2025 NFL Week 6 NFC Preview

00:00:05
Speaker 1: Welcome back to NFL Daily, where the passage of time is really just always on my mind, But especially when Joe Flacco is traded to the Bengals and I think back and think it's weird.

00:00:23
Speaker 2: That that same.

00:00:24
Speaker 1: Joe Flacco that I watched in the Super dum have one of the best halves of football I've ever seen any quarterback in any game have. It's the same guy, Like, that same Joe Flacco is now the quarterback of this and it doesn't seem like it's the same guy to me.

00:00:41
Speaker 3: No, But but here we are in twenty twenty five.

00:00:45
Speaker 2: I don't know if it's a take or what.

00:00:46
Speaker 3: No, it's it's uh, it's not a take.

00:00:49
Speaker 4: Like Joe Flacco was red hot, Like there was no like during that stretch. You can make a case that maybe he played better than like he was playing at full Super Bowl level for three games.

00:01:02
Speaker 1: He played as well at quarterback in that stretch as anyone year.

00:01:07
Speaker 5: The big maker, just sling maker Joe Flacco.

00:01:10
Speaker 1: Seeing some of those like opposite hash throws that he was doing against the forty nine, and then speaking of like time messing with you, Like, doesn't it seem like the Packers Cowboys game was like years roughly nineteen eighty four, so like it doesn't even so long ago.

00:01:27
Speaker 2: It was only we haven't seen them in a while.

00:01:29
Speaker 5: Yes, and truly Orwellian ending as well that I am not satisfied with, because that's a nasty taste to leave in one's mouth for ten days.

00:01:41
Speaker 1: You know, fourteen days by the time we played Joe Flacco for the second time this season.

00:01:47
Speaker 4: Can't wait to discuss the Joe Flacco opportunity to go back up against the Green Bay Packers once again. But as we we will start this NFC preview with a team that is one of the more fun teams in the NFC to watch. I was, I was lost in the rundown looking for them.

00:02:06
Speaker 3: Where am I had to pull up a different sheet?

00:02:08
Speaker 5: Greg's on us.

00:02:10
Speaker 1: Some of us may have wanted to just tease the Joe Flackhu game early or didn't remember the order.

00:02:15
Speaker 4: No, I would love to discuss Joe, I could I could have just done you a big and we could have just done Yeah.

00:02:20
Speaker 2: That would have helped.

00:02:21
Speaker 3: That would have been much better.

00:02:22
Speaker 2: I think it's better to point out my shortcoming.

00:02:24
Speaker 4: No, keep me humble, because I I legitimately assumed it was me. Baker, Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing host to the San Francisco forty Nineers, who got an improbable win with a with a injured roster at SOFI Stadium on Thursday night. Uh, and now they have to go all the way across to take on Baker in the Bucks, who keep coming back and winning games. In the fourth quarter, Bucks favored by three the over Rudders forty seven and a half. It's a huge game. So that's why Jim, Tony and Tracy are on the call. It's the CBS one, and Greg Baker is is ballin right though he.

00:03:01
Speaker 2: Is playing so well.

00:03:02
Speaker 1: And I have been noticing a trend that the lines have not been backing the Bucks.

00:03:09
Speaker 5: Really, neither of you.

00:03:11
Speaker 2: No, because I think of the state.

00:03:12
Speaker 1: I think it's the same sort of logic that like, if you add it all up, like, actually, they've looked like more of a average team that's getting like a little bit of luck at the end of these games. And obviously the injuries are so big, and yet I do feel differently about them now than I did before because the whole thing of like their offense is so banged up and this, and that's like, it's really not that true anymore. Tristan Wurf's is back, yeah, and Tristan Wurf's is the best player on their offense.

00:03:37
Speaker 2: And they look completely.

00:03:39
Speaker 1: Different with Tristan Wurf's at left tackle and Graham Barton at center. And yeah, you miss Mike Evans, but they have and you miss Bucky Irving too, but they have more than enough offensive weapons and the biggest one of them, I think is Tristan Worf's. So there's a lot to like, really like about this team. Rownde into shape on offense.

00:03:56
Speaker 5: Him being back, and yes, to your point, Graham Barton at center is actually having also a positive effect way the hell over on the other side of the offensive line, where it's Heck and Haggard not looking Heck and Haggard, you know, like looking better. That was a total accident I.

00:04:15
Speaker 2: Planned.

00:04:17
Speaker 5: But I feel like this, this Tampa Bay offense is so surprising in so many ways, and one of those ways is the new heights that Emica ATBUCA seems to reach every single week. And with that said, I have my gavel, all right, please, ladies and gentlemen of the court for this meeting of the Emica at Bouch Club. Here are the club matters for the week. Emica Buka went seven catches on seven targets for a career high one hundred and sixty three yards and a touchdown against Seattle Lex last week, and he's currently fourth among all NFL receivers with four to forty five yards and Baker Mayfield has a passer rating of one hundred and forty five point three. Specifically when passing to him, you may be seated.

