2022 Week 6 Preview: Game Picks and Locks of the Week

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Speaker 1: The Around the NFL podcast Ready to start to take commands. Yeah, we are from the Chris Wesley podcast studio. It's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansas, joined by heroes Greg Rosenthal Mark Sessler. It is the Week six preview and Greg, you're not gonna believe it, I'm about to tell you. But man, it goes fast, it keeps moving. We're on the wheel. I really enjoy um that. You know, I'm ready to go ahead and uh maybe take command. But like, I think we've maybe hit that drop harder and my enjoyment has been higher with that drop um compared to what the listeners actually like than almost any drop. The listeners are really on board with this, but I enjoyed. So why would you claim to know what are coming from it? I don't here. It's also it's interesting. It's interesting to me that sometimes you'll hear the listeners be like, oh, we like this or we don't like this, and it is important and I say this with all due respect, Sometimes listeners and viewers don't care if I like it or we like it, and that's good for the show. Would you rank our apathy toward the listener between the three of us in terms of their opinions of show to show dynamics and machinations. Who would be the most interested probably, I mean the least interested would be Greg. Ever in the middle, Yeah, I would say it's probably closer to you than Greg. But I'm interested. But where I'm coming from is what you just said, that our instincts of what we enjoy has served us well and that you gotta trust a little bit of a nabel gazing start to today's program. Yeah, sorry about that. All right, Well, let's preview and more analysis to that. But I someone agree with where you're coming and I have something to share. Uh. Thirty two teams four teams on by Lions, Raiders Texans means eight teams divided by two four team games. We already previewed Thursday Night Football, so minus one equals team games to talk about. First bye week, Kick up the feet, we're chilling. It's nice, it's nice. A few different Uh yeah, you know, a few less games means more eyes on Sunday and beyond. But before we get to all the early and afternoon games, let's start as we always do with the prime time affairs and oh Man, Sunday Night Football Banger alert. How many years on this podcast have we complained about the NFC East getting undue love in prime time? And we were right many of those years. It hasn't always been so hot in the NFC East during the A T N A t N era two thousand thirteen to present more naval gazing. But now, but now, the NFC East is hot. A five and oh team to four and one teams, and the team, ironically, the team that was ready to take command has not taken command. Here are the two teams at the top. Giants are in the mix, also the five and oh Eagles the four and one Cowboys. I think what I meant to say there is these are what I think people believe to be the two best teams in this division. The Cowboys already beat the Giants in New York or New Jersey's I should say, But now they get the Eagles a chance to knock off the final undefeated team in the league, Mark and the Eagles. I'll start the conversation this way. All the credit in the world, because every they've checked the box on every type of win to start the season. But the last two weeks I start to feel like maybe this team is about due now for that first l So I'll start the conversation thus, lean throw to you. I guess you're pointing to the Cowboys defense as a unit that somehow, you know, can dominate the Eagles on offense. I don't know if that's gonna be so easy to say. Not exactly what I was saying, Okay, what I meant was the last two wins against Jacksonville and against Arizona were not the dominating efforts that we've seen, and it just feels like where the Eagles are right now, it would not stun me if this was the week against the Cowboys team that's playing very well. But it tells me, though, is that the Eagles offense is versatile because one of the one of the games you're pointing to, they ran the ball for two hundred plus yards last week. There was very few explosive plays against the Cardinals, was a lot of screen heavy short passing. Um, they got those two early drives where they punched in with Jalen Hurts is one of the best short runners there is right now. I mean, it's totally money in the bank. I think their quarterback makes them highly versatile. I think the way that they can attack in some games with their explosive wide receivers makes them that way, and they have a ground game. And I actually think this offensive line. You know the Cowboys defense with Michael Parsons and friends. They have played the Bengals, the Giants, the Commanders, the Rams. These are teams with offensive line issues, some of the biggest. That's the eased with the Eagles. The Eagles line may have a may have a chance to not let doubt. If you can take Dallas's defense and knock it down a peg, then it's on their offense with Cooper Rush to make up for whatever the Eagles do. I don't love it for Dallas much since since we last tape we found out Cooper Rush will start this game. Dak Prescott not close enough to even uh find out during the week whether he's gonna play or not. I didn't want to come back for this game. He needs that. Why it's so big though, I mean, I because there's gonna be some rust, I would imagine, and you don't want to take them rushing back a week early if you're not certain physically right, Yeah, that's totally fair. But if they felt like he was ready to go, this game is huge. It reminds me of some of the forty Niners Rams games over the last few years in that I think the winner of this division is one of the favorites to go to the super Bowl because I think with their schedule they're gonna have a good chance at the one seed. I think these are two of the top three or four super Bowl contenders in the NFC. Anyways, I'm putting Dallas there. Danny's got them down at tenna in the power rank and I'm surprised about that to me, though, I I see some teams ahead of them. They're a top six or seven team, and that's what their backup quarterback who's not playing amazing, but it's getting it done. But to Mark's point, this is a test Parsons, Lawrence and in Dorance Armstrong and Digie Zoo. That's been the best defensive line in the league so far and now you play an Eagles defensive offensive line that is fantastic. So can they dominate or can the Eagles just run straight at these guys who are probably better as pass rushers have been playing with the lead? Uh? Either way, it's a big test for this four or five So I'll throw Dote Fowler in there. He was making some noise last week like they they look really good up front and it's a great test when the Eagles have the ball. Here's my one My one doubt with the Cowboys and why they're not higher. They're not ahead of the Packers, say who I dropped down to eight, but you can make the case they should be at least in the top eight. The Cowboys um Cooper Rush has done his job. He has six touchdown passes in five games, and that just speaks to they have been able to play a very extremely controlled brand of football where the defense is setting the tone and the offense is able to just do enough to get these ws and the quarterback, to his credit, a backup with no experience really heading into the season, has not killed them with turnovers. My concern, I would say, now I said the Eagles feel like maybe they're due for a loss. My concern is Philadelphia is an explosive offense. What happens if it's fourteen three in the first quarter and you now, all of a sudden it's like, hey, Cooper, we need you to throw the ball thirty four times. I don't think that ends well, I don't think they're a complete team. I think they can get to that spot if Doc comes back healthy, but I think Rush keeps them from being like an elite team in my mind at this point. I mean, the Cowboys lead to league in rush rate at this point. They want to run the ball to here. To your point, they don't want Cooper Rush throwing the thing fourteen times a quarter. It's the opposite of what they've done. I mean that said, if Cooper Rush ever pulled this off, I don't care what it looks like complexion wise, You buy them a actually a house bigger than the one Troy Aikman has on the outskirts of Dallas, because I don't really care about how prolific he's been that how contracts work. You just can buy house and just asking them to give him that piece of property, because you couldn't have asked a backup quarterback who looked terrible against the Bucks and that opener you thought they're doomed to be where they are is about that, But it's because they also have been able to run the ball with Tony Pollard, who should see more and more. He also should have been picked off a couple of times. Last week Cooper Rush the matchup, and you're right, he deserves a race. He's making one million dollars this year. Was on the practice squad one week cut right. Uh, they have one matchups enough on the outside with their receivers in Ceedee Lamb. But Dalton Salts is a little banged up like Noah Brown sometimes pops up. Gallop isn't like all the way back. And they're going up against Bradberry and Slay big Place. Slay gets all the attention. He's coming off an injury, didn't look quite himself last week, and so I'm curious to see that matchup. Maybe they'll attack him. But James Bradberry's been awesome. I he might be the Pro bowler of those two guys. Maybe they're both Pro bowlers. So they're on paper the Eagles always look amazing, but it's football. And to your point, like the Cardinals, who we've gotten on for being a mess, we're right there with them. Last Cardinals, like how to find a way for that game not to go to overtime. I have to I have too much respect for the Cowboys right now to lock up the Eagles, which was a strong consideration and they're they're barely in the lock zone. Amazingly, that's how big of a favorite they are in this game. But this I think dan Quinn can mix up what he does on defense so well right now. And Jalen Hurts here's one thing he hasn't done well this year is still not doing great against the Blitz. His numbers have gone way down against the Blitz in general. You mentioned the idea of Cooper Rush throwing fourteen times a quarter. That would be a lot fifty. Oh sorry, I didn't know it was a bit coming. Sorry, just one moment, Greg, just just just for a second, give me twelve seconds. I couldn't get it. That would been really the cherry on top of my math Sunday, Mr Calculator would have been coming. Let's move to Monday night football Broncos at Chargers. Oh my god? Are you are? We? Are we serious? This has to be the end for the primetime serious Park Avenue. What evidence did we have to be so certain about the Denver Bronco It made sense? No, no, no, no, Russell Wilson. It's like the big new star in the in the new place. What even likes Russell Wilson it's week six. How many times they've been in primetime? At least three? Has it been four? Mr? Five out of six game? Is that possible? That can't be worse because they're in reverse primetime. There Island game a couple of weeks from now, and then they still have a Sunday night game. Greg, it's four out of six. That is wild. Four out of six is crazy for a team. This is not the Cowboys here, and I, like many other people, thought that Brons would be way better than they are. But to go that all in in the first six weeks, like we're talking about Michael Irvine, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. Here's the thing the defense has been. That's translated to that's fine, but been unwatchable. Greg, can can just take a break with that? Just mean it makes sense? This is brutal. Totally made sense to me on paper. Then again, I am the one. I've got to uh go get my lunch that the Broncos will miss the playoffs and there will be a sourced report of differences between Russell Wilson and I'm feeling good about that right here. I think