2022 Week 8 Recap: How many great teams can we find?

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Speaker 1: Around the NFL podcast is the Light at the end of the tunnel from the Chris Westling podcast studio. It's Around the NFL. I'm damned hanged us Hangs us with Greg Risen Gooul and Dark Sessler. Yes, it's a very spooky Halloween edition of Around the NFL, the Week eight flagship program. And how how will it be very special Halloween edition? I if I would have thought about it, I would have said, let's get some different music off the top. Um. Yeah. But instead that basically that okay, that sums up this right now will be the extent of the halloweeny nature of the episode. I would imagine, But who knows, maybe we could cook up a theme. I am with you that I would minimize the Halloween aspect. Well, we've got a lot of great football so you also grown men, Yeah, got kids, so that would be great. But we have we have men. We have man work to do here, and I would I would just point out breaking down Sunday, I speak for gragging myself that we you know, it's that time of year where people are going through things called colds, that the little c um but you're powering through tonight because you're a professional, UM and a raging professional and I would give you, i'd push move you into like warrior category to some degree. Yeah, I I it's not even there yet. It's just something I feel like it is percolating within the sinuses at the start of the program. So we're just gonna power through it. Well, I only mentioned it to build rapport with YouTube. Avoid the Yeah, I mean bringing a nonsense at all, Like, what's the point we have so much to get to? Dark dark buried in a big spot dark. Yes, it is the week eight flagship program. We're gonna break down all the action UM from Sunday, A nice Sunday. We had the final London game of the year. We had you know talking about it last Sunday and the theme of the episode was where the good teams? This week? Daddy's looking for some great teams and I think we might have a couple of teams in the NFC. If they're not there yet, I feel good about it. So let's start with one of those teams. And it is not and I repeat the defending Super Bowl champion. It is Polo looking Garopolo were here crosh here throws to the back of the end show. Hi Christian McCaffrey touch see ce beautiful golf from Greg Popa and Tim Ryan Ken k n b R. I thought for a second that Tim had screamed die like to the Rams, but it was dynamite, Um, and Christie McCaffrey was dynamite. He became the eleventh player in the history of our league to have a rushing touchdown, a passing score, a receiving score in one game. And the Niners continue to just pants Sean McVeigh in this rivalry. At fourteen win for Kyle Shanahan's Dudes at Sophi Stadium, or as George Kittle called it after the win, Levi South because there were a lot of people in red in that stadium, Mark Uh. The game started well for the Rams and it looked like we were gonna have a classic back and forth NFC West game, and then San Francisco just imposed their will and a lot of that ties back to c m c who is everything they could have asked for at least today. Well, these were two teams that both wanted Christian McCaffrey, one of them got him, and it played all the difference today. And this was a huge Sunday for the Rams. You're coming out of your by. Your season has been dipped in chaos and disappointment. You're not looking like the Rams team that we're used to under Sean McVeigh. So you go into your by. What do you do? How do you adjust? And after the first half I thought, I think they have. I think Sean McVeigh has figured out a lot of issues here. Because Matthew Stafford was kept up right, well protected, those issues didn't seem to be there. Um, they can't run the ball and we know that, and there's no way to solve that immediately. But they had found a way to go toe to toe with the or foot to foot. I don't know. I don't know what body parts of body part with the Niners. It just seems sort of stuff to me. But I guess it's because it's just you're a little bit. You're an inch further than the other person than you are than they are. So anyways, but let's break this down further, elbow to elbow, what are you looking for? It all started to crumble in the third quarter. They opened up on third down, they were six for seven the Rams to open up on third down, and they just they looked like they had solved other issues. And then they had like a twenty yard third quarter where the Niners and aspect, it was just essentially Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and you got the version of Jimmy g which always almost always seems to be outside of the playoff game against the Rams pristine. He threw the ball great, and the Niners just look to me like the team that understands who they are. Um, they went out and got the acid and Chris McCaffrey, who was utterly unstoppable and looks like he's gonna fit in so well. It's like a Shanahan Fever dream scenario, just the way the way they can use them, and the Rams they're not that team right now. I mean, they had the ball five times in the second half, four times, I believe five times, and they had four total first downs. And I listened to Sean McVeigh after the game because I'm with you, I think this was a huge moment in their season. And to get beat like a drum like that where the offense completely falls in on itself. Uh, and then the defense struggles too, was surprising to me, and I was curious what he would say, and it's funny. He was really talking about how the defense in the secondary and the second level had a lot of things to clean up, and that's not what they expected. I'm just thinking, like, you're right today, they didn't expect that defensively. Yet the fact that they go four first downs in five second half drives like we're getting used to that with the ramps, and we're getting used to them losing big. They lost by twenty one to the Bills, fifteen to the Niners, twelve to the Cowboys, seventeen to the Niners, and three of those are at home, Like they are a team that loses big. And so much of this to me anyway, when I look at what's wrong with their offense. They can't run the ball. It puts so much pressure on Matt Stafford, who's not playing at a high level this year, and he does not have a supporting cast that he entirely trust. Cooper Cup is Cooper Cup and we'll get to him in a minute. Here. Allen Robinson is finally showing signs of life, but obviously has not been the difference maker. They thought Tyler Higbee had a drop in this game. That kind of you know, swung things over to San Francisco permanently in the second half on a catch that would have been at first down and maybe even a touchdown. That was really the last sign of life for Los Angeles offense. And you know, even when they're down marking the in the second quarter, they had first and goal from the one or whatever, and they try to run it twice and it was like, not gonna work. And they did actually score on the ground on the Matthew Stafford scramble where he gets screamed by the pylon he gets in. But you're thinking yourself like that, that's one of the big issues here. They don't win up front, they can't run the ball, and everything's just disjoined it. They have zero confidence in their ground game, and you're right, it becomes magnified in the red zone right near the goal line where they need someone to step up and be able to do that. And I mean, we're seeing teams around the league with bad offensive lines who have turned towards the run successfully and the Rams just seemed disinterested and that happening, And on top of it, I think the Niners own them psychologically because the second half of this game, the Rams just started to become totally unglued. Allan Robinson had a big catch and then turns around and gets a he a personal foul for taunting. It's like, come on, this is the last thing you need right now. You're not a rookie, you're a veteran player, and it just the second half was a meltdown. I know I'm gonna get burned by this, but I feel like Jimmy G's played better this year for the most part. There's been the killer moments and that's just always going to be part of it. Maybe it's just I got used to the Jimmy G playing through a torn shoulder last year and that was so bad that now they've got Garoppolo back to kind of his normal level, and you get CMC. The fact that they had CMC throw for a touchdown in this game and McCaffrey ends up with a d eighty three yards from scrimmage. That's almost as much as the Rams had. And Shanahan talked after how he put that into the playbook on Thursday, after asking his staff like, oh, can this guy throw? And they found some throw that he did four years ago. He did that because the Rams wanted it. These sticking it to the rams like this was like a two ships passing in the night, and the forty Niners absolutely owned him. And I think that's him sticking it to his friend. Keep in mind here, Yeah, twenty six touches for McCaffrey, so he is now fully loaded. And they did this, the Niners abusing Los Angeles in the second half of this game without Deebo Samuel who who missed the game with an injury. So you just it just shows the And when I talk about could the Niners be great, it's like this version of Jimmy g obviously with two touchdowns and no picks. But when you have them fully you know, you have CMC fully uploaded, you get Devo back. You have Brandon Ayouk, who's come to life in recent weeks. You have George Kittle, of course, defense and potential here for San Francisco. When you also factor in the defenses, it gets healthier. Is gonna be problem as well. So at four and four, yeah, they're right in the mix of a muddy division, But I think they have more upside than almost anyone in the NFC this side of filling because their ceiling is just so different other the outside of the Eagles, and when they're on like this, you know they've had injuries. Some of their bad games have I think tied to defensive injuries number one. If they get healthier and healthier, and you know, critiquing the idea they went and got McCaffrey and it was expensive, I don't think there's any critique at this point because he went somewhere where he can be used well and today he was absolutely unstolid. He have a couple of fumbles that they were lucky the Niners recovered, but I'll take that along with what the upside and what he did and how he electrified the Rams defense. And one last point on the Ram side, they had Cooper Cup in the game with a minute to play down three scores. Keep doing this rolling the ball and he gets his ankle rolled up on. He was able to walk off under his own power. Um. Seems like he'll be okay. Um. But at the same time, m yeah McVey. McVeigh said like, I don't know, I shouldn't have done that. I wish I could have done it differently, but he didn't and that almost cost him. That's their season. If Cup goes out. I don't know what season the Los Angeles has, but right now it's not looking good. Uh. In other news, in other games, there was only one game that had to winning teams, and it was that the stadium formerly known as the Clink. Remember that, Yeah, nobody knows what it is. It's lumin field. Let's check it out. You're not gonna throw again. On first down, pump fect gonna throw. Got him out in the corner, say Hawks, what a drawing let god Gino sim Tyler Walker was not gonna let this one get away. He hung hard thirty three yards out and the Seahawks go on top o Steve Rival with a call k I r O. Gino just keeps delivering greggy Yes, Tyler Lockett caught a thirty three yard touchdown pass from Gino to play. Uh. They then got a turnover on a kickoff, scored the another touchdown, and that was that very close, tight game of the Giants turns into a win over New York, who had entered the game, of course, uh, six and one, so they dropped to six and two. But this game, greg Um another great effort. Yes by gino Um, but also by the defense, which is now stacked three games in a row. And I'm not saying we're ready to put the the I said the Mariners almost there, We're not. I'm not alone today. Um I'm not saying I'm ready to put the Seattle Seahawks into the great category. But they are very firmly now in the good team category. And again, this is one of the bigger surprises in the league. They are to me, they're the team that everyone's trying to tell me that the Giants are. And I'm not going to just make this an anti Giants thing, but I will, but I will. Uh what else am I gonna do? They are the team I think that's got more staying power of these two teams, because I think when you look at it, they're really talented. They have good players. They have six or seven rookies playing key roles. They're getting better and better. Gino is number three in QBR on the season, behind Mahomes and Allen. At a certain point, I'm just