NFL Cover Zero: NFL in Ireland, Cam Ward frustrated, and Ravens concern

00:00:06
Speaker 1: NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. WelCom Week four of the NFL Cover Zero podcast. I'm Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is with me. I am in Kruger National Park, and I am in a tent, like a nice tint, but still a tent in the middle of the African National Park South African National Park. Bush. Drew is in studio in Lexington, a more normal space. Drew, I'm being a little bit quieter than I usually would be because there are tints on each side of me, and it is midnight here. I can literally hear hyenas in the background, and just a little while earlier today I saw a lion. So it's a little bit like most podcasts. Probably going on to talk to the NFL today, Well, should be worried.

00:01:07
Speaker 2: Are you being quiet to not wake your fellow man or to not wake the animals that could disturb you at any moment there?

00:01:13
Speaker 1: Well, there's an electric fence around here, so I think I'm okay around around the animals, but there are people literally in the tents not very far away, and they are trying to sleep because they have a five am wake up call for a safari journey. I'm skipping that one tomorrow. We did eleven hours of Safari. Drew and I enjoy Safari.

00:01:37
Speaker 3: But eleven hours I think I saw the animals I needed to see.

00:01:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, I appreciate you still having the gas to do this podcast from the other side of the world. I hope you're still picking up lots of listeners for us. Last time we talked to you were just going around making people subscribe.

00:01:50
Speaker 3: Have we had anyone from VAM from Mcruger Park.

00:01:54
Speaker 1: I told a hippo today that if it did not click the link subscribe and rate and review, I was going to be very upset. But I will tell you first of all, I highly recommend, I highly recommen end coming to a safari if you.

00:02:07
Speaker 3: Ever get a chance. It really is awesome.

00:02:09
Speaker 1: I meant, I meant the Medouley Safari Lodge, which is which is part of Kruger National Park, really really nice. So we get up at five am this morning, we go and they they drive us around the bush and I dressed in a safari hat.

00:02:27
Speaker 3: Drew, I had a safari hat.

00:02:29
Speaker 1: I dressed like I think you should go to a safari like a linen shirt and like, uh, you know, khaki pants with the pockets and all that. I really felt like I was in Safari mode and you'd have been proud of me.

00:02:42
Speaker 3: I really thought, you know, I was. I was out there with nature.

00:02:46
Speaker 2: I'm picturing like doctor Alan Grant from Jurassic Park walking around.

00:02:49
Speaker 1: Did you just know he was? He was exactly? I was like, I want to be like him. Was that that was Jeff Goldbloom right in that? In that fake Alan?

00:03:02
Speaker 2: That was the was the other guy, But any of them really is what I picture you doing out there, even like you just got a Jurassic Park Halloween costume.

00:03:09
Speaker 3: That's exactly what I did. And here's the thing about when you go and see animals.

00:03:12
Speaker 1: So today I saw I saw a lion, I saw a hippo, I saw a rhino. I saw multiple giraffes, multiple zebras, or as they call them here, zebras. I saw two elephants fight each other, which was kind of awesome. But I don't have a phone, so I didn't get to take any pictures of this, so there's no proof that I saw any of these things. But it's interesting because got when we got out at like four or five six am. The first time we saw a zebra drew everybody.

00:03:42
Speaker 3: He was like, ooh, look at the zebra. Oh yeah.

00:03:48
Speaker 1: And then you see an elephant and like we stay there for ten minutes and we're like just in all of its magnificent beauty. And then you see a giraffe and you just go, oh my goodness. And then after like seven or eight hours, you're flying by elephants like singing show to and you're like, all right, I've had it.

00:04:07
Speaker 3: That's good.

00:04:07
Speaker 1: I've seen I got have seen plenty of these you quickly, it starts to become commonplace after a little while.

00:04:14
Speaker 2: How close to these animals are we getting here? It's not a sue where there's a wall, so you're just up autumn you amongst them, as you.

00:04:21
Speaker 1: Have to say, I mean, what is unbelievable coming out here is that they're right next to you, like you're in a vehicle. But like so they tell you please don't yell at the animals, right, please don't, like you know, because they're animals and there there's nothing stopping them from i don't know, drew eating you if if they want to. So they tell you like, don't yell at them, they will leave you alone. But if they feel threatened, you never know. And I'm in a car full of if you remember I told you, I'm on the safari with eight women, and they are eight very sweet women.

00:05:00
Speaker 3: But Drew, they get very.

00:05:01
Speaker 1: Excited when they see animals and sometimes they just screamed them out. And the first elephant we saw, they were like all of that. And then and the elephant just all of a sudden turns around and is staring right at me, like, are you gonna do something about this? Or am I gonna have to get involved? And I was like a school teacher. I was like, shut up, because you know, you get a sense of your spot in nature with how big these things are.

00:05:30
Speaker 2: And we can't lose half of the NFL Cover zero podcast because your companions on the trip or screaming and getting loud, have a lion ripping your face off or anything like that.

00:05:41
Speaker 1: And I learned from our guide it was wonderful, like I got to know why they did the various things we do.

00:05:47
Speaker 3: We saw a lion. We also saw a deadline with vultures eating it, which is not a pretty picture. Like Drew that's not what they show you in the brochure or when you come, but it is. I guess it's part of nature's, you know, the circle of life.

00:06:04
Speaker 2: Right definitely, and I can I don't know every NFL podcast, but I challenge you to show me one that has that is dealing with this during week four of the seasons.

00:06:14
Speaker 1: It is interesting, though, it is interesting. The thing that people here tell you to avoid the most. You know, what they're the most scared of is the hippo. They're like, when we got next to the hippo, they were like, shut up, okay, because that hippo. You know, you see you when you're from America, you see hungry, hungry hippos. You think, well, that's a happy animal. Apparently it's like the dead List. It will kill you. It will kill you for even saying a cross word about it. And so I was kind of nervous when we went to the hippo station.

00:06:46
Speaker 2: I've heard that even though they look like they just be fat swabs, they're lightning fast and we'll use that jaw art if you need to.

00:06:53
Speaker 3: If they need to, yeah, yeah, they'll like they'll open their mouth and be like that's what they do. That's the sound they make. And so so anyway, it's been it's been awesome. I'm really tired.

00:07:04
Speaker 1: I've been here now fifteen days in South Africa, but it's been awesome. This is the people here are great and it's been great. And hopefully Drew, one day you will get to come to this as well.

00:07:16
Speaker 2: Maybe this will just be a tradition for the NFL Cover zero. We'll just start each each season and some other part of the world as far away from the NFL as possible.

00:07:26
Speaker 3: I have some breaking news. For the first time in for only the second time since twenty thirteen, my Cincinnati Reds have made the playoffs.

00:07:37
Speaker 2: Congratulations, I just saw the news pop up.

00:07:39
Speaker 1: All right, I'm sorry that just happened because we're taping this, you know, a little earlier in the day today. That just happened. You have to give me a minute. NFL world, the Reds made the playoffs.

00:07:51
Speaker 3: They did it by losing, but nevertheless they made it because the Mets lost to the Marlins, and the Reds, who had like one fourth the payroll of the Mets, are in the playoffs this year.

