2023 Week 5 Preview

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Speaker 1: The Around the NFL podcast.

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Speaker 2: Our hungry for a fifty.

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Speaker 3: Burger, I'll take a regular burger from the Chris Westling podcast studio.

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Speaker 1: It's Around the NFL.

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Speaker 3: I'm Dan Hansis I got heroes here, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. It is the official Week five preview show Draft edition. That's dog won't say no to a burger, No more, not.

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Speaker 1: Out of one, I mean, but also fifty burger we've already experienced in the first past, so the season of seventy burgers, So you're are we going to take it down a notch?

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Speaker 4: We're gonna accept less and people send it my way.

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Speaker 3: GREGI now because I've I've hit out against a big next gen about twenty one miles per hour. Yeah, it toss being It's like, well, surprise me Reek wooland chasing down a ball carrier of this past week hit twenty two and I know that's supposed to impress me, and it does. Beautiful athlete that Greek Wolan go from tuerk two Reek, it's offseason. I missed that and then everybody started doing it. And now this was my first maiden voyage of Riquel.

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Speaker 4: Why does it annoy me? It's it's his choice.

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Speaker 1: But it's like how many players are going to change their names, Like when I start to understand who they are, then they go in another direction, down a different scenam.

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Speaker 4: Nineteen ninety two. I was twelve years old and I had gone by Danny Hansis to that point wow, and I went to made the shift.

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Speaker 3: I went to my mom, I said, Mom, I think I want to go by Dan and she rubber stamped it and I'll always love her for that.

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Speaker 1: So you were twelve?

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Speaker 5: But was it hard at school? Did they not catch on for a while. I don't remember the branding being difficult.

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Speaker 4: I feel like it happened. It's a campaign, you know. I got to get the teachers involved.

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Speaker 2: My dad still hasn't really gotten well.

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Speaker 3: My family any any My family didn't transition, but they don't have to do that. But my point is, twenty two miles per hour is great. I want to see somebody with the ball in their hands at twenty two because it's different. I think you're right well out sprint chasing down You're right is impressive. I like, do you keep it back to me?

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Speaker 1: You keep issuing new demands, like we understand that when that happens, you'll need twenty three.

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Speaker 3: When Jon Robinson and maybe has to be on a different team hits the open field on a breakaway and he's going twenty two.

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Speaker 1: Are you impressed they? Are you impressed that Greg runs twelve miles an hour? Yes, for a man of his.

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Speaker 4: Age, that's great.

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Speaker 5: I mean he saw me on the softball field. That was very quivers pretty fast.

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Speaker 3: I think one of the reasons why the Shield was so successful is we had many types of players which every roster, no matter the sport. And Greg was that scrappy, pesky slap it through the whole take the extra base.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, it was the jack of all trades.

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Speaker 4: Defensively, you were You were a value add for us and I thank.

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Speaker 6: You for that.

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Speaker 4: It's a great one year signing, right, I believe it was a one year deal.

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Speaker 3: All right, This is like I said, the Draft edition of Around the NFL Week five already and let's get to it. The first overall pick is presented by Draft Kings. I'm gonna surprise you guys because it's not It's not a ker of a week in terms of matchups. There's no Bills Miami here. Good job by Gregy with the way things fell for him, he was able to take a no doubter or So I'm looking up and down this list and I'm saying, what's the game that I most want to watch? And this is gonna be a surprise because one of the teams barely squeaked out their first win last week. But the first overall pick will be Chiefs at Vikings. And I'm gonna tell you, Okay, I'm gonna tell you why.

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Speaker 4: First of all, I always have a soft spot for the Vikings and Kirk Cousins. I just enjoy watching them. They may not be good, but they're never boring.

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Speaker 3: And you have a Chiefs team coming off a battle here against the Jets on Sunday night where and you saw the on social media it was floating around there. That was the first game ever where Patrick Mahomes was outplayed and they had different metrics for what that means to be outplayed, and with Zach Wilson, so you know Mahomes, it doesn't sit well that that was the stage he was on and that's how he performed. Even though they won that game with some hope from the officials. My analogy here the Vikings and by the way, this is a Chiefs laying four and a half and a fifty three over under. And that's part of my point here. The Vikings are like a big dumb golden retriever. They're cute and they they're fun to play with, and they're and in general you like to hang out with them. But they also do stuff like relieve themselves in the house, or chew up things when they're bored, and and and make bad decisions.

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Speaker 1: Run away a lot.

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Speaker 3: And it's just like, oh my god, this thing is so dumb. But it's it's it's cute and it's fun to have around. And the Chiefs are like this professionally trained German shepherd and it's it's been through battles, that's been tested. It knows when to attack and knows when to behave it's it's beautifully trained. I like the idea of the Chiefs going into Minnesota, into this environment where you have this big dumb retriever running around all over the place and drawing out some a little bit more excitement out of the trained German shepherd and let let's have some fun and let's throw the ball around the yard and let's have a nice shootout in Minneapolis between the Chiefs and Vikings.

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Speaker 2: And you got Tony Romo on the call. That adds a little I.

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Speaker 1: Like that too, Nanson Romo with Tracy Wolfson, and it's not a surprise to me. Romo on Patrick Mahomes. That's a new concept.

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Speaker 5: But the thing about the Chiefs is they're quite different though this year.

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Speaker 2: So I find that compelling.

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Speaker 5: I know you like, for instance, Mark the Rams are like they have a different feel to the Rams and they've had the best packers. I know the Chiefs aren't quite there because it's Mahomes and it's Andy Reid, but they are rather different. I mean, the receiver issue is an issue. Travis Kelce has had a relatively slow start to the season. I think their most dynamic wide receiver is a gentleman named Rashie Rice, who on a team like mine Soda would be the number four receiver. So it's like they're really not that talented in terms of their wide receivers. But their team, their fans really think this is the best defense we've ever had.

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Speaker 2: Are they though?

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Speaker 5: I mean they weren't great last week, Like this is a good test for them against a good Minnesota offense and more importantly, I think long term for the Chiefs, I really love the way they ran the ball against the Jets, the way they've run the ball the last couple of weeks. We know the offensive line is good, and seeing the Chiefs be able to run the ball in key spots is a little different with Pacheco than they have been throughout the course of the Mahomes era. I know Pacheco was a big factor last year. He's even bigger factor this year. And I think that's where you can get after this Vikings defense, which is improved this year. They're not the total sieves that they were a year ago. Yeah, you're right.

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Speaker 1: I mean, like, so the Chiefs have six players with one hundred plus receiving yards from one side one pov. It's like, well, they're versatile, They're spreading the ball around. They've got a lot of different ways to move it from another angle. It's like this is kind of part two of the post Tyree Kill world, where last year they deserve and received a ton of credit for figuring it out winning the Super Bowl, and it was it was without a true star wide receiver. It was like a patchwork a group of guys. It feels a little less effective through the air this time. I mean, I thought he threw a terrible interception last week Mahomes, but then everyone like freaks out when that happens. It's like he's still allowed to do that. And I think they can work their way through the mistakes, and I think they'll probably look a little different even a month from now than they do. I like the Golden Retriever thing. The Vikings vibe that way to me. I don't think that Bryce Young felt that way when Harrison Smith was coming at Hi about one hundred and sixty two miles an hour and blew him up three times. Hey, Bryce, you know feel it? Well, that's a different guy. They don't know. Team in the league blitzes more than the Vikings. But I don't think that matters against Mahomes. He's proven that time.

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Speaker 4: I'd be that against Mahomes. But aggressive, that's who they are on the floor.

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Speaker 1: So I really do think this defense has a different kind of energy to it. They're attacking, this is a this is a matchup that doesn't help in that situation. It helps against Bryce Young with a terrible offensive line and he can't see the it's not so helpful when Patrick Mahomes, who I think in the last two years has added like he's always he always was a good scrambler, but what we've seen in the last last season in to start this year, his work on the ground is like this whole other level up aspect of Mahomes that makes them so dangerous, like especially on third and long, especially in the red zone. It's like he's getting better really well.

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Speaker 5: I don't think they planned on this, it's just been necessary. But you're right, he's the most valuable rushing quarterback in the league right now according to QBR and I get it because every time he runs the ball it's a first down and that's part of how they measure it. But his yards per game, it's way higher than it's ever been. And I know it's against Carolina who's had some struggles defensively, but I was really encouraged by the way the Vikings blew open holes in the running game.

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Speaker 2: Wow, they looked really.

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Speaker 5: In sync last week and Madison ran well and Akers ran well, and they added some new elements to their running game. And I think that's the way you can slow down the chief. So if that's consistent, and this is a pretty good offense at the Minnesota Vikings.

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Speaker 3: I think you got a good We knew that right, like we knew this is we know they were going to repeat last year running game.

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Speaker 5: I was starting to have my doubts in last week. They really they I think they were like six seven yards per carry.

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Speaker 2: They were really good.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and I'm with you, like the idea that Kansas City's defense is way better this year. I'm kind of into your theory you've been kind of putting out there the last couple weeks.

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Speaker 1: Greg. Like defense, it's so much up.

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Speaker 3: The dependent and like a quote unquote good defense or a well coached defense with skilled players, they're gonna make average and bad teams look terrible and then make your defense look great. But let's see what the case defense looks like against Kirk Cousins when he's locked in and Justin Jefferson and Madison get loose and these wide receivers that are doing things besides Justin Jefferson and t J. Hockinson, who's such a great fit for their offense. I love this game. Can't wait to watch you guys before we move along. Yeah, Hey, Eric, hey, everybody, I'm a done. By the way, it's doing good. I was talking to you the other day about it. It's the human body is pretty crazy. Yeah, it is growing back normal, it's but what about the sci fi aspect of.

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Speaker 6: Nothing gnarly, nothing too crazy. It's kind of upsetting. I know, it feels a little weird.

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Speaker 4: Have you caught anybody you know their eyes drifted?

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Speaker 1: No?

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Speaker 6: No, because I mean just based on what it was like to start. You saw the picture how yeah they look mangled. I mean it just looks like.

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Speaker 3: You know how people talk, like when the word was trickling through the office that yeah, oh yeah, Eric, you know he works with the podcast team. Great guy, you know, sneaky, good looking. Yeah, and all this like, uh did you see you hear about his stumb? He lost half his hand, like you know how the people talk. So have you noticed anybody kind of just No, I think news is spread. That's like, hey, he doesn't have a nub, so I'm not as cool anymore. But before we move along in the draft, guy, wait a minute, good check out.

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Speaker 1: But if human beings changed, like you're you literally are a human where your thumb is growing back, I've never heard of this before, Like I did Van Go's ear grow back, like there's a lot of examples of like losing body parts. They're not like, Oh, then suddenly two months later, ears returned, Like I don't I want to I need to see it.

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Speaker 6: I think I had enough of it remaining to kind of just make up for the lack.

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Speaker 1: Of casting doubt on Eric's story. I I it's an area where I'd like to have an eyewitness, like you.

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Speaker 2: Know, I mean I have had some good picture.

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Speaker 1: I have a picture I can show you. Well, we'll deal with that off.

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Speaker 4: I think I think on Bounce and Go chopping off his ear was good for his career, and we probably don't leg there's no medical follow up.

