Broadcasting talk with Mark Sanchez; Cooper Kupp injured & Titans-Packers preview

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Speaker 1: The Around the NFL podcast will be the next team featured on Hard Knocks from the Chris Westling podcast studio. It's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansas Heroes here, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. Right before we started, Gregg asking about the meaning of love and life through the lyrics of Irish singer songwriter Jo's Here. Yeah, it was a great conversation we had with Greg. I think that's one of many celebrities on hand. I missed the end of the Sunday Night Show to go to Bono of you two is like one man show slash concert. Brad Pitt was right in my orbit, your Brad Pitt, Mark, I felt I felt guilty because that's your crush, that's your one true like free pass, get out of jail free celebrity. And what am I doing right next to him looking handsome as hell? By the way, well, I mean I got to uh, you know, dish on the fading justin Herbert Chargers offense who faded away against the Niners. So I don't I think we know who won that. It's like, yeah, by the way, to get Mark upset about not having his guy, you know, the processing has not returned he doesn't really seem to care that much because Brad Pitt is his guy. That's got to bother him. By the way, if you're watching this on the YouTube channel, why did Greg and I showed up in sort of black overcoats um with dark undershirts and we looked like a pair of like different what it looks like low grade robbers next to Dan who probably is running the heist. Yeah. Yeah, that's a nice new suit. Is that the custom made? Yes? I look like a TV game show host, and you guys look like the guys behind the scenes that run around and set things up, the grips, the gaffers, uh, which is kind of a cool setup that I think maybe we should stick. Okay, great, I don't mind it. Um good show. How exciting though, Right, that's the NFL provided too. It's a first and it's a big step in our here's the problem status at this company and it is it's I mean, who are we to complain about anything? I mean, we're fortunate. We're fortunate for everything we have at this company. They give us this platform and they pay us to do it, and yet when they gave us a suit, they misspelled my last name which puts h A z U s Dan Jeseus and I wanted Jesus. Uh. I wonder your nickname? I was like, should I tell them? Now you've essentially just told everyone Jesus. Maybe I could go into the stable of nicknames. I didn't even know our names are in there. I gotta check that out. If I get if I get fifty, that's your brand. Nobody messes with Greg's brand. One to ten. How steamed were you to find out that your name is misspelled inside this tailored suit? Um? I was perturbed, mildly perturbed. I'd put it at a six, but seven is when I would definitely tell somebody. So it's like you're on the border. It is kind of a perfect handsa uh storyline here because it's like we we have grown at this company. We we love our roles, but I think there's still part of that newsroom Dan in there that's like they don't still respect us, like at the top, that that edge and that's like I got example the second Yeah, not all of us came into the company with a silver spoon in our mouth. Some of us, like Mark and I had to work our way up the ranks and come from nothing right from three days a week making what a high school would make, working at a fast food outreach. And you know what, Mark the second newsroom, Mark the newsroom, Dan, exit the picture. This whole thing is done. It crumbles. You need those guys. These guys are gone. As I wear my tailored suit, my fancy little mid spell name. All right, let's get into it. I'm excited for today's show. I truly am because Mark Sanchez will be joining us, uh the Fox color man, former Jets quarterback, amongst other teams. Here's a quiz, Mark, Yeah, to test your we always say it now a little bit of naval gazing the a T n era to two thousand thirteens at present, name without looking up, name every team that Mark Sanchez played for in his eight year career, Jets, Eagles, Ding, ding was He on the Bears, briefly, all NFC East, everywhere but the Giants. He played and just sort of felt like a Bear. I don't recall the Washington now and now I remember he sort of came out of retirement basically for that Washington. What a moment, What a moment. We will not be asking him Mark Sanchez about his Washington Redskins days. But we will get to all the other things around Sanchez, who has been one of our favorite aspects of the UM broadcasting world in the NFL this season. In fact, we're also going to get into our favorite sun A broadcasters of the season. Um. We're also going to preview a very good Thursday night football game. Thankfully, not only did the Packers come back and take a lock from you guys, UM, which was nice, they also made this Thursday night game way more compelling by getting off the mat against Dallas. So we got Tennessee at Green Bay. We'll talk about that, but before that, let's get caught up on all the news hit it. Justin taken all cues. Christ he got really lucky there. He did it again. Jonathan Vilma, speaking of color commentators who we like Justin, he's said he's dropping j C every game. You have to imagine when he screamed it uh during the Atlanta game. There had to be somebody that came up to and be like, hey, just tighten it up with that. I think we're the only people that noticed. You know. I know that because Juice Ciliano U Mr Red Zone himself, right, he said to me, we were talking commentators in the newsroom before we came out today, and uh, he said, oh, did you hear what he said? Jonathan Vilma said, people, I think it's no. I think it's out there. And Kenny leaves Kenny Albert in a strange place with some of his comments. And I enjoyed that quite a bit. All right, let's get into the news. Will start with you know that one of the real disappointments of the NFL season is the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, who are going down in flames, it feels like, and now on top of it, they lose arguably their best player, certainly on offense. The Rams place Cooper Cup on injured reserve with what's been labeled a high ankle sprain, but it's a high ankle sprain that's serious enough that he's going to have surgery scheduled for Wednesday. And you do the Matthew, what is their record the three and six? Three and six? You know, if best case scenario you figure the Rams with how Cup or get Ding out of the next four games, you know, and that you know what, they get maybe two wins by the time he's even eligible to come back. If he's feeling good enough to come back. You wonder if they'll just keep him where he is and see you in next September. I mean that might just be the wise move at this point. I mean you think about the Bucks game, for instance, what was the only big play the Rams had? It was Cooper Cup. You look at their their stats over the season, Cooper Cup is essentially all they have an offense. They already couldn't run the ball. I mean, Allen Robinson has been a vast disappointment. After all the summertime bally Hood commentary about how great he fit in the offense. Ha's just never been the case. So is he gonna step up? There's no evidence that's the case. Matthew Stafford is still in concussion protocol, and I start to wonder what you do with Matthew Stafford