Championship Weekend Picks with Cynthia Frelund + Ravens Hire Jesse Minter as Head Coach

00:00:03
Speaker 1: Welcome to NFL Daily where, like Billy Bean, our ish just doesn't work in the playoffs.

00:00:09
Speaker 2: My name is Greg Rosenthal.

00:00:10
Speaker 1: I'm here on stage five where we just taped another electric episode of Game Debut. Check that out on NFL Network because it's with my co host, the brilliant Cynthia Frielan, who's eight and two picking games straight up in the playoffs and is crushing me against the spread in the playoffs. When I refer to Billy Bean, I don't know if you remember that quote. Oh, okay, the former general manager of Oakland Ace who just said his stuff didn't work in the playoffs.

00:00:38
Speaker 2: I mean, I appreciate the honesty.

00:00:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, I went on in three last week. Look, I'm still at rushing for the season. I'm still at thirty six and twenty four. That's sixty percent. That's solid sixty percent. G I kind of want to just like quit right here. I mean you kind of have to, yeah, because there's actually no way to land on sixty percent from here on out. So no, Look, it is kind of this is obvious, but it's it's a good lesson for people who are putting real harder money out there. Like everyone goes harder in the playoffs, when really that doesn't make as much sense because in a normal week, you're not really going to want to be picking every game with authority, and you have way less games to choose from, which means you have less opportunities to use it.

00:01:19
Speaker 2: As Cynthia, mind your units, you know, mind your units.

00:01:22
Speaker 1: I am excited to talk about these two conference championship games. We're just going to pick them against the spread because we have to, there's only two left. But we're also going to talk a little news. Jesse Minter is the new Baltimore Ravens head coach, and some coordinator news that's really interesting. Cynthia is really tied in with the whole coaching world, so I've been enjoying getting her perspective these last couple weeks. But let's start with the games. Let's start with the AFC Championship. As we're taping, the lines come down a little bit for Denver, and Denver is now a four and a half point underdog at home. I was stunned by what your computer model. I'll spit out for game debut.

00:02:03
Speaker 2: I have the Broncos winning it straight up, who by one point?

00:02:06
Speaker 1: So straight up though, yes, this Stidham factor didn't move it that much.

00:02:10
Speaker 2: So maybe you had them winning by five points with I had the winning I looked at it. I think it was four. Okay, I can't remember, but I did look at it. It was more than a field goal but less than a touchdown, which that's not very helpful thing to say, but you know, honestly, that makes sense.

00:02:24
Speaker 1: And I want you to go into the reasons why you think you know Denver could win this game straight up, but especially why you know you feel good about the number. And I tend to agree in terms of the number, because for the Patriots to ever be favored by five and a half points this week, that would almost indicate that bo Nix that Jarrett Stidham was like a six point difference or a seven point difference.

00:02:45
Speaker 2: For a while, it was because I believe it opened negative one and a half Denver. Then it swung to five and a half. So that's seven.

00:02:52
Speaker 1: That's crazy, and then now back to that doesn't see that doesn't as look. I think bo Nix is really good. I just think it's a quarterback friendly system, and most backup quarterbacks I think like that's too much for him. So anyways, tell me, tell me why you like the Broncos in general.

