2022 Around the NFC in 48 Minutes

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Speaker 1: Be around with the NFL podcast hashtag get to learn from the Chris Westling podcast studio. It's around the NFL. I'm Dan Jansas room filled with a bunch of heroes. Greg Rosenhal, Mark Sessler, Am I right the man that we must get to the United Kingdom at all costs. Patrick Claiban, what's up? What's up? Dann? What's up? Marco's up? Greg? What's up? Justin congratulations? I don't I mean as far as the things that we should prioritize. I appreciate it, I really do. That's good. I just I just want to keep my job. Like let's uh, but that's how you spend You have to diversify the Clay Bann brand, take it over over waters and and just establish yourself in the United Kingdom and surrounding territories, you know, like how people lark on Big Brother other ship. I just kind of want to be a lurker, like maybe like a Milton type situation where they legitimately forgetting sounds. We are already the tallest, most handsome guy in the room, and then my chair is lower than his two. So let's try to clean this up a little bit. You do here towering over him. Well, i'd like to have my say. I don't get a chance to have my feet dangle like a like a fun child very much. And these chairs allow me to do that. I always do. When you watch this on if you're watching on the YouTube feed, poor Greg, when you go to the wide shot, I mean, it's just simply you're not a huge person, but you are stationed farther behind everyone. It's like, to some degree, I'm worried people people get into that hobbit. It's how they filmed the hobbit with just putting someone into teams Rex fault. But he looks like a someone that just came out of someone's womb compared to the rest of the people and the here's what we gotta do with Clay Button, No, we gotta bring him over. He's a regular on this show. By the way, we didn't have to like prep him, like, hey, here's how around the NFC goes. No, he does it every year. We are like a long running show, uh go and overseas great success, great ratings, but you gotta worry it's getting stale after four or five years. You juice up the ratings and the excitement by adding a new character for season five. That almost tracks. But then if you know sitcom history, the sitcom that's popular but it's starting to grow stale. That brings in the cute kid. That kid is always a deathnell of the show. That annoying redhead. Yeah yeah, Danny, Yeah, was that his name? Well, then we have a fall guy. If that happened Family well, Family Ties had the child Morkan Mindy, which is an ancient show, had a an adult child that was in an egg and that show went off the right off the cliff after that, all right, second show in the full time capacity behind the glass for Justin Graver. Justin, I understand as everyone knows, uh, the producers creed. We opened this week's show with the producer's creed, got just An officially on board with the show and listen. It didn't go over well with everyone. It just didn't know some controversy. Can we can we listen to the bench with Banetta Rachel Panetta. We love Rachel and we think that she's a great talent and she's a friend of the show, very talented, but she did not hesitate to, you know, clap back at this program over what happened let's listen. In, I renounced any and all other podcasts outside these walls. I renounced any and all other podcasts out. Wow. I mean I felt like we had created a pretty good relationship that would have you know, were you at least like crossing your fingers behind your back like we needed some infront? Did you feel immediately bad? Did you think about reaching out to Mohun and I because like, just feel like, I don't want to speak for you, MO, but I'm feeling betrayed. Well, we I don't want I don't want to be dramatic, but I thought Justin and I and all three of us had a pretty good going I know we're just starting out. Well listen, Um, the oath is the oath. I think everyone's missing the giant loophole that saves me exactly Justin, please go ahead. Because I was outside these walls, I thought Dan did that intentionally, that he was saying, like you NFL media, you can do other things, but within these walls, I thought that was intentional. Maybe not judging by Dan's facial expression, Um, he it's a bit competitive and has no love for bench with Banetta. Apparently I have much love. I was on the program in fact last week, and it was a great time. Check it out if you haven't. But the oath is the oath, and if you want to use like look at it like that's a loophole, please continue to do that show. But also keep in mind, you know, if we're already using loopholes after one show to get around certain decrees, what does that say for the Mark? What does that say is that, well, I think there's um for as talented as Rachel as I'm surprised that she already hasn't figured out that the producers here at NFL Network on on most of these shows are ambitious and extremely power hungry. So I wouldn't say a single thing that he said to Rachel has any credence because he'll do whatever. A month ago, we were talking about a massive power shift organized by Grave Digger. A month later, where is he spinning verbal bern? I didn't see this coming. What Mark is referencing is the game of Headphones right, which is constantly played, and Justin is clearly winning right, And I think Rachel's also playing the game quite well. She's my my host on Game Debut. Check out our schedule release show next week. Justin do you have an issue with the tone of Mark's voice there and the way he just described you. I feel honored that I was able to be described as such a power. That was another test I guess completely accurate in my analysis. That's the other issue, another test. Enough of this, We got so much to do. It's around the NFC and forty eight minutes, and you know, checking in um justin behind the glass didn't make us aware that apparently there were some fans uh and listeners of the around the a f C segment that we're upset that maybe we got sidetracked at a certain point and didn't give some teams the love they deserved. Its graver put it whiney colts, fans second place called fans, and just beyonder. Just understand this is not intentional. This is a free flowing conversation that occasionally touches on mature subjects, right, and if we get thrown off course every once in a while, that's how podcasts work. So it's a game of Russian roulette. There's gonna be a couple of teams that's gonna habit to today. Also, it ain't personal. Don't read into it. Well, how about spin it this way, um, complainers like we didn't lose course on roughly thirteen and a half of the teams we covered last time. That to me says that we were on target. You know, if I do rail a segment referencing your team you listening, then I did that specifically to antagonize you, the person who's listening to this because of my problem with you here and he's here to win. He's seeing you all in his mentions. He knows you. That's transparency. He's here to win. All right, let's get into it. We're gonna have also a guest a little later in the show to talk about, Yes, the International Series which is back, uh five games including a brand new country. And don't forget you have time outs. You guys didn't use a single time out. I didn't, And that's suddenly keep in mind, how do those work? I don't even remember how that. I don't either. Yeah, let's just just be like, thank you, justin for the I think that was too. If we did have a sidetrack conversation not about the team. In the past, maybe we've used time outs. I think it was continued did we have to last year? And I feel like Greg used both of them media. Yeah, it's just gonna be a it's it's a lever for greg to go off on his own. Last time, everyone was too worried about using up all the time outs, so they just left him for Dan. And Dan, I think you started pounding those time outs, all right. Let's everybody that is unnecessary, all right, if you need it, use it, Greg use we have three minutes for each team. I think we're good three minutes each team in the NFC. Let's start as we always do on the East coast, the NFC East and Patrick Laban, you're more than a guest your family. Get it going, all right. So the Dallas Cowboys addressed multiple needs last week. They also needed to because of the way that they've managed the roster in the past few years. Uh. They've also drafted well again because they needed to. Randy Gregory, Amari Cooper go on this long list of now Cowboys that were on their rookie contract that are now somewhere else that could be contributing on a contender. Uh, this team is gonna be a contender. I don't know if James Washington and Dante Fowler moved the needle that much for me, Tyler Smith, if you believe in him, right, if it pans out like the recent drafts have, it's good. But here's Mike McCarthy with a top ten quarterback who's going to contend right and potentially uh, considering there's a Kevin James Doule doubleganger out there, considering all of the comedy of errors that happened last year, Uh, he might not be there this top next year. So how what round of the playoffs does Mike McCarthy need to get to to keep his job NFC Title game even losing that Because because I'm I wrote the same note, I think the Sean Payton fascination deriving from Jerry Jones, who was in a in a car accident last night, not related to the fascination, uh is strong and it is more tangibly real as an option for Dallas than ever before. And Mike McCarthy, I think he did a good job last year up until the crumbling in the playoffs. What does he do that's super special? I mean, Sean Payton is gonna win you an extra two or three games a season if he's your head coach because of him, And we don't know for a fact that it wasn't Sean Payton related that car crash. He could have been watching the Netflix movie about Sean Payton starring Kevin James for like the time, looking for hidden clues, hidden meetings, because they it does reward. It's like a Radiohead album, right, You just you just learn more each time. I think McCarthy is in a tough spot. I don't think he has to win multiple playoff games. I think if he made the playoffs in one a game, that'd be fine. Keep it in the right direction. I just don't think he's in a great spot anymore because I just don't think they're as talented as they have been over the last couple of years. Offensive line, I have questions. Tyler Smith is probably gonna play left guard, not tackle. Um cornerbacks not very good linebackers after Michael Parsons, like I don't see wide receiver still good, but no longer special. So I I just don't think this is a special roster. I think it's a good roster, and usually Mike McCarthy needs a special roster to go make some noise. Don't overestimate the Dallas Cowboys ability to lie to themselves, So if if they feel like they do they had a good season, which I think means making the playoffs, unless Sean Payton is waiting there, because that does make a little more intriguing. If Kevin James is way eating there, that would be weird. And here's the other thing. We talked about it a lot, but it really does bear fruit if you go to Pro Football Reference, Uh, the last twenty years after playoff seasons ten and six and oh three, six and ten, the next year thirteen and three and oh seven, nine and seven missed the playoffs. The next year eleven and five and oh nine, six and ten missed the playoffs. Two thousand, fourteen, twelve and four to four and twelve, thirteen and three to nine and seven miss playoffs, tenant six to eight and eight miss playoffs twelve and five last year. That's the International Series is heading