I think every I think everything must go in Denver except for Russell Wilson potentially if this keeps up, so there is a little bit of intrigue, there's car crash intrigue to the Broncos. But so if that was the case, I would be like, all right, let's let's keep watching them on in these island games. But they just don't step up in these island games. And the big reason they don't step up, it's not just because the vibes are bad, although I don't sense they're great. With the Broncos in terms of what's going on with the locker room and with russ Um, the offense just seems broken. And I don't want to dwell too much longer on Um the way the Indianapolis game ended, because it was a while ago now, but I just thought it was so fitting with the game on the line, from the five yard line or whatever, He's in shotgun with no motion, no anything, and it was just like everybody run their routes and it was just like, there's no imagination to this offense to me, and you see how other teams run their attacks, and it's like, man, where is the juice to this offense. That's why Hacket got the guys the guy was open. Guys would have been opened the whole season and doesn't see it. That's the part of it that is on Russell Wilson because it's kind of like a chicken or the egg. Thing for me is that the offense is at Russell Wilson. It's a little bit of everything. It's a perfect storm of a team that even before even before like the play begins, they lead the league in pre snap penalties. They have thirteen drops in five games, which is outrageous. At this point, Russell Wilson's not seeing the field. It's it appears to me he's got a banged up shoulder. We're at the point now where Nathaniel Hackett has basically announced we're gonna you know, one of his one of his calling cards was the Nathaniel Hackett offense, which has just grown and grown and grown with all his experiences stops. Was this vast territory and range where you could pick everything you wanted to to perfectly customize it around Russell Wilson. The opposite has happening, and Nathaniel Hackett this week basically said we're gonna take that playbook and scale it down, which is about the opposite, we should keep tracking. And there tells me like, if you're gonna put them on multiple primetime games, you're thinking the opposite is happening. You're thinking you're getting Payton Manning Part two and Denver and you're getting Peyton Manning Part zero. And with with Russ it kind of went under the radar a little bit here. Um, but he got an injection in his shoulder on Friday morning. Like there's a headline at NFL dot com and Friday morning that Russell Wilson undergoes a procedure on shoulder that is not good for a quarterback. And his career ran all the worst ever and completion percentage, touchdown percentage, passer rating. Um. So he's at the he's at the lowest point of his career production wise. So you would think here's the thing. You can only go up from here, right, And the Chargers present an opportunity, hypothetically, a team that is missing Joey Bosa, a team that has not been Um. They just came off a game they very nearly lost to the Browns, gave up twenty eight points. Uh So Denver scored some points because I think they should be able to against his defense, right, I think so? Uh, Mark, I you remembered, Uh, we did have a PRP bit going seven years ago. I don't think there was. I don't think that got caps. So maybe by PRP bas to keep track of how many people are getting the PRP uh surgery. If this is their fourth five primetime game, though, Dan, there is a maximum of five, and I do feel bad about taking away your math Sunday. That was a bad hosting. Okay, we've moved past. Okay, but if there's five maximum and this is their fourth how many primetime games can they have left? Don't jump to an answer. No, think they have twelve opportunities, right, Uh. They Although it's kind of tricky because I be sure about that. By the way, so it's tricky. You can be assigned, you can be as signed five, but then you can get an extra six on Sunday night or when they have those flexible Saturdays later. That feels like a less possibility of the way they're playing right now. You can get into it. You can get as six added. You're right about this being a good matchup. I don't think they can stay this bad all year because I think they're too talented he's actually been protected well enough, although yeah, Garrett Bols is hurt now. The Chargers defense has issues last three weeks, right back to being terrible at run defense. J C. Jackson has been a huge problem. Came back from his injury getting cooked weekly. Probably the most disappointing free agent signing of the off scene so far. There's no reason why it should stay that way. Uh. They have a first round pick from a couple of years ago, Kenneth Murray really struggling. They benched the seer at early, who was their starting safety, who had gotten some buzz in the off scene. So they're kind of springing holes here. There's not much of a pass rush other than Cleo mac. I still like Justin Herbert in this game. But they're huge favorites. They're five or six points favorites, and that seems too rich for this Chargers team right now, who's not very explosive on offense either. They're very stationed the station they have gotten the running game going. Do you think, well, do you think that running game getting going had a lot to do with Cleveland's defense week ago? I'm not sure that happened started a little bit the week before too. Where Eckler got it going a little, and they like Josh Kelly, so I'd still take him in this game, but I wouldn't surprise me if Rust pulls us up. It's so far Harry Hans, this is you know, he's on like a Jets Chargers torn thing. Try to get in that building. It would be nice. Okay, you guys, why don't you come over after and we can do the Monday Night recap together there here? How about that? Actually, I have an idea. I'm gonna I'm gonna go to this game, but I'm also gonna I'm gonna knock up the Chargers right now. Good for you, Good luck in my protest of this Broncos being on primetime TV a year, it's outrageous the traffic flow situation around our facility. So plus, my son would love to see what the studios like. So I would absolutely join you for that MNF recap if I can get tickets. Just then, we're working out a big time booking for Monday Night. Get get and Harry hands all right, let's take a break. We'll be right back. All right, here we go. It is time now for the draft and Mark Sessler, I'll tell you what, remember before the season started when you were like a little bit perturbed because I said, all right, I'll pick first because I'm the defending champion. Then I said, Greg will pick second and you pick third, and you rightly said, oh, you know I should have been picking second because I was the runner up. Was that was a sharpened justice and was there was no way to you can do could do it over who is the last person to win the championship. And then I would be thinking not counting me because the trophy sitting on a big marble, everything that's coming from there with a light coming down upon the trophy. But I was playing chess with this one for you, buddy, because that this has now lined you up for Week six, where a you have the number one pick for maybe the game of the year, and be the way the draft falls with the buy teams, you only have to draft three games. So that is nice. So six weeks later I get my reward based on you planning that, pre planning that back in August. I think given the choice, he would definitely so it doesn't make sense, no doubt, no doubt, given the choice, he would favor you. Interesting, Um, let's thank you Paul Rudd. Alright, and with the number one pick, it's obvious. Do I even need to say it? Jaguars at Culton. Now we're gonna go Bills a Chiefs, And how lucky we are that we don't have a Broncos situation with one of these two teams. They're exactly where we wanted them to be. I cannot believe that the Chiefs are sizeable underdogs at home Patrick Mahomes, as I thought it was two points. They're underdogs at all bothers me, Patrick Mahomes has never lost in that situation. If you're the Bills, though, obviously you're steamed about what happened a year ago, but I would say this, that has nothing to do with this game. In my opinion, you went out and made a difference. You signed Von Miller. This game, to me revolves around the idea that you have a defense that is a difference making defense in the a f C, A super Bowl level defense. That they're been injuries, it hasn't seemed to matter. And I love the idea that you've got Von Miller. Boogie Basham, Greg Russo. We saw what they did against the Rams in Week one. This is your chance to disrupt Patrick Mahomes who was not disrupted on that final drive a year ago, who was not disrupted in that game to begin with. And if you can get the defense and create havoc to some degree against the Chiefs, because it's not easy, but if you can even unsettle them for one extra drive, that could be the difference in this because I think the offense with Josh Allen will absolutely show up against the Chiefs team a defense right now that I think ken be toyed with to some degree when the Bills are on. We saw what Gabe Davis did a year ago in that game. He was on fire, and we got that version of him a week ago, and so why can't that translate again with the best receiving group in the a f C. I want to cycle back quickly here to the last time these two teams played in the divisional playoffs, and Pints scored in the final two minutes of that game. I would I will nominate that for maybe the most thrilling two minutes of football that I've ever watched, given the stakes and the stars involved, and um just how kind of thrilling it was to watch that game. So it's amazing. We're getting these two teams playing. Uh, I like, I actually like it that it's in the late afternoon windows, so I'm assuming unless there's another injustice here that Tony romo Um and Jim Nancer on the call. Uh So, it doesn't get more fun than that. And here's my here, this is where I'm conflicted. So I have the Bills number one of the power rankings. I think they're the best, most complete team playing at an elite level. Obviously, they have one loss, and even that one was a little you know, down in Miami and the swamp and the humidity and all the randomness the way the game played out in the end. Otherwise they've just been a dominant, wonderful team. And yet do I ever want to pick against Patrick Mahomes. I do not. It's a total coin flip for me. I love that they also cleared out the other four o'clock games, so there's two at four oh five, But this is the only four. This should be like the most watched game of the entire season. And if I'm a chief stand I'm a little annoyed that all these Bills injuries seem to have cleared up, like just in time to play the Chiefs. Uh, Mitch Morris's back, Ed Oliver's back, Mackenzie's back. I think Dawson Knox is gonna be back. These are all limited participants in practice on Wednesday, but usually that means you're gonna play. Jordan Poyer, who missed last week's game, is back, and I think that's kind of where this defense starts. Yes, the pass rush has been amazing, but this Week five game a year ago, where the Bills dropped the hammer on the Chiefs and everyone started panicking about the Chief's offense was in all the two high shell looks and everyone's just backing up and making Mahomes like work his way down the field. That to be That started with the Bills more than anyone, and they are built to execute that game plan and built to get after him quickly. The Chiefs are a better run blocking offensive line than they are pass blocking. They're pretty good at both, but they're they're on paper and elite run blocking offensive line. And I do think if you're gonna get after this Bill's defense and they don't really have any major weaknesses, that's probably the way to do it. So I want to see if Andy Reid has a little patient. It's like Jerick McKinnon helped