00:03:08
Speaker 2: So there's a couple of things that I always look for, and O lines are where everything is one and lost for me. Really, that's where I start. And the trenches for the Broncos. They started the season strong, they continued the season strong. Quinn Minors his tummy. It's one of my favorite things in all preseason. I don't know if the man gets sunburned on it. He wears his He like, I like that. You show your tummy. If you guys are watching on YouTube. Cynthia's also got a badass leather jacket. One tummy. He exposed the tummy. You are not doing that. I'm not exposing my tummy, but he but his is, and I'm just like, does it get sunburn? I have some many questions about it, but Quinn Miners has been amazing. I joke, but this whole O line really is an advantage for the Broncos because we know Milton Williams in the middle. He is going to want to come after calebon Chase on fun name to say, rble to defend if I were going up against him would be terrible, right, So I mean as a coach because as a human, I would die. So ultimately, I'm looking at these different Christian Barmore. There's a lot of different ways at the pressure income. But I still think that the broncos O line has been sort of battle tested in this way. They faced a lot of great defense. Now, thing number two, what is bo Nicks instructed not to do? What is the thing all season long? Is like, do not take sex? Hey, kid, don't take sex? And what did he not do? He didn't really take that many sacks, it was he was one of the lowest sacked quarterbacks in the league. Part of that scheme, why well, he throws a lot of screen passes. That is an area that the Patriots have had a tough time with levers. Blaine's been great against the run, but screen passes have been an area where it's been a problem. And what did bo Nicks have the second most yards doing screen passing? Is that how you would say that that ever? Seems right? With screen passes, he had the second most yards in the regular season. So I'm looking at all these things together, and I'm also thinking it's Sean Payton. Sean Payton is always playing pokery. This man is the best bluffer. I watched that Chicago film agam to be like, what's the difference here? Why does it look so different from my eye? Well, for almost kind of an interesting reason. They used a ton of motion, like seventy two percent of the time they were using motion pre snap. And then they threw against the Bears against the Bills. Yeah, oh, sorry, against the Bills. Excuse me, against the Bills. They threw against the Bills inexplicably in that situation. So I'm looking at that and I'm like, a Bills defense is really good against the run. You're using motion and you're throwing against them. Fascinating.

00:05:20
Speaker 1: He almost has an advantage with Stidham in a weird way. Not an advantage like you would want him over bo Nix, obviously, no, but the fact that you haven't got to see what a Jared Stidham regular season Sean Payton offense looks like two years. In two years, you've got a couple weeks at the end. But the fact that they gave him that the end in twenty twenty three, right, the fact that you gave him that second contract paying him good money about six and a half million dollars a year after he was already in the system, and that Sean Payton said, Okay, year three, that's when quarterbacks elevate in my system. I think he can execute. I think he has a high ceiling. I talked about it enough on this show to again. But what you hit on is why I'm also on the Broncos covering the four and a half. Ultimately, I always say, like I have to just take my team, yeah, win on this show where we're and that's even true in terms of the numbers. I don't like going against them in terms of the numbers, but I have to just like be real and when I'm real on this one, Like, I just don't think it's a great number. I think the Patriots are a really good team, and I think they're going to have to play really well, and I think they will to win a close game in Denver. Like I think the Patriots are going to play nearer their best and then that results in a two or three point win. Like, I think that's kind of the outcome here. It's not like you're getting lucky to win in Denver in any scenario, because I think Stidham will be able to run the offense. Ultimately, the things I wrote down where it's similar to you, which is in the end, what's the first thing you look at between two teams, It's the line play. And I think the Denver offensive line beats the defensive lines sneaky issue. The last couple weeks, Patriots actually not getting a ton of great for me in pass rush. They haven't needed to because they're just blitzing the crap out of other teams.

00:07:08
Speaker 2: In and shroud is target krushing as aals on every single beast would make no sense that I think someone make sense. That one didn't make sense.

00:07:16
Speaker 1: And I believe in this defense that they're playing better than they have and ultimately that's, you know, one of the reasons they get a win. But it's the other side of the ball that really cinches that. I think it's a low scoring game. Denver's defensive line is clearly better than the Patriots offensive line too. What is Will Campbell and Jared Wilson struggle with like speed off the edge and like twists and communication up front, and Denverick can do that, right, Denver can do that so well. I'm saying all that and then I'm adding the weather into the mix too, Like I just think it's going to be in the twenties. Wind Chill might be in the teens or even the single digits, and so to me, that's kind of an equalizer. So just if you're giving me four and a half points between two pretty even teams and the home team's the underdog, I think I'm just gonna take those points. Ultimately, though, I do think Drake may reminds everyone why he's an MVP candidate sure, and kind of does something legendary and plays just like I am the best player on this field and goes and gets them and winning the hero. So I'm kind of I'm threading the needle.

00:08:22
Speaker 2: You are threading the needle. There's only one way to do it, you know, got to do it, thread that needle. Okay, So that means I'm taking Patriots to win, but.