00:05:07
Speaker 1: Great meeting. Yeah, I'd like to add an addendum. He's top five in yards per reception, like he wasn't supposed to be.

00:05:14
Speaker 5: A great player, three yards to catch, top.

00:05:16
Speaker 2: Five and touchdowns.

00:05:16
Speaker 1: Sometimes the old regular stats are are helpful because you know what, he's not high in his separation score. It doesn't matter. There needs to be wide open. He's making contested guys.

00:05:26
Speaker 4: He leads the NFL in tight window targets, including the seeing eyeball against the Philadelphia Eagles. And if you felt like that was fluky, he comes right back with this performance where you see like you get a quarterback who was willing to try anything at any given juncture to get yards and a Mecha Buka is there for it, and I'm excited for this matchup.

00:05:47
Speaker 3: I'm going to stop like doubting the Bucks at this point. They're gonna come back on the fourth quarter to win this one again.

00:05:51
Speaker 1: But I also not doubting the forty nine Ers, especially in this matchup. So we got to pick these games for game debut.

00:05:57
Speaker 6: HM.

00:05:58
Speaker 1: My picks were a little chalky this week and that might have impacted my upset pick in this one. But the other thing to keep in mind, Patrick Okay, is that Kyle Shanahan, He's got ownership of a couple coaches out there.

00:06:10
Speaker 2: It's not just Sean McVay.

00:06:12
Speaker 1: If you look at this these Bucks forty nine Ers games over the last three years, they have been one sided.

00:06:18
Speaker 2: And that was enough.

00:06:20
Speaker 1: And I know some of the scores were close, but if you look at the yardage, they weren't close, and the forty nine Ers won all the games.

00:06:25
Speaker 2: That was enough for me to be.

00:06:26
Speaker 1: Like, maybe Shanahan, with a little extra arrest, is gonna do it to another coach that he kind of has won over the years against Todd Gowles.

00:06:33
Speaker 5: Perhaps even following a Shanna plan, much like Clint Kubiak. His old protege just demonstrated on the circle of player target the player we all love, Jacob Parrish. I am really impressed by what Jason light has done this year with this draft class, and Jacob Parrish has such a promising future, but Seattle went after him. Clint Kubiak did the old Kyle Shanahan circle of player target.

00:06:59
Speaker 1: The tell all those plays though, I just felt was like great offense beating very good defense.

00:07:05
Speaker 5: And that's fine, right. That's that to me is what this game will have to be. Because it is very clear to me from watching last week's forty nine Ers game that Kyle Shanahan trusts Mac Jones to throw it around. I mean, yes, he's hitting the short yardage plays against that rams softer zone. At the same time, Mac Jones is not afraid to throw the football and a game like that them coming through the game like that with a win, to me, he's going to trust him to try to execute this whole like the thing he always does, which is try poke around, feel around the back of a defense, feel around the middle of a defense, try to see where the vulnerabilities might be. Now, I'm not calling Jacob Parish of vulnerability. I think he's a great player, great young player. But this Bucks defense has been back and forth in terms of defending the pass. They've been great against the run, defending the pass has been a little bit up and down, and so I think that's where Kyle Shanahan sort of like tries to circle different guys on the whiteboard.

00:07:58
Speaker 2: That's all.

00:07:59
Speaker 5: It's exactly the calling card that he's used, especially against groups that have been dealt with some injuries for years, and it's worked for him.

00:08:07
Speaker 4: And I think the circling though, to be able to do it with Sam Darnold and the way he's throwing the deep ball and Jackson Smith in Jigbo is a little bit different.

00:08:15
Speaker 3: Yeah, you're asking mac Jones, and.

00:08:18
Speaker 1: It's not confirmed that brock Perty's out, but they're reporting from ESPN's Dan Graziano said it's unlikely Party plays this week.

00:08:24
Speaker 4: I think it's not necessarily the high flying affair that the Seahawks almost got the Bucks on last three, especially looking over where the Bucks generates so much of their offense. They get more run after the catch than anybody in the league, versus the forty nine ers being so good at preventing that with arguably the best player in football, and Fred Warner back there preventing it. And you know he's been so consistent in that that it kind of gets lost sometimes how good Fred is playing. Where when Devin Lloyd is having like this career resurgence, it's like he's playing like Fred Warner.

00:08:55
Speaker 5: Right, that's so good.

00:08:57
Speaker 4: Like that's how good and how consistent he's been. And I think they need him in this one.

00:09:01
Speaker 1: I know Pier saw no Juwan Jennings at practice on Wednesday. That's disappointing. You thought maybe with the extra rest and we still have the rest of the week to go.

00:09:12
Speaker 5: And what you saw last to what you saw last week, I thought they made the most of it. Now, it was a worst secondary, I think, but but I think and worst linebackers for sure, But I feel like they made the most of Kyle Shanahan and company, made the most of the group that they had last week, and their defense played well too.

00:09:29
Speaker 2: I've seen some wild Mac Jones takes over the last.