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Speaker 2: He got a lot of pop.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, not the worst, not the worst thing for Eric.

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Speaker 1: I don't think it's I don't think he was in a great place when he did that, Mango.

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Speaker 4: But that's fine. You're right, it was a nice career move.

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Speaker 6: But okay, yeah, before we move on in the draft, guys, that's what we're doing. Yes, we do have somebody else who wants to weigh in on this. Chief Vikings game. Has he come out of the darkness?

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Speaker 1: Hello?

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Speaker 3: Heroes with the Showman Nick starting us off zero and two on the season.

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Speaker 1: We decided to guess what, No.

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Speaker 4: Eddie, they're not lockable at this point.

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Speaker 2: Now back he's sitting over here with his Tom Brady jersey.

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Speaker 1: On Ah, I love it. I think this week we'll go with the new goat. Here are we going with Mackie?

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Speaker 2: The Jeeves, Patrick Mahomes the new goat?

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Speaker 1: Lock it up? All right? So Nick cast out, Well, big chair, it's a performance related business.

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Speaker 5: Wow, Phil and his great son Mackie. We're in a fantasy that our kids are in a fantasy league with him. And uh wow, Mackie. I think he's only about twelve or thirteen. I'm not sure how old Mackie is at this point, but he was giving me the business uh on text this week, giving me grief, saying he that his dad can't pay the rent because of the old rain maker.

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Speaker 1: Well, we've been warning you about that is a real Now let's come now, it's you know, come home to roost.

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Speaker 4: Have you thought any more about little bucktooth Susie?

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Speaker 5: You know that's He also said, how come Nick got a code for NFL Plus and we didn't. I mean, he comes with the hard question and we're working on everybody looking for handouts these days.

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Speaker 7: That was the game of the Week presented by Draft King sports Book. New customers can bet us five dollars and get two hundred in bonus bets. Instantly download the Draft King sports app and use code ATN that's code ATN only at Draft King sports Book. Draft King sports Book an official sports betting partner of the NFL.

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Speaker 4: The second pick in the draft goes to Mark. All Right, you are right.

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Speaker 1: It's an interesting landscape and I kind of like it because I sometimes reached with my pick and then it's like, oh, it's a bad draft pick. Look, it's like it's the.

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Speaker 4: Game I want to watch. So what's the other measuring stick?

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Speaker 1: Okay, we got it, all right. Anyways, I am going Carolina, who are getting ten points in this game against Detroit. I'm on.

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Speaker 4: I want this Lion's team.

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Speaker 1: I told you last week, like I choose when I become organically interested in something, and it's not when I'm told to. And a year ago I was sort of, you know, we're making this thing, and it's like, I appreciate it was a logical team of atl pick, but I like them now Now I like them and they're interesting to me, and I love who they are. They're a team to me from another generation on some level. Well welcome.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, it's like once actung babyk Okay, I know, I know, I know, I know the two of you will spin it in a way that you can walk around the hallways giggling at.

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Speaker 4: But it's like, I literally am just there.

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Speaker 1: I like them now because I like them, and I love the fact that like they've changed a lot uh to me on defense especially. I mean they are a team that is allowing sixty yards per game on the ground, best in the NFL. That tells me, right there, checkulator Panthers. There's no way out for a low octane Panthers offense that looked completely lost last week against those Vikings and made the Vikings defense look like a monster.

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Speaker 4: I mean they punished Bryce Young uh left and right.

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Speaker 1: I never thought David Montgomery, I never liked the what they did with their with their backfield, to be honest, when they got rid of Swift and like the rest of the crew, and you bring in Dave Montgomery, who I never was as big of a fan of as like some of our people in the building here, and like he was Hughes used like thirty two times last night last week for a twenty one yards, the single biggest workload of the season. It works. They can run the ball, they got a great offensive line. Jared Goff right now is PFF's number three quarterback. I think that's fair. I think it's like we talked about it yesterday with Nick Chuck and Key Index.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, nothing braggy there. That just makes sense.

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Speaker 1: It's it's a little it's a little escalated from I think who I think the player is, but like you got to base it off his actual performance this year, and it's like he's always fit in this offense and I'm all right with him.

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Speaker 5: It's like any Dalton was like number five for them last year, which is I think those types of quarterback pretty well with PFF. Guys that don't make mistakes and they throw.

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Speaker 4: Gough doesn't make.

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Speaker 1: Gough not did not make mistakes down the stretch last year and he's not made and that was sort of his calling card. Under pressure, he'd start to see ghosts and create chaos. And I just don't see how the Carolina Panthers right now, Like I watched them last week and it's.

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Speaker 2: Like the they.

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Speaker 1: Seem to be going in the wrong direction, and in fact, I think, like, I don't, I know you want to I know you want to like grow Bryce Young, I be I'm concerned about where Bryce Young is at this point, and I think Andy Dalton would give him a better chance to win. But that's not what we're doing it. Bryce Young on passes of under ten yards has a ninety nine point two like rating. Okay, yes, like that's what their offenses like a massive amount of their yardage and their completions are behind or at the line of scrimmage. On throws of ten plus yards, is rating dips to twenty five point one. He's struggling downfield. They don't got a great cast of weapons, and I just don't see how you stop a Detroit team that right now feels like they're just a rock rolling downhill.

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Speaker 2: I thought that was Bryce Young's best game.

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Speaker 5: I did go back to watch that one to see on the coach just from just like where's this guy at?

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Speaker 2: And look, I don't think they were dominated.

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Speaker 5: They had four drives of over ten plays ten eleven, fifteen to fifteen, and it just shows how unexplosive they are that they're working so hard, like at the end of the game, they need to score a touchdown and they go on a seven minute drive to get in position for it. That ends horribly, where Bryce Young did absolutely look like a rookie. But I'm not that worried because I think he makes pretty good decisions. He looks comfortable in the pocket, and the situation around him is so bad that I think that's been a little underrated. They are dead last in the NFL and run block win rate, maybe the worst running team in the NFL. What do you want to give a young quarterback like a good running game? They are twenty sixth in uh DVOA. In terms of their defense, their defense is terrible, Like they're dead last in run defense. As a defense, they can't get off the field defensively, and I feel like Bryce Young has taken everything and he hasn't looked good. But I thought he looked a little better coming off the buy where it's like he's come out better than some rookie quarterbacks where it's a fiasco. I think this is a very tough matchup and it's it's ultimately not gonna look good for him, But like, long term, I'm not that concerned because the first month of a guy's career. It can lie to you, you know, like RG three was way ahead of Russell Wilson and maybe even Andrew Luck that year.

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Speaker 1: All right, so hold on, like just so I don't get like a bunch of hot takers coming. I'm not ill fading his career. No, I know he's not been impressive. I want to point to one drop, and it's the whole offense. It's not just on Bryce Young, but day at a point where they had seven shots inside the eight yard line to generate points and it was a hoajpoge of drops, incomplete passes, poorly thrown passes, field goal And you're right, it took him a long time to get down to.

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Speaker 5: That's like, to me, that's partly coach, because I think he's showing he can. We've been on We've been on the Frank Reich thing like all season. I think this is not Frank Reik, who's maybe a little over celebrated. Is like what he's going to bring to you out of the gate, Like their offense isn't that creative. They're not doing a lot with Bryce Young that puts Bryce Young in a great place. And you're right, they don't have a ground game and they're facing the best run defense.

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Speaker 3: Panthers had a real chance in that game last week. They were up thirteen to seven inside the Minnesota thirty and then Bryce doesn't hold on to the ball, leads to the touchdown, and then you know, the vision and that stuff.

00:18:53
Speaker 1: He's going to learn.

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Speaker 3: But Harrison Smith is doing the same thing over and over again, and he's just not sensing Harrison Smith is coming off the edge flying, and that leads to the end of the game. And and but like I also, yeah, definitely saw things he does. Maybe this is just a me thing, but I don't like small quarterbacks I kind of style, and he just feels you know that that gets me nervous. But that's also not fair because you know, he's been successful his whole life so far. But they even said during the telecast, like, hey, this isn't Alabama anymore. Like when these guys are flying off the edge, they're not just looking to take you down, they're looking to take the ball away. So he's learning, and maybe he's not at at the level where maybe CJ. Stroud is right now, or maybe it's more a situation than set up. But overall, yes, I thought there was progress last week, and I don't think he's by any means like a mate, like, oh my god, is this a Zach Wilson situation.

00:19:47
Speaker 1: Lance like I'm not there with him.

00:19:49
Speaker 3: But I think maybe he's he's suffering a little bit because the other young quarterbacks taken around him are doing well and jumping out early.

00:19:57
Speaker 1: On to works. But also, I mean, i'd say they're not in that game. They were in that game because of the offense. They're in that game because of a ninety nine yard pick six on Kirk Cousins and other various writings gaffs the payment a position to score.

00:20:08
Speaker 5: And partly because they just kept the ball for so long, which is like that, That's what I mean, where he he's not going to wow you, and he's he's not there yet and it's meant to right. This is a spot where like the Lions are out of the lock zone. What a world we're living in. That's got to be a first in the history is NFL. It's ten points. And the one thing I didn't I wish I had hit when I did the TNF freak up with with JP Acostu did a great deal was just man, the way this Lions team has looked and the way Branch fro Laporta specifically, we're just fantastic have come out of the gates, and I think it's okay to raise your expectations. Are ready for Lions fans. Lions fans were there, but we're now looking at them. It's like, it's okay to see this team and say they're like a top seven or eight team in the NFL etender. They can reasonably expect that, Like, we have a great chance to not just make the playoffs it's been a while, but to win a playoff game and to compete in the NFC, and man, even just winning a playoff game. I was talking to Cynthia Freeland, our friend Lines fan, like she was like, I think that would make me cry. I don't even need to get to a super Bowl if they win a playoff game. And I'm expecting them at this point to be at home and have a playoff game because I think they're gonna win their division and and maybe we favored in that game and win that game and who knows after that.

00:21:19
Speaker 2: It's wild.

00:21:19
Speaker 1: I would say, Dan, you get this as a Jets fans when the Browns beat the Steelers, like, yeah, they went on and was like just house money at that point, like to see them win that playoff game you were waiting. I understand where Cynthia is coming from. Brian Branch though did not practice Wednesday. I just read that. I'm on Rossain Brown did not practice today on Thursday. Josh Reynolds is banged up, so it's not them at their full compliment.

00:21:40
Speaker 4: Unsolicited advice.

00:21:42
Speaker 3: You're a good enough team where if you're going to rest some guys Branch limping all over the field last Thursday night, take care of business against the Panthers and and if you have to rest a couple guys, do that. I feel that commident about Detroit right now because I don't think this has been like out of nowhere, like the defense. The thing I really love about what the lines have done, and they've surprised me. And I think you mentioned the Jets and you mentioned the Browns before the season, I kind of was lumping the Lions and as these sad sack franchises that get their fan bases hopes up with a good close to a season and then they fall in their face a little bit when when the actual expectations go up. Instead, what Dan Campbell and the rest of this team have done, They've leveled up and they all the growth at the end of last season has now gone to the next level in this season. And that's the sign of a team that is really becoming a potential. Yeah, as you said, real deal can tender.

00:22:30
Speaker 4: And Jamison Williams Beck We'll see what happens with him.

