2022 Week 14 Recap: At a Crossroads

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Speaker 1: The Around the NFL podcast doesn't care if you have one ash cheek and three toes. We do now. In fact, we prefer that you're a grotesque being. Here from the Chris west Link podcast studio, it's Around the NFL Week fourteen recap. Dan Hands is here, Heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. Mm hmmmmm, Yes, that's Dan camp That's one of the many great Dan Campbell quotes from Hard Knocks over the summer. And Um, we are making history here on today's show for the first time, and this is our tenth season. So somebody do the math. How many Sunday shows have we done to be you know one? You know, all right, let's say one, seventy, let's let's split the difference, three and twelve. Okay, we've done three, twelve and and we have never led with the Detroit lines. What never? I mean, why would we? They've always been bad? Um for the most part. There was one playoff season in the mix. Uh was it? What game they got screwed? Was des caught? It? Game was the next week with the Lions got screwed in the Cowboys win a long time ago. Point being, and yet today's show we have a bunch of interesting subplots and leagues storylines in the playoff race heating up, and because the lines are right in the middle of that, that's where we're gonna start today. Well it's about time. I'm I'm enthused by the by the decision that you finally get on board first in this show. Even last week I was singing their song. And I think they're one of the most interesting developments in the entire conference so far, becoming like one of the stories of the league. We're gonna have to be welcoming and interest to the rest of the football world as they catch up to our love that we've had for their Lions. I think that, yes, and I think we're ahead of the story. And now we're bathing in that. And why do we Before we get to the first game, which of course will feature the apa mentioned Detroit Lions, let's go back to hard knocks and and here from Dan Campbell, there is nothing like winning. And I'm telling you right now, it doesn't matter if it's freaking dominoes, it's pages, it's bouret, it's Croquet's chest, it's preseason kicking. It does not matter. Man. Winning is winning, and it feels good. Man, winning is winning and it feels good. And the Lions, the two thousand two Detroit Lions, cannot stop winning. They're addicted. Emotion is soon got to pro what's the pro to? Stro yes said got Dot the thirty one yard line. That is sutiful first down Detroit Lion mis Johnson, you are my heir road. Yes, getting the big feller involved and I love you women motion. Did you see that speed bit Johnson? I love you. Whoop beautiful golf. Dan Miller, who was brown w x y T say, soul team just one of many great wide receivers, although not technically a wide receiver. Screw it team right down time time lyon, come on, Mark, go baby team te hell, this is a fire is special on. Oh it's ragged. I'm not getting better at that though. You had you had me do the same part of this song last week. And I'm not approving, really, none of us are. But we're gonna get it because we're gonna get more chances to do so. Anyway, So there you go. The Detroit Lines. They welcome the Minnesota Vikings into their building, the ten and two Minnesota Vikings, and they just kind of dominate them in a thirty four twenty three win. Jared Goff once again has a big game, including an opening scoring touchdown past the rookie Jamison Williams add him to mix very fun. Uh. Greg will start here, though, give us background on that play to school that had the Detroit announcers all fired up. It's the perfect place to start because it just outlines how aggressive this team is even with the lead. That is a third in seven play from the Vikings forty one yard line with two minutes to go in the game. The Vikings uh still have two time outs at that point, so time and time outs are a huge factor. And I came out of that time thinking they've been running the ball poorly, but they probably run the ball there. See if they can get close enough to maybe go forward and fourth down, or if not, you punt it back instead, you break out Panay Seul not just catching that pass where it's like a tackle eligible. No, he's in motion, running like a freight train. I want to give him the ball in the goal line, in the end zone, sometimes at at backfield because he had a lot of speed there. Dan Campbell said after the game he thought he could be a Hall of Fame titing to show that aggressiveness was typical of a day end. You know, he's like if you lost a little weight, he's that athletic. He could be a Hall of Fame tight end. I don't know about that, but it wasn't nice catch it. The ball wasn't exactly on him. He knew what to do, but it was typical. They went for a fake punt Dan on fourth and seven. With the lead, they kept sending pressure on defense and then more than anything with the lead in the second half of this game, they kept throwing because the running game wasn't working and they kept stacking points. They would have scored on six straight possessions to end this game if not for a misfield goal, and that was by throwing. I think there's just complete, full DNA buy in by the Lions to be this aggressive. They've been doing it all year, and you know, like when they were losing, it really wasn't the reason they were losing either. It's like, I just love their sort of go for it nature. It requires everyone from Dan Campbell to Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson who you knew who Ben Johnson was a year ago. This time, he's completely He's completely become more of a household name at this point. And I just so impressed with some of these better performances for getting from Jared Goff because it reminds me to some degree how he looked when he was very well surrounded environmentally with the Rams and good coaching and fit in so well. And it's like, you know, we came into this season thinking like Jared Goff is just a placeholder of fill in. They're gonna go draft someone. I think he's proven himself to be a legit NFL starter all over again. Are you echoing my comments on the Friday Fun Show? What happened on that show? But if I am literally like seven straight minutes about this very topic, Jared Goff is having a big year and the Lions have a big decision to make, uh come in the offseason, there's no decision. He's there next year. Three thirty yards, three touchdowns. This might have been his best game. We gotta report our insiders before the game like they're looking to him as their future quarterback. Yes, and we'll see, because once upon a time, the same insiders reported Jammeis Winston was the future of the Bucks quarterback rooms as late as weeks six team before that Saturday game, these things change. But in the here and now, golf is doing everything right. And yeah that I'm looking at it now. You know obviously the Seul play, but the a fourth and seven from their own twenty six yard line with eleven minutes ago in the third quarter, the seven point lead, they pull off a fake punt. They're just feeling it. And let's hear from Campbell now in the here and now. You heard from him in August when he was pumping up his team, and now he's got this team rolling. Here was Campbell after the game about the team's chances of maybe going to the postseason, which are now real. Look, it was one of the reasons why I wanted to be here. I said that in my opening press conference. Anybody that read that or saw that, it was one of the reasons I want to be here because I knew this could be a special place. Man, this is one of those areas where you get a winner here in Detroit and uh and it'll be something special. And it's not like that everywhere it's not. And so to get this place back on its feet, man, play winning football, something that hadn't been done here and whatever that is twenty something years um or over, and you know it is, but we're not there yet. We're not there. You know, we're playing pretty good football and we just one another one and and now, man, yeah it feels good. Let's go get the next one. That's all we can worry about. And uh yeah, you did a great job obviously. On offense. They scored at least twenty five points every week um. And their defense, I know, the past defense left a lot to be desired and Kirk Cousins had his best game of the year through and two touchdowns, but you also held Dalvin Cook to twenty three yards on fifteen carries. So they are that team now. We talked about this, this type of team all the time, the teams that are really prolific offensively and could score. And when you're when you are very good offensively, you don't need to have great defense, just have to have a passable defense. And they're there now and that's why they keep winning. They keep making big plays defensively. Rodrigo is not just a hard knocks story. He's a genuinely difference making linebacker. As a rookie, a couple of huge run stops. In this game, they got pressure on Cousins, and it was why I was so impressed with Cousins. I thought it was easily cousins best game of the year. He was under darressed so many times he had There was nine quarterback hits. Aidan Hutchinson I thought had hit one of his best games of the year. They were all over him in terms of their past defense, and Cousins kept making tough plays. But you're seeing different parts of the team step up. Dj Arc being healthy and kind of being the guy that they paid him to be, which was maybe their number one receiver. That's been a quietly big development. Josh Reynolds is back. Jamison Williams is in this game and gets a forty one yeard touchdown on a bust. That play didn't play that many snaps again, but even just adding that to the offense, it's like they could be in different types of ways, and they're winning games convincingly. They beat the Giants convincingly, they beat the Jaguars convincing, They beat the Vikings convincingly. I mean they I mean, I know that they needed to make a play late, but this is a two score win and the Vikings are Vikings fans are gonna be very quiet today and this week because this game kind of was what all the people that were doubting the Vikings were kind of expecting in this game. So you have now you have obviously the embarrassment of the Cowboys lost. They kind of escaped that Jets game with a win. They could easily lost that, And now this game happens Mark and it's like, yes, they're tenant three once again. They can't clinch their division, but they will clinch the division. But they're just a lot of questions with that team in terms of the goal of getting to the super Bowl. I don't even think that most Vikings fans would even have a problem with us raising the questions we always raised about the Vikings, but they were until this game now. But I think like your level headed Vikings fan talked about the fact that you know they were winning these close ones. Um, you're not getting the best season of the ever from Kirk Cousins on any level. They're like the only ten and three team to have ever had a negative point diferential at this point. I mean, so they kind of just are who they are. Could they win a playoff game, but they're a bad defense, and so that's what I think is really worrisome. They're extly safe, like they try to play it safe and bad, which is like a bad combo. If you're gonna be bad on defense, at least be like the Giants and be aggressive and make some place. But they're sitting back there. They really missed Harrison Smith today. If if you want to have a positive I know I mentioned you know, Kirk playing well. Jefferson had two hundred and twenty three yards. Kirk had the fifth highest two I mean to twenty three and it should have been it should have been to sixty. He would have had another touchdown in this game that was on a bad call late in the game. They ended up scoring, but it cost him a minute a time, which was his foot did not go out of bound. So his fantasy owners, I should be Matt and Kirk played out of his mind. He had the fifth highest completion percentage overexpected of any quarterback in any game this year. And so that's a positive sign that like if you could get Kirk to play like that. The only reason they lost this game was, you know, Hockenson drops a dime on third down that kills one drive and then they call a pop pass in the red zone for Dalvin Cook and he didn't admit it was a pop pass afterwards, but it's sure it was a pop pass and he fumbled what like you know where you get and then you run up and then you jump the