00:09:32
Speaker 5: I know we're not going to do any of that. We're not doing that.

00:09:35
Speaker 1: I'm I'm a Mac Jones believer and supporter and seeing him this doesn't surprise me.

00:09:41
Speaker 2: But let's let's calm down.

00:09:43
Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm not doing this, like.

00:09:44
Speaker 3: Who's the number one offender in this Let's let's get it.

00:09:47
Speaker 2: Well, there there was you know.

00:09:50
Speaker 1: One about like they would they probably I think Ryan Clark said they probably would have won the Super Bowl if they had drafted Mac Jones back in the day.

00:09:57
Speaker 2: That's that's pretty high up there.

00:09:59
Speaker 1: I saw one Jets writer I can't remember getting on the Jets for signing justin Fields instead of Mac.

00:10:06
Speaker 2: Show here a new splash.

00:10:08
Speaker 1: If Mac Jones was on the Jets, it would not be going well with Josh Reynolds as his number two wide receiver.

00:10:14
Speaker 2: What are we talking about?

00:10:15
Speaker 5: I think you brought up Fred Warner earlier. Patrick, I think that becomes important. You know, Bucky Irving obviously being out is huge. I've been not surprised, but it's Baker Mayfield has seemed to take even a step forward in how he's seeing the field as a runner and picking up some of the invisible yards is kind of there. And that's where I think Fred Warner really comes into play, because the number one deleder of invisible yards that a quarterback can pick up on the ground would be Fred Warner. And I think that his vision and his understanding of where Baker Mayfield wants to go with the ball, especially when he's creating like that becomes pretty important in this game. It's kind of Fred versus Baker, and I love it.

00:10:57
Speaker 1: Shout out Rashad White, who might be the best backup running back in foot well too. Yeah, and definitely a top five pass protecting back, so like someone you're really happy to be in there to stand up to some of those blitzes that they'll send.

00:11:08
Speaker 4: And looking at the way he's running this season, I'm wondering I want to go back and look at the injury reports last year because I feel like Rashad White during a stretch, having Bucky Irving being able to take that load off of him really helped.

00:11:22
Speaker 3: And I think he might have been dealing with someone because he looks great.

00:11:24
Speaker 4: Yeah, he looks great right now and having obviously with Werfs back, you know, caving in that side of the line for that touchdown here.

00:11:31
Speaker 2: Agent year, he's on the list.

00:11:33
Speaker 5: I'm impressed with how they built this team, guys, because dire straight you look at some of the injury reports they've had. The guys are out earlier in the season. Both of these. I think both of these teams right now are putting on some pretty solid displays of a roster rebuilding or stocking depth. In the case of the ladder, it's the Bucks. In the case of the former, it's the forty nine or some of their rookies are really showing up and their second year players are really showing up. And their adjustments. I mean, that was maybe Kyle Shanahan's best coach game last week that I've seen. And then you know, Todd Bowles, King Grizzard, you know, the entire group are making the most of all of these different adjustments they've had to make. It's kind of like, now these two teams are like sort of built for this and meeting each other at such a cool moment. I think in their in their season, this will be fun. Another Jordan coded game. Do I get to steal this one?

00:12:24
Speaker 1: No, you can't have them all. Maybe maybe, but not. You wouldn't get this and the Jags.

00:12:29
Speaker 3: Game, we'll talk two teams.

00:12:32
Speaker 4: I appreciate balanced constructions on both sides of the ball to a game where the constructions are very, very lopsided favoring the offenses. The Dallas Cowboys three and a half point favorites at the Carolina Panthers. The over under is forty nine and a half. Adam, I mean Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver there to see two teams Jordan presumably go up and down the field over and over again against these defense.

00:12:56
Speaker 5: But Dallas's defense looked better. I mean, yes, factor opponent and sure, but they look they've looked better, right better.

00:13:05
Speaker 3: I mean they had five sacks.

00:13:07
Speaker 2: They gave it. They let brace Hall go up and down the fieldld.

00:13:10
Speaker 5: Five sacks, fourteen quarterback hits. Yes, Rico Dowdell revenge game.

00:13:14
Speaker 4: Tat trick so hard he told them to buckle up. He said, there's a reason they had me there for five years.

00:13:20
Speaker 5: Yes, I love it, Spicy.

00:13:22
Speaker 1: Would you rather have Rico Dwell or Javante will Well?

00:13:25
Speaker 5: Javonte Williams is number three in the league in rushing yards right now, and it's one of the best success rate overall rushing.

00:13:31
Speaker 2: What's the answer.

00:13:32
Speaker 5: What's your answer, Jevonte Williams? Right now, Javonte Williams.

00:13:36
Speaker 3: Both guys can be good.

00:13:37
Speaker 7: No.

00:13:37
Speaker 5: I love Rico dowllas considering.

00:13:40
Speaker 4: The way things are going for the Dallas Cowboys and for the Carolina Panthers. I think the exchange worked out for everybody because Jerry as he is, wont to do. Although Davante is making the same amount of money that Rico Dawdell is, Yeah.

