2022 Thanksgiving Games Preview

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Speaker 1: The Around the NFL podcast. We'll never forget David Blouse Thanksgiving performance. Oh no, we will not, Louis David blow Yes, Lions back up. Okay, yes, we will never forget it. From the Chris Westling podcast studio, It's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Jansas with Heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler Blowhard Nation. Where what's going on with the blow Hard newsletter mode? It's a little there's a little bit less news these days. It's kind of you're having to create content, you know how, we know how that is sometimes. But to that point, I mean he's a reality star now after that turn on Hard knocks. To that point though, this all this Mark is anti Lions business. I was on the Lions Thanksgiving train and created a newsletter about a Lions player long before it became so popular. And then they went and cut Yet as the writer of the David blow blow Hard newsletter, resting what team is David blow one? I see you searching, not you can't search. I believe he is on. You write the vision stayed in the NFC North It is the Vikings he is on. I mean there's Thanksgiving again. There have been no issues of the blood, like when he when he left the Lions on hard knocks in that fashion. As these as the editor in chief, I am in search of a new passion, and you will find it. I trust that you will. Everybody survived, um Zack Wilson as the Antichrist Monday in the NFL media, barely barely we got through that ponderous Jesus, Jesus Christ. Mark really kicked it off by saying he's not an NFL quarterback on Sunday night, Jesus Christ. I mean, he wasn't on Sunday, But I don't think the person needs to be taken behind the wood shed for four thousand times in a row. Definitely had shades of Cower on colts by this morning. Um, as the takes piled up it. But we'll get to that. We'll get to everything. This is the Thanksgive preview. It's a big cell. No, it's just like now, I'm just saying we'll get to everything. I don't know if we can fulfill that promise, because I don't want to be hypocritical, because we get, you know, riled up on the show about things, so maybe more riled up than necessary. But this is now a It's a trend here where whenever there's a story of people sink their teeth into like by twenty four hours later, when the same people are talking about it for the second or third time, it just gets more and more and more amped up in the hysteria about old quarterback that played poorly and then said the wrong things in the press conference, and all of a sudden he's being talked called sham, shameful and disgraceful, and you know he'll never get the trust back of the locker room. It's just like, can we just lower the temperature? It's the holidays, And I know you think that's because it's the Jets. It's not. It's just like it's the same thing to happen with the Colts. Everyone's gotta outtake each other until we're screaming with our heads like on fire about something that's so inconsequential in the big picture. I am with you this the exhaustion factor. When one person is just piled on over and over. It's like, I think we've all made our our opinions known days ago, and it's twenty four forty eight hours later and we're still destroying this person verbally on playful little Twitter, Take a break, Twitter, All right, let's get into it. Yes, we're gonna preview all the Thanksgiving games, the John Madden Thanksgiving celebration as it's now known. And don't get it wrong, I'm excited. He said that he's gonna have an image on the field there, that there's gonna be a logo on each of the fields just in the three stadiums, and helmet decals on the players, and John Madden is one of the easier decals. I'm tracking what he I don't know why. It's not. It's not an intentional choice, so it must be. I don't that's more of a UK thing. But I feel like maybe maybe our UK listeners can tell us if they've already come forth and said that half of these um uh verbalizations are not how they say it, So I don't. I'm not clinging to London or England or the or the or that country for that. All right, let's do some news before we get to the games. Mothy died, that le family by Monday night football Monday did ESPID Monday died. John Sutcliffe got us to the kickoff on Monday night in Mexico City with a spirited declaration of the day of the game. I love the energy. There was no misunderstanding when the game was played, by the time that that ball was kicked to begin action. Uh. In Mexico City, I gotta say the International Series, I don't think it's ever been hotter. Henry Hotson has to be happy over there in London. That crowd, it's like the second straight game where the head coach says. Tom Brady said it in Germany that was one of the most unique experiences of his career, and Kyle Shannon said it last night. It's one of the best experiences of his career that I do think I came with it. I do think it goes back to their their football and their passion in Europe and Germany in Mexico for that sport, and that's those crowds were insane. Think about handsome Hank too great looking dude. Um takes a great job to return to his homeland. Favorite team is the Dolphins, one of the most exciting teams in football. He's um the International Pathway program. Uh, the winning and now you have this International Series which is just in full bloom. Whatever Henry is getting paid winning, it needs to be tripled. The guy's got tire blood. I would imagine his salary because we've known him for over a decade, has been don't. I don't think there's a problem with the with the deposit checking here next time. The main reason I want to go to London again is so I can get picked up by a private car paid for by Henry, so I could see his castle. Yeah, that's right next to Enya's castle. Ni. No, no, no, Remember that five year stretch where Mark displayed Enya all the time? Miss that? Where is that? Mark? I'll go back to that. I'll hit that up occasionally. All right, Matthew Stafford, let's get into it. He returned to the lineup for the Rams against the Saints on Sunday, just two days after clearing concussion protocol after missing Week ten, but did not finish the game and re entered the league's five step concussion protocol on Monday, putting his UH status in doubt very much. I would think UH for the Rams upcoming game, and in general, you would think maybe this is a situation where he could be he could be just shut down. We'll see. But either way, Greg, we talked about it on the Sunday show, these um double concussions if you want to call it that, which maybe that's not exactly, but you know what I'm saying, it's worrisome because the obviously the leak's safety initiatives have helped in terms of when you look at the data. But at the same time, these these situations are scary that players are going back on the field and not right, and we need coaches to do a better job being clear with what's going on. Sean McVeigh wouldn't answer a direct question about whether Matthew Stafford suffered a concussion before last week's game and then after this one. Uh, it's been very vague as well, saying that they're still evaluating the circumstance. They did admit that he is in the concussion protocol, but they said