Hour 1 – Rams’ Tough Breaks, Resting Stars

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Speaker 1: You are listening to The Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio. Great to be here.

00:00:06
Speaker 2: Let's do this.

00:00:07
Speaker 3: Good good morning, good day, Happy New Year's Eve Eve.

00:00:13
Speaker 2: Wherever you are. Thanks for being here. We appreciate it.

00:00:16
Speaker 3: We're live from the Fox Sports Radio studio at least Rich I'm here, Danny G and Ramsey and spot spots on the videos Covino and Rich FSR.

00:00:26
Speaker 2: On YouTube, you could chat live. You can see us live.

00:00:29
Speaker 3: I'm here in Idaho still, I'm actually leaving tomorrow Rich for the day off on New Year's Eve.

00:00:33
Speaker 2: So it's New Year's Eve Eve.

00:00:35
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00:00:55
Speaker 4: Well, so much to get to on Toda's ShW In fact, if you want to watch it, YouTube slash at coven on Rich FSR.

00:01:03
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00:01:05
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00:01:09
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00:01:16
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00:01:24
Speaker 4: We win a CNR on FSR nerve football and yes, stick around.

00:01:29
Speaker 2: We're gonna have some fun today.

00:01:30
Speaker 4: I hope you had a Falcons so at night we're gonna get to that. The Falcons sort of through a little wrench in the plans of a few teams in the NFC. We're gonna talk about Josh Allen's meet today. What we're gonna talk about some legends that celebrated birthday today. Sam Darnold. I have a theory on him, but let's let's dive into it. The Rams last night, truth be told, it's that taint of the holiday season. No one's really honed in and it was a one day night game that didn't have much significance on paper. Because the NFC West, we all know the winner of the forty nine or Seahawks has.

00:02:10
Speaker 2: Your one seed. Yeah, so the Rams are chilling there.

00:02:14
Speaker 4: In fact, there's been rumors are they going to shut down DeVonta Adams until the playoffs. There's a sense of, well, there's really not that much on the line tonight. So I didn't hone into the beginning of the game. I was checking on my phone. I was grabbing some food, and I'm like, I have seven nothing? Who fourteen nothing?

00:02:31
Speaker 2: Oh? Hold now wait, twenty one nothing Falcons.

00:02:35
Speaker 4: Then I'm looking at the box garm like it's anyone playing, Like what is what's going on in your defense?

00:02:41
Speaker 3: That all happen kind of quick. Yeah, they came out and took charge of the game, for sure.

00:02:47
Speaker 4: I couldn't believe my eyes. But I'm like, twenty one nothing. And then they're mounting a comeback, which a better team usually does. They'll find a way to find their way back in. And here we are, end of the game. Falcons go ahead field goal and you're thinking, man, the Rams are gonna drop one, and and then you realize, well, Matthew Stafford does have a little time on the clock. And I feel like, three plays in a row they had an opportunity. Do you not feel the same way?

00:03:19
Speaker 2: There was three controversial plays in a row for sure.

00:03:23
Speaker 4: First Stafford just misses a wide receiver that gets open, like like big time open, like miss is by a step and a half and you're like, oh my god, that could have been for six.

00:03:36
Speaker 3: All right, next play, I think, yeah, I think he threw it in the right spot. The runner the receiver just didn't get there, yeah quick enough, Like the ball was there.

00:03:48
Speaker 2: It was close.

00:03:49
Speaker 3: It could have happened. Maybe the timing was off a little bit, but yeah, it was.

00:03:52
Speaker 2: It was there, could have could have went their way but didn't. Then you see.

00:03:59
Speaker 4: Ah appearance that doesn't get called, and you're like, oh, it was like Danny g.

00:04:04
Speaker 2: You were texting us like yo, arm was held down man.

00:04:08
Speaker 5: To be fair, when it happened, it was close. It happened, they were saying in real time.

00:04:15
Speaker 3: It was hard to see, but it was really noticeable for us at home that that was passing question, no doubt.

00:04:21
Speaker 5: Actually, if you're a judge on the field, you should be able to maybe spot that.

00:04:25
Speaker 3: Yeah, obvious, those twice Rich It was like almost two times that happened on that same play.

00:04:31
Speaker 4: Those those type of plays bang bang. If it gets called, you're not shocked. But if it doesn't get called, you're like, oh, could have been, but it.

00:04:39
Speaker 3: Made it obvious too. It was it was like a one handed grab and it didn't have to be. The only reason it was one handed grab is because his other arm was being held.

00:04:48
Speaker 4: So you're like, all right, those are two chances where if your rams it was kind of obvious. If your rams are You're like, oh damn, that's two opportunities squandered. Then Buka Nakua, who was one of the coolst dudes. We've had him on the show a couple times in the last year. What a competitor, What a competitor, What a real fun nice guy. I'm a big fan of Pooka. Here he is making one of the most ridiculous possible catches you've seen in your life.

00:05:14
Speaker 2: Again, this guy's hands are unbelievable.

00:05:17
Speaker 4: And all the little movement and it goes from circus sideline catch field goal range two.