00:13:55
Speaker 1: He Javonte's had a little extra although you know, Rico Dowdle has one start in one under yard game, so that's also he's pretty impressive. There was this play in the Jets Cowboys game where Javante was hitting the behind the line of scirpature hasn't happened a ton on a third and two, and he just like threw those Jets defenders off him, made a move, got the first down, and then they score a touchdown on those drive. And I feel like there's been a lot of that, but there's also been a lot of great run blocking. If the Cowboys offense had fallen off a cliff the last week or two, you'd be like, just you know, it's not fair.

00:14:28
Speaker 2: They only have one of their offensive linemen playing.

00:14:30
Speaker 1: They're literally with four backups and their worst starter the other it's the starter that's in there was rotated out a couple of weeks ago. Terren Steele essentially benched and so you have a group of backups and they're putting up four hundred yards. That's pretty awesome and shows how awesome Dak Prescott is and the good job coaching that good job those backups have done.

00:14:50
Speaker 5: Yeah, I love it. I like I mentioned this last week, I kind of get excited in a little tingly with like what Schottenheimer and Presscott are together as a group. Our friend Dave damashek the legend. I was talking to him about his famed bit slash seg that he does Jenga pieces right. We didn't get to it on his show Football America, great show, but we talked about how Clayton Adams, the offensive coordinator who was previously with the Cardinals now with the Dallas Cowboys and coordinating and designing this run game that the players clearly are coming alive and and and like are feeling it and making it come to life. The Cardinals are one of the worst, and this is before they lost their running backs and before they lost Tip Ryman as as a blocking help. The Cardinals become one of the worst rushing success rates teams in the league. Cowboys become one of the best. But you see the vision Adams was the piece. Yes, Clayton Adams was the Jenga piece that was. That was what I was saying, is like, it's rare that it's actually you see the theory and actually apply the theory, and then everybody buys into the theory and the players make the theory come to life and it's a completely different Cowboys rushing attack, and I think many of us expected and I love seeing and I think it's good for Dak Prescott. I think vice the reverse is true as well. Deak Prescott is making this all of this saying it's fun to watch.

00:16:12
Speaker 3: It was.

00:16:12
Speaker 4: It was a play calling clinic against the Jets. The screen to Jake Ferguson where he scored the touchdown. If not for him like making a move to celebrate before he went in, he would have been untouched from twenty two yards out. And you know, just to see guys schemed open in an offense where it's been really relying on Dak to make these tight window throws down the field for years, Like this has been a thing that's gone on for years and they've solved that. And I'm just excited to see Carolina in a if they can go two weeks in a row. Yeah, looking solid on offense, and credit to Xavier Leget not only did he catch a touchdown last week, but go back and watch those Rico Dowdle runs.

00:16:55
Speaker 3: Ugh, there's a lot of seventeen out front pave.

00:16:57
Speaker 4: In the road for Rico Dowdle, and if they get like a performance like that, it has that promise not necessarily to catch on to the feeling of the run last year, but some of the problems.

00:17:08
Speaker 2: They could be three and three.

00:17:09
Speaker 1: This is a huge game for these two teams because one of them either the Cowboys are gonna have a winning record or the Panthers are gonna have a five hundred record after six weeks, which is gonna feel like a minor miracle considering how they start out. It's a good test for the Carolina run defense, which looked better last week and it looked better overall this season against Dallas.

00:17:26
Speaker 5: Uh.

00:17:26
Speaker 1: I'm gonna miss uh having Eric Collins on the play by play though he was he was in the booth for that Panthers Dolphins game, and apparently he is low enough on the Fox depth chart that he is not in the mix this week. Give me more Eric Collins, Fox, Give me Eric Collins right now to.

00:17:50
Speaker 2: Stand man.

00:17:58
Speaker 5: Told Diddy.

00:18:02
Speaker 2: Dad, look at this.

00:18:06
Speaker 7: Out of feet Oh man, so much, give me more, need that energy, need more, Eric Collins in my life.

00:18:17
Speaker 5: I loved it so much. I also I also loved this. So I called the Panthers an anomalist team because they do enough to have some sort of breakout quarter or half uh in that case it was the Falcons game itself. They do. They do enough to just like pull their fans back in, give a little hope, and then it shattered the next week or like at the very end of the game. That's when they make their comeback, just when everybody. So I want to see some consistency, right, So I've called them this. I got a really great message from a listener of our show, and I'd like to read it to you guys. So this is from Cameron J. And Cameron J. Says Jay Rod recant the Anomalist Panthers statements on the pot at once as a long time listener and longer suffering Panthers fan, this team is a moribun berserker, only dangerous once it's wounded, only effective after self sabotage. A mad dying thing that fights hardest when it shouldn't. Cheers from Canada.

00:19:16
Speaker 3: It makes sense.

00:19:16
Speaker 2: It's so good Terterry Canadian email. Love it.

00:19:19
Speaker 5: Look, it's so much cheers from Canada.

