2022 Week 5 Preview: Game Picks and Locks of the Week

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Speaker 1: The Around the NFL podcast feels like the game it's slowing down. For that from the Chris Wesley podcast studio, It's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansas Heroes with me, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. It is time to do the dive that we do. Week five preview show is upon us. Man, it does fly, It really does. I don't want to be that guy here you're out like it was just it was just the summer, and now here we are heading into mid October, almost in the season. It is almost at the quarter pole. Oh those quarter poles actually three cards. Shut up. I mean it as one fourth through, We're almost there. Well, we're kind of passed it right through four games. Everyone finished their four games in right, so midway through this week it would be right now. And as we speak, Uh, I feel bad to for our listeners because for so long we've teased them the Theology Podcast as a potential upcoming show. And before the show, I gotta say, we had a great Theology podcast going, but no one was recording. Well we did, I mean we I thought I saw it as a primer to, uh, you know, the show that will have produced at some point in the future. And I Dan, I think you summed it up well at the end when you said you respect everyone's beliefs. I'm not sure that I buy that, But but you verbalize what you mean. You're not sure you buy that? What does that mean? I want to investigate that further, like have I left any bread crumbs that I would not respect someone else's beliefs? Not during the conversation we just had, because there's a lot of people listening behind the glass, and I thought that you were tying up nicely so that you couldn't be tagged with some other comment. That's that was a cruel cutdown that you just had. I am not trying to remember it. Will stick to the ribs. I will Adam and Eve, well one of them. All right, let's get to it and get this dagger out of my back. Well, it's not it. I spoke it to you, Judas situation going on here there there? It is all right. Today is the show where we give a full breakdown and everything's coming week five. Remember there is one game being played tonight. It's Colts at Broncos. Al Kirk and Kaylee hard Tongue. Um, we'll have that game on Prime video and NFL Plus and we will have that covered on the Friday Fun Show tomorrow, But first we get into all the games to come. So let's start as we always do. You want to get into it? Are you back back back? We gave this is a this is terminology. We gave you a blow on Tuesday. You needed it. You gotta block a little bit out your back. You what. I had a great Monday night football recap though, fresh shof the plane, baby, so that was that was good. You know, sometimes we catch a little bit of heat on the show about being uh two Rams focused, and then the Rams get humbled and embarrassed by the forty nine and we have the voice of the Rams on to discuss. So it's totally no way to know who's gonna win the game. When it was Vikings Eagles, I had a Vikings guy on a reef too, So it's like, you don't know who's gonna win all of you don't coin flip. Someone noted it at one point because I know you were very tired, well, but that you called it the Rams recap, I'm not kidding during the show, so I mean, you know, you might want to be a little careful with the word. Let's get to the prime time games. Let's start with Sunday Night football. Oh, Sunday Night ei, E, it's a great one. It's not a great slate of games this week. Listen, it's football, so it's still great. But um, in terms of matchups, not a ton of great ones, but this one's very nice. Uh. The Cincinnati Bengals, who have gotten back off the mat after that ugly start to the year. That it wasn't that ugly, the offensive line play was, but they lost two close games to Pittsburgh and Dallas and then beat up on the Jets and then had that memorable not for all good reasons win over the Dolphins last Thursday night. Now they head to Baltimore to face the Ravens, who mark have had a strange season so far. Because we talked about especially so many two and two teams. I believe they're fifteen or so right now, Like you know, that's probably average, but it just feels like the middle of this league is so beefy, and the Ravens don't feel like a two and two team. But they blew the huge lead to Miami teen and then they blew a twenty three advantage over Buffalo both games at home, so it's like, what do you make of the Ravens right now? Yeah? I mean that surprising because they've been a dominant team at home and there are a number of two and two teams too. I think in the a f C North, where you can make a case that they very easily could be four. Now that's not how this works. By the way, fifteen teams is the most through Week four of a season in NFL history, so it it feels that way. There's are close games than ever before. The close game thing is crazy, but that doesn't surprise me anymore because I've just come to learn that every game is gonna come down to the last three minutes. But this was the team last year that the Bengals I thought, started to really flex their muscles and stand out as an offensive juggernaut. Burrow put up ninety one passing yards against the Ravens last year. I know they were banged up in their secondary. That is the most against any team in a single season in NFL history. Is that offense still with us. I don't think so, because a lot of what they did against Baltimore was soft and the Steelers was softened them up with Joe mix in the Running Game. They don't have that right now, but over the last two weeks, Burrow has been sacked three times after thirteen times in the first two So the it's the line totally fixed at us to do with who you're playing, but it does seem to be better last time. It takes a little time. They also wrote in block and counts though, and that's worse. Yeah, but I it does. Joe Mixing looks a little worse too to me, but I think it. But so much of it was about your your franchise quarterback taking a beating back there, and at least for two weeks in a row, it's been lessons and that's to me. Yes, the run game has a long way to go. I almost feel like, yeah, Mixing doesn't look quite right, but he really hasn't had a true opportunity to me either, But the uh, you do one step at a time, and if you can't fix it all at the same time, take care of Joe first. And Burrow went out of his way to complement the past blocking after the Dolphins game, and that just if you get him feeling good and get his you know, the swag machine going with Burrow, it just changes this entire offense. Yeah, he's playing better, but I don't think his coach, Zach Taylor is helping him out. Like even in that Dolphins game, it's it's right back to the nine eighties, run run pass and it was a lot of like third and long because they don't run very well on the first two downs and it's predictable, and he made up for it with good plays. This is an ultimate like what's different about these teams this season type of Week five game? Because you mentioned the eight plus points the Bengals dropped on the Ravens last year. I mean that was em are a scene for the Ravens. And now when these two teams match up, you have one of the best big play offenses in the league in the Ravens against one of the best big play defending defenses in the Bengals, And so who wins that battle? Then on the flip side, you know who are the three least explosive teams in the NFL this year? Mark, I would say the Panthers would be one. The Panthers are one of them, yes, and you know who the other two are. They played each other in a very memorable game last year that the Wesleyan brothers all attended and that the Rams one end of the game, Aaron Donald DRAMs Super Bowl consetti fell, and we did seem like a great argument for that stat if they both both got to the Super Bowl. No, it's this year they're the least explosive teams. So that we were in the weeds a little bit now. So it's the Bengals offense who can't who just can't buy a big play against a Ravens defense who has given up a lot of big play. So it's like best worst on worst. Here see Higgins four yards and a touchdown in seven catches last week. Jamar Chase is your big play guy, so I will. I know you're always a target practice on Zach Taylor Greggy for whatever reason, but yeah, there is it's like he's like, oh, he's change my polo. He's an offensive coach, and you could see Chase is frustrated on the field in these games. He's not having the big weeks That became really a signature of the whole season. When you think about what do you think about when you think of one Jamar Chase taking over the world. It's time for him to take over the world. And how about a primetime games against the Baltimore defense that sometimes gets in the weeds themselves and can give up a lot of big plays. I kind of like it. It felt like justin Jefferson in London last week, he just felt due for a breakout game because these guys are too good, Jamar Chase too good to be held down. He has a big game and is a difference in a Bengals win and good no, no, but I kind of feel it. It feels good, it feels right. I mean, you said te Higgins is you know, the number two, and and that's true. But I want to get the stats exactly right. But he's played in his last seventeen games, I think he has over seventeen hundred yards. I mean, that's more than stud that's Jamar Chase's numbers. He essentially has taking on the cornerback and the opposing team. Tee Higgins probably isn't doing that if Jamar Chase is on the field. But that's taking really not too much away from it. You're starting to see some of the big players come back. I think the first two weeks really there there was very little but the past to Higgins last week, the fifty nine yard touchdown. Chase has only had one catch over twenty yards. I believe it is so that will change the sun. Someone's gonna be like a really good two and three. There's a lot of two and two teams, and part of it is by design, Dan, The NFL purposefully puts all the good things against each other at the beginning of the season, they put all the bad teams against each other. You get a bunch of two and two where these two and two is are not cool, Like the Ravens feel like an awesome two and two, two close games where they had big leads to really good teams. I mean, but here they could be they still could be two and three. From another angle, they've collapsed in two games. I mean, but I mean, but I think there's and say you're like, you're gonna be eight and eight and then have a seventeen game. If you blow games like this, you can't do that. I think you're right about what happens over there on three Park Avenue. But how many times did we see say in the first four weeks, Man, this is too early for this matchup? Is it? Because they want everyone to and too. I think they have since like out. Yeah, they want to even it out a little bit. All right, let's move to Monday night football the Las Vegas Raiders. They needed to win. That's why Zeuster shifted into the lock of the Raiders because they felt desperate, whereas Denver last week felt like a team that could play with a loss, and they certainly ended up playing with a lot. Really, you had almost a preternatural sense for that game. I felt about you. Thank you very much. You know, after what happened earlier in the show, you've come back with that and that was so sincere that even Stephen, we're good now. I know that you keep scoring, so I'm trying to keep