00:05:26
Speaker 2: Runner was out of you know, you see what was out?

00:05:29
Speaker 3: You know they looked like such an amazing catch, but it wasn't.

00:05:33
Speaker 4: And here we are, games over and I wanted to just start the show.

00:05:38
Speaker 2: Rich, I do want to make this clear.

00:05:39
Speaker 3: Yeah they got the call, right, I mean, yeah, if you weren't watching, You're casually watching. They got the call right, but from first glance it looked like he had it.

00:05:49
Speaker 2: It was sort of pulled.

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Speaker 3: It was again props to their deceiving receiving team defensive team, because it was pulled from his hands.

00:05:56
Speaker 4: Yeah, aren't there times when you'll be like, yeah, I just give it to him. Yeah, credible stylistically, Like in my mind, I'm like, it was such a good almost catch. I know that's not how the games played, but this party, that's like, ID give it to him? I mean, Jesus, the guy had on his way down. It was sort of pulled out for a split ridiculous and.

00:06:16
Speaker 5: Right before it got pulled out and knocked out there at the very end of the play, he squeezed that like a NERF football with one big paw one.

00:06:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, that would snag, no doubt. That would have been the catch of the year.

00:06:31
Speaker 4: So I come in here this morning to let the world know I'd still be very scared of the Rams. Let me explain why I'm a Niners fan. We're looking at the NFC as a very wide open place. You got the Eagles, who Jalen Hurts didn't throw for one yard in the.

00:06:47
Speaker 2: Second half the other day.

00:06:48
Speaker 4: I don't know if anyone Kumino is convinced about your defending champs to Philadelphia Eagles.

00:06:53
Speaker 2: That's no one's like.

00:06:54
Speaker 4: Well, they got a clear path. I don't think anyone's thinking that the Bucks Panthers there's a little wrinkle put in that because of last night. I don't know if you realize if you're a schedule watching and all that stuff like I am, we've been talking about the little percentages because the Falcons won last night and no one really thought that would happen. Do you know that if the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday, that Panthers Bucks game is irrelevant and Carolina would be your division champ no matter what. Baker can have the game of his life Saturday and be like, man, the Bucks are back to five hundred and yet the Panthers would still win that division if the Falcons win again on Sunday.

00:07:41
Speaker 2: And that's likely.

00:07:42
Speaker 3: Man, it seems like the Falcons are playing well at just the right time. Three in a row now, Cousins looking good, Robinson looking unstoppable.

00:07:53
Speaker 2: By the way, I was thinking.

00:07:54
Speaker 3: Yesterday, if you were to put a top three running back out there, who would it be? Just want top three? Top three? I mean, obviously your boy Christian mccafcaffrey. Would you still put Saquon Barkley in there?

00:08:07
Speaker 2: I would.

00:08:08
Speaker 4: That's a good one, I think. And then the way Derek Henry was Derek Derek Henry the other day. But then you could say, if you talk about the first half of the year, Jonathan Taylor, but not second half of the year.

00:08:16
Speaker 2: Not second half of the year Jonathan Taylor.

00:08:18
Speaker 3: No. Yeah, I was thinking all this because you know why I was thinking that, because Saquon Barkley and your boy, Christian McCaffrey are I think it's a State farm commercial.

00:08:28
Speaker 2: They're in a commercial.

00:08:29
Speaker 3: Together, and I'm thinking, well, who else could have been in that commercial? They're at a commercial side by side, and they're pretty much the same size, and I was sizing them up, and I'm like, Derek Henry would beast over those guys.

00:08:42
Speaker 2: But who would be the top three? Anyway?

00:08:44
Speaker 3: Just a random side thought, well, you know what, the Falcons look good. Back to that point, it seems like they're putting it together at the right time.

00:08:52
Speaker 4: Wells kirk Cousins proved that he has a little left in the tank or what I mean I think so, I think they're just playing well under him. He's leading team. Well, they're seven and nine, three in a row. But I want you to keep I want to keep something in mine. No, you're like the Falcons. If they win, they play the Saints, who you're like, the Saints are trashed. The Saints have won four in a row, exactly like the Saints are.

00:09:15
Speaker 5: You know, a very young quarterback, Shuck is being talked about as offensive rookie of the year.

00:09:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, there's six and ten down.

00:09:22
Speaker 4: I bet you, hit, I bet you that if there was one more month of the season, that division could flip because the Bucks have fallen apart. Carolina is showing that they're like a five hundred team. But the Saints and the Falcons, who are both under five hundred, are the two hottest teams in that division. So I think that division is a disaster. So yeah, just it's interesting to see what team will sort of back into that that playoff spot. Someone's going to win it at eight and nine or nine and eight. Like we said, it's a bad division.

00:09:55
Speaker 5: There's a scenario where the Panthers could host a wild card game and they'd be what eight and nine?

00:10:01
Speaker 2: Yeah? Did they could be eight and nine.

00:10:04
Speaker 5: You guys have a problem with a team that's under five hundred hosting a playoff game.