00:08:28
Speaker 1: The Broncos to cover, all right, So we're on the same side there, yep, Seahawks Rams.

00:08:34
Speaker 2: I actually don't know if.

00:08:34
Speaker 1: We're on the same side of this because I don't know you're what is the point total?

00:08:37
Speaker 2: It is two and a half for Seattle. I guess I'm threading the needle because I have two point win. You have a two points. I hate that. I mean, I think you should either when you have two points and it's between three. I mean, I'm just gonna go and take the three at this point because I think it's stupid to take two. Okay, so you're gonna take Seattle. Yeah, why not. I'll take Seattle because I have a two point win. I'm going to stick with my math because that's what But for the sake of our game, Okay, I'll take three because God loves fun. You know. That's one thing I can tell you. And I think it's interesting.

00:09:09
Speaker 1: Like when you look when when you run all the numbers and you're going to be on game day morning as always this weekend, and you're talking about the numbers, like what stands out that the model spits out the most that's favorable for Seattle?

00:09:23
Speaker 2: You know, getting this? It's really all of different ways their defenses have I understand in these games against the Rams at particular moments, Pooku Nakua has lit up the stat sheet. I understand what happened, But I also understand that they're learning from all of these different pieces. When you have a rookie like Nicki Minuai who's been so versatile, and so he and the secondary did wasn't all fully healthy the first time they played, and that first one was banana like, that was a crazy game. So both games when.

00:09:49
Speaker 1: They only allowed that, it's so weird how those two games played out because the first game, the Seahawks only allowed like two hundred and fifty yards right totally.

00:09:55
Speaker 2: They played it real exactly defense. But it's so strange because you know that second game, everyone's like that was the game of the friggin year or whatever, and it was an incredible game on Thursday night. But the first game was a pretty darn incredible game too, just wasn't in its own primetime slot. So I don't know. I'm looking at this one. I think learning from that is number one, and then number two. I have to admit it. I've looked at this Rams defense and there have been pieces have been more and more vulnerable as the weeks have gone by. Now they've been great against the run, they've been greating in certain passing situations, but you can get a deep ball on them, and those explosive plays are that is what Sam Darnold has been making all of his money doing this year.

00:10:31
Speaker 1: I apologize, deep deep I know, and he hasn't much lately, which is interesting. So I want to see that come back. I think it can and should. He hasn't needed to for what it's worth.

00:10:40
Speaker 2: That's what I was gonna say, Like, is it that he can't or didn't? Right?

00:10:45
Speaker 1: They haven't even attempted many plus twenty yard throws since that Rams game. Actually, I apologize. It's been a big week for media apologies. I don't know if you've seen on our four letter friend that's also doing sports like it's a lot of like apologizing to different athletes. I want to apologize, you know, for bad takes and whatnot.

00:11:05
Speaker 2: It doesn't matter I tell me what this is off air because I have no idea what you're talking. I who over my head.

00:11:12
Speaker 1: I want to apologize to the NFL Daily Listens because I took the Rams on our show on Wednesday when I went around the horn and was just like, all right, everyone picked the games and I'm picking there, like kind of what I want to happen, right, because you know, my daughter and my wife are but I really don't buy it. And I am taking the Seahawks. I hate doing that, but this is my official one. Like I sat with it in immediately.

00:11:35
Speaker 2: I hadn't.

00:11:35
Speaker 1: Actually this sounds stupid, but as of Wednesday afternoon, I just hadn't really thought about who I'm no picking for the game. Yeah, Like my gut just says the Seahawks team is awesome, that it's better, and obviously if.

00:11:46
Speaker 2: The Rams win, it wouldn't shock me.

00:11:48
Speaker 1: I feel like they're going to play a little looser after a near death experience last week in Chicago. Like, I think McVay is going to be better. I think Stafford's going to be better. I just think the Seahawks team is a wagon. I just think top to bottom, every level of that defense is the most special part of this game. As good as the Rams offense is, and it's the number one scoring offense, number one scoring defense, the Seahawks are playing that way now. I haven't seen it from the Rams for a month, and you go defensive line, linebacker, level, secondary. I think their defense, and it's a weird defense and running type of league right now, is the most special thing that is left in the playoffs.