believing that he is, in terms of accuracy, right there with any quarterback in the league. He put the ball on the money again and again and again today, and his receivers couldn't come down with some tough catches, but he kept putting it there and he came through. But the defense playing as well as they have the last three weeks lets me feel that Pete Carroll's got something here. It's a young group. They changed what their approach was in terms of getting more attacking. Their special teams has looked really good. Kenneth Walker, Yeah, didn't look great eighteen for fifty one. The Giants seemed really determined to stop him, but the play he made at the end to get the games ceiling touchdown was an incredible individual play. And I look at this team and I see a clear top ten offense who has dk Metcalf who apparently can't be injured and he's back in the mix. And I see a very competitive defense, and I see a lot of verve out of their coach, and I think, why not the Seahawks long term? And that's why I locked him up correctly, well, a little dicey. It seemed dicey at the time, but again that's part of me. I keep underestimating. You know, you came at me. I took that personally on Thursday. Then he came into the office today and you're like, oh, Greg's really sweating. I would I felt good about a little bit whole time. You had a little bit of a tight butt there early in the fourth quarter. You could hear the nerves in your voice because the Giants were hanging around in a game where they didn't look like so I think it was a valiant lock. I mean, I think it's a couple of weeks ago we looked at Seattle differently because their defense was just an open barn door and it's totally changed. And I think that is something that, like some of these better teams, if you actually have a version of defense that can impact games like this, I'm gonna believe in you a lot more. The offense has been there all along. I feel like this version of Pete Carroll, he just clicks with Gino Smith. They seem willing to be super aggressive down near the goal line, throw the ball and not like to have the media tell you that your quarterback Russell Wilson must cook and we must have that constant tension between coach and quarterback. He kind of just wants to roll with Gino and Gino's making the throats. I want to say to that point that Pete Carroll absolutely should be in the Coach of the Year UM category are high up in those rankings. I think he should be the leader in the clubhouse. This is a team that nobody thought could do anything. And clearly, I think part of Gino's great season it goes back to like the coaching empowering Gino and making him seem from day one, uh, that he was somebody that they could just thrive with, not just be a game manager. So I just give credit to Carol on that UM. And you know, in the NFC West, which we thought was gonna be a very different type of division, uh, Seattle, doesn't it doesn't seem crazy that they could win this division now and they chose Pete Carroll ownership over Russell Wilson, and I kind of killed him for that at the time. And that's looking that's looking pretty good right now. Is Pete Carroll went for and I feel like so many times the missed fourth downs get brought up a lot, but the successful fourth downs that absolutely changed the game don't get brought up a lot. And Pete Carroll went for fourth down twice on their first touchdown drive in the second quarter, and they got it both times one and both were like an easy field goal range. One was on the twenty and one was inside the ten and uh one you know they get it to lock it and the other they end up running it in. They nail it both times. And I think it's because he's turning a new leaf to in terms of aggressiveness and realizing this is an offensive team. Let's go for it. Um. And I did accidentally call Seattle the Seahawks the baseball team. I blame Jerome Boger, lead official of this game. After the play sideline interference Seattle who in the restricted area after the fourth of his penalty, you will be first and team Seattle manger. It is what is Scott's service Mariners manager doing on the sideline? It is my favorite thing that's happened, um in the entire football season so far. Well, that the best in the NFL. Well, that's been a tough year. But also I think I if I were a ref and had the chance to click on the mic, I might go do some of those things on purpose, so so you get in the you're on the show now. It also is the best penalty of the year because the reason Pete Carroll got that penalty, and it was Carroll is because he was so fired up watching Gino Smith scramble for a third and long that clinched the game. And since they apply the penalty after the first down, it didn't cost him at all. So like coaches should run onto the field and get in the way of the raff every time they're in that situation. He looks like he's like twenty five years old. I know your mom has always thought he was kind of a zaddie, and he's like, he's like getting younger as this team has. I find him remarkably attractive as well. It runs in the family, all right. So that was an important game between two winning teams. Now the best game of Week eight found in a very unlikely place, Snap spot. Here's Coop for the win. Kick his away and drive home cycling young Way coup from forty one yards. Whin's the ball game. Arthur Smith and Atlanta are four and four. My goodness, indeed, Westerham get out the bongos z g c good call. The Falcons kicker young waykup, one of the best in the league, splits the uprights from forty one out after the Panthers missed two kicks that would have won the game including a long extra point which we'll get to. The Falcons thirty seven thirty four the win over the Panthers, so it is the Falcons holding on to first place mark. This was a game that looked like it was over and then it wasn't. And there was a lot of drama along the way before Coup put things away, and then it was, and then it wasn't, and then it was and then it wasn't. And we have David Eally uh somewhat of a reluctant Panthers fan in our newsroom, and I could hear him intermittently like screaming about something, then going totally silent about something, then screaming and then go totally silent. And this game had all those ingredients. I mean they were they These two teams alternated ten straight scores at one point. It was just one of those games where, like it, it became completely derailed, and poor Eddie Panero I. I don't enjoy watching um kickers miss high octane kicks and p a T s in these situations because they're already um typically outside of Justin Tucker's coolness, you're like a man on an island inside of most NFL locker rooms, I would imagine to some degree. And when this happens, you have no friends. I mean, to to miss the p a t that would have sent assalted the game, you send it into overtime. You get the ball back. On Marcus Mariotte's terrible interception on his twenty ninth birthday, Eddie Pannerio set up for a thirty two yard gimme. I mean, you should be doing that if you had twelve beers and you were an NFL kicker, you should be kicking that ten out of ten times. I mean, you'd like to see this, and he misses it. But and it's Eddie Panierio. You know that will be his last kick with Carolina. You could you could bet that, and it just it's funny with kickers really get the yips in a game like at you could tell right away even though it was an extra point, it was a coin flip um extra point length less than it was a coin flip in overtime. It felt like, yeah, he could definitely blow this. And and to your point, also like he was getting a lot of pats on the back at the end of the fourth quarter when he missed the long extra point, but after the second one, you can it was just like everybody's like, are you kidding me? Dude, Like we're fighting our butts off here and you just killed us. But you gotta put some heat on DJ More too. You gotta praise him for the incredible touchdown he had that allowed the Panthers to tie the game, but the call taking off his helmet while celebrating, which I don't necessarily believe in, but it is what it is, uh, that led to an extra point that would have won the game for Pinero turning into what a forty five yarder turns into, which which, by the way, he might have missed. So I have put you know, it's the same length as the field goal. Who's not Who's to say he wouldn't miss the extra point. Not that you want to give d J. Moore some credit, but I did see some people be like DG Moore, giveth DJ Moore taketh away. I mean, they're not equal. He completed an unbelievable catch where he sort of slowed up halfway and the throw from p J Walker rolling left with under twenty seconds to go and no time outs. That was the play of the NFL season. I got up out of my seat and I just started sprinting down the aisle towards the eally. I was like so excited. That was just like that was the perfect example. I also had picked them, and you know, I was excited. It just seemed like it seemed like the play of the year, like it was one of the more magical moments of the year. And then to miss that kick is crazy. Atlanta was down multiple, multiple defensive backs today. They had got a guy they brought up out the practice squad who got injured doing it. That's a state of where the second. To put it in perspective, the Panthers got the ball there with thirty six seconds to go and no time outs, needing a touchdown, and they got the touchdown with twelve seconds to spare that. That's almost impossible. Yes, almost uh Two things I wanted to add. Hey, Kyle Pitt's Fantasy owner support group talked about it on Thursday last stand. We got a nice day, we got about ninety yards in a touch Let's stay the course and along those same lines, Arthur Smith, nice to see you U treat your quarterback Marcus Mariotta like a real quarterback and not like he's Tim Tebow letting him throw the ball. Guess what, Mariotta. He made some mistakes, but he also made some throws, but he can throw. You give your guy a chance to make plays. And he made more plays than he failed in this game. And they gotta win. One thing. I think that gets lost in the drama. The game like donta formant like is has been awesome and he was dominant today. And I have a guy. Now, I have a guy um. Okay, well we'll talk about it. Yeah, I talked. I'll tell you who it is, Tyler Algier for the Falcon And I love this guy and control that. We have to check you will, I will, I will remove you from the building. He will send you, I will, I will send hr a fiery letter about all the things I know about you. Can you explain? You explain why, because I I'm just to get into that. I'm surprised. I think Foreman I don't think Foreman Um is really guy eligible at this point. He's been around. But Alger, that's gonna be good. Well, Alger, what was it about his um? Two point eight yards per carry? Today? It's been the past month. It's not just today. Like, go watch the Browns game. Now, I been, he's been. He read powerful. They brought him in out of nowhere and he's like he's five eleven, two twenty and looks like like eight hundred bricks stuck up and he made he made a great play in um as a receiver. Today on the we're going to submit it to the board. It will be picking a guy that's like an all pro a project. It's about a six to eight week turnaround the review process, and we will be in touch with you in your world. This bumps You're absurd world point to this game bumps me out there because just for they would have been a four way tie at the top of the NFC South. The Panthers would have been in first place and like it would have been like another team that was sort the mix. They're not, but it's like they ruined everything every weekend, and it would have been the first time there was a like a four way tie this late in the season since the strike shortened campaign in the row. I don't know where you go next, buddy, but we feel for you. That could not have been fun. All right, We'll be right back, Welcome back. There is only one undefeated team in football, and I cannot get the feeling it's going to stay that way for a while. Let's check in with the Eggles. Hurts looks thanks, still looking he is going deep down the hoar fun and it is hello. A J. Brown puts on the burners, me me in the corner of the end zone. Town. Oh my goodness, Meryl Rees and Mike Quick with the call for w I P good times in Philadelphia Pro Sports. A J. Brown had three touchdown catches in the first half and and Jalen Hurts through four touchdowns as the Eagles roll to a win over the Steelers. And that's not a surprise necessarily the final score here as we welcome in the Great Nick so Shook on Halloween. But it's just another reminder of like how easy Philadelphia is making it right now against the opposition. Everybody sock is in the gym. He doesn't skip a Jim Day because God manufactured