tebow play except he like started looking up before he ever saw it and then just started bobbling it around. And that was ten points right there. And this was like an arena league game where that that was the difference and you gave up the defense things. Now play the Jets, and I've already you as you guys, I know you guys will understand. And I hope everyone connected with this amazing experience the team of around the NFL has been I need to take a one week sabbatical and step away from the lines. And I hope you guys can understand that. And if you can't, that's an issue. But you guys, being the two, I certainly think the two of us can understand where you're coming from. Right as when most like level headed thinking human beings forget who this is not a happy thing for me. That's something I struggle with. You will get through it. Too. I believe who came over our desk today and said like, Oh, that's gonna be tough, tough for Dan next week. I was like, is it? I mean that Kay who came over to our desk. I was thinking it wasn't you, because it's like, there's no one else in our news from the only people that I speak to on Sunday or Greg until Dan shows up. Drew came over can all right, So the lines are a big storyline right now. The other big story on Sunday, uh to me is what happened at the Big Bell bottom and sent the cloud pretty back time. I'm not gonna throll for the year soon wide open? Greg, did I you touch down? Sen Fran just go hire you? Are? You? Hire you? Kids? We have a submission for the Dad Call of the Year and I liked it. I'm a dad, Greg, Papa and Tim, Ryan, Kay and b R Brandon. I you know, he scores a touchdown every week. That's that. And he's not the only one that could do that. The forty Niners have great pieces on offense. We know this, but if you don't have a quarterback, you don't have hope in the NFL. And yet Mark Sessler. Maybe the Niners, having already lost Trey Lance, having already lost Jimmy Garoppolo, still have an answer quarterback because Brock Purty, Mr. Relevant steps up, plays lights out ball in a thirty five seven blowout of Tom Brady and the Bucks. M I really am trying to remember a quarterback debut like this. Um again, someone not unlike Ben Johnson. We just talked about that Brock Purdy was in an essentially invisible human being ten days ago. And the way he played today and you know they have all literally Mr Irrelevant, right, I mean, and it's it's incredible how he played today. And I watched this Niners offense and the first one was like, is it are all the pieces around him canna diminish? Because he's going to be playing inside a very safe scheme and doing safe things that you'd expect from someone that's never done this in the NFL before. The total opposite. They couldn't have been more aggressive. They gave they had. They showed so much faith in Brock Purty to throw the ball in key situations and the result was I thought, you got the best version of Christian McCaffrey, who was unstoppable, Like literally, they they had no answers for Christian McCaffrey, Brandon you doing his things before Deebo Samuel left with an ankle injury and we're ring that that's potentially not season ending. He could come back at some point or it could be a high ankle. We'll see. But all of these pieces were operating in total unison with total power. Uh. They were running the ball all over the place too, and Bratt Purty just kept making throw after throw at the end of the first half because the second half was just the thing was over. Uh. He finished fourteen for eighteen for a eighty five yards and two touchdowns and no one, no turnovers. I just was like completely impressed with Like it is an argument for the Shanahan quarterback friendly, quarterback proof attack where I think you know that comes and goes and it's not as some time as you feel like he's a little over inflated on that front. Not today. I mean the way that he came into this with total preparation, brock Party, it tells me a lot about the coaching staff. And I know that we didn't maybe love Brian Greasy the analyst, but there's something going on with him as quarterback coach too. I think he's done a good job. And it was like, you know, there's a lot of they they talked about how he had really gotten him prepared for this moment. Well they if nothing, you have to give them credit for being able to choose these Shanahan quarterbacks and be able to self scout to once they had him. They really seemed to know what they had in him, and that they picked these guys late in in the draft that can keep your season afloat. Now it looks like he could do even more. It told me a lot when on that touchdown throw to Iu that they were being that aggressive in that spot because they got the ball there with under a minute and a half to go and they went for a touchdown to kind of pour it on with with the seventh round rookie. I think they pushed him to do everything he could and and it does change like the the the nature of the Niners. We were like, oh, every year this seems to happen to them. And if brock pretty can't play, they're cooked. And they were one of the more interesting possibilities in the NFC. I came out of today's game it's one game, but like he if you had showed me without seeing like the human face or the uniform and told me he would have had tom Brady's performance, So that would have a bit more fitting because tom Brady didn't he tom Brady at one point had his hand hit a helmet and you could tell he was in pain. He threw an interception on the next play, he overthrew people from there and the Bucks, you know, when we've seen them fall flat four quarters and halves at a time. This was the worst version of that, where you leave with literally no faith in their offense on any level. And I don't know what is going on with Tom Brady and Mike Evans, but the tone was set in this game when he hit Mike Evans on a sixty eight yard touchdown early on and then it was taken back by penalty. There were three or four Bucks penalties in this that completely shut them down, opened the door for San Francisco, and it was just an example when San Francisco hits the gas like this. If this is the version you're gonna get, they could beat anyone in the NFC. I think the Eagles obviously are the the one team that stands out there, that could be the biggest challenge for them. Yeah, the Evans thing, you know, if that touchdown stands and it was called back on what was the call? It was a whole on a weekly basis, getting touchdowns wiped off back to back weeks, he's he's been an issue for them. But uh yeah, if that touchdown stands, we're probably not having the conversation. But it didn't stand. And then you see one point on the sideline. Who knows, but Brady and Evans kind of animated talking back and forth to each other. Um and Brady. Who much was made obviously in the press. He had that amazing comeback on Monday Night football, and then uh, this was his homecoming. He grew up in nearby, and he asked for a hundred and fifty tickets or something like that. And the game's third five nothing in the second half. So it's just it's been a very very frustrating season for Tampa Bay. They're not a good team. They're just not good that Their defense is you know, average, it's spikes at times, but it's definitely not a difference maker like it's been in past years. The offense is definitely limited, Brady average four and a half yards an attempt in this game, and so they are that what they are. And on the San Francisco side of things, Jimmy Garoppolo um was saying very well, but at the end of the day, Garoppolo is what he is, which is a facilitator. He is a the dreaded game manager, which doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially in offense like that. Seeing now brock Party do it the way he did today doesn't mean like he's going to be a stud nowt of them, But that would be a crazy story if you if he did turn into a stud. But if he can just do this, be the facilitator, get the ball into the hands of the players, Yes, they're gonna survive this and be a tough out in the end of sy And if he can do this, he's like the thirteenth best quarterback in football right now. So I mean, I I would imagine there's gonna be some comdown effect. This was to a bit, but to many it wasn't like I watched it like a great Herbert game for example, or is like you're seeing these like an amazing Wow. He physically looks different than those guys to begin with. To me, it just doesn't seem to be that guy physically, but the way that they had him dolling up aggressive throws and he was making them, but he didn't last week too, so it's not just one week. He hit a number of third down throws into tight windows last week and they threw the ball thirty seven times because they needed him to a week could go. The Bucks defense has been a little better than solid. You're right there, out of difference maker. They lost Vita Via today to an injury. They lost Jamal Dean, their best cornerback, to an injury, so they already were banged up on defense and those are two of their best players, but they haven't been pushed around like this, So I mean that, and that's a that's a great sign for San Francisco with a manageable stretch ron coming up, including a big Thursday night game this week against And we know we're not even like talking about San Francisco's defense, which is just like they had one point, they had one touchdown in nineteen drives and Mica Ryan's is gonna be a head coach soon. And you got guys like Dre green Law every week doing amazing things. It's like they are, they are a little banged up. They keep losing guys, But when I watched what they did today, it's like, that's why I think they can win any playoff game. Let's hear from Kyle Shanahan before we move on on brock Purty who again two and whatever overall pick seventh round. Um, parents crying in the stands watching the game. Really nice moment. Uh. There here's Shanahan on his QB. We always have the full game plant, full game plans, the game plan whatever, it was, everything available to him. Yes, I mean definitely. I mean it was a week before two and Um with brox skill set and what he does, I don't have a ton of design quarterback runs and stuff, but um, maybe we need to. He moved pretty well today. And you know what, Shanahan falls in love with these quarterbacks. He just falls so hard for these guys. Yeah and he and this is all this all comes off remarkably good for Shanahan, who's obviously has a great reputation. But to be able to keep this season a float, and not just a float, but the offense thriving on his third quarterback speaks to what he's built with of course John Lynch and the rest of the organization. All right, so there you go. Those are two big games to get things go. And let's take a break and then we will continue on week fourteen. All right, we are back the Buffalo Bills. Last week they sat and watched from home as they went from the five seed to the one seed in the a f C. They have destiny in their hands now they just gotta take care of business, and they did that today in Western New York against my Jets. They're still in shotgun. Josh's takes the snap and John and he gives it to Josh keeping himself and he drives forward and he's in touchdown. Buffalo Josh Hall and take the handoff and ran forward for the five yard touchdown run. Where do we stand on announcers calling players by their first name? Oh Josh, Hey, oh Josh has it. It's probably a little like homer Ish, But for some of these announcing crews, like I'm not taking shots, I don't love it. Some names just asked for it, Like Tiki Barber was always just Tikifer. If I had the choice that for multiple reasons, I think I'm skeptical like you or else you would have asked the question it's overly friendly, um, John Murphy and Eric Wood with the called w g R slick cold rain, snow conditions UM in Buffalo and the New York and the Buffalo Bills took care of business by leaning on a defense that was without, as we know, von Miller for the rest of the season. Now after that exploratory surgery led to an a c L repair, but they didn't look like a team that was missing von Miller against the Jets, uh, getting after Mike White beating up Mike White, sending Mike White to the hospital in an ambulance after the game as a precaution. Uh. And it was that Bill's pass rush that allowed them to take a twenty to twelve win. And uh so not a dominant effort by Buffalo's offense. In fact, I believe they finished under three hundred yards, which I don't know if that has happened uh this season. So that Jet defense, which