in this season if it continues to spiral down the drain, Well, you play him if he's healthy enough to play. But I found it very odd when reporters asked Sean McVeigh if Stafford suffered a concussion, and he didn't give a straight answer, and he said, well, we hope to have more clarity on that this afternoon. He's been in the protocol for a week, so he's just not answering the question. And I can't think of any motivation not to answer that question, so I'm not gonna speculate, but it's just strange he was added late week and and this Cup injury is uh is so disappointing because they're the worst offense in the league EPA per play the Rams. And you can't say that's on John Wolford because they were the same offense with with Matthew stats, not just on Allen Robinson either. This has been a team wide collective down quarterback, offensive line scheme, personnel coach. Normally you would think in this spot, well the Rams this season is lost, and yeah, you you let Cup get healthy, probably don't bring it back. Stafford's on the the list. Make sure you absolutely prioritize his health over everything else. And if you happen to get a high draft pick, you know, out of a higher draft. But they have the draft pick. It's the Detroit Lions, and we're not gonna sing the whole song right now. It almost feels wrong now like the Cooper Cup injury news and celebrating, but the Ram pick, I would guess will be higher in the draft than the Lions pick. If I had to pick which team is gonna win more games, they both have three wins so far. I think the Lions will win more games the rest of the Seasone had a tweet last week after another disappointing Rams game where they said the Rams bought their Super Bowl title on credit, and now the bill has come due. Certainly kind of feels that way. And I think if you were the Lions, if you were managing your expectations for the draft picks you're gonna get from the Rams, you'd be safely thinking, you know, five or six towards the bottom of the of the whole draft list. Instead, it's could be, could be reversed. That is a massive fortune, and it's better quarterback draft. They're gonna have two picks, you know, towards the top. It is Uh. It is great news for them. And I think when you mentioned credit, I think the Rams have really been hurt by the injuries this year, but that's part of the credit. They were one of the least injured teams in the NFL. That's just happened to happen. That helps teams win Super Bowls all the time, and they got a little fortunate there and they've gotten all the bad fortune that they can get this year and outside would you rather be the Panthers, Like, oh, we didn't sell anything on credit, blah blah blah, and we're buried in l Like it doesn't mean it has to be a multi year thing. For this year they're done, but yeah, that it does seem that way that they are done. Also done are the Raiders? The Raiders are? I mean, if you're gonna make a list of the most disappointing teams in football, Raiders Rams could be one too, potentially. I mean, it's it's that bad. The Raiders um spent big and paid big price to get Davante Adams, which at the time was painted as like a final piece of the puzzle type situation for a team that was ready to contend for the a f C West title. Instead there two and seven, Mark Davis, the owner, spoke to Paul Gutierrez Yeah SPN and dismissed any questions about Josh McDaniel's job security. Davis said Rome was not built in a day. He also said this, people in today's world want instant gratification the coaches, the guys coaching. Nine games were two and seven, not the results were looking for. But at the same time we've lost six one score games with the ball and a chance to win at the end. My issue with this, Mark Sessler, when you say Rome was not built in a day, you make it sound like you are a team that's building from the ground up, like the Lions or the Texans are so many other teams that are just trying to start over. That was not what the baseline was. This was a ten win team that went to the playoffs last year. There's gotta be some ownership about how truly bad this season has been. Yeah, I mean, I think ownership from ownership, ownership from ownership like you want to give. I think a new GM and coaching staff. By year three, the vision should have arrived. You should real close, especially with the Raiders who were already a playoff teams, so it should have been even sooner. I think the Raiders are a different team though than some of these super money rich operations where you could fire a coach after one season and pay him for the next three or four. I just think that's a little bit of a different thing. And if you're if you're Mark Davis, maybe you know you're having all these chats with Josh McDaniels behind the scene. Maybe you do buy in more than the fans are buying in right now to what he says they can do. Mark Davis said to the to this media member, I think he's doing a fantastic job, which is which is um protests too much because the GM just said that a week ago, and it's like, well, none of us see it right there, and they asked him like why why would you do that? He's like, why why wouldn't I be keeping him? I guess I appreciate Mark Davis recognizing that. Look at his decision. Anytime you fire a coach after the first year, owners should be embarrassed because it's them taking a huge l urban Meyer isn't that higher is completely on Jaguar's ownership. Urban Meyer took all the heat, but ownership deserves it more. They've they've been so close to the Raiders that I don't think it's crazy to try to see this out for a year too. But now the speculation has already started. Okay, well where who does take the acts? And there's an article Tashawn read and the athletic was wondering, is it gonna be Derek Carr who ultimately gets the blame because whether it's there Car's fault or not, and overall it's not his fault. He and Josh McDaniels are not a good match so far. He's having his worst year I would say since Seen, which was the the year after he suffered that injury where he really came back to Earth, and and this is his He's a veteran quarterback who's having his worst year in five years. If I wanted to make an argument for the Raiders and what maybe Josh McDaniels is saying behind the scenes outside of that no show in New Orleans, every one of their losses have been one score games. The other six I mean, I'm not saying they look close, so they are close, um, But Derek Carr's contract point, you can get out of that without problems after this season. And that's why I think it was constructed as such. You can got to pick a nice pick for Darren, I was gonna say, can't you. You don't have to squint too much to imagine a scenario where the Derek carrs traded in the offseason. He is the goat that gets sacrifice for this. They draft a young quarterback, the team is struggling again next year, and then all of a sudden, Davante Adams is being moved at the deadline and this team is blowing things up. I think it might be closer to that than this team quickly turning things around. I'm glad you brought up the deadline and that would that would be interesting. I think your Jets might be interested in the guy like Derek Carr's. It's on my radar talking. I think this next couple of months is very interesting for the quarterback there would you be interested in? I would. I think Derek Carr. I don't think he is a top flight player, but I