00:22:33
Speaker 5: Yeah, it sounded like he might not even play him because not much least injury.

00:22:37
Speaker 2: We'll see.

00:22:38
Speaker 3: I've it might be premature, but I've already reached a stage where like, we'll see what he gives them.

00:22:43
Speaker 5: It's been a weird career. Greg, You're up third pick, all right, I am going to take a late game. I'm going to take Eagles coming across the street to the Rams. Eagles favored by four and a half. We got the Fox A team, Kevin Burke, r Greg Olsen, Rinaldi's in the house on a four oh five game.

00:23:04
Speaker 2: He's that too often.

00:23:06
Speaker 4: You check out that commercial he's playing against type that show's rain. I know he's there. You talk about Thespians that also just double his reporters.

00:23:12
Speaker 1: That's him.

00:23:13
Speaker 5: It's like he usually Aaron Andrews doesn't even know what a four. She's never had a four h five game before this. This is different.

00:23:20
Speaker 3: But I feel like this was the either the first or second pick, but not a reach mark. You do what makes you happy?

00:23:26
Speaker 2: I uh, I love this game? This Uh what.

00:23:30
Speaker 1: Did you take?

00:23:31
Speaker 4: I was gonna take this game if I didn't take mine. I like I will I I liked your strategy.

00:23:36
Speaker 1: I like to pick a couple of games that I'm excited to see as the week goes forward, and this this would fill Plus I can see it out the window.

00:23:42
Speaker 5: Yeah, it'll be a great, great shot of like Eagles fans.

00:23:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, it'll be a Loing beer going Number one fans.

00:23:49
Speaker 5: It'll be a lot of Eagles. Look, this is a great test for both teams. I actually think it's a great test for the Eagles defense, which has been a little disappointment, little disappointed, But I think starting with the Rams, it's just a great test of this offensive line, which has been a pleasant surprise in what they did last week. In the run game and the way that it's not that wide zone team anymore. They're more of a power running scheme now, and it's you're starting to see dividends and then an even bigger test of this defensive line than this defense, which is held up just well enough to let the offense look great. Because this Eagles offensive line, and really both their lines week after week seemed to be gaining momentum, and their offense played fantastic last week, and you just I just have a hard time seeing that this Rams defense can slow them down. And so when Cooper Cup potentially returns for this game, we don't know, but he did practice, according to McVeigh fully, even though they listed him as limited, they said he was doing everything. Is the Rams offense good enough? Because I really love this Rams offense. Is it good enough with Cup to keep up in a total shootout? And I think they could as long as that hip isn't a problem with Stafford. I think this game could be in the thirties And then I'm loving life at four.

00:25:06
Speaker 1: This is why like like so Jordan Rodrigue wrote like this awesome article about the fact that Sean McVay, who was you know, married to wide Zone forever like has changed the round game entirely to this gap scheme, and they lead the league and gaps scheme run usage and It's like that is just another like bullet point of like why this RAMS team, which I had some Rams exhaustion. We live in LA. It's in your face all the time for a long period of time. It's like the status is.

00:25:33
Speaker 5: I mean you were exhausted before, not really very much, not in our actually hasn't been post super Bowl.

00:25:38
Speaker 1: But when they arrived, like and we were in Culver City, yes it was. I think some of us were well more we wanted to welcome it more than others. I was a little resistant this. Sean McVay though, like is doing the coaching job of the year right now. It's like I kind of think the team is like they're not they're rebuilding, but like they're here today and and I think this is like an incredible test because if you Cooper cup back and I think the stafford hip thing, I mean, if we're worried about a calf injury, like a hip injury could heat up at some point, and like he couldn't walk after that thing, really after last week's sea.

00:26:09
Speaker 5: He says he'll be fine, but he's talking about like adrenaline will get me through.

00:26:13
Speaker 1: No.

00:26:13
Speaker 4: I don't like hearing that.

00:26:14
Speaker 1: That's I don't like that.

00:26:15
Speaker 3: I have major concerns about any professional athlete dealing with the hip injury, and older quarterback dealing with the hip injury. Guy's not mobile as it is, so you're gonna potentially have a situation where that could be aggravated easily. So I have concerns about that. I love everything else about the Rams, I agree. I think Sean McVay right now is the Coach of the Year front runner. It's very early. Greg doesn't like talking about awards this early, but I do.

00:26:40
Speaker 4: Because of what he's been able to do here building this team on the fly. And that's from DFF DAN Football Focus.

00:26:46
Speaker 1: Sure, I like, do you check that you pay a premium for that?

00:26:51
Speaker 3: I think we get a free account as thirty nine ninety nine a week. I charge It's I do terrible business. It doesn't do anything. But yeah, like and all this talk, remember all the talk.

00:27:02
Speaker 4: I know that they're not gangbusters, but remember all the talk about like, oh my god.

00:27:06
Speaker 3: This Los Angeles defense, right, they don't have anybody. They got Aaron Donald a bunch of guys. So the fact that they've been able to be competitive week in and week out, and the offense has been very good, and now you have one of the top five receivers in the league. Hopefully that hamstring is right and they're playing this the right way. Love the game, hate the hip injury, and I just hope it's not something that's going to ruin their season.

00:27:30
Speaker 5: Yeah, they came into this year. We talked about the thirty draft picks that they had or whatever. They have the thirty rookies because they have twenty undrafted guys and you think of who they're getting out of this class right now. Everyone knows Pukinakua, you know, one of the Rookie of the Year candidates. But they've got a guy in Steve Avila at guard that I think they believe is a future pro bowler who's already a plus starter.

00:27:51
Speaker 2: And then they have two starters on defense.

00:27:55
Speaker 5: In Kobe what is his name, Kobe Turner who's playing solid, and then our Dresser and Byron Young. That's four starters. That's a big time rookie class. And they're going against the Eagles, who got a lot of attention for their rookies and the way Jalen Carter's playing like these are rookies that have stepped in and kind of looked like Pro bowlers right off the bat, which which is just wild. The Eagles got to clean up their red zone though they're one of the worst teams in the league surprisingly in the red zone on both sides of the ball.

00:28:23
Speaker 4: I think that will clean. That's the kind of thing that I just think.

00:28:25
Speaker 1: I do think the new coordinator thing has helped, like or has had an impact. I mean they think they don't, ye right. I think we're finding out like how special stiking was. And it's kind of like when Frank Reich left the Eagles, and it's like, is it was Frank Reich kind of the the BRAINI act behind all this. It's like I think it's a group thing, but like Stikeen's loss affects them a lot. The one thing though, like when they've had these issues through their air and aj Brown blew up last week, but the ground game has been insane, and like I think that's the thing for the Rams. Like I look back at that Eagles drive after the Commanders went down the field of at fourteen play March last week and the Eagles come back tied up at seven seven, But that DeAndre Swift touchdown, there is not there's no one near him. He blasted at the end zone and there's like eight there's eight yards between him and anyone else. It's like they're better at that than anyone in the league. They have more yards to rush before contact than anyone else, And it's like where does that stat come from? Like wide open gaps before someone in a second layer is finally touching you.

00:29:19
Speaker 4: Last week, the storyline that people were trying to push is what's wrong with the Eagles passing game?

00:29:24
Speaker 3: Then they threw the ball over the yard and now it's like the Eagles four and oh but okay, I'm just not interested and we've been doing it.

00:29:32
Speaker 5: Like that's okay to multiple things can be true. They were a mediocre path, but like.

00:29:36
Speaker 3: What, why are we nitpicking with this team? They're a juggernaut there. Maybe they're figuring some things out early, but there are so many other teams with much larger pressing issues.

00:29:45
Speaker 1: The Eagles are just taking care of their business.

00:29:46
Speaker 4: They were just so perfect during the regular season last year that it's like.

00:29:50
Speaker 3: Maybe that's what it is, right, but I just can't be convinced to get worried.

00:29:53
Speaker 1: They're just too talented.

00:29:54
Speaker 4: Don't spend your time DFF doesn't on that road, would I would?

00:29:59
Speaker 1: We don't?

00:29:59
Speaker 5: All right, Greg, all right, I'm going to take the Houston Texans at the Atlanta Falcons. Falcons favored by two at home.

00:30:13
Speaker 4: Wow. I mean that's a lot of respect.

00:30:15
Speaker 2: These teams aren't that close to.

00:30:17
Speaker 3: Me, A lot of respect for a team that maybe hasn't earned such things.

00:30:20
Speaker 4: I mean two points at home, though, is telling you, we're saying we don't get you.

00:30:23
Speaker 5: Okay, And I teased this on Monday, meant to bring it up yesterday, But I mean, this Texans team, at what point do we gotta talk about them as like a real team now? Maybe even a team of atl because whoa Hey, when I got home last Sunday night, and I was thinking, if I feel like it, I'll watch the games when I get home. Sometimes they don't. Whatever felt like it? Which team did I want to go watch?

00:30:49
Speaker 4: Wait, let me just picture. Greg draws a bubble bath, lights some candles.

00:30:53
Speaker 5: Well this, actually, I'm glad you mentioned that guy. That all reminds me of our friend Chris Westling, who's a big chick parm hero. He he loved to watch in a bath. He would talk about it quite a bit that was buried in my yeah. And he was the one that this was his big test of like what team is exciting him the most? Which team does he want to watch? Sunday night and Nick Westling and it just says that I had had these thoughts of like, which team do I want to watch?

00:31:19
Speaker 4: I want to watch c J.

00:31:20
Speaker 2: Stroud and Nico Collins. I want to see what's going on with them. I want to see them. I want to see them destroy a Steelers team.

00:31:25
Speaker 4: Your family's like, haven't seen you in fourteen hours? Have a nice bath.

00:31:28
Speaker 2: They're asleep. They're asleep. I mean, well, I'mica's not but she she's not interested.

00:31:33
Speaker 4: Happens one of the bathroomstairs.

00:31:36
Speaker 1: Uh.

00:31:37
Speaker 5: Nick that night or maybe it was the next night, texted me the first the first team I want to watch right now is c J. Stroud And I was like, oh, is this a sign signed from I don't know where that like, that's the first team he wants to watch.

00:31:49
Speaker 2: And it's not just c J.

00:31:50
Speaker 1: Stroud.

00:31:50
Speaker 5: First of all, sixty nine to twenty three over the last two weeks against two good enough teams. Those are two more blowouts. I looked it up at two seventeen plus point blowouts you row for, that's not easy to do. For instance, the Minnesota Vikings have not won a single game. Pretty good team, they're big dumb dame in four years though, four years? Like, how many games have the Jets won by twenty points in the last handful of years?

00:32:13
Speaker 4: There aren't that many French weird example, Yeah, but my point is it's a different example once, just one.

00:32:18
Speaker 5: Well, the Vikings I think are a good one because they've been there.

00:32:20
Speaker 2: They've been winning a lot of games.

00:32:22
Speaker 5: It's not easy to blow teams out, like this team might just be good. And when I look at Nico Collins especially, I want to highlight him, like I was not familiar with your work, young man. I mean, I did not know that he was a true one. He is a six foot four giant that makes people miss in open space. You don't those guys who are like kind of the tall, thin profile, like an AJ Green type, they usually don't move that well in the open field. He is a true one, and you've got a true great quarterback. I'm into this team. They're gonna win this game, by the way.