further tests need to be done. I don't wanna point fingers. I just want someone to be straight. And for whatever reason, them not telling the media anything about any details of why this, why there's a disconnect, like is creating further problems. I feel like I think, even like even on Sunday something we talked about it, something feels a little bit off with the way that McVeigh is answering question or having to. He said at one point like it's gonna be about whether he could be available this week or again, it's gonna be about the person first and foremost. We're gonna be totally in alignment with medical advice. But then he goes on to say, with Matthew, with Kelly meaning Kelly Stafford and all that kind of stuff, you can't be too careful. I just get I'm just I don't know. We're waiting to see, but I get the feeling that we're gonna find out. This is whether it's concussion related. It could be a little bit more than that. There could be something else going on that is making mcveigh's answers. It making it tough for McVeigh to just say black and white concussion, yes or no, this is what's going with the NFL. P A also said they're monitoring how how it's being handled. I have some speculation, but it doesn't it doesn't feel fair. I think that what we've seen though, and I think this is fair to point out that the Concussion Protocol has vagaries in it where players can feel a certain way and they can also passed that concussion protocol. We saw Christian Derrisaw returned quickly. An offensive lineman who's going to take all these hits every single week. It's guaranteed when you play, get out of the protocol and then immediately suffer a concussion again when he gets back on the field. So I think the NFL is struggling. There's no right answer, but like, you can get out of the protocol and still be at heavy risk for a concussion. I think when it's from a RAMS angle, to your point, Dan, like, why do we need Matthew Stafford to play again anytime soon in a Cooper Cup free offense? That is a horror show behind their offensive line? You know what I when I was any quarterback, when I was writing the Power rankings, I was, I had the sentence with something like, you know, given the RAMS standings where they're placing the standings and Cooper Cup out, they should probably think, but it really shouldn't have anything to do with anything that's going on with the RAMS. If you're not if you're not sure about what's going on with this brain injury for Matthew Stafford, you gotta be safe about it. I would be disappointed quite frankly without knowing. We don't know. Yeah, but I'd be a little disappointed to see him on the field given the way this is played out the last two weeks, by the way they got, they got the Chiefs. This week they went and checked. They will be not just the worst defending super Bowl champion ever, but in terms of record and analytics and all that, they probably will be the worst defending super Bowl champion. Buy a lot, like there's not even many with a losing record, and those teams were like seven and nine when dark energy levels higher for the super Bowl defender than any any other. It's been a it's been a rough ride. Some say they bought the title on credit and the bill came do hey, Um, speaking of Zaddi's, you know, I think about Mike McCarthy a lot, Greg with a little Zaddi energy in this button down, and you know I think that Greg might take on this, and I wanted to save it for the show. Um because I'm gonna use some football parlance here, or as Mark WoT say, you also famously don't like having um quality interactions off air, But what's the point. Yeah, you gotta save it. Um that shirt for you given your style is a tendency breaker. Okay, yeah it's no, it's um. If you're listening to this and you're just driving around, it is a a checkered blue and lime not lime. But I would say it's like forest packed the picnic, bring the blanket, let's go to the park with the children. It's got a button right up. It's a point of departure, right. The kids love it. Just never know where that thing's gonna bounce. Yeah, it's not. Um, it's not a shirt. I feel overly comfortable, and so I have a I have a thing that I do with my I love throwing away things, any objects close, anything waste could be given to chop. Yes, you're giving away of course. This is a like a ten dollar shirt. Probably be my friend, jerks. I uh, you gotta wear it one time, or wear one more time and then to make your final decision before you get ready garbage can. You're gonna throw it in as you're leaving the building today. It's not a bad shirt. It's a tendency breaker. Um. And Bryce Perkins cannot think I should keep it. I do because I think it's good to keep it in the next or you could do one of your thinking where one of your like little T shirt you like with an open and then you kind of get the best of both worlds. Oh, that's like a late week option. I like that Saturday scenario. The little T shirts you're like also known as just T shirts mark you know what I mean. It's like the picture you were saying. I think anyone listening said some type of Japanese theme T shirt on the Friday Fun Show the shirts any Japanese theme T shirts. All right, let's move on. Yes, we touched on it with the Zach Wilson is the Antichrist tour in the media on Monday. Um it game more steam the story. It was a big story after Sunday, the way things played out with the Jets and his poor play. Then I picked up steam because Robert Sale came out in the UH for his press availability and for the first time ever, UH blinked when talking about Zach Wilson is the Future. I'm going to get to the tape and just evaluate everything, and Uh, I'll leave it at that. We're keeping everything on the table over the next couple of days. So so you're not committing to Zack as your starter for Sunday, not right now on until I'm don't evaluating everything. I'm not, um, I'm not feeling good about Zack Wilson. Anybody listens to this podcast notes For the most part, I've always had my guard up with Wilson and it's not looking good right now. Um. But I also see the value and continuing to play him right now, even if it seems like a bad idea that can ruin their season. Part of that is because I don't think Mike White or Joe Flacker actual upgrades. I'd rather ride at ride it out with Wilson, and if it costs you your season, it was probably gonna be anyway if you have to go to your backups at that point. But my my main point to take out of that, and I think Wilson starts against the Bears. I think he put him on blast publicly, and I think that was for two reasons. One because Wilson needs to be put on blast because this play has been so poor. But to the locker room needed the head coach to come out and and basically tell the media, but also tell the room. I hear you, guys, I understand your frustration, and I'm not gonna keep coming out there and saying that the quarterback change is the furthest thing from my mind, because that's a disconnect, and and Saul is walking a tight rope of trying to keep the quarterback's confidence up but also not lose his locker room. I thought it was handled definitely by um Sala, but it still doesn't mean he's not in a lot of trouble right now with the way the quarterback is playing. I mean, in a way, this is a great development