think Derek Carr is exactly the type of guy that would stabilize a position. And if you're not looking for a guy to be your savior, you're just looking for a good, steady quarterback. They could win some playoff games and he I think he's a good pick for that. I'm glad you brought up the deadline. Though I was texting with Ian Rapper, I know you're concerned. You were concerned about our friendship more than concerned. I thought that it was over your did you say French? But yeah, you know we were texting though, and I I it's really a strong personal any personal like back and forth. It was it all football mostly. What is the percentage of times that Ian starts the text thread? That's a good Probably not many, Probably not many, that's telling. But go ahead? I would It depends. It's changed over every question one of those Alzheimer's. That's why he's a true I was. I was simply care and asking the question. I think it says a lot, But yeah, go ahead. Trade deadline insider, trade deadline needs to be moved back two weeks. Do you know what a difference two weeks would make? Or three weeks? What would change? Do you know how many teams that weren't settling at the deadline two weeks ago that would be selling up until next week? The Raiders I would throw in there. The Saints. I heard some word that they weren't willing to move off of Marcus Davenport. You think they would like some picks for Marcus Davenport right now? Every other sport does it? About two thirds? I don't know? And and what Ian said was like, Oh yeah, GMS, it's happening. People are all, I don't know if it's happening. They wish, but that's like GM's wish it was happening, and they've wanted this to happen maybe for a while. So maybe it's not going to happen, but they think it's in the next two years. That's happened because it make it happen. Uh. In other news, more disappointing teams, the Carolina Panthers. They're disappointed that the Baker Mayfield move did not work out for them. He played poorly, he got hurt. Uh. P J Walker assumed the starting job did okay on balance. Okay is a little strong, but we're being nice here. But now he has a high ankle sprain. He's out for Week eleven against the Ravens. So it's big are back in the lineup. And what I think, mark Um, your boy from the Cleveland days, is a very important opportunity for Baker to audition himself in the league, in a league and our league that might see him as a little bit of not worth the trouble he's I think he's got to perform a little bit this year. Too. I'm not gonna say keep himself in the league, but maybe I kind of am saying that. I mean, I could see him and I think his starting days unless the team was really we're done with that. Um. The same goes for Sam Donald, who's sitting behind him in the lineup at this point. I think you're you're trying to convince a team to bring you in as a backup, and I do think he's he would definitely get a backup job. I I absolutely yeah, I know he would. I mean, so it's not just about the skill with Baker. It isn't. But if you're the backup and you're in, you're not the one going to the podium weekly. I think you remove a lot of that nonsense that you're referring to out of the mist This is that this is the transition year where he's having to get you to where he is in the league. That he was healthy in watching p J. Walker play, and I think that will change his mindset somewhat. And I'll have to be realistic kind of like Cam Newton went through the process just thinking Panthers quarterbacks of like, Okay, this is gonna be a different part of my career. He's still young and there's a lot of teams that loved him coming out, so he's gonna get backup opportunities. And but I agree with you, he needs to look I do. I do think some of the reason that they stuck with PJ. I mean, the run game was great with him just sort of throwing the ball out less was that Baker's escalators in his contract, right, I think that's going to be clear, would almost certainly still be starting if he wasn't think Wilkes was ready to roll with him, and then Baker's hadn't lost the argument to be the starter. Uh in Injury News Other Injury News rap sheet reports that zach Ertz has done for the year. The tight end has a knee injury. UM so he is most likely not gonna be seen again. We'll see if if his time with Arizona is over. Shack Leonard, the Colts linebacker who has been banged up, I feel like all the time last couple of years, but this UH, this back issue is leading to surgery and his time UH in two is done on the field. Also, Eagles tight end Dallas Goddard will miss extended time with a shoulder injury. You saw it on a big hit he took on Monday Night football, the first loss of the season for the Eagles. Check out Greggy Rosenthal and the man they call four verticals or four verts breaking down that Monday night football game certainly a memorable one. So Goddart missing extended time they think he did. He didn't get hurt on the face mass play right, that's the way he was lying down after that was an absurd in that game, that that that I forget that you were so wrapped up in the call that that's a that's a costly injury for them. But it doesn't sound like it's going to be season and ending might go on. I R though, I find like extended time has become code for i R. Just they haven't done the official transaction. Are you guys okay with old Zeus tugboat jeseus Um keeping the Eagles a top the power rankings? Do you think they should have dropped for that? Of course, I'm okay with it. Yeah, I'm okay with it. I don't tell me. I don't care too much away from last night's game, Okay, is like, is that a crazy opinion? If I was doing a power rankings. I would probably put the Chiefs first, but I probably would have the number one power rankings today. I think you could make an argument for any of the top four, or at least who I'm guessing her at the top four. Yeah, I don't think like last night was like the antidote to stopping Philly the rest of the season on any level. Just that's what I thought. Yeah, I thought a little funky, weird Island game that happened. Division Division probably should have won. That kind of got ripped off a little bit too. Absolutely. I mean that Brandon Graham play. We'll check out the Monday night recap. I mean that, uh Washington played well. Give Taylor's Flowers the worst quarterback in the league. I don't, just because there's so many other terrible quarters without a doubt. Is not only his best game of the year, I would say his best games. And when he when he popped up and celebrated the Brandon Graham penalty, it was one of the more unintentionally funny moments this season. It's great, YEA, I will that I was thinking that too, Like most of the season will wash away from your mind. But I think a couple of years from now, we will actually remember Taylor Heinicke sell love it. I loved it all right, let's take a break and bringing our guests. But next it's been all over it. Man like chili and cheese on some spaghetti noodles, Baby changes, neighbors, Shakira, man, whatever, whatever, wherever. That guy's ready to play some football. They're fisy, they're salty. How did he get that thing through there? Like trying to fit a camel in a matchbox? Kevin, look at this wishow like xer tech, like ask your doctor about Scronic side effects may include catches in the flat games of eight yards. I mean Shelton's cleared out defenders faster than a