scoring myself with where I stand with you. Yes, that was a major um deficit reducer for you, friendship, goodwill um. All right, the Denver Broncos fell to the Raiders. So the Raiders get the win, and now, uh, good thing because now they go to Arrowhead to face the Chiefs. And there are times where you want to well, there never really a time you want to face the chiefs of Patrick Willimes and the quarterback preseason, you know, maybe a week ago this time loudon have felt like the worst time, but then mark uh that that version of Patrick Mahomes in the chief offense showed up against Tampa Bay and decimated Todd Bowles and company. So I'd be a little bit noivous if I was Josh McDaniels heading into this game at primetime, no less right, and I mean these things. I don't put a ton of weight in always, but Patrick Mahomes has dominated the Raiders in his career, and there's a lot of connective tissue between last year's Raiders team and this Raiders team. Chiefs are second points per drive. They look at that, they look that way. They're doing it differently than they than they had in the past. Because Mahomes right now leads the league in short touchdown passes. They don't have a single player with a deep reception in twinning with multiple deep perceptions in this season. They're doing it differently. We've seen that from the start, but the way that they operated against the number one defense in the league last week just makes you think, just like everyone else, they're using this first month to figure out who they are. If this is who they are after one month, I would be very concerned for the rest of the a f C wets, which West was in general has issues this This Mahomes team is peaking. I do want to see though, if the Raiders, I thought what they did against Denver was Josh McDaniels type thing, where what they're trying to figure out who they are. They just ran the ball a ton and they beat up Denver's defense, and you're can you is that sustainable week after week to be that kind of an offense if they want to be more run heavy and not put it all on Derek Carr. There's so many good run heavy offenses right now in the NFL. I think they'd love to be another one. And I think that is the way you go after this Chief's defense. I think the Chiefs defense, like many, are kind of built where you can run the ball against them if you're patient and you're effective enough. And I think that was really promising for the Raiders. I just don't know how they're gonna get stops. Can Chandler Jones enter the season because the Chandler Jones and Max Crosby right what a duo. There are a lot of great addressers right now in the NFL. Having dominant seasons, no one's doing any better than Max Crosby. He might be your your all pro he's right there. And yet Chandler Jones has been very quiet week after and uh, we need a little more out of Chandler Jones. Why are you with Chandler? But it's true because if you're having that type of all pro season, just like we were just talking about Tee Higgins and Jamaar Chase, that should really help out a Chandler Jones unless he has not decided to join us in regulation. He pops up and makes a couple of little plays here and there, but the past us isn't there. We could we also could use like a great Derek Carr game. You know, I know he played Soker the Raiders better the last couple of weeks, especially two weeks ago. I would yeah, that's what we're looking for. I thought we were just saying what we want. I mean, I imagine the Raiders. I wouldn't say we've just a complete Derek Carr game. Yet we're four weeks in. Yeah, let's get one, and he's wanted seven in his career versus I'll tell you, I'd be locking the hell out of this game. If it was in the lock zone. But it's just on the other side of it, so I'm staying away. But the Chiefs I think are gonna roll. I'd love to see I'd love to see the Raiders and we when we sang and appropriately so Josh Jacobs praises last week. Um, but I think they're gonna be in a situation the Raiders where they need to throw the ball, and maybe it'd be nice to see some more Darren Waller explosiveness with Davante Adams, and it's a lot of mental errors when targeted things doesn't especially go wrong. I'm curious, like I'm not ready to totally say the Chiefs are just the number one offense in the league and all the way back, just because they've been a little up and down this year. Their run game was amazing last week against the Bucks of all teams, but it hadn't done anything the two weeks before. I got the sense that uh Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes met bi weekly during the off season, and they had that Week four game against the Bucks circled and they said, we are going to get so much revenge. We're going to break out all the good stuff for one week and they got all the revenge last week. That was just like an amazing performance that they haven't shown to me, uh you know consistently. Yeah, they points by games so far for Casey, for a team that's figuring an out a New World seventeen and that lost one second and scoring fourth and tweal week at how explosive they can be right now and say, there aren't that many teams in leaguing. If they can be a top eight running team, let's say forget about it. Forget about it over here, this guy with the slang affectation of little all right, let's get to the London game. We head to the UK. We were there this time last week. Now it's time for the Giants and Green Bay Packers. We were in the dressing room reading for our live show. At this hour has been the week and one week ago. If you know time again and how it moves so fast, you can't tell me it feels like a full week ago. We were on that dressing I was pondering that actually before the show, and um, the last week has actually felt about forty seven days long for me, so I can I can believe them. The Packers are making their international debut. How about that, and all they have to do is beat the Giants are also three and one and got some pop and got some heat. Uh So here we go Packers, Giants, Daniel Jones. Let's see, I'm checking out the injury report. A lot of guys people practice today to an extent. Again limited in practice. Uh but yes, so Daniel Jones is a big piece of the puzzle here because Tyrod Taylor coming off a concussion as well. And you know one thing I don't think we really spoke about, or maybe we did, but again Sunday's shows not really something I remember. Uh when they needed to uh ice that win, Sae Kwon Barkley was running the Wildcat, and that is uh just it gives you such a snapshot into how special his year has been so far and how much that has meant. I know they haven't been overly um overly impressive, Greg, but without Barkley they'd be going four right now. No, speaking of all pro, he is he he are are all pro running back through four weeks. It's hard to try everyone. Everyone completely ignores Nick Chubb no matter what he does. But I think se Kwan would edge him out in this star. Well, you don't think looks he's definitely in the coy and that top two or three, but you are. They are the number one rushing team in the NFL. And it's not because of Matt Brita, you know what I'm saying, itause he's team well. And also they last week against the Bears, the reason that Barkley is so critical too, they had their wide receivers had three catches for yards, so so depleted all over the rest of the roster. People show me something here, because you're in a tough spot, you're going overseas, and you've gotten really creative with this running game. And he deserves some credit for this. To se Kwan deserves the most. But they've been very creative how they've set it up. And you're going against the Packers team who a little soft when it comes to the run defense. It's yet another season where we enter the year, oh the Packers maybe a top five defense, loaded personnel, and they come into the season and they're just average and I would say they're well below average when it comes to run defense. So the way this matches up, it's it's tough to win without having some passing game. The Giants have found a way but entertained a stable. Give us a lot of creative runs, hold the ball, ugly it up. The Londoners love it. Yeah, you need you need a hundred and fifty total yards from se Kwon Barkley to make this a game the Packers. That was one of the weirder games, the Packers Pats game because and I know, Greg, you went back and rewatched it, so I'm curious your thoughts on this. I didn't think the Packers played poorly, and yet they were going back and forth with this Patriots team, uh starting Zappy Bailey or Bailey Zappy and it's just like, how did that happen? In Lambeau? But it was the defense because every time Aaron Rodgers, who played great in that game and made a ton of big throws, every time they said all right, we're gonna get control of this game, they didn't get the stop. And it makes you think if Bailey Zappy and the Pats can do it, even a diminished Giants offense potentially could do the same thing, especially in a funky environment at the hot Toddy, I don't see a lot of ways in for the Giants in this game. I mean, in theory, Aaron Rodgers, if you can pressure him, his passer rating drops eighty points. He's the second worst quarterback through four weeks. Again, pressure and the Giants They've got Dexter, Lawrence cave Am Thibodeaux starting to come on a little bit. Wink, Martindale. Pressure is about as much as any defensive coordinator out there. But can you really see them slowing down the packers? Like, good luck doing that working stuff, trying to outsmart Aaron Rodgers As Aaron Rodgers will tell you he's one of the smartest men that that's ever lived. It's not playing out this season, though, so that's fair being mean. He just sort of gives off that he certainly is aware of his intelligence. Yeah, you know, I've had I don't know if it's a men it's not. I think he's I've said it before in this show. I think he's a dumb guy. Think he's a smart guy. No, I don't think he's a dumb guy. I think more he's a dumb guy's idea of a smart guy. That's that's ever. I think they're coming together, though, I think this could be a total blowout. Uh. I would love to hear you say that Aaron Rodgers, I would not say it. He would mock you up with his physical butts. Head to jeopardy. Uh, Romeo Dobbs is coming out. Uh, He's gonna have the best rookie season anyone's ever had with Aaron Rodgers. I'm pretty sure of it. Like, I know it's early, but he looks like a true no one's ever gone about seven yards. Even James Jones was the top rookie ever with Aaron Rodgers, and I think Dobbs is coming along getting that trust. I gotta say, Randall Cobb is starting to look a little better each week, doing his lizard thing. Like I feel like they're not far away from like being the Packers. They're not far away. If Watson doesn't drop the ball Week one, Dobbs, you know that was a drop. Some people are getting hot in the pants about it should accounted as a touchdown, But you gotta survive contact. Just make a couple of those plays. But he's been He has his drops, but he also has his plays where it's like, oh, yes, this is an NFL receiver. All right, let's take a break and when we return draft time. All right, here, we go. I got the primetime games out of the way, we got the London game out of the way. So let's now start the draft and picking firsts. What Oh, you don't like the way that the cards fell for you here, Rosie? Why is it BS that I got the first pick in this week of all weeks? Yeah, but why is it bs? It's not like we changed the