00:08:02
Speaker 2: True, Franklin, I'm happy for you and the many Reds fans that are probably listening to this, I just have to wonder to have you all learned a lesson about giving up? Because I remember that West Coast swing when was just you. It seemed to be the whole fan base thought it's over watch.

00:08:17
Speaker 3: They got swept by the A's, Like, how could you not give up?

00:08:21
Speaker 2: But this should be a lesson. It's never over.

00:08:24
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's never well, so I'm very very happy about that. Of course, they wait till I'm here and can't see any of the games. But nevertheless, when this is over, I will watch the highlights. Now, there was plenty of NFL action going everywhere. Now, I actually got to watch all of the one o'clock games, so I watched NFL Red Zone, caught all of them. I caught the end of the nine to thirty game. But Billy is in charge here of the nine to thirty and four o'clock games. We will not be able to do Packers Cowboys because it will be four in the morning here. Billy, you saw all of the Packers of excuse me have the Steelers Vikings game in Dublin. There's a lot of great storylines for this, but give me a quick summary of the things from the actual game that was the most important.

00:09:11
Speaker 4: Yeah, from the actual game, the first NFL game in Dublin. The Steelers won twenty four to twenty one. Pittsburgh is now three to one on the season, and it was thanks to their defense. They were dominant for most of the game. Six sacks, two interceptions won by TJ Watt. Aaron Rodgers had an eighty yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf, which is the longest touchdown pass in the NFL this season. Kenneth Gainwell played really well with Jalen Warren out. He had ninety nine yards in.

00:09:34
Speaker 1: It doesn't sound like Drew by the way a football player's name, Kenneth Gainwell. I feel like Kenneth Kanewell works down the street at accounting firm.

00:09:43
Speaker 3: But he was great today.

00:09:45
Speaker 2: He gained well today. He had two touchdowns. Like though he said big defense was a big part of it. But Warren not playing was quite a surprise and not much of a drop off there. Backing up Aaron Rodgers in the backfield.

00:09:56
Speaker 4: Yeah, the game goes from twenty four to six to twenty four to twenty one in the fourth quarter and the Vikings can't get an on side kick and eventually run out of time for the Steelers to win.

00:10:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, Carson Wentz, I think had thirteen comeback wins in his career, was not able to get this one.

00:10:10
Speaker 3: So the game was fine.

00:10:11
Speaker 1: But to me, Drew, what was interesting about this game where all the things that happened around it. Okay, so let's start with last night before the game. The backup quarterback Skyler Thompson is that, right, Skyler Thompson gets robbed on the streets of Dublin.

00:10:29
Speaker 3: He gets robbed.

00:10:31
Speaker 1: I didn't see details about what they took, but I've been to Dublin. It's actually one of the most friendly, fun places to walk around.

00:10:40
Speaker 3: How did he get robbed? And what has to be like a tourist part of town, right, Yeah, I need to know more details on this.

00:10:47
Speaker 2: It's not out completely, but he got assaulted and robbed, you know, night before a game. How late could you possibly be out night before the game. I've been around there too. He got like the Temple Bar, there's that nice little area. I never felt like I wasn't safe there. If anything, I just wanted to dance and listen to music. So pretty extreme fortune, fortunate situation that a guy who maybe should have been out and you ended up getting mugged and robbed. Luckily he was hurt or he was okay and still ended up showing up for the game and was on the sideline. But a crazy way to go go play a game in Ireland for him, Yeah, I mean.

00:11:19
Speaker 3: Just wild that you go get robbed. Have you have you ever heard of a player being part of a felony the night before the game and not committing it, like having a commitsioned on just a victim the night before the game. Yeah, and I mean I guess.

00:11:33
Speaker 2: He probably wasn't wearing like his full pads and outfit where they knew he was an NFL player. But you know, Ireland's got to be excited about this game, and you gotta think, hey, we can't be aut punching, even if it is the backup quarterback of all the people for us to be rough and up, we got to be good host of the NFL.

00:11:49
Speaker 1: But you act like they have any idea who Skyler Thompson is. I mean, would you recognize Skylar TOMPs tonight?

00:11:55
Speaker 2: I don't think he had his helmet and pads on. But you know, if all people for them to hit you gotta roll out the red car.

00:12:01
Speaker 1: You would not recognize Scott Skyler Thompson could walk into that studio right now, you would not know.

00:12:05
Speaker 2: Who No, no clue at all, not even a little bit. He could actually walk in wearing a Skylar Thompson jersey, and I would not even know who he is.

00:12:13
Speaker 3: I know Skyler from Breaking Bad more than I know Skyler Thompson. I know.

00:12:20
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would not have. It would not have occurred to me to keep him from robbery. Now, the game itself went great, seventy thousand people there. Apparently the turf was in really great shape, which is always an issue in these road games. The Steelers are Mike Tomlin apparently gave a speech before the game where he said something to the effect of, you know, our former owner Art Rooney was from here.

00:12:46
Speaker 3: He was an ambassador to hear.

00:12:47
Speaker 1: I think for Barack Obama, we need to like really honor him, and they did it by winning. The Steelers are kind of trying to claim Ireland as their country. They want to be the team of Ireland. Do you think do you think that's doable for the Steelers.

00:13:01
Speaker 2: No, Pittsburgh, you can't just claim Ireland because there's a Rooney connection. I like the effort. It's a good try there. But I learned during the broadcast that the Steelers and Vikings weren't the only teams with fans there because at one point they said, and I even had to go back and listen to make sure I heard this right in a crowd of what like sixty seventy thousand of the stadium, they said, we've counted twenty two NFL jerseys from different teams. And I thought, who is sitting around counting the Bears jerseys and the Lions jerseys? But they said, we've seen twenty two different NFL jerseys today.

00:13:35
Speaker 1: So they said we you think they just walked around And they were like, okay, there is I like, there's a cold charge of finding all the jerseys and they had to go to all seventy thousand.

00:13:48
Speaker 3: Is there an intern that does that?

00:13:49
Speaker 2: Like, Hey, you're just gonna sit at the gates and every time you see a new NFL jersey, we want you to count.

00:13:54
Speaker 3: I do like though, when they go to these foreign countries that people just wear the jerseys of the teams that they like or have seen in the States. It's like people who just.

00:14:03
Speaker 1: Say who go to games and just say go sport, right, and it doesn't matter who's playing. I will just root on the concept of football.

00:14:13
Speaker 2: I have a good friend from Scotland, like born and raised Scotland, but he loves the Cincinnati Bengals, like grew up loving the Bengals in Scotland. And I asked him why he's even come to Cincinnati for games. He's like, I just like Tigers. So I mean, I'm sure there are people all over the world that have picked a team based on a logo or a color, or maybe they fill a connection to the city. So then if these games come to Dublin or London or wherever and they're even remotely close, you got you gotta break out whatever whatever team it is, even if they're not there.

00:14:43
Speaker 3: Okay, so two thoughts here.

00:14:44
Speaker 1: First of all, what would be the weirdest team name to pick just because you like what it is? Would it be like the Giants, I just like really tall people would have the one.

00:14:53
Speaker 3: What would be the one that would be the strangest to say, Well, I just like that.