00:12:30
Speaker 2: You're at home. That's enough for me.

00:12:33
Speaker 1: Like, and it's two and a half points these two teams. I keep coming back to this in my head have played each other twice this year. Sam Darnold has freaking turned the ball over six times in those two games.

00:12:45
Speaker 2: They are minus six and one, right, and they set and they're scoring, and the scoring is the same.

00:12:50
Speaker 1: You know, the yardist is about the same, and they're minus six and turnovers they were minus three in each one of those games, and yet the score was about the same. So just don't be minus three to be minus one and the better team is ninety two. Heck, right, So that's where I landed.

00:13:07
Speaker 2: Okay, so are you gonna go with just what's your score? They went by four or something.

00:13:12
Speaker 1: I had it low scoring, you know what, I actually had a I think this is going to be under. I didn't really have a hot take on, Like I know, the Broncos, we have to pick over unders, and it's not going to be one of our picks here. Of the two, I think the under a NFC to me, was more attractive.

00:13:28
Speaker 2: I think it's going to be a little bit of a defensive game, a running game, like a red.

00:13:34
Speaker 1: Zone stop type of game. And I think it's like twenty three to nineteen something.

00:13:39
Speaker 2: Okay, Okay, I mean the over unders are not compelling for me in this game. But now I'm not really into the over unders either. This Sometimes I am, but not not this weekend.

00:13:49
Speaker 1: My final stat, by the way, for this it was from next Gen Stats.

00:13:53
Speaker 2: I love this.

00:13:54
Speaker 1: Five cornerbacks in the NFL this year allowed one yard or less personnap coverage snap three of them around the Seahawks, Riq willand Josh Job and Devin Weatherspoon, I mean Weatherspoon.

00:14:08
Speaker 2: That's incredible.

00:14:09
Speaker 1: So that is just like, yeah, a ridiculous yep, all right, we got it to.

00:14:12
Speaker 2: Do something funny. Yeah. So I went to a religious college. I went to BC, right, I didn't grow up religious. We get the Bible there, like, okay, return to job whatever, we have to take a theology class. You better believe. I had no idea where to look at that damn Bible. I was like, can somebody tell me where to find because I was spelling it like that. I.

00:14:31
Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, that's right, it's not spelled the way. A good call. We're exposing ourself here. I was also raised not in a religious household whatsoever. People assume I have knowledge of what's gone on at temples, but I grew up in a ninety five percent Irish Catholic town. I did go to a couple midnight masses because I was dating a Catholic girl and was kind of like, you know, get in with your parents and stuff. Well just more just like, hey, I'm a respectable young man. But yeah, I'm a little clueless too. So yeah, let's go book a job. Gosh job on Sunday. All right, let's talk coaches before we get out of here. Jesse Mintter is the new coach of the Baltimore Ravens. It's interesting because you heard right when this opening happened from people who are smart about these sort of things, watch out for Jesse Mintter there. And it wasn't just connecting the dots. It was I think people with real information, they go through the process. In the end, it is the Chargers defensive coordinator who goes from being Jim Harbaugh's defensive coordinator to the replacement for John Harbaugh in Baltimore. Very interesting that the Ravens and the Chargers just they keep swimming in the same pools. You know what I mean, what do you think about Jesse Minter taking this job.

00:15:47
Speaker 2: I'm trying to figure out, like, you know, we talk like the Shanahan tree, like after Mike Shanahan, not Kyle right, like we talked about, So the harbaw Tree would be after jam or John because like Mike.

00:15:56
Speaker 1: McDonald's, Mike McDonald's in there whatever, I think you just call it the harbor but.

00:16:00
Speaker 2: Like both, so just encompasses both because they share him. That's what's that's all crazy.

00:16:06
Speaker 1: And they're all hiring right now now, John Harbaugh looks like he's he's settled on Mike McDaniel for I mean, Jim Harbaugh has settled on Mike McDaniel, So he's not making too many.

00:16:18
Speaker 2: Hunts unless Mike McDaniel's getting hard by someone else.