holiday dress up in costumes. I mean that that cannot confirm or deny that um. But those weightlifting sounds you here, that's actually A J. Brown packing on the muscle and then using it to dominate the Steelers secondary this afternoon I felt bad for makeing Fitzpatrick because each of the three touchdowns it was make up closing it over the top and just being woefully late or out of position to make a play, and the entire secondary looking like a bunch of fools. He made them and did whatever he wanted to make them, and he dominated them this entire afternoon. The Eagles had no problem going to him passing the ball around the yard. They ran the ball pretty well. Miles Sanders capped it off with a touchdown. It went from seven to seven to a much greater difference between the two teams. There was never really in question. In fact, it was so over and the Eagle talks a little fear of the Steeler's offense that they put Jalen Hurts on the sideline with eleven minutes to go in the fourth quarter. They knew it was chance. It resounding victory, and I spove with TNF mean they have that. We got the Eagles and the Texans in a bizarre Thursday night football match. I guess showed me the Eagles can win in so many different ways. Because there has been weeks where A J. Brown has been a little more quiet and they've they've run the ball a ton and they've kind of depends who the matchup is. They absolutely victimized Pittsburgh today. I mean a Kilo Witherspoon got benched at one point. It seemed that it seemed like they're moving the secondary around. And I mean these were the throws. It wasn't just a J. Brown's the catches like Jalen Hurts like from last year this year in terms of his improvement on some of these throws is startling, and like he was absolutely on the money today. And I look at a Pittsburgh team. When you go play other sort of half baked operations, you can hang around, and they do do that. But then when you go play Buffalo you get your doors blown off. When you go play the Eagles, you cannot hang around because they are a middle of the pack, not fun to watch offense right now, and they've got very little on defense other than the reputation. Yeah, Philly is one of the big three obviously, and these teams that don't come ready, they get him barrassed. And let's listen to Jalen Hurts talking about seven and now you know it's just it's just a uphill climb. That's what we always talk about. It's an uphill climb. So that's that's what it is, you know what I mean, And honestly feel like there is no arrival. There is no arrival. You will never get to a point where you say I've arrived. There is no arrival. There's only the journey. And I've embraced that journey and I'll continue to do that and take it day by day and just trying to climb. Ki Shookie, that's the old Steven Tyler in the amazing video Life's of Journey. Life of Journey. Not a Nisshion remember that one. Probably not you're much younger. You were like four at the time. Still that Aerosmith songs from that era sound the exact same time. It was a good song. There was seven of them, but it was good. Go ahead, No, I mean, I totally agree. I don't see why the Eagles should believe that they're not going to be the favorite and be a team that's gonna continue to remain underfead. Their schedule sets up really nicely for them. They don't face a team of the winning record for like the next month, and I think one of the teams that could potentially have a winning record is the Colts, and I don't believe anything in the Colts either. So you know, we see six and oh, seven and oh from the Eagles. I could see eleven or no very realistically, because no team has really challenged them. There was a moment a few weeks ago when they were down fourteen nothing to the Jaguars and then turned it on on a sloppy link in financial field and dominated them in that game. You know, I don't like to get too hyperbolic with teams because eventually you're due for a loss and eventually you're gonna run into some struggles. But right now, the way their offense is operating because they can attack you from so many different angles, a lot of teams have a hard time shutting them down or slowing them down. And their defense continues to get better, especially up front. They harassed Kenny pick It all day today. It was just like it was two teams in different leagues right now. And I know the Steelers are working through some things and they got a rookie quarterback, but it just wasn't much of a competitive game after, you know, the first quarter, because the Eagles are just soaring at a different level right now. We talked about possibly uh forking teams. It was a question asked on the Friday Fund Show, and I think the Texans were the only team we even could come up with. But I think in this a FC which is awfully deep, you know, I'd be pretty ready to fork this, uh Steeler. I would join you on that forked Yeah. Uh, let's move on to a more competitive game. Nick Shook in Minneapolis, Nel Madison heats to the backfield, Cousins shotgun, short drop, bros Right and j j Osborn games Hey thirty four twenty six lead. We figured it out. He finally figured out how we could beat that place. Paul Allen and Pete versas. Paul Allen is my guy if somewhere like who's your guy? Like I said earlier this week or last week, Joe Brow is my favorite guy in the booth. Paul Allen, that's it should get him on the show. Good candidate for the k f A And with the call yes, Kirk Cousin threw two touchdowns, ran for another score, Dalvin Cook season high eleven yards on a score of his own, and a thirty win over the Cardinals. Show Kie, I'm looking for great teams. Goods, fine, but I want great The Vikings on a five game winning streak. You're not ready to put them there, are you? But let's talk about it. No, I'm not. And and the main reason is, you know, this is a win that you have to feel good about, but you also have to feel a little bit concerned because they really should have won this game by multiple scores. They left at least six points out there on the in the first half. They have a block field goal they went, they threw it on third and one and fourth and one, and when you have Dalvin Cook, you know ripping up, you know, massive gains on the ground. Um. I didn't agree with that. But they won the game. And you know, kg Osborne gave them oh lead and he gave them oh win. But it took to Darius Smith's sacking Kyler Murray on the final play of the game to really seal it. They should have been done with this game, you know, four or five minutes earlier in the game, and they allowed the Cardinals to hang around and and and the Cardinals an offense that's basically relying heavily on DeAndre Hopkins right now, who is definitely back. Uh, that's why they're good. They're not great. That's why the Vikings are not yet great. But it is nice to string all these wins together. And it's an NFC North that's very witable. So keep on going and maybe you sort those things out. This is obviously not what we predicted for this division going into the season, but I need to see them be a little bit better. Maybe they'll figure it out in the next month. They were given some gifts in this game too, by Kyler Murray through that terrible interception to Harrison Smith. There was the play where the Cardinals were forced to or chose to kick a field goal because the shotguns snap hit Kyler Murray in the face mask or right around the head when he was staring at the sideline, which that that kind of thing seems to happen them weekly, some sort of discordinated scenario between center and quarterback or X Y and Z. Greg George muff that punt, which was huge for Minnesota. I mean a lot went their way, and you're right, it came right down to the end, and they also benefited from the Cardinal is just looking totally chaotic on that final attempt to go tie it tied up with Kyler Murray dancing around and getting taken to the ground twice. I feel like I see that every week too. Well. They they're missing four starting offensive lineman the Cardinals, including d J. Humphries, which was a late uh decision where we didn't know going into it. So you're losing your satury, you lost your guard for the year. Then you're down a couple of tackles. Like that helps explain it. But I think one thing the Vikings have done a good job this year is they take advantage of those matchups. That Arius Smith had three sacks and uh four tackles for lost today and it reminded me of the Dolphins game where he ate up their backup tackles. But that's sometimes what these games come down to. When the other team is missing some of their good players, can you just crush that matchup? And Minnesota's got enough star ish players. They're running games, getting going, their pass rush is getting going, and they have Patrick Peterson playing well again uh shook where it's like any one of these stars kind of steps up in a given week and there's six and one. Yeah, Patrick Peterson had a great pass breakup in the end zone early in the game that prevented them from scoring what would have would have been a game tying touchdown. I was like, oh, look it's Pat Pete Bold wraps out. Yeah, but you know, you talk about those random stars that come up and make plays. Kirk Cousins he hit his highest ball carrier speed on his rushing touchdown in his career with the Vikings. It was like eighteen points something miles per hour. It looked fast. I was still the whole world was stun That's pretty fast for him. I would have I would have guessed if you would have just said what would be the number, because I don't even know what a slow guy runs in the NFL, I would have said, like sixteen point five. But eighteen, Well, what was the old saying everybody runs twenty Yeah, well that's kind of close to that this quote. I'll go ahead and keep going, buddy. Well, I just to kind of tack on what Greg was saying. It was. It was the kJ Osbourne's it was you know, some of the other guys, Darius Smith stepping up and crushing a match up like that. It was timely plays again in a game where they had left enough room for the Cardinals to come back. They had the possession two times in the second hair in the in the fourth quarter where they could have go down and taking the lead, and both times are defense stepped up. And and that's what was most important, is winning those close games, I guess, even if you give the opponent more room to get back into the game. And here is an interesting quote with that in mind from Kirk Cousins, and he said something like this a couple of weeks now, I thought we were a really good football team last year. We just couldn't find the inches in too many games. Why we found them now, I don't know. Now you could either read that as a shot across the battle of old friend Mike Zimmer, or you could read into it if you want, as Kirk Cousins basically telling us, Hey, we're actually kind of a regression candidate. Uh, we're gonna finish ten in seven or nine at eight, But right now things are going great and we're happy to be six. If they went nine and eight, they would have to go three and seven the rest of the way that you know, you know, they got a four out of five. We've seen them to do exactly that in the past. I don't think it's got to happen. I just wanted to throw one bizarre revenge game narrative out there that Patrick Peterson throughout after the game, he said that he's not happy with the Cardinals and this is a future Hall of Famer, most likely in Patrick Peterson, who played a long time for the Cardinals, that when he was late in his Cardinals tenure, that someone unannounced would print out articles and comments about his poor play on the internet and then put them at his locker. And I think he was like hinting that like ownership was doing this. I don't know who would do that, Maybe it would be coaches, and that he's kept that with them those print out seems like Bruce Arians does not seem like an owner was going around doing that taping the article to his locker, but he was. He got into revenge. That was a real revenge game, all right. There you go. The Vikings improved a four and oh in their building, and if they do win the NFC North, they play a home game in the playoffs at least one shookie your home. But I know you're heading to the gym now because you gotta get one last pump in I just keep having this vision in my head of Michael Bidwell's uying his cess nut into an airport, getting off with like a leather backpack over his shoulder, and it's just stuffed with news. Right when some you know, some little rolls of tape to go post in the locker room. That's a cute little trick. He had an assistant set up hook up his printer to his laptop and he has all these around the NFL articles from two thousand seventeen ready for stuffing into a locker. Shook would never be stuffed into a locker. We know that. By all