delicious up next, here we go. Mark sel I adore the song selection the New York Giants. I think it's bad business that the Giants have to flat out cut James Bradberry because that was not what they planned to do. But I will say otherwise, bad business for the New York Giants. Otherwise, though, that's a typical of this offseason. I think that Joe Shane the new GM. He gives me Brandon Bean vibes. I mean, I know that it kind of pulled this from Buffalo, and I kind of get that sense for the Giants, and I loved how they attacked the draft. They landed our friend and Manifesto acquaintance. I would say, right, you mentioned friend on our second in time out. Oh shocker that the time out comes during my speech? Is that surprising to Dan took a twenty second time out, By the way he used the shoulders, that that's what that mark. The very nature of the time out means you're not gonna lose any time. This is an aside that does I understand. I understand the function. So the function of the game includes time outs. I'm using one to tell you guys that when Joe Shane, your beloved Mark called Cavon Thibodeau and said we're taking you, Cavan said, I've been waiting. I manifested this. I felt a little betrayed. I thought the whole manifest thing was no, no, no. He said that on NFL network too long before meeting with us, so he used it well. I don't think so. I think, but I thought it was our little thing. Okay, Dan is a very cute little coffee next to him as well. I think that's he's It's the most questionable use of time out since like Doc Rivers, you know, hey, I love them Max adding tackle Evan Neil as well their offensive line, which has been a hot mess for a long time. Evan Neil, Mark Lewinski, John Feliciano, Max Garcia. It's like warrant. You can start to see it, and I think they need that. I also love the fact that they did not fit year option Daniel Jones. Let's not deal with that drama again. We'll see what happens there. But after so many boring regimes in New York, it's been a long boring stretch. I think we're onto something here at my right, boys, you are. But I think they really helped Daniel Jones this offseason. Yeah, he could be a free agent after the year. If he does well, he'll be fine. I think they they've done more to help Daniel Jones, whether that's the idea or not. Uh And a lot of teams have for their young quarterbacks, like Chicago that we've talked about I just liked they're not they're not verbally wed to him. The Giants in the past with Eli Manning, other guys they've done weird things were like the incoming coach had to treat certain quarterbacks like Kings and they're not having to do their drafted wan Dale Robinson in the second round is look projects as like a slat or a gadget player. That was a pick. Not a lot of people loved that. You're getting like a Canarius Tony Sterling Shepherd back up in the second round. That was a weird one. The thing about wan Dale Robinson and you have to excuse it, right because to get arguably the two best players up front on each side of the ball on your first two picks, it's like house money at that point. But you do kind of wonder, right, um, because there was all the discussion about Dudarius Tony and do they want Gadarius Tony? Are they trying to move him? The goal should be, well, let's let's take the talent that we have and try to get the best team that we can on the football field. And because it's a new regime, you wonder if they're trying to do that but since he's there, um and they kind of squelched that top. Yeah, I agree, they're they're doing all they can for Dimes, and we'll see what Dimes can do for us and make him make us want if if Dimes finally becomes the guy that thought he was, they'll deal with the financial fallout connected to that. They'll happily deal. They'll let's just hit him with the franchise tag most likely, and maybe work towards something. But I don't know the chances what are It's a very short list at this point of guys that don't break through, and then in year four it happens he does have a better team around him. But I'm still not overly optimistic about how It just tells me day Ball has watched all his film in these months since he was hired. And your answer was, we're not giving you guaranteed extra money. No, I'm with you on Brad. Very bad business. They are almost last in cash spending. They kind of act like a small market team sometimes the same I don't think. Get that out of their mind. It's gone. We move on to Greggy and his eiggles. So many team time out what that's He's used his last one. Then, I mean, I think there's only two for the whole group. He just took everyone's there's three. Get three. Um, that's greedy Greg's favorite teams. Let's figure them out. At the Eagles, you got the Saints, Broncos, Broncos, they're gone. Now Seahawks. See what Seahawks have never been? Well? Yeah, Selphans have Teddy? Now Patriots, I guess. And am I missing any Chargers, Chargers, Rams Rams because the LC who's your favorite team? I mean, the Patriots are my favorite team of all those. I would put the Chargers in. The Eagles right now are are battling for another number two spot, but circumstances can't change. Yeah, it's like, who's gonna be fun to watch? You get Gino start in a few games, you get Teddy starting a few games, then let's check back. I do have a suspect for this stuff. Patrick, you grew up in Alabama College Central down there. It is did you have a favorite football team in the NFL? I didn't, I didn't and I still don't. I'm kind of out here learned learned the real answer to this question, and it was the Cowboys. But for some reason, he's ashamed to admit it. What we've talked, we've talked about We've had this exact conversation multiple times now ostracized himself from Rachel and Clay. I guess there was a Cowboys at some points effect that's confusing to me. But Greg has not been ostracized at all. I'm excited about this Eagulls team because they had not awesome awesome, Like, does any team have better depth than this Eagles team? First of all, they were supposedly doing a rebuild, right remember that, Oh they made the playoffs during it, and now they're back and you look at this roster. I think it's better than the Cowboys. I think it's up there with the best four or five in the NFC for sure. They have more players that you know that aren't even starting for them, Like I don't know if Brandon Graham starts on this team anymore. Because they've got four really good pass rushers with the San Reddick there. Uh, you bring Jordan Davis and you might not even start him. You have a first round pick Andre Dillard that can't even get in the mix at left tackle. They've got eight guys on offense on their offensive line and eight guys on their defensive line that look great to me. And that's how they want a Super Bowl five years ago was being big upfront. For all their analytics talk, they're kind of about big Wine play, which is about his old school as a eight line play got a cover in the NFL though, Yeah, us any of their picks on safety or cornerback. They did not get Honey Badger who went to the Saints. Of course, Um so there are thin there and now they're gonna have to, I guess depend on some guys. They're not about that back to front life. They're about that we're gonna get so much pressure that and we're gonna play very deepest roster. Yeah, I think well up front, Yeah, I think they had the best off season of any team in the NFC. And like, because you're white, someone that you talk about coverage, I mean, he's he comes from the Chargers. He's a great coverage linebacker. They did improve their defense position of strength. Now, I do want to see how A J. Brown changes the way that Philly approaches offense because they were atypical NFL product last year, running as much as they did and not asking Jalen hurts to wing it. I mean, now you have to please A J. Brown, and you've also put even if if they retain Jalen Reagor, despite the fact that you know, Philly people get upset and they want everybody gone and they never want to see them again, you'd be asking him to do something that he wasn't asking. He's their fifth or seeing Zack Pascal is a nice for right there, so you just him. If you imagine the scenario, even a J. Brown is now under all of those uh, all those targets that previously went to Jalen Reagor, Like what does that do for the wind lost capabilities of this team and Nakobe People are worried about him having surgery. Nakobe didn't could have the surgery today and play the season with one arm, and he would be better in covers than a lot of the linebackers Philly man out there last year. And like I said on at the draft or the Saturday Night show after the draft, he said that there were people that were out to get him behind the scenes and reporting on it, like he is not unhealthy, he's ready to go, and he could make a big difference. I think obviously time out. Okay, so we are out of time outs. It is like the middle of the first quarter. If anything important happens, I just want to let you know, Greg, you realize you can't talk while I had taken the time out. Do you understand you needed you now too? Well, that's actually not the rule of the time out. Could you, out of politeness refrain that's different. I had just a couple of lines of information to read to you about. Albertina Carlson born June eighteen forty eight actually died ninety a Swedish zoologists um. She was born to Taylor A. P. Carlson A M. Johnson in Switzerland, a very famous scientist from that time. It was a needless time out. Were when we have no more left that that. You heard us there, You heard us there. But we're gonna work through it. Um. Like I said, the Cowboys are allergic to They are allergic to success beyond one year at a time. So the Eagles make sense of that team that's ready to take the division. But a lot of teams look great in May. They're one of those teams. Everyone loves the evens love the Scorpions, though everyone I thought the commanders were guilty of overthinking a little bit in the draft. They entered the draft with six picks and I you can just picture all these guys and the conference rooms like, we need more picks, Give us more picks. So they traded back in the first and they passed on Chrislave, passed in Kyle Hamilton's. They take dots in at sixteen. Okay, we'll see what happens with him. It could be great. After they made the dots and pick he's a wide receiver. Of course, Ron Rivera had this to say about his quarterback room. Because we got the quarterback. You know, we have a guy that can make all the throws. You know, Taylor did a lot of good things for us, but when you watch some of the things that Carson has done, you know we've got to now get guys who can get into that position to make those plays as well. Uh, because we got the quarterback, they are certain Carson Wentz is the guy that's gonna make this offense, saying it's better now with Terry McLaurin having a second banana. If that's going to hit the hit the ground running, and everybody can now get excited about Sam how too, He's probably a fifth round pick for a reason. I know people who watched college he's intriguing, but his fifth round pick anyway, should should Ron Rivera be as confident as he is that this offense is now about to sing because they got a guy that can make all of them know. As we all know, decided to really go ahead and start to take command. This was the most desperate attempt at getting a starting quarterback of any team in the league. And what happens to Washington when we're in the middle of off season programs, from the middle of training camp, the middle of preseason, and Taylor Heineke is out playing Carson Wentz