teenager clears his search history on his web browser. Holy smoke, I mean you put them all next to each other. They're even, uh, welcome back. One of the joys of this NFL season for us, other than Jonathan Vilma using the Lord's name in vain once a game in the booth, is this man our guest today? Former NFL quarterback USC legend turned color man for Fox, Mark Sanchez, What is up? Mark? Oh guys, I'm doing great, thanks to I need that clip. Actually, that was pretty That was pretty good when you put like that, well, you know, it's pretty funny. Let's start funny because it's become on the show. We say Sundays with Sanchise and let's play the latest clip, and you know, all these different turns of phrase, uh really stand out to us. Let's like, let's play one from Sunday's game between the Bears and Lions when Justin Fields was going off. Looks let's when he's running and he just from defenders, I mean for separation. Those things look like a divorce. So the question that we had starting in week one mark because this has been on our radar for a long time, as does Sanchez have a joke writer? Now? He grew up in southern California, he's got Hollywood ties. Is this from Sanchez or somebody helping him with his material? No? These are I have two older brothers and my dad are you know they have these silly phrases. My dad's had him forever. I find myself using them now that I'm a dad and my you know, comedy just went off a cliff. You know, as soon as you become a father, it just totally ends. And uh so, you know, stuff like you dropped him like a bad habit, or you know, hit him like a mack truck or whatever. Any of these kind of sayings and phrases. Um I've heard for a while. Some of them I'll peruse. I'll listen to a lot of comedy specials and you kind of piece together a couple of different routines and stuff. But I like to go into a game with maybe one or two and if the situation, you know, makes sense without trying to or something great. But a lot of them come up, you know, just kind of on the spot or in the weekend thinking about you know, the chili on the noodles. It's obviously Cincinnati native thing. I had one for Seattle that I've been saving. But last week I told you right before we came on, just I kind of clammed up, you know, and I'm disappointed because the run game for the Lions. You know, I was gonna drop a Leo DiCaprio Revenant line saying, you know, they're getting up inside that bear and that bear defense like Leo DiCaprio and the Revenant. You know what I'm saying, growing up inside that gets physical, And so I thought it was a good one. And you know, I'm getting heat from Coogler And we had a new producer on the deal because our producer was in Munich, and so we're kind of like work shopping it. And you know, if we do it that long and it takes that long in a conversation, it's out and I feel like I'm forcing you know, square peg, roundhole. So um. But but I feel like I left an opportunity out on the field. You know, it's not just the players and coaches sometimes to use and they listeners of the Round the NFL podcast when you do the Bears again at some point and you use it to our listeners. Yeah. And and by the way, just since we're on the topic and you're you're telling us your process a little bit, I think the Teenager clear the search History one is your bohemian rap city. I think that is your all time classic. Dude. Like when you said that, and I know that get picked got picked up on Twitter, not just by us, Like does the producer get in your ear and say, hey, what was that? Or it was like, oh, that was amazing. Do you get any pushback friend of your Oh no, I heard the talk back. They were all laughing. They said, you know, basically the higher upsite at Fox and any you know, national broadcasting network, like, you know, we don't want to major in uh Internet porn jokes or references, you know, probably not like what we're here for. But at the same time, you know, that was it was well timed to fit the situation. It was really funny. But I you know, my defense was, listen, uh Mariotta Marcus Mariotta fell down and then got up, completed a pass and I think it was like a two point conversion or a touchdown in that game. And I said, jeez, I've heard the Philly Special. I've heard this out of the other you know, but that was the Lazarus Special. He brought that thing back to life, you know. And so I said, listen, I did the biblical side. I did the Internet forts. You know, I got a wide Braine here, you know, very nice. I am looking at the newspapers behind you, Mark, and you have some set up from the New York Post in the Daily News back when you were owning that town. I was living uh in Manhattan when you were drafted and and throughout your time with the Jets people. I'm sitting next to a big time Jets fan here, Dan, I don't know if you if you know that and we I'm sure we would have gotten to that, but you were like it was a big thing, the Mark Sanchez Jets period. I think back to that days and I think about this NFL season and I think Gino Smith actually has a connection to those days, Mark, that he was there in your final year. And I'm just curious watching you watching him and you're you've done one of his games, at least one of them, Like are you surprised? Like what are you thinking? And what what was your experience with him back then? Well? Absolutely, I had so many questions for him because I was fortunate enough to call one of his games and I knew, I know what Pete can do for your confidence for the mental game in between your ears, and that sometimes it's more important that eight to ten inches depending on your hat size, in between your ears is more important at times than that actual football field and mastering that and and getting yourself in a position where you're jumping out of your skin on game day to go play and you know you're confident in your abilities. The way we're watching him throw on the run and flip his hips and you could tell he's really to his mechanical side. He's he looks so much better physically. The definition in his arms. Uh he I said it on air, but and I said it to him in the zoom, so I'm not like giving away anything. But when he came in as a rookie, he still had like a little bit of that like skinny fat, like baby fat, kind of like dougheybody a little bit. And I mean, now it looks like freaking holler bread on the on this freaking deltoid right there, like, oh damn, dude, you what's going on here? And I said, you know, total Makeover, Quarterback Edition. And it's because it's because of the work he put in. And the first thing he said to me right after he went and just you know, went on and on about how great Coach Carroll has been for him. But he goes, Dude, I've had all this time. I've been in the weight room and I've been in the film room. That's it. He's like, I've just been working my butt off and I got to see Philip Rivers, I got to see Eli Manning, I got to see Russell Wilson do it for a long time, and I knew that at some point, and he said before this season, he's like, I'm taking somebody's job. That's what he said to us. I'm taking somebody's job. I don't care who it is, I don't care where it is. He didn't know it was gonna be Ross. He didn't know Russ was gonna get shipped off, but he just that was his mentality, like I'm gonna get back. This is the year it's gonna happen. And it's really all come to fruition. And he really credited coach Carroll. He