has been good all year, although they lost Quinnin Williams to a calf injury today and we're gonna see if he's gonna miss extended time. That would be a alert for them. They've had their fair share of injuries this year. Um, but Buffalo uh, despite not having the offense, this proved again to me boys that yes, they are a complete team and their ability to get after the quarterback led by ed Oliver Matt Milano, that front seven did their job and that's why they won this game. Shock Lawson too, I mean that was that was my takeaway as well as that the von Miller injury to me, kind of separated what I thought they could achieve and now it's like, if you can do this, because when I was watching this, it seems like they just dominated New York's offensive line and made life so tough on Mike White, who is one of the tougher dudes. He he did not want to go out and I can see why they why the Jets players love Mike White, and I do wonder what will happen with him going forward. I mean, is he gonna be healthy enough to play next week? You think yeah? I mean the fact that he was knocked out of the game twice by just wicked shots, including the second by Milano where Tony Romo called the game for CBS. Was just as a guy who was a quarterback, who's this happened to him? He's like, oh, yeah, he's he's not coming back, he's got broken rings. And and yet he does go back to the locker room and he does come back. And I've said this with other in other situations, the charges with Herbert earlier in the season when he had his own rib issue. I didn't think Mike White should have been back in that game because he couldn't protect himself. And you could see that for the rest of the game, even when they weren't big shots. Every time he went down you could hear. You couldn't necessarily hear him, but you could see in the replays that he would like scream out in pain or just the win sing, and it was just it was a tough watch, um, but also easy to respect the guy that was hanging in the pocket. But uh, yeah, the Jets are a team now. They've lost four of six quietly, and we could keep saying that they hang tough against these teams, but you gotta what happened with the Jets is once you blow those two Patriots games, they gotta go find a win now to make up for that. And they should have beat the Vikings last week and then let Minnesota off the hook. This game was more like there were opportunities, But I just credit the Bills. Their Bills are a better team further along in the development, and I think that's what you saw here. The Flacco fumble, Uh the Michael Carr can't see Flacco on the field again now and what someone's gotta explained to me. I understand the Zach Wilson drama of it all, but why is Zach Wilson inactive? Is there more to the story. But I don't need to go watch Joe Flacco every time the past rushes on him and he every time he gets hit, and he gets hit almost every time he drops back to past, it's a fumble. I literally they're protecting. I think Zach Wilson's like fragile psychology right now. That's a damning indictment. If he's not the backup quarterback next week, I don't know. We'll see about White and it's all gonna depend on how he feels in the morning and what comes back from this. But uh, yeah, the Jets, to their credit, they did hang in this game. They got block punt uh to get it within one score. They marched down into Bill's territory with a chance to really make things interesting before Michael Carter fumble. But again credit to the Bills and their defense. The offense is a little up and down for the Bills right now, and that's just something that's been the case for a while. I mean, Josh Allen has been like essentially sort of average for about four weeks in an other the weather is crazy in this game, right so so you keep that in mind. But two thirty two yards, you know, getting out gained by the Jets by seventy yards is surprising in but also I think if you're Sean mc dermott, rather probably very satisfying because he's a defensive coach. He los Von Miller, you lose Micah Hide two of their three I would say most valuable players on their defense, along with Milano, who's playing out of his mind. And you still get all this pressure with Rousseau is having a great season, Trevious Whites now back, and in the mixed players having a nice season. You're getting pastors with Ed Oliver. I was gonna ask you, Dan, which defense you think it is better here? Jets are Bills. I think it's pretty close. I think that. I mean, they both played really well. That the jetson now scored only two touchdowns in the last two weeks. So they're having some issues right now with White. But if he's healthy, there's no controversy. I think he's still going to be the guy for them. Here's here's a stat by the way, um, the Mike White was pressured on forty six point seven percent of dropbacks with just four rushers. So the Bills did their job and the Jets have to figure out some things on offense here that because they were not competitive on offense for stretches of this game, because they could not protect the quarterback, they couldnot pass protect, and the running game has not been the same. I know Bam Knight has been very good for them in the last few weeks, but it's never really recovered from Breeze Hall. So they gotta they just gotta find some ways to get out of this. They gotta beat the lines next week. Just like we said, the lines had to win today and they did. I think they Jets have to beat the lines at the Metal ends next you and I'd say after that, the Jaguars are becoming spice here by the hour. And then you've got seat. You're at Seattle and at Miami. If you're the Jets to close the season, that is a rugged little slate. I gotta win three or four and uh, that's just the way it is. I think, you know, with the Chargers and the Patriots behind them, that's not a fearsome duo there. But you gotta start winning again. So the Bills get it done up. Next, let's move on. Gotta move on, and I will move on to the other New York Times New York team from the metal Lands area northern New Jersey. Technically they welcomed in the best team in football, and it went as you might expect. Sanders stays in this time he breaks away at the thirty five thirty five fish ten five s Wow, hold are you kidding me? Jack dryst who gets a great block mouse Sanders getty outside. It's just a foot race and he out runs the entire Giants definch to the pylon and into the end zone. Listen to that crowd at the metal Lands. Oh they were they were doing from start to finish. Reality has set in. Meryl Reese and Mike Quick from w I P Yes, my, it was another big game on the ground for the Eagles, who just blow teams away. Miles Sanders ran for one four and touchdowns of three and that forty yard score. He's over a thousand yards rushing. And then Jalen Hurts, who has been the best football quarterback in football this year. He threw two more touchdowns ran for another, and the Eagles romp mark two over those fading Men who have one win in six weeks. Yeah, the g Men at one point, or a pet team of mine. I found it enjoyable just to watch good giants football. Well coached. Pet teams aren't doing too well. They are not. It's like they are not cemetary over there. It is very close to that. Well, I don't I also, when I adopt a pet team in this season, particularly, I don't have to stick with them forever. So I'm with you. For those team's sake, it's better that you get off as quickly as possible. I do seem to have an ill effect on them. Uh, I would agree with you, But this was an enjoyable game to watch. Um just for the nature of Philadelphia is utterly explosive, unstoppable offense. I mean they do. We've talked about they do it differently every week, and today they came out and I think made it so clear the difference between the Eagles and the Giants. And I don't care about the records or anything. It's just like they Jalen Hurts is playing beautiful football right now, and their offense is so well coordinated. Opening touchdown drive of twelve plays ninety one yards, five plus minutes, the second drive fourteen eighty four yards eight plus minutes, and they were unstoppable, running for huge chunks of yardage at a time, deep passes unfurled beautifully. Then the Giants down fourteen nothing. I thought, you know, sometimes I'll say like game over, and it's not always in the fourth quarter that that happens. They botched a punt and the Eagles picked it up at the Giants thirty three and essentially, next play laser to A J. Brown. It's twenty one nothing. And there is no there is no shred of evidence that the Giants, who are not yeah they're not the Giant, do not come from behind tony one nothing against anyone in this league. And sae Quon Barkley has not been sae Quon Barkley for weeks on end now, Daniel Jones is in a tough spot in the situation. They are kind of an empty cupboard when it comes to weapons, and that's how you get absolutely your doors blown off at home and you're right, that crowd was dismayed and agitated. Well, this game is over. The second you heard, you know, the se Juon Barkley neck injury that popped up late in the week, and then the report before the game that you proved to be true that he was only going to be limited in the game plan. It's like, oh if he, if sae Quon Barkley is limited in this game plan, why even why even show up to play? And you know what, the Giants didn't really show up, Dadaly So well, that fourth and seven where the Eagles decide to go for and DeVonta Smith makes a terrific touchdown catch that's the beginning of the second quarter to go up fourteen nothing. It's just the type of decisions that like, no matter what Nick Sirianni does, whatever they call on offense or on defense, it's like we're because it's a great scheme that's versatile, but their players are just awesome. That was just DeVante Smith, who you think of as this. You know, slim guy, is he the slim Reaper. There's a lot of slim reapers out there, but he's physical too and he can be tough at the catchpoint. And that was a great example. I mean also like what would be concerning from New York in general. There's a lot of concerning things for New York. It's like they were just their offensive line at both tackle spots Andrew Thomas Evan Neil dominated by the Eagles, Like they can do everything well and they can put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and made life tough for Daniel Jones. Yeah. There, it's the Giants and the Vikings are the two NFC teams that there were a lot of outside doubters and and the Giants, you know, I wonder how many wins they have left in them, to be honest with you, and and well, I think we'll know a lot about that team by next week. They have Washington. I think the winner of that game probably gets that final seat in the NFC. But I think the Commanders are a better team at this stage, especially if Barkley is going to be limited. There loving the Giants of what happened to the Seattle Seahawks today as well the Giant that's Taylor. The Giants at last beat a team that was not the Houston Texans on October. I mean I was like and that that was the Jaguars, basically, I mean I was a different man back then. I was just like, I don't even I was young. I was remember free and just a totally different mindset. It was agent feel way down by the world. Now it's like the winter has come and yes, many more responsibilities. Uh, and there is you know, the early portion of the Giant season, all those great shots of head coach Bryan Dable heading towards midfield, waving two people in the stands and hugging players. It feels fitting that on the third possession for the Giants that the Jamie Gillen punt were slipped out of a bounce, that he kicked it, and that the next player is a touchdown to a J Brown who was wide open. Brown, by the way, over a thousand yards and ten touchdowns. The Eagles are the best team in football. Yeah, I wasn't sure how I felt about you making the Eagles number one in the Power Against You know, that's just the responsibility that you have in such a high position, um to you know, faced doubts like myself, just because I think, like I was thinking that maybe the Chiefs are still just a better team. But you have a bigger problem, Greggy, I know you like you love more than most. I think this made you look good, That's what I'm saying. Thank you very much more than most people in this industry. You put a lot into your preseason predictions and wailing to get them right after Mahomes had some turnover issues today and Hurts did it again. I think Hurts is in the driver's seat