order to the orders all over again. This is I got Eric Fisher and I got Luke Joko, and I'm looking, oh, maybe I'll take the upside pick. Barkivous Mingo, there's no Greg you totally you're telling on yourself. That was Gino Smith's draft. Oh well, he was a great value and values in these drafts. I mean you can't just you know, point for that amazing compliment of the Jets. Great value of day two. Gino Smith would not would not change anything. Who did they take they took? Uh? I think we got Sheldon Richards in that year. I think he was defensive rookie of the year. So that was a good pick draft of the Jets, as you can see, and paid huge dividends from reference. It shows who's still they took someone before that who did not do out D Milner. Oh D, Yeah, he was not a good corner. There's like eight people still active in the first two rounds on that draft, all right, but that is that. This is the two draft, and Greg, you have to choose between Jocal and Fisher. What's it going to be. I'm taking the Rams and the Cowboys as my first overall pick. Now, there's a few reasons for this strategy wise. The number one goal I had once I looked at this draft for it was not end up with forty Niners Panthers in the late window. There's only three games in the late window, and all I want is to not have forty Niners Panthers. I'm picking first. There's a pretty good chance you guys are gonna take your late window games before I get it back. So my number one goal is avoid forty Niners Panthers. And then among the other two late games, I gotta say Rams Cowboys. I think is a very meaningful game for Week five. Neither one of these teams would be in my top ten if I had a power rankings like Dan, but I think it's meaningful. I think the Rams are heavy and I was felled to a I think the Rams are heavy favorites in this game in Vegas, and that seems crazy to me. I'm picking the Cowboys to win this game on NFL dot com Slash game Picks because I think this Cowboys defense is legit and I think it's a terrible matchup for the Rams right now. And that's why I want to see what happens in this game. If the Cowboys can get to four and one and this with Cooper Rush winning four straight, and if the Rams are falling the two and three and really have big problems. To me, this is a meaningful Week five game, even if they're not two of the best teams. I mean, the Rams to me, feel like they're in chaos, and it starts with their offensive line. The minute that Jeremiah Cologne came in for Coleman Shelton last week against the Niners, you had Matt Stafford, who has never they've never even taken a snap together centering quarterback, having to basically call the protections at the line to help his center out, and then getting destroyed physically the minute the snap happened, like it just there. The Rams issues start right up front, and we all know about the fact that if Matthew Stafford is gonna be on a dress. It's not through blitzing them, it's through with their line the way it is. That's true too, and that's still the situation. But the Cowboys are essentially second and pressure rate when they and I think Dan Quinn deserves a lot of Remember everyone used to kind of make fun of him. He runs out this cover three and that's all he does. Man, they change up what they are doing week to week, and they have a veteran group that can handle that in the secondary, in the front end like they're very creative. They change it up about as much as anyone. And I think they'll do it this week too. And yes, the defensive coordinator deserves a lot of credit in the backup quarterback in the defense itself, but sometimes people don't want to give credit to the guy in the big chair. Oh yeah, some Zaddi energy from Mike McCarthy all season long has helped right this ship. And when a reporter this week said you guys are underdogs, listen to this zady heat. I call this how often you use the point spread to motivate the team? Oh? If I ever half? Uh no, you know I have what is it this week? We're we're under dog, We're good, right, just from my Saturday Nite speech, I'm good. No, no, I'll never use it, but I'll just say this, where nobody's underdog. I'll take the quote where nobody's underdog. That's some big Zaddi energy, because the Zaddi, a true Zaddi, is someone who doesn't care what conventional wisdom is. Just I'm Zaddy. Follow me. I'll lead you to safety. I will give you safe uh from enemies. I'll keep you safe from enemies, and i will take you to the Promised Land. That's what Zaddi's bringing. And he does it with just a little bit of I agree with you I think they're doing. There are different versions of Zaddi's. He certainly falls into one of his own categories. Right, that little definition of what a Zaddi is, just like I can imagine Dan just like asking his his lovely wife Emily to just like repeat that to him. This is what I think. I think everybody gave their own Zaddy definition. But think about a big old bear, and I think that's what I think about Mike, Mike McCarthy, And there's a big bear cave and there's all this danger outside the cave and everyone's saying, oh, we should run, and then Zaddy goes No, everybody getting the cave and be eating alive. Not with Zaddi there, you don't have to buy into the Zaddie energy. And Mike McCarthy, I'm saying that the proof is in the subcategories of Zaddi, and he absolutely is. You know who who the Rams could use getting a little more Zaddi energy from Raheem coming after Raheem. I'm not coming after him. I'm just saying the Rams are at the point in the season where we know the offenses weeks away from being uh functional or at least uh carrying the team. Let's let's go defense. The defense for the Rams always cranks it up around December, which you know, to be fair, is when it kind of mass. This feels like a good time, like, let's dominate a game. Rams defense. They've been fine. They haven't been bad, but they've just been fine. They have not been where they were carrying the team to that Super Bowl, and they could really use a game where they make the big plays, where they make Cooper Rush make the mistakes. Otherwise I don't know how they win this game. Some swagger on the ramp side. Bobby Wagner Uh, speaking on Cooper Rush and his ability to play well with pressure, said, just because a guy has been good against the Blitz so far doesn't mean he'll be good Sunday. So the Rams feel like they can get to Cooper Rush. And I mentioned on the Tuesday Show when you watch that game, yes, the stat line looks amazing again for Cooper Rush, but he had two interceptions that were wiped away by penalty. I think he can make mistakes and perhaps will in this game, because I don't think Los Angeles is feeling in a good mood after getting embarrassed on Monday night. We have a lock of this game. Wow, it's outside this room. Okay, hey, heroes. I'm here at the Cincinnati International Airport. The wife and I celebrating our wedding anniversary today. And she's a pretty cool wife because she said, let's go watch FC Cincinnati take care of business against CC United Sunday afternoon, and for a nightcap, we'll go watch the Bengals take care of business against the Ravens. Tim really wanted to lock the Bengals up here. I don't see it though. I could see him winning, but I think it's gonna be a tight game and I'm not confident enough to lock it. However, Mike wanted to go with the Jets because he loves Dan so much. I can't see that one either. Phil wanted to go with the Chargers, and I could see that one. We're kind of on the fence. And then Eddie said, hey, let's go all out take the Cowboys. Cowboys on the road against the Rams. Interesting, but I can't see it happening. Come on, ed there's two things we know about you. You're a confident guy, and you're wrong most of the time. The Rams take care of business. So that anniversary baby the Cincinnati Zoo and happy anniversary, uh to Nick Um And it's a great wife of a good job of Stephanie. Yeah, Nick and Stephanie the anniversary. Uh. So they're not even these are at this point. They don't even like figure it out together. It's it's run by Nick and then Nick. If Nick doesn't like it, he'll go the opposite way. I mean, he's taking clear charge. This is his third straight message. So that was rambling. And then I didn't understand he just totally flipped Eddie's pick just to get back at Eddie again. That's why it's the zoo um. All right, Let's now move to the second pick. It is Mark Sessler's choice. Greg. I agree with your strategy number one about getting this late game window out of there, but I like this game a lot, and I'm taking Eagles at Cardinals PM on the East Coast if that's where you live, different times elsewhere. I want to see if Kyler Murray what they did in the second half last week against the bad Carolina team, can it translate all seven of his pass and rushing touchdowns that come in the second half. They have been taking this because of the Eagles, because I actually haven't had a chance to watch the Eagles on Sunday as a game I covered, and I find them to be There's just a lack of dominant teams out there. Are they one of them? I don't know. They've been that team so far. There really isn't a weakness. Their defense number one is caused total havoc. And I'd look at Jalen Hurts and just see the way that there was a touchdown he had last week where barreled into the end zone through two defenders. I love the tour. I love this quarterback. His teammates love him. I think their offense is super very varied because of what he brings to it. And to me Arizona's defense, we saw what happened against Kansas City. They have not figured out that side of the ball. This could be a wipeout on the road. And that is why I am so confident that I will be locking up the Philadelphia Eagles. And I've switched my lock about seven times, so we'll see how this goes. All right, can you switch it again? Because this was my lock too. I don't like us being on the same lock. You guys don't have good luck. Now you can switch, you can switch up. It's it's good when when Greg it's all on vinegar, when it's rosy and cessy, Yeah, that's not gonna go well for you guys. Well, my whole thing is I just try to lock against the Cardinals whenever possible. I think I have almost every week this year, not last week. But they're just to me, one of the worst teams in the league. That's why all these two like they have the same record as the Ravens, and it just I mean, they found a way to beat Carolina. I respect that, but to me, like we need to respect that too much though. They're just so up front. They are a team that knows seems right that they don't have the personnel defensively to just play straight up, so they're basically gonna blit almost every snap, I mean every other snap. I think their second in the league in blitz percentage. And that was the idea. You saw Tampa Uh do it well against Jalen Hurts a year ago, certainly in the playoffs, and I thought it was really interesting last week that the Jaguars defensive coordinator might called Wall came from Tampa, and I thought they did a lot of the same things that Tampa did in the playoff game and it did not bother Uh the Eagles whatsoever. This will be a cleaner game in terms of the weather is not going to be a problem. But I just don't think you can blitz Jalen Hurts like crazy anymore with those two guys winning man to man. On the other they've also been they've been dominant on the ground, like two performances a two plus yards. They have ten touchdowns on the ground. They can do it all. And I mean, I try to think that Bucks