2025 NFL Week 18 Preview

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Welcome to NFL Daily, where the holidays are over, days are over almost. I'm Greg Rosenthal here and the Chris Westling podcast studio, our last NFL Daily of two thousand and twenty five.

00:00:20
Speaker 2: It's been a great year previewing.

00:00:23
Speaker 1: Games with my friends Patrick Claybah and Jordan Rodrieg Here.

00:00:27
Speaker 2: We are the last full slate to talk about of the year.

00:00:30
Speaker 3: We did it so and so did all the players and coaches and people and the staffs, loading up the airplanes, the buses, everybody involved in making this a great NFL season, and I hope they have a successful and happy twenty twenty six.

00:00:44
Speaker 1: You guys aren't off the hook that we're going to be previewing the playoffs, and yeah, the train keeps moving.

00:00:48
Speaker 4: It doesn't stop after that.

00:00:50
Speaker 1: No, this is this is just the beginning, but it's been it's been a great year here on the Preview show and on NFL Daily. I did want to because some people were asking we got those Christmas cards to Colleen Wolf and look, we had QB Island on the docket for Tuesday. We got to do a season finale QB Island, And you know, knowing us like procrastinating makes sense we're gonna be reading all those Christmas cards once we get to the New Year next Tuesday, so I'm looking forward to that. But in the meantime, we have a little bit different of a setup here, Patrick, you know, as the as the co host, I'm putting a lot on you. We're gonna go NFC first, okay, then AFC, and we're doing it in order of seeding entering the week. So, for instance, the first game is Seattle San Francisco, because San Francisco, I mean Seattle rather is the number one seed, and so we're going in order of seating, and we are gonna put a clock on each one of these games.

00:01:52
Speaker 2: But each game deserves.

00:01:54
Speaker 1: A different amount of time, and Seattle San Francisco is one of three, you know, very meaningful games that deserve the full seven minute treatment.

00:02:02
Speaker 3: And that's why we got seven in red parenthetically, which I enjoy because you know, it highlights the importance of the fact that the Seattle Seahawks are one and a half point favorites on the road against those San Francisco forty nine ers who just won the Bears, playing against the Bears, playing again in another game of the year, as it seems like the Bears are doing that every single week on ESPN and ABC. Shout out to broadcast Television. Forty nine and a half is the over under Joe Buck, Troygman, and Laura Rutledge are on the call. Greg, the forty nine ers can do this. You've highlighted the possibility of them doing this for the past several weeks. Do they actually do it and get the number one overall seed.

00:02:45
Speaker 1: I'm leaning Seahawks, but it wouldn't surprise me if the forty nine ers won this game. I think the one thing that should make forty nine Ers fans feel better about their biggest weakness, which is obviously the pass rush and the defense in general, is kind of the big question I have for Seattle right now. Is Sam Darnold, you know, recovering from getting booted off of Quarterback Island after being the MVP in the first half of the season for NFL Daily. Is he really in a position right now, not because of the qbi on thing, but is he legitimately in a position as the rest of the offense in a position to beat up on a bad defense? Are they good enough to put up enough points against this forty nine Ers defense.

00:03:28
Speaker 2: I have my doubts. I literally don't know the answer.

00:03:31
Speaker 1: But the way Donald and the running game inconsistency has been playing lately, I think it's an open question.

00:03:38
Speaker 5: I think they have a size advantage in a lot of key areas against this forty nine ers defense.

00:03:42
Speaker 4: Too. The way that aj.

00:03:43
Speaker 5: Barner has emerged as a real threat. You know, their run game has been just sort of creaking to life, and you know, some weeks it meets its potential. In other weeks it takes a step back, it seems to. But the two back system that they want to run, it also is a mismatch, and I think that they obviously have the advantage as up and down as their offensive line Seattle's offensive line has been playing, they do still I think have an advantage against the forty nine ers defensive line. I think that they just try to go out and overwhelm position by position this forty nine ers defense.

00:04:16
Speaker 4: You have mismatches everywhere.

00:04:17
Speaker 1: Rashecha Heat is coming off a concussion so far, we just don't know. When it comes to concussions. You kind of got to wait through the week. Cooper Cups struggled a little bit lately, So yeah, you mentioned it. AJ Barner with that that touchdown celebration. I mean, it's like sneaky, sneaky memorable.

00:04:35
Speaker 6: The A J.

00:04:36
Speaker 2: Barner touchdown celebration fum.

00:04:38
Speaker 3: And it made my friend and Fantasy Live co host Adam Rank think of the There was a John Favreau moment from Friends where he was in a full body cast and moving.

00:04:51
Speaker 6: If that's what A J. Barner was celebrating, I know what he's doing.

00:04:53
Speaker 5: Never been able to laugh at episode in the show. He watched it all the way through.

00:04:57
Speaker 3: No, yeah, he celebrates the entire catalog. It's it's a bit of a bit between us because I don't it was not necessarily a show for me, and I feel like, you know, the premise was a ripoff of Living Single and all that to collude into a discussion about Sam Donald and the way that the picture has been muddied by teams to bother Sam Donald look going all the way back to the legendary Jacoby Brissett game that I will talk about for the rest of my life.

00:05:23
Speaker 6: This forty nine Ers team has not been able to do that consistently.

00:05:27
Speaker 3: So if you want to extract that bad version of Sam Donald or at least a backwards version of the Seahawks offense. You need to be able to apply that pressure, and I have yet to see them do it fair and just the way that Nicki Menmory and the rest of the Seattle front with Lawrence and the Large Cat playing very well as well, I just let's.

00:05:48
Speaker 2: Talk about that side much talent.

00:05:49
Speaker 1: It is very possibly the best offense in the league right now versus the best defense in the league. Obviously this we might have gotten this one two weeks ago too, when it was Seahawks Rams. But the way the forty nine Ers offense is playing right now, it is as much of a Super Bowl preview in terms of two units absolutely dominated as possible, which makes the status of Trent Williams and George Kittle so much more important. It's amazing that they did all that on Sunday night without George Kittle and without Trent Williams for almost the entire game, and so we're gonna have to see if they're available. It's hard to imagine them being their best selves without those two guys in this matchup.

00:06:28
Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree, And because otherwise the forty nine Ers you keep on saying, oh, I've seen this before with the version maybe not one for one, the version of offense that they're playing, but in terms of mixing their personnels, mixing their formation changes, and just being this like overwhelming monolithic force moving the ball down the field.

00:06:47
Speaker 4: I don't know that you get a game like that out.

00:06:50
Speaker 5: Of Christian McCaffrey ten times out of ten at this point in his career. But this is also a forty nine Ers team that is so used to and I would say on both sides of the ball, playing matchup football this time of year, and is gunning for that buye because they have people to get healthy. And so this is one of those where I think in the playoffs we always talk about on offense and defense, it's not necessarily you know that you play a team like you would in the regular season. You design very specific game plans. You can't really afford to always do that unless you're extremely gifted in that area and can delegate along your staff as a coach. This is when you start if you're the forty nine Ers. It also is when you start if you're the Seahawk.

00:07:29
Speaker 2: It's a playoff game because it is.

00:07:30
Speaker 5: A playoff game, and that's the thing, and it feels like one. It really does.

00:07:34
Speaker 1: Someone gets a playoff win if you win. It's like a playoff bonus game. You get a playoff win if you win, because you get that buy you get. You get to skip a week, but you don't have to, you know, suffer the bad part where your season's over.

00:07:45
Speaker 6: But they but they don't get the win though.

00:07:47
Speaker 2: You get to advance to the final ty advance.

00:07:49
Speaker 3: But in terms of looking back and when we do the the weighing of the souls of people's careers, that.

00:07:54
Speaker 6: Nobody's going to sit.

00:07:55
Speaker 3: Donald got that playoff win because he won that game.

00:07:58
Speaker 1: You don't get the enjoyment, but you do get to advance ants to the final eight the winner, and that's an amazing carrot for both of these teams.

00:08:05
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think the type the forty nine ers no cannot run pressure. But when I'm talking about matchup football, I do think that Robert Sala, with this cast of players that he has, is able to specifically design some of the things that do bother Sam Darnold, which is make it look like you are going to bring pressure and then backing that pressure off of the ball all of a sudden and cloudying up and rotating your guys throughout the defensive backfield. I do think he has the guys for that, and I think it's about for both of these teams. It's admitting what you are not. The Seattle Seahawks have to basically oversize and overwhelm this forty nine ers defense, right they have to admit that, Okay, maybe right now we're not totally firing in all cylinders with our finesse players and our downfield passing game other than JSN.

00:08:51
Speaker 4: Okay, let's just load up and overwhelm. Forty nine Ers.

00:08:54
Speaker 5: On the other hand, have to say, you know what, we can't rush the quarterback regularly. Let's try to mess him up in other ways, in ways that other teams have been successful with designing those sims and creepers.

00:09:03
Speaker 3: If there can be this coaching masterclass and SOLI can have the defense positioned as they were in the game deciding play against the Chicago Bears, and Kyle is dialing up opportunities and Brock parties executing great, of course the forty nine Ers can win this game. I just think that the barriers to success there's a whole lot more for San Francisco than they are for Seattle.

00:09:23
Speaker 1: I think talking about the physicality is it. I just think that the Seahawks have more dudes, which is crazy to say, But and again CMC kind of like Derrick Henry looked a little extra in Week seventeen, like he had somehow saved up a little more in reserve. And if you get that version, and you get the version of brock Purty that you saw in week one, remember the forty nine ers won this game in Week one, in a game that brock Purty was pressured sixty percent of the time and yet delivered a bunch of big time throws. It was it was a performance where I remember it was much better than the box score indicated. So he's kind of he's been better than Sam Arnold and he's probably gonna have to be better to win this game.

00:10:05
Speaker 3: All right, let's go to another game that would be between two contenders. But the things have kind of fallen off lately for a team that we really really love. The Detroit Lions are at the Chicago Bears, who were favorite about three this time around. The over Oders fifty and a half, Kevin Burkhart, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi are on the call. The parenthetical says five minutes for this one.

00:10:24
Speaker 1: Jordan, Well, they are the two seed and this is an interesting game, so they get their respect of that.

00:10:30
Speaker 2: Not as high stakes.

00:10:32
Speaker 5: Time limit for the first one anyway, So I do not.

00:10:34
Speaker 2: Care we used the time limit. We did it.

00:10:38
Speaker 5: Do you guys remember back before the start of the season when everyone was talking about the first time these two teams were scheduled to play each other weeks ago, and this was the Ben Johnson quote unquote revenge game. And this was Dan Campbell before the start of the season saying I didn't need my offensive coordinator. It wasn't just Ben Johnson and some of the commentary coming out. It just it looks a little funnier in the light, you know, in the light at the end of the season, with how Ben Johnson has the Chicago Bears rolling and Dan Campbell and the Lions unfortunately are left looking for answers on offense. I think ultimately after this game the answer on defense is get healthy.

00:11:15
Speaker 2: Right.

00:11:15
Speaker 4: Kelvin Shepard is that guy. He's that dude.

00:11:18
Speaker 5: Otherwise, though, I like every time you say I hate to see Dan Campbell give these sad press conferences because it is sad, and I give the Bears almost every edge in this game other than the fact that the Bears the Lions are playing with nothing to lose but pride.

00:11:32
Speaker 1: I'm also not ready to say Kelvin Shepherd is that dude. I tend to think we overrate coaches impact in general, that there's a handful of really special ones, bad special ones good. This has been encouraging first season for him. But they're one of the worst defenses in the league over the last five or six weeks, which is why I really thought about picking very injured they have, but they were last year too, and there's other injured defenses out there that are playing better they I thought about picking them because I can see the Lions offense really showing up in this game and making it a shootout and then kind of the proud old Lions like making them really earn it.

00:12:13
Speaker 2: So I think it'll be a good game.

00:12:14
Speaker 1: That first one that you mentioned too, and people were asking Dan Campbell at the end of it like, were you kind of rubbing it in there? Because they were going for fourth downs and they put up a fifty burger on the Lions, So that there is I mean on the Bears. So there is a scenario here where the Bears absolutely get him back and it's like incredibly depressing and him on rossing Brown doesn't play and Taylor Decker doesn't play. It's just too early in the week. We don't know, but they might not push guys that are fighting through injuries at this point.