change that game for them a week ago. Edwards Hilaire has had some nice games, but Checkos had some moments. I think it's weird to say for the Chiefs, but I feel like the Chiefs need to slow this game down slightly, uh and not get into some like forty five to forty four shootout. If you feel like the Bills are better off that way, I could see them going after Cayer lamb uh that said, Like I'm with you, I mean, if you look at the Chiefs offense, it is methodical. It has been long drives and they found different ways obviously this season, not so much wide receiver centric, but throwing two tight ends, throwing two running backs. And I think Mahomes looks pretty comfortable in it all. And like, you know, if it takes a month to kind of figure out who you are, what your identity is, the Chiefs are there. I mean, I think they were probably frustrated by that Raiders game. I know it wound up in their favor and everything, but that was one where I think they were tested early on and they found their way out of that whole. Both of these quarterbacks have overcome seventeen point deficits this season, so if someone gets Haywire early, I trust these offenses to work the way out of it. Yeah, seventy point leads aren't what they used to be, but especially when you're facing quarterbacks at this level, and you know, let's pick this game before we move on. I don't know. I think this is absolutely total up for grabs pick. I do like the revenge factor a little bit here for um for the Bills, because that is one of the more painful defeats you will ever see in the playoffs, the way things ended on that same field, And I think they're gonna be so focused and fired up, and Josh Allen is going to go off that even the great Mahomes. And now I even say this, I said, never pet against Patrick Mahomes prime time, but here you're you're but it's not prime time. It's so let me say I got the Bills in another great game one I took the Chiefs. This was one of the picks on my game picks column that I struggled with the most because I do think the Bills are better. But we know how it works. Like that doesn't necessarily mean they're gonna win this week. I had my Homes winning the m v P for the season. This feels like an m v P off. I mean, these are the two best quarterbacks in the league. They'd be my top two for m VP so far. It's it's really early, but they're also doing things at a higher level than we've almost ever seen at the positions. I think Mahomes pulls out a magical one. Like Greg points to his own picks call, that result isn't necessarily how it will go because it's possible that real life will trump Greg's No. I think I was saying the Bills are a better team, but real life it's like the better team doesn't like even though I think they're a better team, I'm gonna pick he has hedged his bet. Yeah, I don't feel good about this at all, But I don't like picking against Mahomes as an underdog at home. I don't know either, but I think that we're so focused on the fact that he's seven oh and one against the spread as an underdog that it's like that number feels like it's bound to get poinked at some point here. And I think the Bills are the more complete team. I love their defense. I think they're improved from where they were a year ago on that side of the ball, particularly in this matchup. I'm gonna go Bills already three thirty in overtime. All right, let's check it with the poetic about your pick for five minutes. So I will too. So it's that easy. Hey, heroes, it's Nick here again. I really embarrassed myself last week. I got too big for the team. Suddenly I'm on NFL Network UK Sports looking like a robber. International fame really got to my head UK Sports? What is that? Was bigger than the team? But I'm back this week. I've been trying to make it up to my brothers. They won't answer my text calls. They won't even participating the locks competition. I really had to do some dig in, so I decided to live on the streets for a few days. I got back from Baltimore after disappointment that the Ravens beating the Bengals, I just head straight for the street. It's dark, it's cold, trying to figure things out. One thing I know is my brothers. They don't went out. They don't say hey, take the easy way out. So I'm gonna do what I think they're doing. They're thinking when you go to the Bills and the Chiefs. God, it's cold out here. I don't know. This is a tough one. Let's trying to wrap this bag. Top three in the week. Hard to bet against Patrick my homes, But I think the Bills are gonna pull it off. Okay, this once with my brothers. The Bills take care of business. Lock it up. When did Terrence Malick start directing the Nick Lock of the Week scenarios? Can we grave digger? Can you check in a second year? H we got something? Oh hey hey, um, this is where the producer is not always it's not always glory boy stuff. I was gonna say, if there's a way too nicely, say hey, can we just like land it bring it in for a landing within sixty seconds? That would be helpful. Copy of that, um. But also I do I do like the Nick was probably in high school he was like, I'd never joined the drama club, you know, that's for the whims and cheeks. And now in middle age he's he's kind of leaning into the artistic side of him, and I like that, so torn a little bit. All I can think when I'm watching that is how much Chris would get a kick out of it. He would love Nick Startern, and he found Nick to be um, you know, rightly, like the funniest person. And he has grown as a thespian as WestEd West. Initially it was like, I don't want to do these skits, but then he started to become more and more skit. West was initially on camera stiffer than a two by four, and then by the end like he was a master of the craft, master stage man. Let's pick up the pace here ourselves. By the way, the Bloviation is off the charts. I mean, that's the game of the year, so they deserved it. Uh, pick two the old zeus, sir, And I ain't feeling bad about a Jets at Packers from lambeau Field to three and two teams, And I understand, I get it. People don't want don't want to see me get hurt and don't get too excited about the Jets. Uh. And I get that because you look at the Jets wins and it's uh miracle against Cleveland, a near miracle against Pittsburgh, and then you beat up on a pretty decimated Miami team uh in the fourth quarter of that game. So yes, you could look at it that way, but then you have to understand the optimism right now around this organization is so different because they have so many great young players now on both sides of the ball, and once you get a big win like they did at home, that you start to believe in yourself and you start to think that you could be that team. And that's why this is such a perfectly timed trip to lambeau Field, because it's such a great heat check for where the Jets are as that team when you're trying to figure out at the beginning of the season, who is the team like in the power rankings that's thirty two that could actually make noise, and all of a sudden surprise people, the Jets have emerged as potentially one of those teams. But you need to show something here. So I see this game going in one of two directions, boys, direction one knowing the full picture of the Jets and not just looking at the record and some of the highlights which have been impressive. Uh, is the Green Bay is a better team with a better roster at home? Probably ticked off about how things went in London, and it's fourteen nothing midway through the first quarter and the Jets end up losing and losing big. That is absolutely something I could see happen. But there's another path here where the Jets, playing confident, playing loose in Green Bay, not quite in a good place right now, not quite figured out who they are, what they're doing, are in yet another close game with a team that they're quote unquote better than, and all of a sudden it's the fourth quarter and the Jets have a chance to make a major statement. Yeah, I'm not that convinced the Packers are that much better than them. I don't totally don't get why they're a touchdown favor. I think the Packers have been mediocre so far. The offense is there, but if you just look at pure talent, the Jets to me are competitive with the Packers, which is crazy, but I think this is a pretty talented Jets roster. My huge question coming into the year was just Zack Wilson. If Zach Wilson is average, then this team, Uh if the pickups, you know, execute like we hope, and the draft class is good, and so far it really looks like both are happening. Carl Lawson's coming off a big game too, was like adding a new player. Then this is a really talented team. And so far Zach Wilson has played the best two game stretch of his career. I was impressed with what he did a week ago. I know they didn't ask him to win the game for him, but he's just doing little things like changing the plays before the snap into the right call and just doing things that he was not doing a year ago. And there's a couple throws each game where he makes an opposite hash throw with anticipation. Just it just shows he's matured and if he's okay. To me, these two teams are pretty even, and I would say it should be a one score game at the end. I am totally with you on this. I think if you're Green Bay, there is a scenario where you essentially woke up the New York Giants and their fan base. You could do it with the Jets one week later. I love the idea of back to back slidings against two New York teams that were more abund for so long, You've long hated the Packers, so it's I just see it. I see it doorway for the Jets for a watershed moment, because I do think the number one the young talent is here and it's playing well. And I love the idea of Sauce Gardner, DJ Reid Jordan Whitehead this secondary under Robert Sala confusing a Green Bay passing attack that really did not answer the bella we could go against the Giants. I think about the four team place sixty nine yard drive they had that ended in zero points when it was twined twenty and the and the Packers got the ball back with the heat on them. They were agitated then like they will be this week. They went three and out. It was twenty seven to twenty and Aaron Rodgers has two key passes on third and fourth down with the game on the line, tipped and die. UM. Any top ten list of rookie like Rookie the Year watch right now should have Sauce Gardner on it. UM absolutely should have Garrett Wilson on it. And Bruce Hall after coming off that breakoup game, maybe he should be on the list too. Can't they run the ball in this Packers defense? They can? But also here's the here's where the Packers win this game. They run the ball on the Jets where he mostart cut through the Jets even though they had a third string quarterback on the field. Miami did. And now you have Aaron Jones and a j Dillon. So maybe maybe this is the time where Green Bay says, I know we have Aaron Rodgers, but this should be a game where we run the ball a lot and take it to the Jets that way and grind out a win. So I could see, like I said, both outcomes um. And I just want to say one more thing. Elijah Vera Tucker. I talked about him last week that they moved him to left tackle in an emergency emergency scenario and he performed well. They shifted him over to right tackle last week and he gave up no pressures in twenty six. I want to keep him there. He's player. He is part of the reason they traded up for him to get an interior alignment, and there was some pushback at the time. Was because he has versatility. It's amazing. And now Dwayne Brown's back at left tackle, so this is an interesting time in Jets history. We'll see how they play. I've always brought up the point that the Patriots were supposedly taking Vera Tucker and they ended up with Mac Jones anyway, you know, but they would have taken Vera Tuckers. That's the Jets believed, and there was other reporting that people believe that Patriots are going to take them there. That's why they traded up. It's a sliding doors moment. Guys