for the Jets. And I hear me out because if the Jets, no one's asking why are the Texans sticking with Davis Mills. The Texans are in a deep abyss the Jets, and I think they're bending him this week. Greg. What I'm saying is no one's sitting around debating whether or not bad quarterbacks on bad teams should play. The Jets are a playoff contender, and so it's like you, you have the locker room steamed because they see that they have like a super Bowl level defense and just simply want the offense to do its part. And I think his you know, Zach Wilson's answer of no, I didn't like let anyone down it probably it definitely rubbed the locker room the long way we get it. Zach Wilson's young will learned to not say that next time around. But point being, like you are on the cusp of January play for the first time in ever. You have to be accountable to your coaching staff, to your players, and you have to explore all options. And I think they went as far as they could with Zach Wilson, and if they were one in nine or something, you keep going. It wouldn't matter. It matters, and that's a good thing for the Jets and their fans. Here at a different point of view, and the Benjing doesn't have to be for the rest of his career. It doesn't even need to be for the rest of the season. We'll find out the answer to this question on Wednesday. Almost always when a coach equivocates on Monday, the guy is bench because because he said previously Robert Salah, Zack Wilson is their starter the rest of the season. Now what they say at these Pretts conferences, I don't think you should have to hold it to him. He said that trying to make show some confidence. And if he benches him, you should bench him because that's the best thing for the team. I would disagree though, that it's not a big difference. I think there's a significant difference between Joe Flacco and most likely Mike White and Zack Wilson. I think it's I think it's sizeable. I think those players that Mike White made in a couple of times he's played where he just sees where the blitz is coming and gets rid of the ball. It's like one day, right, I think preseason, I think his other performances even just just the little things. And then Joe Flacco, we we've seen. I know Joe Flacco is not a good quarterback. You and I have a very deep disconnect on Flacco and what he can do. But I again, I'm not gonna fight it and say there's no reason that Jack Wilson should be bench because you can make the case for morale just for trying to get the offense going right. I mean, I just mean they literally elbowl the yardage with Joe Flacco. It's not like it's comparable. You're gonna have organization with stats are to me a little bit. But when you agree that part of the Zack Wilson issue is like he's just not picking this up and like Flacco's got limitations. We call him stone age pony for a reason. But he may bring a fair amount of organization. They just need like better quarterback play, and they might be they're able to beat anyone. The time means tricky. Though they have the easiest schedule in the league in terms of posing quarterbacks in the defense that they face. I think according to e p A the rest of the season that starts with facing the worst defense in the league in terms of e p A over the last five weeks in the Chicago Bears this week. So the schedule is incredibly easy, the easiest in the league, and so I don't know how that informs this choice. To me, it would maybe make them more willing to stick with Zach Wilson. And that's what I think because I, like I said on Sunday, I do think the organization, whether it's maybe it's stubbornness at this point, but they think they're something salvageable and that's something they could build on with Wilson. So I would think they're gonna give him a start against Chicago and if he flops there, then all bets are off, but it was a very notable thing the way things turned in that press conference. Let's take a break, we'll be right back. Welcome back. Um, let's talk about Justin Field, who should be a Jet. But you know what, we're not gonna do that. We're not gonna play that game. Um. You know, they brought me on NFL Now today and I do a power ranking, said every Tuesday, and they're like, damn, you know, can you stick around for the one one more thing, like we love what you just did? Could you could you add? Could you do more? That's nice? Okay? And then one more thing is everybody up there gets their turn by blah blah blah blah. It's me, Jeff, judea Baldi, Uh, Andrew heavy hitters. It's a nice, it's a nice, it's a nice crow and uh and Jeff gets an your Collette great producer and says, hey, ten year anniversary of the butt fan bumble. Come on, you know the Jets guy. This week's got to end. Take me to Thanksgiving. You could have said no, you took you took it like a champ. What did you say about it? I said exactly what I'm basically expressing. To you guys like, ha ha, everybody get their chuckles in Johnny chuckles. But Dan in the wheelbar and rolling up to the set so he could make fun of himself and his horrible team. Um, which I which I took it on the chain. But I also mentioned our podcast and said everyone's so focused on the Mark Sanchez but fumble, which was objectively funny. But I remember Mark Sanchez beating the Patriots in the playoffs, going to the a f C title game twice in a row. What did you say about our our show though that Mark Sanchez was on the show. Oh so you didn't mention Greg and I specifically, Oh no, Well, I mean you know who I want to mention, Jason Zumwalt. Great job in the Monday Night football recap, speaking of like taking one for the team. He's a Cardinals fan and he went on after that disgraceful team no shows and that he called. Yeah. I apologized for using his misery for content, but the pathos was real. He played it well, He played all right. Um, yes, justin fields. There are differing reports on the status of his shoulders. The Bears prepared for the Jets on Sunday, we have Ian Rappaport our guy and Pellicero, who are both saying he suffered a left shoulder dislocation that he played through against the Falcons, which is absurd. That's like Mel Gibson and lethal weapon to stuff. Um, that's a weird reference. But we're gonna keep moving. Uh and uh. But we're hearing from other places here Greggy that it's it's not dislocated, and that would be I would think good news for the Bears, but his status up in the air as of right now. Well, I trust our guys just to be I think we are contractually obligated, right and if you do watch us on YouTube, there's no question about it. Just says he suffered it because the Rapsie and the pell the pell dog Pelly. I think I think he needs a better nickname than that pell. Yeah. It was very weird though that Matt eber Flews, their coach, say he's day to day, but he wouldn't rule him out being out for the season. I like what that is weird Everything on the table for Jet's while there's still a question because the Jets versus Trevor Simeon, Yes, definitely, Za Wilson, Well, if they're going against the worst defense in the league in Trevor Simeon, I would feel comfortable no matter who think the Bears rolled out the same offense with Trevor Simmons. We'll we'll find out. But that is um that's concerning because they were a fun part of this season