00:12:40
Speaker 4: Are we on handshake?

00:12:41
Speaker 6: Watch?

00:12:41
Speaker 2: I don't think we're on handshake, they're handshake. I went back to watch it. It was fine.

00:12:46
Speaker 1: He even whispered like a quick thing in Ben Johnson's here. I think there's a lot of respect there.

00:12:50
Speaker 3: Yeah, And you know, I think it highlights what when Dan Campbell said it after that game in Santa Clara, which you brought up last week, Greg, that he acknowledged the fact that they may never get there again, and with that group of guys, it was true and to facilitate the maintenance of that relationship, to have that coaching staff all be there and together, it was a special time for the Detroit lines. Unfortunately, the way history decides to remember these teams, they're rendered as insignificant because they didn't win those.

00:13:19
Speaker 2: Not to us.

00:13:20
Speaker 1: Not to us though, And it's like that's like saying the Andrew la Coults didn't matter. It's like I remember them or the Trent Green Chiefs exactly.

00:13:27
Speaker 5: You know, I think too that this is one of those games I think you're going to try to win, like maybe this is not the right way to say it, but like win clean in the sense that you're not going to try to put a lot of pressure on your quarterback. You're not going to do a lot of the things that you're saving for the postseason.

00:13:41
Speaker 4: With the Bears having clinched.

00:13:43
Speaker 5: That spot, obviously the stakes are huge, so you have to walk that line. This is a game where you could very feasibly just load up and run the ball well, just well enough. It's been above average, beyond above average all season. I just think this is one of those games where you just run it until the buzzer start.

00:14:00
Speaker 1: And I don't think the stakes are huge. They know that the Eagles are. They have a feeling that the Eagles are probably resting their starters. They're already in the pole position. There's also a question is the tour of the three seed really that much of a difference, So that is something to keep an eye on in this game. But Ben Johnson, unlike other coaches has said very clearly that we are playing to win, and I believe them. So I think they're going to play all out in this game, even though they probably won't. They don't necessarily even need to win to keep that two seed.

00:14:27
Speaker 5: No, get Kyle Manungai closer to one thousand. He's not going to make it. I mean, listen, never say never. He's at seven to sixty nine right now, so I doubt it. But get our guy, get our dude. It's one hundred more.

00:14:43
Speaker 3: If Golf and Gibbs and Jmo and the rest of the Lions are that, it's just the defensive issues for the Chicago Bears are they're not getting better?

00:14:52
Speaker 6: Yeah, they're actually getting more the lines.

00:14:54
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:14:54
Speaker 1: I made a list of defenses that were worse in EPA per play since week twelve. What are the exact five teams you would expect The Cowboys, the Commanders, the Jets, the Cardinals, and the Raiders. Those are the only ones worse than the Lions since week twelve, and they're playing a team that's peaking. Just last week really hammered home the idea to me that Luther Burden is special, Like he is special and he's coming into his own and Colston Lovelin for what he unlocks in their offense with his versatility, is just totally integral. And those two guys are absolutely peaking right now. What man, It's so hard to not vote Ben Johnson for Coach of the Year, and yet I do. I have back By the way, in that first game, the winner of the NFC West Off should win Coach of the Year.

00:15:39
Speaker 2: My vote, I could understand the other people's opinion.

00:15:42
Speaker 6: All right, all comes down to one game, Yes, the season long Award.

00:15:45
Speaker 3: Always love that the Washington Commanders are on the road taking on those For.

00:15:49
Speaker 2: Me, you got to make a decision sometimes when they're great, you gotta make you gotta separate them somehow.

00:15:55
Speaker 3: And they matter more towards the end, especially week eighteen in you know, either way, I digress. The Philadelphia Eagles greg are seven point favorites. The over under is forty one and a half. It will be a great game. Kevin Harlan is on the call along with Ross Tucker whow All, so they're showing the respect to the Birds. We will enjoy watching it. Are the Birds gonna enjoy playing the Commanders here? With absolutely nothing at.

00:16:19
Speaker 1: Sick I think they'll enjoy it because they like to see what Tanner McKee can do, and I think they'll win with Tanner McKee. Talk about respect, I did not know Ross Tucker is like in a fantasy camp this week doing a game with Kevin Harlan. They're showing Ross the respect that he's getting bumped up. I guess Trent Green maybe as a family thing or something. He's off this week and that's big time. That's exciting for him for the Eagles. To be clear, Nick Sirianni is being cagey with the media, but I think it's very clear with the way that he's being cage and the fact that last year they rested in Week eighteen and won the freaking super Bowl, and that the year before they did the opposite and AJ Brown got hurt in that game.

00:17:07
Speaker 2: With all of that in mind.

00:17:08
Speaker 1: And the fact that they don't even can quote unquote control their destiny for the two seed, or that they'd even particularly want the two seed that much anyways, I feel pretty confident that a lot of Eagles, including Jalen Hurts, a J Brown, players like that, will be resting in this game.

00:17:24
Speaker 5: Yeah, I would say this is going to be as close to a preseason slash, this version of the Commander's game that we're going to see between the two teams, because you would absolutely with the way that these Eagles have totally burned out on the seasons where they've had down seasons. It's been so apparent that the length of not just the season, but the postseason has affected them so significantly in the years that they've been bad or that they've fizzled out, and they have to go back, they have to go in and start prepping. This is a lot of people don't realize that this is the time time of year for these playoff teams where they do start advancing two games ahead.

00:18:04
Speaker 4: They start building analytics.

00:18:06
Speaker 5: Packets and strategy packets and tape packets two weeks in advance, to make sure that they're almost treating this as a bye week in some ways for sure, and then and then going just looking ahead to their next opponent and just hoping that everybody, even their depth guys, stay as healthy as possible.

00:18:22
Speaker 1: Now they have to do some guesswork with who the next opponent would be, but you prepare for a couple of different guys and oh, by the way, you can win the game. Anyways, they rested everyone last year and they beat the Giants. Tanner McKee played well and they won by a touchdown anyway, so that that happens when the backups win anyways.

00:18:37
Speaker 3: And especially and I don't know, you know, the variants in the game planning of the twenty twenty five Philadelphia Eagles is going to be that significant, yeah, right, depending on what are they going to do on offense, do the same thing that they always do, in which you know there's folks highly critical in the second half for Jalen Hurts.

00:18:55
Speaker 6: I think it was really a whole offense issue.

00:18:56
Speaker 3: Also, the Bills were out there playing pretty good football as well defensively that I think some tom off would be very very good for the defending Super Bowl champs, and they're gonna get it.

00:19:06
Speaker 1: And guys like Lane Johnson, who they're expecting back for the playoffs, it's another week off, but maybe a guy like a Jordan Davis or Jalen Carter two that just like you don't want to put any more tread on their tires. For the Commanders, it does sound like it's going to be Josh Johnson again at quarterback. I don't think Mariota is going to be available and uh yeah, so it's it's a last go for this Bobby Wagner, Von Miller, Javon Kinlaw Commander's team. I don't know if it'll be their last game in the NFL necessarily, but for some of them it probably will be. And we'll see it's a rare, really bad team where the coaches in place, the gms in place, the you know, the coach, the quarterback is in place. There might be some coaching staff, you know, adjustments, but we've seen enough, We've talked enough about the Commanders. I feel like that is here. Bye.

00:19:54
Speaker 5: Thanks for going on too, a new roster build model. Please, for the love.

00:19:57
Speaker 3: Of God, we'll get some great calls in twenty twenty six. Brown, thank you for your contributions. It is the game we'll all be watching on Saturday, Carolina at Tampa Bay, favored by two and a half at home.

00:20:10
Speaker 6: Wow over under is forty three and a half.

00:20:12
Speaker 3: It's on ESPN and ABC because people will be able to watch this game on broadcast television, which I appreciate. Chris Fowler and Dan Orlovsky, along with Lewis Riddick on the call, Big Spot do Baker and the Bucks stop this tragic slide and prevent him from having that look on his face that was on the sideline at the end of the game against the Dolphins.

00:20:35
Speaker 5: I don't know, I man, I've been watching these Bucks games and it's been depressing, to be honest, because it's painful clearly for him to be playing quarterback right now. He's pressing too hard in some areas and making mistakes. I don't know if there's things that are clouding his judgment or if he can't move his body fully the way that he wants to.

00:20:56
Speaker 2: We don't go to we have great last week.

00:20:58
Speaker 4: Really see.

00:20:59
Speaker 5: I just some of the some of the torque that he has to get in, like I just I didn't think so. And I think some of the run, some of the scrambling sure was fine, and he looked like Baker on some of those pickups, but getting his full leverage and his full body into some of those throws and he was short on one and that was a really bad throw.

00:21:18
Speaker 4: And it just I don't know.

00:21:19
Speaker 5: He seems like he's just in a lot of pain to me, and I think this Panthers team, listen, I'm I've given up trying to predict what they're gonna do because they are so mercurial. If they get at least one good half out of these receivers went which is usually the case when they do win these games, uh, because because I haven't seen it consistently from these receivers, these Carolina receivers through the course of an.

00:21:39
Speaker 4: Entire game week to week.

00:21:41
Speaker 5: But if they get one good half out of these guys, then I think that they win this game.

00:21:45
Speaker 1: They just played, you know, two weeks ago, and that game was pretty evenly played. I wonder if Todd Bowles watches that Seattle tape and be like, I know, like he's not like the big press man type of type of guy, but man, they've got some good cornerbacks. We can be physical against these wide receivers. Potentially they have the people to potentially bully you. They benched Tike Smith in the middle of that game. He was on the wrong end of a couple bad plays as a rookie against Miami, so that maybe they make an adjustment there. And I did not know what to think about this game, and then the Falcons did it. They won on Monday Night Football, and then I realized I want mess, and the mess is the Buccaneers winning this game so that Saints Falcons can decide the division and so that the Buccaneers will just have this strange, awkward moment at the end where they didn't win the division, but they did win the game, but they just have to wait until tomorrow and start rooting on a Saints team that Jason light was burying on Twitter not that long ago.

00:22:50
Speaker 4: Feels like a microcross of their entire season.

00:22:52
Speaker 2: It just feels like the most out.

00:22:54
Speaker 1: I just want it for that, Sorry Panthers fans, and I'll respect you if if it happens the other.

00:23:00
Speaker 3: Way, well, they have the personnel to do it, I don't know that they will. The Seahawks just crowding the line of scrimmage and giving Bryce really no opportunity that they weren't threatened deep to the extent where you could see even on the broadcast tape, like ten guys they're on the screen and it's like okay, So there's zero respect for the Panthers to get anything deep. And maybe that's how you approach things, but I don't think the Bucks will come out of that.

00:23:31
Speaker 1: They've also given up so many big plays canalis after the game on Monday, rather had some interesting quotes where he was like Bryce had plenty of time in that game. Kind of put it on Bryce a little bit, like he was like offensive line was not an issue in that game, which fair enough, he did take ownership of I need to do a better job getting receivers open. McMillan specifically, they started in thirteen personnel that game, so with three tight with the tight ends on the field, and Jatavian Sanders immediately got hurt, so maybe that mess with him. He's going on. So that's one less weapon. They are just short on weapons right now. And so man, with the Buccaneers, considering the personnel that they have and the experience that they have the players throughout the roster, you.

00:24:16
Speaker 2: Should you should win this game. Yeah, as bad as losing seven of eight is to get swept by the Panthers in a three week considering the rosters. That's that's bad. That's bad coaching.

00:24:27
Speaker 5: Here's why I think I like what you said about walking up to the line of scrimmage and playing a little bit more press. Man, Greg, with these DB's they can and they're the three of them are are playing well, and they're healthy. And the thing is about these Panthers receivers is that Ted McMillan has having a great season, but the first half of that game two weeks ago, he was being bullied, like he was just being bodied around until he'd made an incredible catch and really muscled the ball for this catch. Like that's when the tone shifted for this entire group. And so I I think with these Bucks, the thing that I think could convince Ted Todd Bowles to break tendency a little bit is how visibly and audibly disappointed the offense and the rest of the defenses and how these games are going Mike Evans walking off the field and Mike Evans that the captain walking off the field and disappointment these guys watching in disbelief as the defense just gets pushed backwards.