00:10:08
Speaker 4: We've talked about this on our regular It doesn't look out, it doesn't.

00:10:12
Speaker 2: You make it, You make it right.

00:10:13
Speaker 4: Yeah, It's almost like, you know, there are times your team wins a division in baseball, winning eighty eight to ninety games, and you host a better wild card.

00:10:21
Speaker 2: It happens, right, It's just.

00:10:22
Speaker 3: It's and honestly, the way this year has been, it kind of would make sense. It kind of would go with the whole vibe and feeling of this entire season.

00:10:33
Speaker 4: Interestingly enough, if if things stay the way they are, I think that crappy South team, whether it's Carolina or the Bucks, would end up hosting like the Rams. It's like a better to twelve plus win team, which is you know, that's that's the point.

00:10:51
Speaker 2: Do they deserve it? No?

00:10:52
Speaker 4: But it's how you it's how the divisions are set. But I wanted to point out how the Rams Couldno.

00:10:58
Speaker 3: Colin in Canada is hit in a su Yeah again, the YouTube chat is popping Covino and rich FSR to see us live see our tired faces. A lot of boozing and schmoozing during the taint of the holidays, He says, Cousin through for like one hundred and twenty five yards. But yeah, they've been playing solid behind him. I just have some good moments. Again, I'm not saying he's the reason. Yeah, not saying he's the reason, but you know, leadership, you know guy.

00:11:24
Speaker 2: I don't know.

00:11:25
Speaker 4: Maybe I'm trying to just feel good for Kirk Cousins for a minute.

00:11:28
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:11:28
Speaker 3: I mean he's easy to root for, so yeah, I am pulling for the guy. Is it coincidence they've been winning since he's been playing Willhelm and a Criner Green for eight seven seven says I wonder if ten years ago that Puka Nakua catch would have been a fair catch. I was thinking the same thing, and I was thinking, yes, yes, that would have been I think so anyway, and.

00:11:49
Speaker 2: Morning fell as.

00:11:50
Speaker 3: A lot of people Devanty Adams more impactful than I thought.

00:11:53
Speaker 2: That's what Ashley Riolo saying. That's a that's a big sentiment.

00:11:55
Speaker 4: And Danny and I looked it up before the show because there's a few guys where you and we're gonna get to this later in the show.

00:12:01
Speaker 2: Where as we enter week eighteen.

00:12:03
Speaker 4: You know who's gonna who's gonna rest up and get ready for the postseason, and whether or not he's able to come back. It appears as though the Rams are gonna have Devonte Adams just good to go wildcard weekend. There's no point now to push Devonte Adams because there's no the Rams path and where they are.

00:12:22
Speaker 2: Is not changing. They're not gonna they can't win the division.

00:12:25
Speaker 4: Whoever wins forty nine ers hosting the Seahawks as your division winner and one seed. The Rams are a wildcard regardless. So and your point, why I played DeVonta Adams now?

00:12:34
Speaker 2: Right?

00:12:35
Speaker 3: You know, if they're keeping him healthy, why I play him now? They're still going to be dangerous as a wild card. I'll tell you why don't sleep on the Rams because they could have easily pulled away with that game, even though they started rough. They had a few bad calls or questionable questionable calls, borderline calls where things could have been different. So are they as dangerous as we think or not at all? Well, I'll tell you what seven ninety nine on Fox.

00:12:59
Speaker 2: I agree with Rich.

00:13:00
Speaker 3: I mean I think they could have easily won that game. Poka Nakua ultimate competitor. Stafford still doing his thing. He was off put it that way on an off night. I guess that really sums up on an off night. They still almost won that game.

00:13:13
Speaker 4: I mean, Matthew Stafford may have lost points and lost you know, his path to the MVP. He had a rough couple games over the last month. The Rams dropped a couple in a row. Matthew Stafford at one point, remember his interception to touchdown ratio was like thirty somethings, like a couple interceptions. It was Aaron Rodgers like in Aaron Rodgers Prime. He's had a couple games with multiple picks over the last month. So now Stafford has forty two toundies, eight interceptions, still MVP numbers, but there's a lot of Drake maychatter. Now is he your MVP? I want to just point out four quick games according.

00:13:50
Speaker 2: To memes, he's the league leader, and memes never lie. Memes never lie. Let me get Drake May's your MVP as of now.

00:13:56
Speaker 4: Let me hit you with four quick instances where the Rams sort of of bluid because you look at the NFC going into the playoffs, and Danny, I think you agree that no one's scared of the Eagles.

00:14:10
Speaker 5: No, No, maybe they're defense, but not the Eagles offense.

00:14:14
Speaker 4: No one's scared of whoever comes out of that South. Whether it's like I said, the Panthers of the Bucks that they're at best a five hundred team, and I think out of the North, this question marks with green Bay. Jordan Love one of those guys that might sit until the playoffs. Green Bay looks like, well, what's going on there? I think as I'm a Niners fan, so look I'm looking at from a perspective of who do I think is dangerous? And I think I think I think watching the other night, I think the Bears could very easily have won that game.