despite all the losing. I really hope he's able to I mean, one way or the other. Not he's not feeling great like I may be a surprise if we see them all at all this weekend. Alright, Justin Graver, we have some developing news right now as we're in the studio. It's not related to any of the news that we've had on the show, but I have to I have to share what you just sent me. Drews Rushinson go ahead of the Rams waived Darryl Henderson and Justin Hollands. And I don't care if Drew Christensen says this wasn't worthy of developing news or whatever he said. I don't know what he said. This is a guy who's been starting, uh for the Super Bowl winner a lot of the times. Darryl Henderson a mid round fantasy picks. That's weird. What is going on? With that too. This is after they were like in issue having multiple issues with cam Akers. What's gonna Justin Hollins also, am I wrong that he's been starting quite a bit for for them, very strange becoming a legit meltdown. Five starts by Justin Hollins this year. Just Jordan Rodrigue, our friend from the Athletic who covers the Rams. Henderson and Hollands have been consistent starters for this team. I wonder, Yeah, maybe some locker room discord people not happy with their usage. Potentially that was what was up with cam Akers. The Henderson had a very strange game on Sunday where he started almost every drive and those were the only snaps of the game he took. He would play one snap and then he would leave. I think he played five or six snaps the whole game, which is an interesting, very weird UM. Finally in the news, good news, Greggy. The m v P vote is being um expanded to include a top five in terms of voting. Drew, our video producer, UM wrote to me, and this is his quote. Greg hit Greg up quick after this on the AP voting changes. He wants to mention it because he's a nerd and maybe this makes him feel like he's part of the quote unquote media is a media member. As far as I know, this is I mean what this says about our relationship. Yeah, is more important than this m v P. Know, actually nothing is more important than this. I've been asking for this for years and I'm excited that it's happening. Remember that whole thing, old Russell Wilson's never got an m v P vote. Uh, it's unfortunate. That's why this is no fly. We went back back in time, Russell Wilson would get to fifth place vote. He would have gotten a number of sixth, third or fourth place votes over the years. I just think other sports do this and it makes so much sense and it makes the award better. And now you can like talk about your whole top five list. Okay, where do I put Tyreek Hill on that? Do I put him above to h? Like? Are they both on the list? Now? It's not just like your an idiot if you don't vote Patrick Mahomes at this point, it's Patrick Mahomes. But I like the two, three, four, or five. You can involve defensive players ken it could alter races too. I mean, if you look at it like there are a couple examples like in two thousand five, Sean Alexander one m v P with nineteen votes, Peyton Manning Tom Brady had thirteen and ten. If you start to tabulate the second the third, like that could be toppled. And so I'm just saying, like it matters now, it's going to force what they're gonna they won't, but the in theory they should be watching a lot more games. I'm not saying the votes, Well, you know who isn't us because we're not like remember our Pro Football Writers Association this I want to be a real member. We got to go work somewhere else. It can't be working for the league and get on the tea. Yeah, you have to get off the league tea, trade in your Porsche, work for the Associated Rod share birthday. You and Barry Wilt, we've got a bond. H. It's mostly beat writers and then also some national reporters. Uh, there's also national broadcasters who are on the list. Uh. There was a former colleague of mine at NBC. I wouldn't say that he was aware of my name or still wouldn't be that had a vote that famously barely followed for Paul, despite his position in the industry, and he would have his assistant do his vote, and even his assistant would sort of ask around to get why aren't they weeding? Why aren't they on an annual basis weeding a figure like that out of the mix? Why? Why would they not realize that person is that deeply unplugged? Why are they still hanging around? It was the hero of yours as a child. I'm not going to give away who this was. Well, but now we got to take this out. I don't know, could we really say that? I want I want proof of that, correct? Um. I think part of the reason is it was so simplified to this point that people weren't really overthinking anything about it. We're just picking one guy. Yeah, yeah, all right. Let's take a break and then we'll preview the Thanksgiving games. All right, welcome back. UM, three Thanksgiving games. They're all pretty good, maybe the best we've ever covered for Thanksgiving, because right now it's also like three of the best games of this week. These might be the three best games right here. Should we just take Sunday off them? We've fantasized mark about the off Sunday for years. Maybe this is the one our own bye week to get healthy, to get to rebuild, to look at your own work, you know self. Graver sit up in his chair and he was like, I'm on I'm on Good Morning Football for a segment every Tuesday for power rankings, and I see those chairs. They switched people out a lot of weeks off. Bamb wasn't in this week, Jamie wasn't in the week before. I think they keep Kyle in their Kyle's not odd to leave, but um, maybe it's maybe it's time. Let's think about it. Let's take this off offline. I feel like every time we've ever discussed it, it's been squatted down, um, pretty thoroughly within five minutes of the conversation beginning. Let's let's talk about it. Let's get into it. And by the way, this is different for the first time hit. The inaugural John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration will be old on Thursday. Will feature special broadcast tributes from CBS, Fox, and NBC. Each network will select a Madden Player of the Game this season, and the John Madden logo on fields and Madden helmet decals for player. John Matten of course, the great former Raiders head coach, broadcaster video game icon passed away. Um is it early this year? Last year? When did we lose John? I think it was last year. Um, John Madden just edged out Trent Green. It was almost the Trent Green Thanksgiving celebration. But we're going bad. Had they done the voting for that the way that we're talking about the m v P voting, maybe Trent Green. There is no question Trent Green would have gotten a vote in that chief season where they went thirteen and three. Priest Holmes maybe. So let's get to it. And that's that's why I almost ended up with being named the tribute person. All Right, the laws to an odd place there, Yeah, that was weird. Let's just swerve right back into the correct lane and talk about the Bills and Lions at Ford Field. The Bills didn't I think they did go home. Um, they played Sunday against the Browns because of the snowstorm in western New York. I would have stayed. Hypothetically, you could have just stayed like a massive like um luxurious Airbnb and bond as a team before you go destroy Detroit Lions. I agree. I