00:25:23
Speaker 4: Down the field at the some of the end of these games.

00:25:26
Speaker 5: I think that Todd Bowles also watches that and is like, man, I got to get a spark back into this team.

00:25:32
Speaker 1: They seem a little out of ideas for like on either side of like, because if they had them, they would have they would have done it. And it's them right, like the same things keep happening They used to be a great run defense. They're not really that anymore. Levante David's getting picked on. They're playing JPP. Jason Pierre Paul we hadn't mentioned this on this show is in the NFL right now, playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played sixteen snaps last week. Did you know that Dion Jones is in the NFL and playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Granted it was only two sta. I think he's mostly special things, but I was, I was googling. I was like, is that Deon Jones? On Jones Jones. It's the same, It's the same guy. And yet we'll see Trent. Tristan Wurfs is expected to come back. I do think it comes down to Baker if I disagree with you guys a little bit, because I think he has played pretty well the last couple of weeks except for just a handful of like awful reps.

00:26:24
Speaker 2: And I thought, you know, he.

00:26:25
Speaker 1: Had some great throws last week and he's scrambling around, like, I think it's possible for them to turn it around. If not, we have one of the worst division winners in a while. The Panthers have been outscored this season by sixty seven points. Unless they had a huge result here, it would be one of the worst division winners in terms of point differential.

00:26:43
Speaker 2: I think.

00:26:43
Speaker 1: I think Baker and them can can get it going for one game and then they can watch on Sunday who goes to the playoffs.

00:26:50
Speaker 3: And it would be easier for me to believe that if if not for weeks of the consecutive same issues for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where I'm thinking there is some sort of Miyagi situation or like a Censu being or just general alien healing for Baker Mayfield, whatever's causing the problem for the past several weeks.

00:27:11
Speaker 6: I don't know that it goes away.

00:27:12
Speaker 1: But they've been in all these games. They've actually lost four straight by I think four points or less. They're one of the first teams ever to So it's just been these late game vibes, and to be fair, the Panthers are the teams that has.

00:27:24
Speaker 5: The late game, but yeah, the late game vibes and also the swing the luck. The swings have gone often in the Panthers direction for the positive yes through the season, and the Bucks have seemed to lose their.

00:27:34
Speaker 2: Luck bear, which is I don't know what to think, but I know what I'm rooting for.

00:27:38
Speaker 6: We had theo Weieste junior running down the front himself last week.

00:27:42
Speaker 2: I'm rooting for mess.

00:27:43
Speaker 1: I'm rooting for the ultimate NFC South moment, which we will talk about a little after the break and get to the rest of the NFC sleep.

00:28:01
Speaker 2: Back on NFL Daily every Week eighteen.

00:28:06
Speaker 1: It's a little similar, and it's piecing through how different coaches are talking about whether they were playing their starters or not now. Sean McVay, after losing that Monday night game, said about his rams, we need to play, we need to play better football. So after resting starters in Week eighteen, two years in a row, I believe he says they will play now. Just saying they're playing, especially in an emotional moment right after a game, is not necessarily the same thing as they're playing the entire game. So that could be maybe where they split the baby, as it were against Arizona.

00:28:46
Speaker 3: And giving us an opportunity to facilitate one of our favorite pastimes in the newsroom, asking why Matthew Stafford is still in and if he were, he would be in the game against the Arizona Cardinals, who were at Sofi Stadium against the Rams, were a favorite about seven and a half points the over under his forty six and a half Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma Megan A. Levi on the call, it seems our friends in Vegas, Greg are begging that these starters will not play us again for a good amount of time, considering the way.

00:29:14
Speaker 1: No, they're hedging, I mean they're they're in between. This is not It's never a week to really put down your hard earned money because this stuff is unpredictable.

00:29:22
Speaker 2: Maybe any of them we're not allowed to.

00:29:25
Speaker 1: And that's made my life much more stress free because man, I don't know, I could see I could see him having a change of thought during the week and playing a couple drives, feeling good about those couple drives, and then making a change. But who knows, Maybe maybe he will just play all the way to win, because obviously they are not happy. They haven't played a complete game and too long. They did beat the Cardinals though, forty five to seventeen a month ago, so that was not too long.

00:29:53
Speaker 5: Yeah, a little late stat padding happening in that one too, by the Cardinals offense.

00:29:58
Speaker 4: Okay, So here's the thing.

00:30:00
Speaker 5: This is how Sean McVay walks up to the line of saying he's pissed at his players without actually ever saying he's pissed at his players, like he will never the closest the only time he ever walked over that line was the Jared Goff fiasco at the end of that twenty twenty season. So this is basically him telling us what he thinks without actually saying it. The other thing here is he can hedge quite a bit behind the fact that a lot of these guys are injured in the first place. So the Rob Havenstein's, the Aleric Jackson's, the Kevin Dotson's, the Davante Adams who quote unquote, according to the broadcast this week, was running the full route tree but wasn't playing.

00:30:43
Speaker 2: I mean you could see it when they showed that he looked great.

00:30:45
Speaker 4: He looks great.

00:30:46
Speaker 5: He looks also like there is no pain at all, like he looks awesome. That's the thing is he knows he can say that because he can also hide behind the fact that the guys who need to be playing for them in the playoffs and win football games for them and are the reason part of the reason they win football games.

00:31:02
Speaker 4: Are actually going to be able.

00:31:05
Speaker 5: They're going to be able to hide behind the injury report, say, well, those guys were probably weren't going to play in.

00:31:09
Speaker 2: The Stafford like Stafford and the guys.

00:31:12
Speaker 5: Yeah, Elliot, and I would and I would say I doubt they are in the game for very long. Jimmy Garoppolo, I know, is like antsy to get get a couple handoffs, you know, And this to me is more him commenting on how what he thinks about his defense. It's still a relatively young group, and there's been a couple of times this season where perhaps this defense is reading its own press a little bit too much metaphorically speaking, like this can be a dominant group. They can, they can be coached really well, but it always seems like when the hype on them is at its highest and Chris Shula is being talked about for head coaching jobs and all of these things, that's when they take a step back and allow some big time breaks and explosive plays. Again, So that's where I think he wants them to play because he wants them to stay juiced up. And I also, I know this team well and I also think that they don't think that a bye week, even though it helps a lot of people get healthy who probably won't play this week anyway, I think they would prefer to not have time downtime. Even a mini by they came out so flat. I just think they're wired as a group that they just need to not overthink things and just keep playing. That's really how I think they're all wired.

00:32:26
Speaker 4: Starting at the top.

00:32:27
Speaker 1: Patriots did that a lot, and then they didn't do it. It kind of depended on what he thought that the team needed in that season, So I do think it's different. They also and this isn't playing into I think that was all excellent. It's spot on. Actually the Sean McVay I did not say actually will know in this game, quote unquote if they care about getting the five seed, they'll know before the game starts whether they have a chance at it or not. They should be rooting for the Seahawks to beat the forty nine ers. If the Seahawks beat the forty nine ers, the Rams have a chance to move up a spot, and I would think they'd rather be a five seed.

00:33:01
Speaker 2: It's just a higher seed you have a.

00:33:02
Speaker 1: Chance of hosting ANFC championship game potentially against the forty nine ers, if the two of them would make it and you'd play the NFC South winner, which would be either the Bucks or the Panthers. Either way, that's going to be I think, on paper, an easier matchup than the sixth seed has.

00:33:17
Speaker 3: And to me, the most functional thing that you have if you're playing guys in this game is an opportunity to once you know what you need to game plan and evaluate how the guys were playing in a particular way that you want to deploy them when you get into the postseason. But I also think if doing all this to try to get a first round by has value because you don't have to play that game, then here's a game where you don't have to play.

00:33:39
Speaker 1: Right and play Quorham got banged up like and Quorum and Kyraen Williams went crazy in the first game. That was the game where they had more yards in thirteen personnel than any team in NFL history by like one hundred plus yards or something. So they just got heavy. And they do have plenty of tight ends, so they can play all of them, I guess as much as they want. But yes, currently they are in the sixth seed, but they could move up to the five with little help on Saturday from Seattle.

00:34:07
Speaker 3: Another team that doesn't necessarily need the results to go a particular way, but the Green Bay Packers on the road at Brian Flores's defense to the Minnesota Vikings. Not to limit KOC, just want to highlight what the Vikings defense has done yes down the stretch. Here they are six and a half point favorites over under is thirty six and a half.

00:34:27
Speaker 6: It's a CBS game.

00:34:27
Speaker 3: Spiroditas, Adam Argletta and added Kikomwala are there on the call. Gret how how much is Matt Lafleur interested in being a part of this participation?

00:34:39
Speaker 1: Not at all, And he's made that clear. He's going to rest them and that's why it's early in the week and these things will change. That's six and a half. I was pointing out, like some of these games that stay away because they're unpredictable, I think there's a big enough chance that Clayton Tune is starting this game in terms of I kind of expect Clayton Tune to possibly start this game that that's not enough against a Brian Flores defense. The crazy thing here, because I don't think this game really matters unless you're holding Minnesota over eight and a half wins on the year. At the last second, they're going to sneak in for me, Let's go Vikings. Unless that's the case. The most interesting thing about this game is that it could be Brian Flores's last with Minnesota against.

00:35:22
Speaker 5: Icy But is I think probably not the way Kevin O'Connell wanted or expected this to go, would be to be answering questions about this in the last week of the season, versus talking about a postseason run, versus talking about all the things that they hope they would be talking about. Instead, they're talking about how Brian Flores has no remaining years left on his contract with Minnesota.

00:35:47
Speaker 4: He will be a free agent.

00:35:48
Speaker 2: Sure, that was purposeful season by him.

00:35:50
Speaker 5: And the thing that I find very very interesting is this defense is also top heavy into terms of its age and experience, partially by design because you need to have players who have seen a lot of football in order to be able to run this quality and caliber of complex defense. But I do think that this is really interesting to me because what if, say Matt Lafleur loses Jeff Haffley to a head coaching job this season.

00:36:21
Speaker 4: Who do you think would.

00:36:23
Speaker 5: Be the most fun defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers with a healthy Micah Parsons next season, But the man who will be staring them down on the opposite sideline.

00:36:32
Speaker 2: He could get a head coaching job.

00:36:35
Speaker 5: That's and not to discount that either to say, I do also think he'll be getting head coaching interviews.

00:36:41
Speaker 1: I think he might get a head coaching job, but if not, I think he has had a better free agent year than Alec Pierce. I mean, he could set new boundaries for what coordinated he's going to be making.

00:36:51
Speaker 4: Vic Fangio, you.

00:36:52
Speaker 1: Can't tell me that, like Brian Flores, isn't worth more than a lot of the lower tier head coaches. Like It's just it's so proven what he's gonna bring. And the Cowboys have been mentioned, like reported as like a possible suitor, but I don't I don't think they'd be the only one in Minnesota. You would think like the tie would go to Minnesota, but I don't know what the situation there is, and they would probably step up and match whatever crazy offers he's getting elsewhere. And it's like great for buying Flores if that happened.

00:37:19
Speaker 3: Well, I think the personnel and again like yeah, some of them are elevated in age, but you talk about a guy like they drafted a couple of years ago in Dallas Turner who can rush. You know, people slighted him for the his ability to rush with his ability to drop is a big part of being in this defense. And Andrew Van Ginkle, I think the tie is with these guys that he's been able to coach, yah and also with the Vikings hopefully polling up the money to make him highest coordinator in football because he deserves it. And you know, to see this whole thing work to the extent that it could. Whereas you know, you go other places, especially if we're talking about a place like Dallas, is Brian Flora is gonna be able to have the input to get the That.

00:37:59
Speaker 2: Doesn't seem like a great No. I also a green baby.

00:38:03
Speaker 5: There's there are gonna be some bad head coaching jobs available for sure, And that's the thing. I don't want Brian Flores for all of his talent and ability. I don't this is selfish, but I don't want him to go somewhere that sets him up for failure. I would love to see him continue to cook these offenses up and down the field and make the most money possible.

00:38:22
Speaker 4: Yeah, this team, I personally if this team like to see it.