00:14:46
Speaker 3: The Bears are dangerous. Can I take back what I said? You're Niners and Bears offense. It looks dangerous defense on both teams.

00:14:54
Speaker 2: Question, it's a.

00:14:55
Speaker 4: Matter of like, couldn't eat Eagles defense stop a Bears or forty nine offense, right, but they.

00:15:00
Speaker 3: Could score And if if the forty nine Ers could just stop one drive throughout the game, it seems like they score every other drive, so they'll be fine scoring, but if they can make one stop, they'll win the game.

00:15:11
Speaker 4: It's like an NBA team that you know is gonna put up one twenty just like hold your opponent.

00:15:15
Speaker 2: Like you know, just a new turnovers.

00:15:18
Speaker 3: You just need you just need something to happen and you win because the defense is questionable.

00:15:23
Speaker 2: But the Rams.

00:15:24
Speaker 4: Let me let me go over the Rams, because you know, there's seasons where a team catches a bunch of good breaks. We've talked about, you know, Minnesota in the past, and the Chiefs were a couple of years you felt like every every last minute field goal or turnover, or or fortune or good bounce went their way. I think the Rams are a really good team that had four games, and I know you can't isolate one play, but there's four games I've noted where it could have just very well went the other way for the Rams. And the Rams are gonna end up being a wild card. There's still a very danger team in the NFC, I think. But right now the Rams are eleven to five. They'll probably beat the Cardinals even if they rest people Week eighteen. So they're twelve and five team, but four of those losses they're lining up for a game winning field goal that's totally in range. It's blocked and returned for a touchdown by the Eagles. They lose on the last play of the game. So Eagles win on a play where the Rams were lining up for a game winning field goal. So no block in return, you win. You win that game, you beat the Eagles. They played my forty nine ers. Remember the overtime game where Mac Jones was like limping around like like he was a warrior. Yeah, that was the game where the Rams fumbled. If you remember the forty nine Ers forced to fumble on like the one foot line. Went to overtime and they went for it on fourth down and the Niners stopped them. So that's another game where it's like the Niners just got a little lot o Rams did not. That's two games that Rams on paper tick should have won that game, Sam Donald going for two in overtime, a game where the Seahawks somehow found a way to come back force force overtime, and then they went for two. And then last night we saw it a missed a missed route, a pass interference, and pooking the coop on the sideline. Those are four games.

00:17:24
Speaker 2: All hold on.

00:17:25
Speaker 3: I hate to stay for four games, dude. I know that you can argue that for every team. I know when in baseball you get it right in that sentence. You know, the Seahawks found a way to win. That's what championship caliber teams do. I'm not saying the Rams can't do that, but that's part of the game, right, finding a way to win, that's how you do it.

00:17:44
Speaker 2: You got to figure it out.

00:17:45
Speaker 3: And yeah, they've come close, but they didn't pull it through Sam Donald. Seahawks, you're forty nine ers. We've seen them be able to do that a few times. So that's just the difference. Yeah, they've been in every game and you can say they're tough, but they haven't been able to win. So they're still in the wild card. There's still dangerous, they're still very good. They still make it very close. They got to get those those plays to make it happen, those ways to make it win. As you mentioned with Sam Donald, who we're going to talk about yeah later on, because you know, where does he fall into, where does he fall into the history as far as elite quarterback?

00:18:20
Speaker 2: Where do you how do you view Sam Donald?

00:18:22
Speaker 4: Because I think it all depends on this postseason because I think that he's like one of the most confusing people to assess.

00:18:28
Speaker 3: But dude, Tide's turn and luck starts to bounce the other way, and you know, anything could happen. You're right, those games could have gone either way. You could say this, the Rams are good. I mean, the Rams are dangerous.

00:18:41
Speaker 4: Cheeks just set us up on the on the intro chat and he goes, yeah, Rich, I hear what you're saying. But he's like if my if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

00:18:51
Speaker 2: Right.

00:18:51
Speaker 3: It sounds a little bit like that, especially when you get it bring up the Seahawks in that sense.

00:18:56
Speaker 4: But I'm saying this four very specific incidents where you can be like all the Rams were a block away or you know, like again, let me just remind they don't stink. The Rams do not stinks. These little things aren't going their way. Yeah, you could say the good team finds a way to win, but sometimes you just luck isn't on your side. Again a game winning field goal blocked and returned by the Eagles. The forty nine Ers beat them in overtime, where the Rams had a turnover and a fourth down blown play. The Seahawks beating them in overtime, when the Seahawks you know, mounted a comeback and then went for two in overtime. And then last night when they were favored in Atlanta, came back, but then on the last drive, three plays in a row just caught some type of like ooh, a no call and a wide open receiver and the coup on the sideline. I'm just saying this, four instances where this team, even if they won two of those games, they'd be the one seed and we'd be like, well, Stafford and they're going, man, they're headed, They're headed. I'm still scared of the Rams, is my point, and I think we all should be. If you're a fan of the the Bears, the Packers, the Seahawks, the Niners. Do not think that the Rams have fallen off. They have just you know, no, you know.