00:14:59
Speaker 5: Uh Brown's and Brown's Yeah, I like Brown's, like the color brown, that's my I just like the color I love Cleveland and the color brown.

00:15:12
Speaker 3: That that would be that would be really strange.

00:15:14
Speaker 1: And then okay, so I had this thought today riding around the bush. By the way, that's a phrase I'd never used, Drew until I got here. The bush like people just use that. That's like if you ever thought about going out'm riding around like you're seeing a high grass and go it's in the bush. But like now I use it all the time, and I think you gotta be careful when I come back to America just throwing that around.

00:15:36
Speaker 3: But people just use it like it's regular.

00:15:39
Speaker 2: Every time you've said it. I thought he's turned into a local there. It sounds like we might he might even come back. He's gotten so used I'm start calling him.

00:15:45
Speaker 1: If I start saying zebra, then you know I've you've gone. But I was sitting there thinking, I was like, Okay, if I were to start a new team, what is the one animal that like, there isn't a team name that I can think of. And we the only one of the big five we didn't spot was a leopard, and I was like, oh, there are no teams that are leopards.

00:16:07
Speaker 3: And I was like, but that would sound stupid the Leopards. But then no, it wouldn't because you know, like Ravens is a stupid name, but we say it like it's normal. I think if I started a team that was the Leopards, eventually people would just say Leopards like we do Jaguars. Right.

00:16:24
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm sure at some point somebody in South Florida was like, we could be Dolphins, and they're like, no, that's not intimidating at all. But you know what, we've got dolphins, rams to be Buccaneers.

00:16:35
Speaker 3: We can be potted.

00:16:37
Speaker 1: Yeah, but you just if you just say it long enough, then people will sign on to it.

00:16:42
Speaker 3: So if Louisville, Kentucky ever gets a professional sports team drew the Louisville Leopards, why not we get leopard print out for this? Would be great? No, I mean not Leoper like lepro c.

00:16:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm aware, just to Cleo.

00:16:58
Speaker 3: That would not be a name you would want to go. I would want to go cheer for them. That would be weird.

00:17:04
Speaker 1: Well, the Steelers get the win three and one, but we do have to talk about Aaron Rodgers, all right, So he won the game, but he gave in my opinion, Drew one of the most Aaron.

00:17:17
Speaker 3: Rodgers of Aaron Rodgers quotes of all time. Are you ready for it?

00:17:21
Speaker 1: He was talking about he wished the Steelers had come to the city earlier. Apparently they just showed up on Friday for the game on Sunday, and he said he wished they could have made a whole week of it because he wanted to go around Ireland. And here's what he said. And this is one of the most pretentious quotes I've ever heard. I have a family history here going back to Ireland Scotland, so I've always wanted to get over here. As folks may know, I'm a historian, so I kind of know the history, both geo politically and other things in the area. That's not a BS line, I'm telling you, guys, it's the truth. I'm also a huge fan of Guinness. I don't really drink beer, but if I did, I would drink Guinness. So I've heard it tastes different in Ireland, so I really think I should have.

00:18:11
Speaker 3: I really wish I'd gotten to spend more time here. Now.

00:18:16
Speaker 1: Two points here. First of all, I'm a historian who says that like First of all, a historian is someone who I presumably like, is an expert on history. Is Aaron Rodgers just anointing himself that he's already said he was a scientist and like a vax person?

00:18:34
Speaker 3: Is he also an historian? Uh? No?

00:18:37
Speaker 2: Has anyone ever thought of Aaron Rodgers a historian?

00:18:40
Speaker 6: Great quarterback? Great quarterback would say? What person would say? I don't drink beer, but I like Guinness? Isn't that the most beery of all beers?

00:18:53
Speaker 2: I will say the Guinness tastes different over there. I've been to the Guinness storehouse. I don't know. I guess Aaron Rodgers doesn't get into booze. But I can understand going to Dublin and wanting to have a fresh Guinness. That is something you have to do.

00:19:04
Speaker 3: But is that like? Is it? I'm not a beer person, but isn't Guinness like the heaviest of beers? If you don't like beer, how could you like Guinness?

00:19:13
Speaker 2: It's definitely heavy. The only reason if you were a non beer drinker and you wanted Guinness was because you're in Dublin. Like, you don't just sit around craving a Guinness. It's the connection to Ireland and if you want to go to one of the main tourist straps there. But no, I don't think Guinness is what you're reaching for if you're just an occasional beer drinker.

00:19:32
Speaker 3: Well, Aaron Rodgers is three and one, and I would like to congratulate him on not only having a winning record, but also being in his story and which.

00:19:40
Speaker 1: Was not something I was aware of until today. Now, let's go through some of the one o'clock games you had.

00:19:45
Speaker 3: The Eagles win and probably the biggest game at one o'clock over the Bucks. Both teams are three and ozero.

00:19:50
Speaker 1: Eagles got out big early, including a block punt that they returned for a touchdown. Second straight game they've blocked a kick of some sort and return for a touchdown. Baker Mayfield nearly let a come back. He made some amazing plays down the stretch, but the Eagles get the win.

00:20:06
Speaker 3: Are now four to ozho.

00:20:07
Speaker 1: They've basically beaten in the last couple of weeks the teams that they could end up tied with a lot of them.

00:20:13
Speaker 3: Great start for.

00:20:13
Speaker 1: Them, but you know, the Bucks did come away from me drew as like a real contender.

00:20:19
Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know, with Philly ups so big, even when Tampa started chipping away at it in the second half.

00:20:24
Speaker 3: I never really thought they'd win, but a part of me.

00:20:26
Speaker 2: Perked up on the couch a little bit, thinking it's Mayfield about to lead another comeback, because the first three games of the season he led comeback wins. Now you're playing the defending Super Bowl chance and champs, and he had a shot. He threw a through an interception an end zone late in the game, down eight, and then they had a turnover and downs later. But it made for a very entertaining game when it was otherwise pretty boring in the first half of Eagles up so much.

00:20:49
Speaker 3: Let's say you don't root for a team is Baker may In my opinion, Baker Mayfield is maybe the most fun player outside of Lamar if you don't care about the team, just in terms of fun to watch in the NFL, I think Lamar's number one, but I would say Baker Mayfield's number two. Do you agree with that?

00:21:13
Speaker 2: I completely agree. He's obviously has the talent, and he's really tapped into that again lately and revived his career. But he's he's just got a little swagger and a little juice where you can't look away even you know, if he hadn't end up at Cleveland, I think he could even have a better career than he has now we all realize that. But he's been pretty marketable since he got drafted, and now that they're pretty good and he's got pieces around him and they're so fun to watch. He is like one of the more just guys you want to sit down and watch if certainly if they're in a close game and he can come back like.

00:21:43
Speaker 1: This, well, he he was ranked we talked about this last episode as the fifth best quarterback currently in the NFL. We kind of thought that was crazy, but maybe it's not. I mean, maybe it's not. I mean that was a great performance. Of course, the Eagles actually did win the game. Their defense is so dominant. I actually thought Tom.

00:22:03
Speaker 3: Brady did a really good job on the game today, something I haven't said a lot when he's called these games. We actually thought he did a really good job.

00:22:09
Speaker 1: Just showing the plays that the Eagles make that no other team would make.