for m v P. Right fair, But that's a month left of the season, and people get carried away making bold statements a month. A month is a lot. But I'm glad you bought brought up preseason predictions because I did have the Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl. I'm seeing good. I have them losing the Super Bowl. Okay, that you should feel good about that too, Alright, pinch yourselves. All right, Let's move on to Big D where I don't even know what I picked. I'll have to check. I'm gonna check while I listened to this high Green Bay Cabals. Right if your pick was as good as the Eagles winning the Super Bowl. You remember, find such a thing on our website for like the ten years of work we did on the website, and then they redesigned it and wiped out our byelines and our entire career was wiped away, literally like a fourth of our lives. And nobody even gave a second thought in the building about it. No, not, it doesn't bother. They gave it a thought that they would do it. Oh, we're doing the podcast though. All right, let's go to throw pressures coming, they flush him out, I mean, that's any thing, and looking Terence chases, he throws it into the end zone and the ball is in a second guy digs in the end zone. And my apologies to Davis Mills. He just caught that thing about sixty seven yards in the air and he gave this guys a chance. But the only players around that football we're Dallas Cowboys. What It was a crazy game. It was the craziest game of the of the day. In this game, he's enjoyable mark of bongos here, please, I'm shutting it down. You get bongos when you have a big moment where you step up as a team and deliver a big time victory. Well, I just I would say that we A'm looking at the rest of the games we're about to cover. There's maybe this thing. Maybe that's where that's where we're at right now. I'm sorry. I hate to be this guy right now, I gotta say that I can't gi him. The bongo over in the corner of the newsroom this morning was acting like a kid listening to Bongos. He was just like, oh wow, this game was crazy. He was loving it. He was on our Friday function. Different sure, but I can see where Gregg is coming from because there was enthusiasm. But I had predicted something along the line of the Texans beating the Cowboys. So is that always becoming a distinct possibility? That was raising my blood pressure, just to tach. Upon further review, the ruling on the podcast stands Bongos denied fair enough and also Dak Prescott leading the ninety yard drive. That's a better highlight. Let's just start the show over because the Zeke Elliott short touchdown run with forty one seconds to play, that's what this game will be remembered for, not the hall Mary at the end. And that's why the Cowboys one s to twenty three mark. Not a great showing by the Cowboys, but they got it done. They did, and I think that that. You know, Jerry Jones came out of the game saying like, look, I don't really care about the rest of this. It's a long season. That drive at the end is all I care about. Dak Prescott's all I care about, and that's fine. I think you can just maybe say that kind of does work because their offense was off kilter most of the day. The reason I think this happened and they didn't get out I thought they I thought that the Texans coming out spicy, would soon be vanquished and taken over. But it's never really It never really happened. And I think they threw Dallas off with a couple of different things. Number One, Gavanti Turpin lost the punt return early that gave the Texans the ball at the Dallas twenty four. They punched in a touchdown Dak Prescott through an interception. This that led to other points and so suddenly the Texans, who was struggled to score seven or ten points in a game, had this early advantage and they were running this offense with Davis Mills, who was, you know, named the starter again this week after that whole Kyle Allen business um. But they were using Jeff Driscoll and Davis Mills, and they were It's like this whole platoon thing happens like once or twice a year. And I was trying to watch this and watch another game at the same time, and like, wait a minute, did someone get hurt. I'm spending half the time switching on Twitter to see what happened to Davis Mills. But then you start to realize what they're doing is just drift. Jeff Driscoll he can run the ball, and they were using him like every single time he was in there. Initially, over the first couple of drives, it's like, oh, we're running it. We're gonna tell you we're running it. We don't really care if you think that's fun or not. And like finally he'd start to spray the ball. I mean, he's kind of he's like a better well, he's slightly more athletic tastom Hill, maybe not a better player, but yeah, but Jeff Jeff Jess goes like kind of an incredible right well, and he literally played guys of the Yeah, but it was this was one of the strict third on the depth chart. Say that, but he's not a great quarterback. Jerry Jones after this game said, both of the quarterbacks for the Texans looked like Brett five out there, that's played it out a little thick that they both looked like little like I don't think. But Davis Mills, I'd say one was one of his better games. Like he he made some throws good. But so you just a good team escapes out of this. And that's all I take from it for the most part. And that's and that's that drive was important. And I don't know about the play calling at the end, and Damian Pierce, I guess went out with an injury. You have Rex burkehead taking snaps at the goal line. They have a chance to win this game, Houston inside their five yard line with three minutes to play, up three points, and uh they go for it on fourth down. Lovey Smith, I like it. I like the call, but you cannot and I don't even know who the quarterback was on this at this point. Mark, you could tell me drisk can't have a bust and play in that spot. That's where I think, like, whatever they planned to do this week, that's where it started to create faults because right he looked disorganized. But that that came after DA through an interception from his own end zone, and it was that Dallas defense stopping Houston at the goal line. Stand That's set up that final drive and it's like the better parts of this team stood up and just in the nick of time. Look, it keeps Dallas in the NFC South race, I mean the NFC East race, which is important. And why don't we just put Dallas in the NFC South so we could have a real team division. That would be nice, and they were in the South. They should be in the South anyways, Like the fair point, let's let out on that. That's a great way to end the show. NBC would be not would be very unhappy to get the Cowboys out of that division East Dallas Cowboys and they got that drive at the end. Like that feels good. But now I'm a little concerned that Dak Prescott hasn't looked good for two straight weeks. I would say he did not play well in that Colts game. On balance, overall, that was a game where I think Dak in the secondary receivers were struggling, and then in this game to have yeah struggle and for the defense to struggle against an offense who's number two, number one receiver was Chris Moore. Their number two receiver was a Mari Rodgers who just got cut by the Packers number three. Philip Or said, like, what's going on? I feel like Dak Prescott is forcing throws a couple of times in games, and you know then he'll go have that final drive where he made three or four unbelievable connections with his target. So I don't know, I mean the decks. I think Dad can be fine, but it's always gonna be the talking point if he makes any mistake at all. Um, Before we take a break, the rules of bongo, just so we're clear, going for it because you know, justin I everything you do, I love and applaud you. So when there's a when there's a miscommunication, that's on me as much as it is on you. Um. The rule of bongo going further, going forward, and this is gonna be written in stone tablet has to be like a season saving win or season defining win. It has to be a win against a quality opponent or maybe a bad team just getting a win in general. But when you have an NFC powerhouse beating a one win team that doesn't pass the rule of when you when you break it down that way, it starts to me, I start to see where you're coming from. The kind of thought. It was just like the craziest game of the day that the tat who writes on these tablets. You know, this is as the full time producer. So I'm still like getting takes December, so please accept my apologies. It's it's no need to apologize, but I do like maybe another nickname coming into the focus right here, the god of Bongo. Let's take a break and we'll be right back. All right, welcome back. Before we get to the a f C North Showdown Battle of Ohio, let's just again Grave, they're you're bringing in um the rules of bongo engagement, so we haven't used our bongo yet. It As the producer, it's on you to decide now whether there is a game worthy of the bongos. But we can't. We can't make the same mistake twice in the same show. So you've got to make sure you get this one right or just keep in your back pocket. And I know the fans are going to be disappointed because they've come to expect bongos. But that's you know, heavy, he who wears the crown back there behind the glass. All right. Not every show needs a bongo, but most of them probably do. Just play this the right way. This is a big test for you. This is this is the next big test for you. I'll just say, if he dials one up um prior to Sunday Night Football, I would suggest that Justin's made a tremendous error. But let's see if he defies my Well, I'm not saying you. I'm saying if you do that, not that you what to do, so that you know, right, you now know your your opinion. You gotta trust your own on this. There is one game that matches all the criteria you laid out, but it would hurt my soul. So we'll see what happens. I know where he's going with that, and he's coming closer than any of the others. It wasn't not behind much of a veil. Yeah, all right, let's go Sherlock Holmes over here. He's got a man open over the shoulder, casting from safeties half the sex goals to fleet clicker executed to perfection. Joey Franchise launched it perfectly down the middle of the field for the touchdown strike to Trenton Irwin. Craig A, I love Trenton Irwin. You see the joy in his face there, the four little cheesy smile, former child actor who gave up acting for football. You could see that. Yeah, that's a theatrical in a good way. Good nuck bark. Not a great day offensively for the Bengals, but it was not gonna be easy because they continue to have issues injury wise with their wide receivers. Tay Boyd dislocated his finger on the first series of the game. Out Tee Higgins aggravates a hamstring. Uh, he leaves the game, but Joe Burrow finds a way as he always does, and that touchdown was a big one for the Bengals and a ten win over the Browns, ending a five game losing streak for Cincinnati against Cleveland. Four of those with Burrow involved. Burrow said it was a team win, team ugly win, but we got it done. We could. Yeah, and the Cincinnati defense did their job as well. They shut up, shut down, Nick Chubb, picked off the Shawn Deshaun Watson, stopped the Browns and fourth down three separate times, and just kept the train rolling. Here. They remain tied with the Ravens atop the a f C North. But there is no question to me who the best team in this division is. There isn't And this is another example I think of what Joe Burrow said three weeks ago where he said, this is the type of game that great teams win when they won in Tennessee in that tough game, to lose their two of their top three receivers in the first drive, and now your number two and three receivers are the fighting Trent's Trent Irwin and Trent Taylor, and to find a way out of here in a win where it seemed like the two teams were moving the ball in a similar way, and yet the Bengals were the ones that ended up finding the big players and making the big stops and just kind of survive in advance in a matchup where they had lost five in a row. It was a big step for Zach Taylor to get a win over Kevin Stefanski. For whatever reason, this matchup doesn't seem to favor them, especially their defense, and that was not the case today, only given up ten Divisional football. Strange because like they're only lost after October nine. The Bengals was that aberration destruction by Cleveland on Monday Night football, which just stands out as