credited that team and the way they're playing is exactly the way coach Carroll can prepare a team. And I mean every time we went out on the field that I see, I felt like we were the five Bears, man, like the other team didn't have a chance, Like we were gonna just roll everybody. And that's that's what he does for your confidence. He's a psych major from the University Pacific. Man, he knows how to get inside your brain and get you motivated. And he's done a beautiful job. I know they dropped one in Germany on Germany, but they're still playing well. I think you do a great job of, you know, painting the character, telling the story, and that's really what your job is. And you know, through the years, we've all been watching football for decades. I can't think of the laundry list of ex quarterbacks that come in to become color commentators, and you find out a year or two in, even though they have all this information, their ability to characterize the game, to describe the game, to give it to the fan in a way that teaches them is not everyone's skill. You have to see in you um an enthusiasm that sort of has a little bit of Tony Romo to it, and you do a nice job just communicating what's happened in the field, like how did you know or that, when did you know you wanted to do this? And how did you get capable at it so quickly? It's it's a lot harder than people realize. Well, I think people have to realize that you do get to see the play four times, right, and if you play for as long as I play. I'm not saying it's easy, but I'm saying if you played for the amount of time I played, that Tony played, that Troy had been played you see the live game, somebody either you have a clicker and you immediately rewind the all two from the sideline shot, and then I have a delay camera from the high end zone or sometimes skycam that's that's cut slots a slot right. So I essentially see to play four times, once live, once in reverse, once again on all twenty two, and then once again from the end zone. So to me as a competitor and the you know jerk, I can be at times with myself and and how you know, just I get competitive. I'm like, if I don't know how to diagnose the play after four times, like get your ass out of the booth, you don't belong here number one. So schematically, you know what, what's the purpose of that play? I have a pretty good idea of where we're going. Then everything else, Um is how much I love this game, how much I put into it, how much I prepare, and I have a great team around me. Kevin Coogler is like freaking John Stockton. Man just sets me up consistently, and he's so steady. I thought, um, you know his coming out party really were those two Lendon games. My man was on fire and just nails the whole broadcast in between, like in between, I wish there was a camera on us at times because I'll like hit the cough button and I'm looking at Kevin and I'm you know, dropping at f I'm like, are you left a kidding? Let's you know. I'm fired up because I know what those qbs are going through. And every time the ball leaves your index finger, right, that's the last figure to touch the damn ball. It's like the hopes and dreams and aspirations and wishes and everything in that entire franchise is spiraling through the air, you know what I mean, based on your decision, what you saw, your footwork, all your preparation, everything. And so I'm like hanging on those as a fan, as a former player and now a broadcaster, And so I try and I try, and you know, get that through the microphone and get it to people. I think it's hopefully it's fun and hopefully people enjoy it. Awesome answer, And uh, really, you've been doing an amazing job. But before we let you go, and and Greg and mentioned I'm a I'm a Jets fan, so please humor me as I hit the rewind button back to your playing days. I'm gonna set the stage here, Mark. Two thousand and ten, No, we're not talking Snoopy Bowl, don't worry. Two thousand and ten AFC Championship Game, Jets trail Steelers, nineteen two minutes on the clock. Pittsburgh has third and six, New York out of time outs. Big Bend rolls right, finds a young receiver named Antonio Brown for the first down. Game over Rex throws down his headset. The Jets were down three and a half of that game before you. Mark Sanchez got scorching hot in the second half, and I maintain that if Mark Sanchez, this Mark Sanchez on our show right now, gets the ball back one more time, the Jets go to the Super Bowl, and history is forever altered for this Star Cross franchise. I want to know if you ever think about that third and six, because Mark Sanchez I think about it all the time. So as an offensive player, I don't think about the third and six. I think about the goal line stand. I think about the sack fumble before halftime, where in hindsight, I mean, what were we really trying to get out of that drive? Like we could have handed it off? And I think we're just trying to bite off more than we could chew we had. I mean, we just got our ask handed to us at first half. And that's okay, Like even when you admit it like boom, get to the truth of it and move on, because you got ten to fifteen minutes at half time to really figure it out, you know, get your second plan or second half plan together. Um, so those two stick out a little more to me. Um gosh, uh it feels like that game you just you run out of time, you don't lose, and that's such a cop out and whatever. But that's like how competitive you are about those things, because yes, when I do think about them, Oh buddy, it's things that we've heard that sequence on this show many times from Antonio Brown play. Well, just just think of happier memories. Think of you know, Santonio Holmes and Sean Green beating my Patriots the week before and yourself, Yes it was I'm forty two years old, Mark, and that is the highlight of my fandom in my life is you going to Foxborough taking out the fourteen and two Belichicks. But that's the past, the future and the president is now, Mark says, Sancho's a rising star in the booth, and we thank you for some for taking some time and uh and chopping it up with us. We appreciated, buddy, Thank you absolutely. Let's do it again, guy, There he goes the great Mark Sanchez loved it. That was great love. I don't know, I feel like back in the early days of NFL dot Com for you and me, Mark, he came to the studio once and I remember kind of being in awe at that time in my life and now just to talk to him, and I thought that was a great question. That's a great question, Mark, You're doing great journalise. But his answer, like I get to look at the play four different ways, like that was all kind of pretty enlightening. I did do back in the day when we did long forms and stuff to this one where I canvas thirteen different announcers and how they prepared and like, I just wanted to learn from it. And that answer is different than anyone else told me. And I think that's fascinating. Then that's happening during the game, and I think he nailed it, Like he is super engaging. Um, his love for the sport is I think you've got to have it as an announcer, you can't. You can't be coasting, and he doesn't. And I think he's one of the more exciting developments on the microphone. Based on what he just told, he's gotten better. Like I, I liked his enthusiasm and love for the game, and that really translate. And you think all these guys love the game. Of course, they