would have done the same thing, but I don't think they did that. But they will be back at Ford Field for the second consecutive week and they get the Lions, and it works out really well for us as football fans, because, uh, the last three weeks, the Bills have lost two of three. They got their w um on Sunday, but still not quite themselves, while the Lions, the team of around the NFL, have reeled off three straight victories, so the game matters. The Lions, in fact mark are in second place in the NFC North and they are within striking distance in the wild card race, and the Bill Old they're just looking at stack wins and keep pace with the Chiefs in the a f C. Last three games during this little hot streak, the Lions have a twenty plus point differential, six plus turnover differential and plus five and sacks. I mean they they're starting to round into what they talked about all along. And I really loved their last game where it was basically like, we will lean on the ground game. We're not gonna ask Jared Goff to save us. I thought going in against the Giants that they were going to get pummeled because Wink Martindale would find a way to disrupt Jared Goff. He basically was relatively untouched in that game, only three pressures despite the Giants applying like sixty percent blitz rate, And so that tells you the line um is helping out in this situation. So I like that a lot against a really rough uh to deal with Bills front. They've got a couple of injuries themselves. But for me with the Bills, I mean, you know they have had their ups and downs against the run, but they stamped out Cleveland. I thought that was such an impressive showing to give Nick Chubb as worst career days. So that's sit telling me. If you can take away Detroit on the ground, that puts the Lions into some hot water. It's crazy how Jamal Williams has evolved into their top back in one of their key players and leaders and we saw that on hard Knocks, like his leadership, but we also heard them saying DeAndre Swift could be one of the great players in the league and now he's their third running back. I think you hit on the key part of this game. It was that Bills run defense one week phenomenon. I mean, they've been good defensively all season, but they are without Greg Russo uh most likely again there without a j Epinessa. They're probably without Tremaine Endmunds. These guys are all not practicing, so I'm projecting here, but it doesn't sound like they're gonna play. And I think they're a team that you can pick on their cornerbacks. Dane Jackson's really been struggling lately, Kayer Elam's hurt. Their rotating guys in and out. The Lions offense has a really good offensive line. I know the Bills are a really good defense, but Ben Johnson, their coordinator, the Lions coordinator, comes up with something every week that really impresses me. And I think they they can give us some entertainment on Thanksgiving. This is one of the most watch games of the year every season. The Cowboys game is always the most watch game of the year on you know, the Thanksgiving game, But this Lions game is close. And this is the most interesting Lions Thanksgiving games since maybe Matthew Stafford was dragging around that bum shoulder against the Browns. Although those two teams stunk. Was that on Thanksgiving? I don't know. They've lost seven straight games on Thanksgiving and that and or five straight, I should say. And you know, for years we've talked about on this podcast, and I've said, take the Lions out of and take them out of the spot. And this is for the country, It's not just for Detroit, but not not anymore. I think they are a team that has a national presence, and it's not just because of hard knocks. But I think I did play a role. I think that was a very smart decision business wise to get people more and more invested in this team. Now we see if they can really really shock people by beating the Bills and and I think and a half point dogs. Yeah, and that's about right. And that's where kind of where I put a Jeffe Couda suffered a concussion, I believe on Sunday, so let's imagine that he will um be out in this game. But who knows um. And I'm just interesting with the Bills um that they did commit to the run against the Browns thirty three for one seventy one Cooking Singletary both had eighty six yards in that game. Is that a thing now? Are they going to try to commit to the run or is that more a blip on the radar, because I think part of that had a lot to do with Cleveland's absolutely horrible rund. But if you can run the ball, and the Bills are if they can run the ball, they should because that does take some pressure off Alan to feel like he needs to do everything, which sometimes you get that vibe. Yeah, last week he did about as little as they've asked him to do in a game, and I don't know how long. I mean, he didn't run the ball. He only threw the ball I think twenty seven times in that game. I loved how James Cook looks like, where where have you been all season? James Cook? Sometimes these rookies, it's like the light goes on the practicing during the season. You you learn how to prepare, you understand the playbook. He could really change that team because I think Singletary is a good runner. That's not been their problem. It's not like they don't have running backs. I think they have them, and the Lions showed last week they really changed what they did to stop say Kwan Barkley played man to man coverage on the outside and just loaded up up front. That's very risky to do. I don't think you can do that against the Bills. So I'd like to see uh a little more a cook. Can I give you one little tidbit, cook, a tidbit that I found interesting about this game. So the Bills are playing in Detroit in in a five days span twice. It's all they happened to other times in in the NFL history. The first was the Patriots to Sophie a couple of years ago. But the other one was the nineteen thirty two Portsmith Spartans over twice twice in five days, dealing with the Staten Island Stapleton's And we have a is that related to the Christie Stapleton Stapleton's oft We don't know, but that's an NFL nugs. I have a second little nugg that the day before the Bills traveled to this should have been on our Sunday show. The day before the Bills traveled to Detroit, a man named squirrel Winter Doug Josh Allen out of like a seven foot snow bank in front of his house. I thought he was on the ports Smith. No, no, this is a human being in Western New York being squirrel Winter just like antaloons, you know, It's like Josh Allen got out to a really slow start in that Browns game, and I think the day before you've got a man named Squirrel Winter digging you out there, going through a lot as a person, I think if the if the Bills do recover from this mini slump and win the Super Bowl, you gotta give a ring to I mean it, absolutely all the after parts. That first team again, the one from the Staten Island states. Oh, I like that stable, the Portsmouth Spartans Smith your panel, they are now the Lions. That's wild. Take me through the history. See like this. That wasn't a totally invaluable nugget was questionable to some degree. This batup features smarter features the two core t backs who lead the NFL according to PF and turnover worthy plays. Jared