visibly to our I Sam Howell is not probably gonna say that name. I not even put him on the field but that But he I just think the Taylor Heineke could be just simply be the better quarterback. Taylor heine is an exact kind of quarterback that is always gonna make the starter who's not great look inferior because Heineke is a frisky little guy. But I don't know, it's just you might not play in the preseason and we all Wentz and how I saw your little tastey uh tweet there, Greggy that Kyle Brand called the Gateway tweet that that Carson Wentz has a better offensive cast around him now that he did an indie. Yeah, I don't even think that's a question. Doesn't matter with Carson. No, I'm not. That was not a pro Carson Wentz treet tweet. I agree with everything you said about Wentz. I think the price of quarterback going down made that move look even more foolish. I'd much rather have Baker Mayfield for that matter. But yeah, Antonio Gibson and some good running back depth. Okay, that's worse than Jonathan Taylor, but it's still quite good. The offensive line ranked higher than the Colts and basically every metric last year and looks solid. I wouldn't say it's amazing, but it's good enough. And the receivers are fun. I mean, I know Curtis Samuel is never healthy, but even if he wasn't you have McLaurin, you have Johan Dotson, you have Cam sims is a fun three. Diammy Brown maybe he can do something. He's a deep threat, I think, and I've I've always believed Scott Turner is an underrated play caller that's been dealt to bad hand. I think it could be seen as an anti went Steake, like if it doesn't, then let's not do this ever again. Right. I don't think it'll work, but I just think the team's okay. By the way, Defense tv O eight year ago. Please, a lot of commanders in Washington. He's right. You can't say he's not right. That place is teeming with commanders. Let's hear it again, Joe. A lot of commanders in Washington, d C. And the Pentagon Fortress. And what about Carson Wentz only here from it, as we all know, decided to really go ahead and start to take commander just one more take the social media guy. All he had to do is says, okay, that was good Carson. Now let's remove the arms and the kindos. And then to begin to that was that was swag like he was trying to put puna on it. But it turned into that was the sixth page that was maybe, um, get ready to start to maybe command It's like, all right, it'll work. You know how we didn't say like the old Washington team nickname for a while, or or a lot of people didn't and I didn't in writing. I'm actually doing the same thing with this nickname. I'm just going to Washington. I'm standing against this nickname too. I can't deal with tedious nickname. You know, you'll get a pure little pentagon. I mean, do you remember the Lady by the Pool? Dan? Oh, the lady when I did the Banetta podcast with Graver and the Lady by the Pool. Let's bleep out the word. Okay, okay, because you guys need to know how this went. We're recording pool side in Vegas. I guess this is a time out. We have to go over with another peak. I mean, that's you can't. You just got a penalty, a technical Let's take it. We'll take it. Um, we're recording by the pool. It's a great conversation. A woman really been in the sun probably the last forty five years, I'd say, um, says I. What was like NFL draft? I was like yeah, yeah, it's like right, and they're like, actually the commander's down now. It's like okay, It's like, oh, okay, that's what we're dealing with. Slurs. She's probably still laying in that chair right now. What happens in Vegas? Well, she took it out of it out. All right, let's take a break and then move to the NFC North. All right, here we go, Greggy get us going with Dob. Bears nailed it. So I look at this Bears team, and I look at the fact that they are dead last and cast spending. This is my new thing that it's a little bit on my rader because like some teams try harder than others, some teams are spending a hundred million dollars more in cast than others, even when they're at the same salary coup and things go up and down. You gotta look at it over multiple years. But the Bears haven't spent in three years. They got Luke Getz as their offensive coordinator. They got Byron Pringle as their number two receiver, uh Vellis Jones, a year old prospect who's kind of a return guy, as their one draft pick at wide receiver. They don't have a good offensive line, and they just haven't been doing enough. Whether it's the coaching, whether it's free agency, whether it's trades, whether it's the draft, to support justin fields or just to support having a good offense, which is the point of playing football, to me, you gotta play a good offense since what that's going on with the Bears right now, because they did mortgage their future to get Justin Fields. Different guys, but the organization did still and they have a guy here that is on a rookie contract now heading into a year two, and they did nothing to help him in the year one, absolutely nothing. They kept the aim Duck coach and everybody knew was not the guy. Same thing with the general manager. They let him draft through the draft class last year and now they're not spending like you're saying. They let Allen Robinson leave in free agency after getting him to essentially not want to be in that building anymore. And it's just it feels like it's all wasteful. I don't see any direction that's positive right now with this. I do think like incomplete grade for Ryan Poles, the new GM. I mean, there's there's more to do here, but I put it more on people above him. Yes, right. The thing is, though, I mean, the sweet spot for every one of these NFL teams is the quarterback on the rookie contract and if they like Fields and then they have to pay him a ton of money two years fro Now if he if he survives all this, then you're out of that window and the Bears are in a whole different type of problem financially. And it's like, this is the time to spend. It's the time to surround Justin Fields with as much as possible. And he has less than Jared Goff had in Detroit a year ago. It's just which which way is it going to be? If you believe he's not the future that I'm sure considering the quarterbacks in the way people felt about this most recent draft class, maybe there's a market for Justin Fields. If you don't believe in him, maybe somebody else does. But if you do, then then what is your plan not just the previous regime mortgaging their future Like he is the future, He's somebody's future. He's more important than the coach. That's the thing I think that gets lost. These rookie quarterbacks are ultimately more important than whatever the vision of Ryan Poles and the coaches, Like hire a coach with the vision for Justin Fields. I'm not sure these guys do eleven draft picks. They used one of those picks on a wide receiver. This is a team that had two players on the roster that had played a snap last year uh for the Bears. Darnell Mooney Byron Pringle are there now. But Vilas Jones Jr. Set number seventy one, is the only guy they brought in. To Greg's point, he's swore of a special teams guy than he is someone who proved in college. That could be the Lions Bark. Sorry, Bell, it's not they know, Yeah, they know? Do they know? I got a lot of people mad. That is a fair question, Detroit. I there's still issues here. But I see hope, I I do. I see a white knuckle offensive line, the beginning of a pass rush that could be pretty nasty if Aiden Hutchinson works out. You look at a year ago, they were like Chicago, they had major issues at wide receiver and we didn't know that Aman Ross st Brown would be what he was, which was a great young first year white out. Jamison Williams has added to the mix. They've got a creative, underrated coaching staff. I think Jared Goff is probably no more exciting than like a cup of yogurt, But he isn't the worst thing on the earth. Vanilla right like the top, like there's not even fruit in it. But if it's like PM and you just want a little snack like bang down the yogurt, it's good. So that's I mean that, Jared Goff. It's in certain time and in certain place, you can get it done too. You do it, You do it, yogurt, staying it down, Jared straight to the head. Is it crazy because I I fall for these things all the time, and it's you've got to start to sell police. Is it crazy to see a Lions team that maybe freaks their way to nine and eight and it's alive for a wild card birth in that final week of the season. Why not ire? This team was so close a year ago, especially late in the season, time after time, getting just a few plays away. I don't see why not. It's it's so hard to handicap things, especially in this division, because we don't know how to feel. We've got a new head coach coming to Minnesota. There's there's turnover, there's change in Green Bay. And again we just talked about the Bear situation. Why not? I have great coaching too, at least from what we saw a year ago. They maxed out, they were incredible against the spread. I know that's random, but I think it just shows how they were way better than expectation week after week. It wasn't just winning a couple of games. They could have won more. Very deep up front on the defensive line, Josh Pascal was a guy. There's a high ceiling type of pass rusher to to combine with Hutchinson depth there. To me, this is this is my favorite for team of a t O. I know you just went through all those teams that in at it that are my teams, but I feel like this is a team you don't America can get behind, and that that we can get behind as a group who we would have fun route alliance. Yeah. Well, as um as I said to Cynthia, like they are what the Browns were a few years ago. There this underdog team that's had a long run of failure and they feel like they're on the come up. But they're not loaded by any treacher. Just now, they're gonna be on hard knocks like that Browns team was wanted to do it right now, You want to do a team of eight dal and May it seems a tad premature. I don't know, you know, let's think about it. Let's come back to that. We might have used it. Let's do it, and then we can we can go back on it if we want to change our minds. See, but I don't think that's strong to do it. I'm fine if I just do to ask can they go nine and eight? It really to me comes back to the division, which is, if Green Bay takes a step back, possible, If Minnesota takes a step back, possible. Chicago's gonna stink. We know that, we think we know everything right, go for into there and and you're flying. It's also possible. The lines are one in five in October. Notice how lot Justin doesn't even take the track out. He used up all of his ammunitions. I saw him loaded up one time. But but we got there. He was thinking about it, all right. It's true, you guys overstepped on one of these teams recently, the Packers. Where's the urgency? Where is it? Across the league? We see teams making aggressive plays in free agency trades the draft, adding impact wide receiver talent those teams believe could get their offense over the top of Packers. You know, we're coming off a playoff game where the offense as tight as a drum ineffective. They traded one of the best wide receiver in their wide receivers in their history, stayed away from any splashy free agency move, didn't make another blockbuster trade to replace Adams, then went defense with two first round picks. The six wide receivers came off the board ahead of them. I know they get Christian Watson early in the second round. Maybe he'll be a stud. I'm not saying that's not possible. They've done that before with non first round picks. But there's a