are wide open on this offense. That's the thing. They really remind me of the forty Niners offense the Jets, and that's the thing sense offensive cord and it's like, imagine if Jimmy Garoppolo could actually hit a deep out or hit some sideline throws, it shouldn't be that. It hasn't been that hard for Zach Wilson. Guys are I've seen more open guys in to Zach Wilson games and Justin Herbert's at all season, just like guys are wide open. Speaking of West, I would love to hear West talking about the Jets and see what he thinks about this team. Right now. This is a flower on flower game, La flora versus laflora, and you usually don't see flower violence. No. Alright, Greg, you're up, all right, I'm gonna take the Patriots and the Browns un flowers peace typically, but in this case it's not. It's anti piece yeah, which I like not always, but in this case I like it. Uh, go ahead, sorry, it's okay. These two teams intrigued me. Now. The Patriots have been fights state they're kind of winning me over here. I like this matchup because I think it's so spicy, vital for both of these teams. Now they're more feisty, I think, Yeah, I think they are fights. I think they're well frisky to feisty. Like I said, I think everyone from matth Jessey we're a feisty people. And I think this is self proclaimed tricky matchup for the Browns because I think the Browns look at this and they think they're the better team, especially if Bailey's Appy is at quarterback. We don't know for sure. It sounds more likely than not it's Bailey's Appy, but we won't know. But the Patriots, you know, see what the Browns have done running the ball, and they haven't been a great run defense until a week ago where it was against a very similar sort of power running attack in Detroit and held up very well. I think they're a well coached defense, and they're gonna believe that they can get off the bus running against Cleveland. And they will miss Damien Harris, who's a really good player, but Romandre Stevenson is just as good, and I think he can handle the load being like the main guy, and they're gonna believe that they can kind of play this game on their terms. Belichick smoked Stefanski a year ago. They won that game forty five to seven. It was a little flukey, but it's still I think he's gonna feel confident that he can get enough stops and go win another ugly game. I think Belichick loves this set up because it's really just like, we're gonna go at your biggest weakness. Just like you said, the Browns thirty second overall and defensive run d v o A. They don't. They're probably five and oh if they can stop the run. I mean, that game last week against the Chargers got totally out of hand. They were completely overpowered and overman. You can't tackle like they had eight. There's all these cutaways from Brown's practice this week where they're like, now we're putting a special emphasis on tackling. Well, here's a difference because the Browns also are going against the New England defense that's not been great against the run. But the Patriots understand it. I'm not I think they should be annoyed with themselves because I wonder if Stefanski, I don't know, forty seven can really be a fluke. I know what you're saying, but it's just they just got stamped. They got stamped in like Cleveland. I think in little moments, coaching has been an issue. They've done a nice job overall coaching the offense, coaching to Kroby Pissette, but there's little moments where it's like, I wonder if that's some better game day coaching. You're not looking some of these breakdowns, don't don't. How about close a game, Cleveland? How about this have a game? How about this, while we're giving out on solicited advice to the Browns, how about thirty five carries in this game? How about we give to Chub or seven to chub and eight to ten uh to Kareem Hunt and win the game that way. Because the Patriots are nobody's superpower anymore, they can be defeated. Jacoby Brisset has been very good, but mistake prone, try to control the game of the line of scrimage because guess what, Like Bellichick knows Brissette, he drafted Brissette. And if you want to see what happens with Bill Belichick planning for to attack Brissette's weaknesses and you want to have him throw thirty more times this week or whatever it was coming out him, you're asking for a lot of trouble. So you have the best running back or the second best in the league right now in Nick Chubb, use him, use him, and then with Deshaun Watson's back in a month and a half or whatever, you could start finding some more balance. That's been annoying to me all season, I hear you. But they have been pretty run heavy, and that's been amazing. He's really to be the most unheavy team in football. They are. They are the number one rusher. Yeah, I think that some of that was situational less his efficiency numbers. I know he has those killer interceptions, but for the most part he's waked. I saw some article like saying like this is what happens when you start Jacoby said, he has exceeded every expectation possible. He's been a better than average starting quarterback. They're passing game has been like top five or six efficiency. Like he's had some killer mistakes, but he's having killer mistakes in thirty three to thirty games where you have to score at the end. Like that's not on Jacoby said. But to your point, I do think Belichick will make him hold the ball. That's his kryptonite. He sometimes gets a little cautious and and and and wants to hold the ball forever, and then bad things happen. If you if someone told you that we'd be in week six and Jacoby precid it, thrown started every game and thrown three interceptions total. Unlock David the Joku played really well with the Mari Cooper and they had the number one running game. You think things were fine, It's just that those three interceptions. He's playing so magnetically problematic. He's been playing as well or better than Baker did two years ago, Baker's best seas. I also think the Patriots are finding out who they are. They're starting to condense. I think some of the playing rotations and uh Taekwon Thornton their draft picks coming in here. I think they might get agre off the field, they're condensing it. I think they're figuring out who they are. Greggy. It has been the fall of Greggy with some of your great Geno Smith related and Russell Wilson related predictions. But how many times did I say this summer, don't worry about the Patriots. The Patriots will figure it out. Might take a few weeks, they gotta. Yeah, as you were a seer on that front, they've been a lot of doubts about. They've been checking the coaching staff, but they look like a pretty well coached team coming out the twenty nine nothing win in Week five. Um and to the point, So here we go. The Browns attempts this season, that's second in the league behind the Eagles, the Giants a fairly distant third at one sixty five. I guess my point is should be even more. You should be far and away number one rushing team in the league. Guess what Eagles is Jalen Hurts that already got Jalen Hurts his attempts and it involved there verus Kobe person just saying like they average five point three yards per carry the Browns, I just think every like criticizing anything offensively for them is beside the point. They're so well coached. Offensive line in Joco is getting going. Amari Cooper looks incredible. Their defense has been a tire fire. They can't tackle and they're confused. They you could they're the worst coach defense in the NFL. That's all it's to me. It's all I'm talking. The more you run, the more you can control the game. You keep your defense so you don't trust off the field. I don't know they have a whole one thing that only Derrick Henry has more attempts than Shub He should have more than sating you on this topic. I understand I'm trying to express, and I know I'm getting a lot of pushback that you have two of the best running backs in the league, use them more and more and try to control the game that way. Don't hate the idea. I mean, when they've been doing that, they've been successful. All Right, let's take a break and we move on. All right, Greggy the raft you know this is a great ten am slate. I feel like I have so many good options. I'm gonna take the Kyle Shanahan goes back to Atlanta revenge game might be a surprising pick. But I find them frisky. I haven't watched either of these teams on the Falcons. Yeah, because he got blamed for you know that that Super Bowl. It was a sad moment. Did the Falcon No? No, I just got a job off. I guess the revenge is the wrong word. I just was trying to connect to and it didn't really make sense. This Falcons team is fun to watch each and every week. They're in the game at the end. I think they will find a way to make this game interesting. I think it's a tricky spot for San Francisco. They keep doing this thing every year where they go east and then in their first game of a two game road trip, everyone gets hurt, and then they hang out in West Virginia for a week, and then they co to that game and they're like missing a lot of the great players that they had the first game. They might be missing Nick Bosa this week. And I think they've been getting better offensively. But this is one team the Falcons, that actually could run the ball against them. It's the number two team in rushing versus the number one rush defense. And I think the Falcons will stay patient with it, and I think they'll make this an ugly sort of game that is fun to watch. I mean, they don't have Cordarold Patterson, which is a big reason they were that that rushing team, but Tyler Algier the rest of those guys, like that's just sort of who they are. And Mariota, who has the you know, the third lowest completion percentage in the league. You don't want him throwing the ball left and right because he's been a mistake prone too in terms of turning the ball over. I think he's throwing the ball well though in general. But if they could control the ground game for the last two weeks, it's a little but that's how they got into like they got into that hole against the Bucks because of that. And I think you're right. I think we could see Ritter at some point here. But you're talking about a Niners defensive. I know they're banged up with no boasts that be a big thing. They haven't allowed anyone to score over twenty points and so the Falcons have, you know, found a way to score points week after week. They have been spicy. I find them super fun to watch. Um a lot of weird things seemed to happen to them that keep them in games. But the Niners, to me is this is the defense where they come into and they might be dealing with a wall. The one way they got in last week was that the Bucks offense went to sleep for like four straight drives and gave the Falcons way back in. Is that gonna happen with this Niner offense quickly? Because sometimes we just say, oh, they're banged up. Here's who missed practice on Wednesday arek Armstead, Sampson, Abcom Nick Bosa. So that's three of their starting, uh defensive linement. I think kin Law might be on injured reserve. No, he didn't practice either, So their original starting defensive line is literally all out. They lost Mosley for the season this week, who's been good. They still don't have Trent Williams. That left tackle, Jimmy Ward, their safety broke his hand. We don't know if he's gonna play their kickers out like it's just a lot they're not that same defense. Is kind of my point right now. They're gonna stitch it together and they'll probably be better than average. But I think it's too much to expect to miss your entire defensive lineing. I'm with you. But doesn't it feel like every season with every Niners team, there's always like eighteen guys injured and it doesn't seem to change the result. I know that's not very logical, but it just seems to be their aura, good aura around that team. Dana, can we interest you in discussing this game? No, In fact, I'm ready to move on to the next pick. It