Goff is number two, Josh Allen is number one. You know, I not think that Jared Goff is nearly that bad. I think he's been okay this year. He hasn't been that bad, but he gives the other team a chance, usually about twice per game. Let's move to the middle game. Now it is who's hiven Mark? You're a little in your feelings about the Giants on Sunday Show. I am still so let's now if they truly are a team that you believe in, that people should not have been so dismissive because the lines uh pants them at the meadow Lands. Well, let's see you show yourself as a real deal NFC Titan and give the Cowboys a ballgame at Jaral World. Do you think they have it in them? Well, this is a tough spot for but I think they have it in them. I think they can make it a game if this is one of those weeks where you can run on the Cowboys who gave up two plus two the Packers. They gave up two hundred plus to the Bears, which there's a obviously the Justin Fields element to that. I'm looking at the Cowboys offense right now and just saying I don't know about this, because they've been absolutely the way they looked last week, they could beat any team in the league, um handily outside of maybe the Chiefs and the Giants. Right now, we mentioned on Sunday, are coming out of a game a loss to the Lions where you've got half your offensive line totally banged up. You don't have one deal Robinson. They're really thin at at in the wide receiver group and you're paying playing the number one past defense in the league. That creates utter havo havoc for quarterbacks. So for New York, I think it's a terrible matchup right now. They also ran You mentioned how how well you know the the Giants have run the ball and how poor the Cowboys run defense has been at times this year. They ran it well in Week three. That was a game. I know these are completely different teams. That was a Cooper rush game, but they were able to run the ball a hundred and sixties seven yards against the Cowboys, and that feels like they're only chan and s Qwon did not run well a week ago. I thought he was tentative. I know the offensive line kept losing battles, but he kind of got back to like trying to make big plays and they couldn't get anything. The Giants just aren't built for third and long. I mean, they don't have a good enough offensive line. I think Daniel Jones has done well enough. But you mentioned losing Wandale Robinson. For a minute. Wanda Robinson was like their number one receiver and they're just trying out new guys. Every week. Kenny Golladay had a couple of catches last week maybe understanding ovation. Actually after the first one, the Wanda Robinson thing stinks because, um, watching the game on Monday after the fact, you know, they keep on throwing them the ball and it's like, um, kind of an underrated funny movie. Um, Hot Top Time Machine came out like twelve years ago. There's like problems double thumbs up from grave Digger. Um, there's a who's the Who's the guy from Back to the Future with the face with the very Crispin Glover. He plays like a bell hop who you learned in the beginning of the film has one arm, and then the whole movie you're waiting for to learn how he loses the arm. And it was sad watching uh Wanda Robinson because he was making play after play after playing, and I'm like, oh no, he's gonna hurt his knee. He's gonna hurt his knee, and then sure enough he goes down poorly and it's an a c L injury. So um tough for the giants. I was gonna lock this one up. I didn't even look at the spirits. I was thinking the same thing, how Boys by nine. So the Vegas is begging you to believe in the Giants, but I I can't certainly not this more down on the Giants relative to their record than almost any team I can ever remember. At no point this year have they viewed them as an even average team. They've they've been below average. They've been waiting for the correction, and and it happened last week. I don't know if I'll give them a chance to keep it close. Usually things kind of come back to the mean. But the depth of the Cowboys pass rush is just crazy because you get so worried about Parsons and they have Andrew Thomas, who's one of the best left tackles in the league. When when Parsons is lined up over there to neutralize him a little bit, But then you gotta be worried about Lawrence, and you gotta be worried about Sam Williams has a lot of juice, and Donte Fowler gets in there, and there's just so many guys and a coach who really creates unique game plans every week, and every once in a while, like in Green Bay, it goes bust like he got crazy creative there, and it just didn't work, but I think he has a lot of ways to beat the one little note on the Michael Parsons knee situation, Dr Jerry jones Um issued this quote this week. His physical durability, durability is amazing. We're expecting him to go Thanksgiving Day. It's a big moment. I don't think Parsons has a choice. No, you're playing Marca. Yeah. I think I'd love to see a great Dak game, just like I just we just know that's what I mean. But now Dax had a weird career where he's either like absolutely incredible or weird in the middle or a mediocre And I want to see the absolutely incredible back because his legs, he's feeling it. You can see the confidence in the legs. Let's go the other way on this, because the Cowboys have a bit of a spotty record in recent memory. For me on Thanksgiving themselves, I could see it going the other way where the Cowboys have some self inflicted errors and the Giants do what they've done for most of the season, hang around and all of a sudden, yes it is Oh God, se Kwan just broke one and we're down seventeen midway through the fourth quarter, I could see that. I'm not I don't think that's how it's gonna play out. But the Cowboys, just through years of being the Cowboys, can't you see them kind of playing down to their opponent a little bit and making this a close game? The way the Giants that play this year, it's a good one. They every one of these games is also gonna have a Madden Player of the Game like like they like in the old days. Couldn't you see se Kwan Barkley being that guy that comes on up and eats that six legged turkey. I don't really believe in these things. Yeah, if it's close, you're right. I started trust the Giants. Would you believe in the Trent Green turkey leg? What don't you believe in? I mean, Trent Green is was announcing uh Jet's Patriots just a week ago, so it just seemed like a weird move to make the just to honor him. But what is it you don't believe in? You're saying, Um, I don't know. Well, I mean, probably a lot of boys in a close game. But I was gonna throw out a stat You're right, the Cowboys have lost two in her own Thanksgiving. They are one in nine against the spread in their last ten Thanksgiving. So if if nothing else, uh, people think that they're better than they are and Thanksgiving and the Cowboys haven't exactly handled success well over the years exactly. But like we said, the Sharps, they got Buffalo nine and a half, they got Dallas laying in the wood nine. Finally we get to the wise guys, the wise guys. Finally we get to a game where you know, Mr Think Coke Bottle Rims in Vegas with all the monitors everywhere. Greg in twenty years says, this one's a tight one. This is tight, that's