one of the weirder games of the year. But they do match up well with Cincinnati and they the game a fight today. But the Browns also, I think, are dealing with a level of disorganization post to Kobe Brissette trying to shift to Deshaun Watson, who still just does not look comfortable to me out there. I think it's affecting the ground game to some degree. I don't love their their cast of wide outs to begin with, but Watson did not look as disjointed as a week ago. But he does not seem comfortable to me, and I don't. I think it's like there's you need more time to get used to him if you're the rest of the team too. Yeah, he was better than he was last week, but that's not saying much. And I think Cooper has proven himself to be a very good wide receiver in this offense, so they do have Cooper, I think in Joku and Watson. Once Watson, you know, assuming he does get back to the level of play before his suspension and everything that happened, I think they can have, you know, a Pro Bowl type pairing the two of them. So I don't think they're too far away. On offense. They gotta fortify the line and maybe added another wide receiver um But in this tame they've scored like one touchdown in two weeks. It's I know there's obviously an inclination to root against Watson, and I understand that, but I'm just talking from a pure football side of things. This is gonna take time. I mean, his touchdown passing through to an Joco was his first touchdown passing seven and seven days. So I think Cleveland, which is now out of the mix here with their eighth loss from a playoff standpoint, most likely. I mean, I guess if we're talking about a nine and eight team, can get in. Perhaps they could reel off the but this is just this does give them. I know you had said it, Mark, maybe he was in a conversation with Chris Rose last week. You're like, maybe it would have been better just Watson didn't play it all this year and then have a fresh start next year. Well, maybe this is the best thing for the Browns now now you have this like runway to the end of the season to try to get some comfort back to this offense, because right now it's very wonky, and Cincinnati's defense took advantage of that. Yeah, because I think that last week. What I said too was it's probably better that they aren't really on the fringe of the playoff race and having to try to work this thing out too. You've given everything up for this quarterback. I don't have to like the decision, no one does, but but why not treat him like a young quarterback that's learning to basically play again and just ride him out for the rest of the year. There's no reason to starting one. They would have been on the fringes of the playoff race if they won this game, but they didn't, and they had a chance there where that driving down like in the fourth quarter and that's where he throws his interception. I just love that the Bengals can win games in different types of ways, and they've shown us that their defense. They are an awesome team right now. Nine out of their last eleven That's why I'm happy me and the Westboro is locked up the boys. It's a good listen. You got you have the lock title in your back pocket. I should just give you the trophy. Now, I should tell you're not susceptible to reverse psychology. I think Dan, you're just acknowledging that you've conceded defeating getting my butt kicked. So it's like, I'm happy if it means that we just stopped the segment and you stop picking games. I'll take that, you know, if you just give me when I am no longer on this earth. Um. One other thing that Jake Briskett did come show up in this game and a pivotal moment fourth and one down deep in Cincinnati territory, and everyone said, oh, he's gonna sneak it the big body. He draws back to pass and the airmails one into the corner of the end zone. Uh, turnover on downs. That was a big play in the game. And also what are we doing with that? I don't know them p Ryan touchdown where he bounced out and Clowney and then some other Cleveland players kind of quit on the play and they weren't aggressive enough. Added nine penalties for nine yards and Browns are kind of a mess. All right, let's move on, Let's keep moving. The rules Engagement the ten edited intersep. This is a cross roads, Marcus Williams docking the line up after coming off of injured reserve with a broken wrist. And there kidding Rabel did say it? No, now we've got a bogo said it. I think you're at the crossroads. This could have been a bongoes game here. I like this choice. This one's good Brown vers Mitch Robinsky, it's the bongos? Greg? What do we do? Where? W B A L. The Ravens are beat up by the end of the game on Sunday. They were on their third quarterback, but they find a way in Pittsburgh sixteen to fourteen, and it was their running game, led by J. K. Dobbins a hundred twenty yards and a touchdown in his first game since undergoing a second knee surgery in two years. Greggy, the Ravens aren't a fun team really to watch. They haven't really been fun since September to watch. But I gotta give him some credit for finding a way. Pittsburgh was feeling good about itself and they brought him down to earth. This is a classic Ravens win. I think John Harbaugh is gonna love this win. I think it shows that this team is different than they were a year ago. It's like an organization. I mean, he has been there a long time, so you gotta win fast. They're on their third strink quarterback early in the second half. That's when Tyler Huntley took a massive hit from Minca Fitzpatrick up at around his chest, but that's not where he got injured. And then he got kind of caught underneath, and uh, I think that was the injury that actually put him out. Was it a concussion protocol or was it an ankle? I think it was his ankle injury that actually knocked him out. But it was about the seventh or eighth time Huntley took a massive hit in that game, and throughout it I was just thinking, he is not gonna last. He was taking hits as a runner, he got thirty one yards on the ground, he was taking hits as a passer only through the ball twelve times, and it almost felt like it was a matter of time. And that's exactly what happened. So for them to win because of their defense because Klais Campbell is having a monster season, because Patrick Queen and Roke once with both that interception Queens was incredible and they were both making plays behind the line of scrimmage in the run game and then in the secondary Marcus Williams with that interception two of Rabinsky. You know, to get a win running the ball two and fifteen yards and in defense like that, I think it's gonna be very satisfying and crucial for them. I think making the playoffs clearly, they're gonna make it now and staying in the a f C North Hunt and Ian rap report announced that it was a concussion that he will be out in a short weeks next game as well. So the Ravens man two years in a row, have been dealt rough cards. The quarterback there some Saturday, right, there are three Saturday games next week. We all on NFL Network. They have the Browns on Saturday afternoons. That's that's a tricky game with your third string quarterback. That's what it's gonna be. Because we heard a report that Lamar Jackson was trending towards having two weeks off with this injury. I guess some reported that Christmas Eve is the targeted date for his return, which would be the week after next. That makes this game even bigger that they wanted. And I was surprised because the Steelers, who have been running the ball so well lately, could not run it against Baltimore, who is a really good run defense because of class Campbell, uh and others, and that the Ravens were able to run all over them in key spots. You cannot just put this on Mitch Biscuit. Well well, but Trabisky threw a couple of bad interceptions in this as well, and it's it is what it is. But that you know Kenny Pickett, that's his second concussion of the year too. You know some of these guys at some point it's like you get a third is gonna get shut down. He had a weird thing where he passed the concussion test, came back into the game for a series, didn't get hit again. I went back and checked that I made a mistake thinking he got hit. He didn't get touched again, but then he left the game for good afterwards, which is worrisome. Two concussions in less than two months before the rookie from Pittsburgh. Alright, Trobisky threw the ball really well today. I know that sounds weird because he had three interceptions, but there were a lot of throws in this game that you were like, oh, where have these throws been in this offense? Like five or six total dimes. But he got confused on the first interception, the second one similar. But Queen made a great play and then he just sometimes he just decides before the place starts, I'm just gonna take a shot on this play no matter what I see, and he took a shot in Marcus Williams made him play pay. But like I said, in the fourth quarter, two different drives where the Ravens with their third string quarterback eight minute drive to get a field goal, and then at the end of the game that Steelers could have gotten the ball back if they had stopped them, and they just run three straight times right through pathetic and Justin Tucker, by the way, he's having another incredible season. He finished with ten points. He's up to one thousand, four seventy three points in his career, breaking the franchise scoring record held held by former kicker. Former Cleveland Browns kicker turned into a Raven Phill Dalson's he was on the Browns and they went to the ras. No, it's not Matt bar it's Stover. Matt Stover. Come on, Marky, I need you on that. I need you on that wall there. I was literally like staring through the window here in our studio. I don't I hate to say this, but this is now for the rest of this episode. Across roads moment for you as well. Well, what's going to happen if I don't pass your test? I don't know. That's why it's a cross room. This is how it works. I'm going to be facing a crossroads coming along, all right, let's guess I should feel more urgency on that front. Then, Yeah, that's a good drop. All right, go ahead, shotgun for Trevor Lawrence. It's a play. I mean, it isn't all out blitts. Trevor fires left side that Paul is going to be the touchdown by Evan Ingram in the left? Are you kidding me? Kind of want this bond goes given to me? Just nothing, he's down trodden. I don't know, guys, you wanted them there? I think he should that should have think I think he knows it because and then he's banking on the Sunday night game that we don't know how it's gonna but you've already told him that it's maybe the most wise move to not use them at all if it doesn't actually match I think the Jaguars. You also don't want someone that's, you know, too afraid to go for it. That's how you end up being inactive while Joe Flacco is fumbling in the pocket. You don't want to be Mitch your whisky, but you don't want to be Davis Mills, you know what I mean. Frank Frangie with the call w O k V. Trevor Lawrence for the second time in three weeks, is waving his arms frantically screaming, I am the future. Three d sixty eight yards, career high three touchdowns. He also ran for a score and the Jaguars rand that tightens out of the building thirty six two, their first win in Nashville in a decade. And uh man, I'll bring in great dig around this one. Um. You know, the Jacks, like we've been saying on this podcast, are coming along, and the quarterback is coming along and becoming a real difference maker, but the fact that this game gets away from Tennessee justin um with Derrick Henry going off for ninety yards in the first quarter in a hundred and twenty by the half. This was a sign of major distress for this team that I feel way worse about what happened this game than even the last two weeks. This feels like a real team in desperate trouble. Now it's a weird spot because this is now, well, it's two Titans games in a row that we're over in early in the fourth quarter. Basically no chance for the Titans to make a comeback. Derrick Henry three yards in the second half, that's not gonna cut it, basically, ever, and you wonder how much three total rushing yards in the second half. You wonder how much firing your general manager in the middle of the season. Like, I don't want to say that the Titans lost because of that, but there's gotta be some weird vibes going around the building. And then this was also just a weird game. The Titans out gained the Jaguars a hundred and forty six yards to thirty seven