00:16:20
Speaker 1: But you never know, right unless for some reason he didn't get this Just Ravens job here, So we'll see. I guess he has one left that he's waiting to find out. But John Harbaugh and Jesse Minter will presumably be fighting over the same assistance, which is very interesting because the Ravens have been like saying John Harbaugh cannot take some of the assistants that he wants to with him to New York, Like what have you heard like being around the League of like what Jesse Minter is like, and what have you seen in terms of this Chargers defense and kind of how it applies in Baltimore.

00:16:52
Speaker 2: I've never met anyone who has anything negative to say about Jesse Mintter. I've heard he's a great dude, a great coach, great at teaching the things that the questions I ask, are you know what's his install like you know, because these are teaching moments. I think you have to be a good teacher to be a good head coach. I've heard nothing but great things top to bottom about him. But I don't almost care who the head coaches until I see who all of their assistants are because it's the cascade of everyone that matters, not just one figurehead and then getting whatever, Like I want to see the are you going to command the gravitas to get the good assistance? Because it feels like a land grab right now with all of these coaching openings. Who's going to go wear? What are they going to do? Doesn't match myself? Doesn't match yourself? Like it's very like cool, But.

00:17:35
Speaker 1: I got to Anthony Weaver for it, That's what I'm saying. Like coordinator, maybe not Baltimore because he was he was one of the finalists for the head job, and that doesn't make sense.

00:17:45
Speaker 2: Sometimes they're interviewing them to be the defensive coordinator, like those doing those little sneak interviews. What I got one for you?

00:17:51
Speaker 1: I got two for you that I'm glad you brought that up.

00:17:53
Speaker 2: So I asked quickly.

00:17:55
Speaker 1: Of like, who could be the OC candidates for Jess you minder, because that's so big, right, And I heard back Joe Brady and Cliff Kingsbury are two really strong picks, and they are two men who interviewed for the head coaching job in Baltimore. If you tell me that Jesse Minner has Cliff, I think that's interesting. I think that's honestly, Lamar, it's maybe more right. It's not maybe a long term play. But I think with Lamar right now, I'm not really thinking about the long term. I'm thinking about the next two years. Can we go win a super Bowl? Cliff is intriguing to me for that. Joe Brady is interesting too. I wouldn't hate that.

00:18:31
Speaker 2: Cliff is really intriguing to me, and especially given like the thing that's interesting that I like about Cliff with the style fit for Lamar Jackson is I think that like Cliff could teach some things that he hasn't seen yet, which is hard to do with a guy who's already been an MVP multiple times. Right, Like we'd be like wow, like that could be cool to see something a little different. So, I mean, I don't know. I think it again, I think a coach, head coach will always be remembered by who's actually doing work, right, like who's calling the plays on defense, who's calling the plays on offense. So we'll see how he puts. Again, it's I've heard nothing but great things.

00:19:08
Speaker 1: Same Daniel Jeremiah speaks highly of him. Who's been around him with the Chargers for a couple of years. Basically, anyone that's been around him thinks he's that dude. I think he's kind of the perfect age for a first time head coach. He's forty two, Okay, He's like, he's not too young.

00:19:21
Speaker 2: Young. He looks young until he puts his hat on, then he like looks more mature.

00:19:25
Speaker 1: He looks young and then the other thing I really like is that he was in that building for five years. He was there from twenty sixteen through twenty twenty, so he knows where the bathroom is well, I just know they know him. I think Eric Tacosta knows him so well. Steve Bushatti knows him. To me, that's a system job, kind of like Kyle Shannan has system quarterbacks, you know what I mean. Like you can plug in a coach to that job, I think, and they're going to be set up for success, and they kind of I think they have a good idea how he'll.

00:19:55
Speaker 2: Fit into that.

00:19:56
Speaker 1: Patrick Clayban, who was on the set with us when you broke the news that this was happening, he is a little he's a little skeptical because he wanted to get out of the whole Michigan family, that it's too incestuous. He started making jokes immediately that what they're going to bring Greg Roman back?

00:20:11
Speaker 2: Like, I hope not. I don't think so. I don't think. I don't think that's you mentioned Lamar. I wanted to bring this up.