00:32:54
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:32:54
Speaker 3: And it's funny because you're like, when is it time to take them for real or whatever. And it's like I was looking for, you know, at home against the Niners, like some type of like real fun game.

00:33:05
Speaker 1: The Bills.

00:33:06
Speaker 3: On the schedule, they have at Atlanta home, Saints at Carolina home, Bucks at Cincinnati.

00:33:14
Speaker 4: Okay, maybe maybe, but we don't even know anymore. Home Arizona home, Jaguars home Broncos, got Jets, the schedule at Tennessee home the South team Cleveland.

00:33:24
Speaker 5: They all play each other in both conferences. The schedules are preposterously.

00:33:28
Speaker 1: This is setting up.

00:33:29
Speaker 4: It's like a nine game carpet.

00:33:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean this is setting up if if Stroud continues to build on this as yeah, one of the biggest surprise in the league and a double digit win team, they're getting way ahead of ourselves.

00:33:40
Speaker 4: But it's look at the schedule and look at the.

00:33:42
Speaker 1: Progress that we've seen in the first four weeks.

00:33:45
Speaker 4: I don't think it's flukey. I think there's some things happening here.

00:33:47
Speaker 1: And it starts with the coaching staff that's like really well picked and works well with the players here. Denico Ryan's like, I mean, I always kind of felt from the beginning like they finally found their guy after like two years of one and done chaos. They put it on the Jaguars three hundred and sixty six yards the week before three hundred and eighty nine on a pretty good Colts defense that I like parts of four hundred and fifty one yards against the Steelers. And they haven't been running the ball that well, and they've had a ton of offensive line injuries and I think part of the Bobby Slowick situation is that. And you see this in the it's a Shanahan guy. I know that gets tiresome, but it's like, you work with offensive line deficiencies and they have used those pass protection issues and turned around and add absolutely like a flood of screens and quick release passes that like mitigate that and put their rookie quarterback unlike the one we just talked about in a good situation.

00:34:37
Speaker 2: They got that run game going last week. Finally they do.

00:34:39
Speaker 1: Here's the one thing in this game, though I think they're not perfect. They are thirtieth in the league in run defense. By some Mesags are the worst run defense in the league. So if you're the Falcons, and the Falcons to me are backed up against a wall, they can only do one thing well. But if they're gonna do it well, you do it well this week. Otherwise, I mean, I know where I was a month ago with the Falcons. Like this to me, is Arthur Smith's kind of like, are you going to acknowledge what we all see?

00:35:03
Speaker 4: We talked about this on Sunday Night?

00:35:05
Speaker 1: Is this like another situation where Arthur Smith is kind of like George Bush saying like mission accomplished, Like well to go, way to go, Brownie, Or it's like, can we.

00:35:12
Speaker 4: Acknowledge that there's more work to do here?

00:35:13
Speaker 1: And if you want this team that has a good roster of a chance, if Ritter is, you know, absolutely melting again, You've got Taylor heineke.

00:35:20
Speaker 2: Kis and he goes way to go, Brownie. It's just like a great great riff.

00:35:25
Speaker 3: It's funny that you brought up GW because I actually think about not GW on the aircraft carrier.

00:35:33
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:35:34
Speaker 3: When I think of Arthur Smith and where he's at right now, I think of GW in the elementary school classroom and somebody that's dark and getting his ear and telling him something that he needs to react to, and instead of acting, he's sitting.

00:35:48
Speaker 4: Reading a children's people.

00:35:49
Speaker 3: He's ruminating and he's wondering what he should do when it's very apparent he needs to do something. But he's deciding to stick with his quarterback for now, and we'll see if that pays off and it makes him look smart and.

00:36:07
Speaker 5: Or again against you know a very famous famous Texans you know fan, George HW.

00:36:15
Speaker 4: Bush and you so right now you have Arthur Smith.

00:36:18
Speaker 1: You have Arthur Smith reading the pet goat to his team here on Thursdays to prepare for the.

00:36:23
Speaker 5: Lot of George Bush content fun two and two game. But yes, I was feeling the Falcons coming into the year. You never know what's going to happen, and I guess, I guess stick a pin in it. But I'm I'm thinking about the Texans here movie.

00:36:35
Speaker 3: Just I think I have a nominee as well that I feel very good about and that could be something that we tee up for down the road. Let's take a break and then we will continue with the draft. All right, back to the draft, and we have, yes, a trade. You may recall barely from last week.

00:36:59
Speaker 4: We struggled to call the terms, but we.

00:37:01
Speaker 3: Can't cof It took about ten minutes to work out the logistics of it before we started, but we did. And yes I have Mark's second pick as a result of the trade from last week. And with that pick sliding into mark spot, we essentially flip Mark. So I jump ahead of you one spot, and with that jump, I will take the Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers A you know, listen, I mean, come on now, Steelers, what are we doing?

00:37:34
Speaker 1: Where are we at?

00:37:35
Speaker 2: We're not playing football?

00:37:36
Speaker 3: Well, we are not protecting the quarterback. We are not calling a particularly aggressive scheme of offense. Our young quarterback is not playing with any sense of confidence and belief in self. They have playmakers, but I'm not seeing plays being made. The defense has showed up some weeks and then other weeks like last week against the off war mentioned Houston Texans, really show it much at all. And the Texans did what they wanted with CJ. Stroud using his precision passing and Nico Collins jumping off the screen.

00:38:08
Speaker 4: And it was just you know, bad, bad, bad bad.

00:38:12
Speaker 3: And yet with the Ravens come to town, I feel like if there is a kind of circle the wagon situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a proud organization, a well coach, team over overall, you can get on Matt Canada and I wonder how patient if if Mike Tomlin truly believes in the Steelers team as a team he thinks should be taking the next step this year, which I imagine he does, does Canada get a free pass it this year or could a change come if this continues.

00:38:43
Speaker 4: Here's their scoring by week.

00:38:44
Speaker 3: By the way, they had seven points Week one, the Browns twenty six, but there was some defensive scoring in that game, as I recall against Cleveland.

00:38:54
Speaker 1: Yes, I'd have to go that up and yeah, they were not great on offense in that game.

00:38:59
Speaker 3: I believe TJ had a return in that game the Raiders, they scored twenty three in a win. They score six and a loss to the Texans, and now they need to do something on offense. This is such an important week for the two and two Steelers against the Ravens, who looks very good with Lamar Jackson doing his thing against Cleveland last week.

00:39:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is one of those matchups.

00:39:22
Speaker 5: I'm not saying throw out the records, but to your point, it's a division matchup where Mike Tomlins actually had a better beat on stopping Lamar than just about any defensive coach in the league. They've generally done well, they've generally won, and they've generally limited Lamar Jackson compared to other opponents. Now, the Baltimore running game now isn't just Lamar. It's really good with Lamar in the red zone, especially like they're getting him holes to run in for touchdowns. But they're picking and choosing. It's the rest of the running game that's really been in impressive to me. They're throwing a lot of different things out there, considering that they've had so many injuries, and it sounds like they could get Ronnie Stanley back this week, but now they're right tackle of Morgan Moses might be out. Gus Edwards was back last week. I think he looks good like it doesn't matter who's been back there. Their running game can throw a lot at you, and when Lamar is the quarterback, it just gives you so many things to prepare for. And I loved what I saw to Mark Andrews too, so I think they're coming together. Mark Andrews didn't seem one hundred percent at the beginning season. You're seeing a more complete Ravens offense and that's gonna be a lot for Tomlin in this defense to deal with.

00:40:35
Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, the Ravens largely were helped and coasted because Dorian Thompson Robinson was not ready to play professional football a week ago. But what impressed me about them was how they started to heat up against a Cleveland defense we were, you know, correctly calling like a top five defense. It's not top three. In the days prior, I saw, like Melvin Gordon a big run, Like.

00:40:57
Speaker 5: That's what I mean, right when when Melvin Gordon's popped off twenty, that's good, that's a good A.

00:41:02
Speaker 1: Play got called back.

00:41:03
Speaker 3: But Justice Hill was shifty as hell yep on like a fifty yard screenplay.

00:41:08
Speaker 1: Yeah, they're doing some things in that game.

00:41:09
Speaker 4: They are.

00:41:09
Speaker 1: And it's like, so, you know, here's the one thing I look at the AFC North and I kind of think like we're getting from the AFC South in terms of like results and thriving and surprise teams and interesting teams what we thought would get from the North. And right now the Ravens are set up really well, like this is a pivotal game. You've beaten both Ohio teams in your division. The Steelers have a quarterback that's banged up and by the way, just not playing well. We all get that. Joe Burrow's CAF tod go in a moment, and I think Lamar Jackson in this offense are starting to find themselves. It's like I had a lot of questions about Todd Monkin in general, Like it's like, I'm not sure that's a wizard. We have a lot of like evidence he's going to come in and change everything. But they right now lead the league in like red zone touchdown rate, which is a problem for them at other times in the previous offense. Jackson is completing eighty percent of his red zone passes. So they're getting down there and they're scoring, and like I like that about him. They're running the ball better. Odell Beckham return to practice Wednesday. Rashad Bateman returned to practice Wednesday. Marlon Humphrey returned to practice Wednesday. So I also look at a team that, like for three years in a row. I know Lamar Jackson's injury killed them two seasons running, but outside of that, like they deal with injuries as well as any team in the AFC, they find a way around it.

00:42:17
Speaker 5: And the Steelers are quite banged up for this game. They're going into the bye. We should mention, you know, we last talked about the Steelers Monday night. We thought Picket was gonna be out at least this week. And he's practicing and he's saying he's playing, So that's I don't think that's good. I think I think Mitch Trubisky would be an upgrade Piket.

00:42:36
Speaker 4: That's why I have the question mark, right, yeah, I.

00:42:38
Speaker 2: Mean I have to answer your question. And they're gonna be short.

00:42:42
Speaker 5: Pat Fryarmouth is not expected to play, who's been consistent for them, and a few of their offensive linemen A Corps four Uh and James Daniels are out of practice and it looks like they'll make that switch. At left tackle, Dan Moore is hurt, although they have their first round pick to insert there, which a lot of fans have been wanting. He's just he does not look comfortable and the Ravens defense throws a lot at you. Rokwan Smith to me is an all pro right now. He would be my my all Pro linebacker. He to me, has been, you know, beyond behind Lamar the MVP of that team. Every week he is really making great.

00:43:16
Speaker 1: And I don't.

00:43:18
Speaker 4: I've seen it before.

00:43:20
Speaker 3: I don't enjoy watching it, but I understand how it happens, but it doesn't make it any fun to watch when you could tell when the struggling young quarterback does not have the trust of his offensive coordinator, and the offensive coordinator then changes the game plan and everything is underneath, everything is short. They're not they're not pushing the ball downfield because they're trying not to make mistakes. And that's that's what I felt like I was watching yesterday last week against Houston with Pittsburgh and Canada is in a tough spot because I think he's he's he believes it. Pikett might not be seeing the field wall or he doesn't because of the pass rush. It's causing them to have to work in a way. Maybe that's not conductive to the way the roster is built. But none of it is fun to watch. That's the other thing of it. They've been a slog on offense.