love the game at their heart, or else they wouldn't be there, they wouldn't have risen to where they are. But some of them don't seem to love broadcasting as much or it it it feels like a job, or some of them are just more serious or self serious in that, like their love of football doesn't translate in the same way and ultimately is and it's like an entertainment um product that it's more entertaining to have a guy who likes his job. And I was gonna say to Mark if we had more time, he's he's really like Mark with a K. He's very lucky as Coogler. They're a great combination. And he could have gotten stuck. And I'm not gonna name names, but there's some play by play guys out there that are very stiff. Maybe they've been in the game too out there maybe not something younger ones maybe are more serious too, and they wouldn't be they wouldn't be laughing along and kind of play up to it as well as Coogler is. And that's something you needed Network should do more of as we As we talk announcers, it's like they should groom teams together instead of kind of looking at it like like switching them all. I think they want to do that ultimately, and this team is a good time. I was gonna ask him, like, do you have to like your broadcast partner, because I'm sure that's just not I mean really like him outside and it sounds like they get along and fantastic questions. You know, you can tell, like Joe Buck and Troy, I mean, that's at the top of the food chain of the conversation. You could tell there's a relationship there, and I think that only helps. And on that point, we do from time to time do like announcer booths. We we figure out which one is the best, but we usually we've never done it by you take out the Monday night football booth, Why don't we take out the Sunday night football booth? Why don't we take out the tn F booth I do want to talk about just wait until we planned this before the shows. Great, Um, let's even take out the number one guys on Sunday. So get Jimmy and Tony out of the conversation. Um, who's number one on Wilson is a new group, That's what's kind of interesting. And he's the number one. He got there the same time as Sanchez last year. So let's talk about the other guys. Let's talk about the the the announcers that most of us here, whether when you're following your own team, it's not always these these big spotlight announcers. Because I want to start with you know, we're talking about Sanchez and what a great job Coogler does setting them up. Um, another team I like on the that's I think unsunk because I think Sanchez and Googler are unsung at the but I know that we're pumping them up, but they deserve more love as a team on the Rise and CBS, I love, love Love. I've always liked uh Iron Eagle going back to his days at w F A N. But um, this is a colleague of ours. But I think Charles Davis gets slept on big time when Eagle and Charles Davis are on a call together with Evan Washburn, who's excellent downstairs. Um, that is a game that you know is in good hands. So if I think my rising star is Coogler Sanchez, I think on the CBS side the team I feel most comfortable with outside of the big names. What are they what was their name? It wasn't Bird in the Beer. It used to be back in the day with the Eagle in the Beak, Bird in the Beak, whatever it was, Um, Eagle Davis, I'm I'm totally with you because I mean, not to go off on a tangent, but West and I were huge Iron Eagle fans would walk around crowded taverns asking um groups of people if they thought that Iron Eagle was underrated, and people didn't know we were talking about. But Charles Davis, I think is not a hot take guy. I think he's just extremely knowledgeable and we you know, we know him initially as a draft nick. I mean, he's so he understands where all these players came from. He's a great communicator, and I think it's just like what Sanchez talked about. I an Eagle is an excellent table setter and Charles Davis knows what to do with it. And Washburn, I think the sideline guy matters and Washburn's excellent though too. He has his little flares and he makes a moment feel bigger. That's why they're number two. One thing with its exercise. Looking at the rankings, I kind of thought was, like, all the rankings seem about right. I'm glad, I'm really glad that where the Eagle and Charles Davis are getting a playoff game. They're not gonna be They're not that under the radar anymore. They got that bump I think last year and um, they're like a great I'm totally with you. He's he's so prepared and the two of them together are a joy to listen to. And Olsen was kind of in that spot last year as the number two teams and they bumped him up and you learned so much like Olson and Charles Davis maybe don't have like the humor that that a Sanchez or or even a Romo have, but they're still like I watch comedy specials and take notes that that is personality and what I like about Charles David also know it's that humor. A lot of these a lot of these guys when they try to be funny and they're not naturally humorous, it is a massive whiff and it's a it's a tough list. Great Damas is m He's he's always been known to say, like nobody that you know, everyone thinks they're funny. Everyone thinks there's a little bit of them that's funny and that and that comes out, but a lot of people are not funny, and that's when you get hit with like Groners, it's the one thing that everyone believes that they have. And I always remember response because she was there when she's like, I don't think I'm funny. I've never there's always an algier in the data. And by the way, the reason I like Evan Washburn other than him being really good at the job, imagine like a well adjusted Patrick Bateman on your sideline as the guy on the field, Like he's like tremendously put together. It was his birthday earlier in the season. They brought up cake down to him, like happy birthday, Evan Washburn, and you could tell he doesn't ingest a calorie that has any level of sugar taken. His body rejects it. So he did like a little like lick of it, and it was like, Wow, he's going to punish himself for that. He's gonna do seven thousand crunches when he gets home. It was Patrick Bateman not existing, and it was the bird in the Beard that was the previous team of Eagle and Dan Fouts. Who's I think the only other like under the radar group. It's not that under the radar for us. That I always like is Kenny Albert and Vilma, and so I think Fox overall is deeper. If we had if we had forty five minutes with Sanchez, I would have asked an uncomfortable question whether there's a rivalry and him and Vilma are Joscelyn Elbow don't have always asked comfortable questions when our guests come out. That's like for the second the second in the town booking department needs us to be we need to truck he It's not a question. I think he you know, he played against Jonathan Vilma, and I'm sure he's competitive and Jonathan Vilma, I'm sure it's competitive too, and their teammates ultimately at Fox and I'm sure they've had that certain conversation. They are. They're great too because Jonathan Vilma has the defensive perspective and he brings a ton of energy. And Kenny Albert to me and very it's his son, Kenny's I I will check that, but I mean Kenny Albert has adult children. He's the son of legendary NBA sports. He's a good straight man, just like Marv Albert was. I mean, he does a nice job with Vilman. It's