Eagles playoff game feels from another universe right now, because I can't think of a team or a quarterback that have evolved more between now and then. I think Kyler Murray had some things to feel good about in that game. That was a real defense. I like that the comeback not come from like, hey, Kyler, go make some crazy plays. It was Kyler Murray making a comeback from the pocket with a lot of beautiful throws and Marquis Brown, who people got on for, you know, asking out of Baltimore. He's making himself some money. You can't say that that that it's backfired on him. He's gonna put up a huge season and he looks legit. He's earning himself some money. There is a scenario because it's been everything around the Cardinals has been negative pretty much since really December of last year when they began their fade. But if you want to spend positive, yes, they've come out of a rocky star to this year at two and two. They get the Eagles who are on top of the world. But you know they're not. They're not. They can't. It's not like they can't be beaten. They were fell behind two touchdowns to the Jaguars last week, and you get him in your building and maybe you can get a win here. That changes everything in terms of the vibes around the organization. With DeAndre Hopkins now coming into view in a couple of weeks, and if he comes back and he's DeAndre Hopkins and Marcy's Brown is healthy and a big playmaker on the other side, then then you might have something here with the Cardinals. But this is I think it's a pretty good lock. I think it's you feel like the Eagles the way they're playing, especially how poorly the Cardinals get out of the gate um Cliff Kingsbury. You want to, you know, put some take some people to task. And I know this isn't the first I'm not the first person to do that, but find a way to get your offense going before the third quarter. Because against the Eagles offense that's killing everybody. You're gonna be down seven by midway through the third quarter if you go down that road again. Now keep presenting that other scenario where the Cardinals change their season around, because Mark is feeling very tenuous about this. He he brought up before the show how anxiety ridden he is about this lock, and he mentioned three different potential locks, and this wasn't even one of them. You were just like you were talking, you might you maybe want to do the Thursday Night I was thinking about the Thursday Night game to I just want to handle the fact that two people are locking up the same things bother you so much when like, why do you need the spotlight for your lock? No? I think it was way back when when we can figure that out? When we started what why would that matter? Why can you not team up with another human accomplish something. There was something about early when we did this lot coming that we should eat just be on our own. I don't know why. That just seemed more like it never but you never had any grasp of what makes this segment great. I had to make sure you couldn't put it under the ground. Well I did know. I did out of almost apathy, because you guys were just sick of me winning the year after year after year. But that that era has ended. Where's the trophy ended? With my study not accurate? Under the chandelier? All right, let's move on. Zeuster's up, Mike it I like this value pick here Steelers that Bills. Anytime we get to watch the Bills on a Sunday's fun Uh, they are to me. Um, obviously one of the great teams in the league and Josh Allen watching him play football and getting paid for it. Sign me up. What do I need to see from the Bills? I'm going to ask you boys that, um, what do they need to get better at? But the Steelers, Uh, if this was still Mr Trabinski universe, I would not be picking this game. But there is some juice to this team with pick it involved and the fact that he really does add a dimension to this offense. Now he's gonna make mistakes. He made mistakes against the Jets that played a big role in them getting beat. But he also went in there and showed no fear, scored two touchdowns on the ground, took a bunch of shots down field, and I think we're gonna see more of that. And I think part of they have to be that way because if they try to have a conservative game plan against the Bills. Uh, this team has never won Pittsburgh with T J. Watt out of the lineup there Owen seven, I believe it is lifetime. So yes, the Bills are gonna score, and the only way the Steelers keep it close is if Pikett is kind of a revelation in his first career starts, probably not gonna happen. I'd locked the hell out of this game if I could, but I want to see that to touchdown you cannot. I would like, I'm just curious to see how pick It reacts in this circumstance because he's gonna have to throw the ball. I love what Pickett said this week. He basically said, like, I am not gun shy. I'm gonna get the ball to these guys on one on one because this is what the ride receivers were complaining about in Pittsburgh. So at least give it a shot and see how it goes. I mean, he does have a gun slinger type of persona to him on on one level, as confidence is very high, it was time to do this. Uh, this is not last year Steelers team on the level though defensively without what you just mentioned, they have three sacks in their last three games. I don't like that going up against Josh Allen. You said one of the Bills need to do it against to get better. I mean technically, I just think it's get healthier. But even with all their issues in the secondary, there's still the number one past defense and d v o A. So how do you do that if you're Kenny Pickett go up against one of the best coach defenses in the league and somehow at the same time with your defense which is undermanned. Slowdown Josh Allen, I think I think the Bills are are probably agitated after the way they got out of the gates slow against the Ravens. I don't see that happening again on any level. Right. This is such a tough matchup. To me, the Bill's defense is one of the top three or four most meaningful developments of the first month of the season, not that they haven't had a great defense before, but the fact that I look at this pass rush and it shows up every single week, and I believe that's gonna be there to the end. And this is like a superpower that actually is a little better defensively than I even expected go into the year. And I know they have had injuries and they're not gonna get Micah Hide back, but they are preventing big plays. They only gave up twenty points to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. I know there's rain there, but that was the most explosive offense in the league, and I just really trust them. Yeah, but I want to see what pick It does because I almost thought he got a little undersold what happened last week. Those weren't the interceptions, weren't great decisions, but more than that, they were bad luck. I mean they both of them hit the receiver's hands literally. Both bad decisions, but it was not his fault. Yeah, both bad decisions, but you could you could replay those plays a lot of times and get no interceptions. Don't we forgive him to some degree for it being his first start. He had three or four times in that game the past he made to Friarmouth while he was getting absolutely smoked by by one of the Jets defenders, was a defensive It was incredible. And then he had a couple where yes, he gave Pickens a chance to make a play. Showed very nice touch. I liked what I saw out to Kenny Pickett, and I really liked it in the preseason. Two should have started against the Jets, but you should have started for a week one because now here he is starting. They've got the hardest schedule in the league for the next month. Sus as the kids would say, it's snakes to me. Here we go, let's do it. Jets Dolphins good And that shows UM respect because I don't like it when you leave that game out there when it's actually a good game, because I would take you know, but we're not. Try not to do that because I try to keep the sanctity of the draft intact. The Dolphins at the Jets really interesting here. Um, let's start with the Miami side. Obviously, Teddy Bridgewater will start in place of Tua, who was immediately ruled out earlier this week. And and we talked about a little bit on Tuesday. If they're in a tough spot, the Dolphins, because they know everyone's watching them, so it becomes a situation like how long do they feel comfortable keeping keeping them out. They'll probably be back next week, but for now, it's Teddy time against the Jets defense that's been pretty hot or cold, um in general, hot and cold, more cold than hot, I would say. But at the end of the four games there two and two because they've gotten some timely stops on defense, and their offense has come to life. So I think for the Dolphins is can they keep the offense moving with Teddy Bridgewater. I think they will because again, uh, the reason I think to and part has thrived early on uh is because he makes quick decisions, gets the wall out and as accurate, and then lets all these studs, headlined obviously by Waddle and tyreek Um do their thing, and I think Teddy can do that as well. Um And on the Jet side, I just want to see some growth now. I thought that was really fun to watch Zack Wilson and how he came out at the end of that game six for six in the final drive, really did look poised and made some big throws. But a home game, another chance for the Jets to established themselves, is a little bit different than past years. I feel like this is gonna be a potentially a fun game, a close game. That's my hope. Anyway. I mean, Zach Wilson completely won over his teammates with the fourth quarter, and I think for the psyche of the team and for Jets fans in general, because I think you were stunned by that. Right then it happens, yeah, I mean they it looked like just like the Cleveland game. It looked over and then the fact that they were able to go on that drive, get the interception of Picket and then go right down the field again, it was was really impressive. And again I'll use the word poise with Zach Wilson sometimes in his accuracy. He's very hot and cold as a passer himself, and they need he needs to make uh the easy ones. He's got to get the he's got to get that part of his game figured out. But his ability to move around evade the rush, uh make plays that Joe Flacco would have been dead and buried on. You saw it immediately in that first game. I just I don't see it as a big downgrade to Teddy because I think you've got a similar type quarterback in the sense that the accuracy is there. Um, he he meshed well with Tyreek Hill a week ago, and it's on Sauce Gardner and the rest of the defense to slow down Waddle and Tyreek Hill. And I don't think that this is This was probably the best backup quarterback in the league. So we were talking about him as taking over to his job. Had to a stumbled in the off season to explaining at such a quarterback friendly system, Teddy should be fine. But it's a great test for Sauce Gardner, who was Daniel Jeremiah's number one rookie in the league. So far this year, Uh, dj Reid has been really good. So now these these two cornerbacks are getting a lot of getting a lot of love. Big time test, uh for Sauce. I'm excited to see that. I'm excited to see a little Mike McDaniel Roberts Sala for the first time. Former you know teammates in San Francisco, you know Roberts teammates if they're on the coaching staff, colleagues. Okay, I mean, but Salo was the guy who was like, you know, the