right. They go eat away Patriots at Vikings. Surprisingly to me small spread two and a half. I think they're really into football outsiders, um uh Vegas right now because I mean they have their own version, because I was, they were on their own numbers. They were listening to these bookies on the radio. Though they don't sound like they watch any of these games at all, but the Vikings before. I would have to check when they are now, But they were like sixteenth or seventeen in a d v O A team d v O A entering the Cowboys game. They've gotta be like twenty now. Uh. And that's the only explanation why the Vikings at home should be just two and a half point favorites over the Pats. Um tell me why I'm disrespecting New England, Greg, I shouldn't just be a bigger spread than it is, I don't think so it doesn't surprise me. I Uh, it started at three, so I think some money has gone to the Patriots. The underlying I think that that Las Vegas us. It's similar to whatever football outsiders creates, which is like, what are the things that leads to winning over the long track record. It's yards for play on offense, it's yards for play on defense, it's situational football, it's you know, turnover margins, stuff like that, all stuff where the Vikings profile as a very average team and the Patriots profile as a pretty average team. Maybe they're both a little better than average, and so it's a three point game the Patriots. And I don't buy these numbers, I mean, because it's they don't take opponent into accounts, but the numbers would tell you the Patriots have the best defense in the league by a decent amount. No, No one thinks that, but they've been able to beat up on opponents or quarterbacks that hold the ball too long. Can they disguise some coverages and confuse Kirk Cousins like they've done some of these young quarterbacks. We'll see, But the Cowboys did a good job at it last week. Part of the reason I think Cousins lost last week is because he didn't know what he was looking at and he just held it and it was kind of a bad Kirk Cousin. The Patriots terrorized Zack Wilson twice. They got Ellinger when they have the cults, and uh, that spiked some of their numbers. But yeah, they are very and they made Jacoby percent have his worst game of the year, but it's still Jacoby lit them up. So I mean, I think, like you're right, Like I think they can watch that Cowboys tape and what look at how lost Cousins seemed. Cousins is not as quietly not having a great season in a lot of ways. And I don't like the situation with Christian Derris Saul concussed again. We talked about it. He's out of the lineup. That's like an all pro level left tackle this season and you've got Matthew Judean and Dietrich Wise arguably like a top or second pass rushing due in the league. Right now. I think the Patriots, you could say that the best defense in a certain wild to hear Dietrich Wise being involved as one of the best past rush or Daniel and Darius Smith on the other side would be right up there too. And the Patriots have an offensive line problem that I think it's gotten overlooked. They're expected to be without David Andrews for this game. Rap Sheet said that he might be out uh for the rest of the season, but he was at practice on the field on Tuesday, so that seems like he's looked like a guy that was coming back quickly. No, I don't think he's coming back quickly, but the fact that he was out there, who knows, you shoot him up. He's their best offensive lineman, he's their center, and I think Max brutal game. They also signed Connor McDermott, who might play over Isaiah Win at this point. Yeah, Win is a little banged up. Mac Jones came out of there by a little different. They I was curious what the Patriots would do. I thought I said, mac Jones is a problem to solve. What's what are the Patriots gonna do? And their offense was a little different. They had played way more two tightensets. They had a couple of times they did this what they call a full house formation where they had both John who Smith and Henry essentially line up as fullbacks, and they created some big plays out of that, a lot more power. I mean, they kind of ditched a lot of their zone stuff when they went play action and mac Jones was under center. They actually looked quite good. When they went back to the old stuff they were trying early in the season, which shotgun and trying to throw it deep. It just wasn't working. Stop doing that, Just stop doing Yeah, it was a strange offensive game for New England because Jones definitely looked better statistically. He completed about, Um, I weren't like the down field though they regularly the well, Zack Wilson will tell you it was windy out there, all right, man, it was windy. Well, that's that's wise for them. Nothing. Um. But at the same time, they regularly moved the ball into Jets territory. And then I and this is what I was talking about, on Sunday, like some of the play calling was so conservative, uh. And I understand they were feeling absolutely immensely confident in their defensive ability to continue to stick it to Zach Wilson and the Jets offense. But I thought that game should not have ever gotten to the point that it got. I think I thought Mac Jones was playing with confidence and they should have given him more opportunities to put the Jets away in that game. And I think you heard that and the fans of Foxborough who were upset about some of the play calling um in third and fourth in short situations. The trust level is not there in Jones yet, but maybe if he stacks a couple more wins, Patrician and Belichick will take off the safety wheels. But I think that's that's the vibe I get from the offense that they they they kind of were taken aback by Jones beginning of his year and he's gonna have to re earn the trust of that coaching staff and the play calling. I think that's right. And I don't think they trust their offensive line either. Yannick cojuiced who will match up with either Hunter or Smith just as a problem that's I think their third right tackle. They you know, at this point, their third stringer in the backup center. And that's concerning. And I am a little concerned about Justin Jefferson, Thealen Hockinson versus these Patriots defensive It's been a great story all year how well they've played in the secondary, but they also haven't really played many good players. So I'm just curious to see how these defensive backs that have played well. We were it was swallowed the sadness Sunday because I think namely because teams like the Giants and the Vikings we're kind of put back in their place to some degree among other teams. If they both go and lose five days later, oh we start to think very differently about both of them. This is a big game for for both the Vikings and the Paths. The Vikings thinking surprising. Really, that's because I don't think anyone's expecting that if the Giants lose the Cowboys, there's almost no shame that the Cowboys are soaring. If the Vikings get crushed against New England, I mean if they get crushed even if they lose, or if they just if they like put up ten points in their offense goes into one of their little Oh it's gonna be put it this way. I'd be surprised if the Patriots, a little bit surprised if they win. But if the Vikings have another poor