big assumption that he's going to be that. And remember that with Davante Adams, another second round pick that became a stud when he came in, he didn't need to be the guy, and they had Jordy Nelson there. I think Greg Jennings might have still been there. But you're now asking this kid the second round pick. Hey, we gotta win a super Bowl. Hurry up, Harry up, Harry up. Be great. I'm dubious of the whole thing, and as a Packers fan, if I was, I'd be disappointed. And he's gonna be compared to all the other white outs taken a little bit before and after him as well, to make sure that Green Bay got the right guy when they skipped on a white out early on. My one thing about Green Bay is like two years in a row, thirteen and three seasons, things have gone as well as possible. Right you have had an m v P quarterback two years in a row. You get to January, the engine falls out of the vehicle, and what happened last year to lose to San Francisco in in that's the that should have been are super Bowl run. The NFC is weak. That's all that's saving them right now. I wonder if they need to go through some madness earlier in the year and not have such a pristine regular season so when they get to January they're more battle tested perhaps, and and they they had their moments. I just think it's still a really good team, though. I mean, I don't love the process for how they got Watson. You got two You traded two second round picks to go get him. Romeo Dubs what a name fourth round pick at receiver that some people believe it's a little more pro ready and might be able. I get it. But they add DeVante Why, which looks like a great pick. It's a really good defense, it's a good backfield, it could be a really good offensive line. One of the reasons that Aaron Rodgers is worth all that money. The same reason why Tom Brady is is because he makes receivers better and he makes it work. Well, why did they lose last year? Right? They were playing the forty Honors. It's DeVante and nothing else. They just needed an option, right, and so now you take DeVante off of the team, and it's just I cannot be hit with any idea that this team is better without that. Annoys me too. I have something the Alaska is so cold? Oh, come on making excuse everything for everybody. But they're the Green Bay Packers say like a passing attack that had nothing to do with it. It was a total implosion. Use the resources at your disposal to become a better football team than you were. Like in the back of the Packers for what's back. I just think they're a fine team. They're gonna be They're gonna intend to twelve games. Now someone's taking darts. The darts? Are they gave me strong? Here? Come back to me when Romeo Dubbs is racking up dubs on Sundays. Samewich prop okay, alright, finally Patrick clay band on the bikes here. So the Minnesota Vikings are the Minnesota Vikings. O'Connell comes in, Uh, they get pat p back. I like the draft if you look at it right without going through the draft process. I love Louis Sen and I love Andrew bruth Um. I think seen honestly, uh watching him. Not not like Kyle Hamilton's, but I can see a case that he could bring not a similar talent, right, but a lot from that safety position. The issue with the draft was the trade values, right, You're you're in there, you're trying to to see. I was in New Orleans looking at the same draft and I'm I'm doing all the calculations based on the rich Hill trade chart, and then I see the the in division trade with the Lions, and I look at the points and I'm like, question, what are we what are we doing? Like? What's going on? People got different charts though exactly and since since the time, I have become more amenable to it. But I just wonder with the continuity at the quarterback position. I think Justin Jefferson is one of the best in the game. What is it that's keeping me from really believing in the Minnesota Vikings. I have to ask this question, internalized to myself and to you guys, what's holding us back from thinking this team? I get, you know what the answer is the same answer is it is every year, same guy throwing the ball. I know, but then like last November, we were like, this guy's having his best year ever, but then he ultimately will not. I mean, I I do think though the Zimmer experience needed to end the quotes coming out of that building. We're so negative. So I think it comes down to, like Kevin O'Connell and Kirk Cousins, is is Kevin O'Connell a special coach? We have no concept. It's a totally different defense, it's a different offense. I like that that for them, they could not run back what we experienced last year. I would have been tired of it from week one on. I feel differently right now, they're really different. They're they're giving that big secondary energy that we talked about with the Bengals to draft Seeing Booth and then another fourth round pick to a secondary that already had pretty good talent with Peterson, Harrison Smith Camp dancers, Like that's what they're trying to do. But then you look at the offense and it's basically the entire saying it's exactly the same as a year ago, except you're replacing the coach and you're just County On O'Connell. I'm I'm wondering they'll never admit this, But if, like the first draft, for quite see a dopamensa right, they trade out of twelve, okay, and they get they pass on Kyle Hamilton, a guy people say it could be generational talent at safety to take a safety at thirty two, pick up a third round pick, and then the team that they trade with, the Lions team in their division, takes a big time wide receiver prospect, Jamison Williams. And I know they picked up a mid round pick, and GMS love mid round picks. I get that, but I wonder if, like if in the heart of hearts, if they're not totally thrilled how that first round played out, well, they'll be reminded of it every time Jamison World Williams torches them, like their fans will remind them of that. If that happens, Patrick, you're doing such amazing work. I think you need to take a blow, take a quick break. We only have this is I know, fourteen billion dollar company, but we just have four mics. We gotta make room for what is a father? Chris smiss that the British call say is an individual? Yes, father Christmas is coming in. So Patrick steps out right after this break time out. Um. I thought when a couple like months ago, when you had a private lunch and you were you had big news for me. I thought you were announcing that you're staying in our country and I was going to be a part of the ceremony or something. But asked him about music, and uh different. Henry Hodson is here to talk international games. You are not staying here. There will be no uh ceremony. You're leaving us. I'm sorry, is it? Do we have the British music to play instead? Can't we have a ceremony saying goodbye at some point? That would be appropriate after after what he's done, I'm a little upset still. I've been on record here that you know, I don't have many friends Henry that I consider actual friends. You're one of them. So the list went down from like twelve to eleven. That hurts me. Well, I made its top twelve friends list was one of my top well, I was. Look, what I would say is that that was one of the things that came into my decision as well. I could have had opportunities to leave three or four years ago, and it's taken me that long to get to the point that I was willing to to say goodbye to you. No, we we're all very uh happy and proud of you, Henry. You're going to do great job as the general manager of United Kingdom Properties. Sounds powerful media. Oh my god. Um. And now since you are the general manager to be overseas and you're moving back home. Uh, in a little bit, we should talk international series which was announced this week, and we were texting back and forth, and uh, I know you wanted to get in here and really plug the brand. So like I said to you last week, hey, by the way, gave you a little bit of a heads up that we're being be announcing the game, and I said, how about I come and talk talk to about the games. And then this morning you texted me and said, come and come and plug your stuff or something. It's like the Power rankings. Welcome to my world. Was I think almost the exact quote. It's like, welcome to I've come to talk about the NFL schedule. It's not I'm not plugging, you know, you said, here's the text exchange. I do have to confess that I went on the Insiders show with Rhett Lewis to that was great, had a great time yesterday. Uh, it's possibly I'll be repeating myself. And I then replied, I have no issue with you repeating yourself. You gotta plug and promote baby, welcome to life in the Power Rankings world. When I do five NFL shows, I make up I have to say the same point over and over again. I gotta plug the brand. You are the brand, bro, you are the United Kingdom for all intents and purposes. I appreciate this is a little bit like I felt like, obviously as one of your biggest listeners, what you were trying to help Mark with around around the draft and really plugging his kind of this is the same, same, same recipe. So it's like his it's like, oh, are the Chargers fallen from seven? Is your equivalent for like, here are five games across the world that people are going to be in the stands for it, cheering exactly. That's not as big as the power felt like, what were you doing with that? It's just a mean spirited with We understand that about Greg and we appreciate it, Henry. Let's talk to games. Let's start, um, We'll start with your beloved hometown London, and we got three games and we're rolling here. Give it to me, give me that stodgy old tune. It's literally like it's about celebrating God save the Queen. You know, I love your home country and I love we love having How old is the queen? She's like a hundred and five right now. I think she just celebrated like birthday. Let's get on with it already, get on with what I mean like that, I would like to see some fresh blood in the in the What you mean by that? Right? Have some respect? Well that's the queen, man. Do you want to come to Londons? On with it? Mark Queene? Right? Yeah, he obviously does. He backed up the like we gave you a chance to take a step back and then you were like, I want fresh blood into the UK lust year. That's words being put in my mouth. I just want to see what it's like when it's a new regime here. We got excited for that. And there's a over a four five weeks spen. We have three UK games. We a Vikings Verse, Saints, Giants versus Packers, Broncos versus Yagy Wars, all spicy games. I love it, buddy, where you have look at that slate. That's the best London luget. Baby, I'm plucking it. Aaron Rodgers, You've got Aaron Rodgers. You got a Tiffany franchise in the Giants, Kirk Cousins, you got the Saints, and then you got you just lead with Kirk Russell Wilson. You got the Jaguars be being half decent. Well yeah, certainly turned around from where they were the mess. Last you got the Jaguars refusing to play in the hot Toddy, which is always like a fun subplot. He's at there at Wembley Stadium, refused to I know it's not a refusal refusal. Wembley Stadium is a Crown jewel um, not not just of UK stadiums, but of world. This is a new Wembley Stadium, though to be clear, this isn't the original classics. We generally we always are covering games at the hot Toddy. So normally if we would go, it would be one of those first two games. October two is Viking Saints. They only play classics, by the way, not just that playoff game, but a game that when West was on the show, we would talk about all the time, the famous Sam Bradford Week one performance against the Saints. I think it was eighteen maybe the best game by a quarterback that entire season. It was Sam. It was the apex of Sam Bradford's career. Maybe Sam Bradford would come back for this one. Some inside information, like question from you about the Packers that they waited this long or or we're able to wield their power and not go to London up until now is weird? What was was there? Is there pushback from the Green Bay organization to participate in that absolutely opposite, So up until now they've had a reason to be able to push back because it was kind of either voluntary or it was based on a super Bowl being played in your city, which is well, but they didn't volunte here, so there wasn't no. They weren't over they weren't overly excited about it. But also because lambeau Field is so special, to the they gave up a Lambo game for this year. Yes, the Packers. The way that the schedule has now worked out is with the additional seventeen week, got it the seventeen game. The team that has more home or the conference rather that or home games the NFC. Those teams this year that are the ones that are giving them next year. The a f C back and forth. There's a lot of UK Packers fans I feel there are I mean and Giants fans. There's two of the more popular. Let's head to the witch Land and this is a first and this is something we're all excited about. We'd love to get back to London for a fourth time. I really want to get to Germany for the first time because some good music. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this is pretty good. The NFL Network game in Munich. This is this is a long time coming, getting the NFL to Germany, not just the NFL. Tom Brady, Tom Brady, who would you send into fair when he unretired the NFL? Did you know this game was already happening at that So the NFL Germany office went from thinking we've gotten Brady of announcing the Buccaneers to the Lows just could have been a disaster, though, Tom Brady not, I don't think that. Now you're gonna get Gino Smith potentially, so that's kind of a nightmare. But you got sehas a top three club. And in Germany, the people of Germany loved the Seahawks because they've been such a successful team over the last The top three teams in Germany the New England Patriots because of their success. The Green Bay Packer is very very popular in the Seattle shall I bet they like I don't know anything other other than we have a great listenership in Germany. It's very voracious Germany. It's an underrated country for American football. Love your days of NFL Europe. They were thriving back then. But my guess is they like hard nosed defensive teams, so I would think they might maybe like the like legion of Boom back in the day. You know what I mean exactly? I actually I know this is these guys know. I went to Germany with the NFL people and we went to high schools and they were teaching them like defensive line drills. They were like fully formed like football teams all over Germany. It's it's hardcore. Greg says that it's underrated. I would say, okay, maybe people actually floats floating into the fastest growing market. Were you aware that Mark spent some time as a youth in England? You aware? Yes? Wait, but so so I am Surrey, beautiful, beautiful town. I mentioned this awkwardly on a on a hit that's gonna air on the schedule release show. It will see if it makes it. But my dad born in Germany. My grandfather received reparation for decades for for what they did, uh to our people there. I've never been there. Your brother has a German post, he does, he has a German passport. You didn't get round to do. That's that's part of the reparation. To um Gino Smith is playing in this game. We gotta be there. Henry high support that. I mean. The exciting thing is that it's an anophone network. Game Network is behind all of these exciting games. You guys should be We want to go to London too. In Mexico, we really want to go to Mexico. I have a whole plan for Mexico. It has been involved all of us. Are I've already discussed this that I am willing to go with the three of us, but I am going to drive there from here. It's thirty three hours. I've talked to Randy behind the glass about you know, where to go, where not to go. He's given me some tips, and uh, then I would just stay in your room and be a servant to you. I'll do anything that you ask. Well, I can't guarantee I'll be that forty Niners Cardinals. That's a fun game, too, late game, DeAndre Apkins back. Finally, let's head south of the border, ho to Mexico City, Estadio Astecca for the Niners and the Cardinals and NFC West Hilt Henry and I know Greg's already uncomfortable. It's like, oh, it's just insensive. Randy Chavez picked this up, Babyn't even. I was just enjoying the incredible house music we have. It was little in the pants. I gotta admit I was pett a little too close to the part there, and I was ready. I was reading the around the NFL staff behind the glass. Randy, go ahead, Greg, what was saying? I wasn't saying anything. Whatever, you go ahead, Well, it's a it's another fantastic game. This is a Monday night football game. If you remember, the last couple of games in Mexico City had raucous night, raucous games. The Cardinals and both have huge fan bases in Mexico because people you know, for Arizona obviously Local forty nine is a California team, a lot of support. It's going to be a huge game. And and and you know, like that is where are we were like we probably I think it's the week just prior to Thanksgiving, so that's what week third to everybody else doesn't really begin. But this is pretty close. This is a big division. This is a playoff type Mark Sessler. And you'll be there in an old jelape that you've driven down from southern California, my least car. It's like it's like a year old. But now you're not a big fan of driving, though I am when I don't like driving other people around driving myself, but I have heard that you also feel a little unsafe sometimes with other people on the road. I don't know that the traffic in Mexico is necessarily I actually I am a sneaky good driver. That letter had a lot of that is just false advertising based on lack of experience with me from the other podcast you said it. You're the one who always talked about it well, because there was a period where I think that I needed. You're saying you've improved fast, and that can happen. Hey, no one's gonna take that away from you. And if you drive all the way to Mexico City, you'll be great, You'll be amazing. You'll probably be driving well over here. So I'm looking it up and it's um eighteen eight hundred miles. I think that would really arrangement. Yet trail ends you've got Kyler Murray running around way over sea level. The defenders are getting to higher two thousand higher in the fourth quarter, thousand miles high or than But it is exactly like space. I think on NFL Network I might have said it was two thousand miles higher. So that's just another notch in our two thousand mile high stadium. What do you think you you are kind of you'r the VP of international before you're going to be the GM. Right. And so this is the third time we've talked about these games. Today, we talked about live on NFL Network. Now we're gonna be on the schedule release show. I think I'll be the first time we've actually ever been on a show with Rich Eysen. Then this, if we ever there was gonna be three minutes of work that we've ever done that we want to put with such a steamed colleagues, this was it. It was a total home run and now here like we are. We are kind of Mr International, all three of us. But are you proud? Are you proud? I'm very proud of where we've come together. But the whole aff On network has become Mr Internationally the last and we have seen you know, so much support. The friends of Good Morning Football helped us unveil the games yesterday. Um, we would have done that if this was one with Andrews dims our accomplishments to say that the whole now the whole networks on board. But we were the ones who you know, wandered through the desert for you uh to to bring the message. Took the slings and arrows across the city. People said we couldn't do it, but we did it. Wondering through the desert also included staying in nice hotels in London, and that's not we got to go back to London to as much as we like Germany, we want to go back to London too. Would hotels? How would you feel about that? Could we all move that? Where to your castle? I'd go right now. I would stay in one of your castles. Yes, we've talked about Oh naturally, we talked about this before. Um Dan said it doesn't want to leave the country ever, narrative but now no, you said it. Uh, you said occasional vacation. But you like you're you're the Yes, I would like colors like color. Don't run? What a bad guy I am? Where have you been the situation pops up? I would go with you. I do remember once Smock and Don and I going to the draft and you you're can hatching a plan for us to leave our families behind them living in a small apartment together. That's true. We actually we picked out a place. It was a beautiful spring week day in Manhattan and it was very Allurian the concept. Yeah, so I'll leave it. Henry, you've said it all. Thank you. And Patrick Claiban is going to reclaim his seat in a moment. But just um, just know that we've already had a conversation about what it would be like if the two of you, we're young studs out on the town together. Sounds fund. The reason why we had to actually separate them is because it would be just devastating bad for Mark Gregg and myself to have the two of you in here with us. I was in there where you went on vacation at some point not that long ago, and I'm Patrick and I sat with um, Greg and Mark, and we had a great time from the devastation that we felt didn't come up with Mark and I. So maybe this is just you, you know, I think I got this one nailed pretty kid. Um. All right, thank you, buddy, all right, go back. Okay, can I come on here? What course of course? More than just one? Yes. I wasn't gonna make sure this isn't goodbye. This is not you can come on next week. Whenever Dan leaves, that's just that's your time. It's like Frank Drebbond once said, this isn't goodbye, it's just we're never going to see each other. Henry Hutson, there he goes. Should we play him out with Yankee Doodle Dandy? No, it was I thought I was going to use it, but I couldn't. All right, bye, Henry, all right, there he goes Henry, and welcome back Patrick. What you do during the time off? I honestly just stood outside and looked at a taller and more handsome man sit in this chair, and uh, I was a little wit that was distracting to me. Had to be honest. I saw you through the glass and you did not blink once. Yeah. I wasn't trying to be intimidating. It's really just, you know, appreciating the creature. You and him together have a high handsome quotient, though, I mean, I think it wasn't imagine if they were single guys hitting Englewood after the show, damage the landing strip down there, down the streets, like, yeah, Tebow and Scott Hanson back in all right, you get who you want to be pick of that pair. Yeah, I I appreciate the success that both of those men. Event then I will not take their plate answer. Let's move to the NFC sell starting with a town I should called it once. Twenty years ago, the Falcons with Matt Ryan in Indianapolis, Calvin Ridley suspended, Julio Jones and Graybeards Purgatory Falcons are starting over on the offense. That excavation began last year with Kyle Pitts fourth overall. That was some foundation. Then you bring in Drake London eighth overall. We talked to him actually on Thursday night after the