right, Shook, he's gone. But we move on and let's head to the meadow lands where the Jets had an opportunity to change things that met Life Stadium. An opportunity, that's all. It was. Snapped back to Zach Wilson. He's pressured again. He's chased to the wife. Mac Wilson in pursuit. Now throw downs got another far sideline, picking on the sideline of the forty, stepping out of bounds after his second pick of the it's pretty good call. You gotta shut up, um w b Z with the call that was Bob Sochi and a sentient power aid bottle. I think it's uh Mountain Berry is the flavor, and usually I don't um agree with a sports power drink, but I think, yes, Zach Wilson did deserve to be benched in this game. Devin mccordy had two of the Patriots three interceptions of Zack Wilson. Nick Folk, former Jet kick five field goals, and Bill Belichick got another win, passing George Hallis on the all time list. Final score Patriots twenty two, Jet seventeen. That's more disappointment for Jets fans, and we'll get to that in a moment, but let's start with the Pats um who listen, they're not They're certainly not a great team. I don't necessarily think the Patriots um are necessarily even a good team, but in this in this season that I think they could be a playoff team if they do things like they did today, which is superior on special teams. UM have a defense that got off the mat after Monday Night's embarrassment and played well in this game, and lean on a running game that is very good with Stevenson leading the way. And that was enough because at that point if you're a well prepared team that wins in different phases of the game against a unproven immature I'm not saying immature is like a person very immature as a quarterback. Zack Wilson just let him beat himself and his own team, and that's what happened. This is this loss was totally on Zach Wilson. But credit to the Patriots for basically forcing the Jets to lean on their young passer and it didn't work. He just doesn't have it. I mean, there's too much stuff happening on a weekly basis. You talked about not wanting to see the old Zach Wilson backwards figure eight scenario where I did just whenever there's pressure or heat on him coming towards him, like he will do something really mad cap, he'll do something disorganized, so we have the ball into weird places and like it costs them to get the game. Today, Zola said, throw it up in the middle of the play. I've never heard that before, and I know Zolak is a little different, but he essentially was saying, I know how Zack Wilson plays well. I'm sure a Zola did that a lot in his own career, the most gifted quarterback very rarely got in. I don't think he had many attempts in his career. Uh for reasons saying like throw it up, like this is our chance to actually score, and that it was almost you know, the only way the Patriots were we're getting in good field position was getting these turnovers from Zack Wilson. Uh. And then he does it for you at that point like that, that is a problem. This game turned Jets up ten through late in the second quarter, they pick off Mac Jones, who's no good either by the way, Mac Jones gets picked off pick six from Michael Carter. Uh. Seventeen three, Jets up late in the second quarter. But no, that m a late hit was called on John Franklin Myers on Mac Jones. It was borderline at best. It was and a it wasn't like one of those uh roughing the passer calls that you go nuts about. You could see why it was called. But it literally turned a seventeen three game into a ten six game after the field goal and then the Patriots just started piling up field goals because they don't really move the ball through the air. The Jets defense was good in this game, and then Zack Wilson imploded, and let's listen to um. Robert Sala. I thought Mike White was elevated to the number two spot on the depth chart, which I thought was notable over Joe Flacco. I thought he should have been in the game in the fourth quarter. After the game, Robert sal was throwing his support behind his young quarterback. Where have I heard all this before? We got faith in n z Um. He's playing good football, he's been he's taking care of the football since he's gotten back, and he's shown uh flashes of good football. So um, everyone locker room about everyone. Because Elijah Moore was asked about his chemistry with Zach Wilson, here's what he had to say. I wouldn't describe your chemistry with Zack on the field. Probably I can't. I don't even know. I couldn't even say I don't get a ball on The problem is that that's not the first quote like that by a wide receiver. There's just been disenchanting with the fact that post Joe Flacco, you know, it's been Elijah more mostly it's been in the media about it. I may have missed it. Well, Denzel Min's has been having problems since he got to the team. I just think there's just there's got to be chatter. I'd love to be on their group self threads or tex streads where it's like, hey, um, you know what for for all Flacco's ills, uh, we were throwing the ball for three hundred four hundred yards. Again, it's it's disappointing because without Breeste Hall, obviously they have like a lesser margin for air. They're gonna need their defense, and it sounds like their defense could have won this game. But actually the yards for the Patriots three point eight yards per carry per play, which is really low, and paid treats. Fans were all begging for mac Jones to be benched at halftime, and and analysts were saying they thought mac Jones was going to be benched at halftime. So it's strange that the Patriots, yes, they win the game, but they finished the game with five drives where they were in position to put it away, and in those five drives they went four and out three times and got one first down. And so I think there's more legitimate questions. I haven't been as worried about mac Jones um until this game. But now there's real questions about mac Jones in his direction because the difference there is a big difference between him and Wilson. I mean, he did play sixteen games Dan as a starter and was really productive and was like a mid level starter and the fact that he's taken what now looks like a step back and it seems scrambled as a second year starter. He was the best thing about their season last year and now he's like the thing that's holding them back potentially. Let me clarify, I'm not saying that mac Jones is at the same level as Zac Wilson. Jones has done way more in his time. I just in general not overly impressed by him. And uh, he really did get bailed out on that pick six because that that could have changed the Patriots and the Jet season. That roughing the past pastor call. But I'm not making excuses. And a lot of people obviously in my Twitter saying, oh, Dan, it's it's gonna be really hard for you to I was like, no, it was much harder last week when they won and lost Breese Hall and Elijah Vera Tucker because and you guys are giving it to me a little bit, and I got other stuff like Dan, why are you in a bad mood about the Jets like they're five and two? Because I kind of saw this coming, like when you lose the engine of your offense in Breece hall Um, and then you have to turn it to Zach Wilson in a big moment against Bill Belichick. Um. What we knew about Wilson going into this game. I was hopeful that they were gonna win, but I was never very confident because this always felt like an outcome and in general, on the Friday Fun Show, I talked about how this could be it for Zach Wilson, This could be the moment that we remember him by good or bad. I've i've I still feel the same way that Zach Wilson is probably not the dude, and Jets fans are now now beginning this dance again where we're starting to look ahead and decide whether or not we need to get a new quarterback. They need to show significant growth with him at the quarterback to invest beyond this year. There's still a lot of season left. They get Best Buffalo next week. That's not gonna be any easier. But this was a huge moment for the Jets and their fans. The stage was set and the quarterback lost them the game in a really ugly way. And that's disappointing to me, but not stunning because good I don't mean good about what happened today. But you want to find out that you don't have something in Zach Wilson as fast as possible versus one of these merry go round scenarios where we're hearing about all offseason, how Zach Wilson's gonna grow in X, Y and Z. This is a good team. They've got a good roster, you've got a good general manager, a good coach. Don't get sabotaged by the wrong quarterback for is any another week if you don't need. But the the thing with these two teams is are they're trying to make the playoffs this year. And I don't think I think Belichick is gonna stay loyal to Mac Jones and stick with him, uh for a while. But that's gonna be a question. And to the Zach Wilson point, that is a question because they have a whole locker room full of guys who are trying to make the playoffs. I don't think Joe Douglas Robert Sala's jobs are going to be in danger at all anymore. But they want to get to the playoffs too, and you eventually owe it to those guys, and He's gonna make them make a decision at some point. Partly because we've seen what the offense looks like with Flacco and not that it was great, but it was an NFL offense. It was a passing offense. And this just isn't with what do you really want to See's the worst starter? You know he's he's in the mix, is the worst starter in the league? Zach Wilson against the Bills if if they don't make the decision now, that could be the executioner song. But you know what, to the point, like I said last week, they low when Breese Hall went out, it lowered their ceiling. It's a developmental season for the team. I want to see Zack Wilson. When I say I want him on the bench at the end of this game, I didn't mean bencham for good. I mean to get Mike White in there and see if you could get two scores quickly and steal another game. Um, But this absolutely is a developmental year for the Jets, even if they're improving, and you need to know whether he can play or not, and it's starting to be more and more mounting evidence that he just doesn't have the ability to do what Mark play the guitar, play that guitar. The gar's not a musician, which is sort of a problem for some athletes. Keep an eye on the Patriots trade market here. Nelson Aguillards, Davante Parker, and Kendrick Born combined for three targets in two yards in this game, and I was interested to see rap sheet talking about like kind of all the receivers are available this weekend or this week so like all these teams of Brandon Cooks's past being connected to Brandon Cooks this weekend. I love these teams like telling us that these mid range players that you could you wouldn't send a bag of rocks for are available in trades. It's like, great, thanks for the update. You've really nice. Reverse Born leading receiver from a year ago. Come on, if you thought, I like, if you've out the Jets today, we're depressing, well, guess what the Detroit Lions are the team around the NFL, and that is not going well at all. Let's check it was a mistake and to add the shotgun back to throne. Now looking touchdown, Miami, Mike, you're sicking. The Dolphins have their first leading this football game. To love it yard touchdown the sixties fourth of the year. What's the problem? They're always just so chill on the Dolphins. You know, it's a little more verb. Let's get exciting. That was a great play. Doesn't sound like great come back? You're right, yeah, to a read through all his progressions found Mikeaseki late in the third quarter for the touchdown. The captain Dolphins rally from a double digit second half deficit. I agree. I mean you gotta be pumped up there in a big spot. Uh. Dolphins Radio anyway, win over the Lions. Maybe because it was so inevitable, because playing the Lions, it doesn't matter because you know they're gonna give you infinite chances to score thirty to forty points. Anyway. Tyreek Hill twelve, he's gonna have two thousand yards, by the way, Tyree Hill j lin quaddle, he's gonna have sevent yards. Everybody eight for one oh six and two touchdowns? Uh and two. Ah has another win. So Greg, let's start with the Dolphins. Yeah, let's be positive. First. Let's start with the Dolphins, because they're five and three. They're now tied with the Jets behind the Bills in the a f C East. And this was the game personally I wanted to see. I expected it. In fact, I predicted it on the Friday Fun Show. Exactly what happened. Just light up a defense, score a ton of points and get things roll, and not just big numbers, big like score points. And they did in this one right, And in a tough spot where their defense gives up twenty seven points in the first half, their defense doesn't get a single