big, kind of handsome guy getting all the attention on the sidelines. And then there was just like old little Mikey on the sidelines and I'm not really getting to something. Do you see something there? I feel like you're connecting with Mikel Daniel. I mean, okay, everybody, look, Mikel was like, what about me? I should be noticed too. What I like is that there's an a f C East coaching matchup where they're from the same tree, and it's not a freaking Belichick tree. It's nice to have a little different. But I really do think that's interesting when two coaches who could be going against each other for a long time are matching up for the first time and it's offense fun versus defense. Uh, that part of it is. Uh, it's a lot of fun. And I love the idea that, if you know, maybe the Jets Dolphins rivalry, which has been dormant for a long time, it's reborn here. But the Jets need to play up to their ability. You mentioned DJ Reid. There are two m vps of this team so far. Uh, dj Reid, who has been all pro esque. He has not allowed to touch down, he's not allowed to catch over twenty plus yards one catch of fifteen plus yards thirty two point nine QB rating. This is from Zach Rosenblaut, the new beat writer for the Athletic, and he ranks fourth among qbs and snaps per reception aloud. According to PFF. He's been awesome. So Sauce has been really good. So the cornerback situation is good. And give it up for Elijah Vera Tucker who was a left guard as a rookie, the former first round pick, kicked over in the right guard for this year, and then, in a little surprise, moved by the Jets who have been absolutely savaged at the tackle position by injuries, kicks to left tackle again Pittsburgh and plays really well. So that is they gonna stay there until until one of these guys comes back off. I r he will stay there. But that was part of what the Jets are so excited about with bar Tucker was that his versatility and man to step up out of nowhere and play left tackle at a high level. There's like five six teams right now that are down to bare bones at left tackle. It's been that kind of season and so for the Jets to climb out of that, that's not the team I would have picked. So but the whole season, I mean, they are such a better um team than they were two years ago. They just have more players. They just they really are and that you know, that's the Joe Douglass credit. But this whole season's about Zack Wilson. And I thought that was a really intriguing first start for Zack Wilson. It wasn't just the fourth quarter. He had a throw in the first quarter where he ripped an opposite hash timing route to Elijah More that just showed off all of his arms strength. That was like a ash Allen type of throw. And the thing I was really excited about is he delivered that ball like five steps before More made his break. It showed incredible anticipation. When Zack Wilson threw the ball on time in that game, I thought that was his best game as a pro. I thought it was better than that one he had in Week sixteen last year. I think he showed some real maturation. Now that said, there were other plays that were like the players themselves were roller coasters, and once he holds onto the ball, you can almost hear his minding like going second rad, third rating, fourth rade, what is happening? And so there was like major ups and downs, But that's what you want to see. At least. I thought there were four or five really impressive players in that game by Wilson, which you just didn't see. As a I would love I was definite room. It's gotta stay healthy too. I would love, love love for him to string another good start in a row, because then you could really start to buy in on this but we shall see. Let's take a break and the draft will move on. All right, we are back, So tugboat just hit the double. It's time for the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota, and then Mark Sessler is on the clock. All right, I'm gonna go Chargers at Brown's. Uh charges have owned the Cleveland last couple of times. Out with with with Herbert in there, I mean, it's just Cleveland's defense I think is a sitting duck on that front. Uh there. I we'll see what happens with Myles Garrett. He's been practicing clown. He's not been around. If you have no pass rush, I don't like that situation at all. I think it comes down also to Cleveland's offense, which has been metrically and to the eyes, nice surprise this offense with with Jacobe Brissette at quarterback. I mean, he's made a couple of killer mistakes late that happened that that whole Jets loss opened up with the Brissette interception. He had a bad one last week. But other than that, honestly has been really clean and I thought he's been a He's he's gotten guys open in that offense. And they've run the ball so well. The key match up here for me is Nick Chubb. He's gotten about eighty five per scent of his yardage, and again, I do think he's looked like the best back in the league next to Sit Kwon Barkley Um on outside runs. He's dominant that way. He's just been a dominant runner on that front and that and the Chargers are essentially the worst team in the league defending that. So that's like Cleveland wants to I know it's it sounds vanilla, but they've almost been four no by just going with the formula like let Nick Chubb operate at his height, and you've got a chance to win these games, and you kinda find a way to close him. You can't. I see this thing being close to the end. And if they were to lose a thing and in a close game and go two and three, you have to say it's one of the more frustrating beginnings for a team out there because the way they've lost these close games. They have a chance, I think, to be a team that's alive when the quarterback that they brought into Shaun Watson, is returning to the team, and I think Jacoby Pricetta serves a ton of credit for aw he's played. I don't think anyone thought he would have done this. No, I think it's totally covered him and Nick Chubb and the fans game totally covered up a defense which just seems really poorly coached. To me. Their thirty in d v O as like the scheme doesn't work. They're not as bad in the traditional numbers, but it's partly because the Brown's offense just hold the ball for so long and are efficient in not putting their defense in bad positions. It was embarrassing how they got run over a week ago, even though they were playing three linebackers. I know Myles Garrett wasn't there and he's gonna be back, but Garrett one doesn't make that huge of a difference. Maybe they win that game, I don't know, but giving up fourteen straight runs like they did, and then there's always confusing in the back end. Denz Awards given up a lot of plays. I know he had that interception a week ago, but they're just seems to be something missing, which is unfortunate. If they just could improve to average defensively, then yes, they might be four O. Uh and I would expect them to win this game. I did pick them in this game. I think they're a little better than the Chargers, but I I would have drafted this if you didn't because I just I'm so curious. I don't know who's gonna win this game. I'm very curious. Like it's huge for the Chargers that Jamari Sailors. Sailors come in for Rashawn Slater and looked good last week. I mean that could have been like the Achilles heel that essentially thwarted their offense. Yeah, and I thought watching the Texans game, and you know, they didn't do a great job closing out that game, And it really did watching it because last week was such a whirlwind for US. I was stunned, like the Texans after a turnover a zone but the chance to go ahead late and the Chargers were charging it up and Houston is what Houston is, so they were able to escape with that. But so, yeah, there's still things to be concerned about. Obviously the defense, Uh, losing Joey Bosa is huge, but it was it was promising to see um Khalil Mack get a huge sack and a big spot there. He needs to step up and kind of carry that front seven while bosses out and Herbert looked healthy and was zinging the ball like Herbert so uh at in Eckler getting going with the three touchdowns. This is gonna be a good matchup. I think this will be a close game because I think the Browns are gonna keep on playing close games. Um, unless it's one of those situations like you're saying, is the defense so out of sorts? Uh? And Myles Garrett is he in? Is he out? Uh? We don't know yet. Sounds like he'll probably but probably out though still, by the way, is now reaching a month where he hasn't played. That's been ye And like the charges for as much as we love him, we love the quarterback. Um we have we seen them really explode on offense yet and have that big game? Is it coming in this game they went off against the Browns last year, we shall see. J C. Jackson needs to show up for them. He's been hurt and he's been maybe the worst player watch that from the very beginning, and the worst player in their secondary. Normally, this would be the matchup where you'd be like, oh, he did put him on to Marie Cooper. It's one versus one, but the way he's playing right now, I don't if you look at the roster, they have to be one of the more disappointing teams in NAPCY in general. All Right, that was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Up next in the draft is Greg Rosenthal. Okay, I gotta take Saint Seahawks because my guy Gino uh is in this game, and uh I didn't like just hearing how great Gino was doing last week and not watching it live. I want to take this and uh I like mess and this is a This is just all a mess. There's no way that this game isn't going to be messed. One second, when did they stop giving the London teams to buy The teams themselves requested not to have these post London bus They didn't like having it early in the season. Good question. I was thinking the same thing. Did that just start this year? I think last year some of the teams that went to London did not take a post London by and some did. The teams were like, we don't want earn early by in general, and we'd rather just put it off. And it's not through the exhau. If we were football players having just returned back from London, I wouldn't necessarily want to jump right back into play a game this week. But we did though, and the equivalent of what we do were right physically from taking physical punishment. I think it's that's why why are you? Why do you call yourself heroes? Uh? We're here right now, right we're broadcasters. Just can can we develop a defense Seattle? Because the Gino thing is a fun story, But imagine how fun this Seahawks team could be If their defense starts to improve, then they can stick around. I think in this NFC West race that their offense is a legitimate weapon. It's not just because of Gino running the offense. It's because Rashad Penny is still stuck on that six yards per carry number. We're at it like a year and a half now, where he's just running for six yards per carry. I mean that's pretty good. Um, there are two tackles, h are both rookies are playing really well? Uh, Geno's finding Lockett and Metcalf in good situations. Like I think they could be a story that is gonna bother you all season long, Like long. If this, if their defense can actually step up and just not be league worst, just get us to average pet Carroll. I mean they're last in yards and points per drive the defense. They've been that way all season. I mean there's a reason that she de and they're very young. Of course maybe there's some but I think like it's like the Smith thing now