in the first quarter and then completely just fell apart. They had four turnovers, three lost fumbles, which sometimes can be flukey. They had a chance to lose a fourth fumble on a muffed punt that got batted out of bounds that was close, and they just looked completely discombobulated on both sides of the ball. They got stops early on. Then they had Ryan Tannehill was strip sacked by Travan Walker, his first like good play in in a few weeks. You know you don't need to take shots at travon watch, Well, it's more of a shot. It's more of a shot at Titans backup left tackle turned starter by Taylor Lawe's injury, Dennis Daley, who I jokingly called Dennis Snappy earlier this year because that's how often he gets beat, and that is a wonderful joke. I think that, um, the Titans are really struggling with injuries, the offensive line is really bad, and the Jaguars are a good team that are coming along, and they had a bad week. The Jaguars, I mean, they did lose last week. Last week, feeling themselves dance it a little nigh on their own supply on the preview show, and I think that was probably the case but the Titans offense is so poor. And it was funny because they got the ball back after the Jags went for it on a fourth down just across midfield. Down still by three touchdowns the Titans and the Andrew Catalan goes, could that be the spark the Titans need to get back in this game? And the very next play was this weird trick play where the idea was Tannehill was supposed to fake like those snap went over his head and it was going to be a direct snap to Henry class. Henry dropped the snap and the Jags dove on it, and it was like, is this the spark the Titans need? Not at all? So everything you're saying, and Rabel pointedly after as Sunday's game, we played it twice on this show in fact well, and and everyone's at a crossroads on the show except for Greg, but I feel like I could be coming soon. Um, Like, he purposely says, we're at a crossroads. We're gonna find out some about our team because he feels confident that he will coach the team up and they will be ready to kick ass against the Jaguars at home. And the fact that they couldn't do that, and the fact that they gave up twenty nine straight points in this game makes me think that Rabel, as good as a coach as he is, is kind of lost at this point too. And the team. I also think Rabel calling into crossroads. Who knows his team better than Rabel. I mean, he's seen that there are faults, there are issues. There is an absolutely dearth of talent at the skill position player in the passing game, and it's left Tannehill in a tough spot. They've been a real problem team on third down. I just look at the last three games and say you're the reverse Eagles because they find a way to win differently every week. The Titans were out physical by the Bengals. That was a bad sign. They got waxed by Philadelphia, and then you just let the youngsters in Jacksonville come up with their new quarterback and take you out. You're meant to be the team that like runs away with this poor division. There was a key play where who was a McCreary could have picked off Lawrence and instead, you know, it turns into a touchdown for z Jones getting his feet in that that's like a seven point swing right there. But you let Evan Ingram get a hundred and sixty two yard, you let Z Jones get seventy seven and a touch. The Titans at one point I looked at the list. I think they're missing seven defensive starters or potentially seven. Right, Well you should he's like the player on the team him. But yeah, I'm just saying that's that's a lot of starters. And then and to have that and a really bad offensive line, that's they're a team in crisis. And you're right. I think Rebel kind of knew it, and he said, you're gonna find out a lot we did. He challenged his team and that's how they responded. It's crazy because second week in a row, they've completely shut down the opponent running game and it hasn't mattered at all. They're just sting whoever they play throw all over the yard, and it's like the damn that's breaking and you stick your thumb in one hole, then another one opens up. Where are what's going on with the Mark and the Titans and what's going on right now? Because yeah, so I put out a tweet sometime during the third quarter when it was it was fourteen Jacksonville, and I said, ever since Mark Sessler joined the Titans bandwagon. I went through the list that we talked about on this show. Todd Downing got the d U. I they had an ugly loss of the Bengals. It's something that happened since Mark. The ugly loss of the Bengals, including those horrible penalties at the end of the game that ended any chance of a comeback, the blowout loss of the Eagles. Their general manager was fired, and then they got blown out by the division rival Jacksonville, who they've owned for years. Jacksonville's first win in Tennesseeason's Twitter? What's the problems? So I put out a poll on Twitter? Should we boot Cessy off this train? This was not my call, this is Titans Twitter. Well, it's a little little grill. And you're have spoken of poll results. Say good riddance to Mark Sessler. You got to find another team. I'm sorry, it's not my coss. I don't make these rules. But I do feel though, is that whatever team I pick, that fan base is going to be feeling a lot of heat because it's like this will be the fourth team in a row that I've jumped onto that has absolutely fallen off the side of the cliff, a kiss of death. The Jets were preemptively we have to say thanks, but no thanks, Well it's my choice. I think the Lions are lucky that Mark was so hesitant to jump on that bandwagon. We've now uh it's fair. Yeah, we've reached the point where we can no longer confidently say like, the Titans are definitely winning this division. Every we gotten there, they're up by two. They got to play the Jaguars again. Obviously, the Jaguars would have to win that second matchup for it to happen, but then the Jaggars are only down one if they win that matchup with three extra games. The schedules are not It's not an easy schedule for the Jaguars. They would you know, they got the Jets and the Cowboy. Yes, so that maybe is the team right now. That is the most worry the Jacksonville Jaguars. Oh and by the way, the Jacksonville offense, which has been pretty good this season two very good at times, too great at times. Did they unlock Evan Ingram, the guy that tantalized and tease Giants fans for years and it's helps It's helps that he's healthy too. But one of these season where suddenly I'm like, yes, he's the number seven tight end in the NFL, and then start flash a little bit more. I feel like a fifteen talk kits for a hundred and sixty two yards and eleven eleven catches with two touchdowns in this no answer for him, but I did start him on my fantasy team, so at least one good thinking. Well, that's groundbreaking, all right, do we have to take a break. We keep going, Let's take a break. Alright, alright, we got two more games before Sunday Night football. Let's keep the train rolling to Seattle. Snap the gift to Blackett touchdown. Look ship, well, I'll bet Macadou said, all right, we're gonna go back to what we do best. They ran it down the throats of the Seahawks. My goodness, did they ever? Jordan Gross and Jim Zoki with the call for w BT. There was a moment in this game where the Seahawks seemed to get things under control. They're falling behind seventeen zip. They got it, and then Carolina just said, oh wait, they literally can't stop our running game and we don't even have Christian McCaffrey anymore. But it doesn't matter because guys like Cuba Hubbard and Raheem Black she Hear ran right over the Seahawks in route to a thirty to win, a damaging loss for the Seahawks, and the Panthers after another Tampa Bay meltdown, are in the mix in the NFC South. In fact, if not for that miracle by the Bucks on Monday night, Greg, you did your tabulations and it's that time of year. By the way, um, I don't this is not a crossroads thing because we fire the Greggy bott three thousand up with our playoff simulations. Playoffs calculator now online. I like that we are now online. And what would have happened, Greggy if the Saints standing gagged their face off on Monday night, we'd have a four away tie right now in South, which we did. They would have been the one way to make this dreaded division fun. Just listen to them tabulate the playoff teams and finally that the Eagles have officially clinched for the playoffs. By the way, and I think a bit more, this is just the start. I think the Panthers have a legit chance to make the playoffs here at five and eight, because I think they're the best team in the NFC South there four and three since Wilkes took over. They have an identity on both sides of the ball. They would be five and two if not for that crazy missed extra point game against Man. See how this works. Seattle is so soft. I couldn't believe when they punted mid fourth quarter, just because you gotta know your team and you gotta see what's in front of you, and at that point in the game, it was obvious Seattle just could not stop the running game of Carolina, and so they punted it away at fourth and seven, and they marched right down the field on that black Shear touchdown drive finished with the Black Shirt touchdown ten for seventy four in over five minutes. They had a similar drive to kick a field goal later that just burned clock, and Sam Donald had thirty six yards after halftime passing, and they held onto a lead in Seattle like they didn't need to do it just because they had a big bushy beard. Now, as he begins phase two of his career as a man, making a run toward being the starting quarterback for a team hosting a playoff game, a division champion, no less, in about a month or so. Um, and he saw what the rest of us saw, which was I could it could be my glory day. I'm not gonna do it. I'm gonna give it to the running back because that's what's gonna He's taken some more glory because the only reason Seattle was even in this game that late was because they had four straight cracks at it from the three yard line of Seattle late third quarter, and they bizarrely through four straight passes and Donald had a chance to run a couple of those in, and his instincts were up and down. I would say in this game it wasn't about the quarterbacks, but it kind of was because Gino Smith, I think needs to play at such a high level right now, like an m v P level, for the Seattle Seahawks to win games. And he didn't today, and then the rest of the team shows up, bad defense, bad ronning. It's concerning because like their defense was showing up, but they gave the Cardinals their best day on the ground, one of their best days. They're the one team that allowed Tampa basically the could run the ball for a hundred and sixty one. In Germany, they gave two eight three to the Raiders. That was a disaster, A hundred and seventy one to the Rams, who haven't been able to run the ball all year long. I mean, that's this is a mess. The air started to come out of the balloon slowly in Munich and it's just continued for the most part for the Seahawks. So yeah, I think, and we've talked about it all the year that Gino has been very good this season, but even in in what's the season of his career, he's not an m v P level good. So if you're asking him to carry the team on his back, that's just asking too much for from from Gino and that that I think that's what's gonna cost Seattle a chance to go to the playoffs potentially. Here is their defense just can't get a big stop and that's putting the offense in band situation. So yeah, good job by Carolina though It's it's interesting. J. C. Horne is a legit star. So he had an interception early and it was one of those throws you're like, wow, Gino, like why did he force it? It It was one of the worst decisions and then you rewatch the play and they did a good job explaining it. That was not J. C. Horne's man. He like reads the play halfway through, peels off his man and ends up making an unbelievable play on the ball. Broke up another play late that he couldn't quite get his feet in or else he would have had a second interception. He is a star and they have a nice pass rush. They're they're like, they're a good team. I hope they give genuine consideration to keeping Steve Wilkes around. Oh. I think they will. I think if they win two of their last four here, if they like continue on this track, I think Steve Wilks is their coach next year. And uh, we've been talking about how bad the NFC South