00:20:09
Speaker 5: What's crazy, Covino really quick if if at Well wasn't interfered with and caught that long pass and the Rams wind.

00:20:17
Speaker 2: Up going into the end zone there in the red zone.

00:20:21
Speaker 5: Then this morning we're talking about how even though he had a couple of turnovers, Stafford is your clear MVP.

00:20:26
Speaker 4: That one play that's it. It's that's why we said about it. It's just such a game of inches and little little bit like Josh Allen. Right, the narrative of Josh Allen if he hits, if he hits the receiver in the back corner on that two point conversion, We're saying, like, man, buffalo of struggle. But man, they found the way to beat the Eagles. Josh Allen, Man, what a game or fourth quarter? But instead the narrative is, man, but Josh Allen missed the guy in the end zone, Like is this not.

00:20:55
Speaker 2: The year for them? Time?

00:20:56
Speaker 3: Man, it was just not the year for him. Like it's all these little plays. So these little things add up and they matter, especially now. That's really what it comes down to. I'm just thinking baseball, Rich, how when we try to hype baseball up to everybody during the postseason, like every pitch counts, man, every little thing matters. That's really what we're getting at here, especially as we come down to the season. You know, every little play, every little thing is speculated out. I mean, they do matter, They absolutely matter. Let me ask you this.

00:21:26
Speaker 4: I've I've heard people talk about this, and I'm sure LeVar from two Pros and a cup of joe playing that being that he played in the NFL and big time college star pro bowler, you could probably attest to what the differences between the regular season, postseason and then like a super Bowl, Because when you do look about, when you look at like who's going to the postseason, do you say to yourself, well, Jalen Hurts has been there in one party and the Niners and that core has unfortunately been there a few times we couldn't get the job done. Do you give those teams with that postseason experience? Stafford won a Super Bowl? Mcveigh's been there. Do you give those teams a leg up on Caleb and Ben Johnson who are like it's almost like a fan base in Chicago that's like just sort of happy to now be in the mix and Seattle where it's like, yo, no one expected this. Do those teams with experience just have something like an intangible level of experience.

00:22:29
Speaker 3: Or do you not buy into that as a fan? I buy into it as a player. I'm not sure how much it matters, right because there's different teams playing behind those guys. But as the leader, as the quarterback of the team, I mean I think It does make a difference to have been there and done that, to have that confidence and poise about you. But I'm not sure if as a player and being on the field it matters all that much.

00:22:54
Speaker 4: I've heard people argue that that experience means a lot.

00:22:56
Speaker 2: So listen, what we'll talk some rams.

00:22:58
Speaker 4: We're gonna talking about Sam Darnold and again Josh Allen's meat. What does that even mean. We'll get to all that and your thoughts on the Rams. They I'm arguing that they are still arguably one of the most dangerous teams, just because you know, again, bad luck is a part of sports.

00:23:15
Speaker 2: It really is.

00:23:15
Speaker 4: Sometimes the better team. You can say the better team always wins, But sometimes I don't think the better team wins. Sometimes I think, you know, a couple of bad bounces, and you know, sometimes a guy could fumble Covino, the ball bounces right back up into his arms. Sometimes the guy fumbles, the ball bounces into into the air. You know, sometimes in interceptions, tipped up pick six the other way.

00:23:36
Speaker 3: Otherwise the way part of their comeback was a special team's blocked kick that way right back into his arms.

00:23:41
Speaker 2: That was awesome.

00:23:42
Speaker 4: So your thoughts on the rams and who you look at as the favorite will take all your feedback. Next your bud's Cavin and rich filling in for Dan Patrick right here on Fox Sports Radio.

00:23:54
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00:24:37
Speaker 3: Welcome back to the showgram program, Codino and rich In for Dan Patrick. Buddy a three of the segmented hat Shrinck. So if you missed any of our shows during the put of the holidays, catch the podcast. We're live in the Fox Sports Radio studio and feeding off the success of our college Bracket college basketball Bracket Challenge each March, we decided to do bracket challenge for the college football playoff. With eight teams left standing in college football, it's bracket Challenge time.

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00:25:41
Speaker 2: Good luck. That's tomorrow, and don't tell me what to do, but I'll do it. Yeah.

00:25:45
Speaker 4: Hey, we talked a lot about the Rams and are they still very dangerous?

00:25:50
Speaker 2: Yes?

00:25:51
Speaker 4: Have they caught some tough breaks in four games? I pointed out that could very well have went the other way. Yes, But as you said, covenable championship teams find a way to finish well.

00:26:00
Speaker 3: Truth is and our listeners said it too on the chat Covino and Rich FSR on YouTube. You could say that or make this argument for a lot of teams. Yeah, you know, had this happen, had that happen. You know, it's just the name of the game.

00:26:13
Speaker 4: So it's like at the end of one hundred and sixty two game baseball season, you'll be like, if my closer didn't blow this game, this game, in that game, you could go round the league and every fan.

00:26:23
Speaker 2: Will tell you, well, you don't think my closer blue games?