00:38:25
Speaker 1: Can get better quarterback play. They're in healthier and a better offensive line, like they're not far away. JJ McCarthy, by the way, might be coming back for this game. I think they would like that to happen. Speaking of those Cowboys, I do not think we even need the full three minutes on this game. I don't know, maybe we do.

00:38:42
Speaker 3: The Cowboys are three and a half point favorites against Jackson Dart and the New York Giants is on Fox, Kevin Coogler, Moose Johnston calling the game for his old team, and Alison Williams. Again it's three minutes in parentheses.

00:38:53
Speaker 1: Okay, I said that, And now there are some interesting things here. They cut Trevon Diggs today.

00:38:58
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, news we have for the little news.

00:39:01
Speaker 2: That was weird.

00:39:02
Speaker 1: Well no, I mean not weird that it happened, but weird that it happened. To do it before Week eighteen is kind of a shoving the player's.

00:39:11
Speaker 2: Nose in it.

00:39:11
Speaker 5: Well, I also think it makes it more difficult doing it now. It seems like it's been simmering or building towards this for a while. I think it makes it more difficult for a team to immediately claim him on waivers. Nobody sample, nobody would, right, No, that's what I'm saying. That's do it now because nobody's going to. But then you know, you have an on an offloading period through the entire off season. That's the thing. This has been simmering for a while, since training camp, since before since last year.

00:39:35
Speaker 4: Yeah, and that's that's the thing is.

00:39:37
Speaker 5: I think the timing element of is just to make it so he can't, you know, blame just immediately get scooped up by somebody else. And that's again to your point, it's a little bit of a haha.

00:39:49
Speaker 2: We win.

00:39:49
Speaker 1: What would what would prevent somebody from I just don't think they're going to like his contract. I'll look at it, but coming off of a you know, he hasn't been able to show that he is one hundred percent healthy, and then you have to take on the contract, which I don't think he has any guaranteed money into next year, So you're right, I mean, his base salary this year was only eight and a.

00:40:08
Speaker 2: Half million dollars. It's hard with guaranteed money.

00:40:12
Speaker 4: I think it's hard.

00:40:13
Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree, But I think what I what's hard with a player is coming off an injury. Is you you want to before you make a decision like that, you do want to see what the actual like physical return is like with how ready that player is.

00:40:27
Speaker 1: The only other little thing for this game is the Giants do have a path to having the number one overall pick. Here is what they need. They're at the two spots. Seven teams could get as high as two, so if they won, they could really miss themselves up.

00:40:40
Speaker 2: But here's what they need. They need to lose.

00:40:41
Speaker 1: Of course, they need the Raiders to win against the Chiefs, and then they need two of the following teams to lose out of four Seattle or win out of four Seattle, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Chicago. If two of those four teams won and the Raiders won, then the Giantians have the number one overall pick.

00:41:02
Speaker 2: So all hope is not lost. If that's what you're looking for.

00:41:06
Speaker 6: Looking for draft abolition.

00:41:08
Speaker 2: Yes, I like you want do you want a lottery of what do you want? Just not this.

00:41:13
Speaker 5: I wouldn't want to be claimed. If I were treeve On Diggs, I'd want to pick my next spot.

00:41:17
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, hopefully you know the capacity to choose that. Maybe somebody will at least express some interest.

00:41:26
Speaker 1: At this point, Abdul Carter, by the way, is publicly stumping for defensive Rookie of the Year, which I applied.

00:41:31
Speaker 6: That's Coolant, let's.

00:41:32
Speaker 2: Turn this into it like an Oscars race?

00:41:35
Speaker 6: Is it not already?

00:41:36
Speaker 4: Also?

00:41:37
Speaker 5: I just this is very loose reporting here by me, but great reporting by ESPN. A team would still have to pay him about almost five hundred K just for this week if he's on their roster, regardless of whether or not he's active.

00:41:51
Speaker 4: That's it, I know.

00:41:52
Speaker 5: But right now teams are right down to the wire looking at special teams, moves and guys who are going to be unhealthy, healthy, whatever, Just some context, that's all.

00:42:03
Speaker 6: Let's get to a game that could really.

00:42:04
Speaker 4: We used all three minutes.

00:42:06
Speaker 6: We did it well, there was stuff, There was stuff.

00:42:09
Speaker 3: I don't think anybody was like, ah, they went too long on tanky staff well except Eric maybe.

00:42:13
Speaker 5: No.

00:42:14
Speaker 1: Eric famously just wants like a twenty five minute show.

00:42:17
Speaker 7: Greg set these times I didn't set the times, Okay, I don't know.

00:42:21
Speaker 4: You seem to. Did you pick the font and the color?

00:42:23
Speaker 2: Though he did. That's just so you can say that they are synced up. There's three special seven minute games and three three minute games.

00:42:30
Speaker 3: I'm gonna lobby for this one to be five minutes because considering what could have taken place before this game, Jordan, the New Orleans Saints, and the Atlanta Falcons could be playing to decide the division for other teams. The Falcons favored by three points off their Monday Night football win the over Unders forty three and a half. Chris Myers and Mark Laret and Jin Hale are on the call. Can he the Jedi Council the mon Stars that are the Falcons once they are eliminated stop the red hot New Orleans the two best teams in the AH.

00:43:00
Speaker 5: This is so weird and disappointing, yet also equally fun because you see what they could be and they just never were until it was too late.

00:43:10
Speaker 4: I just love it. I think I.

00:43:12
Speaker 5: Think beating the Rams in an Island game, the team that came into the game being talked about is the best team in football. I think that helped Raheem Morris quite a bit in terms of the job security. Now, they may make moves still, he may make other moves as well, They may change their front office, all of those types of things. But winning like that, finishing the season like this and winning a game like.

00:43:35
Speaker 1: That, you gotta win this week though, then too by that logic if it's just.

00:43:41
Speaker 5: It's not the same logic Greg, because it's not the same caliber and quality of team. This is a very red hot Saints team, sure, but it's I hate to say it because I know that the listeners are gonna I roll, and they should. This is a really obnoxious statement I'm gonna make. But if you beat a Sean McVay team in primetime with the MVP caliber quarterback and a lot of it you do on defense at first to help start the offense off the right way, then yeah, I think you have a little bit, a little bit more of a cushion than you had.

00:44:08
Speaker 1: I just think even the way that game flowed, you sort of saw the strengths, you saw the weaknesses. Like Raheem Morris is one of my least favorite guys to watch in terms of game management. They've had no clue what to do offensively, and the way they handled that game at the end, they were kind of lucky to escape.

00:44:21
Speaker 4: Had a good challenge here.

00:44:22
Speaker 1: Yeah, hearing Matt Ryan is, you know, possibly involved in becoming part of the front office. That's obviously not a great sign. So I I just think any owner that's capricious enough to change his mind based on these last four games, then this game is going to matter too. Big time rivalry. You got Kirk Kirk playing for his future, You got Tyler Shuck playing for the offensive Rookie of the year potentially, you got Raheem Morris coaching for his future. Like I love it, I need it. And they probably are the two best teams in the NFC South right now. I mean they've they've just beaten the other teams, so I gotta give them credit. They're both they're both on their winning streak. You got the stay Sons. You got Honey Badger on Twitter given Brian and Staley some side eye because saying that he wanted to bench like Cam Jordan and to Mario Davis earlier in the year or something. He's like, Yeah, these guys that he wanted to bench are the ones that are playing the best.

00:45:16
Speaker 2: I'm just like, give it all to me. This is what the nflast South is all about.

00:45:20
Speaker 4: I love mess.

00:45:21
Speaker 3: This is great our season long sons discussion. Who would have thought it was this day song the whole time, the entire time.

00:45:29
Speaker 4: This is some Scooby Douche right here.

00:45:31
Speaker 3: Well, honestly, because there were large stretches of Monday Night where I felt not that because you have to give the ball to Jon as much as if Bijon is within seventy five percent of himself being tired or not, you get them the ball. There were large stretches were kirk Cousins. It wasn't just play calling that they were hiding Kirk Cousins not to prevent what could have possibly happened.

00:45:53
Speaker 1: There, and it almost did a few times. He just threw it in the middle of the field.

00:45:56
Speaker 4: They were masking kirk Cousins.

00:45:58
Speaker 6: Yeah probably, yeah, I would say that.

00:46:00
Speaker 3: And you know, that's what makes it difficult within the Staly songs to be completely confident in this because the shuckle lave situation is so hot right now and I reckon that's what Jaterrell did against Pooka. You know, the past breakup of the year preventing the pass catch of the year where it's going to be great football. And I know we'm align the division, but I'm really looking forward to now.

00:46:25
Speaker 2: I really am too.

00:46:26
Speaker 1: And it's I challenge anyone to come up with a different scenario that's been ever like this. But I'm pretty sure. And this requires the Bucks to win on Saturday. To be clear, Bucks got to win that game. Panthers are in if they beat the Bucks. If the Bucks win that game, There's never been I don't think another situation like this in the history of the NFL. We're entering the game, the two teams are playing each other to decide the division championship, and neither one of them can win the division. And the fact that it's the Falcon Saints, the best rivalry in the league that have been stumping forever, is the best like rivalry and the dumbest rivalry, the rivalry that brought us, you know, Jamis Winston, Jamal Williams, you know, making Dennis Alan madd a couple of years ago, and so many other great moments.

00:47:16
Speaker 2: It's just it's just perfect. I need it. I need the Bucks to win, win that game.

00:47:21
Speaker 4: Dampa happy for Saints fans.

00:47:23
Speaker 1: Yes, but you know what this you know what's great about it too, is like, Okay, the Saints are going to be the Bucks proxy because if the Saints win, then the Bucks, you know, win the division. And this all is assuming Bucks win on Saturday, and the Falcons are going to be the Panthers proxy, and the Panthers fans.

00:47:38
Speaker 2: Will be rooting for the Falcons.

00:47:39
Speaker 1: The thing that's cool about it is this game still means a lot yeah to the Saints and the Falcons fans, especially the Saints who would love to go into the offseason with this big time winning streak and Shuck playing well. I'll tell you what if they lost this game to the Falcons and Shuck throws a couple interceptions, It's kind of like a high of State Michigan where it ruins a little bit of everything that happened over the last month.

00:48:05
Speaker 2: Well, Ryan day Action, you know, I'm assigning myself this game. I didn't. I didn't care, like we were doing the Shook the Shook assignments earlier. I was like, he can have whatever he wants, just give me the Falcons. That is the NFC. We went through an order. Uh, let's go and take a break.

00:48:23
Speaker 1: But when we're back on the other side, we're going to go through AFC seeding one through seven, biggest.

00:48:29
Speaker 2: Game of the week on Sunday night.

00:48:42
Speaker 1: Back on NFL Daily. Not as much drama in the AFC overall. They've got only one seven minute game, so that's going to be fourth up. That's the big AFC North battle and frankly the battle at the top for the top couples. The drama has.

00:49:01
Speaker 2: Been kind of removed, I would say over the last few days.

00:49:05
Speaker 3: The Los Angeles Chargers at the Denver Broncos, who are favored by twelve and a half points over under is thirty seven and a half. It's Jim and Tony and Tracy. It is CBS one. We spend five minutes discussing Greg.

00:49:19
Speaker 6: Maybe we won't. Why is it twelve and a half points?

00:49:22
Speaker 1: Because Trey Lance is starting? That's enough disrespect. Yeah, but it's not just about Trey Lance. The fact that Trey Lance is starting indicates Keenan Allen is probably yeah sitting and you can't sit everyone but Khalil Mack and Quintinton Johnston and I think it makes a lot of sense. I'm actually proud of Jim Jim Harbaugh.

00:49:43
Speaker 2: For doing it.

00:49:43
Speaker 4: I of the tough guy and get through.

00:49:46
Speaker 1: It, and I really think it could help them. All that matters for them is winning the playoff game. And because the Patriots, who are their most likely opponent, are going to be playing to win on Sunday, I think that's a little bit of an advantage here. And most importantly, Eve not even thinking about who their opponent. It's just an advantage for them because this is a team that has a lot of injuries and they they've done great this year, but there's no sense in fighting just to fight. And this was gonna be a tough one anyways. And now you can let poor Trey Lance step out there. We have another game here. It's just like these sacrificial lambs a little bit. Although Trey Lance looked good enough in the preseason that I'm curious to watch him.