stop. There was not a punt by either team in the first half of this game, so too was in a spot where he had to keep delivering and responding with points. I think this was, if not the best game of Tah's career. It's this and that Ravens game earlier than this season. And I say that because just the decisions were all pristine. And you can say, oh, it's the opponent, yeah, but you still have to make those quick to siven decisions and deliver to the right guy in all the different spots you mentioned how he was like on the third progression with Kasiki. Their offensive line played fantastic, but he had thirteen completions that went ten or more are yards. Ten of those were in the ten to twenty range, and that's where the Dolphins live. He's just accurate, and he was sloppy last week. He was not sloppy today. Every pass was right on point. And yeah he has to like kind of run up to get it deep to Tyree Killer and it feels like it's a little under thrown. It doesn't matter, and then it's still still forty in the in the box score and then accounts. The one thing that that with Waddle and Hill is they seemed like today in other weeks they're so open, they're just sitting, I mean, and he's making strows. So I made a couple of rows and a couple of scrambles to which were I thought, really in in improvising improvisational place too, like on top of that over the top for the offense, right, because yes, he's not the guy that's gonna herbert you with bombs, but with the guys and their skill set getting the ball down to the twelve yards downfield and then let let them get forty yards. I mean the Hill and Waddle had twenty catches for three hundred yards. Essentially, We've never seen anything like this in terms of a wide out duo, right, and the the scoring ended weirdly at the end of the third quarter. Did Dolphins have kind of a ball control offense? It doesn't feel like that because they have such chunk plays, but their games often have sometimes have very few possessions. And the Lions only had the ball three times in the second half. So after scoring twenty seven points in the first half, uh, they only had it three times in the second half. They had like two pretty quick punts. And the Dolphins offense the way they're playing here, like, you punt a couple of times against them, you might not get the ball for a while and you're done. The game really turned on the final play of the first half. Josh Reynolds dropped a touchdown which would have given the Lions thirty one point in the first half, and it would have made the two teams have six hundred total yards, which I was rooting for because it was just like a nice round number. I was gonna tweet it, but he dropped it. That's the tragedy, right, he dropped it, and then they kicked the field goal. And then there was a play on fourth and long late in the game where the Lions were trying to take the lead back where I thought Golf played through a pretty good ball, giving Reynolds a chance to make a play, and again he didn't make a play. It was right on the goal line. Would have been a big play. And that was that. Let's now has become part of our sentence for our let's let's face it at this point, mistake of select. Don't try to distance yourself from this. Mark. We we're noticing you're doing that every week you voted with us. I am acknowledging that I made a mistake a month and a half ago. We are all on the same I'm not I've never said I didn't vote for the Lions. I am simply saying it was a terrible decision, and I'm accepting one third of it. You're, yeah, you bailed after one game. I don't. But I'm not the boat you're doing. You're doing. You're doing the thing where it's like, oh, Mark, like you're not being a know It's like I made the mistake. I am part of the process that that I'm calling faulty. I'm just calling it faulty. Where a couple's like, no, we're sticking. It's like I we had to stick with him. But it is a sentence and it was a bad job. I believe that the Raiders tim of a t L from about five years ago that you rubber stamped. This is your chance to get even a little bit because you went down with the Raiders that year when I picked the Vikings as the team of a t L. You spent two months acting like you weren't part of that process. There we go, So the point the finger back at yourself for how have you behaved years in years past? There it is, you're trying to settle the score. No I'm I'm not sitting. Oh it was you and Greg, and look at me. I had nothing to do. I mean we have video and audio evidence. I still think your rally Lions, well, Gregg, you're the psychotomy one the rally to four wins. Part of our sentence, I was going to say, is Dan Campbell hearing him sad every Sunday. Let's listen. My thought is is that as frustrating as it he is, I know how close we are because we are still talking about one play. And the hard thing is to just keep doing your job, you know, and stand in the thick of the storm. And easy thing is to go down below and get onder the blanket and eat all the food and whatever. Is the guys who were going to stay on the deck and just continue to do their part um because I know the sun's coming. That's those are the guys we're looking for. So see, Kan and I are under the blanket right now, we're eating the food. He's telling you not to go. That's where the people would know courage. I would like to go there. That was confusing that we're on the deck waiting for the ready ready for ready for at all. We can't get out once you're in your in. But it's been bad, they've been since we selected. It is particularly cruel and can't get a whole lot worse than like we would be on top of this whether we had picked them or not. But man, the way they lose these games. They are every game has like a moment. They are in all these games. They don't have a pass rush though, and I don't know if that's going to change. Aidan Hutchinson and the rest of the defensive line just they just can't get any pressure. It's going them all right. Let's take a break and move on to happier things. Welcome back. I'm not looking for good, I'm looking for great. And with that in line, let's head to big D fields in the garden back to throw. Parsons coming. He flushes out left, he stops, he dumps it short till the five still holding my covering. We're cover. God gas the parson just on the ball, Tell on, it's tell he's still running. He's still moving with the ball to the tad, to the fun to the line. Persons covered the phone ball and brought it all the way back. Freakish Brad Shamon Babelfenberg, k R l D. You know, the the Michael Parsons LT stuff that we talked about. Whatever you could be on that debate. You could say it's too premature, you could say he's that at that level potentially, But that's the type of play. It's like that was LT like he flushes justin fields out of the pocket. He runs the play down twelve fifteen yards downfield, picks up the ball, then has the smarts to run even though it seemed like he was down by contact and he scores a touchdown that basically ice the game for the Cowboys. Thank you to Justin Fields for hopping over him. That was remarkable. The Fields just to get out of the way, missed him by inches, allowing that touchdown to happen. But let's face it, the Cowboys probably would have taken over and scored a touchdown anyway. The way this one went. They scored the first four times they had the ball for the first time, and I believe eight years Dallas did. And while Chicago was game and they were um competitive for large chunks of this game after falling behind huge early um they were just ultimately overmatched by Dallas. And what the reason why, Mark I'm saying maybe we could put Dallas into the great category, not in the Big three, but in that next spot below, is because now you're seeing the offense clicking in concert with that defense that we already know could be one of the best in the league. Right the defense is NFC Title game where they it is potentially super Bowl worthy in this campaign, and they got to the record. They were at and one with Cooper Rush and made a thing out of Cooper rush because it was the defense propping them up week back, week after week. When you go look at what Dallas did today, and if you look at the last eight quarters of Dak Prescott, some of his throws today and the way that they just absolutely fried Chica. Ages defense, which looked good against the Patriots weekend, has had some good, good games. One scoring drive eleven eight yards eight fifty four. They're just able to string together plays, make passes through the air. Tony Pollard, I'm with you that Zeke and Tony Pollard are a good combo. But Tony Pollard is a starting running back on any other team flat out is looks awesome and he's better than Ezekiel Alley. Well. I think there's just debate where it's like we were not meant to say that or something, but it's just like he just looks to me like a better version of a starting running back. But that's fine. That's a good problem to have. And they've got weapons all over the price and if you're gonna get this version of Dak Prescott today and the way that they called plays um their fringe e on great. I never really believe in the Cowboys with this whole thing. That's my issue. I think they could be in this world. The Zeke Pollard thing is really a Gerra driven narrative more than anything else, because he's paying him so much, at least for one more year fantasy to and Zeke has he has value to the team on some level because he can grind out yards. He's a good goal line guy, obviously, but I think it's clear to anybody that watches these games, Apollard is the better, more dynamic running back. And I do think, even what whatever Jared says, because Jared loves Zeke too, so he's showing him some respect, You're gonna see it in the box score more and more that this is Tony Poller's backfield. Right there, there was the proof of concept game. Okay, we don't have Zeke. Uh, let's put up almost a fifty burger on a pretty good defense. This game, you know, changes a little how we see the Cowboys. Not that we should need to see Dak Prescott playing well, but it's nice. It's just been a while, and like the Bears a week ago, changed who I thought think they can be this year, just in terms of a frisky team that's watchable and in this game, you know, move the ball fields played better. You know, they ran the ball great again. I think Dallas showing that they can put up this type of offensive performance does put them in the great category, because the numbers would tell you, Dan that they're already pretty closely great. They were third or fourth in d v o A as a team with average quarterback play at best going into this game, and now you have Dak Prescott. If you get normal Pro Bowl Dak Prescott, that's that's cooking with gas. Yeah, And I like in the power ranks, for example, they're an easy number four for me this week, like they were an easy number four last week. So they're they're interesting and potentially getting better. Um, Chicago ran for two forty yards on the ground, which was this is kind of a weird game, and they jumped out early and then you could see Dallas kind of let up a little bit on defense. We'll see if maybe the defense now is coming down to earth a little bit after the off after carrying the offense. That it's a long season. This stuff can happen sometimes, but overall, I feel very confident about the Cowboys moving forward. We're back to a place where like Justin Fields had forty six yards passing at the half. But something that's happened in the mid over the last couple of weeks you mentioned Greg, I think Fields has gotten better as a passer. His what he does on the ground legitimately scrambles defensive coordinators. And they're just a great running team in general. And so I, I don't know. It felt like the entire run of this podcast, the Bears have been a frustrating watch. Um. They had a couple of playoff years in there, but you weren't buying it. This team is enjoyable, and I even today there were moments in big plays where it's like, I'll sign up to watch the Bears weekly and we haven't really given them credit for doing anything in a long time because they didn't deserve it. Yeah, Fields is getting better, um, and he was good in this game. He doesn't have a lot around him. And I talked about on Thursday that after that great emotional win over the Patriots in prime time, you trade away Robert Quinn and then the defense doesn't even show up until halftime in this game, but you scored twenty nine points on one of the best defenses in the league. So that is progress. Is a developmental year for Chicago, and I think we're seeing some good things despite this loss. I also like when Jerry starts getting frisky after the game and their six and two, which is great, and they look great, but they're still stuck in that division where they