00:44:08
Speaker 1: You know what throws me a little bit because it's like I wonder sometimes with these quarterbacks when you come in as a rookie, because I can think of like Baker Mayfield in twenty eighteen with what he did that lone isolated group of games, Like, I thought we had the next Russell Wilson. I thought he was gonna be a star. He looked fantastic, but then like they change offenses and he fell off a cliff in the whole offense. Actly, yeah, but Mack, but mac Jones walked into chaos in year two. But that's you're right, like you changed things, but this is the same coordinator. And I thought Pickett, like, you know, he's not a physical like dominating specimen, but he did things well and he Kate had a kN act to come back in games, and this year, like it's completely opposite. And it's funny because it's I think Canada, like it's easy just to pick on him week after week. But he actually like got very angry at the CBS broadcast Spirit right, because they took a quote from him in a conversation that basically sort of suggested that Canada said, we are not an offense that's built to come back, and what he was actually talking about, and by the way, that seems true.

00:45:08
Speaker 4: So that's the problem. It's like there's evidence there.

00:45:10
Speaker 1: But he was talking about the late in the Niners game that they weren't built to come back in that game the way that that was. But that said, like Canada is under so much fire, and I think like, like this is the I've always feel like, no matter what happens in Pittsburgh, Tomlin's gonna get them out of there. We're gonna win nine games and there's gonna be hope for next season. It's like, this is your argument to just ignore the preseason because I got sold down a river on this and it looked I look like a rude.

00:45:32
Speaker 4: But there's a bunch of people on the same raft with me.

00:45:34
Speaker 2: You guys want to hear my Spiroudidas impression I've never tried.

00:45:36
Speaker 5: Oh, I'm just yes, sure, Clowney in the backfield and he's buried.

00:45:42
Speaker 1: It's pretty good. That's pretty good. I liked it. Yeah. I think all play by play people came from like a certain planet somewhere, Like don't they all sort of like you know.

00:45:51
Speaker 4: What a name on that didas huh cloudy way.

00:45:55
Speaker 5: I just checked the PFF ranks. You don't want to hear this. Who's top ten impressors this year? It's Jadebian Clowny, nice little pick up by the Ravens.

00:46:03
Speaker 1: Nice little.

00:46:03
Speaker 3: I predicted that having a nice set off, get off my steps. I said he would go there and they would find a way to finally unlock him after years of disappointment.

00:46:12
Speaker 1: He's also a bad teammate. Oh stop, I have have your fun. What he is? He quit on his list?

00:46:18
Speaker 5: Well last team they weren't happy with him, but he had a nice game against him last week, just saying.

00:46:24
Speaker 3: Wow, are you saying that he's had a pro career that's lived up to expectations?

00:46:30
Speaker 4: No, he's touted as like Lawrence Taylor.

00:46:33
Speaker 5: No, I always he's always been a good starter, Like he's he's actually better than the average number one overall pick. That would be my take, fairly but better.

00:46:43
Speaker 3: And ten years have one season where you have ten sacks to be hyped up as.

00:46:47
Speaker 1: A hall and also you walked out on I know, I know, and it's like, oh, it's like now you're with walked out on your came from my Wait til buried, wait till things start to go wrong, then we'll see what happens with.

00:46:59
Speaker 3: See the I kind of got sucked in there because oh Greg's going a little off playbook with an impression. Yeah, but then it dovetailed into like Greg dragging us into this Vartex, this clowny wartex.

00:47:10
Speaker 4: He's smart that way.

00:47:11
Speaker 3: So now I feel like I wish I didn't hear the impression. And it was the thing I was so excited about. Let's try to get the show back because now it's gone, but it's not over. Mark, You're up. This was we flipped picks based on last week's blockbuster trade and so it's your pick.

00:47:27
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:47:28
Speaker 1: Oh, can I just one real quick thing. I think Pittsburgh wins. How about that.

00:47:32
Speaker 3: I've been I've been watching these Tumbelin teams forever, and I predict a monster defensive effort. I don't know about this offense, but TJ Watt getting after it, having a huge game and making a play that changes.

00:47:44
Speaker 5: And if they did, they'd be tied for the division lead. If they don't weird this way behind and that Steelers or the Ravens would have a three in a record. They are four and a half point underdogs the Steelers at home. So if if Dan, if Dan was right, could really could really make some rain.

00:48:00
Speaker 4: Well that's not my territory, and based on last.

00:48:03
Speaker 2: I'm taking the Ravens.

00:48:03
Speaker 3: I'm taking the Rave Clear Sky all right, wait wait, wait, Mark, Wait, nope, I had nothing else to add.

00:48:13
Speaker 4: Go ahead, but.

00:48:14
Speaker 1: Look on your face. I thought I had something. I don't know what I did have something? What you think?

00:48:19
Speaker 4: I don't know. I'm glad you didn't do it. I'm gonna go.

00:48:24
Speaker 1: I want to see, uh the team that last week everyone is down on and like they didn't live up to the test. Can they come back? Can they show us who they really are after a beating in their own division? The Miami Dolphins.

00:48:37
Speaker 4: Oh it's another Mark cessil. Let me pick the blowouts week.

00:48:40
Speaker 1: Giving up eleven to the Giants. Well, that's what you know what, that's what I love about it.

00:48:43
Speaker 2: I got a bird catch to London. I want only blowouts.

00:48:47
Speaker 4: Everyone assumes it's gonna be.

00:48:50
Speaker 2: I'm gonna do what I think I'm gonna do.

00:48:53
Speaker 1: I did four games last week. I I you know, I did everything you said I couldn't do.

00:48:57
Speaker 4: Here's your purple heart.

00:49:01
Speaker 1: Go ahead, I do.

00:49:02
Speaker 4: I honestly want to see how they bounce back.

00:49:04
Speaker 1: I think this obviously is what to tell you much because the Giants have been maybe the worst. I guess I'm more thinking that, like to your Steelers Ravens thing Steelers have looked like a massive disaster.

00:49:13
Speaker 4: Doesn't see a lot of hope.

00:49:14
Speaker 1: The Giants have been a mega disaster and embarrassment, like a team that went to the playoffs, and it's like, was that actually just the biggest mirage we've ever been witnessed to in the last five years of the NFL seasons? And uh I think it might be based on how they're bill right now. Their offensive line is an absolute mess. But there's a little bit of controversy in Miami that I kind of like because like they got fried by the Bills last week and then this week Dolphins players were saying, you know, there's still whenever this happens, I always see little chinks in the armor and wonder where we'll be. Like eight weeks now, Dolphins players sort of saying that, look with this Vic Fangio uh oh defense, that there's still a learning curve in Fangio. I mean, we've met Fangio at like the Ravens Niners Super Bowl week and I tried to interview him and he was alone at one of those little regular tables, so that's a good chance to talk.

00:50:02
Speaker 4: Very did not want me there with him. Very it's just sort of.

00:50:05
Speaker 1: Like a straight to the irascible and I think we felt that with his head coach Rain.

00:50:09
Speaker 3: But he basically saw like the grandfather like lost grandfathers are kind of in this mode or they're just like just leave me alone. Like I've been in this I've been in this game called life. Yeah for too long to be dealing with you. Let me see my rocking still, Just get off, get off my porch, right, I didn't. I don't know if you guys had like the nice grandfather.

00:50:26
Speaker 4: Mine were very nice.

00:50:27
Speaker 3: That was like loving is like hey, let's go fishing or whatever. It's like, no, my grandfather's like no, I already had children and we are moving forward. There are no reverse gears in this tank. And that's who I am. Well, Vick might be that.

00:50:41
Speaker 4: He grew up in a coal mine too or coalman city.

00:50:44
Speaker 1: Too deep deep within mine. Sure, well that that would do it. Yeah, But Vic Fonju basically when they were pinging him about that, like all these little reporters, he was like, well, it should be there already. These guys should know it. So it's already like coordinator. Whenever this starts happened, I wonder just like at their grandfather. I know this sounds like I'm taking a wipeout. I kind of don't think it's gonna be I had this like spidy sense about it, and I just want to see how Miami responds. There's no reason they shouldn't take care of business.

00:51:10
Speaker 4: It's down in like.

00:51:11
Speaker 1: Super hot miam South Beach, probably like one hundred and forty two degrees. Not good for the Giants and their terrible offensive line that can barely move in temperate weather.

00:51:19
Speaker 5: Yeah, maybe the Dolphins get back Jalen Phillips in this game. I mean, the lines makers are expecting Dolphins favored by eleven. I don't know if that's enough for me. I think i'd go go more than that. Maybe they get back Jalen Phillips, who's by far their best pass rusher and has been out a few weeks, and that's a factor. But I don't see a very well coordinated defense. I mean I see a lot of guys Dolphins. Yeah, Emanuel Agba, who was a great player for a few years and in the old scheme that's barely playing. And some guys like Bradley Chubb who make a lot of money and he's been okay, but not you know, Xavi and Howard, one of the high paid cornerbacks in the league certainly not playing well.

00:52:02
Speaker 2: The secondary is attackable.

00:52:04
Speaker 5: I don't know if that's gonna show up this week, especially because the Giants have a still have a you know, they have a new injuries on the offensive line. As bad as it was against Seattle, it's like you lost your center, like right off the bat.

00:52:16
Speaker 1: That's a hard thing killed.

00:52:18
Speaker 5: To deal with. And maybe you get back Andrew Thomas. Sounds like you get back Saquon Barkley this week. And the Dolphins won't get back to Ron Armstead. So there's a lot of injuries here. But then it's like all this mess we're talking about, and then you have two a tongue of I loo against this Giants defense and these rookie cornerbacks, and you put the over under eight about what thirty six on Dolphins points.

00:52:37
Speaker 2: I would say.

00:52:38
Speaker 3: This, this smells like another fifty burger.

00:52:41
Speaker 1: Yah. I think this is gonna happen. But I'm getting what dumb Woltz said.

00:52:44
Speaker 5: We wanted it could be like fifty to thirty though.

00:52:47
Speaker 3: Maybe maybe Yeah, it's it's possible that that Jones gets unlocked a little bit if he gets a little bit of help. But yeah, I think they're gonna go up and down the field. This this feels like end of first quarter and the Giants are down seventeen to nothing or something.

00:53:02
Speaker 1: So but that can't get into it, I hear you. But every time we think that. Not every time. But this is like how I felt about the Cardinals coming in the season, and the Giants have already showed us they're argely inept. But it's like, I don't know, weird things can happen. That said, like your whole defense is based around high pressure rate and blitzing the quarterback, and they're just not very good at that.

00:53:20
Speaker 5: Mean, the Giants have played four games, right, and in seven of those eight halves they've they haven't even played like they've been absolutely that's.

00:53:30
Speaker 3: The issue that's tough, and it's why it makes your brain hurt, because you know, again, they their whole thing last year is that they were maximizing their talent and well coached, and this year it seems like the the exact opposite.

00:53:44
Speaker 4: Football is weird.

00:53:46
Speaker 1: We should be able to change their monikers, their nicknames when they don't play up like Giants should be switched to something else until they get back to what we what they were named as back in the old days when they.

00:53:57
Speaker 2: Were little little how about little giants?

00:53:59
Speaker 1: That was a little Rick Moranis vehicle.

00:54:03
Speaker 3: Okay, let's move on. I am on the clock once more. Let's hit up the other New York team, Jets at Broncos. I want to start with.