00:50:30
Speaker 5: Yeah, And really, what I think will they'll need to do a lot is move his spot. You've seen some of the Justin Herbert games. We're trying to mitigate pressure on Justin Herbert. A lot of the same principles will apply because Trey Lance can move and can run these like long bootlegs and all of these things that just help change the launch point and make it hard for defenses to really get after him the way that they want to.

00:50:51
Speaker 4: The Broncos, I mean, they.

00:50:55
Speaker 5: Are out here trying to make statement after statement, and especially with the Texans surging the way that they are in the AFC and understanding the possible stakes clinching the one seed in a first round by with a win here, it has Broncos put foot on gas Chargers just say okay, all right, you do you everyone stay healthy and kind of just ease on by.

00:51:21
Speaker 1: And it's great luck for them Denver that you know, the Chargers aren't playing for the division. That's the outcome of losing to the Texans. It does set up a weird scenario that there's nothing they can do about. But by the time they play again, it'll be four weeks since they really played like another top level team. Four weeks is a long time. They played the Jaguars. Jaguars won that game. Then you have a Chiefs game. That's a real football game. So I'm kind of diminishing the Chiefs here, but that's not like a real you know, that's not a playoff caliber opponent. Then you have this week where you're playing backups, then you have a week off. It's just an interesting way that they'll approach, you know, the playoffs, and I think ultimately it's a it's a good thing to just advance the divisional round. But they're just gonna have to manage that and figure out how to start that divisional round game with guns blazing, because it'll have been a little while but between serious games.

00:52:18
Speaker 3: And at least the fact that it is Trey Lance and maybe we get to see some new and innovative things from Greg Roman and something else for the Broncos to hold their attention to because it's a really good.

00:52:28
Speaker 2: Team, right.

00:52:29
Speaker 1: That's the thing is, they're still professionals who are trying. So it's not like it's going to just be like a Presecon game by any means.

00:52:36
Speaker 2: They were.

00:52:36
Speaker 5: It was totally different scenario because they were trying to get into the playoffs last year. Wasn't that like a thirty eight zero But kicking against Rest in Kansas City, I know, different scenario, but like they not that different. They get up for these games, is what I'm saying. Has no problem.

00:52:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, pretty similar. I mean, yeah, I guess last time it was just to get in.

00:52:54
Speaker 4: But yeah, time, that's what I'm saying.

00:52:57
Speaker 2: You know, the Broncos.

00:52:58
Speaker 1: One thing I had an eye on in that last week was they lost their center what's his name, Wattenberg for the season, who's been great, and it seems like it seemed like they didn't miss a thing. For what it's worth, pff grated his back. You know, the guy who came in Forsyth very high. And if Sean Payton has a secret sauce, it is identifying coaching up interior offensive line. All time great chargers, all time great at that. So this guy's been in the program for two years and like there, he has been great in his career at just replacing these guys on the offensive line and then being fantastic. Hey, so it's Greg. The show is about to get to the Patriots. Dolphinstock the Week eighteen preview talk, but we taped it before we knew that the Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore is facing a misdemeanor domestic assault charge. Also, we were looking for clarity at the time for how the team's going to address the criminal charges that Stefan Diggs is facing. I just want to make sure we got this into the show, so let's handle these two charges separately. The Patriots released the statement that they are aware of reports regarding a pending February arraignment involving Kristen Barmour, which stems from an alleged domestic incident that occurred in August. The Patriots were made aware at the time of the incident and informed the NFL in a timely manner. The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process and it goes on from there end quote. Of course, Barmore has been practicing and playing, you know when healthy throughout the course of the season. I don't know if that means you can assume that he will continue to based on the news becoming public, we will have to see how they address it. Stefan Diggs, their wide receiver, is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with an incident that happened early in the month. According to police, the charges include felony strangulation or suffocation in misdemeanor, assault and battery, and the Patriots again released a similar statement the day previous that they're aware of the allegations. Stefan informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. Quote, we support Stefan, and they say from there that they're going to continue to gather information. In both cases. You know, the NFL confirmed through a statement that they were aware of the charges. Obviously, these are horrific allegations. They are bigger than football and they're going to be taken seriously. We don't know how the Patriots or the league is going to address them in the short term when it comes to Diggs and far more. Again, it's bigger than football and we're going to have to just follow the situation and how they want to address it. In the meantime, we'll get back to the football talk about the Patriots and Dolphins.

00:56:09
Speaker 2: That's going to happen on the field this Sunday.

00:56:11
Speaker 3: The other half of that number one seed in the AFC equation, the oddsmaker as showing a little more respect to Quinn youwers, who've got to win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week the Miami Dolphins at the New England Patriots, who are favored by ten and a half points. The over under is forty five and a half. Joe Davis, g reag and Pam Oliver on the call, that the two points of respect for Queen yours, can Quin yours put a put the fear Jordan in Greg's New England per.

00:56:41
Speaker 5: Did you just hear Greg say, Oh, I might have to take that, Greg alson on a Patriots call. That's a first week you sit there and tell me every week, Oh, you already picked this one as your game. I can't give you two of your top choice spread them around usually, so hey, just saying double standard here.

00:56:56
Speaker 4: I maybe I want this?

00:56:58
Speaker 5: The house corresponded, apparently, Greg Rosenthal.

00:57:03
Speaker 2: Thank you, Patrick, I can have the first pick this.

00:57:07
Speaker 4: Do you want this one? Probably not.

00:57:10
Speaker 6: I just want you guys to be happy with your games.

00:57:13
Speaker 4: I'm happy with all the games.

00:57:14
Speaker 1: They're all beautiful, beautiful Patrick watches in the two quad boxes, so he's got us all covered. I appreciate that everyone's got different strategies.

00:57:22
Speaker 5: I think for a lot of these teams, the most important thing about these Week eighteen games is the immediate aftermath of them. We're gonna have a lot of questions answered about the future of Mike McDaniel and Anthony Weaver, who for weeks now we've heard are likely staying in place in Miami.

00:57:41
Speaker 4: But we'll just have to see. Meanwhile, it does look like they've.

00:57:44
Speaker 5: Found at minimum the backup quarterback, maybe a bridge quarterback in Quinn Yours. We're also going to get more clarity after and then the weeks beyond this game.

00:57:54
Speaker 4: About Tua and his future.

00:57:56
Speaker 5: Just a lot of things that start to unfold immediately after the buzzer sounds on this one.

00:58:01
Speaker 1: Yours is a unique player just because he has a funky throwing motion and he has a Ryan Tannehill oh like ability to be seemingly unaware that there's like a three hundred pound man about to just absolutely crush him, like where like his body doesn't even tend up, he just he just and it's it's dangerous.

00:58:24
Speaker 4: Just just naive, just blissfully unaware.

00:58:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I think most quarterbacks are never like that, you know what I mean, because they're they're human. They react to something that's like right in front of him, but he'll throw it and there is someone that is about to absolutely level him. It makes you worried a little bit because I think you need to be big to take those sort of hits that so that he's not small. No, but he's not Ryan Tannehill, is he?

00:58:50
Speaker 2: I don't know. Or Cam Newton is another one that comes to mind that did that.

00:58:53
Speaker 5: But you could argue Cam Newton over time should never have been taking those hits anyway.

00:58:57
Speaker 4: I mean, it's unfortunate injuries.

00:59:00
Speaker 1: I don't like that ten and a half for the Patriots. I think it's a tricky game. Are you guys you're you're making a face.

00:59:06
Speaker 3: Well, I just I understand that the litany of injuries for the Chargers, the situation where they don't necessarily have anything to play for, and then the Dolphins being you know, the up and coming rising quin you were trying to save their their job situation.

00:59:22
Speaker 6: But it's it's it's still a backup quarterback.

00:59:27
Speaker 4: Yeah, we're saying for sure.

00:59:29
Speaker 1: But the other side of the ball, like, I know it's against the Bucks, but you know, you saw the vision. You know, Bradley Chubbs having a monster game, Jordan Brooks is having a monster season. The two young rookie defensive tackles are making some plays. Seiler like this was a game that went down to the buzzer the first time they played. And you can say, okay, well the Patriots are a different team now, like Dolphins are relatively a different team early too. It reminds me of a couple Patriots losses to Miami. I know historically doesn't mean anything, but they're div and opponents. That Patriots are quite banged up. I think they're in a tough spot because they want to get that one seed in theory, but they know it's very unlikely. Do they really care about the two seed. They have a lot of injuries, and so I think they'll be conservative with guys like Will Campbell and Milton Williams who are trying to come back for the playoffs. Robert Splaine is another one, but they also have a lot of players. They are the most injured they've been all season right now, and so I don't know if Mike Rabel is going to go all out. Maybe he'll take a McVeigh approach. Maybe he'll accept even backing up to the three seed if they have to. I'm not sure, because they need I mean, they would need the Chargers backups to win to get that one seed.

01:00:44
Speaker 2: I don't know. It's just a weird situation.

01:00:47
Speaker 4: And Happy Bake missed everybody.

01:00:49
Speaker 1: Yeah, right, So Tom Brady lost to a Week eighteen Dolphins team and they'd lost the one seed. In that game he lost to a week eighteen Dolphins team on the way to you know, ending build you know his career in New England the next week to Mike Rabel.

01:01:08
Speaker 2: So it happened. He once lost to Nick Saban, I remember in the final week of this.

01:01:12
Speaker 3: So there's so many parallels. Yes where if this does happen, Drake may is Tom Brady.

01:01:17
Speaker 5: There you go a the transitive property of equality.

01:01:22
Speaker 3: Speaking of equality, unfortunate that the nature of the shifting importance of games left this run by Trevor Lawrence and the jackson Jaguars off of the conversation because the Tennessee Titans are on the road in Duval taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are twelve and a half point favorites the over under forty seven and a half. Adam, I mean, Drew Brees and Christina pink are on the call where the Jacks are just one of the hottest teams in football right now?

01:01:54
Speaker 6: Are what are we doing?

01:01:55
Speaker 4: You know what?

01:01:56
Speaker 6: Where are we going to start respecting the Jacksonville Jacks.

01:01:59
Speaker 4: I think this game could be a banger. I think this game has banger.

01:02:02
Speaker 2: It's yours, it's yours. I hat Drew Brees for five straight weeks.

01:02:10
Speaker 1: He's fine. He actually is fine. He's fine, he's fine. He has some interesting quarterback points. It's he The personality is not like you know, one hundred there, thanks.

01:02:21
Speaker 4: Greg, Yeah, I listen. Yes, Uh.

01:02:26
Speaker 5: Jacksonville is a wagon and offensive, defensive, special teams.

01:02:30
Speaker 4: Everything is rolling. It's great.

01:02:32
Speaker 5: Tennessee has been frisky for the entire second half of the season. They're they're a difficult matchup just because you don't really quite know what they are and how they're going to play.

01:02:43
Speaker 4: You quarterback can play.

01:02:46
Speaker 5: I do think this has banger potential watching Jacksonville approached last week's game, where yes, they still won and they did what good teams do and they won a game they're supposed to win.

01:02:58
Speaker 4: But they tried.

01:03:00
Speaker 5: They got a little cute with some of the strategy. They tried some stuff at times that maybe they just are seeing if it works and want to throw it away. Obviously, they're getting big production out of their receiving core. Trevor Lawrence is having an incredible season as well. This defense is awesome, especially their front seven. But I do think, I mean, Tennessee has just been frisky and it's Jeffrey Simmons doing random stuff.

01:03:25
Speaker 2: That sounds like you're taking that twelve and a half.

01:03:28
Speaker 5: I mean, I don't even know what that means, to be honest with you, but I feel like, what does that mean I take it.

01:03:33
Speaker 2: And they keep it closer than that?

01:03:34
Speaker 4: Does that mean I take I pick a team?

01:03:36
Speaker 1: Or does that that means that Titans keep it closer than twelve and a half points?

01:03:39
Speaker 4: Okay, I'm I don't I don't know what this. I'm famous.

01:03:43
Speaker 5: I'm famously unaware of what all of these these these things are.

01:03:46
Speaker 6: And it's good. It's a good place to be because Greg is in it.