00:20:18
Speaker 1: He retweeted something on Twitter on Thursday of a fan who said, is this a good time to point out my three year old may have predicted a potential move of Lamar Jackson to the Raiders, And Lamar retweeted this and it sent everyone on Twitter. If you're into that sort of thing, into a complete tizzy, and then Lamar, being confusing as he often is, like an hour later, writes, lol, I just posted the kid in the jersey. I swear I didn't even read the caption.

00:20:53
Speaker 2: I buy that. I buy it too. It's also funn I mean, you see a cute kid, you want to be like, oh, that's nice of that kid to buy my jersey. It's expensive, Like, I don't think you. I don't think it's too deep.

00:21:01
Speaker 1: I don't think it's too deep, but it is funny. It's funny, but it's not based on what Steve Bashatti said in terms of they are going to work hard to get an extension for Lamar Jackson to open up some salary cap space this offseason. I really think that jessemna Higher is a good one. I think there's a reason why he is near the top of a lot of lists, and I think the Raiders I suspect had him very high, if not atop their list before this happened. Mentor obviously is not going for that Browns job either. He had withdrawn his name. Okay, we're gonna fly through a couple other little news items. Christian Parker is a name not the average fan would know, and yet Cynthia frielan pre eminent ball knower, is raising her hands like she just scored a touchdown.

00:21:46
Speaker 2: Why is that?

00:21:46
Speaker 1: He is the new defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. He's the Eagles. He is reported by the way like it's one of those where they're couching it. He's expected to be the defensive coordinator of the.

00:21:57
Speaker 2: Cowboy And I will say I did text some congratulations. He hasn'tritten anything back yet, so I'm sure it's being a little worried. I think it'll be. It'll happen as soon as it signs. It's going to be great. So Christian Parker, first he was with the Broncos, so that's where I first met him. Prior to that, he was with Green Bay so he was with Patrick Sirtan in Denver. First he was with Pattan and Denver. Then he went to the Eagles. Pretty good secondaries that he's been working with. Also worked for Vic Fangio also where he's been easiero Ever, I can't say his name is egigro everro you know, Okay, you got it? Yeah, So I know it's hard to say so I'm trying. But he's been working with some great guys. But ultimately the reason you don't know his name is Case doesn't do that thing that a lot of people do, which is try to kiss up to me. I had to figure out who the heck he was based on the good people he's playing with, telling me that I need to know who. I asked the players who's a good coach? Nobody He didn't at the combine, be like, hey, do you want to start saying nice things about me? You know you read all those lists people to watch John for his head coach, and they'll be like eighty three people I don't even know anything.

00:23:01
Speaker 1: It's like people that are probably sources correct.

00:23:05
Speaker 2: So instead I thought it'd be a more prudent way. I always ask players who are the coaches who I should be promoting? Who are the people who are actually teaching you things? So you really want to work for it? You think it really good that I maybe haven't heard of before. Christian Parker. You came out of people who are exceptional defensive backs. Same name, same name, same name, same name. When you hear that enough, you see the results on the field here.

00:23:32
Speaker 1: You and I don't know if one of those names was Cooper Dejine, but he was on Twitter on Thursday saying what an incredible coach Christian Parker is and that he would not be nearly the same player if it wasn't for him, and the fact that you're doing it hurt in your division rival.

00:23:49
Speaker 2: I mean, the Cowboys always got Eagles on the brain.

00:23:51
Speaker 1: Remember they put that little thing in Michael Parson's contract that they weren't going to allow.

00:23:56
Speaker 2: Him to go anywhere about the Eagles.

00:23:58
Speaker 1: It's right ridiculous. So that's a great thing I think for the Cowboys. It's interesting, you know, because they interviewed a couple bigger names. Brian Flores was in the mix there. Jonathan Gannon was in the mix there. There's some talk he's interviewing with Green Bay, but Brian Flores is not going anywhere. Brian Flores is staying in Minnesota.

00:24:19
Speaker 2: It prized me he's not going anywhere, but that like for I don't know, I just felt like it was like maybe some time to change, to make a change, but.