game, it's kind of on brand for who they are, even as much as we've talked about they're different this year, it will be very Vikings, especially with Kirk Cousins era of Vikings, for them now to fall on their face in this game. And I think the Giants that matters not just whether they win or lose, but how competitive they are. In absolutely, you got your doors blown off. I would be very nervous as a Giants fan. If you play well and lose a close game or outright win, I think you're feeling pretty good, even if you're seven and four. We do have some league breaking news. Interesting. I was gonna hold this one, but well no, I mean we announced like a bunch of like rams, like Hammond Eggers, like getting you know, having transaction item So in Carolina, smell your later, Baker Mayfield, Sam Donald starting on Sunday. Steve Wilkes just announced it while in service of our show, right while the show is going thank you, Mr Wilkes. Good job. M I um intelligence was gonna happen. We're gonna see both these guys. We'll probably see them again. Yeah, that Baker game was just like this. They didn't really give him a chance. It felt like it was very much like the early p J. Walker games where it was like they weren't even trying. If you look at his number is in his Panther's career, they're basically very similar with Donald did last year. I think both of these guys will never start again as the as the wanted starter. It's like a week one starting type. Yeah, I I called that the wanted starter. Yes, so Donald does get his first start, the fourth quarterback for the Panthers to start a game this year. Get ready for a lot of Patriots in your life. By the way, the very strange Patriots season. They're here at six and four. They've kind of kick kick the can down the field of like, wow, they've made they've made it this far. They could figure out their problems now. Famously, you know, Belichick's mentor said the season doesn't start until after Thanksgiving, and they've stacked some wins. But we're gonna see a lot of them. This is a strange team. They've got Thanksgiving, then they've got Thursday Night football against the Bills, then they've got Monday Night Football against the Cardinals after that, and I think this game will get flexed out. They've got Sunday Night football against the Raiders. Four straight primetime games for the page. It's besides, I can see why they did it. I can see why they did it four straight for the Patriots. I mean, they do weird things like that, and I think they're thinking, to Greg's point, that they'd be surging. They were a playoff team a year going, and when you made the schedule, they lost like seventy seven points in the wild Card round last year. But when you made the schedule, you're thinking, we're gonna get year two of Mac Jones. He's gonna grow with this whole offensive and can be run by a bunch of special team a defensive coaches. I mean they are they are six and four. These teams to change as the season goes, and they have set themselves up where they have a little bit of mojo. I feel like where they feel good about themselves at least on one side of the ball. That if you can get that most on one some sort of the passing game going. Then it's like you start feeling like a Bill Belichick type of team and being a little more special teams league as proven by Sunday. You're asking me to buy in on the stage now, but I'm just saying, they win this Vikings game, you're just gonna be seeing a lot of them, the problems of them, regardless of how they play. Unfortunately. UM. All right, thank you to everybody for listening. Yes, it's a different week. As I've said, it's a different week, so you're gonna get us UM again Tomorrow. Wednesday usually a quiet day here, a recharge the battery day for the A T N gang. But no throw that out the window, throw it out the window, keep grinding, no reverse gears in this tank. We will have the full week twelve preview UM on Wednesday, dark Thursday, enjoying Thanksgiving Friday morning, no fun show, but a recap of Thanksgiving, and we have a big announcement that will go out on here. This is exciting. I love it. It's happening. People have been asking for it for a long time. We will have for the first time ever in the history of this program We've done live shows in Miami, Atlanta, we've done them in here and there in London, but we've never done one in our own backyard. For the first time, we will have a live show from Los Angeles, the homecoming show. Uh justin give me the details, baby jack pot Baby details Wednesday, January at the Bourbon Room. You can go to ticketmaster dot com search around the NFL. Doors open at seven, the event starts at eight. Tickets start at thirty five dollars in Hollywood. I believe it is in Hollywood, on the second floor of an address. Maybe next year we get to the top floor, but this year right there, and you know we should meet the old of the building. We should. We should put this out, put the podcast out. We should wait a little bit before putting the links out on our socials, just as like a little extra. If you've made it to this portion of a November podcast, you know you get a head start here, a valuable Easter egg to some degree. Very good. I love it, um. And before we say goodbye, we have some breaking news. I told you I have not. I've had no interest in this hard not season because of the team the Cardinals, um, which I don't enjoy, but this might change my mind. Cliff Kingsbury, the head coach, said that Arizona has relieved offensive line coach slash running game coordinator Sean Coogler of his duties following an incident in Mexico City on Saturday night. Kingsbury said, we relieved him of his duties and he was sent home Monday morning prior to the game, adding it's challenging anytime you have to make a staff change in that type of manner. Man that team is all fouled up. Yeah, it's a rough and tumble city. I don't know what occurred, but I hope everyone's all right. He He was featured heavily to Dan as offensive line coaches offering are in the last episode as sort of typical offensive line character, hard edged, but you gave his gave his team the business, a hard edged, emotional, amped up offensive line coach on Saturday night. I mean, theory HBO was there. There was also there was also as I want to go down that avenue. I get that there was a report or or someone said publicly actually that the you know Benjamin footage for what, when and why he got cut out of nowhere? Was gonna be really noteworthy, And then there was a follow up that said, there will be nothing about you know. I mean they're open about that. They've removed um elements, plot points like an old seventies film. It suddenly it's like bang twenty minutes doesn't happen on real Hard Knocks said, not this this retrograde, off brand version. I see where you're coming from with your stance on this on this show, can't be too hard on your stance, I won't. I love all programming, well, you can heavily connect to the other one. You don't want to disenfranchise HBO love Our Knocks, Cardinals not so much. Thank you everyone for watching listening. Uh and we'll be back, yes in twenty four hours of another program. So until then. Dan handsOn, signing off four quiet stormed the old boss just engraver behind the glass. He the call M M