00:19:21
Speaker 4: They were down seventeen to nothing on fourth down and the animal was wounded and Bryce Young comes out there like they run play action. He's in the flat, dead to rights like ducks under two defenders and hits a first down.

00:19:34
Speaker 3: It's you know, he.

00:19:36
Speaker 1: Had clearly the best plays and you're talking about one of them. And if you're watching us on YouTube, you can see it. That fourth down play by Bryce Young where he ducked under the defenders was like one of the best, maybe changes the season types of plays that we've had all year. You mentioned it, like free rusher in they're down seventeen to nothing mid second quarter at this time, he puts a couple well moves on, make makes a man miss, hits the touchdown, and then later on in that drive I'm going to present to you, and I know it's not as flashy.

00:20:08
Speaker 2: Oh, this isn't quite.

00:20:09
Speaker 1: Throw of the Year candidate, although the fourth down play might have been, you know, one of the plays of the year, especially considering the situation like they're not winning that game if he doesn't hit it. Great diving catch too by Tetuo McMillan. But this touchdown throw that he made later in that drive, I know it doesn't look crazy on the TV copy, but the anticipation and the heat that he put on it to be absolutely perfectly caught by Lagette on the All twenty two version was just outrageous. I want to put that on the Throw of the Year candidate nominee. You should, let's do it.

00:20:39
Speaker 3: I mean looking back, also, that's getting tackled on this.

00:20:43
Speaker 5: Yeah, and Bryce Young cannot see him. It's an anticipatory thing.

00:20:46
Speaker 1: That's the point of anticipation.

00:20:49
Speaker 2: Throws in that gay Yeah.

00:20:50
Speaker 5: Like onions on that throw in that game, I feel like, yeah, only dangerous once it's wounded. Only effective after self sabotage.

00:20:58
Speaker 2: Shout out to that isn't emailer? I love it?

00:21:01
Speaker 1: Which is, but doesn't doesn't bode well for this week, by the way, because they're not really wounded, and Bryce Young does have a tendency this year to start catastrophically. Eire's three of the five games where he's had like multiple turnovers right at the beginning, and then he's rebounded a couple of the Times shout out to the Cowboys who are just like figuring out their team.

00:21:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, still too, they just keep like naming new starters.

00:21:21
Speaker 1: I think Nate Thomas might keep a starting tackle job even when Tyler Gotten's back. Shamar James came in at linebacker last year week looked like better than their starting linebacker. He might be a new starter. James Houston is better than their edge starters. In general, they're playing it. They bench kyer Elam like they're still just like figuring out who their guys are.

00:21:40
Speaker 2: I applaud that. Yeah, and they've They've done a good job.

00:21:42
Speaker 5: It's almost like you have to do that when you trade one of the best players in the world. Right season starts.

00:21:47
Speaker 4: About that, But also before the season start, Greg pointed out that Schottenheimer was going to be very very good.

00:21:54
Speaker 5: Yeah, we were in Yeah.

00:21:55
Speaker 2: They're two to two and one.

00:21:58
Speaker 3: Circumstances.

00:21:58
Speaker 5: Yeah, the tape says it. They got the juice him and Prescott together. That's something cool. I believe it.

00:22:04
Speaker 2: No.

00:22:04
Speaker 4: Ben Johnson on tape last week as the Chicago Bears were on a bye, but they're back on Monday Night football. The number one overall pick a couple of years ago, taking on the number two overall pick and Rookie of the Year. They are at the Washington Commanders, who are favored by four and a half. The over under is fifty and a half. Joe Buck, Trojegman, Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge on the call.

00:22:26
Speaker 3: As it was fun last year. The Bears have eight deep for me. With the goal line, they bring free. Daniel's backing up.

00:22:34
Speaker 8: He's just gonna the let one fly, goes to the right side, steps away from the defenders, gives themselves some time now, steps up, fires heads towards the end zone.

00:22:46
Speaker 3: It is.

00:23:09
Speaker 1: This is why watching that what an amazing moment. Of course, Bram Weinstein in London, Fletcher, I remember where I was, you know, watch it like, that's just one of those plays. But it's why I joked to hide them. Our producer Patrick on game debut where we have to pick every game that we need to get this show canceled because picking these games is ruining my life. I remember watching that in the moment and being somewhat annoyed because I had picked the Bears.

00:23:38
Speaker 3: It happens. It happens every week.

00:23:40
Speaker 5: In the moment.

00:23:41
Speaker 2: I know, that's what I like to see it. It's terrible.

00:23:45
Speaker 4: I've changed picks just because I would have been alone and by myself. Yeah, and it's like, well, why don't I just go ahead and go back with Greg and Cynthia just so I can sit back and enjoy the game.

00:23:57
Speaker 2: That's true.

00:23:57
Speaker 1: Then you don't really care who the winds are last. It's just like absolutely stupid. I'm really excited, and I think the primetime schedule this week is awesome. The Sunday schedule is not as good. The Sunday morning and afternoon maybe the weekest one that we've had, but the primetime I feel like this game is happening at the perfect time to learn a little bit more about these two teams.