again it's with Steve Albert. He's got a voice though too, and he has little ride jokes. Kind he's kind of like an eye an eagle as well. And it's good to have the different perspectives, like Greg Olsen is amazing at route combinations because he's a receiver, and it's good to have non quarterbacks I think in the booths of time. And Vilma is very good unsurprisingly on defensive play and like off ball linebacker play, and you just like, don't get that. And so if you can teach me a little something and you're having fun doing it like he clearly is, I'm a big fan. Do you think it's cheating that? Um? I guess they're the number one team, but Burkhard and Olsen get Aaron Andrews and Tom Ronaldi on the sidelines. I think, I mean, that's a bit of a cheat code. Shouldn't you just get the one sideline reporter? I think I think it's you're getting that. You're getting the games in theory, we're both both teams matter so much. I mean, that happened on Thursday Night football for years for for Troy or not, at least with the Fox crew for the last couple of years they would have Christina Pink there, Troy and Joe. Do we do we get too on on Monday Night Football these days? I don't know that's a good question. Who do they throw downstairs too? She's so, she's so. It's not an easy job, by the way, and chase the PR guys down m hm. Tell us more well. I talked to Peter Schreig or my friend for that article about his work as a side of them. You've gotten so much material out of all your good long forms. I think it's time to do another. It's like, just because you're gonna gonna end up reusing it, time for me to do one. Yeah, you're a wonderful suscribe Mark. You have a way with words. You've obviously created an incredible content for the digital side in the past. I think it's more I got a lot going on right now. I don't have time to write a long form all right, fair enough. I think we're missing someone very important in this mix. I think Kevin Harlan is a word speer, one of the great poets, and I mean Trent Green. Trent Green. Maybe I kind of wonder, um, if you paired Harlan with someone entirely different, I wonder what would happen there. Um. It's not personal to Trent Green. I just I think that Harlan is sort of unmatched at what he does. There's no one like Kevin Harlan. I'm just thinking, because we've done this exercise in some form in a while, it always circles back to to me or someone kind of half burying Ten Green. I'm not I I don't intend to do that. I think he's he's yeah, good at what he does. I just think Kevin Harland, it's a who do you put with Kevin Harlan. There hasn't been a lot of turnover. I haven't seen those like deep teams. Uh, this this season. There's not a lot of talking. He's walking to the three. He's at the two md W red zone cd W. People who get it? Now a police state troopers come on the field and the town runs into the zone touchdown. Oh he's also do we have the guy whos drunk? By any chance? He was a guest on this show too. He was grand was a great sport as well. Remember what he told us that in his inn it to to keep his passion in love with the game alive. That in his hotel room before kickoff, he blasts NFL films music on loop. I love it. That's that passion. You can't hide the path. And all right, let's take a break and then hit the Thursday night football game. Good app, good app. All right, we'll be right back, all right, welcome back. All right, let's do it. It's week eleven and it starts with a great game. The Tennessee Titans. The Tennessee Titans just know how to win games. That was pretty good, Burman. Yeah, oh no, my turning into Chris Bermant. Slowly but surely I'm getting a custom suit, you get I'm running stumbling, Yes, the Tennessee Titans travel to lambeau Field to face the Packers. And we all know the last time a supposed supposed conference contender went to Green Bay, Uh, they went home with the loss the Cowboys on Sunday. So now in a short week, Tennessee um takes on the Packers and a reminder, this TNF preview is presented by Prime Video, the new exclusive home for Thursday Night Football. And Greg, this is a Tennessee team that probably could have They're a little annoyed right now. I'm sure it's like we got just barely got Tannehill back on the field. He did a nice job for us, got a w was limping on the field, and now we got to turn around and play four days later. So he's probably still going to be somewhat limited. But I guess it's the story of this game might be that defense and whether it could shut down Aaron Rodgers coming off a really good game with that running game that's revitalize. Right. I'm done doubting the Titans based on who is going to play or how many snaps they've for instance, the quarterbacks a little different to me, but okay, right, I agree with that, But they do have Tannehill and as you mentioned on the Sunday Night recap, I thought he played well, especially the last two and a half quarters of that game, like he makes such a difference. But in that final possession of the first half on I agree with you, right, Bud Dupree, we don't know if he's gonna play as of taping Jeffrey Simmons, who's their best defensive player, we don't know if he's gonna tape. And yet they have. They had forty pressures on Russell Wilson. I think they had like twenty alone between Like guys, you never even heard of DeMarcus Walker in that game. Mario Edwards is going crazy. They were I always see it. They really do remind me more of the old Patriots than any team that's ever came from that team. And that's like when you're missing your stars, like guys you don't know just step in and they're great. So I expect the defense to give them a lot of problems, and I expect, like Tennessee, to make this a fun close game. I'm not quite buying that Green Bay is ready to just take off and soar. That felt like Mike McCarthy's coming to town. The Cowboys are coming to town. We're all fired up. We had a great comeback performance. Show it to me again before I really believe this is gonna be consistent. Yeah, I want to see it again. I mean, I think it was a great sign to have someone step up as a wide receiver for Green Bay and to have that narrative play out. Is it their week to week? I don't know. I mean the Titans defense, I just can't stop to king about what they did to the Chiefs. I know that was a bitter loss, but that's the only game where they allowed even twenty points dating back to Week four. I mean, the their defense is legit. You said it doesn't matter who's inter out of the lineup. There are a lot of injuries right now, but they're They're a super resilient team, and I really liked the matchup of Derrick Henry getting back on track after you know, tough Broncos defense. The green Bay defense is the thirtieth run defense in d v o A. They have been stormed on week after week. Outside of that one little strange aberration contest with the with the Bucks where the Bucks ran for thirty four yards because I didn't even try to run. Everyone else has galloped on Green Bay at will. Yeah, And that's I think the key to the game right there, because if Derrick Henry does one of his like Aaron Rodgers is always great in prime time and Thursday night football. He I think he's has eighteen touchdowns, one interception, seven and two lifetime, but we've seen a lot of huge Derrick Henry games as well on this type of stage, and if he does his thing, you know, I think with the Packers, it's