draft. Referred to the pairs the twin Towers. Okay, so now you got at least have some pieces there. This is a team that went seven and ten last year but could have easily been a thirteen lost team. Um, do you think Marcus Mariota has a chance to do something or is it more likely that Desmond ritted the third round pick, is playing by Halloween. They screamed to me, like a team that's gonna flip flop between both. Probably. Uh. Arthur Smith was in Tennessee when Mariotta was benched for Ryan Tannehill. So I I tire of this idea that Arthur Smith is fascinated by Martin brought a man. I mean he did, but it's like there weren't a lot of options. I still think that Baser compared himself to Tannehill during the process, But Desmond Ritter is actually sort of a Mariota clone too, So it's like, I but I think I think there's a this is one rookie as a chance to I think knockoff Mariota the minute there's trouble. And with Mario da it's like I I liked him better as a gadget guy, and I think that up to stock him as a week after week starter. I'm scared of that one. I don't think they could have had a better draft, uh to get Ridder in the third round of potential option at quarterback while you're also getting great athletes. Arnold e Viketty in the second round was just tested off the charts, looks like a great pass rusher, and I think in most drafts where there wasn't so many good edge rushers could have gone in the top twenty and got pushed down. Troy Anderson, I don't know that much about him, but I know he played quarterback and then he played running back, and then he played linebacker. And when you play one year of linebacker and you get drafted in the second round, you gotta be doing something right. And I just like Arthur Smith at least having a vision here with three guys Pits London and Couardurel Patterson, that you can do different things that. I think they could be a watchable bad team. I liked that Marcus as far as the gadget roll. What it meant was we didn't have Marcus going in and out taking the hits in the contact that he did over his tenure in Tennessee. That I think kind of hurt him towards the end, where here's an explosive athlete that wasn't necessarily able to do due to like the culmination of all those injuries at the time, and here's Ryan Tannehill coming off of his injury history, was able to take some time away from the game. So I think we get a few solid games of markets I could say ten games of solid Uh, you know, that's what they want. Was supposed to be the most pro ready guy. Maybe. So it does make a little bottom of the mountain right now and they're starting to climb, I still think ultimately, and it worked out for them, even though their intentions were otherwise. Deshaun Watson, in addition to all the other reasons why that would have been a problematic move for them, what that would have done to their ability to build a team for years, it just didn't feel like a good fit. That whole set up. Now this is more organic, let's see if they could do something. Three. We were very complainant what this podcast is typically about. I was afraid. Yeah, it was just it was coming. And that's that's the difference between the the organizational structure of trying like having some sort of plan versus one previous team that we talked about where it's like, what are they doing? You gotta get me? Get him right in the jugular. You're a little asleep at the wheel grave digger. I think he's a little cheapest chrise he he had about He probably got some tweets like, bro, he fired off five thousand rounds? Did you Yeah, he was letting the things. There was a reddit meme post you can't you cannot go to the reddit board and have it. Never yeah, never read the reddit. I think he's just stunned from that whip lashing he took from Mark earlier in the show that was not recovered. What my accurate reporting the tension between the two. I was also thrown off guard because he just let the timer expires. I was like, oh, that's why I'm surprised why claib would let the time tick off and then have a point I wanted honest, he wanted the dart um. This is my take on the subreddit board and everybody, if you were a fan of the show, check it out. I think it's over twenty strong. It's great. If you're a fan of the show, enjoy it. You know, be nice to us. But you know what, ultimately it's not it's not for us. So that's why it's better for us to stay away. Graver, you make your own decisions. I'm on there. Don't let them change you though, don't let them tell just like think how to behave You're right, I just like to be informed what what the listeners are taking from me each we've we've got, we've we've got a long way. But I think that's healthy. From a producer angle, Graver would like to contextualize his analysis of the show with input from other people who it's good then line. You cross that line, though, and all of a sudden they'll they'll be your boss. You're a no man's land. You didn't take an oath to them. I trust your judgment as do I. Let's move on. Are we talking about forty eight minutes? Up? Next is Mark Sessler with the Carolina Panther. There are a lot of interesting things on Reddit, by the way, not just m our subredit Anyways, Um, this is a troubled operation in Carolina. I and I was caught off guard by what's happened over the last year plus because I was all in and you know, assuming that Baker Mayfield does not come to town, I have one question about a Panther's team that seems to have lost all sense of direction. Doesn't everything here boiled down to and this is not ideal Matt Corrall knocking off Sam Donald in camp and showing up right away as a competent rookie starter if he can't play, and you get and I know that they're wavering concepts that Sam Donald is secretly better than he's been. But if you get last year, it's Donald all over again. Everyone in charge of everything other than the owner is gone by Thanksgiving? Correct Thanksgiving. Well, I'm saying, if things go real south loot owner is not passion for me. And they carry just a little bit of water, Sam, just a little bit of water volume leader that they were three and oh and Donald was playing well when McCaffrey's body exploded again. But that's gonna happen again, probably now they have a better offensive line and hypothetically healthier Christian McCaffrey. That's all I'm gonna say. I liked what they did. This is what I I don't believe in Donald at this point, but I will I will say that the fact that they didn't take a quarterback at six overall was smart. They focused on building that lineup, which is almost as big a problem as quarterback itself. It couldn't have gone any better to get con Wu and you look at Bradley Boseman. Uh, you had Austin Corbett, so you've got some other free agents that are looking to make this offensive line average, and then you get corral anyways, and you didn't have to trade that much up to get into the third round to get him. I think he's gonna have a great chance to play, because I just don't think Sam Donald will play. I know he keeps getting chances. I looked at this status, I was like, does anyone with Donald's this like poor of stats start this many games in the NFL? And I look back through two thousand, there have been a few like Joe, But you have to go back like Joey Harrenton, Mark Sanchez, uh David Carr that they were the only ones in the ballpark of guys with this many starts, with that low of an adjusted yards per It's draft pedigree, and all it took was what they were. There was probably one team willing to do that, and it was the Panthers because they were out of options, and they were willing to get Baker Mayfield too. They said, if the Browns would pay half a salary, they'd take them. But the Browns would and I don't think they were at least forget about Baker, forgot about Jimmy over Now you already paying Donald. See if he could play. If he fails like everyone thinks, then you put in the kid, and then you could evaluate the position and then you have a better quarter. But the problem is going to be a different coaching staff evaluating the position twelve months from now. If if things go the way we predict the way that it's structured now, there's not a lot to feel great about. What's going to change that though, Like if you get if Matt Correll came in and showed it, I'm or at least unconscious. But that wasn't a dart he's a silencer revolver there. Whoops. Alright, alright, Mark was an awesome addition to the show. Is an incredible run. Let's bring him back though, Oh like the Phoenix, what a moment for the show. Alright, Lazarus is back. Let's now move on to uh. Patrick Claiban on the Saints. The Saints believe, they believe that they have a team. They beat the defending champions twice in the division last year, once with without a quarterback, called the roster um. They going into the draft process. I was fortunate enough to have access to some people there who come at break. It was great because I don't get that. I don't get that, and so it was fun. It was fun to actually talk talk to people who, of course are doing so off the record, but they honestly believe that they can contend. The question is that there were some lingering issues. The fan base was tortured by this idea of we're comfortable with the guys that we have in the room, especially a wide receiver. They have stepped out a little bit. Honey Badger comes in the question. Ultimately, though, Uh, there's so much continuity. Mickey Loomis has been there since I was in high school. There's guys that have been including Dennis Allen, who have been there. He's been there for twelve years. Out of the past, however, long since Louimis has been there. But are in keeping all the continuity and keeping Jamis and keeping the staff. Are they holding onto a ghost or are they pushing forward towards something realistic. I think they're living in the present. They are a great, uh example of the city of New Orleans. You can't worry about the future right now. If you're in the City of New Orleans, You've gotta live it up right now. And they're like, the future doesn't matter. It's fun to be a ten or eleven win team. Let's do that right now and worry about the future later. Now ten or eleven wins, maybe you see that as a stretch. They had their chances to do it last year, and I think this roster looks better. You get Michael Thomas back, you get a great two in a LAVA. I think the offensive line can be okay. Trevor Penning is a is a big risk, I would say, but look, I think it's a loaded defense that they kept Dennis Allen because they wanted that defense to stay loaded. I think it's a pretty good looking team. I go back to the game where they whipped Tampa Bay nine nothing, And Dennis Allen is kept around because the strength of the Saints right now and the core and who they are and their identity is their defense, like and they and and when I think about a team that could win this division outside of the Bucks, it would be the Saints obviously, because they seem to have Brady's number over and over. I mean that that's just one little thing that matters inside the South. I mean, they're incomplete. It comes down to quarterback play everything else. But where they're good, they're really good. I mean their secondary is the best in the unif where's their big weakness? Danny, Oh, okay, how about Seawan Payne's out there anymore? Okay, called sleeping on that a little bit in this podcast. Like he is arguably one of the best offensive minds in the sport. And now he's gone and Dennis Allen is now the head coach. And what was Dennis Allen as a head coach in a previous stop. I know, a long long time ago he was. It was a mess. So that would be