got some ground to make up, and they're looking at the trade market, he said, and we feel they said, they feel good about their chances where you're going with this at first, but now I know and and he said he said, also, well there's some guys that aren't even on other teams that are available. And someone was like, oh, Odell and uh and he was like, oh, I didn't say that, but he did it with like the wink, you know, winking grin that Jerry. I was like, okay, I can see that. Like if I'm Odell Beckham, I look at the Rams and I look at the Cowboys, and uh, it's just an old huckster at heart. He's not I got three whiskers in me, whiskey. Let's move on that. We can't say anymore. Give it to Henry outside of the Tan puts a move onto the five stiff arm dives over the pylon Touchdad Titans. Was a man size run by deep man Derrick Henry. What a great run by Derrick Henry. He's not a man. Derrick Henry is the big dog. Feed the big dog and he will growl and bite and destroy. Mike Keith with the call w g f X, Derrick Henry for the fourth time in a row against the Texans, went over two hundred yards on the ground on thirty two cars. I mean, he's one of the great running backs of his error, in the future Hall of Famer, and he could do the stuff that Madrean Peterson could do in his prime, you know, like one of those dudes. Anyway, that's all they needed, Derrick Henry, because even with Ryan Tannehill out of this game, boys um and the rookie quarterback not doing a damn thing, you had Derrick Henry. And that's that's that tells you, Mark, Like, what special about a guy like Henry, what separates him from other great running backs. The entire Houston Texans staff and every player knew that the Titans weren't gonna be able to move the ball if they didn't run the ball, and it didn't matter. Henry just got the job done. And Tennessee keeps winning. That's like the most powerful, like a powerful version of an athlete where it's like everyone knows, uh, here comes Derrick Henry imposing ones will. Yes, I think that's well. Also, let's impose his will thirty two times and how the quarterback throw ten passes, which was a smart decision because I mean that's what you want the Browns to do with and other teams to do. I mean, in this case, it works. I mean they could give the ball the Hilliard a little more. Donhall Hilliard goes eight for eighty three. I just worry Derrick Henry gets these thirty two carry games, and he's had a few lately. But it's crazy that he kept the two hundred yards in two touchdown streak against the Texans going It's it's preposterous that he's doing. He's at a four straight times. Dan. It is exciting when you can just see something special in sports. And one of his first runs of the date game, he was swallowing through the Texans line and just like jumping back and forth laterally, and You're like, wow, he looks as explosive as he's ever looked. And I hate when teams like the Texans tack on in yards on a garbage time drive. Because the yardage in this game was three fifty four to seventy one before that drive. That's how much of a domme you had. Davis Mills, who took another big step back after taking a step forward last week. He had seventeen yards I believe through the air in the first half of this game. It was it was not we're bringing Grave digger here because I know he's feeling hot. Even though A. J. Brown proved to be godlike for another team, you could just forget about that because not only did the Titans win again, uh, you locked it up just like I locked it up, just like Mark locked it up. Did I get everybody? Good job all sticking with that? I think that was great, noblemen. We stuck with the Titans because the Texans stink, and that's what it comes down to. Justin Yeah, the Texans were not a good team today or this season. I guess the Titans average insight, Titans average seven yards a carry and that includes molliek Willis is five carriers for twelve yards. They threw one pass in the second half and it was like, Wow, it's Mike Abel's dream. It was Malik Willis rolling out of bound, literally jumping out of bounds and throwing a pass right before he landed at it like it could have almost been counted as him just being out of bounds. But that was the only past I had it there on the second half. And just like everyone in the stadium knows that the Titans are gonna run it on every play and they still pop off seven yards of carry is unblood. I don't know if that that doesn't work in January as we've seen, but um, and it's not gonna work probably if Malik Willis is starting against the Chiefs next Sunday night, which is a huge game for Tennessee in terms of a measuring stick. But ultimately they have things under control. Malik Willis didn't show me a lot of it, like we said, they didn't really give him a lot to do in this game. Um, But I I feel good about Tennessee again. They're they're built very well to succeed in this landscape of the NFL. I think you tweeted justin that they are in line right now is the second seed in the a f C. They are gonna be in that mix because I think they're going to continue to grind down teams and close out games. Yeah, the offensive line still looks like a really great run blocking unit, even though they cannot pass protect very well. But if you want to just break down the leak, willis really quickly. In his first NFL start, I would say eight of his ten passes were really bad um and one of those includes a throwaway that like he should have run the ball for like at least twenty yards and he threw it away. He missed a Chicka kwanco on like a tight end wheel route that would have been a touchdown just like late and overthrew it. His interception was late and off target. He had one really nice play rolling out to the left where he like the arm angle rolling left to throw to get the ball to Robert woods On the biggest completion of the day for sixteen yards. Was a really fantastic play. But even that one was like him sitting in the pocket, holding it too long and then making something happen afterwards. But like he's he's not processing quickly at all, he's not seeing the field well, and he's not getting the ball out of his hand. Let's get Hill back in the lineup basically, and by the way he was Texans had the ankle and then came down with some type of stomach bug or something Tannehill some type of illness, And this worked out perfectly because you took our business. You give him more time to rest, get the angle right, and hopefully they're ready to roll against Kansas City. That's gonna be a good one. It's kind of an example. If you're Ryan Tannehill, it's like, oh, you don't want to get injured and be on the line up. But this was the guy who was in theory breathing down your neck and it's like, let's uh press pause on the leak Willis for a bit here, Yes, let's head to the Superdome where strange thing uh In the NFL on this eve of Halloween, only one team showed up truck. It hard to be competitive in that scenario. Salton depro looking looking comps across a little tours kind of Tonny hot Towny Cup game, Tan dear sidned he will scoot into the end zone. Alvin coadune it again free for three three t ds for a king. My favorite thing about Alvin Kamara is if you if he's near the goal line with the ball. Not so much on that. But there was another run where just like he's gonna get over the goal line. He is the best finisher in the league. Maybe Derek, but he's the stars. Mike cost with the call w w L. Three touchdowns, yes, rablemy Kmara and a ZIP win over the Raiders. U. This came after Camara after that ugly um lost Arizona on Thursday night in the locker room after the game, really gave it to the team and demanded that they clean up their act and be better. And Greg, that's what a leader does. Uh. He then backs it up with big time play and the Saints are off the mat and the Raiders are off in space somewhere. I don't know what happened with the Raiders here, and we'll get to them, but I like that. Pete Carmichael, their play caller, made a point to get Camara the ball early and often. I think it was something like six or eight of their first eight of their first twelve plays was to Camara in all game. Dalton was looking for him on the checkdown and sometimes as a primary receiver, and I think that's why they kept Andy Dalton as their quarterback. It sounds silly, but he gets camera the ball and I think that is a window into who he is as a quarterback versus who Jamis is, who just never takes checkdown and is bad at the short game. And what this team needs is a quarterback who's good at the short game because they don't have their wide receivers right now. The fact that they went up and down the field on Vegas without Jarvis Landry and Michael Thomas was impressive, but the fact that they shut out the Raiders, who had been scoring thirty three per on defense, was way more impressive and gives me way more optimism that this team could bounce back to Frisky because their defense is stunk all year and you could see it from the very first snap. They were so active and just getting after Derek Carr, Davenport, Jordan's even Peyton Turner their first round pick, We're just getting after him. And they ended up with a goose sec. They had a hundred and I think nineteen cards until their garbage time drive the Raiders for the entire game. I mean, I just wonder if it's the Raiders the flat out stink after I spent two weeks thinking, you know what, they changed the right under Josh McDaniels. They're gonna run the ball. It makes Derek car much more efficient. Like Davante Adams disappeared today. It's like whatever they think they were came into this game trying to do, they couldn't do. Easy on the criticism of Derek Carr because he's going to be the Jets quarterback next year. Um, should be a fun off season. Yeah, Um, you know I'm a little mad now in retrospect that this this had all the trappings, Greggy of a classic cornered animal game. Same for the Saints. They were home after like half a bye week against an inconsistent opponent, and they just whipped up on the Raiders, who are a mess. Let's listen to Josh McDaniels, who, by the way, for the second time in like three or four weeks, got called into the principal's office to speak with Mark Davis before he addressed the media. That's like a two strikes, three strikes, Maybe you're out. Let's let's to Josh McDaniels. It's not going well, Greggy. I have to do a much better job of getting ourselves ready to go here. Um, that's that's We're better than that. And uh, you know, I apologize to Raider Nation for for that performance. And again I own that that's that's my responsibility. So Cessy was really annoyed that this was not his game. This was the all time. It was twenty four nothing early in the third quarter, early in the third quarter. This game was put to bed early in the third quarter and it ended at twelve forty four I think Pacific time. It was like over so early. Then it essentially was a second half party for everyone in the super Dome, like and there was no let up to it. Mark, you're saddled with Carolina Atlanta. Yeah, we went on till probably four thirty Eastern. But I I, you know what, like to say, you like a game like this, Like it's just a rarity in this it never happens. Shout out to Christo Lava who went five two. But I just watch him every week and he can do everything. He is the best rookie receiver in the game this year, and he's like he's at number one. He if anything, he was undersold. He's carried this passing game as a rookie it's pretty impressive. Yeah, and uh, at some point I imagine Michael Thomas will come back, but there is on the on the path, on the path to friskiness. Um. Getting those two guys on the field together, a healthy version of Michael Thomas would be very interesting. With Alman Kamara healthy and this division, they got a chance a little taste IM thrown in. Oh yeah, can we just can we see them string together? Like three wins? Give me a break? Like, yeah, yeah, I want to see more. But the Saints are enjoyable on many levels, and they have been, but it's like I could also see them dropping the next two games and us talking about the defense falling through the floor. I agree, but this was like a proof that they are better than than they've shown. Something in there, Taysom Hill and it went something in the mix, don't check the I don't disagree necessarily, but I would like a little more proof. I mean, we're not saying a game right now, we're just saying, okay, all right. I don't even I can't even imagine what the NFC title game is gonna be at this point. It's gonna I mean, show me the team number two Eagles Cowboys, three Eagles, forty Niners. I mean there's some good teams. Let us take a break, be right back, all right, let's head for the last time this season. Another grand success over there in England. The London series capped with the