said it, But also we didn't have to say it. I hope not, because you understand what we're looking for. That's what's important to us. That needs to be a major part of the rebranding. So if you could find a way to work that in, either with that sound drop itself or within the lyrics that was both works. What are they gonna do when someone you know, listening to this creates a better We'll send it. We'll send it along. You never know, if we can, if we feel like we could send it along without getting fired, we will send it along. And if it's just funny, we'll play it on the show and that will be that. That's a great unless it goes too far again future for it to go off the guard rails. We'll listen to it privately and maybe chuckle, but then you won't hear it, and the listeners won't it so good that they make it the song. And this is a team that frankly hasn't gotten or deserve much positive media coverage in a while. What a way to China. Change the narrative, then align with us, align with the song. It's a happy, feel good story. Why why is this the idea coming from our show? This should have been their idea. They choose between these two lines. No, a lot of commanders in Washington, d C. And the Pentagon working in anything that the pen got an angled. I guess that's where they were going with leaders if the Pentagon the Pentagon business every time with them like lauding the Pentagon. Now it just it's like the guy go in a different direction. Listen. I know a lot of unsavory things happen in the Pentagon. It is it is the home of our defense center essentially of this nation and our armed forces. Um. But the fact that you're so defiant about it, it strikes me as funny. And I'm mcgreg I know agrees. I'm having a weird day. All right. Uh, we'll be back big week next week. Connor or team Slogans will join us uh Tuesday, and then where at RAMS camp on Friday. Thank you for listening. We're back until next week. He's a call