00:24:16
Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree. And Chicago is potentially making some significant changes coming out of its bye week. They are potentially going to have a new left tackle. The Canadian speaking of is like Canadian theme in this NFC podcast a little bit. THEO Benedett Is it Benedett Benedet? THEO Benedet. Hopefully we're not hearing his name a lot on the broadcast. That means he's probably playing well. But he had a strong camp according to reports out there, and changed positions from the right tackle to the left tackle. And Ben Johnson is sort of coyly like not naming who or whether they're going to change or who it is, which has prompted the local people to do some digging of their own. They think it's happening.

00:24:55
Speaker 1: And he did start against the Raiders as an injury replacement, and now it's like, yeah, well he just when everyone's healthy. They seem to be happy with how that went, like so was Max Crosby because he dominated him. So that's it. It's a tough matchup, but I don't know like they need to. It will be interesting to see what Ben Johnson wants to do, Like what would you guess he wants to do coming out of the buy. I always find teams very interesting because they're pretty intentional when they come out of the buy of like what they want to do, Like what do you think Patrick might change like with this Bears team from the first four weeks that he wants to accentuate.

00:25:31
Speaker 4: I think we might see more common dung guy on first and the second down, like that DeAndre Swift. I'm borrowing from Adam Rank of course, joins me on the NFL Fantasy Life. It's gonna do in Game Day Live with me on Sunday, so that's gonna be fun. But he had pointed out that Ben Johnson saying throughout the throughout the season, they're trying to figure out the picture in the backfield as they get some clarity up front. Both of the guys, he said, have had opportunities, but every time they have a run play where there's a designed whole, there's always a player in that hole in the defense, and so is There's some things for him to get better at, but I think he's going to maybe deploy things a little bit differently. I think the real issue for Ben Johnson is they have not been good against the run, and the Commanders are running over every single opponent that they face.

00:26:14
Speaker 2: Bill Bill's stats are crazy. Bill.

00:26:19
Speaker 1: I know he doesn't have a ton of carries, but he does lead the NFL and success rate. I think he leads the NFL in rush yards over expected per carry. He leads the NFL in just yards per carry. If you just gave me that profile blindly, you'd say, well, that's the most effective running back in the league. On a person that basis he is, which is amazing, and they've been effective when they're running the ball with the other guys too, So I give Cliff a lot of credit. I thought that game plan against the Chargers and Anthony Lynn, I feel better about the Commanders today by a decent amount, and I did go into the season of them being real contenders.

00:27:01
Speaker 5: Well, I agree because not First of all, Jade and Daniels played awesome against the Chargers in my opinion. I mean, I know that defense isn't what it started out as, but I thought he looked great. And if he continues to come back from that injury, and you know, continues to prove us wrong about not having him on Quarterback Island for this iteration of it, because of the because of the injury, and it weighs on me heavily. Jade and Daniels fans of which we are, friend of the show, and I just think that this is all coming together right. It's their run game is there, and that can, barring injury, that can stay where it's at and sustain as excellently as it has because they're blocking it open. I mean, it bills running great, Don't get me wrong. I want to credit him as well, but up front they are blocking it open. When you see that happening, that carries you into October, November, cold cold weather games, cold months, and certainly against a Bear's defensive front like like as you guys mentioned, that has not been great against the runs, specifically, they're built to stop the pass. They were previously.

00:28:07
Speaker 4: Larry Tunsel on his way to another season of a pressure under ten percent blocking yeah out a lot of those runs.

00:28:16
Speaker 3: There were two Bill Merritt. It's always fun.

00:28:18
Speaker 4: It sounds like an air conditioning salesman from Sheboygan Corey Krofsky. Merritt touchdowns against the Chargers where he's run into the left and they looked almost identical, like one was twenty plus the other one was five yards but just caved in. Some of it was probably some scheme issue for the Chargers as well, but I say that they've done it week in and week out, and I don't know what the Bears do to oppose it.

00:28:39
Speaker 2: I don't think they do much.

00:28:41
Speaker 1: I remember there was a Dennis Allen, Oh maybe it's a bit of a stretch, but a Dennis Allen Saints team versus the Commanders late last season that came down to a failed Spencer Rattler two point conversion after the buzzer, and so on that day, I believe they sacked Jade Daniels like seven or eight times, and they did give them some problems. That was a Saints team that probably had no business being in it to the last play. I don't think that Dennis Allen has some secret formula to slow them down, but he's got that.

00:29:13
Speaker 3: Maybe he does.

00:29:14
Speaker 5: Does Do we think that Dennis Allen thinks he has some sort of secret or maybe yes, yes, I think he does. Strike me as that.

00:29:22
Speaker 1: Yes, the Bears have really improved a lot in avoiding sacks Caleb Williams specifically, but I think that's like a team wide thing. He was taking so many sacks and that really seems to be an emphasis that Ben Johnson and him have had that you can see a completely clear difference between this year and a year ago. It's not like the pass protection is that that much better. It's just that Caleb Williams is at least bailing on the play or scrambling or throwing the ball away.