so what what's been missing from the Packers offense? Like, yes, they have not been is relying on the running game is perhaps they should be. But also what happened with Christian Watson in that game, that's it like they've needed someone to step up, and I think it is maybe asking a lot after the guy did nothing for two months now to just like lock him in. Our Christian Watson, he's the guy we can count out. But that's kind of what the Packers need. They need him or someone to make those big plays and when they don't, they're stuck in mud. And when Rogers has someone to work with, they can fly. It's crazy how reliant though they are on the run to set up those big plays. I mean Rogers even in that comeback there was I read how fourteen down the play calling the rest of the way with something like fifteen or sixteen runs in eleven passes, and that was increasing the amount of passes that he had. So even when they were trailing, they stuck to it, and I think they will stick stick to it. I think the Titans are are good defending the run. Tell me if I'm wrong or not, but I still would rather on the Titans than then try to throw. I know, the banged up in the back end, Christin Fulton, we don't know if he's gonna play, but they always find a way to get free rushers with stunt and hit quarterbacks like no matter who's back there. Yeah, the Titans run defense after the first two weeks in the season was bad, but now they are They have really stepped it up, and Jeffrey Simmons said on Tuesday that he feels a lot better. He's hopeful that he can play on Thursday. Feels a lot better than he did last week, so that would be huge for the Titans middle defensive front. I think whoever stops the run better in this game is the team that's gonna win because both of them. Both of these teams are gonna stick to the run. I think, and whoever is in like, does he actually like his team. I'm not going to do it. The reason is I haven't really looked at the rest of the slate and I don't want to do it. I don't want to make always change it by Thursday, and we don't like doing the change. I like him. Okay, they could use fresh bodies too, because I just it's a math. I believe they had ninety one snaps against the Chiefs on defense and then seventy three, which is a huge number against Denver two. That's a hundred and sixty four snaps in two weeks. That's essentially three games and now they have a short week. So I know they're tough, but on defense especially, they could use a game where the Tennessee offense isn't going three and out for a quarter and a half that they were a week ago. The Packers also coming off an overtime game, which is obviously a lot of extra snaps with a big emotional win to to snap a five game losing streak. That this is like a setup for both teams to have potential letdowns with a lot of emotional doesn't know you're playing that gonna do it. Green Bay's playing the Eagles next week, like I mean, they're they're every week. It's essentially their season must have game for Green Bay, I think, or at least they got to split one of these two games. Uh. Is it strange to you justin that the Tennessee Titans are playing on a Thursday night and it's not against the Colts or the Jaguars for the first time since through stopped that stupid series, and I think it was the last time. I feel like it's been a lot of like Derrick Henry running over South team for the last twelve years. Do you worry about my Titan? Like like coming from you know, Placid, little Nashville into nighttime Greenly, it's in the Midwest. The last time, the last time the Titans played at Lambo in primetime was two years ago on Sunday Night Football and they lost forty Alright, so well that's a different packard to that was ugly. Can I ask a Titans question, how come they don't build a little more of the offense out of my guy? Yes, I'm submitting for proposal here, whatever work, Chick con quo. Whenever they gave a con quote the ball, I get excited. I think that is John new Smith, who I used to love in Tennessee. It's like a juice step. John new Smith build the whole plane. I have a cons averaging twenty point one yards per catch, and he leaves the Titans. He leads the Titans in total yards after catch, despite being like sixth in receptions or something, maybe even worse than that. He is dynamic with the ball in the sands, and they need to get it to him. They don't have a receiver over three hundred yards. It's week ten. They don't have anyone on pace for more than five hundred and five yards. A J. Brown trade worked. I am also out of the Thursday night football um lock business. But this the dumb, an increasingly dumb decision. Two fork the Green Bay Packers in mid November is gonna look even worse. You can't play both sides of this fence. It's three days did for them, or it's gonna look gonna lock them up. Last day, he felt so confident. You know why. You know why I can because I went on record before the Packers played another game. I'm not saying I bear respectible either way. You're right we would have forgotten about that. But I'm telling you they're gonna win again, and okay, within ten days we're gonna be Why did you agree to to the lock though, because it needed to be unanimous. You join? You join? Now, that was I don't think you'd give into pressure. That was just kind of went in that case. I did feel I was on the fence about it too. I don't remember pressure. I think it was Cessler. I think Mark's Packers hate infected me. It went into my bloodstream. Then I'm I have more power than I realized. The NFC turkey though, like the good vibes last until Thursday night if you're not correct, if they're four and seven, like that, these good vibes did not last. It was like a black google that was going across the glass and then it just like seeped in under my fingernails. That black good does not come from me. You gotta be worried though that you've seen this story before. In fact, Aaron Rodgers authored this story. You author this story before, and like the relaxed season, yeah, where they were done it it's not going to be the case every time. I don't believe in it. I don't believe in it because of the defense. All right, So that's it, Green pay time out. We are not on a tug about time out of the packers at this stage. Um, we're all in in fact. So that's it. That was that TNA preview presented by Prime Video. The new era of Thursday Night Football is officially here, and it's only on Prime Video. Thank you to Mark Sanchez. How fun was that? It's great. Thank you for everybody for listening and watching, and we will be back on Thursday with a full preview of all the week eleven games to come. Till that, he'd the call third and fours into the Nickelod San Francisco and the secondary. Hey, somebody's running on the field. So I'm goroofball in a hat and a red shirt. Now he takes off the shirt. He's running down the middle. By the fifty. He's at the thirty. He's bared chested and banging his chest. Now he runs the opposite way, runs with the fifty. He runs in the forty. The guy is drunk, but there he goes the twenty. They're chasing him. They're not gonna get him, waving his arms here chested, somebody stopped that. He comes to the blue coat. They got him. Here comes, oh are? They tackled him at the forty yard line. That was the most exciting thing that happened tonight. I'd tell you what. That was a great call on your part. That was a great call.