01:03:50
Speaker 2: Yeah, I like, it's hard to figure out. It just says minus twelve. You know, you have to tell I.

01:03:55
Speaker 5: Have had people have to explain what a push is to me before.

01:04:00
Speaker 1: That sort of the lingo is tricky. Yeah, here's lingo that Patrick will understand. Trevor Lawrence is the newest first time member of Quarterback Island, and that's despite it being more exclusive than it's ever been. It came down to eight eight quarterbacks, and Trevor Lawrence not only made it, but like made it with some room to spare. Everyone agreed. He wasn't even the last guy on, so there's some respect.

01:04:24
Speaker 5: And you'll notice Greg hit us with the famous passive voice. Greg shrunk it to eight, and I was I.

01:04:31
Speaker 3: Was glad to have, you know, briefly been involved in the experience. It felt like I walked into eight an angel.

01:04:40
Speaker 1: You know what I want to point out with this game, which is very important. This the reason is this odd number is so big is because this game unquestionably is really important to the Jaguars. Like there's no there's no like vagueness about their motivation. It's a big deal for the Jaguars to win a division. They need to win this game, to win a division, to get a home game. Yeah, like to win to get a home game. They have a chance if they win and the Patriots lose to move up, they would move up to the two seed, which you know, potentially be Jags chargers in that scenario that the Bills are probably the sixth seed. So who knows if the Patriots would care enough to try to avoid the Bills. I don't know, but either way, they really the Jaguars being they I don't think, want to go on the road in the playoffs. They want to have a home game and make all that extra playoff money for their owner, and.

01:05:38
Speaker 3: They deserve I think considering the way they've played, they deserve that home game.

01:05:42
Speaker 6: Yeah.

01:05:43
Speaker 3: I would not be surprised if that twelve and a half hits because its exciting as cam Ward and the Titans are. It seems like it's it's freelancing that's done it almost exclusively down the Stretchial.

01:05:58
Speaker 6: Like chaos is how the Titans operate.

01:06:00
Speaker 3: Difficult to operate chaotically when the Jags, to your point, Jordan, are just trying stuff because the plans have been working to the extent where they're just trying stuff late.

01:06:08
Speaker 1: A guy that's gotten on my radar lately, not just Trevon Walker who's playing outstanding Van Lanen?

01:06:14
Speaker 6: What is it?

01:06:15
Speaker 1: Is it Cole van Lanen for the Jacksonville Jaguars who who came in at some point this season and has started I believe, at four different offensive line positions. Yes, And is there left tackle heading into the playoffs. It seems like it's permanent now and has played pretty well. Walker Little, who was there and got a huge contract as like a bridge, you know, swing tackle, is now at guard and gave up a lot of pressures. Granted it was against you know, good competition last week, but he's now at guard and so that's like a sneaky step plot.

01:06:46
Speaker 5: I had that game a few weeks ago, talking about Colvin Laning coming in and looked great, right for fabilized it.

01:06:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's time for the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places on Sunday Night football. The Baltimore Ravens are three and a half point favorites greg over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The over under is forty one and a half. Mike Tarico, Chris Collinsworth, Melissa start Football Night in America. Will happen Before the game, They'll have the weird thing where they just abbreviate Football Night in America and says f NI A and you're like, does that say final?

01:07:21
Speaker 6: I don't know.

01:07:21
Speaker 3: It's weird to look at the screen. But then the game happens. Yes, what happens in the football game?

01:07:29
Speaker 1: I my head says Steelers.

01:07:34
Speaker 2: It just feels like.

01:07:36
Speaker 1: What they're gonna do. They're just gonna win this game, and they just look so bad. But my heart is rooting for the Ravens because I think that makes for the best playoffs.

01:07:44
Speaker 2: It makes for the best story.

01:07:47
Speaker 1: A world in which Patrick Claybon is happy and that the Ravens at the very last second get their stuff together and go on a playoff run would be very intriguing to me. A Texans Ravens first round matchup yep, which would would be very interesting. And it's been a good matchup for the Ravens in recent years, but obviously different teams this year. The whole thing is great, and yet it all seems impossible to analyze because we don't know if Lamar Jackson is playing or not. And I asked around and nobody knows. I don't think the Ravens know to be fair at this point in the week. They're just gonna wait and see. I can see a world where Tyler Huntley helps them win this game, but it's much less likely.

01:08:33
Speaker 2: I think we could recognize that, right please please?

01:08:36
Speaker 6: Yeah? No, yes?

01:08:38
Speaker 3: Despite the you know yes again, how about I not even acknowledge that idea and that concept and talk about the injuries that also the Pittsburgh steel Yes are dealing with in this game. Because Darnel Washington literally huge for this team and the way that they would like to approach things, and granted it was a unique situation where I think slightly prevent the sack record was one thing, but also preventing Miles Garrett from hitting Aaron Rodgers was another thing. And there's no Miles geartt on the Baltimore Ravens, but they do need to be able to get the ball down the field. There will be no dk Metcalf in this game, and.

01:09:15
Speaker 2: Yeah, I would probably know it's TJ. Watt.

01:09:18
Speaker 1: According to Pro Football Talk, Mike Tomlin said he was more optimistic this week than recent weeks, but Pro Football Talk had sources that thought TJ. Watt was not going to be ready to be back for this game. So yeah, some of the most important players.

01:09:29
Speaker 5: I wonder if you see if Lamar is coming back first, and then you just decide whether TJ.

01:09:33
Speaker 4: Watt.

01:09:34
Speaker 1: I think TJ Watt's playing, if TJ Watt has any chance at playing, but they can't let him do that.

01:09:39
Speaker 5: The thing that strikes me is, like Greg, you said that this game feels like a Steelers win, Like it just feels in your head like it. I don't think that. To me, this feels like a Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers without Darnold Washington, who dictates a significant portion of their blocking surface, not just because he is a massive human, but because of the concepts that they run and then also no deep threat. You cannot trust that they can run the ball the way that they had been when they.

01:10:07
Speaker 4: Were at their best. I did.

01:10:08
Speaker 5: I mean, you could say probably the same for the Ravens in terms of the run game. But I would trust a Ravens team starting to pick itself up right now more than I would trust the Pittsburgh Steelers winning this game.

01:10:21
Speaker 1: Oh that's all the reasons why I my head says Steelers, because I've just been through this so many times that this team is there lunch on the lost, this team has no chance to go on a long run, like this is not a good team, and they've just like nobody is surprised that they lost to the Browns last week, Like that's what they do and this is also what they do, is just like find a way to sneak in somehow. But no, it doesn't make sense logically. I think the players are better for Baltimore. I think getting to see Derek Henry play like that last week was incredible. I think Baltimore should have a coaching advantage, and yet.

01:10:59
Speaker 4: Just saying my head and hearts, the Steelers lose this game.

01:11:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, And and look, we only have to look to a couple of weeks ago to this matchup. Now, now, this one goes to Pittsburgh, and it's tough to beat a team twice in a row. Baltimore, you know, just recently did it. Everything's upside down. Chris Boswell is coming up short for the Steelers.

01:11:20
Speaker 3: That's that's the most wild part about this is seeing Boswell spray them around the goalpost and also seeing Fallele have the game.

01:11:29
Speaker 6: Of his career against the Green Bay.

01:11:33
Speaker 3: I think the fact that the Packers are non common opponent who are generally beat up right now and everything going in the opposite direction there where I don't know if we can extrapolate like a similar performance up front against the Steelers team that's very familiar with what they're trying to do, where they really targeted him in the pass protection game. The fact that if clearly if it's if it's five back there.

01:11:59
Speaker 6: And not eight.

01:12:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I don't even know, and I don't even know what to think about that first matchup, So to be clear, it wasn't how I talked. You know that the Steelers won that game, but it was so strange because it was a big time Ravens rushing performance. Lamar was part of that, but they put up over what two hundred yards on the ground in that game, and the Steelers, who totally went away from the run game last week despite being pretty effective doing it, only had thirty four yards rushing against the Ravens the first time around. Like, I just don't think you can win that way with Scotty Miller and Aaron Rodgers throwing hero shots. Well that's it was the Sons, I know, but there's no DK. Yeah, that's what I mean. I don't think you can do it to Scotty Miller. I mean there was the sequence in.

01:12:50
Speaker 6: That games disrespected right now.

01:12:52
Speaker 1: The sequence in that game where Rogers before he set up remember the fourth and one where he throws it deep to Scotty Miller.

01:13:00
Speaker 2: Everyone is like, what are you doing? Man? What are you doing?

01:13:03
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers he set that up by sliding right before it, you know, for the first down, instead of like diving head because he's Aaron Rodgers.

01:13:11
Speaker 2: At this point, it's like, I'm just enough of it. Wouldn't it be?

01:13:14
Speaker 1: It would be quite a terrible ending if they lose this game for this this season.

01:13:18
Speaker 5: And that's that's what I'm saying, because don't you feel that the universal context where I think you could argue change has to be made at both of these organizations in spots. Don't you think that the Steelers laying an egg in this game might be the thing that universally pushes It's not just Aaron Rodgers on his way out, but perhaps they make changes in other parts. Perhaps Mike Tomlin decides, because that's all the reporting. Hey, I you know, if he decides he wants to walk away, maybe go coach another team, whatever. Don't you just feel that stuck in middle, stuck in medium all of this time, that a game like this, losing a game like this would push you over the edge.

01:14:02
Speaker 1: Yes, And I think that points out the stakes in this game for both sides. And I've tried to talk to people. I'm just guessing that I think it could be the end for John Harbaugh. There're certainly I think most people would disagree, like even if they lost this game, but I think that is a fascinating subplot that maybe the loser of this game, like more changes happen in the offseason, partly because of that.

01:14:24
Speaker 2: It's delicious.

01:14:26
Speaker 6: Get everybody something they want.

01:14:28
Speaker 3: And and my apologies to the fire Tomlin contingency. Some folks had reached out, and you know, because I had said I didn't know if they if all of the chanters were capable of introspection. Oh, the jury is still out there. But I think there's a solution for everybody to get what they want. And that's what Baltimore Ravens to win this game.

01:14:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, I do have to admit because I'm going to I don't know the Ravens are favored. I'm going to pick the Ravens because I'll be real, and that's what I want to happen. Derrick Henry having that game, you know, just a few days before Christmas, it did make me believe. Yeah, that just in the power of something greater than myself or even than football in general, Derrick Henry, and that is Derek freaking Henry.

01:15:11
Speaker 2: Take it home. Let's take one more break and then.

01:15:13
Speaker 1: We will run through the rest of the AFC before we wrap up this week eighteen previews show.

01:15:23
Speaker 2: That's so good.

01:15:29
Speaker 6: That was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Let's Go Places.

01:15:32
Speaker 3: Toyota is all in all season with another year of Toyota Game Day Giveaways, giving football fans the chance to win big every week of the NFL season. Terms of conditions apply to individual giveaways. Enter to win and learn more at Toyota's Game Day Giveaways dot Com.

01:15:46
Speaker 8: No purchase necessary, void where prohibited. Ends two eight twenty six. Open to legal residents of the fifty US States and DC eighteen and over. For complete details, how to enter prizes and official rules, visit Toyota's Game Day Giveaways dot Com.

01:16:03
Speaker 1: Back on NFL Daily, and if you've been paying attention to me, going through the AFC in order of seed right now, the Steelers are the four seed. The Texans are the five seeds, so they're up next. But before we move on for good from that Ravens Steelers game, I wanted to point out we're doing the first ever post Sunday night football live show on YouTube. I hate to do this to Patrick Claybond, but you're going to have to get on the air and react to your team either winning or having a heartbreaking loss. And that's some real television professionalism. That's going to be tested profess for you, but you don't have to be That's the good thing about a podcast. You don't have to pretend like you're completely unbiased or anything like that.

01:16:52
Speaker 6: The shroud has been dropped on that. Okay for a good little while.

01:16:56
Speaker 1: Okay, but come join us. We will be trying something new and so that's going to be really fun. We'll be racked into that game and setting up the AFC and the.