will be uh the Let's go New York, New York. Let's go Baltimore Ravens traveling to the meadow Lands to face the Jaman are killing me by the way. You've each taken the game that I want in successive turns always the best. And I'm texting with our producer and he's never never better when that happens, whether it's in a fantasy draft or right here or in life, when you get something right before someone else wants it, whether it's a job or a earl or whatever, it's even better. So now I take that from Mark, and I celebrate with discussion the Baltimore Ravens three and two. I think this is a game the Ravens should win. In fact, I'm so certain they're gonna win. I'm locking it up. I feel Baltimore is a team. Even with two bad losses, UM will go on the road and take care of business here. Wow, after you've gotten on me for being anti Giants for so long, you're literally locking against them as I think you'd like the spotlight to shine on just one New York team this weekend. Sure they got a big game tonight. You know they do they do where they're permitting. UM. The Ravens are a team I really like. I think the Ravens are going to be UM. There's a good chance they're playing very deep into January, in my opinion, and these two bumps in the road or that they've had, they'll figure out. I I love the gumption. I think the Ravens are a team that is going to be a handful for the Giant. And I really do like how the UM Giants have played to the best, to the highest level of their potential outcomes. I feel like they're really playing and that's coaching and that's all that. But I also think there's still a limited team. I was thinking about what we were talking about, UM feisty, spicy, frisky. I think the Giants are scrappy. I think that's what the Giants are and that's and you know that's could be seen as a backhanded compliment. Um, But because they're so scrappy, I think they're going to make this a close game, like they've made every other game this season a close game. But in the end, I think the the idea of Lamar Jackson getting styming here by Wink Markindal wink Martindale, I don't see it happening. I think the Ravens are gonna score enough points, uh to really put the pressure on the Giants to do something non se Quan related and make some big plays in their passing game. And I'm just not ready to go there. So I'm locking up those Ravens. Wow. I um look at this game, and I too put in a lock on it, and I gotta say, I don't feel great now, not only because we're together. So he's gonna see the only thing better than taking someone else's game is locking something up before Greg and then he has to live with that. Surely may pivot off of it. I could, because what's the point of never. Well, here's the thing. I believe it in the moment, and then I completely forget about it, and then the game's kickoff. You know that's what happens. Maybe you lost the eye of the tiger, which is why you don't have the trophy in your foyer sitting on struggling with like the red lights around it to keep the security. So one reason though I do feel as good as is the Giants are getting healthier this week. It Dory Jackson, who left that game last week, is back at practice and he's vital for that secondary wan Dale Robinson might return. Leonard Williams, their best defensive lineman, might return in this game too, so that that's all really positive. Darny Holmes, who gets um pumped up on the sideline, we saw that video. I don't know if you you know. I hadn't mentioned it just because it felt kind of mean to that dude because it looks bad. His name on the injury apart, and I was like, oh, there's that guy. Not bad depending on how you view it. And Bateman did not return to practice, and to me, that's a really key injury for the Ravens because without Bateman, all you have is DuVernay out wide, and you're really testing the bounds of how how good a passing game can be without quality wide receivers so he's someone I'm gonna be watching closely on the injury. Like we saw some of that against the Bengals on Sunday night, and Lamar, you know, really put that game on his back with his legs at the end, which is something he can still do. He can do it against this better than expected Giants defense. Think Wink Martindale has practiced against Lamar Jackson like seven thousand times, so knows him well. But I do wonder because the one thing I took away from the Giants effort last week, I know people just keep calling them the worst three and one team ever, the worst four and one team ever, And it's like, I don't know what they'll need to do to get anyone's respect. I think if they won this game, you do it. But here's what happened against Green Bay. When they are giving you three drives in a row of ten plus plays, and then they're cutting two Packers players who are winded on one knee and cannot handle what's going on in London. And now you're talking about a Ravens defense that is good, but they are twenty six against the run in d v O A. So if you get sa Quan and if Daniel Jones ankle was one week healthier and you get him on the ground, He's one of the most productive quarterbacks on the ground we have in the league right now. I like the idea of them keeping this close and doing a little bit of New York magic. I'm just in not to keep it close because you I only know that because you retweeted it. You were so proud. So uh, this is our league picks. But I'm the only one that picked the Jets in that little conglomerate of people, and the only one that picked the Giants. So I'm trying to exactly we can We drew up with wf An. The Ravens are three and two, despite this from the media research, despite trailing for only eleven minutes in fifteen seconds this year. There that you want to talk who's the worst four and one team, The Ravens are the best three and two team in the league, and they're gonna show it here. They lost Marcus Williams, two injured reserve their you know, guy, who's the Giants a whole lot? I mean, I don't know if they can it helps, but I don't know if their offenses, Like I may take advantage of it that way. Maybe not, but he's been good for them coming up the Saints, And I am curious when you've had a defensive coordinator that's practiced against a guy for four years and wink Martindale was not happy when he got fired. People thought it was very This is a true revenge game. I am curious to see the approach he takes against Lamar because whether it works or not, this is a guy who has more information than just about anyone. So we'll see what Helmar has been good against the Blitz this year. It's a it's a Blitz heavy team, so we'll see if if he does. And uh, final thoughts here the before um, we talked about Sunday night, the last second win over the Bengals for Baltimore. They interviewed Justin Tucker after the game, and uh, I think if you haven't heard this, you're gonna want to hear Justin Tucker discussing the mechanics of what makes greatness who by the way, before we listen to the sound, remember we talked about it Sunday night. Jessin Tucker doesn't just split the uprights. It doesn't just make a kick. He splits. The upright alone was literally they had a story out next Gen Stats that he would have made that kick if the uprights were eighteen inches apart. He like quite literally split the uprights. All right. Here's Justin Tucker discussing the game winner on Sunday night. I mean, I love it and I hate it and everything in between. It's, uh, you know, I'd be lying to you if I said, well, every time I go out there, I'm not just a little bit nervous. You know, I'm not thinking about, you know, worst case scenario. But it's really important to me and to us to take you know, those one point three seconds between the snap, the hold in the kick and just focus on the nuts and bolts of what's gonna make the kick. And my feelings don't matter. What matters is seeing the ball snaps with twelve o'clock laces from Nick Moore, seeing them all spotted cleanly for Jordan's stout, his first career game winning hold, and then from there kick the ball kicks itself at that point, and all we're really thinking about is those things that are going to make the kick. All the feelings and stuff, we can enjoy them after the fact. You could blast my family off into outer space with Justin Tucker. I'd be like, we're fine, he's a technician. Listen to that, dude. They say, you know, I know. It's like, it's not cool to say that. What about your family? I'm saying, I trust saying you feel the most running the show terrifying scenario to me that I just thought of outside of something. But you're not gonna see them again? No, they'll come back because just a guy. And what do you say? I'm just saying, after a while, they're in space, what are you gonna do? It could be other problems they do. Daddy, what is this? You're like, your your fantasy novels. I thought they were going to space forever. They're not coming back. I didn't. I mean, you set the template for the fantasy novel. I'm just saying you and you love them, you're gonna have to, you know, give them back. Novels they sell in the back of the drug store. You kept on earth simply because you're ace with Justin Tucker? Are you being kept on Earth the podcast and versus going with your family into space? Right? If if they can't if you can't ever see them again, if you truly love them, I think you have to let it go and then I'm going to change it. I'm sending your wife into space. It's my book. Check it later, Amca, You're going into space. Everything's terrible, but you get to keep the kids. All right, Let's uh, let's move on. I just love Justin Tucker, like even the celebration there. I want to be just It would be great to feel what he feels in that one point three seconds, like he is living. He is pure living in those one point three seconds. You know what I'm saying. There's nothing else bothering him. He's just like he is, like at his absolute peak. This sounds like he might be a good focus of our our new segment. Daddy or Zaddy. I think I know where I'm going with that answer. Um, and he's flying into space with your family. So Mark, you got two picks. I almost would have picked this in another week number one. Um. It really intrigues me. Bengals at Saints. This is there is a lot going on here because first of all, I think, whoever loses this, assuming they don't tie, Um, if the Bengals start two and four, then last year's magic carpet, right, is a fully out of gas at this point. I mean, and they've petrol I believe, so a special type of petrol in this in my Space novel. How about that. But you talked about the Ravens, like the way that they've lost games. Since these three losses have all come on the final play of the game three or five weeks. That's never happened to a team in the history of the NFL. So it's it's been a strange season for that. It's the god they sort of traded like the way last year ended for this. You're right, except for the superviore right, you know, same for the game that mattered most. But I I just see a team grinding through their issues. You know, it's like they I feel like you're still in a situation where you can teams probably think they and hang back played their cover two and basically challenge the Bengals ground game to awaken, which it did a little bit on Sunday night against the Ravens. But it's not the way it needs to be yet. And I mean Burrow, I think the sack situation, it's he's been a little bit better protected, but the big plays are just not there consistently the way that we're a week a year ago, and so I don't know how the Saints will approach us on defense. I mean, flip side. I just cannot believe what happened with Taysom Hill a week ago is that sustainable? Was that an aberration? And I know that they're gonna use him again and again and again, And it's like, why not if you're talking on Nick Chubb, just use Taysom Hill all you can in a weird offense That's still happen this year. To be fair, he's been pretty consistent in terms of adding some pop. Now he's not gonna add that much pop