00:29:48
Speaker 2: So that's all good.

00:29:49
Speaker 1: And the commanders for the most part, have looked pretty good up front. My guy, Jerry Newton, who I never cashed in his stock, having loved him coming into the draft, is starting to make some noise like Johnny Newton Newton, not Jerry Newton, someone who's your guy? Yeah it's Jerson Newton technically with the capital Z. But yes, that was a bad job using this shorting. I'm really curious to see what happens in this game. Nothing, nothing would surprise you. Maybe the Bears come out and make a statement. All right, let's take a quick break, and then afterwards we get to the game that I thought we were getting to twenty five minutes ago.

00:30:26
Speaker 6: It just means you want this game right, That's right, we're back.

00:30:38
Speaker 1: It's my most anticipated game of the week because it's the one announced by Kevin Harlan.

00:30:44
Speaker 4: Yes, yeah, God on the call as Joe Flacco. Stop calling him old folks, because what's that saying about the rest of us? Okay, Joe Flacco traded in the division to the Cincinnati Bengals to solve all their problems, taking on once again a team he's.

00:31:02
Speaker 3: Already beat this year.

00:31:03
Speaker 4: Because quarterback wins are definitely a real thing that we should evaluate. The Green Bay Packers, who are favored by fourteen points.

00:31:09
Speaker 3: The over under is forty four and a half.

00:31:11
Speaker 4: Greg mentioned it, Kevin Harland TRNK Green Melon Collins on the call. Is Joe Flacco the answer for right now?

00:31:18
Speaker 5: I don't know, but he's playing. According to Zach Taylor, he's playing. He's gonna.

00:31:23
Speaker 2: I trust Zach Taylor.

00:31:24
Speaker 5: I do too, and he's already. You know, that'd be something that's just kidding guys, the old bait and switch here.

00:31:31
Speaker 2: You know, it is.

00:31:35
Speaker 5: A team that feels like it has not played football in years and years in the Green Bay Packers because of how long ago that game against Dallas was, and a team that seems to completely have forgotten how to play football. So let's see how this works.

00:31:49
Speaker 2: Out, right.

00:31:50
Speaker 1: You think about the Bengals, and yes, they should have made a change at quarterback, and we talked about this already, so we don't need to repeat ourselves. But like Jack, I don't think it needs to be ignored that this is by far the worst team in the NFL the last three weeks. I mean, it's not even close. I would argue Patrick, there's some.

00:32:14
Speaker 5: Folks in Baltimore, no factory of sadness.

00:32:18
Speaker 1: To my left, I think you could make the argument that the two most lopsided games of the entire season were the Bengals Broncos game, okay, followed by the what was the game before that with the Bengals involved, And now I made a mistake. I'm thinking about last week Lions Bengals. That was the best performance that they had. But in Week three, five.

00:32:43
Speaker 5: Hundred yards of offense by the Bronco.

00:32:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, the Bengals got absolutely whitewashed in that week as well by the Vikings. Those I think were the two maybe most lopsided games of the year. And then the Lions were up like thirty four to three or something like that in that game too. I mean, they were awful in every respect. And I saw this thing about like Andrew Whitworth, who obviously is as good a source as humanly possible on the Bengals offensive line, saying the needs at spend more resources on their offense. Plant I'm thinking, well, you have your best player as a first round pick that you spent that resource, and you had one of the highest paid tackles in the league at left tackle, and you have a pretty high pick at one of the guard spots, and you've spent on the three contracts in Alex Karis.

00:33:22
Speaker 5: So subtext though, subtext though if I'm seeing that, because Wit is very aware of those things, that those details, the subtext to me is needs better coaching, needs better scouting of talent. Well that's what I think it means by more because you're paying those people in depth.

00:33:37
Speaker 1: They didn't get anyone this year for depth, but they're basically starting the guys they expect.

00:33:41
Speaker 4: I mean, I'm looking back like a guy like Akiema d Energy, right, who was they with the Cincinnati Bengals. How they had success? Of course they went to the Super Bowl. They try to upgrade the offensive line. He goes, he plays fifty three snaps for the Dallas Cowboys last week against the Jets, and the Cowboys look like world beaters.

00:33:57
Speaker 3: They've got other.

00:33:59
Speaker 4: Jonah Williams looking successful in other spots, in starts where you start to wonder like this is this is franchise team related in terms of the issues up front, which is why the Flacco move was so iffy to me, where it's like you can't protect Joe Burrow or Jake Browning and now you're asking Joe Flacco to just come in here. And get thrown statue ball a Packers defense. That's that's gonna like Joe Flacco's gonna get hit. And I understand he's got like a per win bonus right on his contract, and so he wants to go somewhere where we could start and play. Like at one point like is it worth it?

00:34:33
Speaker 3: Joe?

00:34:34
Speaker 5: Yeah? But I don't know if they're sitting I mean, I guess probably he has some saying it right, do you want to do this?