is this year. If the Seahawks don't make the playoffs, they will rue their performance against the worst division football. They went oh and four against the South. Can't do that. Can't happen, I mean, but it did, Greg. It can't happen, and you know what it is? Sick here listen as a shot respect, I locked up the Seattle Seahawks, as did my luck brother. In all the smoke system. And I asked you, Greg Wilsons, will to come to me, enjoin us and bring all the families together, and yet you chose to say no and betray us, and betray that trust and that olive branch. I will not forget this. I will not forget this injustice, a lack of loyalty. I mean, sometimes I think you've learned in this the you gotta not listen to the boss. You gotta listen to the black father. You gotta try to win this thing. It's like, uh, you know Salvator. I won't say his nickname in the Sopranos. You could say it was when out on the boat, you know, don't say yes, get out of there. I can't say his name. Oh my what grabbing his pearls? Yes, Salhou didn't have gotten on the boat, That's what I'm saying. You gotta sometimes you gotta make decisions with your head. So why don't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me? Wait again? So you were aware, you aware that the boat I was getting on was gonna take me and my brother Mark Seila to Hourly Denice. And yet you let that boat go out to sea. This I cannot respect this. I will not forget it. I could have told you from weeks ago that you were walking into a dangerous path forging this like lock Zaddy or lock Daddy thing with greg Um, how is this fault? He's gonna leave you by the side of the room at some point. You out a cross roads. You guys are always talking about, Oh yeah, we're the real Lis were like the real lock Bros. Right, me and the West Bros hanging out. When you betrayed the lock Father, you out a cross roads, my friend, and you will learn the hard way. Yeah, you'll have chosen the wrong path. I mean, but where you and I are the ones I did here? Yeah, that's what I didn't choose. We have not essentially out of the office on Thursday. You weren't feeling well. I don't count that as a miss for because when we're when we lock up together, there's a synergy where we we feel at the energy. And in this case, I didn't even learn that you had locked until after the lock Father had already come in. Normally do things, I hear you, and that that explains that. I mean, the minute I filed that lock, I was thinking to myself that might have been an odd move, probably something you know. Yeah, a real a real father like takes responsibility, like the lock zad. He's over here. They're just making excuses and we forge on. Don't you worry about us? Was gonna Is he gonna come back? Does he have to say something else? No, we have to move on. He he did say you're at a crossroads. Whenever the guy, the head of the family says you're you're at a crossroads, that's probably gonna end with a bolt through the glasses. Survive. I'm just gonna play this one more time for me, not going in the woods with anyone. Oh, poor Adrian. Let's go to a mile high to close things up before we get to snf me. Mahomes, being pressured, moves to his right. There coming from behind him, flames it flames it to MCNA discerned touchdown. Batman loves this stadium. It was an underhanded shovel at the right pedaltry for fifty man touchdown. They were all over him. Patrick Mahomes the magic man outstand imagine this is playground stuff. We love it. That man, I believe. I don't think he literally just called him Batman. I mean if he did maybe, I don't know why that would make a lot of sense, justin can you do some research while we talked this game to see if indeed Mitch Holtus and Dan and Hughes of w d a f call Patrick Mahomes batman. Sure there it is again, I tweeted about it, like Patrick Mahomes makes decisions that would land lesser quarterbacks on you know, folly elms for the rest of their careers. But when he does it, you know, like just throwing a pass underhanded, casually scrambling as a defender rolls in and then turning into a long touch on That's what he does. And the Chiefs they wint in this game. And it's a very weird game, a very strange game, and not just because Russell Wilson started playing really well at one point and you know, taking his team up and down the field before unfortunately it looked like he got knocked out near the goal line and suffered a head injury of his own. But this game was late in the second quarter. Uh my Homes throws an interception, turns into seven points, all right, whatever, and then they get the ball back the Broncos before they half and score again, and then all of a sudden at the half and you're like, oh, that was stupid, but obviously the Chiefs are just gonna turn it on and this game will end up to you know, seventeen or something. No, because then the Broncos get the ball after a punt to begin the third quarter and Patrick and uh, Russell Wilson connects with who wasn't somebody had a crazy the running no no, Judy had three touch rumbling and bumbling and stumbling sixty yards for a touchdown, and it's seven to twenty one, and the Chiefs obviously get away and get the win. Smith Shustar has a touchdown late. But not only the Broncos get back in this game. They had multiple chances in the second have to take the lead where they had the ball down six points, but the offense either stalled and then the unfortunate injury to Russell Wilson, which is such a microcosmo of his entire lost season when he finally gets things going, when Jerry Judy finally is locked in, Uh, he gets knocked out near the goal line and uh it's ripping who finishes at Brett rip You don't get a lot of games like this if you're a division opponent of the Chiefs, where Mahomes throws three picks that's only happened, hasn't happened like two plus years, and I mean some of them were just not good throws, but he always makes up for it with this circus magic or batman artist. I'm not sure what's going on there, but the Chiefs like it's okay to have a game like this once in a while where a division opponent almost nips you. But I never really felt at any moment that they were gonna lose this game. Then again, it's just bizarre not lose it. But it wasn't like it was like the Broncos made it close, but it was never really They had again multiple up four four twice in the third quarter, and it was this was like a story of like the Broncos fandom season two. It was like they started out booing, you know, Russell Wilson quite a bit with nothing, and then they make all the these touchdowns and they're playing good defense for a minute and they're going the place was kind of rocking there at the beginning of the third quarter, and then they go three and out two more times with Russell Wilson and they start struggling and the booze come right back for him. It was like a journey through in this one game. But even with Prett Rippon, they could have gone down the field at the end and tried to take a lead. They did not. Yeah and yeah, according to my cursory research, it appears that Mitch Holtis does called Patrick Mahomes Batman. Am I gonna get a bunch of tweets now from people being like you should know that nobody nobody thinks that isn't that you should know that nobody knows he's been nobody super people in Kansas City. I mean he made like the tuchow a Juju Smith Schuster where he does the three sixty would be like the greatest play at any quarterbacks made people. But these interceptions were a little worrisome. One was I think he just thought his arm was going to get it past Josie Jewel faster than than and Jewel made a great play. The other one he didn't see him. The other he threw while getting hit like they're not good. Here's the thing about the the batman thing, it doesn't really work because what makes Mahomes so great is the magic of Mahomes, the superpowers he possesses, and famously what makes Batman, you know, so compelling and has for decades. He doesn't have superpowers. He's actually the world's greatest detective Batman, and he combines his his knowledge and his street smarts and that need for revenge with all those you know, toys he has in the bat Cave, and it makes him this fierce fighter of crime. Yeah, you take off Batman's like utility belt, and he's a lot much lesser of a problem to deal with on some level, your handsome, handsome billionaire bachelor, I would. I mean, it's more just Superman Mahomes because he's doing things physically that we don't expect someone that looks like well exactly, so it seems like it's a stretch, which is why I believe that wasn't his nickname. But I was wrong. Also, Graham Williams of the Celtics goes by Batman. So but then who's someone's got to be your Robin in that case? Right, Great Williams took Batman. He is trying he's trying to take and the Jerry Judy drama of The game was interesting because when things are going hideous, when they fall behind twenty seven nothing, there's a play um after a fourth down failure. Russell wills and also threw a pick six in this game, by the way, um there was a fourth down failure. Judy comes off the field, takes his helmet off, a teammate tries to put his arm around him and consolve. He throw his teammate's arm away. A referee kind of gets in his area, cut bumps the referee, and he wasn't even penalized for it, let alone. He should have been thrown out of the game, in line with I'm glad they didn't, but like that's how that's what usually happens when you make contact with the ref goes back to the island. Just furious with the state of the offense in the season. Uh so if Denver fans are looking for any positives here. He then went off with three touchdowns in the game and was targeted um with regularity by Wilson and then later ripping so season. The last Broncos quarterback to beat the Chiefs is Peyton Manning m a long time ago. It's uh, it's kind of just like I hit your six foot put uh Sunday here for all the A f C top seeds. I mean, they were tricky games, but they all Buffalo, Kansas City, Baltimore, Cincinnati. All I was driving advance, I don't know. Alright, one more game to hit grave digger. Jump in here a second, as we have now traveled back to our respective home, meet the trafficker after the Chargers Dolphins showdown at so FI Stadium. Huge a f C implications, but not just implications for those teams, but also our producer, Justin Graver. He's producing career at a crossroads, as he had the great Bongo fiasco um of a couple of hours earlier, and now we find out what will happen after this next highlight? How you feeling very nervous, heart pounding through my chest. All I could promise you is that the reaction will be fair one way or the other. Good? All right, That's all I can ask for. Alright, hit it, wait, switched by Herbert out of the pocket. Two receivers this side down, touchdown, my volumes. What a difference having I'm back in the line up. No, what if the Dolphins completed that comeback? Then it makes sense. Of course, this was a Bongo's game, This was the game of the week. This was, of course where they saved their season. It's the outlownments. Now we got shorthanded and you're in a no win scenario. Justin, No matter what you had done, there would have been that this was We're gonna give it. We are going to give Justin a chance to save his broadcasting career right now. Let's re rack it, highlight and do it the right way, and we'll pretend this whole ugly affair never happened. That's how much I care about you, Justin. How much will we pretend like edited out or no, it's gonna be in here. No, there is a there is a penance that you're paying right now, but we're also giving you a shot at redemption here. It's like, how is this redemption? He's just doing what we're telling him to do, following our orders at every turn. Are you just are you just realizing now how stupid this show is. Mark Justin understands how I feel about nineteen two out of twenty pranks that unfold on the show, just getting tugged around on a leash. There's no prank I think it good. Producing is doing exactly what you guys want. So sorry, Mark, but I wanted the bond, guys. Okay, here it is wait switched by Herbert out of the pocket. Two receivers this side down, touchdown my folio. What a difference having him back in the light. Oh yeah, doesn't it feel right? Did you do? Did you do? Do? Justin? Herbert? He hears you, Manuel Ajo and all the other haters out there, and he just goes on national television against to Ah and just wipes the floor with it. Justin Herbert through for three hundred and sixty