00:24:26
Speaker 1: Nope, it surprised me a little bit. He obviously didn't get the Raven's job. He is in the mix for the Steelers job, and so it's this is contingent on him not getting that, which is which is funny, Which.

00:24:38
Speaker 2: Is the same thing with McDaniel contract. This is new.

00:24:41
Speaker 1: Patrick was joking about it on our previous show on when they just like, yeah, this is a new like contingent clause contract agreement situation. But obviously huge news for the NFC North. For the Minnesota Vikings, I actually think it would have been a major problem if they lost Brian Flores because I think the talent that they brought in specifically fits what he does in a way that it would have been tough to replicate if he left. So to me, they have a much better chance at being a real contender next year if they can have Brian Flores. Now they do, you just got to figure out quarterback. But big news there.

00:25:18
Speaker 2: I'm very interested to see if either of the two guys with these contingent clauses end up going somewhere else, because does that put you at a big disadvantage then getting those defensive coordinators or offensive coordinators, like if Mike McDaniel gets hired, are then the Chargers behind the eight ball here? Or you know, like I guess the question is like, oh great, Like should we have not done this?

00:25:37
Speaker 1: Like it's a land grab now for all these different coordinator positions, like there's just only so many.

00:25:43
Speaker 2: We still have five head coaching positions. I'm saying open out of ten, which one do you think it is? Hired? Last head coach? Cardinals? That's my guess.

00:25:51
Speaker 1: Cardinals seem to be last in line for a lot of people. A couple of people have pulled out from the Browns, probably the team that's hiring a RAMS assistant for instance, if they go to the Super Bowl, that would be the last you know, like Shieldhouse, Like Selhouse seems like he might be Brown, he goes to the Steelers. Chris Shula could be a Steelers choice. So it depends on what happens with the NFC championship. But we both had the Seahawks winning. Wrapping up with Zach Robinson.

00:26:17
Speaker 2: Kubiak too, he's been up for Clint.

00:26:18
Speaker 1: Kubiak could be an option, especially in Pittsburgh. That's another one at NABY in Arizona. Zach Robinson is the new Bucks offensive coordinator. They really wanted Mike McDaniel according to all reports. Who didn't want Mike mcg Yeah, they didn't get him, but it sounded like at least Mike McDaniel was strongly considering them. I think it probably came down to the chargers in the Bucks, and he chose La and Justin Herbert over Tampa and Baker.

00:26:44
Speaker 2: We need to talk to him about the tax basis here in California because that's kind of a bad decision. Yeah, but if you just get caught at.

00:26:51
Speaker 1: Some point, you're still getting paid from Stephen Rossis at some point enough money is enough.

00:26:56
Speaker 2: Plus you get Justin Herbert.

00:26:57
Speaker 1: You're also not coaching underneath a guy who who is immediately on the hot seat in Todd Bowles, and a Frankie Moore talented quarterback in Justin Herbert.

00:27:05
Speaker 2: So there are positives.

00:27:06
Speaker 1: I was surprised how hot Zach Robinson's name was in this coaching cycle, because he had a lot of interviews it sounded like he was going to get a job. I did not think he did great work with Atlanta last year at all. And Todd Bowles said he really was impressed by Zach Robinson and how familiar he was with their personnel and thinks he's going to maximize it. So another branch off the McVeigh tree, Zach Robinson, who did not inspire me in Atlanta, and so now he's in charge trying to break that streak of Baker Mayfield having a different offensive coordinator every year.

00:27:38
Speaker 2: I'm going to ask a couple of the Falcons guys what they thought. Yeah, and I have a chance. Okay, I haven't. I don't like to text to sound something, so they sounds negative, so they'll keep it positive. So once they get a new guy and like life's new, Ooh, it's exciting, it's good, then I'll text and be like, hey, is he a great coach? Because I don't sometimes from the outside, like someone can look great, but they're not good at teaching, or they're not good at you know, they're too confusing, or they're too angry or whatever it is.

00:28:02
Speaker 1: So he sounds like he seems like someone so far not angry. From the outside hasn't looked great, but from the inside people seem to like him.