00:22:13
Speaker 3: And they have like seven guys at various positions that can do.

00:22:16
Speaker 2: It, and now they're showing off. They got up for a toush push today. You know, everybody surrounds it and we know it's gonna happen, and then they run a little fake and hand it off to Saquon Barkley for a TD. So they're flexing a little bad. I believe they did two fake to it pushes today, So now and we already know they have the unstoppable playing football, and now they're just toying with people when they line up to do that one.

00:22:36
Speaker 3: What was the debate this week about the tush push that people are all going off sides and then there's like maybe illegal defensive plays trying to do it. My gud here on this tour his named Lee.

00:22:48
Speaker 1: He's a big rugby guy, and he was trying to convince me that rugby was better than the NFL.

00:22:53
Speaker 3: And we were watching the spring box.

00:22:55
Speaker 1: The South African team was playing rugby yesterday and they do those scrums. I mean, you know what that drew is drew when like all those big hulky dudes just knock each other's shoulders and look like bahemos out there, and it's to me, like the most barbaric of things in sports. But the touch bush is kind of the NFL's version of that, isn't it.

00:23:15
Speaker 2: It is, and I think people are getting annoyed because just the last couple of weeks there's been super slow mo at the lone of scrimmage where they there's a coach. A couple of times the entire offensive line has false started, but others just one or two guys and they're not getting called. So I think there's a frustration with Look, it's already unstoppable, and now you're not even gonna call it when they're false starting, and it's making it even more unstoppable because there's been several examples of that, but it's hard to call it and bang bang like that when they're all piled.

00:23:42
Speaker 1: Up, the Giants end up getting their first win and upset well in the charge Just let's start with this, Drew, you're now the first person out of the NFL Cover zero survivor League. I tried to warn you against picking the Chargers Jackson Dart's first start.

00:24:11
Speaker 3: They were at home. This had all the makings to me of it. Upset you even bet on Jackson Dart to score a touchdown. Whish you remember that was Billy's touchdown pick last week. It worked, and yet you still picked him, and now you're out of the Survivor League, leaving me and Billy.

00:24:29
Speaker 2: I know, tough loss for me, Thank you Billy. Though, for the Jackson Dart touchdown, he scored like like one oh five today. It was the first touchdown in any games. We got that one out of the way, but not leaving the Survivor League. I mean, if I could go back in time, there were still of my options, it was the biggest point spread, so I don't regret it.

00:24:45
Speaker 3: No, there were a lot of that. Like this was a in theory, a tough day.

00:24:48
Speaker 1: I mean, I was trying to tell you to pick against your Titans, to pick the Texans, which we'll do in a second. But still Jackson Dart, I mean, he didn't look great, but he can run the ball. And it's clear of the crowd is much more excited about him being the quarterback.

00:25:04
Speaker 2: Just we knew when they signed Russell Wilson. Nobody wants Russell Wilson as their quarterback, and they tried it.

00:25:10
Speaker 3: Anyway.

00:25:11
Speaker 2: Now, if you're a Giants fan, even in not knowing what Jackson Dart is, it's like, just please let us just see what the rookie is. Anything is better than watching Russell Wilson at the end of his career, who didn't even look like he wanted to win last week. So as a fan, you were just glad to hit reset today. But then he looked good, didn't throw any interceptions, he ran for over fifty yards, including that touchdown run.

00:25:33
Speaker 3: So sure.

00:25:34
Speaker 2: I mean, also, you beat an unbeaten team. I mean, is it gonna turn the Giant season a round? I don't know, but at least you have a rookie you can be it excited about, and it probably saved Dave.

00:25:41
Speaker 3: Ball's job at least a little bit longer.

00:25:44
Speaker 1: I'm trying to think who is like Russell Wilson is the if you're a fan of a team, when the headline comes your team has signed Russell Wilson, that's the worst headline you could see because you know you're spending a lot of money and he's not gonna be good. It's the worst head It's like, I don't know, back I'm trying to think who the NBA equivalent to that is, maybe James Harden. Right, you're gonna sign him, you know he's gonna take every shot.

00:26:07
Speaker 3: You know it's gonna be.

00:26:08
Speaker 1: Boring, and you know you're not gonna win a title, except James Harden's a whole lot better than Russell Wilson is.

00:26:13
Speaker 3: Oh great.

00:26:13
Speaker 2: We signed Paul George off another injury.

00:26:15
Speaker 3: That's that's about what. She's a good one.

00:26:18
Speaker 1: Paul George is a really good, really good call for that elite neighbors. Unfortunately, towards ACL that stinks because you could tell, you know, he finally gets a quarterback, he feels like I'll throwing the ball, he gets hurt. We need to officially alert the TV broadcasters they are showing showing I think an inordinate amount drew of Jackson Dart's mom on television.

00:26:43
Speaker 3: We did see a lot of the Darts, a lot of there's a lot of Jackson Dart mom on television.

00:26:49
Speaker 1: And you know, I'm not telling producers what to do, but I think, you know, if it's the kid's first game, which I guess today was, I think showing his parents is okay. But I'm getting the feeling that we're going to have Taylor Swift, Travis Kelsey vibes in terms of amount shown of Jackson Dart's mom. That's just my initial pre This is my prediction for the Giants this year.

00:27:11
Speaker 2: It will be interesting to see because they said first rookie start. You know, they usually show a parent in the crowd. A few weeks ago, the Titans showed cam Ward's dad going crazy in the aisle. But if this continues, I'm ready to put Taylor Swift on the hot seat with you. I think I think the new.

00:27:28
Speaker 3: I'm not saying they're in the same league. I'm just saying she's gonna be.

00:27:33
Speaker 2: I want to be the new Wives. She on my TV show Football. That's gonna get everybody worked up. They're gonna be bringing her in with big curtains in the back where you can't get pictures of her before she's in her seat. True will be everywhere, and we're in that direction.

00:27:46
Speaker 3: We gotta get in front of it.

00:27:49
Speaker 1: Well, I'm gonna get if he keeps winning, then I will even I'll get you a cameo from Jackson Dart's mom as a as my present for you for the Giants getting their their first victory. I'm gonna just say the Texans beat the Titans twenty six to nothing, cam Ward uh said after the game quote we ask Drew Franklin, as a resident Titans fan on the podcast.

00:28:18
Speaker 2: That's my quarterback. Just call it like it is. He said more than once that. We asked, Uh, it's not always what you want your quarterback to say. In fact, in one of the lines he said, if I'm keeping it a buck, we asked, so I'm gonna get my we keep.

00:28:32
Speaker 1: It a buck, We asked, that's like a thousand bucks.

00:28:37
Speaker 2: They're so terrible, though, I mean, they're so bad. He had one fun cross body throw like he did a couple of weeks ago in the first quarter. That got us excited, but there was nothing else to be excited about. Texans aren't good. They owed three teams here and you get completely shut out. Never even stood a chance. It's gonna be such a long season.

00:28:56
Speaker 3: Well there was. That was a fun moment today, though.

00:29:00
Speaker 2: A couple got married on the field of an oh and three versus oh and three go so and nothing says love Titans Texans on a Sunday.

00:29:08
Speaker 3: They got married.