00:54:11
Speaker 4: A public apology. And I'm not alone.

00:54:14
Speaker 3: Even the great Joe Namath owes an apology to Zach Wilson.

00:54:21
Speaker 4: You know who else owes Zack Wilson apology? Rodney Harrison.

00:54:25
Speaker 1: That guy's you don't know what is up with that guy?

00:54:29
Speaker 4: There's one day to not do it.

00:54:30
Speaker 1: It's that day.

00:54:31
Speaker 3: He assaults Chris Jones in a postgame interview, trying because Jones was paying Wilson a complimentary he played against the Chiefs and Harrison. I think he's a patriot and all that, but like, come on, dude, let it go. Like he kept on coming back. He's calling Zack Wilson garbage on the air, and sometimes I feel like and I think it's a part of.

00:54:50
Speaker 4: The I get it.

00:54:51
Speaker 1: Listen.

00:54:52
Speaker 3: I understand the Jets have gotten a lot of coverage this year, and Zach Wilson is annoying to some people. And you don't want to hear Zach Wilson getting praised because you've seen so much bad tape and you're like, no, I'm not gonna let you say he played well today because he stinks, like trust me, Jets fans get the frustration with Zach Wilson, but he's owed an apology because he really did under immense, immense criticism and just the idea that that was going to be and I was wrong about it. I thought that was going to be the floor hitting the floor, going through the floor into the middle core of Earth moment for the Jets franchise against Kansas City with freaking Taylor Swift there and everything. And yet they once again showed that there is a heart on this team and they do fight, and they didn't win, So we're not handing out lollipops. And Zack Wilson did fumble that snap at midfield in a tie game late, so I can't say that all of a sudden. I'm on board with Zach Wilson in the experience, but he deserves credit for bouncing back playing at a high level for him in that game. And now we see what happens in Denver against the Broncos team. We say, we don't need anything. They just cut Randy Gregory. We'll get to that in a second. Their defense is brutal and the Jets are not gonna put up seventy. But how about Jets And I know this is gonna sound insane, but how about the Jets offense scores three touchdowns in Denver this week? And how about this season's over? This season is over. Let's not got crazier. This season is ova for the Jets. If they don't win in Denver, they've lost three straight. They're one and three. They got the Eagles next week. So if you don't win this game, you're staring at one and five. Aaron Rodgers, see you next year, Okay, So find a way with this team. Breese Hall, the big report about him this week is they took off the training wheels. There's no more pitch.

00:56:41
Speaker 1: Count on him.

00:56:42
Speaker 3: Give Breese Hall the rock twenty times. Zach Wilson try to build off that performance. And Nate Hackett, who has escaped criticism for the most part, well, it piled up on Wilson.

00:56:54
Speaker 1: See what happens there, Nate.

00:56:55
Speaker 3: When you let him throw the ball and you don't let the defense just sit at the line of scrimmage, keep challenging the defense with downfield shots.

00:57:03
Speaker 4: What else do you have to loose?

00:57:04
Speaker 1: No, I like, I kind of love this for part two of what we saw from Zach Wilson a week ago.

00:57:11
Speaker 4: The Broncos, we get it.

00:57:13
Speaker 1: They they were shredded on the ground by Miami. So there's breeze Hall, there's your opportunity. They have allowed the league high passer rating of one hundred and thirty three point four, which is the second worst through four games by any defense this century. So there are doorways for Zach Wilson to have to build on last week, Like if that was an aberration and we go back to what he is like all right, but that could have a little bit to do with Nathaniel Hackett. It's tough for me to give him credit. But we throw these revenge games around all over the place. Zach Wilson should like, Zach Wilson should want revenge on everyone.

00:57:45
Speaker 5: This is this is Sean pay Hackett versus Payton.

00:57:49
Speaker 1: Hackett said, and this is this is the thing I this is what I take from Sean Payton after all that nonsense and what Sean Payton's been through. But by the way, Sean Payton, like, who's gonna talk about you next year when they take over the Broncos coaching job.

00:58:01
Speaker 4: At this he continues to go south.

00:58:02
Speaker 1: But he never he called Hacket back, never even called I just I know of course he did bothers me. And it's like Nathaniel Hackett, like I'm not sure he's good at what he does, but it's like he has a revenge game.

00:58:13
Speaker 3: And this, by the way, this was this was the whole point back in the summer. Was Peyton wrong what he said about Hackett, like in terms of what Hackett did as the head coach. No, but the reason why you don't do it is because of the fraternity and everyone gets their ass kicked at different points in the league. And Sean Payton if he if he fails here and so far it's not looking so hot. Of course, you don't want the next guy that takes over to say, yeah, well the last guy sucked at his job.

00:58:40
Speaker 4: So you know, we're bringing some order to this place.

00:58:43
Speaker 3: Because it's a hard thing, like coaching football is hard, and you don't want anybody stopping on your grave because everybody gets to come up. It's even Bill Belichick. Check out the time, right or in conversation we had yesterday.

00:58:54
Speaker 5: Everything you say I completely agree with. And yet as a you know, third party, I'm fine with it. I like it. I think, I like I like getting spicy.

00:59:05
Speaker 2: It's still just football.

00:59:06
Speaker 5: It's not perfectly like I'm he's not saying Hackett's a bad human, and I like that. If Peyton had lost that Bears game, this would have been more of a delightful uh to be because we would be talking about, you know, the worst coaching job ever. And here the Broncos are zero to four. It's somehow less exciting when they're both one and three. It's certainly less exciting without Aaron Rodgers involved. I do want to see Zach Wilson build on it because he's had a couple professional efforts in his career. I went back to see if that was his highest PFF grade. You know, he had like a in the mid seven Tennessee game last ye Yeah, there was like a Jacksonville game. I think as a rookie that he's had three or four games where it worked. For that game, I think what he showed last week was a little more next level than what he had before. It was less about just the scheme. It was more about him. So but do it again and so then we'll start feeling even better. They have gotten some good pass rush out Nick Benito and Jonathan Cooper for the Broncos that helped help turn it around. So that that's a matchup and to watch. And the one thing with Peyton is offensively, you know, I do want to give him some credit that I think it's working. They're a competent offense. They've improved quite a bit offensively. Russell Wilson has improved. He's not hurting them. And they remind me a lot of the post Brieze Saints, which weren't great, but everyone would try out those stats like Teddy Bridgewater and Jamis Winston and Taysom Hill. If you combine their win loss record when they replace Drew Brees or after dew Brees was like fifteen and seven, and like, they're running that kind of offense which isn't esthetically appealing, but it's effective and it's efficient. So if they can get anything out of their defense, the Broncos could turn their season round. I like the Jets in this game, though, I'm taking them on NFL game debut, our name on it, I.

01:00:47
Speaker 4: Find my name. I like that touchdowns, give me three touchdowns.

01:00:52
Speaker 5: I don't remember what the score was. The Broncos are favored though, by one and a half, because.

01:00:55
Speaker 4: If they if they score.

01:00:57
Speaker 3: Three touchdowns, I think the Jets de will harass Russell Wilson enough into turnovers that will put them in a position to win the game. I don't trust it because I've been hurt too many times. But Julia McLoughlin, he was fast and shifty against the Bears. Lookout Javonte Williams.

01:01:15
Speaker 5: Who I think he's probably out this week, went out with.

01:01:17
Speaker 3: A hip injury. I believe in this game. That's something to keep an eye on. And I'm super annoyed didn't pick him up in fantasy. But that's all the other conversation. I think he could be a producer in that Denver offense.

01:01:27
Speaker 1: It's like, I get it, we're talking about Zach Wilson left and right, but it's like the Jets defensive line go wreck the entire operation in Denver.

01:01:35
Speaker 4: They've been good and that's part of solid solid too.

01:01:37
Speaker 3: I said it last week, and you know you don't just have to defend on depend on that front, fury great pressure you could you can mix things up and confuse Russell Wilson and get.

01:01:46
Speaker 1: Get after it. They did a great job against Patrick Mahomes, who was a lost a lost pop, as was Josh Allen in week one.

01:01:55
Speaker 3: So those are arguably the two best quarterbacks in the league in the first four weeks that got screened ambled by the Jets.

01:02:01
Speaker 4: They should be able to do some things to get Russell Wilson to make mistakes. Whin you play to win the game, as Herman Edwards once said, win this game.

01:02:10
Speaker 1: I am going to be upset on Sunday night.

01:02:13
Speaker 3: The people that like when I'm upset, Yes, you'll you'll be very happy if we can't find a way to win this week, because you got it's a gotta have a game all right up next.

01:02:24
Speaker 2: That's all the more reason for me.

01:02:25
Speaker 4: To route a little ominous.

01:02:27
Speaker 1: For the rest of the cast here, including the people behind the glass.

01:02:30
Speaker 3: It's largely I I hope I internalize the pain. It will creep out here and.

01:02:34
Speaker 4: There, but I want you to feel that, Paine.

01:02:38
Speaker 5: You know, none of us you know we've been around each other. There's no internalizing possible for any of us. It's like we feel that the energy. Yeah, okay, how about real friends, how about it? It would be so crazy for a little positive energy.

01:02:51
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would ten years this show, a little positive green energy emanating on a Sunday night.

01:02:57
Speaker 5: It's not the as after let me know what you think about, you know, Matt Ryan and the booth after this game.

01:03:03
Speaker 3: I'm looking forward to that. All right, Mark, you're hey, I forgot your name just now. I was looking at m and I was like, Mike, do I work with Mike.

01:03:13
Speaker 1: Whenever someone like just blanks my name, it quickly goes to matter.

01:03:17
Speaker 4: Mike anyway, Uh, Matt Cessler, you're up?

01:03:20
Speaker 1: Or Matilda, let's see uh Tennessee at Indianapolis. Maggie, Now I used to get Marcy.

01:03:27
Speaker 4: I don't like that. I mean, just because it's a playoff m A r C.

01:03:30
Speaker 3: So Marci Marcy Sessler is a reception receptionist. She's cheery, she's zaftig and build, but everybody love it.

01:03:42
Speaker 1: That's not me though, that's Marcy Sessler.

01:03:46
Speaker 4: Okay, but like parallel universe, actually that's my body.

01:03:51
Speaker 5: As we're definitely getting a photoshop of Marshy from some donated Why did I open that door?

01:03:57
Speaker 1: All right? Uh here, I'll open this door. Tennis See at Indianapolis. What are they still doing hanging out down here?

01:04:02
Speaker 2: What about you?

01:04:03
Speaker 5: It's rare that, like, yeah, your your fourth pick is way way better than your first pick.

01:04:08
Speaker 4: So I think Scott whoka nakua right here.

01:04:11
Speaker 3: Just watch an old Seinfeld episode about it was one of the greatest ones ever, even Steve and Jerry like, and everything works out for Jerry. And in the episode, George gets the job of the Yankees and he moves out of his parents' house, and then Elaine loses her job and gets kicked out of her apartment, and Jerry's right in the middle.

01:04:27
Speaker 4: He's like, he came out.

01:04:27
Speaker 1: Even you're up, I Jerry in this equation, you're even Stephen, You're I'm also a zaftig receptionist in the middle of the country in an alternate universe, right, yeah, yeah, Tennessee at the Colts, we'll get back to the game here, Jonathan Taylor, maybe we might see him. He's healthy, he said, he's ready to go.