00:28:09
Speaker 2: That's what I'm curious, because.

00:28:10
Speaker 1: To me that their offense didn't make sense, but maybe that was the limitations of some of them.

00:28:15
Speaker 2: Of John Robinson, I.

00:28:16
Speaker 1: Was gonna say, like, of like the quarterback in the system, but that doesn't.

00:28:19
Speaker 2: That's not really fair.

00:28:20
Speaker 1: Last thing, quickly, they announced the finalists of all the awards, and we've been tracking these awards all season long, and just a couple of names stuck out to me. MVP Trevor Lawrence is one of the five who are the finalists. It's Josh Allen Herbert, I mean no, sorry, wow, it's May and Stafford who we expected. Then it's Josh Allen who we expected. And it's Christian McCaffrey getting that fourth spot, and then Trevor Lawrence getting the fifth, which is interesting. Patrick Claybon wanted to point out all season long he had a formula called the Conversation to determine who would be the MVP based on a very specific mathematical model, and his formula predicted for the final finalists. He did not get Trevor Lawrence. He had Bo Nicks. He had Bo Nicks in the final in.

00:29:07
Speaker 2: The usually you have to I mean, the Jags did win a lot, so that's great, But like that one's he.

00:29:13
Speaker 1: Wasn't really tracking it because at the time he started doing it, the Jaguars were so off the beaten path. But Trevor Lawrence finished so strong, so shout out to Trevor Lawrence, one of the five finals. Coaching was kind of the five that we expected. No Sean Payton on that list, although I actually wasn't surprised because you had Liam Cohen also in that mix. You had a lot of good candidates the Defensive Player of the Year. It interested me that it was just five edge players. We're just not smart enough to like pick other players.

00:29:43
Speaker 2: I mean, you went corner last year. Yeah, that's true.

00:29:46
Speaker 1: Nick Benito did not make All Pro First or second team, but he was one of the five finalists for Defensive Player of the Year.

00:29:53
Speaker 2: I like that. Actually, I think he deserves to be that. I was about to say, I'm rolling my eyes at the All Pro.

00:29:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, Michael Parsons got to be one of the five finals. Think it's cool. I actually do think you was that valuable. That's that's some ball knowing stuff. Despite missing some games. Offensive Rookie of the Year where the two quarterbacks Jackson Dart and Tyler Schuck, plus the two receivers Abuka and Tedoa McMillan, and then Trevon Henderson snuck in there as the fifth guy, and then Defensive Rookie of the Year no big surprise there, but shout out to Xavier Watts getting on the list, the safety from Atlanta as the fifth choice.

00:30:25
Speaker 2: I mean, you play a big time game in a big time spot. There you go, you know, Monday night football game. Really that he did have a great year. Though he did a great year. But ye, that was like the moment when people were voting too right, So it's like we got to put that kid on here. Shoot, you're absolutely right.

00:30:42
Speaker 1: That is part of the formula in the conversation, which is that primetime games late in the Sea are heavily waited a.

00:30:49
Speaker 2: Week before the votes. The ballots are due.

00:30:51
Speaker 1: This is the last time we'll have multiple games to talk about. I hope we can book you at the Super Bowl. We can find you somewhere in Santa Clara. Actually it to be San Francisco where we're on radio rowkay, and we can pick the final game. So we will be back one more time, and we're not The Seahawks got it to win the Super Bowl.

00:31:11
Speaker 2: Yep, you already know. Well, I mean I just ran my model, so wow, you know it's funny Seahawks rams, yes, then Denver then Patriots. Wow? What Seahawks and Rams are like seventy percent or okay, sixty something percent, and then the AFC winners.

00:31:30
Speaker 1: Less I've said all season, they're the best two teams in the NFL, the Seahawks and the Rams. Day clappees based off on Sunday it is not how it is gonna land because the Patriots Seahawks. That's my prediction for the Super Bowl this year. We will be back on Sunday night. By then we'll know the Super Bowl participants, myself, Patrick Claibon, and Nick Shook. For Cynthia Frieland, she's the best. We will see you on Sunday night.

00:31:55
Speaker 2: Can't wait.