00:29:09
Speaker 1: Yeah, hey, god on, they got married on the field, like at halftime or something.

00:29:13
Speaker 2: It was a little before the game. That shows you how much the Titans and Texans cared about this game, Like, oh, you couldn't find a wedding venue. Why don't you just use our field thirty minutes before kickoff.

00:29:24
Speaker 3: You got to get fan engagement.

00:29:26
Speaker 1: How you can This is the well, this is the literal way to get a fan engagement is to let.

00:29:31
Speaker 3: Them do it on the field. That is a depressing that's a sound like a package.

00:29:37
Speaker 2: You can bothers that got married in the I.

00:29:41
Speaker 1: Was excited about the ones that got married in the parking lot. This to me seems a little more depressing.

00:29:45
Speaker 3: Drew.

00:29:46
Speaker 2: Yeah, we had a we had an I do and a wee ass at the at the Titans Texans games. Just exciting stuff. Football not so much.

00:29:54
Speaker 1: Those of you tells are hugely things that should go together. Falcons and the Commanders Michael Pennocks Junior played very well after they were after they were terrible last week.

00:30:07
Speaker 3: Comes out. They get a win against Marcus Mariota.

00:30:09
Speaker 1: Who every time I see the gray it throws me off ter I mean, maybe a little just for him, just a little bit, if you're gonna be on playing on national television, I.

00:30:20
Speaker 2: Agree, but I'm happy for him. You know that's not kind of gray. He's all the way gray, but so out there throwing for a couple of touchdowns. They don't win the game, but I am happy that Marcus Marioda has a little life until Jade Daniels comes back probably next week.

00:30:34
Speaker 3: Who is the he reminds me of.

00:30:36
Speaker 1: Have you ever seen those old pictures of the football player, like in the fifties y A tittle?

00:30:42
Speaker 3: Yeah? Have you ever seen?

00:30:43
Speaker 2: Oh?

00:30:44
Speaker 1: Yeah, that picture is Marcus Mariota, our new y A tittle on his knees on the field, like with a like.

00:30:51
Speaker 3: A bald horseship and ring around his head. Is that my Marcus Mariota, the new ye tittle?

00:30:57
Speaker 2: I think so we could just black and whitest photo and add him to the collection.

00:31:01
Speaker 3: But he's not playing like he's old. It's just very unique for.

00:31:03
Speaker 2: Guy because he's I think he's only thirty one, but it's it's completely gray. I guess when you're used to be the quarterback of the Titans, it ages you.

00:31:13
Speaker 3: Am. I the first person to ever compare Marcus Mario to White. No thank anyone else has ever done that.

00:31:19
Speaker 2: I think that was on a scouting report out of Oregon. Got a lot of ye tittle with him.

00:31:25
Speaker 1: I do like when people will try to argue that athletes back in the day were more athletic or better than they are now. I just will show them the picture of why Tittle just I mean, remember why Tittle's a Hall of Famer. That was a Hall of Famer back then.

00:31:46
Speaker 2: So there's one of George Blanda too, where if you were to just show someone a photos like if you if you didn't have the pass on and you say how old is see, people would be like sixty five years old?

00:31:56
Speaker 3: That is that is a seventy.

00:31:57
Speaker 1: Five looks like he looks like a Civil War general at that picture.

00:32:03
Speaker 2: Marks Mario joining the conversation.

00:32:09
Speaker 1: There's a lineage from from why Tittle to George Blade now to Marcus Marcus Mariota.

00:32:16
Speaker 3: Good for him.

00:32:16
Speaker 1: Although they did lose the game, Falcons win. This is one of the things I've said for years. There's no team on Earth in any sport that you can predict less. The results of their games drew than the Falcons. Every game you think they're going to win, they lose thirty to nothing. Like last week, when you think they're going to lose, they beat the Commanders at home. That's just what the fact they've been like that for like the last seven years.

00:32:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, I absolutely destroyed last week by the Panthers and then turn around and win this game.

00:32:47
Speaker 1: That's that's the way they are. The Saints beat the Bills beat the Saints thirty one to nineteen. Saints hung with them, played pretty well. I think the reason is they said during the game that Spencer Rattler, who Billy told me before, he's oh and ten. He's oh and ten for his career. He's the ninth back in NFL history to start his career oh to ten. I'm not so much surprised that Spencer Rattler is oh and ten, but are you surprised that nine quarterbacks have started their career oh and ten.

00:33:19
Speaker 2: I would think that starting your career oh in ten is about as bad as it could be. And now you couldn't have anyone else in that conversation, but to have nine other people, yeah, that's surprising.

00:33:30
Speaker 1: That is extremely surprising me. But at least he has a lot of company. I do think the reason they kept it close is they said during the game Spencer Rattler in the backup Tyler Shuck both celebrated their birthday today.

00:33:44
Speaker 3: They are the only starter and backup in the last ten years in the NFL to share a birthday. It's been ran a nice piece of trivia. They said to day during the game.

00:33:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, here go lose to the Bills on your birthday. One exciting thing for Rattler is that one of the quarterbacks that went oh and ten as Troy Aikman.

00:34:04
Speaker 3: And Warren Moon.

00:34:05
Speaker 2: So you will, okay, war Moon also, so maybe don't give up.

00:34:09
Speaker 3: When you have the names. I'd like to see what are the names? Uh, Deshaun and Warren Moon both very good? Keep going, Deshaun Kayser, Jack Trudeau.

00:34:17
Speaker 1: Okay, hang on, don't just run through these. DeShawn Kayser. Notre Dame, right, isn't that where he went?

00:34:23
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's an easy one.

00:34:24
Speaker 2: As I was going to say, any Cleveland Brown is probably on this list, and he was.

00:34:28
Speaker 3: Okay, So, who who's next? Jack Trudeau? Who? I'm not sure who that is? Jack Trudeau? He hosted a nature show, didn't at some point?

00:34:39
Speaker 1: I think he's the other person I've seen in the bush in South Africa.

00:34:43
Speaker 3: I don't think I know who that is.

00:34:45
Speaker 4: Okay, Stan Jelba maybe also another one in the bush that you've seen over the last week.

00:34:51
Speaker 1: He was one of the wrestlers in ww when the the Jobbers when the Hulk Cogan would come out. I go, he's an opponent, Stan Jelba. I just looked up Stan joel Ba. That dude sells insurance. That's it, I sell insurance.

00:35:04
Speaker 3: Haircut. Who where do he play? Where did stand Jilball.

00:35:07
Speaker 2: Play in this picture? He's a Seahawks uniform.

00:35:12
Speaker 3: Oh wow, Seahawk legend Stan Jilbar. Who else Derek Carr? Okay?

00:35:19
Speaker 1: Oh okay, I mean yeah, but he's playing. I think he was on the expansion.

00:35:25
Speaker 2: Zach Mettenberger. Oh, that's one of my guys.

00:35:27
Speaker 3: Tighten up.

00:35:28
Speaker 2: I mean, we asked Zach Mattenberger. He was he was, he was our future.

00:35:32
Speaker 3: He was a Titan.

00:35:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, he was the future.

00:35:35
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:35:36
Speaker 2: Former LSU Tiger.

00:35:38
Speaker 3: Okay.