00:26:26
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I mean, but are the Rams good? I get what you're trying to say. I'm not debating that at all. Yeah they're good, and yeah they were in the game, and yeah they made a nice comeback.

00:26:35
Speaker 2: But you know what, all these special teams came through a few times.

00:26:38
Speaker 6: You know what.

00:26:38
Speaker 4: It also proves when you see Philadelphia held scoreless in the second half and vulnerable offensively even though they were great defense.

00:26:45
Speaker 2: When you see the Rams like look at.

00:26:48
Speaker 4: Flat as hell last night, and then you see the Niners scored almost fifty points a week, but they can't stop anyone.

00:26:54
Speaker 2: Same with the Bears.

00:26:56
Speaker 4: There's there's a sense of I mean, I soundly Chris Harrison ten years ago in the Bachelor, this might be the most exciting season ever.

00:27:04
Speaker 3: Yeah, I still get the feeling like it's anyone's season.

00:27:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, would you be shocked if I'm gonna throw teams out there? Would you be shocked if you saw them in San Francisco beginning of February at the Super Bowl. If I said, y'all, dude, the Bears and Ben Johnson and Caleb make a run.

00:27:21
Speaker 2: No, you wouldn't be shocked.

00:27:22
Speaker 4: If I said, if I said, Seattle, who's been a steady consistent all year long, wouldn't be shocked. Stafford and the Rams, Niners, and Purty and Kyle Shanahan. You wouldn't be shocked by any of this. You wouldn't be shocked if the Eagles went back. So that makes it so much. I think it's as fun as it's ever been. So, I mean, some people are saying on the chat now I'm very interactive this morning that the Patriots or Broncos guys forget about the NFC. This is an AFC year, so we shall see Drake May one of your MVP candidates. It would be wild if the Broncos found the way to win.

00:27:59
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I was gonna say it, sure feels like the Chargers may hand the Broncos the number one seed.

00:28:04
Speaker 4: And the Broncos with that number one seed. Correct me if I'm wrong, let me check. I don't want to be I don't want to be wrong. We're feeling for Dan Patrick crew goodness sake.

00:28:13
Speaker 2: Oh yeap.

00:28:14
Speaker 4: The Broncos finally dropped one at home. Remember they they were the only Yeah, we called it. Yeah, we said the Jags were going to have a statement game. When the Jags went into Denver, by the way, that also proves how vulnerable they are. And even though we're like, oh, the one seed is gonna be Denver, and you know, New England's right.

00:28:32
Speaker 2: There, what about the two teams in the AFC South.

00:28:34
Speaker 4: You're tell me right now you'd be comfortable betting against Houston or Jacksonville right now?

00:28:42
Speaker 2: Hell no.

00:28:43
Speaker 4: So I think this is so wide open. We're about to get some of the best football we've ever.

00:28:48
Speaker 3: Had, really good teams. There's only one, maybe maybe two standout teams. And I'm thinking exactly what you said, Broncos Patriots. They've been solid pretty much the whole year. But dude, coming up, but we're just not sold on them for whatever reason. Well, I'm not saying I disagree with you, but when you think about the Broncos, yeah, they just sort of snuck by the Chiefs.

00:29:11
Speaker 2: What was that Christmas Day? Right? And before that they beat they lost to the Jags convincingly.

00:29:20
Speaker 4: And the Jags and the Texans are your two hottest teams out of the FC right now, you could argue, So I don't know. I'm I'm I'm real big on this being such a fantastic postseason.

00:29:31
Speaker 2: So we're in luck.

00:29:32
Speaker 4: I think we all reaped the benefits of each team having a clear vulnerability, but each team having a major strength that could whoop someone's ass. So what a great postseason we're about to hit on?

00:29:43
Speaker 5: You know how wild this year is. There's a headline that says Texans playoff scenario. Texans could wind up being the number one seed in the AFC or be out of the playoffs.

00:29:57
Speaker 2: Think about that. That's insane. How could this happen? The Texans? The text? The Texans Texans? The text?

00:30:06
Speaker 4: I mean, the Texans have already clinched any but there's a scenario where they're the ones.

00:30:10
Speaker 5: Yeah, this was this was prior to Yeah, yeah, this was prior to last week's games. But that's how crazy the year was going into week seventeen.

00:30:19
Speaker 4: Bro, look at just the swing in the strike let me you know how the when you see the standings, that shows you the streaks, right, Like I know you love in baseball communa where it's like last ten games gives you a little taste of it, you know in the NBA. Also, like how they've done over the last couple of weeks. You can't do that in the NFL because it's only seventeen games, eight in a row. But Houston's won eight in a row. Yeah, the Jags have won seven in a row and the Colts have lost six in a row. That division over the last six weeks.

00:30:50
Speaker 2: Like just flipped one to eighty.

00:30:52
Speaker 4: Like you you know, it's there was a time where you and I and not just us, Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, all the most respected people on this network. We're all talking about you know, Daniel Jones got the juice to go all the way, Shane steichen And and Jonathan Taylor was rushing for like one hundred and twenty yards a game, and now he's rushing for like seventy yards a game.