every week, but he's added every week ten point nine yards per carry. I I look at these two teams and I think the Bengals defense is better. And that just doesn't create a route for the Saints to be a playoff team this year. They are built in a way that their defense has to be estel and now of these two defenses, the Bengals are closer to being special. And uh, it's a It's a matchup of Trey Hendrickson returning back to New Orleans, Joe Burrow returning back to the Superdome where he had some fun times. They could use Trey Hendrickson across from all in this game. Yeah, uh, that was the idealized version of the Taysom Hill experience. But it does show when you use him in a smart way, he can get hot and then all of a sudden the defense doesn't know what to do. But I thought the biggest takeaway from that game is album Kamara was making plays. I was like, oh, there he is. That was like the two thousand twenty album Kamara um d ninety four total yards and that that juice had a kind of electricity that he has when he gets into the second and third level of a defense and he just looks like the fastest, um quickest guy on the field. So I think that's a huge part of this. He's, to me the Jenga pay piece of the offense to use a check is um um. I am a little bit concerned where we at on check the injury report here this Michael to miss injury. It's all of their starning receivers missed practice, so not just Michael Thomas, but Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave who was in the concussion protocol. So that is a major factor. But Jamis Winston did return to practice and may start to game. Yeah, I mean, here's the thing. The reason I high like Michael Thomas. I mean, Chris Olave has been excellent this year. Jarvis Landry, we saw like in week one we were saying, oh, what a pick up, But the guy's got to stay healthy. But Thomas was the guy that he felt like if he is back to be Michael Thomas, and he kind of looked that way in the first two weeks, that he changes their offense and what they can do. So the fact that he's potentially gonna miss his third straight game and it's a foot injury, it's like, oh no, not again. Just something to keep an eye on. And do you want Winston returning with the Dalton slash Taysom Hill. I think the Dalton is probably a better fit for dumping passes off to Alvin Kamara than Jamis Winston was just gonna especially without the three receivers, where if you're starting Callaway and trade Quan Smith, I'd I'd rather have uh Andy Dalton. We should also point out te Higgins. You asked why there's no explosive place Tea Higgins hasn't finished two of these games, and he's not practicing this week either. They're just not the same without Tah and it is I know, Zach, he' zac Taylor gets enough heat from Greg to you know, fill up an entire show. But I'm just saying, part of your job, Zach is to pop the hood on this offense and figure out why Jamar Chase isn't an explosive playmaker anymore. Maybe it is te Higgins, but I thought he was different than that. I didn't think he needed a big time number two to be unlocked. Maybe I don't know a coach player. It's a super Bowl coaches asked weekly calling plays. That's not a great situation. How it's like he's like, oh, it's like a better change my polo. Go ahead Bucks at Steelers. Um, you know, I almost when I when I see this game in my mind, it's Tampa's face, It's Tampa's offense that makes me say, Nope, I can't do it. But there's just not a lot left here on the on this docket, so we will see. I'm meant watching it for Kenny Pickett. I think that are you done? Are you finished? I think I think but I can't promise you, but I think you let me know. I do have a mic, so I can't tell you how my body will react to some of the points. I know you cannot, I thought Pickett. I mean, I know it's been kind of a rough start statistically, but like, if anything, who got George Pickens, Like George Pickens two weeks in a row has a hundred and eighty five yards after having sixty five and three games with Mitch ROBISKI. So I'll hand it over to you, Greg and Dan, you do your little thing now. Wait, it was a dope. I thought it was more like, I don't know what it is like. You have major issues. You have major issues. Go ahead, and Mark go on. I tried, I tried, but now I'll try even harder. Go ahead. I'm watching this for Kenny Pickett. I want to see what he can do. I think this is like the only interesting thing about the Steelers offense and the Bucks offense. I know Tom Brady seven thirty six yards and four touchdown, zero picks over two weeks. It just doesn't look it to me when I'm watching their games. It just seems like a methodical offense where they like to go twelve. Third team plays a lot of Lenny four net catching balls out of the backfield, and I guess it's just they're doing what they can with the injuries they have. Uh, they're getting a little healthier, but this is not a team that looks like they're gonna run rough shot in January and get through anyone. Well there they it looks like that because you know, Russell Gauges averaging seven and a half yards per catch, Godwin is averaging nine point something, so it's it's not good. It's a station to station offense and they're Greg's giving it half the time, so's it's sort of just desserts. The Bucks running backs are dead last in yards per carry their thirty first in yard and I think that explains it, Mark, is that they're running game is so bad that they feel like they have to just keep throwing. And Tom Brady is very good at finding who's open for seven yards, but you're right, they need more explosive places and their defensive backs are really banged up going into this game. I think Murphy Bunting. I think Carton Davis will play in this game, but he was maybe out of practice. So Ryan if they're missing a bunch of players back there. I'm with you. Kenny Pickett couldn't possibly look better for a quarterback who threw three interceptions and a half and then lost thirty eight three. He's actually played pretty well. Like his level of play in this game and a half would have been better than every rookies like average level of play last year except for Mac Jones. Yeah, and Tomlins. He's not gonna acknowledge it because there's no reverse gears in the tank and all that stuff. But he didn't play it right. He should have had. He should have had his young quarterback ready for the Jets at home, and then you go into this gauntlet two weeks in a row Buffalo Tampa. Instead, his first start was a blood bath up in Orchard Park, and now he gets at least a home game against the Tampa defense, though that's been very good other than the Chiefs tobaccle in primetime on Sunday Night a couple of weeks ago. I'm looking forward to seeing Kenny Pickett as well. Mark. I just want to see him get a little bit into more fair territory or because I think it's gonna be tough again. I mean to start your two your career, Harris, Uh, you know, first round fantasy pick is not not like good. He had less snaps last week than I mean, he's had a series of injuries that chub getting the ball a little bit more a few more times. Let's take a break. We'll be right back. It's time for the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Oh this is even better. Oh this is even better. This draft is just unfolding beautifully because I know what Gregy wants. He's like, oh, this is perfect. They got the everybody's gonna want to watch Buffalo Ksey and my second game in the late window. I could watch Gino, but he won't because I'll be watching them against the Arizona Cardinals. Cardinals at Seattle to two and three teams, but very different vibes to these teams. The Cardinals had a chance to kind of make a big statement against the Eagles, had him set up. And I don't know whatever happened with um with a down gate with Arizona, because I know there was some speculation that Sunday night, but then I read I read a little bit, and I didn't see any talk about there being issues in the stadium with there were but I mean Cliff Kingsbury took responsibility, Kyler did. Kyler also pointed fingers that everyone but himself, like during that whole game, I think that I think he has been doing that and like he basically said, everyone told him, you know, down it down it like it's it's first down. So there's just massive miscommunication, which is essentially played the Cardinals for me to see all season, right, And so here we are now they have a chance to get back to five against a Seahawks team that obviously is getting incredible production out of the quarterback position in Gino Smith. And uh, we'll see if that continues um through the season or if it's just a hot start. But it's even like Greg, you're watching the Seahawks last week, he had another big game, Gino, And it could have been even bigger if a couple of things has went a different way. Dka didn't hold out onto one ball in the end zone, they had another long touchdown, wiped away a d K touchdown by holding penalty. So he's playing at a high level right now. Gino. You can't. You can't hide from it. I certainly won't. Uh, they have they lost a shot penny for the year and that hurts. But I still think they're going to score points because that's what they've done pretty much all year, especially the last couple of weeks. There's nothing you could say they're playing great. The question is will Kyler Murray and the Arizona offense Hollywood Brown. You have DeAndre Hopkins not quite back, but he's getting there. Everyone scores against Seattle Can Arizona. If they can't, it's a major issue, right. I think they can. I think getting Rondale Moore back was important because this feels like a players not plays team. They just don't make great play calls that like get guys open. They dink and dunk like Gino Smith throws the ball down the field. Kyler Murray does not. Something is wrong in that equation. Uh, They're just such a station to station offense. But Hollywood Brown is so good he makes people miss. Rondelle Moore helps. Yeah, that third and seventeen conversion. More had a week ago change that game, Isaiah Simmons was back to playing a full compliment of snaps. J. J. Watt and Zach Allen have been a nice pair upfront. I really struggled to pick this game. I took the Cardinals in the I'm starting to feel like a Seahawks fan just generally, I think. And they're frustrating though, Like, just give me something to hold on to defensively, give me something like how can they need to score thirty eight points a week? He was that was the best game Gino Smith has ever had in his career and they didn't win. I mean by far that he had four or five throws that were Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes type of throws. If they had made those throws, You're like, that is incredible, and they still find a way to lose. They aren't see any Dalton and a bunch of backup wide receivers. Every week. They're allowing nearly three points per drive at two point nine six and through five games, that is um the third worst since the dawn of the century. Kind of what's that? That's crazy? I mean, that's hard. It's a good way to measure it. That's hard. I think points for dry r and I think that's hard to do. And that's I'm with you on the Kyler Murray front. If it is not this week against this defense, then when is it and who are you because they have been on non vertical offense marks Hollywood. Brann has worked well with Kyler, but the rest of it, it's just vertically. He of all starting quarterbacks, would you have ever thought we'd be here in week six and Kyler Murray would be sitting there at five point eight yards per attempt, the lowest among any starter. And it's that way. And the other thing for me is if you're gonna do it this week in the index right now? Well, you know the thing is like I think a lot of it is offense, but I have them outside the top ten at this point. Like he's just he was about Garoppolo. Well, Garoppolo to me has played well two weeks in a row. I mean very well. And I think that they don't question