00:35:39
Speaker 4: And then the finally Brody Croyle as the final quarterback to lose their first ten games.

00:35:44
Speaker 3: I know that name, Brody Croyle. Where did he play in college? Bama? Okay?

00:35:52
Speaker 1: He was in that long line of like Greg McElroy a, J. Mcaerr and those kind of guys. Well interesting company. So your career can go one of two ways, Spencer, when you start oh and ten, it's up to you. Josh Allen, by the way, he really had not run the ball at all this year. And the announcer, I'm not sure who got stuck on the game, but the guy who was doing color commentary, he.

00:36:14
Speaker 3: Was like, Josh Allen has not run the ball at all this year, and I wonder if.

00:36:18
Speaker 1: It's a concerted effort for the Bills to save it to the playoffs. And literally, on the next play he drew, he broke it for forty five yards.

00:36:26
Speaker 3: Announcer jinks it really was like the next play that he ran. I was like, oh, poor guy. You know, he saved that fact and was ready for it and it gets busted. Drew one play later.

00:36:39
Speaker 2: I was surprised that this was even remotely a game in the second half because this was a sixteen and a half point spread, and it was the Saint's' biggest spread since nineteen seventy five.

00:36:50
Speaker 3: That's what people thought of them had in the area.

00:36:52
Speaker 2: There's such thing as a moral victory. On Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shuck's birthday, I guess they got one.

00:36:58
Speaker 1: Is that how today he's gonna be Knowncer Rattler and Tyler Shuck's birthday. It was actually also drew two girls on my trip's birthday as well.

00:37:08
Speaker 3: Shout out to.

00:37:11
Speaker 1: Sarah and whoever the other one whose birthday was Angie. I think shout out to them as well for having their birthday.

00:37:18
Speaker 2: You better hope they don't listen. Now, she's gonna be upset you struggling with her name.

00:37:21
Speaker 3: I don't think they listen.

00:37:22
Speaker 1: I don't think there's one person on this trip that's a sports fan. They kind of give and gave me that look when I said I did podcasts, they were like, well, that's nice for you.

00:37:34
Speaker 2: Or they could be listening right now in the tent next to you as you're you're off doing this at midnight.

00:37:38
Speaker 1: Actually that's the better chance they're hearing it as they're hearing me right now talking about it. Lines beat the Browns thirty four to ten. Brown score on the first position, do nothing the rest of the game, And.

00:37:51
Speaker 3: The same thing with the Panthers and the Patriots.

00:37:53
Speaker 1: Panthers score on the first posision and they end up losing forty two thirteen. Lines were my Survivor League pick. We stay with it, by the way, Billies was the Bills. He got to stay as well. James Cook was also my touchdown pick. He scored Nico Collins scored for Billy Patriots lines. Anything you cared about either of these two games.

00:38:18
Speaker 2: The Lions not so much. Just another blowout. They're obviously going to be a contender in the NFC. After struggling that first game Patriots game, Drake May looked really good.

00:38:28
Speaker 3: After there's been some questions about him.

00:38:30
Speaker 2: Had three touchdowns, no turnovers, completed almost every pass, and then I enjoyed, you know, a big Mike Rabel guy. I enjoyed just watching him put a big dip in in the middle of the game, you know, just missing that very.

00:38:44
Speaker 1: Don't you're allowed to dip in the middle of the game. I'm surprised about that, eh. I thought there was a tobacco law. But there's no mistaking he's He's not hiding it. He's just throwing in a big, tall right there, throwing a big lip in the game.

00:38:57
Speaker 3: You remember Tom Landry taking a dip in the game that back in the day.

00:39:01
Speaker 1: You know, they did smoke cigarettes during the game. But I kind of I wonder if Frai Bill gets fined. I don't think you're allowed to chaw on national television as a coach.

00:39:12
Speaker 3: And while he's chawing.

00:39:13
Speaker 2: He gets caught yelling like that's bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep and bleep. So I don't think yeah, I mean, there was no mistaken when he was yelling. I can't say it on NFL Cover zero, But I don't think he's caring a lot about the camera and catching him on the sideline. He's just he's just gonna do him. When you win like that, I guess you can.

00:39:31
Speaker 1: I think the coach that puts chaw in his mouth you would think would win the Award of Sports figure that gave that cared about what people thought the least. But what about the woman at the Ryder Cup leading the crowd in a chant of blank you Rory, and she got fired today before the finals.

00:39:50
Speaker 3: How did she think that was gonna be work was going to be allowed.

00:39:53
Speaker 2: I love the energy of the Ryder Cup and making noise. It makes it unique. I know some people think it's over the top, but the Americans were way out of control this weekend.

00:40:04
Speaker 3: We had that.

00:40:04
Speaker 2: We had somebody actually hit Rory's wife with a drink Rory to to shut the bleep up. I get it that we cheer USA. It gets a little out of hand. This weekend, but we went a little too far as America.

00:40:17
Speaker 1: We were obnoxious. We were obnoxious, We were we were bad. I mean Shane Lowry, I don't know if you saw when he made the putt to uh to finish it out. They said, you know, the next one's in Ireland. Are you excited? And he was like, it'll be better than this.

00:40:32
Speaker 2: It's on.

00:40:34
Speaker 3: He just had to look like you disgusting Long Islanders. But you know, it was pretty bad that.

00:40:42
Speaker 1: I think that yesterday, the Saturday Day, especially during not a high point for American the way we reach.

00:40:49
Speaker 3: Out to the world. Maybe it's emblematic today, but that was not our best thing right on brand.

00:40:55
Speaker 2: I just hated they made it somewhat close to they got a little excitement, but just never in it uh to to really get into the Ryder Cup this year.

00:41:16
Speaker 3: All right, before we go to the four o'clock games.

00:41:18
Speaker 1: You were upset about the rule from Thursday night where the Seahawks beat the Cardinals.

00:41:23
Speaker 3: You don't like the kick rule? Is that right?

00:41:26
Speaker 2: It was just a bad way to end what was a great comeback. I guess the rule is what it is. You got to play within the rules. But the Cardinals had scored fourteen straight points to tie the game in the fourth quarter. It looks like we're heading over time. There's twenty eight seconds left, but then they didn't kick the ball into the landing zone. It landed like right at the twenty I mean, it was inches away. So the Seahawks ended up getting the ball at to forty. It's the equivalent of kicking it out of bounds, and the twenty eight seconds left they hit a forty yard pass and then kick a game winning field goal.

00:41:58
Speaker 3: So see, I like that though.

00:42:00
Speaker 1: I mean, we're seeing it in the We saw it towards the end of the Bears game. Today they do a k you instead of it just going in the end zone and then it comes out to thirty, they end up not you know, the Raiders return it get down the field. I mean, I like the kick return being part of the game again. So if you're gonna do that, you have to enforce that rule, right.

00:42:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's why it's no longer it used to be just booming out, let's get a touchback. And you know, sometimes some teams will still do that and just take it at the thirty five. But this new kickoff rule, it was done for safety reasons obviously, but it's gotten to where you've got to have a really skilled kicker and you can get tax goal trying to you know, pin them back, and just in this case, it backfired where if you don't get it inside that twenty yards, you know your opponent's starting near midfield, and you know, Darnold hit Jackson Smith and Injigba and then next thing you know, there's a fifty two yard field goal on and it's over when it looked like the Cardinals had FORSTNT team.