00:31:14
Speaker 2: There was a.

00:31:14
Speaker 4: Moment where we all shame on us, as George Bush once said, fool me once.

00:31:21
Speaker 2: Shame on you can't get full begin We were all.

00:31:27
Speaker 4: Seriously having a conversation on whether or not the Indianapolis Colts could win the Super Bowl.

00:31:32
Speaker 2: Someone also on once threw a shoe at George Bush. So look out with your statement.

00:31:35
Speaker 3: That is true, throwing a shoe at you, man, Because there's plenty of articles out there and plenty of stories of the Colts just playing two seasons in one. It really was. They had a really great start. Daniel Jones goes down. They were struggling a little bit before that, and they've been struggling ever since.

00:31:54
Speaker 4: Seven in a row, Tokyoki, six in a row, six losses in a row. Tokyoki hit us up and he goes the cult season. It's like that famous horse meme where one side is drawn perfect and the other side is drawn by a toddler. Yeah, that's the Cult season. It really is, like, how could you be seven to one and then eight and two. At one point, you know, you win one, you lose one, and now all of a sudden, you're like on the outside looking in. At one point when they were seven to one, I believe their percentage to make the postseason was ninety eight points something like something absurd, where you know you're making it, it's got to win. Like when they were eight and two, you could argue, you win two more games, you get, you get to ten wins, and you're you're likely finding a way.

00:32:37
Speaker 2: They can't even they can't even put it together, dude, I mean, look at the desperate measures.

00:32:43
Speaker 3: The Colts had a dude to Steven compete And we said it yesterday and everyone's saying it. Philip Rivers did everything he could. He did everything he could. Their defense couldn't really step up. He did everything he could keep the the.

00:33:00
Speaker 2: In the game really to give him a puncher's chance.

00:33:02
Speaker 4: You know, as I as I look forward to the wild card weekend, Danny G I'm not looking past the week E team because says a hell of a lot of great football, including you know, we'll talk about all these games. You gotta keep your eye on nine or Seahawks, Ravens, Steelers, I mean Saturday God, Panthers, Bucks.

00:33:21
Speaker 2: I'm not looking past all that.

00:33:22
Speaker 5: I can't wait, can't wait to see what Herbert's gonna do.

00:33:25
Speaker 2: As he just sits there and chills.

00:33:28
Speaker 4: I I do want to say that, I, by the way.

00:33:31
Speaker 2: Is that is that a smart move? I know we're gonna get to that, but like, what are your thoughts?

00:33:35
Speaker 4: Well, you know, say, you know, say that we're gonna get to who's sitting and who's resting and whether or not it's a good idea next. But I want to point out that I assume, and this is my bad assumption. This is you know, what are they miss You assume even an assay, you and me, that old stupid statement. I assume way too often that other people revolve their weekends around football, Like I do you ever notice how stuff keeps popping up on your calendar? And you does no one care as much as I do? Like Saturday January tenth or eleventh, like people plan things And I'm like, yeah, that's like wildcar weekend or divisional weekend. In my mind, January is designated like the weekends.

00:34:12
Speaker 2: Don't bother me.

00:34:14
Speaker 4: It's NFL playoffs in January leading up to the Super Bowl.

00:34:17
Speaker 2: Do you want to I guess the answer here?

00:34:20
Speaker 3: I'm with you, Rich, I completely agree, I'm like, what the heck's going on? I'm not my Mayni. Life still has to move forward. I'm not a maniac.

00:34:27
Speaker 4: But like when someone's like, yeah, we're having tiledged birthday party, you know, Sunday the eleventh, I'm like, yeah, well, guess what. Dad's not going to be there this guy, you know, the flag football games for my kids, or baseball evaluations for the spring season, I'm like, what are we doing?

00:34:42
Speaker 2: Like football is on, do you not watch? What the hell are you watching?

00:34:46
Speaker 3: Not every family is as invested as you and yours, especially if mom's making the plans not to be sexist strokes. But you know, I feel like Dad might be a weenie in this situation.

00:34:59
Speaker 4: Well, hey, your thoughts on the NFL as we get close to the playoffs, we do have a thought on resting players and we'll get to all that next Coveno and Rich and for the late, the great legendary Dan Patrick right here.

00:35:14
Speaker 2: On g retiring yet yah yah geez.

00:35:18
Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to listen live.

00:35:30
Speaker 3: I want to thank for Dan Patrick, Nation, the dan Nets, everybody listening, Ramsey back at the studio, Danny g everybody for hanging out with us Covino and Rich and for Dan Patrick live from the Fox Sports Radio studio. I'm out here in Idaho for the big potato drop coming this New Year's now.

00:35:49
Speaker 2: Actually I'll be home before that.

00:35:50
Speaker 4: You're in charge of sour cream, right, you just scored everyone with sour cream.

00:35:55
Speaker 2: He's got bacon bits in his pocket. I do thank you, Danny. That sounds safer.