seven yards and that score to his old buddy Mike Williams, who was back in a big way in this game. And never mind the final score. The Chargers took it to the Dolphins twenty three to seventeen at Sophie Stadium, And yeah, you get the bongos because Greg Rosenthal. These Chargers, as we've talked about in recent weeks, sometimes it feels like in recent years, there's always this idea of what they could be if only this went right this way, if this play went differently, if this guy stayed health healthy, if this entire side of the ball stayed health but in a game where they were missing many key players, Herbert kind of lifted everyone else up with a brilliant game. I enjoyed watching this so much because I was so wrong about it. I felt as surprised almost about this game is almost any game all year. The fact that they dominated in that way and that Herbert did it as this like Bravara performance. That as Chris collins Worth going insane saying it's one of those, you know, best quarterback performances of the year. I agree with them, though, and I think those two drives, the one to end the first half and then the long field goal drive in the fourth quarter, showed everything that Herbert can do. He was under pressure so much. He made more throws under pressure and on the run today completions, accordion next gens A's than any quarterback since they've started keeping track. He had the deep passes. He had that third down to Keenan Allen where there was absolutely nowhere to fit it to start that fourth quarter drive. It was clutch as all hell. It was talent, it was mental, it was everything where with a little help, and Mike Williams was that help, you got to see the full Herbert yeah. I mean, I think one of the lowlier aspects to this season for me was that I came into the year with so much excitement about the Chargers, what they could be, who Justin Herbert was to me, and it's been months of not feeling that way and a lot of it has to do with missing figures on both sides of the ball. But they were missing six defensive starters to night totally dominated Miami. That's a Brandon Staley win as well. It's not just Justin Herbert. And I thought that Greg, you nailed it on that that drive before halftime, thirteen plays ninety yards. What an incredible drive by Herbert and just the throws that he made and how he deals with pressure, and then on that field goal drive. Part of it is not just the arm power. It's like he had that incredible ten yard run where he shows you he can do it all. And I know even when he makes um the rare mistake when there was the botched snap, it for him to dive under essentially around his center and get the ball to make sure that they don't lose the chance to kick that field goal, which changed everything for them. This is a quarter a playing at the top of his game, and I just think it's hilarious to watch this online nonsense about justin Herbert not being as good as people think, Like it's just that this team has been through so much. He's finally healthy. You have Alan back, you have Mike Williams back, you got Corey Lindsley back, which mattered a lot, and you've got this version of the Chargers. It changes how I feel about this Los Angeles team going forward. I that for me that remains to be seen, just because they're so up and down as a unit. Um. But at the same time, the thing about the discourse of Ta and Herbert, you know, pick back to back in the same draft class. What annoyed me and I think annoyed a lot of football fans that are actually watching the games, is that you have to kind of sometimes look beyond the box score. And Ta has filled up the box score beautifully this season for long stretches. And I'm not saying this is an indictment of two as a player, although that's two rough games in a row for him, But just watching the abilities of Herbert and the things makes him special. Like my favorite play in football is the Herbert play. Where he drops back to the opposite hash and then throws across the field sixty yards on the line to a wide receiver. There's very few guys I can do I can even imagine two are trying to do that. But of course two wins in a different way. Um, but I think it is notable that two did start this game three for seventeen while Herbert was doing all this, and when he connects with Tyreek Hill for that touchdown in the third quarter and makes it a game again, this is again where you credit the Los Angeles defense, the shorthanded defense, Brandon Staley, a defensive minded head coach. Uh. They tightened things up after that. They didn't let the game spiral when I kind of felt that that was a direction that this game could go. And my other thought was, good job Chargers by not charging, because yes, Herbert better get down. Don't pull Cam Newton when you botch that snap, and that was on him. It appeared to be get that ball because if you if you lose after that brilliant drive, lose a fumble inside the tent and then lose by a point, oh my god, and then the onside kicks bouncing around and that almost gets botched as well. But in both cases, the Chargers kind of just got the job done. And you just don't see that enough with this franchise in general. You know, I know, I know, like Tyreek Hill obviously was dealing with the injury that and the way they were talking about the end was more of a shin injury and they're not wanting it to swell up and stuff. But he he still made plays. But do you feel like Brandon Staley learned or took something from the way that the Niners pressed Waddle pressed Hill a week ago, because it's two weeks in a row and this has not been They had a few up and down moments in their offense, but Waddle and Hill have been unstoppable essentially, no matter what's going on with a run game and stuff. And that's two games in a row where I thought they did an effective job and for in this case, it's with a lot of people missing on that defense tonight. Oh yeah, let's be real. The only reason that the chart the Tophins were even in this game is because Tyreek Hill gets a fifty seven yard fumble recovery or else that This feels more like a blowout. They still he ended up with two nineteen yards. They got doubled up by the Chargers in total yards. And other teams are gonna look at this. And these are two teams, Miami and San Francisco that sort of have the genes of a press man coverage team. We've seen the league really just go into a total zone league. I mean, even teams that play a lot of man coverage, like you know the Forts, they still don't play it that much. But these two teams are able to do it because they have the personnel, they have the coaching and absolutely think the Patriots are watching this. They did a good job with a similar game plan in Week one. The fact that the Dolphins came back to the pack a little bit now in the a f C playoff picture, by losing these two games, it makes you worry. It has to be into his head a little bit. Everyone knows what was going into this game. There were some throws in this game that just sort of crazy, terrible throws where he seemed spooked a little afraid to make the throw and was just like way off target where he thought it was in his head. He he recovered a little bit, but those this is the guy we were talking about as an m v P king, and I wasn't exactly two weeks ago, and these are two weeks where I would say it was his two worst games of the season by far in a row in December, at the time of the year that Mike McDaniel says, we're also lucky to get to that. The Dolphins don't feel like they're embracing December right now. They gotta go to Buffalo now on Saturday night and on NFL Network, and it's like, Man, you're gonna have that's a big time show me something game. Because I'm like, based on what we've seen for Miami in the last couple of weeks, based on you know who they really did a lot of their damage against this season, I don't have high expectations for their offense to thrive in that environment, especially like we saw it with the Jets and Bills today. If the elements play a factor, I think they're supposed to be snow in the forecast in the upcoming weekend. So there's a that's a there's a fork in the road now for the Dolphins, who still are in position for the playoffs, but things get very interesting very quick. Really, if they lose again on Saturday night, and last week they their defense played almost eighty snaps they did again tonight, you gotta quickly go to Buffalo, where it is meant to snow. The weather is gonna be a huge factor. You got to play it down in simmering hot Miami the first time, and that affected the Bills. But in reverse, I don't like that situation for Miami at all. Just how much, how many snaps they've had to play on defense. This is the time of year where that kind of stuff matters have a big impact. I'd like to think that this game is when we're gonna look back at as a fork in the road game. I'm not sure about the Dolphins like falling apart, but especially in the positive sense for the Chargers, they have the Titans, Colts, Rams, and Broncos. So after that Titans game, that's a big Week fifteen game. You know that that's a that's a good looking schedule. As a Jets fan, Dan, I know you were weirdly rooting for the Dolphins in this game, and I think that made sense to me. And now that the Chargers want it and if they can somehow get their defense playing well. With Herbert, the whole seven seed seems much more common. Poacadd to me, Now, yeah, you know what, as I'm watching the game in the second half and I'm starting to examine the possibilities, I realized that kind of either way, there was a way to look at it in a positive standpoint, because obviously, now the Dolphins dropped this game, if like many people think, and the Desert will feel this way, and that's how I feel. Let's say they don't beat Buffalo on the road, all of a sudden, they're eight and six, and if the Jets beat the Lines, they're tied and they have a head to head matchup in week eighteen. So this it's gonna be great. This wild card race in the a f C is excellent. And oh, by the way, uh, the first tiebreaker for the Dolphins and Chargers is head to head, and now the Chargers have that so big game, fun game. The I'm gonna avoid I'm gonna be busy anyway with power rankings, but I'm gonna have no issue avoiding the online discourse around to it. And Herbert, Uh, that's gonna be a lot of people taking victory lapse or being on the defensive. I'm just gonna sit all that that, sit all that out and just say that was cool seeing Herbert do that thing today and and the Chargers in general, just a nice win for them. Also an L for Brandon Stanley, Who's I mean for Sean Payton, who's made it clear he wants to coach either the Chargers of the Dolphins. I feel like now that not now neither is going to happen. Well, let's let's let's see the cher with the Chargers. You know what, you know, they traffic in a certain type of football, the Chargers, and that's we get your hopes up and then we bring you Now they've done it to me again already. H but O great digger before we say goodbye? Whoa speaking of forks in the road and you know everything on the line? Titans Chargers Week fifteen, somebody's in trouble after that one. Is now a good time for me to tell you, guys, I'm going to that game. You're gonna lock it up? Oh I am done locking the Titans and might just be done locking. Honestly, I'm on a five game losing stream. All right, Hey, listen, listen, not everything went your way today, justin but I thought you really did uh comport yourself as a professional and in the end you did get the bongos when they were needed. So thank you, thank you, No, of course, anything for you guys. One more game on the schedule. He's like two of one more game, New England at Arizona. Greg Rosenthal with special guest Nate Tys. Oh yeah, that's right, Tice. That's great. I love I love Nates. The Cardinals are in primetime again and the Patriots. Then the Cardinals are back on on Christmas. To what in the hell is going on? I am invading that little cube in Park Avenue next next spring and making sure this never happens again this this prime time schedule. There will be flex games on Monday Night Football next year, which I think is great news for everyone. Mm hmm, especially Joe Buck. All right, thank you everybody for listening. We have another big week of show is coming up, so thank you for following us all season long. Let's get out of here. Dan Hands is signing off for Quiet Storm, the old Boss, the grave digger, and everyone behind the glass that does the job until Monday. He the call m s