01:17:04
Speaker 3: Entire playoffs beginning of the AFC. How great was the start for the Indianapolis Colts. Things Things went absolutely south in the AFC South. They are at the Houston Texans, who are favored by ten the over unders thirty nine and a half. You can believe your ears. This time. It's not baby birds, big bird. Iron Eagle is on the call to the folks who heard Noah and were very surprised to see.

01:17:29
Speaker 5: The Iron Eagle fresh off a spicy week of broadcasting.

01:17:32
Speaker 3: Yes, a lot has happened. Jj A lott Evan Washburn also on the call. Jordan, we get to see what we haven't seen from the Indianapolis Colts these last few weeks.

01:17:43
Speaker 6: Briley Leonard.

01:17:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, after not playing the entire game and coming in throwing hill very interception, finally gets a chance to play. Congratulations, it's one of the best pass rushes we've seen in the NFL.

01:17:54
Speaker 2: Yeah.

01:17:55
Speaker 4: Best of luck. Yeah.

01:17:58
Speaker 5: I thought, first and foremost, I thought Riley I had his game the game that he came in. I thought he played well. I think he made smart decisions. I think he can work out a structure. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes, he doesn't take a ton of negative plays in a very limited sample size that we're seeing. I thought he plays the ball well. He has great skill players. However, you are going up against the surface of the sun that is the Houston Texans defense aka my favorite defense.

01:18:26
Speaker 4: In the NFL.

01:18:27
Speaker 5: In absolute joy, I was extremely fortunate to be able to cover that game last week at SOFI Stadium against the Chargers, and then to go be able to be in the Texans locker room and meet some of these guys that I actually have either you know, not covered in person or covered remotely for the last season or two. What a What a great group of people that genuinely care about each other, that are playing like on a rope together and believe in themselves and are are confident to the point of their quarterback slash. Offense overall has not been good enough all season. The play calling hasn't been good enough. Often, the offensive line started out not good enough. The run game has not been consistent enough, the efficiency down to down is not there. And yet there is no finger pointing because this defense is so confident that it can be the group that lifts the floor of this entire team. It was a beautiful thing to watch. It was a great thing to experience, and I love that the Texans are so back.

01:19:26
Speaker 2: Baby.

01:19:26
Speaker 1: They've had a little bit of bad luck if you think about not just how they lost games early in the season, but if they win this game, and they're heavily favored to do so, they're going to be a twelve win wild card. And then if you dip underneath, the number is even a little more over at FTN like the number three and four teams right now in weighted DVOA, which gives more weight to the end of the season than the first month, or two the number three and four teams in the entire NFL. But behind my big two, which has been Seattle in LA all year, and it's still Seattle in LA and they're pretty far ahead of the pack. It's Jacksonville and Houston. Yeah, and it kind of makes sense to me. I like, I'm like, yeah, right now, if I had to pick a third and a fourth team, it really might be Jacksonville and Houston. So they're trying to win this game. I think they'll be able to do it against Riley Leonard. But you know, unless the Jaguars get upset, they will be you know, doing that wildcard path and probably be you know, on the road at Pittsburgh or Baltimore, which which would be fascinating.

01:20:26
Speaker 2: But yeah, it's just been an awesome season watching them.

01:20:28
Speaker 3: Yeah the way that And again I say it every time because if folks are on NFL Pro, if they're on next Gen Stats and they're seeing the pressures, the pressures for Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter are different than the pressures for other people because they don't have to get as close. The closing speed is so high. When they get to a certain range, it's lights out for a lot of these guys. And we've seen that make these plays over and over again where it's it's a rough go like Riley Leonard legitimately has a case for malpractice.

01:20:58
Speaker 1: For how remember when Drake made his first start against the Texans last year and it was like a week long conversation, how could you bring him in like this is irresponsible by the Patriots to start his career against this Texans defense, which I thought was ridiculous.

01:21:13
Speaker 2: Hey, how about Riley Leonard?

01:21:14
Speaker 1: Why don't you Why don't you do it in Week eighteen with like a banged up offensive line that's not playing as well as it was?

01:21:20
Speaker 2: Man stuff?

01:21:21
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I think too the Texans specifically, where one of their strengths that many other teams in the league struggle to find a strength here is at inside linebacker, where they will not only use the players that they have who are playing at a super high level, but they'll also send Jalen Petrie down into the slot quite a bit, and he sort of puts a cap around the quarterback wherever the quarterback is. You saw it a couple of times. One time, Justin Herbert broke loose for a big third down conversion along the sideline. But Jalen Petrie, he is covering up the quick game with the way that he's playing coverage close to the line of scrimmage and then moving out of structure and making plays happen out of structure against particularly this front seven, and then the addition of Jalen Petrie when he does play close to the line of scrimmage, that is a nightmare because they're dictating every throw you make, even when you try to create more space for yourself with those play action or bootlegs.

01:22:15
Speaker 1: So before we move on from this game, I want to hear a little bit about your feature on The Athletic this week about the CEO slash owner of the Colts, Carly Ursa Gordon, who is notable for many things, but one would be that, like Kyle Shanahan, she's around my age and is wearing a flat brim hat consistently really making it happen. So that's the thing I've recognized her most for. What did you learn about her?

01:22:43
Speaker 5: Yeah, well, obviously you know that I went to Indianapolis. I spent a week inside the organization for at the beginning of December. At the time, nobody in the state, let alone the organization, knew that their season was about to completely turn on its head. Their injury can turns with Daniel Jones. Obviously, at the time, the defense and the offense. Both were playing a little under how they started the year, but that really was after that was when he tore Daniel Jones tour the Achilles, and then the entire chaos and truly kind of a mess of the last month of the season happened and they became eliminated from playoff contention after starting the season so strong. What I learned about Carly is that she doesn't I think when people see her on the sideline with the headset and they see her taking notes as diligently, and they hear that she meets with Shane Styche and Chris Ballard once a week every week and has for years, I think people think that she's involved in the decision making in terms of smothering over decisions or trying to sway people to her thinking or influencing decisions. That's actually not the case at all. I think she will have more influence in whatever changes they do or do not make in terms of their entire organization and at quarterback over the next couple of weeks, and the stakes are very high in that regard. But in terms of the day to day and in terms of the decision making process, she is more of a question asker and a student and someone who is learning about the organization and asking questions in a way to sort of foster conversation and encourage conversation that she hopes leads people to the correct conclusion. It's not somebody who's coming in over the top and basically swinging her title around and saying like, we're going to do this. So I think that when you see somebody that involved on the sideline, you do have a little bit of that, oh, is this an interfering owner kind of thing That could not be further from the case. And I will also say this, I was in the locker room for a couple of days talk to a lot of players. Two things, she has that locker room the way a coach, a beloved coach, would have a locker room. And that was so I've been in a lot of locker rooms and a lot of buildings, and that was striking to me.

01:25:02
Speaker 4: As the owner.

01:25:03
Speaker 5: To have the building the way the locker room the way that she does is significant and I think a very subtle yet very important power dynamic here. The other thing is I was absolutely impressed, blown away and just moved by the way that the emotional intelligence person to person of that locker room, because you talk to these players about extremely nuanced and complex issues, including mental health. It's all in the story mental health in terms of the spotlight that's on her, and some of the commentary that's being made not always with the U with appropriate framing, especially because she is one of the very few women who are on the sidelines of NFL games and one of the even fewer women who was wearing a headset. The way that they spoke not for her, not in a way that softened her or patronized her or even like maternalized her. They didn't turn her into anything other than who she is. And that is one of them. And I thought it was the most advanced, like the EQ is off the charts in that building, and I think that's special and if they can make the right decisions moving forward, they have something special there.

01:26:13
Speaker 4: They just need to go out and do it on the.

01:26:15
Speaker 1: Field and that I think that is maybe the best legacy that she she got from her dad, because there's probably few owners in the last handful of years that have the sort of buying and loyalty like her dad did and bring back a little more ball knowers to be NFL owners. I do think it's a little bit of a problem with like the money that's come into the league, that it's a lot of like billionaires fifth thing that they're doing, and a lot of people are assigned out and she.

01:26:44
Speaker 5: Shows whereas like she shows up when the coach is shown and in the morning, and she stays until after they're gone.

01:26:49
Speaker 1: It's one of the reasons why this building exists and we have the jobs that we have. Is like that the men who did own these teams were so like intimately an involved to the point where they would share all the profits with with everyone else. It's like, let's I wouldn't mind if she was super involved. Let's I want some more Al Davis's and even even okay, Mike brown I don't know if we need more Mike Browns, but Paul Brown's at least back in the day, like the uh the owner being that involved and Jim ursay, you know, learned the hard way, but through a lot of mistakes early on, it doesn't seem like she's going to be doing that. And uh, I'm really looking forward to everyone check out that piece. Still got three more games to get to, but these ones not as not as impactful.

01:27:32
Speaker 3: Yeah, but still a paradentical five minutes for the bowkill at the New York that's chair we might not need.

01:27:37
Speaker 6: It's thirty eight and a half.

01:27:38
Speaker 3: Andrew cattle On, Charles Davis and Jason mccordy and aj Ross they're on the call.

01:27:43
Speaker 6: Uh, Mitchell Trubisky right.

01:27:46
Speaker 1: Great, Probably it's not confirmed. Sean McDermott said this game is really important to him and to the organization. It's the last game at Ralph Wilson State. I don't even know what the sponsor is at this point. It'll be the Ralph to me forever, and it's going away, so we should call it the Ralph. They're really lucky the schedule makers set up the Jets and the Brady Cook Jets and this version of the Jets right now, because I think they really do want to win, but they really do need to rest key players like Josh Allen, and I think they can accomplish both of those goals, but I don't know if it might be a situation where they play some of the high level starters like a James Cook even for a while and get a lead before pulling them. I don't think they really care about the seed, but I do think they really care about winning the game. I don't think they want to lose to the Jets in the final game of Ralph Wilson Stadium.

01:28:43
Speaker 2: It would really be a bummer.

01:28:44
Speaker 6: Thankfully.

01:28:45
Speaker 1: It's one of the worst, you know, teams I've ever seen, is this Jets team down the stretch, right, I mean, they had the worst four game stretch in Jets history.

01:28:53
Speaker 2: They think since it says it all.

01:28:55
Speaker 4: It's dark days over there.

01:28:56
Speaker 5: I will say this, and I know that a lot of this game we're just kind of going to be talking about vibes because it's gonna be a lot of backups for Buffalo playing. But that's a place where I remember, like you want to go out with a good aura, like with good energy, right, because I remember even when that that stadium was being built, and like people were making quote unquote sacrifices to the pit that it was, the landfill that it was that was being dug in order to facilitate the ground of the floor, the cement I don't even know what I'm trying to say, the cement building blocks of that stadium. People were jumping into it or like leaving gifts for the pit right. This is a superstitious football town and they're gonna come out in like droves for this. It's gonna be a good crowd no matter who the hell is on the field out there, Like, I just think the Bills want to send this out the right way with a total butt kicking. Sadly for the Jets, there's sort of prime to be the victims of it.

01:29:52
Speaker 1: Eric, you have spent a lot of games, you know, your childhood, flying back here like did here to watch this latest one. Give us a little perspective and what you think it's gonna be like there and what your thoughts are here.

01:30:09
Speaker 7: It's gonna be a great game. I mean I went because it's the last year I've never been to a game. Got a snow game. Check it off the bucket list at the Ralph correct Greg people call it the raff, the don't call it high Mark new era, whatever it is. But no, if they will want to win this game, Josh Allen loves his iron Man streak, so I definitely think he will start maybe a driver to but they need to win this game.

01:30:32
Speaker 2: The fans need them to win this game.

01:30:35
Speaker 7: If they stub their toe against the Jets on the way out of the stadium. You want you think they fans want McDermott fired now if they lose this game, dude, But no, it's yeah, it's interesting going to one. They're gonna feel the spirit. It's interesting. Like the stadium, the new team is right next door. Walking into high Mark a couple of weeks ago, a month ago, whenever it was, it's right there. It's overshadowing, it's looking it's like a it's like a yeah up. High School Stadium is what I would describe high Mark the Ralph now and then you got this big future of what is there looking at you dead in the eye every time you walk in. They need to win this. I mean, think of the Vibes Vibes game. They need to win this game for so many reasons.