the thing that I would be most concerned about what happens in a Sean Payton free world. And I'm not even gonna get into the Winston thing. I know, Uh, the idea is that he'll build on last year before he blew out his knee. But that's my big concern. What happens in the world where the entire universe has been removed Anton fast thing. Everybody's still there, so it's like a big planet. But any Dalton too is not a most encouraging I'm just saying, you're not throwing knee and jump out. It's Saints universe. It was Sean Paton planet. Left right is the Solar system in universe? Maybe maybe Sean Playton like a super massive black hole left right, a universe is inside a solar system, or know the other way around solar system. It's called time out. There is speculation that inside of every black hole, inside of every singularity, there is a new universe. Right, people have speculated that um. But in theory, if we're talking about the existence our entire um, maybe you'd be talking about a big galaxy, like a central galaxy. Being Sean, we needed you when we had the multiverse talk a few weeks ago we were strong. Always struggled with that one. What if Sean Payton was the Sun and the Saints were the Solar system? Solar System is this? What about the other planets in this universe? Is more than whatever? So Sean Payton brings life, heat and light to every team, to the Saints andrings like Salary Caps can He did that to a film franchise, right, which would not exist without Sean Payton. He is the universe and Lomis is clearly the Milky Way all right time. It HIBBLI Greg on the Bucks. I kind of forgot about the Bucks and draft. I feel like they've just been flying in under the radar. But they've made more changes, I think than we realized this offseason. They could have five new starters. I think Logan Hall they took at the top of the second round, could be a starter. Logan Ryan remember him, he's on the Bucks now, probably probably a starter replacing your guy white Head. Who's who you have Russell Gauge. You had a second round peak pick Luca Deck you might be a starting guard. You brought in Shack Mason Man. This roster is still awesome, Like there's no reason to think unless Tom Brady isn't as good as he was a year ago, that this isn't one of the top Super Bowl contenders. Got out of that game. I don't do it anymore. I meant it, but it is funny now he's He's sustained greatness for so long time that now nobody asks it anymore. But he's starting in August. But he played so well. I know, I thought he was the best quarterback in the league. But he's starting forty five. I'm not I'm not going down any other wrote out he he stitched the TikTok with Justin Bieber this morning and people retweeting another all right, fine, let me watch this. And my first thought with seeing it was like, wow, like Tom looks a lot like Justin Bieber, Like I legitimately thought that that was Tom Brady for because it just does not apply. What is he? Then this this team though this like they're on year three of this, and like this roster is nice. I know it take a little while for Godwin to come back, but I look at the defensive line, I still really like it a lot. They still might add in Dominican Sue back into the mix. I still like the second Like everything about his team is well built and well thought out, and I even like what they did in the draft. I kind of think also because this is not a I think Bruce Arians has had an awesome career and is a good coach, but that needed a change based on what we've heard that. I think Tom Brady is there because the Arians is out and he the week to week processing of the offensive Byron Left, which might be smoother. I don't feel the same way about the Bucks as I do the Saints with the head coach switch out. I'm with you on that. I think Todd Bowles deserves the second chance. He's got a much better team. They have continuity on the offensive side of the ball of coaching, and also Tom Brady, who was a coach. Basically his team's trying to win now, which which helps when you're the head coach. And and Byron Left, which I you know, you maybe have a question at like left guard. I mean, if the biggest concern you have is like Alex Cappa left, you've had a nice little offseason, it's weird. I don't know. I mean we can talk about do you think Rock knows that they took a tight end to the fourth round, Like, does he literally know right now? No, I don't think that's the kind of stuff he's concerned with in early May. I don't think he's doing like breakdowns of cade ottontep me doing like Whippets by the Sea right now. Jilian Edelman to the bucks, Well, no audible grown. He's probably cooked. He's an Emmy nominee. You gotta keep him on showtime. I don't think I've watched anything on show Time since Wild Things in Yellow Jacket Movie. I did see Yellow Jackets that I I was right, Alright, let's take a break and then uh close it out with the NFC West. All right, here we go the Cardinals, Mark Sessler, I see a team on the brink. I uh, you know, look at they were eleven wins last year. We all know how the season went. They were hushed and free agency. They added guys like Will Hernandez and Nick Vigil. They lost Chandler Jones, Jordan Hicks, Chase Edmonds. They gave away their first round pick for a good but not great white out in Hollywood Brown Kyler Murray totally bait it out of his social media campaign for cash, but might get paid anyway if it doesn't, if he doesn't stage some sort of pretentious hold out a few months from now, they're in a division with the feisty, better coach Niners, in a RAMS team that dropped a scud missile on the Cardinals in the playoffs. Do you Andre Hopkins is dust until mid season? They play the a f C West. Outside of the fact that much of the NFC sort of rots, where's the optimism around this team? I don't think I think they are a playoff chance because the NFC is sort of top heavy with a bunch of junk. Otherwise, But have I been too tough on the Flying Creatures who are ready? Did you mention the DeAndre Hopkins suspension? I said, DeAndre Hopkins is dust until mid season, dust like snapped away. Yeah. I don't know. I don't want to be overly negative about this team, but everything just feels like it's not gonna go well for them this year. And that's before you even get into the the posturing on social media with Murray and whether this is actually gonna work out or is he gonna disappear? Well, honestly, that's that's the place that I start, like, why why did this even happen? Like, why are you trying to save what? What was the goal in trying to save what like four or five million dollars in negotiation with your franchise quarterback right that you took a year after taking another guy you thought was going to be your franchise quarterback, Like all those decisions makers were still there, Like, so, so what what what did we ultimately gain from all this? I don't know that they did. I think you are probably being too hard though, Mark. I mean, I'm not saying there are a four win team. I just I don't know what under eight and the half winds over, because I do think I just sense something a little bit or a disappointment around them. My bigger concern is that Cliff Kingsbury has not shown a lot of creativity the whole idea behind his offense, Like we're gonna do the same thing every down and every week, and we're just gonna be better at it than people probably know. We're gonna execute absolutely, but like DeAndre Hopkins lines up in the exact same place every time, like they're they're not mixing that up there, and they don't execute better as the season goes along, and more importantly, they haven't developed very well on defense either. They drafted Isaiah Simmons, you drafted Zaven Collins a year ago. You haven't gotten Like in general, I haven't seen this team devell up young players other than Kyler Murray. Who are the young players that the Cliff Kingsbury era has developed. I think they have a nice defensive coach and Vance Joseph in terms of like game planning everything. But I don't know, especially those all those young receivers that came in at the same Thomas Color It's like what happened there? And again they extended Cliff right, They extended Cliff without doing any public posture, and it was just like, oh, hey man, we know it's disappointed. Here's extension time. Aren't your best quarterbacks supposed to get better and better as the season goes along. I'll take up that one hit mark right in the ear? Uh the world champion Los Angeles Rams. Where do we come down on the Rams? Are they better? Are they worse than? Uh? After that second Sunday in February, do we feel like this is a team that can run it back? Or they more that classic? We got hot, we won, We want a chip and then we kind of just faded. The next season, we'll see, but I do I wonder about the offensive line. Stafford is not an incredibly mobile quarterback. He's another year older. Andrew Whitworth retires, Austin Corbett signs with the Panthers, and free agency. I know you have your guy in house that you moved to left tackle. I'm blanking on his name, Logan Bruss out of the draft. So there you go. You address that. But I think how that offensive line comes together is highly important. And then I wonder about Odell is Odell coming back because I do see a hole when you say goodbye to Robert woods Um like they did in this offense without it, it did add Allen Robinson, who I think, you know, could be they obviously, but I feel like the I know they seem to have a fetish for Van Jefferson. I feel like they're one guy short. I mean, if you know, not to go off topic, but there is the Odell Beckham portrait along the hallways here at NFL Network, which they repainted from a Browns uniform to a RAM. So if he doesn't come back to that Rams, that painter we have up on floor three. It's gonna have to repay that guy is being contracted. So he gets another phone call and another eight bucks. So he's well and that's all he's making for them and eight rocks. That's not bad. It's worth it because considering the impact that O'Dell had on this team last year, That's why it suffered me to say that they're better while he's not there. Also, you know, Von's going to the Hall of Fame. Vot had an incredible playoff round. You can make the case they don't have a second or third round pick, not that they would do anything different, and so it's it's it's difficult for me to say, especially looking back at the Super Bowl, going back and watching it. The Bengals plan for Odell and Cooper on the field at the same time was, Hey, I hope Joe scored some points. They weren't stopping them like O'Dell getting hurt. Uh changed the course of that game. And I'm not there. I can't say they're better. I'm not saying they're bad. For two hours of work. By the way, for that contract takes longer than two hours, but he works quickly. I think they might be better. I mean not then they were in the playoffs necessarily, but just overall, a lot of defending champs, even if they don't finish the job, come out pretty hot. The Patriots, I mean, remember the pag even that lousy title relatively defense, they start out seven O last year. The Bucks come out hot. I think they're gonna be ready to roll. You added enough new blood with like Bobby Wagner. You trade for Troy Hill during the draft from Cleveland for a fifth round pick, which I think it was a sneaky big move for them. They needed cornerbacks and they got a starter for basically nothing. It's the type of smart moves that they make time after time, and every offseason we go into it being like I don't know about this Rams offensive line except for that one year in they're always like really