the no that but that's what I I know what shocking means. Yeah, I would not have him in the time. I don't think I think others would disagree with me to you, But I'm just saying your Cardinals slow starts week after week. Last week against the Eagles fifty yards on our first four drives. You've got to get out to a fast start against a terrible defense and show us. You can do something here in Seattle. The game for these two teams. I know it doesn't feel sexy, but one of these teams gotta be three and three. The d NFC is not great. I think it is wide open for one of these teams to be a wild card team, and I why not the Seahawks. That was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Also, you know, for the what is it the ninth overall pick in the draft that includes Gino Smith, Greg's new quote unquote favorite team and a big game for both teams, and yet Greg was like, no, this wasn't the game I was gonna pick. It wasn't. So I am a strategic band. Bills and Chiefs are late. I'd actually rather have the Dog Panthers Rams game as my game so I can still kind of keep an eye on Bill's Chiefs here and then I can watch, you know, on game pass and really focus it and enjoy. I could, but I wouldn't rewatch it on game passes only so much time in the week, you know, so this way I can really savor it. So this this Carol line of l a game we should you shouldn't like, say much on the Sunday Night joke, because you won't really be watching I will be watching it. I'm taking Panthers rams like that's his responsibility on something, it's his job. If he's he's telling us he's not going to really watch Professional or Hammond Egger. I'm not like Mark who has eight screens up, but I will have too, and so those two will be on Panther's rams, which will get my primary focus and Bill's chiefs, and I'm able to watch two games. I think you could watch two. Would you disagree? But you want to be in like a bubble bath at home with the rose pedals around you watching Gino? Yeah, kind of because I watched them live last week in a two games. You know, most people I would say that's ridiculous and you're lying. But I actually can picture Greg. I can see with with with like a haze of smoke in the brother you know, in the next half. I guess, like Kenny G. Sacks type, this is a big moment for Rams, not only Wife's in space, justin Tucker coming back. I mean the the Rams might lose my my wife, my wife uh and and my daughter. They won't my Amica's loyal uh, I didn't kill my wife loyal, But man, if they lose to the Panthers and go into the bye week two and four, it goes from a you're one of the stories of the league and you're quite disappointing to this is a disaster. You are the story of the league. I'm not sure if you're coming back. And and they're ten and a half point favorites this week, which is crazy to me. The Rams have been getting an insane amount of benefit of the doubt in Vegas all year. It makes no sense. I think they get a little boost in Carolina from getting Baker out of the lineup, and more importantly from getting a new head coach. There's usually that boost for like one week. Steve Wilkes is a defensive coach, that's where their talent is, and they're going up against a Ram's offense who's just not trusted to protect Stafford. So to me, this game is probably a one score game. I'm still taking the Rams, but I'm not expecting some blowout that it will require a Carolina to score points. With p J Walker, who I think he shows he's shown a few things and two starts, he also has eight interceptions over just a hundred and twenty two attempts. So he's an XFL star, and I don't love the situation against a Rams defense that is still star heavy. There thirty two, there's thirty second in yards per drive Panthers, I mean they've been a mess. Um. I get that removing Baker is a positive theoretically, but is p J. Walker a big step up? I don't know, Like, how about be the some of your parts? Like you do have a couple of skill position players on this offense and just simply have evaporated and gone invisible under bad quarterback play. But I mean this also feels like a get right game for the Rams on some level if you can keep Matthew Stafford up. I'm watching him week after week and thinking does this guy survive the season? The Rams are gonna win by three touchdowns. We have had Steve Wish on the Power Ranking Show UH this week and it was excellent. Check out the podcast UH because Steve always so many good takes, and Steve made the point, you know, things are very bad. Obviously, it's an unsettled situation. The coach got just got fired. Sometimes you can say, oh what about the interim coach boost a little bump that you get the week after. But the situation that the Panthers Wilkes is not set up to succeed or carry on beyond this season. You're now in the situation where all the other coaches, everyone's picking up the phone now and talking to their agent and checking around and looking toward the future. This is a ship that is has already sinking and is about to go under. And given p J Walker being the quarterback now on top of the Rams desperately needing the win. And I know they're not the Rams that they were in January and February, but this is a perfect spot for l A to to kick some butt, feel better about itself and move forward. So it's even a game where they can win thirty four to ten, and you're not like, oh, the Rams are fixed, because the Panthers are. They basically exist now to be a get right team. Their number thirty two in the power rankings. Um, So that's what I see. I don't see a close game, Greg, And if it is a close game, you're right, we are edging into boondoggle territory. Well, they're they're getting into a bye at the very least of You cannot lose this right, you can't lose it. But as long as you pocket a win, you get into the bye, you feel better about themselves. They're still banged up on the offensive line, Brian Allen. Their center isn't practicing. I believe their guard Edwards is still in concussion protocol. So I don't I don't trust him. And Steve Wilkes has got to change up this defense. He we didn't mention it, but he fired the defensive coordinator, Phil Snow. The snow but Heat fired Yeah, I think, yeah, I mean that's pretty rough. He basically said, we need to make change a special team's assistant to I mean, they're making I think. What happens in my guess, and there wasn't reporting on this is that he probably had a conversation Snow is running with defense, and Snow wanted to do things the way Snow wanted to do him. Wilkes is defensive guy, and he's like this nature does not predictable and it does not listen to outsiders. I'm nature. I don't care if you're like, I could still cash these checks by not working for the Panthers. I'm may be cold, no matter what might, go ahead and do that so you can tell me what to do or not to do. I'm gonna be who I am. I'm snow Greg. Let's wrap this thing up. I think there's only one game to Vikings and Dolphins are out there. I'm taking that. That's pretty interesting. Sorry, I was wanting, I was hoping that would fall. I'm gonna ask you for your help for the third early game I have. I wanted to send you a hot one there, but you're stuck watching the f C seth. I'd rather watch the Yeah you do love the South, that's right. Yeah he has he has the Colts as his last place team. Uh As I go get my lunch, So you got you gotta keep up with the neighbors, the vagrants that are system. It's also essentially the Mr. Irrelevant picks and the following week, so I gotta be on it. Wow. Plus this is a shot game Vikings Dolphins. Skyler Thompson will be starting this week. I found it very interesting that to Uh is able to pray this a little bit, but they know he's not gonna play. That's what coach Mike McDaniel said. But Teddy, who's not practicing. There's actually hope that he will get out of the concussion protocol and be ready to be the backup. But they liked the idea of Skyler Thompson with a week's worth of practice and game planning a minute over Teddy who's not going to be practicing. It kind of makes sense to me, though, if if you can get this guy ready and they really love how he operates. Um Between, Daniel loved him in the preseason. They loved him, and I think they look at it like putting him in mid game is one thing, but if they can get him ready to play, that's better than Teddy coming off a concussion. So here's the thing, Greggy. They they signed a one year, six and a half million dollar deal for Teddy. Right. That's a little strange to me that he would not play in this game if he was ready to play. I'm not surprised by anything I'm here about too. Obviously, they are in an impossible situation given the back story there, so they're gonna be extra cautious with him. Um if for no other reason the PR game, in addition to his health. Um, but that would surprise me. But I will say this though, Skyler Thompson played pretty well against the Jets. There were times, especially later in the game, when things started to go sideways, when he looked like a kid who was in over his head holding the ball too long, have to turn over on a sack fumble that essentially ended that game. But I could see a young coach like McDaniels saying, I like this guy, I don't want to get a longer look. It makes sense to right, he wasn't afraid. You mentioned on the deep shots he took that he got past there. You know the ball does not come flying out of his hand. I would say this is not a team full of guys with huge arms. That's not what Mike McDaniel looks for. But Skyler Thompson's a tick below two UH and Teddy for sure when it comes to arm strength. But how many points are you gonna need in this game? I it could be a lot, because the Dolphins defense has quietly been a total disappointment and is the reason why they've lost a couple of games here. They are thirty in the league in terms of third down defense, thirty one in the league and yards per drive allowed UH. Without xaving Howard, they are very thin at cornerback, very thin. It looks like Howard will return this week, which would be big for them, but their defense, which you would think would cook up Kirk Cousins in a normal scenario. They've been so good at blitzing and being creative. Hasn't really had their mojo at all this year. It's been a difference for this Benny Cousins um statistically struggles against the blitz, he struggles against man coverage. That's what the Dolphins want to do. The combo of those would make Cousins not a great drawl here, but you have justin Jefferson, and if it just depends, we get this version of Kirk Cousins where he goes seventeen for seventeen. It looks like a top five quarterback with weapons around him, and then they go totally dark into a deep nap for two quarters. It's like they're very streaky. I mean, that game was a little bit weird when I rewatched it. They they had a missfield goal, a block field goal, and then scored the touchdown to win it, So it wasn't like the total but he was money on that final drive to so and then they got the big stop on defense. Minnesota is a four and one team that is tough to kind of trust, but they are what their record is and I think they'll win this game. Is we're favored by three in this game is a tough I have one question for you on on Dan, how you view this the Tyreek Hill ripped into the locker room and removed the ping pong table. I mean that to me is the most absurd story over Yeah. I mean it tells me kind of like that was my last comment I was going to have on this game that I think that it's over for the Dolphins when I saw the headline. We're also a Jets fan on the heels, No, but just hold tight on this one. See what happens on the heels of a two game losing streak. This is from ESPN. Team captains including Tyreek Hill, Tehron Armstead, Xavian Howard, London Roberts, and Yavan Javon Holland decided the Dolphins locker room needed to refocus in preparation for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, so they removed the centrally located ping pong table from the locker