Jaguars, of course, bounced up to the Broncos defense first and Tennethy shuck and sniff Frober. Lawrence looks right, Froze right, that ball is gonna be intercepted. The balls intercepted by Kawan Williams. His first interception is a deva Bronco and it may have very well seal the deal here in London. Unbelievable play by Williams. David Logan with a call k o A. He's got like a ligament damage in his elbow and the whole arm is all got a cast on it chanked up, and somehow he makes a dive in catch to seal that game. Trevor Lawrence once again fall short in a big spot and the Broncos survive and getting much needed win over the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. Russell Wilson not overly impressive here, greggy, but at the same time, and I'm not like the biggest fan of the at ESPN team. But they did set the table nicely ahead of them, ahead of the last drive where uh, you know, this is a big drive for Russell Wilson and the Broncos immediate future, and he led them down the field for the go ahead score. So two touchdown drives for Wilson latee allows them to escape and exhale. Yeah, he did not play well in this game. I know, I know you hate the grading, but he will not grade well, I assume on PFF. But the way, yes, that that was that great, but the way it ended it was perfect. He started that drive you talked about with one of those old t D sexy deep balls to kJ Hamler. That's what he does. Well, you know what else he did in that drive, He scrambled on third down to keep it going in the red zone. We need to see more of that, and then they end up running the ball in. He he did make some big plays in this game, even if it was sandwiched around a lot of ineptitude and missing open receivers, and I think that's huge for them. We've heard some whispers, you know, some reporting that who knows if Hackett uh is gonna make it through the whole season here and this was a game that you never want to get left back in England. So I think it's massive for them in the same way that it's crushed seen for the Jaguars, because I guess we've probably given up on the Jaguars, but I don't think they've given up on themselves, and this is uh a humbling win. I feel like to not be able to close out I think on both sides of the ball, defensively and offensively, there's big questions for the Jags. It feels like every week to the if you're a Jaguars fan, it's there. We debated a little bit about Trevor Lawrence. I don't think anyone saying Trevor Lawrence has fully arrived, but it's like on any level, but there are mis throws every week, and there are last minute turnovers and they're just too much left on the field and it kind of mass over the kind of game you got from Travis etn It was fantastic today. It's like, can the Jaguars learned to close? Could the Broncos learned to play offense at all? And at least we got halfway there today? Do I think it. It doesn't change what I think about the Denver Broncos not at all. Yeah, I I think that. I mean they got, they get at three and five. They are no one's idea of a real contender right now. But it would have been a disaster if they didn't find the way to win this game. And you know, I've said it myself. I beat the drum a little bit, like do we have to every week talk about whether Trevor Lawrence is living up to the hype. Well, now we're about halfway through his second season and he was picked one spot ahead of Zack Wilson. I think he has longer rope with his organization than Zack Wilson will have to the eye, yes he's He's had moments, for sure, more moments, uh than Zack Wilson, but maybe not a ton more. It's and it's a little bit it's a little bit depressing to see this game where he throws a red zone interception on first and goal from the one in the first half, he throws that pick on the final drive and you're waiting for him to kind of make that a rival and it's just not happening. So Jacksonville fans, I can only imagine the frustration you're feeling because you keep waiting to hear about this guy that you were told was this generational talent and he's yet to arrive. I felt like today was a turning point for that. Just looking at Twitter and some of the Jaguars reporters, I think in this spot, I think the average for yards per attempt and those that first and goal interception was inexcusable and was the biggest play in the game to me, right, but either way, him throwing that in that spot, they should have been up fourteen nothing, which good luck for the Broncos coming back. I just I just see the ball not going where he wants. He's better this year. He's getting closer to being a league average starter. But he's just not accurate when he sets. And that's why blaming urban Meyer for everything didn't make sense. There were so many times last year where he sets in a clean pocket and just misses the target he's throwing too. That that said, I feel I'd have much more patience with him and not even consider anything other than continuing to develop around. I agree with that he's not He's not like a bottom five disaster. That we're ready to jump ship on. It's also not a lot of Island Jaguars games where everyone's watching Trevor Lawrence. It's a lot of people are just looking at his box at a good point, you know, Phil, Phil Wesley and our friend, his daughter Josie, wanted to let us know that we're too hard on justin Fields. How about you start picking on Trevor Lawrence every once in a while too, And so this little segment I think was was for her. She's she's a Fields fan and she's like, how come Trevor Lawrence doesn't take any grief? Disagree with some of that. I feel like Chicago we've definitely given their quarterbacks and pop the last few weeks there, and Lawrence we've been kind of on top of following his arc, which has been underwhelming to say the least. All right, and by the way I did, if you're a Broncos fan, you're looking for positive signs behind just the win. Russell Wilson giving the interview after the game, saying Russell Wilson stuff, and then kJ Handler comes and gives him a big bear hug from behind and tells him a beautiful throw baby. So I was like, Okay, maybe maybe some of everyone's getting a little bit swept away about this guy being the most hated man in the universe. Yes, Mark Well, I would just say, like, I, having lived in I know a huge cross section of Broncos fans. They are I rate with what's going on about that team. To another point, another one of their players, I think it was Tyree Cleveland, UH tweeted out like we're all gonna be doing knee highs on the flight home, and I don't understate that underrated. Just like, at least they feel like the world's not on top of them right now and they're having fun with it. At least we being the football public, we're all out on Russell Wilson and he's certainly played very poorly this year, but maybe it's not total anarchy inside the locker room. That was just Maybelle very exciting, A little peek behind I missed. I really wanted Nathaniel Hackett to be a great part of this season, and it got about as dark as possible as quickly as possible. Yeah, he's in a lot of trouble. Still, Let's move on, Uh to Indianapolis, where the commanders were looking to get back to in motion camp sims Honey keeps it goes for the end zone. What's the call? Touchdown? Touchdown, touch down, Washington one yard rock body hide key say that's you know team down in Miami. Listen to that call. They're they're talking about Commander's football Bram Weinstein with a called w B I G. Taylor Heineke. That guy's got grit. Dan Campbell's gonna be on the phone looking to trade the world for Taylor Heineke after he goes in from one yard out after connecting with the ever underrated Terry McLaurin on a deep strike to put them at the doorstep of the game winning touchdown, which they got seventeen sixteen over the cults were dying. Has a huge game for the Colts to win that game, but they can't find a way to do it. In the first start for Sam Ellinger marking, anybody hear that he hit you hit the delk. I didn't hear anything. I don't know what I'm even talking about. I'm for once not going to get involved. Does that We're we're in the flow of the show, justin we're having conversation. We're trying to bring this thing in for a landing. And you you don't, you didn't get in my ear. You came over into the broadcast. Correct. I think that's a look at me moment from our from our producer, which is becoming more frequent. A little trouble. Anyway, Let's talk the game. Thank you justin for the correction. Okay, Now he's dying inside even more than you're fired. All right, go ahead, Mark? Oh boy, um, I mean McClaren had an incredible forty two yard catch and running this game before that. He's one of your guys, right, Yeah, I mean, who's really a West Guys star? You could have star guys. I mean Gino is a star. He's my guy, I mean Greg, But your thing is like, I'll have eighty two people I'm friends with the watch people. Take Greger of the guys, and it's just become a tired trope at this point. Oh yeah, Greg likes players. Yeah, what a terrible thing. I'm loyal to football. Graver's back to something, at least ripping the ball away from Stephan Gilmore on that that final catch too little, saying at the end, wait, what am I not loyal to? Where do you imagine, like the eighty two bits, there's eighty two bits a show where it tells me what's going on with the show. So enjoy yourself. This is your fault, justin we were professionally bringing the show in for landing. You guys want us to like, its gonna get the game of the year. We're gonna give it fifteen minutes. You guys are gonna like it. All right, Mark, let's try this again. Did you begin the point? I couldn't remember. I just think Terry McLarin is like the actual beating heart of this team. But Taylor Heineke to me where I think it was like when he when he was announced he's going to come in for rip for wins, or even before when it was suggested they could come in and replace Wentz at some point if you kept getting these Wenzian games, and it's like he just brings something kind of the classic quarterback energy thing where he's gonna do a couple of wild things. He had a terrible interception by Shack Leonard, he was he was really lucky, and another third and one he again get didn't get picked. But then he goes and does this and creates the win, and they're kind of alive in the terrible NFC because of him and McLaurin together and a defense that did their best with Sam Ellinger. Ellinger to me, I'll wait another couple of weeks. Um, I do see a couple of things he made. He made a couple of big throws in this he can run. What's funny now realized we're on camera and I just picked up my backpack and was going through it looking for a power chord. It had nothing to do with okay, I can never tell in the show. I don't have nothing. Give me the quarterback on the Commanders that throws the Terry McLaren. Who is that is Taylor Heinege. That's the guy who should be playing for the team right that that route that mclauren ron ran to set up the game winner where he I don't know if I've ever seen one quite like it, but he absolutely turns Stefan gil More around and and eight his lunch. But this was a gag job of the highest order from the Colts. This is a brutal loss. They were had sixteen to seven, a two score lead against Heineke, who at that point had had a touchdown all day. Uh. In the fourth quarter they get the ball back two different times, they go three and out, and then then the end of the game, reich Uh chose to kick a field goal on fourth and three at the one chose to kick a field goal on fourth and two, but they were fourth and two on the wall line on the Washington too. From that drove me nuts. And then he also punted, and I know it would have been it would have been bold to do it, but it was fourth and inches on their own thirty five to win the game, up six, and he decided to punt it away and the defense couldn't hold it. So this is a full team, Like I do you think some of that, like I was way too conservative. There's no excuse for it, and it stands out in a season where we're in where everyone's going forward all the time and you should be. It just simply makes more sense. But I think part of it is like the fact that Ellenor was at your Taylor is you're running back. Yeah, but Taylor looked all right in this. He had his ankle retaped in the middle of the game. I mean it just I think their offense is just simply limited in general, I think I want to see more from ellenor I just don't really buy the fact that they really see him as a potential future and quarterbacks. I'm not really basing them off of this. I just I think we talked about when they made the announcement why they might have done it. Um, he can move, he can run. He made a couple of big throws in this He's there's a little bit of chemistry with his wide receivers. He