watching him over four games, Like I kind of Greg initially was, I know, you're always pounding the table for and I think that's sort of where my annoyance came from. But like watching him last week, like it's legit. He's playing great, he's playing the best football of his career, and he's not. It's not they're not just scheming around him. I mean he's he's now with DK Metcalf, there's real chemistry. They're throwing the ball down the field. They're not that limited on all. You have to give a lot of credit to how their game plan is set up to. I mean they're putting Geno. Gino has never been a seventy plus percent completion guy, Like accuracy was never his calling cards. So to see him doing that that there's some fair He hasn't played in like nine years, so like consistently. It wasn't like saying that's that time is because he was, you know, thought to be a backup. And I still think that's who he is. And like I said, let's see where things fall come January. But for right now, he's absolutely playing great, and he's playing great DK Metcalf when he's not on the poop cart playing great. Uh So there are some things to get excited about. Still. I don't know if they could stop anybody, but this feels like defense. The defense. They're pretty big underdogs here. I do like cover. They did a job against Minnesota last week. I mean, they shut down drives, they were they were good, but they I agree with you, Mark, but they've been like ninth or tenth or so in most stats this year. And the idea was, Dennis Allen, you're bringing them back. You're bringing all these veterans back. There's a lot of talent on this defense. They need this defense to be special. They haven't been special. Why with the Saints. Why should the Saints at this juncture be favorite against anybody really outside of the real dregs of the league. I agree with you, not by fat, that's some respect, that's some serious respect for the Saints and the Saints team that you know they are getting Alvin Kamara back, it sounds like that could be helpful for Andy Dalton. Well, I think Andy Dalton's probably with Alvin Kamar a little bit better if you're gonna dump it off to him and try to make something of him. First one, they gotta make him a focal point of the offense. Uh. And Michael Thomas looks like he'll be out again. We're not sure, but he is not practicing all right. Uh, Lions and Patriots. It's crazy. I think this is the first live Patriots games I've had. That's sort of sad um. But I'm this week because it's got the team of a t L it's got the Patriots. Both of these teams are looking at this game and they're saying juicy and this is a winnable game. But hey, hey, Lions, do we need to have the lines of pep talk. We'll make a team of a t N go win a game when we you play to win the game, win a game, go to New England against Zappy Bailey Bailly Zappy or a really uh compromise Mac Jones or Brian Hoy or whoever it is, get a couple stops and when a game to fourteen, hell to twenty four, this is the Lions. The score, it doesn't matter who's playing, the score has to end. This very special. It is a very special on it. We haven't even done it for a couple of years. Do not go to Foxborough in two thousand twenty two and not come away with the W and you don't do it yet. I think watching this Patriots team, which team do you think has played better the last few weeks? I think it's the Patriots on what side of the Detroit's offense has been on completely on fire, statistically the worst defense ever know. But that's the only reason. Like, if they had it, you talk about Seattle having a competent defense, Lions will be four. No, right now, that's absolutely and it's astonishing. Aaron Glenn, what you're doing is not working, bro, Like, at some point, hey, we're gonna be aggressive. That's who we are. Well who you are is terrible. Stop being so Campbell came out and said it. We played it on the Sunday Night Show. He didn't want to kill Aaron, but he said, we're gonna be asking questions and you can expect there to be changes. And there are another one of these teams that blitz is like crazy and they leave their cornerbacks on an island and ruari A is giving up so many big plays. Jeff Okudo, who was having a good season, uh, was not last week against DK Metcalf. They're asking too much of these guys. Their injuries are almost all on offense, so there's not really a great excuse why this front seven, especially which on paper they drafted a lot of players, not just Hutchinson, but at defensive tackle. It's not working. They're not getting pressure. Even with the blitz is they're not getting pressure. And uh, this is a dangerous game for both these teams because I think one of these teams gonna be one in four and be deeply disappointed by being one in four. I mean, you say, to make a stop, Dan, You're right. I mean they have had just a couple their defense. They've only made a couple in fifteen trips to the red zone. Teams have had thirteen touchdowns, and it's like, I like you, if you're a je golf, you've gone and thrived on offense with a bunch of people. DeAndre Swift is not going to be in this game, a moan ros st Brown is biss games. I mean, you've done this with probably out to DJ Shark. We didn't even mention who's been great for them, missed last week and might be out this week. This is this team is very unified. We saw it in hard knocks. But when teams start to crumble and the fisher forms, it's because one side of the ball is simply letting the other side down week after week. I mean, what more can you ask Detroit's offense to do at this point, and they're sitting there looking at potentially one and four. I don't know if the Patriots on offense are gonna be able to provide the explosive run though. These are the two worst run defense in the league according to d v o A thirty one and thirty two. And this is the backfield I feel like Bill Belichick's always dreamed of. I don't think he's ever had two pure runners this good. At the exact same time, they are always trying to draft these guys in the middle of the rounds, and so they don't spend on running backs, and they're always trying to spread around and they hit home runs. Damien Harris and Romandre Stevenson are awesome runners and then and on paper they can run block pretty well. They have some missassignment, but remember everyone made fun of old Cole Strange. Cole Strange is getting it done. Like, but is that a surprise? Not totally. They've got a good little rookie class here. Jack Jones is playing great at cornerback. Marcus Jones is a fun little return guy. Like, They've got some people I think that they could be excited about, but they got to start winning some of these games. Think we predicted Cole Strange after all the bits was going to be an All Pro and then sign a huge contract with someone else and then the Patriots getting pick and it would be you know, glory forever. When it was him one on one against Kenny Clark last week and he was making some blocks, I was like, gosh, build it again. Guys, Come on, we know you're banged up on the offensive side, but we've already seen that you could score even when banged up in offense. I mean, can we jump ship from a team of a t L team if we didn't jump from the Mitch Drabinski Bears I don't even remember that being an actual thing that we did, but never you know what it was. I think West was kind of into them, and then we sort of did forget about it. As the season went along, they got no pop. Well, we could do that. I don't want to do that though. I don't want to like to be true to the team of a t N. You need to ride or die, and if you end up eating poop over it. They win. Here, they're in good They're in a good place because there's still here's the thing with the team of at M people that are stop uh, the thing that needs to be understand. They don't need to win the super Bowl. It's not like, oh they're gonna go no be entertaining. Check they're entertaining every week. But you can't lose every week. Dan Campbell can't lose every week. So here's a place where you should get a win. All right, Mark, you're up, all right, I'm going to pick the Falcons at the Bucks. This is still hanging around and taking that with the first overall pick. And it was no better or worse than the seven games. You know, I thank you for your input. I'm not enjoying. I'm just not enjoying anything about the Bucks this season kind of makes me sad. And they're getting healthier. They put ups like Key threw Sunday night, Why because it was just junk? The game is over half their point, then then then we can take away all of the Lions points this season. What are you talking about? What I said and I stand by it. They moved the ball early and often the whole game. That was easily their best before getting healthy. Alright, alright, I mean also they Brady has not lost three games in a row in twenty years, so I think they're under pressure. Also on the injury report with a finger and a shoulder. I'm not concerned about that at this stage, are you? It's nice? Nice of you concerned, It's not. I think the idea that Tom Brady is not going to suit up and be ready to go is it's not happening. How did the Falcons deal with this? Are they do? They do what they did last week where I think they'd love the way they ran the ball. I don't know if you can do that against Tampa Bay, but uh it's Kyle Pitts also has been completely invisible for the Falcons. That's another way they could go around this. But I I found the Falcons have been one of the more interesting teams to watch, and Arthur Smith one of the better offensive coaches, and Mariotta is up and down, but I think the hang around in this thing. Do you want to hear a great um take from Brady? You know, Brady's obviously, as we just said, he's been playing in the league for over twenty years. He's seen it all. And he was asked today this davialie who sends me these nugs from the newsrooms. Hey, this is good for the show. This is good for the show, and more often than not he's spot on. Tom Brady was asked about all the teams sitting at two and two. Here's what Tom had to say. I think there's a lot of bad football from what I watch. You know, I watch a lot of bad football. A lot of yeah, poor quality of football. That's what I see. That's interesting. I think he's right though, well, offenses are struggling passing, the passing game, which is what he cares about, and he's right, it's like the best part of football. I would say it's struggling. The yards pert tempt are down at a level that has not been seen since Tommy was in about his fifth season two thousand six. He looks skinny there, Hu he has since the summer. Yeah, those these Wednesday press conferences. He looks sunken, a little sunken. I mean he's going through some things. We know that when you're a little older, but you're also in like great shape and there's not much flab. It shows up in a different way than maybe when you were fifteen years ago, you know what I mean. Look, he looks for people that are listening to the audio. If you want to check out the video version of the show, which you can get on YouTube and on the NFL channel, uh with through NFL Plus that all right, um, and on the network on Saturday, and of course on NFL Network and on Sky Sports on Saturday. But yeah, so look at him, look at his shoulders. He just looks. I don't know, maybe it's been a tough it's been a tough eight months or so for tom run defense hasn't quite been the same. They got run over last week against this is this has been a get right game for the Buccaneers. Uh throughout