00:42:52
Speaker 1: So it's just a unique and I'm for it. I'm for it. You got you got like it's it's if you're a professional kicker, you should be able to kick it in a twenty yard zone.

00:43:03
Speaker 3: You know. It's not like they're asking them to kick it on a dime somewhere. So I'm for it. I think the Seahawks and the Cardinals, I mean, no offense to those two teams, but that's like the Thursday night game that people see it and then they schedule something with their family. Right.

00:43:18
Speaker 1: First of all, again, those two teams play each other every week, so on the Thursday night with that, you go, okay, Al Kirk, I'm gonna let you all have this one to yourself.

00:43:26
Speaker 2: And it wasn't even a good game until the Cardinals scored late to come back. I mean, if you were seriously sitting down and watching that, you know it's twenty to six in the fourth quarter. It even looked like they'd be a game, but a unique ending where I think it's the first time we have really seen the new kickoff rule have an impact the way it has. I know Cardinals fans are upset, but I'm good with you. Get you a kicker that can put.

00:43:47
Speaker 3: It in there.

00:43:47
Speaker 2: I mean, the rules are the rules. If you can't kick into twenty yards, I don't go find a better kicker.

00:43:52
Speaker 3: Let's go to the four o'clock games. We're going to bring in our guy, Billy.

00:43:55
Speaker 1: He is known as Mister four o'clock, and he's going to give us the update on these because a lot of them were kind of going on when we.

00:44:04
Speaker 3: Started recording podcast.

00:44:07
Speaker 1: So I guess we'll start with the Rams and the Colts because I do think well, I guess start with the Chiefs and the Ravens.

00:44:12
Speaker 4: That's the big story. Chiefs absolute domination. Billy, right, that's right, thirty seven to twenty. Kansas City gets their second win of the year. Meanwhile, Baltimore drops to one and three on the season. Lamar Jackson pulled out of the game in the third quarter due to a hamstring injury. We saw Cooper rush for a short time, but Patrick Mahomes was dealing back to his old self. Four touchdowns, two hundred and seventy yards. A great showing from one of.

00:44:37
Speaker 3: The best of all time.

00:44:38
Speaker 1: That looked like the Chiefs team of the last few years, really of the years before last year, because their offense wasn't great last year, but that and that they looked amazing. They were dealing like hitting on all cylinders, and you know they get a lot, they get recipt rise back next week. So now all of a sudden you can start to see a Chiefs team that can be a contender. Now the Ravens, on the other hand, one in three and their defense can't stop anybody. I mean, it's a it's a real strange thing for people of our age. Drew who grew up with the Ravens having a good defense every single year no matter what, and their defense this year is just awful.

00:45:13
Speaker 2: Yeah, Marlon Humphrey gots one of the better defensive backs in the league. He got torched by Xavier Worthy, who came back this week from being injured early in the game. It's also weird the Ravens, like Derreck Henry only ran the ball eight times, including there was a fourth and one where they didn't use him. It's almost like the Ravens are doing a load management day early this early in the season on Henry, even though they were one in three people a good day to do it at all about it, But like, why do you not Dereck Henry eight rushes forty yards? I mean, I know you're down most of the game, but it's Dereck Henry. Give him the damn ball. So you know, I didn't expect Cooper Rush to have thirteen pass attempts. That's Jackson's injury. But it just it seemed like the Ravens tapped out as that game went on because the Chiefs went up early and didn't look back. It was Mahome's first time in two years having a game of four touchdown passes.

00:46:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I was just really surprised by the whole by the performance. I picked the Ravens to win, but I thought no matter what, it would be one of those Ravens Chiefs games that comes down the stretch. But the Chiefs absolutely dominated. When you see Cooper Rush come in, that's not a good sign for whatever team that's happening to. But I don't know, you know, two and two Chiefs schedule was tough to start the season. They get some weeks here coming up. I think after next week where they have smeasier games, we might be looking up here week eleven or twelve and they're eight and three and you're going, oh, there's the Chiefs again.

00:46:36
Speaker 3: What's next.

00:46:37
Speaker 4: The Colts lost for the first time this season, twenty seven to twenty to the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams are now three and one on the season. It was a back and forth game. A big moment when the Colts receiver ad Mitchell dropped the ball before he went across the goal line. That could have made a big difference in this game. But the Colts vers out. How do people still do this? I mean unbelievable, this happens, This happens once a season, and it is crazy to me, Drew that they still do this after all these years. I don't even understand how It's an issue like run to the back of the end zone before you do it. It just makes no sense to me.

00:47:17
Speaker 2: And I really think it changed the could be the entire outcome of this game. The Colts were down thirteen to ten and Daniel Jones hits them for a seventy five yard pass. It was an amazing run after the catch. He broke tackles, gets all the way down to the two yard line and once with one hand to stick the ball out and then it just loses. It goes out for the touch back. It's like, can you not wait two more yards to celebrate? You fought so hard to get there, You're about to go up on the Rams in LA and you cannot hold onto the football for.

00:47:46
Speaker 3: Another say, it would have been a heck of a win.

00:47:47
Speaker 1: Now, I do think, even though put that aside, I do think the Colts show you so a lot in this. I mean, they're three and oho. There was a sense that you could go, well, you know, they didn't really beat anybody and whatever, and now you know, I mean to go on, have a road game again. They probably should have won the Rams. They're still my sleeper Super Bowl contender. Still love them. Poka Nakua had a couple of big catches. You had the two two at well, so it showed some explosiveness. I still think they're very dangerous. But for me, the story of the game is the Colts and dropping the football, which there would you cut a guy if he drops him mess?

00:48:26
Speaker 3: How bad do you have to be before you cut them?

00:48:28
Speaker 2: I can't believe that there's so many examples of this happening every every season. This would should be absolutely humiliating seeing at one time if I'm you know, I would never be in their position because I'm not talented enough. But if I am that close to scoring a touchdown, I'm confident I can hold onto the ball in the bread backet hold on for another half second, and then I'll do my big celebration. But it's just so costly being down three. There would have been an explosive play to go up on the Rams and completely flip the game, even though it was just the first half. And Daniel Jones he has two interceptions, one of them was kind of late throwing it up at the end. It was his first pick of the year earlier in the game. But I still think Dana Jones might be for real even though this is a loss.

00:49:09
Speaker 3: He looked, god on, he's a comeback player. He's comeback player of the year so far for sure.

00:49:13
Speaker 1: And this was the first time they had to punt, so you know that streak ends.

00:49:20
Speaker 3: What's next?

00:49:21
Speaker 4: Jaguars and the forty nine ers played in the four tack the Jaguars. The Jack Jacksonville Jags is what we'll call him here.

00:49:30
Speaker 1: First, you said jaguars. I don't think I've ever that's what That's what he said, Drew. Did he not say jaguars?

00:49:37
Speaker 3: Catch it?

00:49:38
Speaker 2: I know this is a lot.

00:49:41
Speaker 1: I want you to hit the rewind fifteen seconds.

00:49:45
Speaker 3: I say jaguars, which is not what most people say. Drew, How do you.