01:31:15
Speaker 1: Think of some of those games in the nineties that were played there and stuff. It is uh, it is special.

01:31:21
Speaker 7: And Dermy had a quote, He's like, we have a future, but let's not jump out of this just yet. He's been I mean, he he's been around for a while. He got him out of the drought, having the playoffs. You think he's only missed one as time being there, like he's like, I know we got a bright future with this thing, but like, let's not get over next door too quick.

01:31:38
Speaker 4: I really like with the game, please, I really really like him.

01:31:41
Speaker 1: That can't be living the Brady Cook and they they are the exam They are always the team I think about the most. I don't know if you just will pop in your head right away, Eric of a famous you never know what's going to happen against backups Week eighteen game, which is when Drew Bledsoe was playing the Steelers and they needed to beat the Steelers' backups to make the playoffs, and the Steelers backups I was at.

01:32:02
Speaker 7: An ESPN zone, Adaheim, California, is celebrating my birthday.

01:32:05
Speaker 1: Is then the Willie Parker breakout game. He was like a fourth stringer and they're like, hmm, this guy might be pretty good.

01:32:12
Speaker 3: Shut out the fast, Willie, that's amazing and shout out too. Teams getting other teams in the postseason, like the Cleveland Browns did, like the Cincinnati Bengals, and Andy Dalton did the Buffalo Bills when he beat the Baltimore Ravens back in the day. It is the Cincinnati Bengals taking on the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals are seven and a half point favorites. The over under is forty four and a half. Tom McCarthy, Logan Ryan, and Amanda Balioni's friend of the show on the call. But the only number anyone cares about in this football game, Jordan is one. Does that one happen against Joe Burrow?

01:32:46
Speaker 4: Yeah?

01:32:46
Speaker 5: I think it does, And I also I also think it's kind of fitting for Joe Burrow if it happens to him, If he's the one, based on how his career's gone so.

01:32:55
Speaker 1: Far, why he takes a lot of sacks? He does take a lot of sacks. Oh, I'm saying, like he can't.

01:33:00
Speaker 5: He can't win for losing and to be on the wrong side of this history before winning a Super Bowl, like it sucks.

01:33:09
Speaker 4: That would suck a guy who's.

01:33:12
Speaker 5: Thinking we talk about vibes, a guy who's constantly thinking about vibes, about clearly universal powers and history, big fossil guy, like this sucks for him.

01:33:23
Speaker 4: If this happens to him.

01:33:25
Speaker 1: It's fine. I think it's fine. Who cares who takes the final sack? The only reason we remember Brett Farm is because he slid for it and just gave it to him.

01:33:33
Speaker 5: I just think, you know these quarterbacks, the way that they're wired, Greg and the stuff that he's been through to have it be to be on the receiving end of this, and sure he says he's having fun whatever like this leaves a sour taste in your mouth. Win or lose again, to have to have this much potential just be wasted year over year. It all connects to each other in terms.

01:33:58
Speaker 1: To me, it all comes down to whether they have a good off into performance. I don't think he'll care at all if he takes a sack and they win twenty five to seven and he plays well in the last season, Yeah, I think I think that part is going to be important to him. But one thing we've learned about Joe Burrow over the years, he is not afraid to take a sack.

01:34:16
Speaker 2: That man has has taken too many.

01:34:18
Speaker 1: It's something he could he could probably improve on here in the second half of his game, and I.

01:34:24
Speaker 3: Think there's a positive way to spend it if the Bengals get the win, especially after what was we can say an interesting Aaron Rodgers performance that prevented Mile Skearrett from getting that suck for Joe Burrow, who does hold on the ball because he's got two generationally gifted receivers and he likes to attack defenses down the field, is going to continue to do that against the Browns. So he's going to get sacked, but they're also going to get buckets because that's what Joe Burrow does.

01:34:48
Speaker 5: Listen, all I'm saying, Greg is that I think I think you might be glossing over a little of like what I believe, and you know there are whispers out there the depths of frustration.

01:34:59
Speaker 1: Sure, I just don't think Miles Garrett sack would would make one big difference or another. I do think winning on this winning streak and having them develop some young players down the stretch, which they have. Amarius Mims and Dylan Fairchild on the offensive line have been playing well, Miles Murphy and Dax Zillman playing well. I think that's all good things for them to.

01:35:18
Speaker 4: Feel better about Cody four touchdown.

01:35:21
Speaker 1: And while you're mentioning Andy Dalton and Marvin Lewis, I wanted to point out one thing that annoyed me this week. Everyone was so mad they put the Ravens Steelers on Sunday Night. How could you do that. That game's not as good. This is disrespectful to the forty nine ers and the Seahawks. It's stupid that that's playing Saturday night. That's the teams aren't as good. They're just doing it for raid. No. NBC has been consistent from day one. They will always and only put in a winning in scenario if they have it, including a Bengals Jets game back in the day where they knew one of the teams was rested the starters even though there were better slots, and they were like, no, we will always do a winning in game. And that was a Marvin Lewis versus the Jets. Just a terrible game in week eighteen where now I forget who was even resting their starts.

01:36:00
Speaker 2: I think it was the Jets.

01:36:01
Speaker 4: I think that's the fastest I've ever heard of human had to.

01:36:04
Speaker 1: Get it, had to get it in if I was if you're on one point five speed.

01:36:08
Speaker 4: Sorry, oh you're in for a ride.

01:36:11
Speaker 1: I used to get mad about those people, but now I am one of those people.

01:36:14
Speaker 2: Depending on who yes, yeah.

01:36:16
Speaker 3: Wow, inside info out of Guardan Greg Rosenthal, the defender of the peacock itself, shout out to Greg, I'm.

01:36:23
Speaker 2: Just saying that is the rule. They've been consistent. They do that every year, so it wasn't anything unique.

01:36:28
Speaker 3: The King City Chiefs have been in the playoffs every year, not this year. They are five and a half point favors against a woeful Las Vegas Raiders team thirty six and a half points. Chris Lewis, Kyle Long, Tiffany Blackman, Kyle Long, they're on the call. Shout out the Kyle Long, who was in our newsroom the other day getting ready for the Netflix game. He goes over to see Puma, who's a stage manager. Extraordinary here. Puma introduces himself and he's like, no, I know who you are. Used to do research for my dad on the Fox pregame show when he was a time any human And he sees Puma for the first time in decades and remembers him. And that was a cool moment before Christmas in.

01:37:05
Speaker 2: The news one.

01:37:07
Speaker 4: That's beautiful, but I'm.

01:37:08
Speaker 6: Glad I got to share.

01:37:09
Speaker 2: But awesome.

01:37:10
Speaker 3: We'll also share the fact that he gets to call this game to this moment. And yes, not a lot to talk about.

01:37:17
Speaker 1: I mean, the Raiders can only hope that if they take Fernando Mendoza number one overall and they lose this game that he could have as legendary a career as Puma, who is one of the legends inside this building. The one real news item other than obviously the Raiders clinched the first pick if they lose this game, to me was Andy Reid just making it as clear as humanly possible this week.

01:37:41
Speaker 2: I am back. I'm going to be back as long as they have me. I am back.

01:37:45
Speaker 1: And they said it in no ifs ands or butts, so to me, that was kind of my big takeaway other than the fact that the offensive coordinator of the Raiders, your guy, Chip Kelly, is back in the biz. He just loves ball. Did you see where he where? It is almost too hard to believe. He is the offensive coordinator of the Northwestern Wildcats.

01:38:07
Speaker 5: That's another win for the Walter Kronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State.

01:38:11
Speaker 2: What a career he has had.

01:38:13
Speaker 1: I mean, he's collected a lot of money from Mark Davis. That's a man that loves ball. I'm sure he's making plenty of money from Northwestern too. But yeah, he's not the coach, he's the coordinator.

01:38:25
Speaker 3: No, I was just making sure Pat Fitzgerald's still there so they can bust unions together. Look at that Chip Kelly and Pat Fitzgerald. What a great coaching staff for my rooting interests. Go Wildcats.

01:38:37
Speaker 1: I don't know, man, I got to find three games to pick with Cynthia. I don't think I can do it at taking the Raiders in Week eighteen. But five and a half points for Chris Olidokin.

01:38:49
Speaker 2: I haven't. I have a sneaky suspicion.

01:38:53
Speaker 1: I know the Chiefs played their hearts out at Arrowhead, but I saw that Titans game. I have a sneaky suspicion like the Raiders are going to be making their fans sweat at the very least and might just like win this game to blow the pick. That's just it happened so many times in NFL history.

01:39:08
Speaker 5: Yeah, I did think that Chris Olidlekin played well like I thought, he moved well, he saw the field. Well, it's you know, I have no I would have no doubt that they could win this game, but you never know, the Raiders might do something radary.

01:39:25
Speaker 2: Five and a half points just a lot for the Kansasity Chiefs.

01:39:27
Speaker 3: And also David Braun is coaching Northwestern Now Pat fish Gerald has gone to Michigan State.

01:39:30
Speaker 1: Right, I was gonna say that that. Yeah, that was a strange hire and I think it's going to be ineffective. But this is a pro football podcast.

01:39:40
Speaker 3: Well, it's important to note because Chip Kelly will be backgard Well, I don't think.

01:39:43
Speaker 4: He's coming He's invented a new type of offer.

01:39:45
Speaker 1: I don't think he's coming back to the NFL. But if you think of his career and U n H and the Eagles, and like someone could write a good book, I feel like about a Chip Kelly he would be in that would be interesting to me. Oh, I feel like a Chip Kelly book. I mean he has seen in done a lot of things. It's why that stupid phrase for the Hall of Fame, Well, you can't tell the story of football without him, Like he's got.

01:40:06
Speaker 2: To be a hall of Fame.

01:40:06
Speaker 1: It's like that's true of a lot of people that shouldn't be Hall of famers, and ship Kelly's one of them. He's sneaky, been a big part of football the last twenty five years.

01:40:14
Speaker 6: I'm gonna get Wickersham online one. We're gonna get that Jim Kelly.

01:40:16
Speaker 4: Book that reminds me.

01:40:18
Speaker 5: Greg, I wanted to ask you this earlier, and I kept forgetting So we were talking about the Hall of Fame before. Yeah, with with Steve wish you obviously he's got an inside track on a lot of stuff over there, Greg, And you're an avid reader. You talk about like the New York Times book list all and stuff. Would you rather be the person that builds like the definitive reading list every year or would you rather be a Hall of Fame voter.

01:40:43
Speaker 2: Like a reading list of what like.

01:40:45
Speaker 4: You know, what's the one the New York Times annuals.

01:40:47
Speaker 1: Like best Books? Am I writing the New York Times Best Books of the Year?

01:40:51
Speaker 2: Or am I a Hall of Fame.

01:40:52
Speaker 3: Voter Greg Rosenthal column at the end of a single year Best Books?

01:40:56
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's fully it is.

01:40:58
Speaker 1: Am I Do I have like healthcare benefits because that's a full time job. If you give me that, yeah, I might. Maybe I'll make that transition. Although then then you're taking your passion and turning it into your career.

01:41:10
Speaker 5: I don't know, but I would argue your passion is also arguing for and against Hall of Fame candidacies.

01:41:15
Speaker 1: Right without that sounds attractive, and my current skill set is definitely more well suited for that particular job. I would have to give up all this, and so there was a trick question I'm taking. I'm taking the Hall of Fame one because I got to respect those readers. I would have to quit and say goodbye and NFL daily and I wouldn't get to work with.

01:41:35
Speaker 4: Well, then we'd get Walker in your chair. It's fine.

01:41:37
Speaker 1: We give me like a decade we got we gotta prime the pump. We gotta get them ready. Maybe fifteen years. That's a long time, especially in media. All Right, we've done it. We've gotten to the end of the year. We finished our Week eighteen preview. We'll be back though as a trio next week to preview the wild card games.

01:41:53
Speaker 2: I cannot wait for that.

01:41:57
Speaker 4: We did it. This is my first regular season on the preview show.

01:42:00
Speaker 2: Guys, Happy New Year to everyone.

01:42:03
Speaker 1: I hope you have a absolutely great night and New Year's Day, and we'll be back. I got Alli Connelly talking to All Pro. We got our pic show coming up, so much more to come. Happy New Year,