00:36:00
Speaker 3: After the show, the DP podcast and on our stream, it goes up. So if you if you miss any of today's show or the past few shows we've been filling in for just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast c ov I know, Coveno and Rich and be sure to follow rate and review five stars because anything less is uncivilized. Or just watch what you hear Covino and Rich FSR on YouTube. You can join the live chat Covino and Rich FSR on YouTube.

00:36:26
Speaker 4: Chats popping and by the way, like you said, get involved, it's it's free. Watch what you hear YouTube dot com, slash at Covino on Rich I saw a funny meme, Covino. It was just, you know, a swipe of like ten different memes. I heard you laughing out loud.

00:36:40
Speaker 3: Rich is like the guy on the plane that laughs out loud, just hoping that everyone notices him having a blast, having a grand live.

00:36:52
Speaker 4: O.

00:36:52
Speaker 2: What's going on there?

00:36:53
Speaker 4: Oh, nothing, It's just we forget how quickly you know of sports where a year moves along, Like I saw someone recap all the big stories and headlines from twenty twenty five, and some of these things I totally forgot happened, just because it seems like a long time ago, but it's it's been this year, but it was NFL moments like oh, I'll never forget. It's like I'll never forget Week one through five, Baker Mayfield, I'll never forget, you know, first half of the year, Jonathan Taylor, and it's just all like all the highs and lows of an NFL season, Like I'll never I'll never forget weeks five and six, Kendrick Bourne, I'll never forget Trey McBride at the one point of the season, Like there were there were moments in the season that feel like a different season because narratives change week to week to week, and we've talked about that.

00:37:44
Speaker 3: I think we were saying Daniel Jones MVP at one point and back, oh, we were definitely saying Mayfield MVP at one point. And now they lost four in a row. It's like their season fell apart two. So yeah, it's it's it's a short but long season. Manything could happened. No, they get no doubt.

00:38:00
Speaker 4: Now let's go to a couple of phone calls about the NFL's we head to the playoffs.

00:38:05
Speaker 2: And I know you and I.

00:38:06
Speaker 4: Had thoughts on resting players and like this. This has been a conversation every year and it always comes up like the pros and cons and.

00:38:15
Speaker 2: Is it right?

00:38:16
Speaker 4: Is it a boss move or a buns? Yeah, so let's say how to Kevin in Ohio? What's up keV?

00:38:22
Speaker 8: Hey, guys, how's it going?

00:38:23
Speaker 6: Well?

00:38:23
Speaker 2: Good man? What's up? Well?

00:38:25
Speaker 8: First off, you can't leave the five o'clock time side, I need you on the way home.

00:38:29
Speaker 2: Okay, we're here, able to hear you right now.

00:38:33
Speaker 8: Two quick things. One from yesterday, didn't you hear from Brady Bunch never played ball in the house? And second, this NFL playoff doesn't have a villain, like, we can't there's not really anybody aside from personal hatred. Like I'm a Lions fan, so if the stadium krembles on the bears of the Packers, I'm alright with it. But aside from that, there's not really a villain.

00:38:57
Speaker 3: There's no why there's no there's no villain because there's no one that hatable and and everyone seems.

00:39:02
Speaker 2: Or appears to be vulnerable, and that's really it.

00:39:05
Speaker 4: I guess the closest thing to a villain is you know, Eagles and Philadelphia fans, you know, maybe aren't the you know, other people don't love him so much, so I don't think anyone's like man, I would love to see an Eagles repeat. Besides that, I feel like every other team, like even as a Niners fan, I know they have a legacy, but they haven't once in Steve Young in the nineties. So every story for every team feels like there's a cool storyline, like, oh, Sam Darnold with the Seahawks gets over the hump, Josh Allen finally wins one, the Patriots bounce back with Drake May after a dynasty, Like every team has a storyline that wouldn't really bum you out.

00:39:41
Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers wins one with the Steelers.

00:39:44
Speaker 3: I mean unlikely, but again every storyline, you're right, there is no villain. That's a great point, keV. Let's go to Mitch and Jersey. IMIg happy, No problem, man, what's up.

00:39:58
Speaker 6: These NFL game It's perfect, don't any more teams. I like the first weekend and championship is awesome. That in the super Bowl. Usually, I was kind of hoping to be forty nine ers and bos long because I'm I like the bolls of others. I kind of pulled them for the forty nine ers, and I wish they go back to most of these college football games, you know, thirty first and thirty Why is USC playing so late nine o'clock tonight? They were top sixteen, almost made the playoffs. Twelve is a good number, and nine o'clock it's it's ridiculous, you know, the sunrise and eat come on?

00:40:28
Speaker 4: I know, you know, I I think, uh, I think, well, the Super Bowl is fun.

00:40:33
Speaker 2: I think would you.

00:40:34
Speaker 4: Agree that divisional weekend might be the best weekend of football? Right? Divisional weekend is where it's at even wildcard now with that Monday night edition, So listen. We're entering like the most fun time of the year as far as sports watching, so we'll talk more NFL Playoffs Week eighteen, all that good stuff. Next, filling in for the great Dan, Patrick, Cavino, and Rich on Fox Sports Radio, hangk Ty