01:04:44
Speaker 4: I don't know, we have sound I'd like to hear from j T.

01:04:47
Speaker 3: Yeah, who you know obviously wanted out this summer and then showed up with the team at the opening of his practice window, and now he might be part of a very exciting offense. Jonathan Twner spoke to the media for the first time on Thursday.

01:05:02
Speaker 8: Now, I'm here right now, and my number one thing is to take care of my teammates. A lot of people worry about what I want, what I want. It doesn't matter what necessarily I want. What matters is what this team needs, with this team wants, with this city wants, and with this city needs.

01:05:16
Speaker 1: Yeah, what the city needs as a championship.

01:05:18
Speaker 8: And while I'm here, that's what I'm gonna work my tail off to dude, That's what I work my tail off to get the opportunity to do. You know, I think when you've been out for a while, you start looking at it and you say, man, when you have that opportunity. And I never took it for granted. But even when it's taken away, you still are like, man, that was a great opportunity, and I can't wait to have another opportunity. So, like I said, I never took it for granted. And at all, so you know, help comes first.

01:05:46
Speaker 1: Like the one thing you hear about Jonathan Taylor, Yeah from everyone is like incredible teammate, like a rock in the locker room, like the guy they all kind of look to, especially when you have a quarterback to look to in years past, and so I think all that is one hundred percent who he is.

01:06:00
Speaker 4: And it's true.

01:06:00
Speaker 1: It's also like if you if you hold out a couple more weeks, you don't become a free agent after the season. So it's like the axis of like, no, you are in what you need to do with your career.

01:06:08
Speaker 3: I don't want to put too much into it. And check out the show which is on Fast Television and YouTube, but that looks like a guy that has come to terms with his situation.

01:06:22
Speaker 2: Gredity Ducks.

01:06:23
Speaker 3: Yeah, but he's optimistic and excited to play football and there's no sucking there and I think, you know, if he's healthy, I'm telling you look out if this offense has twenty twenty one Jonathan Taylor.

01:06:35
Speaker 1: Hello, Yeah, I'm with you, because it's like I think a year ago, like Jonathan Taylor, probably for business reasons, would return, but it's like return to a hot mess that was getting uglier by the week. Now it's like you're in the Shanstike in offense where people are being used well Zach Moss. I think part of the reason Zach Moss succeeded is this offense and the way it's put together. That said, the Cult still ranked twenty seventh in the league of running characters carries of five plus yards. Jonathan Taylor gives you that, It's like, I don't. That kind of threw me because I feel like Zach Moss had done a nice job over the last couple.

01:07:08
Speaker 4: Weeks, and he had two hundred and eighty yards and three games. He's been good.

01:07:11
Speaker 1: But then you just put in the quarterback situation and it's like I kind of don't care about the stats on Anthony Richardson thirty second in the league in completion percentage.

01:07:19
Speaker 4: That can change.

01:07:20
Speaker 1: We've seen that change with Josh Allen other quarterbacks as well.

01:07:24
Speaker 4: It's kind of hard to change it. Like, I don't know if if that's who he is.

01:07:27
Speaker 3: Also a small sample size it has like like a twenty for twenty eight day.

01:07:31
Speaker 2: He's probably middle of the two and a half games.

01:07:33
Speaker 1: Sure, but like I mean, I guess like that stands out in today's NFL yards rookies.

01:07:39
Speaker 2: Yards for attempt.

01:07:39
Speaker 5: I would guess he's, you know, middle of the pack because that's a point mark.

01:07:42
Speaker 1: He leads the league in explosive plays and on the ground and there so it's.

01:07:46
Speaker 4: Like, wait, the whole league in two and a half games.

01:07:49
Speaker 1: Twelve plus runs of twelve plus yards and passes of twenty plus carries, leading the league in those and that type a little.

01:07:55
Speaker 3: More than half the game's played. He leads that stat That is eye opening.

01:07:59
Speaker 4: I totally agree missed an entire game at one point.

01:08:02
Speaker 1: I mean, but he but that's we're talking about a quarterback running those plays. There aren't that many quarterbacks doing that, yep, and they aren't. They aren't also that not that much. So it's like Anthony Richardson is like this completely watchable.

01:08:15
Speaker 4: He's not a project.

01:08:16
Speaker 1: Like I know, that's sort of what they was billed at, but that's that's not what I see because what he can do is the best anything anyone's is on the field. And like I like the Colts defensive line, I think to Forrest Buckner, I don't know what kind of car you would fit in if he drove He's just a massive there's a lot to like, there's some injuries on both sides of the ball.

01:08:34
Speaker 4: A Toyota Highlander, what a automobile? Is that? A dominiative car? Is that what you're saying that, I don't even know that's a sponsor and you should be intimately familiar. Well, you fit him in any way you can into that vehicle, then.

01:08:46
Speaker 5: Maybe hums throw him in one of those. Yeah, they look pretty good. Although last week the Rams did a good job job. You mentioned Josh Allen. To me, that is the best comp for Richardson in almost every way. And you think about Josh Allen as a rookie, and I do think there are certain aspects Richardson is a little ahead of him. Maybe not in the accuracy that's gonna be up and down, but he's already sliding a lot.

01:09:10
Speaker 2: I like that.

01:09:11
Speaker 5: Like Josh Allen just slid for the first time and got apparently got like a quarter.

01:09:16
Speaker 4: For it first to jump over six to three lines.

01:09:19
Speaker 2: Well, he said, Sean McDermott said.

01:09:21
Speaker 5: Sean McDermott said he had a little something like they he was getting something from Sean McDermott, a little extra bonus or something it was like an illegal I don't think it was anything that was going to change Josh Allen's life. They were having fun, but also like the pocket movement, Like I think he is a little more developed than we expected. He's going up against a Titans defense, which is good up front. We know that Jeffrey Simmons is playing great. Tierre Tart might be out for this game. I have noticed that the Titans offensive line year after year the very worst in the league. This year, I think the goal is like, let's shuffle the deck. Let's hope to get better to average. Maybe they are they you know, they open up.

01:10:02
Speaker 2: Some holes last week.

01:10:03
Speaker 4: Some of their metrics shuffled. They move some guys around.

01:10:06
Speaker 5: Uh no, just play. Skoransky hasn't been healthy. Some are taken behind the building.

01:10:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, Andre Dillard hasn't really been great.

01:10:14
Speaker 5: But if you look at their past block win rate, they're run like they're not great. It's like twenty third, twenty first. But it had been like a hard thirty thirty two third, you know, in all the PFF and the win rates, and now it's like, okay, maybe you're not going to be embarrassing.

01:10:27
Speaker 2: And then that gives Ryan tannel chance and.

01:10:30
Speaker 5: Also scoring team. Though they're like Patriots South in a not a good way.

01:10:34
Speaker 4: Scornsky practiced this week so or on Wednesday.

01:10:37
Speaker 2: They're better though.

01:10:38
Speaker 4: I think they are juicier than the Patriots.

01:10:40
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think they're a better team. But it just feels like, Oh, this team's still around in this same way. Oh, that's surprising. You know how team's changed so fast? It sure hasn't so much. This could be a problem, Mark, This could be a close game.

01:10:53
Speaker 2: Titans are favored by two.

01:10:54
Speaker 1: I don't know where the narratives coming from, because I I think the thing is when you go try to pick a blowout it goes in overtime that there is no way it does have that way. I have not covered the Falcons on a sun or the Dolphins on a Sunday. That is a large reason why I picked them.

01:11:08
Speaker 2: I like to mix it up too, Yeah, all the same.

01:11:10
Speaker 1: I've had the Cults like four times though, so you know, backed right into it.

01:11:13
Speaker 4: Beautiful, All right, Greg, you're up.

01:11:16
Speaker 5: All right. I'm gonna take the Bengals at the Cardinals. Bengals are favored by two and a half in this game. Feels generous. I'm taking the Cardinals to win this game. I just think you gotta trust.

01:11:32
Speaker 4: That is generous, that's spread.

01:11:33
Speaker 2: You gotta trust what you see.

01:11:34
Speaker 5: At some point, yeah, Cincinnati could suddenly get a better version of Joe Burrow, but to this point, I'm just gonna look, and this is live DVOA. On the season, the Cardinals are sixteen. That sounds about right. They've looked like an average team. The Bengals are much lower on that list. Gotta keep scrolling twenty six, and it's not just because of Joe Burrow. The defense is twenty fifth. I talked about pass block win rate just with the Titans. You know who's second to last in that stat right now, the Cincinnati Bengals today. So you've got a bad offensive line. We've talked the quarterback to death Burrow, and the defense is quite bla.

01:12:15
Speaker 2: You've scored three touchdowns.

01:12:18
Speaker 5: We're entering Week five, and you've given up over one hundred and seventy rushing yards in three out of four games. And I look at this Cardinals team and the way Josh Dobbs is running and the way Connor's running and the scheme, and I think if they can be close in this game, they should be able to run the ball. Maybe the Bengals step up again. They had a one great game against LA but other than that, their defense has been bla And that's why I think to this point in the season, the Cardinals have been a little better team. And this might be lights out if you lose in your the Bengals in this one, this must win side, that's way I know. But wouldn't that have the last week too? I don't know, But this is like the perfect matchup of like before.

01:12:54
Speaker 1: This is the perfect matchup of like team we are struggling to believe is problematic on all sorts of fronts, and team we're struggling to believe is real on all sorts of fronts. But I just want to read a couple quick things about this Bengals offense to add to what you said, Greg, they have four completions of twenty or more yards last year over four games. Over sixteen games last year. That game canceled fifty three. They aren't that same offense. He Burrow is two of twenty two throwing the ball more than fifteen yards. He had fifty percent a year ago. He is obviously throwing shorter, quicker releak passes, but it's not working. None of their screen passes this year gain more than ten yards. They have fewer drives of twenty five plus yards than Miami has plays of twenty five plus yards. Three percent of Burrow's on target throws have been dropped. So it is Burrow and there's certain things he can't do. We can see that visually, but it is the environment. It's the people around him, so Jamar Chase getting all set and all this sof it's like there are all sorts of things happening here.

01:13:49
Speaker 3: Also the opponents are part of this too. They've been It's been a tough schedule out of the gate for them. They at Cleveland Ravens Rams, which they won that game but scored nineteen and not a great defense. But you know, still at Tennessee, which is a tough draw. I'm already as a Bengals fan panicking about the season because the in part because the expectations are so high and now you're one in three. But like Arizona, I know they're in some level a good story so far that they've been competitive. But if Cincinnati has anything in them in terms of en Burrow's quoted this week. We need we need a win for morale, and I believe in the power of Burrow as a leader, and I think I really do feel to do it.

01:14:39
Speaker 4: I feel very very what's what is it again?

01:14:41
Speaker 2: The Bengals are favorite one and a half two and a half.

01:14:44
Speaker 3: I feel very strongly that Cincinnati figures out a way to get it done.

01:14:48
Speaker 1: Now.

01:14:48
Speaker 3: I don't know is t Higgins playing in this game. That's not a good situation.