room. Coach Mike McDaniels said of the announcement, he was pretty pumped about the decision. To him, I also agree with everything you guys said, Skyler Thompson. Give me a break this Dolphins defense against Justin Jefferson and Dal I'm locking up the vikings. What about the ping pong table, that's got to be one of the biggest drivers for you. Yeah. I mean, these guys need team chemistry. Now they don't have it. And by the way, if Tyree kill liked ping pong, that table is not going anywhere. But he doesn't play ping pong tables of it sounded like this ping pong table was intense, The tournaments were crazy. It was taking a lot of energy. Maybe people feelings were getting hurt crazy. I thought it was the massive brain injuries to all the quarterbacks, but apparently it's the ping pong table parlor sport. I do. Mike mcdatio's comment, that was two much, he said he talking about the removal. He said that to me is leadership. Leadership to me is acting, not talking. Oh that's come on, come on, you can't say you still believe after this report now, And to your point, I don't. I think Tyreek Hille does like ping pong, but he keeps losing in big spots and he can't take it. I think that's what's happening here. He's not He's not Tyreek Hill on the ping pong table, and he doesn't like that dynamic Mike Kasecki, who's got like a hundred yards this season, has crushing him and he doesn't it that does. I've shared this story, but I'll share it really quick because it's the ping pong story that I'll always have in my life. Is that when I lived in a rental house in the Hollywood Hills with my friend Bob and Jason, the voice of the show, and we had this ping pong outdoor table that we're all proud of and we played all the time. We got really good. Our neighbor was this guy Galen from Soap Operas, Big Soap Opera Star Days of our Lives. Uh, the show with the little Guy, Remember the little Guy, The show with a little person. It was like almost like a fantasy soap opera. Do not recall not a huge fewer of daytime. Okay, anyway, very handsome dude. Our neighbor Ellen and um, I remember him coming up the steps and like, hey, you want to play ping pong? And I was like, all right, let's let's do it. I was like, this guy is so handsome and basically everything you would want to be physically. And I'm like, well, this pretty boy, you know, I get to at least spank him in ping pong and that will make me feel good about it myself. The guy was an unbelievable pingo. Days of our Lives. Galen Garig, he was also in Um Passions, was the name of the soap opera, was a little man who was like a wizard whole other thing anyway, and Galen you still also talk about he knew what he was doing walking up there, and Days of our Lives. I'd asked him, like we would be working. What's going on with you with work and ba and how about you? It was like, oh, man, I got I'm a twin brother now, so that I gotta learn double the lines and it's really tough. And then he just smashed me in ping pong and I'd be like, Wow, this guy has hit all that would be hard to be a twin with his um, with his stage scenario. That's anybody that's works a little uh, show business talk here with a nice little show business interlude. People that work in soap operas, they they film and tape all the time and have to learn so much dialogue for their shooting. The factory a show a day. I was once you know a tour guy that NBC as a page and when we went by the days of the Days of our Lives set, we would always talk about how they're the hardest working people and show business, they really are unrecognized often so if you, if you care, reach out to Galen on social media and tell him he's a tremendous ping pong player. The old zeuser confirms, all right, let's close it out with Jaguars at Cults is bringing in the grave digger on this when he's our a f C South Consigliari and um, you have a Jaguars team that's searching a little bit on offense. Their young quarterback is struggling. They need to start finding some consistency, uh in their attack. And now you have a Colts team coming off the ugly Thursday night win. A win is a win and Jonathan Taylor developing news with her into practice for the Colts on Thursday. Huge development. You assume now if he's practicing in a limited fashion on Thursday without a setback, he will be back in the line of We will see if that ankle holds up. But that's a huge thing he had. He was big in week one. He looked like last year's Jonathan Taylor in Week one, but since he's been stimming with the rest of that attack. According to NFL research, his last two games are the two lowest yards per carry games of his career. So something not working with the Colts offense. And Ryan Kelly didn't practice on Wednesday. Not sure if he was back today, but that's also a huge loss. Their center Shaquille Leonard still dealing with a concussion, Quity Pay not practicing, and the Colts always struggle against Jacksonville. So both of these teams coming off games where they didn't very play very well. I wonder how this matchup a FC South Colts won the game. The cults are. There's a weirdly sad video of Matt Ryan going through the hallway in Denver after the game, kind of that we just won the game thing and that everyone's fired up. And it wasn't Matt Ryan who said it, but at some point some coal is running down the hallway and he goes to two and one baby, And there was something about the and one that just is sad like to to First of all, you're figured to be better than two two women to one baby. Their defense is playing well, it's kind of my point. I know they just got to play Denver, but their defense, I would say, is it better than average defense that has a good pass rush and should absolutely feel like they can stifle a Jaguars offense which has been pretty limited. It doesn't win a lot on the outside right now. And Trevor Lawrence doesn't exactly shoot straight. He's not playing poorly, but he just doesn't throw it where he aims it. And and uh, grave digger, I'm curious what you think because the Colts are not no strangers to pour starts and then getting hot October, November into December, do you think that's something to keep an eye on? Do you think the cults? Because this would be a good put it together game for the Colts. This would be in past probably you know, here we are now week six, mid October, you get the Jags that in your building, maybe you start to get on track. This would make sense. If they stink again, you're starting to get to a level where there's enough mounting evidence where maybe they're just bad, which I'm open to that as possibility. I'm curious what you think. I do think this is gonna be a typical Cults get better as the season goes along type of year, and and this could be a great place to start. But I also wonder how long Matt Ryan survives behind this offensive line because he's taken so many shots. But I don't necessarily think it would be bad for the Cults if Nick Foles was inserted as a starter. He's has a history with Frank that they're not gonna do it if Matt Ryan says healthy. But if one of these hits knocks him out of a game and then his career, Ryan, he takes a beating. You know, he's getting older now, obviously, but it's fair, it's good. But he lost in that game. He's looked lost. I'll see. That's a great point justin I mean, they lost twenty four. Nothing of the Jaguars who one sacks that Ryan's taken, five of them happen that day. That was a beat down. I think Michael Pitton was not in the line that that that afternoon. But they have not fared well against the Jaguars, who I think have a pretty good defense and can take advantage of a totally messy, discombobulated Coults line. Forty six point two percent of Ryan's throws are going be just just to the sticks or behind like they're not they're It's the highest rate in the league. They're a backwards horizontal offense. That to me, unless you get unless Jonathan Taylor is going to be the right version of Jonathan Taylor, I don't like the situation at all. And I there's four or five hits a game where Matt Ryan looks like Brad Pitt and meet Joe Black when he gets hit by the car in the middle of the road, right, Uh, it's like he didn't need to be hit by two cars and bounce up comically likely, even even now you remember the scene and exactly what happened because of the way that they work is it is it? Is it a famous scene or is an infamous scene? I think that's an important to I mean otherwise famous totally forgotten because it was terrible. This is the first Hopkins pretty good, the first rematch of the season, because these teams played in Week one and they already played again in weeks six two? Right or we uh yeah, we too? Um. I wonder if the year. I wonder if the Colts defense does anything different in this game because the last game they played like a very Shelly backup. Don't let anything good over the top of you and Lawrence just like decisively dice them up short quick passes the whole game and it worked for nothing. Wins. Be a little more aggressive. Gilmour is playing well. This is a huge game for Frank Craik. I know it's only Week six, you'd come back from it. But if you if you lose to the Jaguars in Week seventeen last year in a game that rocked your franchise, then you got shut out against the Jaguars in Week two, and then you lose this game at home. Somehow they're favored in this game. I'm picking the Jaguars. Uh, you lose this game at home again. It's getting late early for this whole thing. With an offensive line that makes more money than just about any offensive line in the league, and that they're the number one problems are so important. If he's healthy or close to healthy. I think the Colts will begin to get back on the right track. I'm not ready to say the Cults are the worst teams in the league, but it's we'll see. I think we're gonna learn, like you're saying. I think Greg, we're gonna learn a lot about both of these teams in this game. Claire for Lonnie very spicy. Also, before we say goodbye the lock of the week standings, let's check in on those. Zeuser still ahead at four and one, Greggy Grave Digger, and the West Brothers are Greg and Grave Digger three and two. West Brothers are two and three, and Mark at three and two. I don't again with the order of this, but so you're you're actually you have more wins than the West Bros. Bros. But you're listed behind them. Why was Mark at the bottom of the standings? What are we doing here from a production angle that this was in no particular order thing. We just do the lock standings up. I don't know. I know that's not true. You're very order and it's just that was just a board with the standards. I'm behind the glow merit a disorganized conglomerate of brothers. Wait, let me see that shot again of justin the I just saw Christie stable and wave her arm like she's saying taking responsibility? Is that what happened? Okay, So Chris, Christie's just saying Hi. Christie and Jack and Drew and I all came together to create the graphic and I think it's a great graphic. Every bit of this into the mind. All right. Um, that is it for the week six preview show Friday Fun Show, uh tomorrow where we recap Thursday night football Commanders at Bears, have some fun along the way, and then Sunday we will recap every game we just previewed. And I just remember, now Galen had this spin that he could hit the ball with some English. He put some English on it, and that was it was a rap. You know, I go in one way and then here it was a spin flying back the other way when he when he whipped you, did you decide I want to keep playing this guy over and over? Do we something not available when the game was happening in the rematch scenarios? I know, I was kind of a wrap after that. I said, I can't take my the ego is already taking any bashing right now, go back to your beautiful house and your perfect family. Galen, all right, good stuff. Thank you everybody for listening puting up with our shenanigans until Friday and then Sunday. Remember what you gotta do. He the Callah