good. Anyways, they always figured out with coaching, like I have a lot of faith in this team and anchor of that that whole squad for years and that's fair. Um, how about this mark like a squid game scenario. The guy comes in, you have two hours, three paying O'Dell Beckham. If you fail, floor opens up, he drops into a inferno. He finishes eight rock but then you kill the painter and you've got like a half rams seem I think that's like less than he probably would and he's facing the risk death. It was class war financial to have to take this deal ast like dollars to fill up his truck gas tank to get here. Listen, there are a lot of people listening. I would like it, but you don't understand. But you painting, No, it's not that something imagine? Is that what you think is a little do you were so far removed from the trade? Done no darts because that was not about the team at all. Just look at you, Um, all right, what team did we just do? Mark? That was the l a rams get him? Got you? All right? Seahawks? Uh? You know how that that that tweet the Kevin Clark too. You know, there's never a normal Seahawks game. I feel like there's never a normal Seahawks draft. Until this one. It was like a normal draft. They usually dude like really weird things. Instead, they got Charles Cross, who I think the Jets would have taken at ten. I think a lot of teams were excited about him. A top three tackle at the very least. Some people had him as a top tackle they needed to replace Dwayne Brown. You get another potential starting tackle in one of DJ's favorites, Abe Lucas in the third round. Kenneth Walker. Yeah, it's a running back in the second round. But it's the Seahawks. That's what they do. Him and Rashad Penny nice combo combo boy. Mafe got a lot of comparisons to Michael Bennett during the process. Another one of those edge rushers that I think because this class was so deep, got pushed down, very athletic. It just it all looked good, It all made sense. I think it's if they're rebuilding, this was a good start. That's it. Like they're doing the Lions thing where you don't have to get the quarterback right away. Let's start get some young blood in here and see what we can build for that next They also did not trade away. Do you came at Kefy It sounds like he's gonna get signed to a long term deal, he said, So that's that's that's also telling you this isn't a full on rebuild. But I am already uh board two tears with the quarterback situation. If they don't go get Baker Mayfield, I can process. How the lines and Seahawks is not an Apple's the apples comparison with the quarterback situation. The lines very clearly we're taking the long game. Do you get the feeling that Pete Carroll, it's seventy years old, is like, all right, let's start building this thing from the ground up. I think they expect to contend. And that's why I was so surprised they didn't take a quarterback. I mean, I know Smith more than most people. They like the Broncos just learned this lesson there. Does Pete really like quarterbacks that much? That all? Anyway? That that was my confused thing about the draft is you get Charles Cross out of a Micael Leach team, who's who's dropping back right sixty five million times? But I know Pete wants to run the ball, and so I guess if the evaluation show that Charles Cross brings what they want to the run game, then similar with the Lucas to who they were kind of like an A AID team. It's almost like he's he's pivoted to the whole other end of the spectrum where whether he wants a good quarterback or not, he wants one who is not um powerful and not mouthy, and so he's gone found two very powerless if But my thought was Baker's gonna be there because I think at the end of the day, Carol is gonna want someone with a little more upside than what he has. There's buzz there though, that it's just like it's not about his play necessarily, that they just don't want him. I think they've made that clear because they could have had him for virtually nothing and they didn't. They the league doesn't want to. But Fox Sports one or whatever, that's true. You well, I said he would wind up there. Now, let's if precious Gino Smith like twisted and ankle in the preseason, maybe they do it. And then if it's if it's Baker or Drew Lark. If the quarterback in Seattle has more pass attempts this year than Russell Wilson had last year, that sound all kinds of alarms. Um Dart, my ass, it is such a peak. I move with the trade Russell Wilson then draft to two tackles are two alignment and a running back three bis. He's all in. He's like, I'm back, baby, this is my team. I'll take that Dart. I like, I like to imagine a Comma after Dark as close us out of Patrick Laybonn with the Niners. The Niners and this debo circumstance which makes you wonder about what the is? What's the actual we saw with the Titans and a J. Brown, Like, you have a player that's transcendent, that sells a lot of jerseys, has had a lot of success there, Why do you wait? Why do you wait to pay them, especially after such a great season, And then you wonder if that is because of this lingering contract situation with Jimmy G. And so that's really the only question that I have, and we kind of touched on it earlier because it's gonna determine if he goes and when he goes, because circumstances gonna are gonna change for some quarterback for some team in the league, with that team, whoever it is, rather have Jimmy G or Baker Mayfield. I'm with you from the financials because all the money you need is sitting on Jimmy G's in his direct deposit. It's twenty one million they can clear if they move on from him. They just seem like they kind of don't give an f about what we think or anyone else thinks about the quarterback position, about Deebo Samuel, about everything. I I see a scenario where they're content to go into the year with Jimmy G and Trey Lance and maybe even start Jimmy G again if he wins the summer competition. I'm curious if any of that other debot reporting out there is legit about not liking the area the country, about not liking how he was used in the offense. I'm working under the assumption that that's all typical stuff. But it's just like pay me. He's re followed them on Instagram, he has reft a matter of pay. Pay that man. You don't want to trade him. You made it clear during the whole pre draft ramp of anybody that asked about it. You basically asked for the entire organization and return. So now just find some money between the cushions and let's go. I could be wrong, but I think that a j Brown move might have helped. And yeah, they don't have a lot of cap space, and that's where the Jimmy G thing comes in. But you don't need to have a huge cap number if you just give him a big guarantee, push it into the future. Twenty five a year for a J. Brown, Okay, so what's that sets a price? Debo is maybe worth a little more than that, and and I think they could be comfortable getting that done. They just might be weren't ready for it in April. But if you if you plan on giving Debo between sixty and a hundred carries like Derrick Henry, you can make an easy case that he is the best runner of the football in the NFL. Right, But who's who is lining up to pay Derrick Henry? As horrible as it is so for Deebo situation, you look at saying a J. Green, right, who's made of his career salary in the past five years? Like those last few years of a receiver's career are very important to make money. And if they're gonna be bashing him into the ground, then they're gonna need to pay him for it. Right. So that's that's where I think that how I'm you might be why they use a third round pick not directly related to Debo, but they keep taking running backs. I think they used Debo as a running back because they had to. No one was healthy and that was he was on board with the two. By the way, that that's the part of that story is annoying. They knew that they only needed like a B minus Jimmy g to make the Super Bowl, and they didn't get that. They got they got one r D minus. But that's what they were trying to do. He was such a badass in that role. Where what's dartnyk? What is Jimmy ts market? I think it's if a quarterback, it's none right now, but if someone gets hurt. So that's where we're at now, and I think someone field salary. That's interesting. I would have never predicted that that he would be. I can't throw to July, so it's like that. I think actually they could work out for the Niners because you get great value. Good That one went by me under my armpit, Dan in the stomach. All right, Patrick, you said at all. I don't think anyone can be upset this this episode. We covered every team pretty well. I was gonna ask you, like, did we screw anybody? Should we go back and talk about the Colts a little bit? Like are the Texans? I don't know that rewards petulance and we won't do that here, good call Patrick, What do you got coming up? Where can we find you? The final episode of Path to the Draft for the drafts coming up tomorrow? Right here now, it's the Path from the Draft. Yeah, this is it. This is the Path away. We're not going to do a way too early mock draft because those things are hilarious when you look back at them. But we're just breaking it down like a top ten pick at this point last year he may start. So it is still path to the Draft you're talking. That is That is the official name of the show. It is not check. You're not looking back now. It's still the Path to the Draft, but you're looking back. Yeah. It sounds like you haven't arrived there yet though, but they're there as much time as we devoted to the draft that there is still stuff from the path that we can right now. It's one path. You just passed the draft and now you're back on the path, uh to another draft. Well then you're looking forward. It's pat Away from the Draft South. They should rebrand it this week. How about it? So easy? The graphic you take the like the red market squirrel boom boom too and then put like like not put in from like scrap. You're you're all about artists having to destroy their work and redo it. You get two hours and then you fall into the inferno like can you do it? And I'm like eight dollars absolutely? Why not pay me? I don't know why that gets you mad? But I love it. Mark. I just don't think that you understand how painting it works. I don't. I don't think that this is how Dan thinks painting works. You know what I mean? I had nothing else to go on in my paint I would I would nominate Mark. Though I don't know what clay Burns artistic proclivities are here, but I think Mark would be the guy if if one of us needed to go two hours on the clock, I would be j out in the in the hallway, or else all of us go into the into the pit. I'm nominating Mark because he's got a lot of great artistic he does within with the clock. I'm worried about the clock. I wouldn't be I could. I could absolutely nail that assignment. I as much as our trust and appreciate you, it wouldn't come to that. They'd have to kill me before I'd be in the pit. Circumstance. So that's just that I'm fighting. Did you see squid Games? I did, and the whole time, like like most things, I'm like, all right, guys, this is where we unite and rise up and destroy the oppressor. But they never do that. They never did ye like Clayvine was just waiting for like episode four Union meetings. All right, Patrick, thank you very much. Thank you to Henry Hodgson, Thank you to the Grave Digger Randy Chavez for helping us out. We will be back. Well, I'm going on vacation. I'm out of here. You guys figure it out next fight and you might be back. Everybody's gonna be bringing you back. I'll see the outside hill. Then he the call sp