01:14:51
Speaker 4: I think he is gonna. I heard he's gonna try to grit it through with a broken.

01:14:55
Speaker 5: Rib despite being you know, he's in a contract year and that can go both ways, like you yourself, But he also wants some numbers and he's struggling right now, and I think he wants to put up something.

01:15:03
Speaker 1: And it's a test for him.

01:15:05
Speaker 3: It's a test obviously also for Zach Taylor, who's gotten some criticism here about the offensive game plan.

01:15:12
Speaker 4: They need to figure something out.

01:15:14
Speaker 3: And I think you're gonna see a team, even if maybe I don't believe in them because of the way the setup is. I think you're gonna see them come to life a little bit, score some points to win this game.

01:15:23
Speaker 5: I agree with you, and I think it's because of the matchup. Like as as good a story as the Jonathan Gannon's been, his defense has been quite mediocre.

01:15:32
Speaker 2: They're thirtieth in DVOA.

01:15:34
Speaker 5: There's one play caller though, in this game that I do trust to like make make the most out of what he's got. It's not Zach Taylor Captain Lou It's Drew Pencing. It's Drew Pencing. Okay, let's get ready for some head coaching interviews. Drew Pencing. I just think a guy that has Jacoby Brissette in your like as a top ten EPA per play guy, and then the next it takes Josh Dobbs and he's playing really well, and they're seventh in DVOA.

01:16:05
Speaker 1: Right now.

01:16:06
Speaker 5: Offensively, Michael Wilson and Marky's Brown are both on pace for a thousand yards, Like Drew Pencing, what a guy?

01:16:13
Speaker 1: So did you?

01:16:13
Speaker 4: Okay?

01:16:14
Speaker 5: So is that how E E t z I n G Petzing I would say QB coach a year ago, I totally messed out. I guess they give him all the credit for the Browns last year he was just a QB coach. So I'm connecting a few too many dots but he's having a nice start to his career as.

01:16:28
Speaker 1: A first time playing callers too well. I mean I would say this, like, they can run the ball. That's gonna Cincinnati's gonna have to deal with the cards right now have more rushing yards per game than the Cowboys, Bills, Chiefs, Lions, and Falcons.

01:16:41
Speaker 3: If I didn't feel so hot about the lock of the Bills and the fact that you guys are on the lock as well, I would absolutely move to Cincinnati and put my belief in Burrow. It would be gutsy, but I can't do it because you're it's just too good a lock this week, and that is the kiss of death.

01:16:58
Speaker 1: The Jacksonville Jaguars will win in London. Yeah, that was way too confident, right, it's over, But that gives Greg his first loss, So I would actually take that. Let's let's go Jacks.

01:17:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's kind of pointless when we're all on the same lock.

01:17:10
Speaker 1: But no, it's just a week where you carry it forward. I was thinking about this driving down. It's like it feels a little showman free. You're two and two, right, Yeah, but I can't, like, I can't stilarly. I only think about myself, my own locker room, in my own organization.

01:17:24
Speaker 3: We have the standings so far. Yeah, we've been looking for this. A little check in at the quarterpole. Greg off to a four A spell.

01:17:33
Speaker 4: Check their clowns.

01:17:34
Speaker 1: Wait, I'm still doing this.

01:17:36
Speaker 4: We got a k.

01:17:37
Speaker 1: He's still doing this.

01:17:38
Speaker 4: We got a k on Sessler on Mark clown show. Greg, you're off to a four.

01:17:43
Speaker 1: Oh start the zuzzer got one point beat in a week one with the Chiefs, and now I'm three and one. Hold on, so it's not alphabetical? Why am I below the Westling mother? Right?

01:17:53
Speaker 5: So yeah, the Wesley, good job by Phil taking over.

01:17:57
Speaker 1: Uh Wes and Mark?

01:17:59
Speaker 4: Such easy fudder too easy.

01:18:02
Speaker 3: It's it's actually not right, and I personally condone it on everyone.

01:18:08
Speaker 4: Not instigate it or trigger it.

01:18:09
Speaker 2: All right, let's get this last draft.

01:18:11
Speaker 1: Ever to do such a thing.

01:18:13
Speaker 4: All right. One more.

01:18:14
Speaker 5: I wanted to avoid this game, and now I got the worst of all scenarios. I got Saints at Patriots. Patriots favored by one as my backup early game. This game is not gonna have any offense. I like the Saints defense unbalanced. They eventually capitulated last week, but their offense is maybe more brutal to watch than the Patriots. New England's coming off a week where they lost their potentially their best two players for the season, Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzales. Judan is maybe hoping to return late in the season from a torn biceps, which sometimes is possible. Gonzales for what reason, it sounds like it is out for to come back.

01:18:57
Speaker 4: In Week eighteen and knock the Jets out of the playoffs. That's that's my prediction.

01:19:01
Speaker 5: Look, I don't think the Patriots have any chance. We went over them a lot this week with Tom Kurran. This is a brutal schedule that they have all season. The next two weeks are the softest part. They're home for New Orleans at Las Vegas. They'll have a chance to win each of those games. They they could lose both, they could win both. I don't know, and I don't think it's gonna matter in the long run. It's like, how do they both respond to complete no shows? Because Patriots got a lot of attention here, but in New Orleans that loss against the Bucks was like, oh my god, what have we done? Is Derek Carr any better than Andy Dalton? You know some people might disagree. It's like, Okay, he's hurt. I don't know, he's throwing the ball sixty yards down the field. He's doing things. Maybe they adjusted the offense. Is there play caller Pete Carmichael really ready for this job?

01:19:50
Speaker 4: Like?

01:19:50
Speaker 2: Is he creative enough?

01:19:52
Speaker 5: We have a lot of talent In New Orleans, they played a better offensive line. And you can't score a touchdown on Todd Bowl. I know you put up nine points.

01:20:00
Speaker 1: Thro out the Bulls, so you can't go both ways on that one.

01:20:02
Speaker 5: Well, I get it. But the Bucks defense well coached. I'm not going to say they're a top five unit or anything. So how did both of these teams respond after really embarrassing Week fours? And because it's got to be dark in one of these.

01:20:14
Speaker 1: It was very just the whole the vibe at the Superdome, which is one of the more fun places to watch a football game, just.

01:20:21
Speaker 4: Very a dead zone.

01:20:22
Speaker 5: I mean Derek Carr taking like an immediate checkdown on a third and nine when you're down.

01:20:29
Speaker 2: Here's the thing, he took some big hits.

01:20:31
Speaker 5: He held the ball forever in that game. I saw no evidence of his injury in particular, and if he's out there, you have to value it what's out there, And sometimes he was perfectly protected and he's just oh, let's get another three yards to Kamara on third and nine when we need it, when we need a touchdown. I mean it was the decision making was terrible at a car.

01:20:51
Speaker 3: A lot of those checkdowns could be the result, even if you don't see him win sing of a different type.

01:20:56
Speaker 4: Of so fine.

01:20:58
Speaker 1: So I'd even accept, like, let's say that he will find out down the road that he was injured in that game or played through pain. Well, we know he did, okay, but what about what about the other weeks? Like he's not He's just.

01:21:09
Speaker 3: Not Like fine, I know, did you see Jameis Winston's moon ball when he gave this game?

01:21:12
Speaker 1: But I'm not kidding, that's what you signed up for. I want to read embarrassing him to Jamis wins Here's they paid a ton of money to Derek Carr and I feel like Alway said, it's going to be frustrating, and it's very frustrated.

01:21:22
Speaker 2: Okay.

01:21:22
Speaker 5: So here's their their totals on offense this season sixteen, twenty ten and nine. Oh well, they must have played the most brutal like defensive scheduled in the league.

01:21:34
Speaker 1: They got.

01:21:34
Speaker 5: No, it's Titans good defense, not amazing Panthers, Packers, Bucks. I mean, they're one of the worst offenses in the league. I don't know exactly why or how, but that's just the fact.

01:21:45
Speaker 4: Yeah, they seem directionless. It just yeah.

01:21:47
Speaker 5: Now he got to play the Patriots, who are down a few players, but coming off a loss. I don't think they're going to suddenly start scoring. I'm expecting this game to be about twelve to eleven.

01:21:55
Speaker 1: I do think though that like, yeah, I'm with you, it should not It should be Orleans for England and take the new out of both because they feel old and stale.

01:22:03
Speaker 4: To me, this is good.

01:22:04
Speaker 2: But Ran did you pre write yet?

01:22:06
Speaker 1: You can shut it down. You could close the left on your don Mark.

01:22:08
Speaker 2: I don't want to.

01:22:09
Speaker 5: Pack myself on the back, but I have stopped looking at his computer.

01:22:13
Speaker 4: Done death, the new the whole business. We got it. You came from another part of the air. Have a nice time. But how about Like I do like their defense.

01:22:19
Speaker 5: I think they I think it's a really good They can absolutely rattle an unwatchable Patriots offense.

01:22:25
Speaker 1: Brian Berzi kicked people's butts last week. I thought the Saint Stevie's they got fried on a couple of plays. But that's the thing you can rely on.

01:22:33
Speaker 5: And I mean Adamore and uh Alante Taylor as good as it gets for a cornerback.

01:22:38
Speaker 1: Do this crazy PFF stat on Mac Jones last week and we get We know that game was a black mirror scenario for the whole team, But turnover worthy plays on twenty one percent of his snaps versus Dallas. I don't all that from a quarterback that didn't come in for like ten snaps or eight snaps and then threw a two picks.

01:22:58
Speaker 3: It was bad and I love you know currness. Guess what Tom Current? Yeah Belichick does think think you're a dink now? Because he was ethering the Patriots on our show yesterday.

01:23:13
Speaker 2: You see him on the local broadcast.

01:23:15
Speaker 3: Yeah all right, good good, good, good good stuff. Oh do you guys want to see, just out of curiosity, what Drew Petsing looks like Cardinals off in scorner.

01:23:31
Speaker 4: I've looked this up.

01:23:31
Speaker 1: Well, he was.

01:23:32
Speaker 4: It was the Browns check.

01:23:33
Speaker 1: Out on TV and on YouTube.

01:23:36
Speaker 4: Yes, looks like uh like Mike Garafolo's brother.

01:23:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right, I could or yeah, absolutely another Garifolo using a different man's last name.

01:23:45
Speaker 3: Like a guy that like a guy that really can handle himself in cornhole. That's that's what Drew Petsing looks like. If if you can't see the show we just described.

01:23:57
Speaker 5: It, Yeah, and check it out on YouTube and check out our bonus ap coming this week with Nick Chuck Little qv in dex Talk. You made it this far in a previous show, you're are kind of listener you're gonna.

01:24:09
Speaker 1: Or if you fast forward to this, I hope that's the case, But that's the could you could get here by that pathway?

01:24:15
Speaker 4: Don't do that?

01:24:16
Speaker 1: All right?

01:24:17
Speaker 4: Everyone for always supporting our show.

01:24:20
Speaker 3: Yes, plenty more to come NFL plus uh Thursday Night recap coming up tonight, Bonusp with Nicky Shook and then the Flagship Show on Sunday till then Dan hands a signing off for.

01:24:33
Speaker 4: Quiet Star on The Old Boss, Eric Roberts Behind the Glass

01:24:37
Speaker 1: Glass Heed the Call