00:49:49
Speaker 2: Say it, Jacksonville Jaguars?

00:49:52
Speaker 3: How did I say that jaguar? You say it like me, I've never heard jaguars.

00:49:58
Speaker 4: Well, regardless, they got the win today, twenty six to twenty one.

00:50:01
Speaker 2: Jacksonville Jaguars. Actually, I've probably said that a few time. It's like the Kentucky version. It's got a little twang it Jaguars.

00:50:07
Speaker 7: Oh, it's like Jacksonville Jaguars. Actually, I probably said it that way several toughs too. Jack War Jaguar Jaguars. All right, I like, if go ahead, tell me what happened with him Jaguar.

00:50:18
Speaker 4: Regardless, the Jags had a big punt return touchdown. They were up seventeen to six at half. I mean, San Francisco can't stay healthy. Pearsall was in the medical tent. Juwon Jennings got hurt at one point. You know, perty's thrown to himself out there. But San Francisco did have four turnovers in the game. Jacksonville had a sack force fumble at the end to pull it out twenty six to twenty one.

00:50:39
Speaker 1: Do you think injuries are luck or when a team has two straight years of insane injury situations on the forty nine ers, is there some point where you start to go there's gotta be some commonality here.

00:50:52
Speaker 2: Hey, I'm with you on that one. It's it's been too many. It's been a lot of like playmaking receivers. Also, their whole receiver room has been injured this season. It's just last year they were like the most injured team ever. This year were four weeks in and they're out to be the most injured team ever. Again, that can't be coincidence.

00:51:09
Speaker 1: Well, let's talk about Jacksonville because I am in on Jacksonville.

00:51:13
Speaker 3: I was in on them from the beginning of the season. Uh.

00:51:16
Speaker 1: Liam Cohen, who was at Kentucky, I think is a good offensive mine. Trevor Lawrence starting to show why he was a top pick. Their defense was actually has been good for the last couple of years. They got a lot of guys who can make plays. I think they're gonna win that division. I mean, I think you're in on them too, aren't you.

00:51:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that division is terrible, which will actually help their record because they're gonna get a lot of wins just having to play the Titans Texans.

00:51:42
Speaker 3: But this is a good wine. I think they're with with party.

00:51:46
Speaker 2: I don't I don't see them making any kind of playoff run. But even if they were in another division, I see them competing for a playoff bid because I think they are a competitive team. And we'll keep seeing him in games like this in Travis Hunter. We've kind of wondered what he'll be. He looks great as a receiver today. There was a throw where Lawrence was, you know, backed up into their own end zone. He throws at thirty yards down in the middle of the field, and Hunter really stretched out and got it. So he and Brian Thomas Jr. Are looking like some weapons for them too.

00:52:14
Speaker 1: The owner of the Jaguars said, or as some people say, jaguars. The owner of the Jaguars said, after the first game, we now win forever and.

00:52:23
Speaker 3: He's so far as correct three and one and.

00:52:26
Speaker 1: They're going to win forever in Jacksonville and then just ending my Bears block a kick at the end to win in Las Vegas. Massive win I've been the last few years. The Bears have lost that game every way possible. They block a kick drew in a way that I've often wondered why more people don't do. They blocked it from the edge. If you go look at how the guy lined up. He was lined up way to the outside and he just got a head of steam and blocked it.

00:52:55
Speaker 3: Before really he could be touched. I've always thought that was a way you could get more block kicks, and it worked, and he blocked it by a lot, I mean he almost flew past the ball.

00:53:05
Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's good for the Bears, But also, what's up with these games the last two weeks, So all these block field goals. I know you're mentioning they had that tactic, but we're blocking field goals in every which way. There were three or four a week ago and then here in this second half round of afternoon games.

00:53:21
Speaker 3: I mean, that might be the play question.

00:53:23
Speaker 1: It's a good question. You've seen more block field goals. There have been a couple of block punts. I don't know what the record is, but anecdotally, it does feel like there are a lot more blocks, and a lot more blocks that are like significant, not just tipping it, but like blocking it. In the case last week, returning it the Bears block was a like, you know, not blocked it completely. I do wonder if something happened during the off season with special teams that they figured out ways to get you know, creative blitzes. But you're I know, we're seeing more of it this year than we have in the past.

00:53:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, these these two weeks have been wild lately, I guess, so they'll keep up to whatever is behind the trend. But the question is are you are you behind your trend of now? Was this two wins in a row? Are you talking?

00:54:06
Speaker 3: Yeah? I'm in on the Bears being improved.

00:54:09
Speaker 1: I don't know how for me this year for the Bears was One thing, is Caleb Williams an NFL you can win with starting quarterback? And I'm not ready to say yes yet, but I'm getting closer. I thought he was great today. They should have scored more than they did. I mean, they got stopped in the red zone a few times, ended up with field goals. But he made a lot of really good decisions. I think you can see the effect Ben Johnson's hat on him. He does He's so good at sort of sensing pressure. Now, all these hits he took last year, he's not taken this year. So yeah, I mean, you know, I don't.

00:54:51
Speaker 3: Maybe they make the playoffs, but I'm actually coming into yes, Caleb Williams can be good in the NFL.

00:54:58
Speaker 2: And he's got good pieces around him. Romadunza had a big game. I've mentioned many times I'm a big Luther Burden fan. So if Williams does pad out, you've got a good offensive coach already. H you call it could be being a really fun team moving forward.

00:55:11
Speaker 1: What I mean, you could end up with a scenario where that draft class two years ago at quarterback is historic. I mean, Jade and Daniels we know is good bo Nicks, I keep waiting to fail, but he's been good. Drake May has been much improved in the last week or two, and then uh, you.

00:55:30
Speaker 3: Know, J. J.

00:55:30
Speaker 1: McCarthy has had at least one very good game, even though this is really.

00:55:34
Speaker 3: His first season playing.

00:55:35
Speaker 1: If you throw Caleb into mix, you know, you get five and then Michael pennockx Jenior. Yeah, I mean you get six guys. I mean, let's just assume one or two of them don't pan out. You get four really good starters out of a college recruiting class. That's pretty impressive, especially since no offense to k Warden, you might not get one out of this one.

00:55:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that whole draft class could be the whole future with all those guys you named. And then, of course, you know, Spencer Ratler might be oh and ten right now, but as early in the show, don't give up on Spencer Ratler yet. He could that group too.

00:56:08
Speaker 3: Well. I don't know, we'll see maybe, but but nevertheless, I'm I'm positive on Caleb. So that's a good side.

00:56:17
Speaker 1: Now, the next time you hear from me, I will be back in Kentucky. We'll be doing a show again this week. Make sure you subscribe if you haven't yet. We have a five star perfect rating on Spotify.

00:56:29
Speaker 3: I think we're like a four to nine on Apple.

00:56:31
Speaker 1: So the few people that were, you know, being contrarians on Apple, I'm not gonna hold it personally, but you know what, I see you. But for everybody else, thank you very much for keeps rising in the charts. Thanks for listening. I'm now going to let my neighbors sleep. This has been NFL Covers Hero NFL Cover zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart Podcast. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio is the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast Us, or wherever you get your podcasts.