the Brady uh time. I'm in Tampa They've scored over thirty points against Atlanta every single time they've played. This was actually the game that kick started their Super Bowl run. I don't know if you remember. That was like a Saturday game where they put on him or something like that. But this, this Falcon's team is different. This Mariota is different. I know he only completed seven passes, but I'm enjoying the experience. I think he's more explosive. I don't think it's just that he's wearing the number one in these black jerseys. He looks like a more explosive athlete. He looks back there like a really dynamic runner. Not a great thrower all the time, but he's a dynamic corner. Uh. They have some issues with injuries Cordarrel Patterson, as we know, he's been moved to injured reserve. But they had some guys that stepped up this past Sunday and um and look fantastic. They looked amazing. They're giving me Titans vibes. Titans. It come off the bus and they're like, we're bigger than you were, stronger than you were. Manly. Uh, that's like what the Titans want to be. And that's a little bit what the Falcon Atthur Smith before Atlanta Falcons, big strong defensive coordinator of the tennis where benched Mariota, But we don't need to explore that right now. Well, that's a that's a different Mariota. Everything's changing. He looks different. It's almost like the way that Ryan Tannehill became a different Sometimes you take what you can get. If Ryan tanna was available for Marcus Mariota's price, it just didn't, then they would do that. But you take through some type of voodoo curse is sucking the muscle mass and power from Tom Brady and you're actually seeing it manifest and how they feel look yeah, because like his it's just the thought. It's explosive, explosive movements. But Patterson is out, but we'll see if the young guys could still play the guitar for another week. And also Kyle Pitts, who again was yeah, like a twenty five yard catch first play from scrimmage and then didn't have another wish And I think he also has an ankle issue, so we'll see if he's going to be on the field. But they have moved the ball without him for the most places for first place I made a mistake. Well, you can do a trade. Great chance. Whenever you get a chance, you can concoct an offer. But I like this game to me, just like raking them over the coals last year and get it. I got multiple first out of it. I thought you did an excellent job with that trade. Want to make an offer. We're gonna take a break. I have not I wanted. He's gonna to make an offer to me. I want to keep this game, so you make one to me. That's a that's a nice play. We're gonna take a break, and when we get back, there's gonna be a trade offer from Greg to Mark and let's see what happens. All right, we're back. Greg. You've spent the last twenty five minutes pondering what what you got you're gonna do? Here is the offer? You really are into this? Sneaky into the Falcons Bucks one pm? Hit the Bucks live. All right? How about did I give you the team of a t L Lions Patriots? And um, what do you mean at first? Future? First, I'll bring in um the food item of your request? Food? And have you spent it was minutes? It was five seconds? And that Aaron Rodgers heard that he'd be questioning you. Let's give m another chance down the road to think this again. But I'm a future draft pick. I gotta say, Okay, I'll give you, uh yeah, future consideration. Come back to me later. Hung up the phone. Right now, you Greg, no new guys, Why why would that be? All right? I'm up and it is slim pickings here. So let's go the Tennessee Titans traveling to Landover. See a lot of people don't know Landover, not Washington to face the commanders. Don't really not really excited to watch the commanders in real time. They don't do it for me. I have him down at twenty nine now, and the power rankings they really did not. Um. I feel like an organization that was competitive against the Cowboys and Cooper Rush. And I know nobody's hot in the pants about Cooper Rush right now, but you know when Cooper Rush has thrown bombs down field with the game already in hand, that you're just being disrespected at that point. And Washington is just not getting a lot of respect right now at one in three, last place in the NFC East. So you have that situation. The past protection is poor for Carson Wentz, he never seems comfortable. He's everything is hard for the Commanders. On offense, he's always thrown into tight windows. You don't want Carson Wents thrown into tight windows. Uh. So, now you have a situation where the Titans are coming off a win, um coming off two wins in fact, to get back to solid ground. They let the Cults back into that game after jumping out ahead, but they did a good job calming things down closing that game out. In general, this feels like a great spot for the Titans, who are who got out to an own to start last year, to really kind of feel good about themselves by beating up on a lesser commander's team. That's what I see. I know they didn't do anything and grave digger um in the second half before they were able to close that game out late. They did nothing. At one point midway through the fourth quarter. I think they had ten total yards of offense in the second half. So you want to see some consistency. But Derrick her Derrick Henry looks great. The commanders are not good. And that's why Justin Graver is he gonna do lock up the Tennessee Titans to win their third consecutive game, beaten up on Joe th Eismand's Pentagon Men. This is exactly the type of game the Titans always come out super flat in and lose. So I'm terrified of what's gonna happen. But you've been saying that every week but ticking against them, and now I'm annoyed. Why did I not lock them up? They did deliver for the raidmaker. Yes, um, on paper, the Titans should dominate this game, but we'll see who can step up in the receiving car is just a total torture trap at all times this episode with turf toe issue, I'm sorry Titans receivers. Who knows who's going to be the playmaker because Traylon Burks dealing with a turf toe issue. So Kyle Phillips still has like a shoulder thing. Maybe he'll be back and healthy for this game. Maybe Josh Gordon gets elevated from the practice squads. Thirty eight years old at this point, So that's where the Titans offense, not like yeah, but they have woods. They have like the look of that Burk's injury either and turf toe, and that's something that's literally like hopping down the fields. I feel like they're coming. The Titans are coming, and they get a little better every week and a little healthier on three looks great to me. But I don't think they're there, and they might not. I don't know if they'll get there. But the reason they keep having these fall offs is the offensive line consistency is just not there for the most part. They're losing battles and they have like a couple of drives where they get over it, but that it's hard to be a good team where for long stretches their offensive line is not good, like they're hoping to be average, and I don't think they're average yet. Dennis Daley, who the Titans traded for like in the last moments before the season started, is now the starting left tackle because Taylor Lawan towards a c L again is out for the year. Nicholas petit Frere, a third round rookie, is starting at right tackle, an playing well. He was the one who got their blocking well, but their past protection is abysmal. How about stone House, You've keeping an eye on stone House. We got a situation here in the Punter the Punter Punch Bowl mixer. What is it? You know, the Kicker Club gets a lot of love, right, nobody was because it's at a local gymnasium. It's not there's no velvet ropes. Do you know how angry it is? How angry Bill Belichick is right now that the Titans found some undrafted rookie named stone House with long flowing locks who is just booming week after week. This guy's a weapon. Stone House, I like, listen, we know we contruct his name. Ricky Ryan Ryan Stein became the first punter in NFL history to have an average punt distance of fifty five or more yards games. I'm not crazy. It felt like one of the best punting performances I've ever seen in my life. A week ago, did I did? He's been really good, him and Jeffrey Sims. So you lose Horold Landry, you lost your left tackle. But this is a well coached team that they're not. I don't think they're a powerhouse, but I think they're gonna be okay, and they're gonna win nine or ten games, and this will be one of those. Not to bury Mike, not to bury Ron Rivera, but he kind of made a comment this week you know, hey, we need a little time. You know, it's like talking about time. You know, this is what we've got right now. And I kind of look over on the other sideline. I'm like, Mike Rabel didn't need any time. He's kind of looked like a Mike Rabel team each and every year he's been there. Rivera hinted at maybe big changes coming, and it made me think of potentially Carson Wentz at some point taking a seat. I could see it. Who's oh, it's uh as we all know tiny key again though, right? Oh no, I think we will see Sam Howell just like a pretty great player in the preseason. I'm just saying, like, if Wentz just continues to down slide, uh, and on the Titans, say, Austin Hooper make a play. It's been a while said in Cleveland too. Yeah, that's about three years. Somebody's gonna step up and make some plays of Burkes. Is that all right? Let's move on. I gotta grab a Lake game here, so Zeus is gonna grab Niners at Panthers and uh, whatever it is, what it is. See Baker Mayfield fire a ton of passes into the offensive line to the defensive line and then uh, we'll see if the Niners can build off, which was I thought a statement game on Monday Night against the Rams where they said, Hey, this is us, like the guys that at the end of last season and we were making a run into the playoffs and then nearly got to the super Bowl. Like, we're still those guys. This is that team, and we don't need Jimmy g to be a stud. We just need him to get the ball into the hands of our guys and they will do the rest. Deebo Samuel at the top. That was I actually had a little bit of like a hesitation and fantasy Land for instance with Deebo is that could he put that year back together again? You know, two years a row. He's still doing that thing. So even even though Brandon a Yuk has not really had a big game yet and hasn't jumped out and George Kittle has been mysteriously uh silence so far this year, Samuel's still taken over games and Garoppolo with each passing week, I think is gonna get more comfortable, and I think the nine is gonna be all right with that defense, They're gonna win twelve games. I mean it makes you. It makes just think of last year when they were peaking, Like the defense is so dominant and if you get the yards after the catch from Samuel, this is an environment that Jimmy G can thrive in. The thing is always with Jimmy G and the turnovers, and if he can keep it clean the way he did against the Rams, you're fine. He's a beast Samuel. I mean, he's just you cannot bring him down with one man and and and that's such a weapon. I would like to see Greg what is up with George Kittle? Why? Because this offense can be better, But it's really you know, do you put that on the quarterback play or is there something else going on? Is Kiddle physically right? I don't know. You wonder the position that he plays, in the style of play that he's had, and the amount of different injuries. I think it's probably fair to