also had a terrible fumble where it's a Jonathan Allen sack in the end, but he walked into he lost the ball before even walking into pressure, and it was just like a classic. It's your first NFL game, you know. But they're gonna hand games away now when they had a chance to get back into in the ANFC, not gonna get it done. I can't believe these two teams have combined for a seven seven and one recD No. Seven eight and one record. They are kind of the the example of where the middle of the NFL is right now. I can't believe the Commandos are four and four on this three game. All three have been absolutely crazy. The Packers one like they earned it somewhat, but they kind of stole all three. It's amazing the Commander and how about this. The NFC East has been a bit of a punching bag on this show over the years, and deservedly so. Bec it was bad for many years in the last ten. But you have the Eagles at seven and oh, the Cowboys six and two, the Giant six and two, and the Commanders now rounded out the group at four and four. I mean, they are literally on paste to be one of the greatest divisions of all time. If if that paste out, that would pretty much do it in terms of you almost have to win every out of division game to get records like that. Can I want to make one thing clear, I'm not buying in on Taylor Heineke. I think he's We've learned now that there is a there is a ceiling here and uh it is what it is. And seeing Carson Wentz again, that would make sense. At some point you did give up of significant amoun out of assets to acquire him, but ride the hot hand while it's here. I see. Yeah. I like at this point there's no compelling reason to put wins back in there. Can you guys just grade this tweet from Adam Schefter or this move from tit Taylor Heineke, like on a one to ten, What do you guys think For every game that Taylor Heineke plays, at least the Snaps and the Commander's win, he earns a one hundred and twenty five thousand dollar incentives basically every start d dollars extra. He puts that bonus to a new pair of Jordan's in the colors of the team that Washington beat this week, new blue and white Jordan's. I mean, it's just information that might have knocked out a priceless childhood memory out of my brain, and now I have that in my head. Unnecessary, did not need to needy years they've been on fire, and that's it. I wish I didn't know that. That's I feel strangely, I feel strongly how angry I am that that's now in my brain. See another sneaker same, I mean, that was why I brought it up. Another white brow with money into sneakers. Great, Me and all my friends are jerks. Greg has so many sneakers. It's not alone, there's a two, but it's mine. Aren't like fancy sneakers archetype of clothing horse all right, which takes us down the yellow brick Road to Buffalo and Sunday Night Football from the one again second a goal, Allen's gonna keep it, and he's got Dawson Knocks, but he can run it. That will throw it, and it's Knocks and it's a Buffalo touchdown. Mike Terico with the call for NBC Josh Allen two touchdown passes, including that score to tight end Dawson Knox as the Bills jump out head early on. The Packers, as expected and as expected, coast to victory. Final score to seventeen. The Bills now six and one, undefeated in Orchard Park in three games. The Packers fall to three and five. Greggy, Um, you know, Green Bay didn't get rolled over here. I think a lot of expect people probably expected this game to get uh ugly and be maybe some type of statement on both the Bill's dominance and how lost the Packers were. We didn't quite get that, but also not a very surprising outcome to me. No, what we gotta feel of how inferior the Packers are in that When Matt Lafleur comes out after halftime, he talks about how he wants to see a good effort and and play some feisty football in the second half, and you know they did, and Chris Collinsworth is giving him kind of like moral victories, like, yeah, they did play pretty feisty. Uh, they only gave up three points in the second half. Josh Allen threw a couple of weird picks, but it was never competitive. This was the same Packers team that ran on third and sixteen late in the half rather than passing. That was like, hey, is that really the Packers? And by the way, it didn't stop the Bills from still going down and scoring anyways, they were trying to get the Bills to burn timeouts. It's the same Packers team who started really running the ball and committing to it down three scores in the second half because that's the only way they could score. And even then they're they're kicking field goals. So yes, there were some positives and dobs how to play and Terray had to play, but it was like they went into this game newing they were vastly inferior, especially because of their defense, And I left this game still feeling like they're vastly inferior, especially because of their define with you, and I didn't I like the idea of them committing to the ground because of the problems they've had all season long, they could have maybe tried this weeks ago. I also looked at the second half and didn't think that they really thought they could win this game. I don't think it was managed in that way. I mean, it's just it was such a commitment to the ground game when you're down by a ton, and it was working to some degree, but it really didn't work at all in the end if you think about it, mean a little malarkey, a little shenanigans from Josh Allen, who Meana Kimes joked went to hollow out to Halloween is theen Josh Allen in the second half there. But the Bills, I mean kind of coasted in the second half. I thought in this, I think, yeah, it's a testament to their might that they didn't bring their a game and still took care of the Aaron Rodgers team. And yeah, there is uh the Packers go over thirty attempts on the ground, they go over two yards on the ground, So you could look at that as a positive if you're a Packers fan. In terms of okay, we can still do that. Um and Rogers made a couple throws and maybe Torre becomes somebody they can be interested in as uh having a bigger role in the offense after that long score. Maybe maybe not. It is interesting to me, and Collinsworth brought it up, and I've been thinking about this all season. On a day where you know, Davante Adams had one catch for three yards in a shutout loss UM in New Orleans with the Raiders. Once again, there were times in the game or it was like, all right, the running games cooking for Green Bay. Now this is where you hit him with a Davante Adams slash play for forty up the seam, and like you don't have that and the Packers are missing it, and it's just greg for me, Like big picture with the Packers, it still strikes me so odd that they let it get to this point with an aging quarterback where they're scrambling to find a guy to fill that void when they're the super Bowl window was ostensibly open. The past is the past, but again it kind of reared its ugly head a little bit in the state there there there four games back in the lost column of the Vikings. I mean, it's red alarm time because I think both sides of the ball you're concerned about. I keep going back to the defense because I just haven't seen much fight out of them this year until the second half of that game. But you think of the difference in these defenses and the to start the game that the Packers knew they were in fury are coming into this game, and they got a quick three and out and I was like, Okay, here we go. Then they come back the other way and Tim Settle gets a sack that kind of ruined that drive for Green Bay, and Tim Settle is like a free agent pickup. They're they're not doing anything. Then they get back to a fourth and three after that sack and Ed Oliver pushes the pocket, which makes Aaron Rodgers throwing in completion on fourth down. And it kind of explains so much about Bowl seasons because that Bill's defensive line has been awesome and they were great again in this game. And that's why they didn't really do a dropback throwing. If you're getting as much pressure as them on defense without blitzing, like they don't even need trade Avious White back there. I mean I think if you look at the Packers too, they were compromised when they lost Quay Walker to an injection, deve Andre Campbell went out with a knee injury. I mean that they were talking about. They have two linebackers coming in there that had played like combined six snaps all season. The other injury I would look out is Jordan Player, the safety for the Bills, went out with an elbow injury, and I that's they don't need them. An hide out at the same time is troubling, and I just I still love watching Josh All and I know he threw those two picks, but he also had three or four throws under pressure that I kind of don't carefully through those picks right out outrageous, and I love that would matter if the Packers are a little more je I just for some reason, it didn't feel like they were really ever seriously challenged on any level in this game. But the fact when he got smacked on the goal line by Adrian Amos early, when he made that twenty yard run on what was the third and twenty or something like that, which was one of the key players in the game, and then he gets up smiling like I'm the biggest badass in the world. And then when Kenny Clark was three pounds, flattens him in the second half a hip Alan probably shouldn't be taken, and Alan gets up wanting to fight Kenny Clark. Kenny Clark didn't do anything but hit him, and I just like, it would be fun to have as your quarterback for the next ten years. But its fans, yeah, and it's a great it's a great time to be a Bills fan. They during the telecast, they showed the renderings for the new stadium that they hope will be built in a few years. And that's not a dome, by the way. I mean, it's gonna be much more. It's so much easier experience for the people sitting in the seats. But you don't dome. Sure, I'm with you on that, but you just want to make sure, like Josh Allen and I'm knocking on wood, if I had some stays healthy and they get to January with a chance to really because that's in what's been a strange, weird year, made all the more strange by the destabilizing failures of the Packers and Bucks in the NFC. The Bills making a deep run and perhaps even getting over the hump. That would make this one of the more memorable seasons in recent memory. I'd like to see it. If they get the running game going like they did in the first half tonight, to like, they just feel unstoppable. They came into the season as everyone's Super Bowl favorites, and they're they're like they're they're even better than I expected. And and if like like I said, if the running game, if they keep adding elements, it's like it's scary. With all due respect to the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, the Bills are the best team in football. We saw it again tonight. Good stuff, gang, Greg Mark justin behind the Mark loved this game. We were up there watching. He would have liked the score to be even more lopsided. But after last week's Commando's game and him divorcing the Packers forever, uh, they crossed the Mark. It's just his favorite team is the team playing against the Packers. Are you saying commandos on purpose? You've done it twice tonight than you are I not. I've heard other people calling them the Commandos, and now I think it unconsciously seeped into it. Also suggests that some of your anks that you put on me over various distant wagers um is a bit of a projection on your ups and downs. But I do think in this case it's apt because the packers annoyed me. Be on comprehension. Thank you, and uh, one last note, because I want to end things on a on a positive for the whole group. I have pulled some strings Mark in the your guy situation. Uh, great news. I've expledited successfully the processing for you. It was at six to eight weeks. I got it down to two to four weeks. So we will will know in about a month give or take, barring any other unforeseen delays, whether it is processed. That player not recall Tyler Algier, he we were gonna be tracking his um upward battle to get over four yards per carry for the year. It's gonna be. It's gonna be good. Going for me is my raging apathy on this front. There's a drop. You can't take that away from that. That would be if if Mark had a band name, Raging would be wonderful. It's that's kind of like a one of those new metal bands. Like the poster would be hanging in a J Soprano's room in two thousand, raging apathy. All right, that's it. There you go. You know, Justin's in a little like funk when when to hit the music, the playoff you're trying to lay out, and he's still just a little bit off, but otherwise an excellent producer. Thank you, it's a grave digger and everybody for following along. Yes, tom to night he'd the call who