assume he's not as explosive an athlete as he was five years ago. And and maybe that's that's a big part of it. Sad. Yeah, And with the as far as the Panthers go, I would like to see Christian McCaffrey being used like we talked you talked about it, Greggy. Um, and it's an argument that sets up well for you that Oh but Teddy Bridgewater in the offense was good. Uh but you know, but it sucked with Donald and now it sucks with Mayfield. But Teddy's good like that version of Christian McCaffrey. I'm not saying he's a lesser player now, but they used him in a different way back with Teddy. Uh, he was running and he hurt that a year Teddy, he was crazy. I don't think so. I think that was the Teddy monster here, wasn't it. I mean, if if we're gonna talk about George Kittle as his body not being the same McCaffrey's missed half his career, I think mcaff looks. Okay, yeah, they did not coincide. Mccaffreys didn't miss the Teddy. Well, then that blows up my point. Teddy is just a stud. I stand down every stud. They were just like an average offense. But I would like to see my point is more like this, McCaffrey just like run between the tackles and take a screen every once in a while. I'm not sure this is he's being used in the way to maximize what he can give to the team. Uh, and it just feels like this is gonna be potentially ugly. Yeah yeah, Mr Justin, I agree, this could be potentially ugly. The Niners have a few things working against them, a short week, long, early kickoff, but they are just so much better than the Panthers, and I feel like this defensive line is gonna overwhelm Baker Mayfield all day. So I am locking up the Niners right under the six and a half. Alright, Yeah, this is my first like borderline. That's that's good. That's a good about it. Good work. You gotta be feeling good about it. I feel okay about it. I feel great about it. Off long road trip on a short week is like a little gives me a little hesitancy. But it's the fact that they're the worst offense in the league against the best defense in the league that seems it seems like a strong thing. Kyle Shanahan sad going into this game. The Panthers could be four Now, what are you talking about? They have They have the worst yards for play by by far. Nick Bosa, by the way, leads the NFL and pressures by eight. So maybe I gotta take Crosby out of all team. First, brother, there's a lot of good Uh maybe it's both Bosa, Parsons Crosby. Now you're you're on the Gino Smith train in the NFC West. But I have an NFC West dog as well. You know who that is, right? His name is who funca about who Funga ending that game on Monday night? Yeah, I mean he's your all pro safety, right, He's my guy. He's my dude. Now you need a guy. Mark seems annoyed that you have a guy, that guy. It's also not an early game, by the way, justin it's it's in the afternoon. Oh good point. It is on the East coast. But all right, what do we have? We got, what do we need? What do we have? Not alone? I'm not that annoyed by it. We've got two games. Let alright, who's up? Mark, It's me and I'm gonna take I'll take Houston at Jacksonville, all right. You know how Jacksonville owns the Cults. Houston has won nine straight against Jacksonville. I I think that would be a disaster for the Jaguars to lose this thing. I mean, for me, Trevor Lawrence. What happened in the rain? The four fumbles, A number of them were on him not seeing pressure. One of them just slipped out of his hands. But you can't also throw a terrible pick that he's in that game. It was a bad situation, but I expect him to bounce back. And I for me, the reason I'm watching this is really just because of his development. And uh, I think this is a situation where you got to go in and basically at home in Jacksonville, dominate a Texans team that's not as bad as some people. I'm a little bit exhausted by, like everyone needs to decide whether Trevor Lawrence is great or not every single week like he's just or oh this is the big step? Like I just can we just just watch a game with him? That's all. I'm just saying. There's a lot of them not saying you, Mark, I'm saying there's a lot of talk out there after each week that he's up. This is it. He's on his own, he's on his way, he's the guy. But he thought then he has a bad game, He's like, oh, maybe he's not a generational quarterback last year? Can we understand this was a unique circumstance. Last year it was an atomic poop show, and let's give him some runway and see where he's at in November. Yeah. I think this is a great test, not not necessarily for him, but for the Jaguars and where they are. There's seven point favorites here. This game is not lockable. I mean, the forty niners are lockable, and this game is not lackable. Jaguars are a favorite in the game that's unlockable. I mean, and I'm not that comfortable with that. I would not lack especially when they've lost eight straight against the Texans. So to me, this is a game for the Jaguars to show we are really good upfront on both sides. We're gonna grind this Texans team down. Maybe it'll be challenging for a while. It's a division team that doesn't know us, but they should. They are the more talented team. The Texans are four twenty eight and one against the rest of the NFL, while they're four oh against the Jaguars. The last tex he I thought they should have learned something from last week. Though the Lovey Smith is so concerned. Pepper Hamilton too about like, hey, we're gonna run, go coming off the bus, like that's who we are as a team. We're gonna run on first down, We're gonna run and second down. And I get it. Damian Pierce is great, but Davis Mills had by far the best two and a half three quarters of his season. Looked pretty good when they were just in and we gotta throw it every down mode, like throw on first and second down. That's how you get a good running game because those are the better downs to throw the ball. Like almost everyone else in the NFL has gotten to this. Too many drops by the Texans receivers. Damian Pierce had the big touchdown run so that hopefully can get him unlocked, and went over a hundred yards total offense there. But yeah, and I just don't see them winning too many games this year. They're asking a lot of Stingley, asking him to cover one on one that Derek Stingley, that the opposing and he I think he looks pretty good for the most part. But that's hard ass. There's a lot of open guys for that Jaguars team. The last pick of the draft goes to you and has has become almost a tradition on the show. Uh, the Chicago Bears just are not tackling our fancy right now for a reason, you know, And the Vikings aren't totally not that they deserve to be drafted last, but this there's not a different Vikings team this year. It's kind of the same team they are. It's unsettling that they might be four and one. Uh like that these two teams combined shouldn't be five and three combined. I don't know. I think we gotta have a conversation about justin fields with um with Phil at some point, Phil Westling the number one justin fields fas jordan esque because right now it's it's a tough situation. Football is completely different than basketball. There everyone's still there's a lot of the Fields cogniscenti who still want to put it all on what's going on around him. But there's some pretty unique things that he does in terms of holding the ball so long and not taking the easier throws early in the down that that you can put on him. His time to throw is higher than anyone else. He is converting pressure into sacks at a rate that's outrageous. I think if you combined his he has thirty four completions combined this year, and he has thirty three sacks plus scrambles this year. So it's just like a weird combo. And like, remember everyone just blamed everything on Matt Nagy. Oh yeah, we talked about this recently. Okay, well, so I mean, well I had a Matt Naggy passing game to watch right now, because that was a lot better than what's going on. It's your point. He had a hundred and seventy four yards last week. That was his best output of the year. That was two great throws, but also had some very concern sixth most output of any quarterback all season and eight less than he had a year ago. So there is like statistically a regression. But I see it also just from the eye. This player is just not growing. Mattie plus is in a tough situation here because Fields still represents a future or the preferred future of the Bears as an organization. But he's not able to lead the offense with any level of efficiency. But you're tied to him, So it's like, does he refluse? You know, what does he do? Does he even have the power institutionally to make a move if he feels like Fields is just not the guy, and like, do you have to stick with him? Though I don't think they're They're new, They're completely new regime and they have an absolute mountain of cap space next for I'm just saying a lot can happen in the off season where you don't have to stick with Justin Fields kind of do for a while because Simeon's the next guy, and I think you can question, like is Luke Getsy the guy because it's also a first time head coach. I'm saying, first time defensive coordinator from a picked over coaching tree at some point, like not everyone from this coaching tree gets He's from Green Bay? Keeping him next season? I'm not seeing dump him for Simeon now, but like team building wise, do you have to go into this next year with this quarterback necessarily if this is who he's thoroughly to have that conversation. But no, I mean, and you don't even have to stick your opinion the whole season. There is the Week five preview again called Broncos Recap Friday Fun Show. By the way, let's check in on the uh we're at the QUARTERI ish poll. Let's check in on the the lock standings. I think I'm gonna like what I'm gonna see here. Oh, some thing's never changed. The zoos are three and one on top, Greggy Sessy, Gravy, and the Westbros All at two and two, So just like the NFL two and two is everywhere? How did they decide the order of the two and two's? What are you thinking you should be second over Greg? Not necessarily. I just like to understand how they decided that Drew Christiansen and Justin did you have a bike? Does we never get Greg Mark Grave Digger West? I did not send them in this order? So this was re ordered because specific he likes Greg Mark. That's what he literally, Well, it's an answer, So that is going to be an issue. Yeahborite staff, because we're allowed to take favorites. So if you just picked like favorites, you should probably go like a two thirds clip? Do you agree it? And she was going to live to regret that statement. Drew doesn't seem like a man with a lot of regrets, but he'll definitely feel the pushback. He's kind of his daddy in a bear cave. Christiansen. I think he'll I think he'll live. I think he'll know it's good for the show content wise, and that's what I think. That's exactly what he was doing, right. Alright, good stuff. Thank you everybody for Marcus spitting out right now. I just I have only begun the investigation and don't see where it scary questions if you don't want scary answers. Um, we will be back Friday. As they said, this is a water Gate level disaster, and we'll be back with the recap of all these games. Thank you everybody, and again, yes, NFL Network every Saturday. You could check out this program in technicolor on your basic cable package of choice. Maybe it's a premium here. I don't know how it works, but if you have NFL Network, check us out. Until then, heed the call. S