00:34:39
Speaker 2: Yes?

00:34:40
Speaker 5: Do you really want?

00:34:41
Speaker 1: But better than sitting in the room with and Danbriel, I think for him it just seems more like if this is gonna be my last season, I like to go throw the ball to T Higgins and Jamar Chase and see what happens. He's a confident man, and.

00:34:56
Speaker 3: I hope they get it blocked up so that he can do that.

00:34:59
Speaker 2: But game, forget it.

00:35:00
Speaker 5: Yeah, this is to that point. I am so excited and interested, maybe not enough to want to take this game from you, Greg.

00:35:07
Speaker 2: But is it by game again?

00:35:10
Speaker 5: You're so excited about it?

00:35:11
Speaker 3: Yeah?

00:35:11
Speaker 5: This is this is this is the Greg Rosenthal game.

00:35:14
Speaker 3: You want to see. Joe Flecco.

00:35:15
Speaker 1: The late window is quite interesting this week you got that great forty nine Ers Bucks game, and then you also have the Raiders, Titans, and Bengals Packers.

00:35:26
Speaker 5: I am really interested to see what the Green Bay Packers defense looks like with this time off to actually take a break. A lot of times the Bie weeks are pure rest, right, unless you're a team that has some serious fiddling to do, And I would count. We just talked about them, the Bears maybe upfront with what they want to do with their offensive line being one of them, and also this Packers team with this defense because Micah Parson's best pass rusher in football right now, argue with Miles Garrett, I wouldn't want to do that. I already did the wouldie rather where apparently, instead of being followed around by Kats, my choice was just to get a surprise hit by Miles Garrett at any point still.

00:36:03
Speaker 2: Twenty times in your life, question my terrible decision.

00:36:06
Speaker 5: I just that's how I feel about Cats. I guess we could say but I but I feel like this is going to be cool to watch because they've had time to actually plan. He arrived so quickly to the start of the season, to the point where just for his own kind of wellbeing and safety with that back issue is on a little bit of a pitch count which increased a little bit, but still having him fully in this defense and a full deployment plan where it's not just him knowing what he's going to be doing and where he's going to be, it's all the guys around him also having some you know autonomy and some you know integration into that plan as well. I am extremely interested to see what this looks like, and I think you get kind of a blank canvas to do it on.

00:36:51
Speaker 2: You know, right, it's going to look awesome. That's in news real.

00:36:56
Speaker 1: This team was consistently dominant on defense for three and a half games too, before suddenly the Cowboys just kick their teeth in for a half and that'll happen.

00:37:06
Speaker 2: But they were.

00:37:06
Speaker 1: Pretty great before that. It's gonna be a blow. Maybe I'll take it, though.

00:37:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, just watch a guy, Joe.

00:37:11
Speaker 5: Is this our Survivor pick this week?

00:37:13
Speaker 3: Out there?

00:37:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's just keep going against the Bengals. I kind of forgot about, sir.

00:37:17
Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, we'll chase the Bengals.

00:37:19
Speaker 2: Take the bank. I'll just keep schedule. We'll keep finding the bank because it's.

00:37:22
Speaker 3: Meat until they get, you know, in the division.

00:37:24
Speaker 5: But it's like I get points, I see club and Eric back there, good job. I care so much.

00:37:29
Speaker 2: About this survivor.

00:37:31
Speaker 4: They know we already all lost, no, but we all win together together. Is how we approach these together. Is how the Bills will try to bounce back from their first loss of the season on Monday Night Football. They're back in prime time this time. They're on the road though, at the Atlanta Falcons, the Bills giving up four and a half points the over unders forty nine and a half. Chris Fowler, Lewis Riddick, dan Orlowski, Katie George, and Peter Schrager on the call, Greg is, you guys had a good conversation Jean Robinson, give you any insight and how they're going to face up against the Bill.

00:38:03
Speaker 1: Yes, you will hear that conversation as part of the Thursday night recap show, so it'll it'll go on along with our recap of Eagles and Giants. And it was a great conversation. And he talked about the improvements that he's made throughout his career, that he's a more confident runner, that he's he's a patient runner, and he's given a lot of credit to the scheme there with how did he call him z Rob?

00:38:27
Speaker 2: Zach Robinson? And I like z Rob.

00:38:30
Speaker 1: That definitely sounds cooler than Zach Robinson looks.

00:38:34
Speaker 5: Yeah, Oh, I just mean like he doesn't see anybody. Hear that one go by, and.

00:38:40
Speaker 2: Then all of a sudden, it just he doesn't look like a z Rob. What do you mean?

00:38:44
Speaker 5: He looks like a freaking one Tree Hill character.

00:38:46
Speaker 2: That's sort of what I mean. Is that a zb All right?

00:38:49
Speaker 4: Well, you're saying like you dragged, like put a little gel on a bang and drag it down all sudden.

00:38:53
Speaker 3: That's z Rob like you put a leather jacket on.

00:38:55
Speaker 1: I'm not trying to like profile or anything. I just mean z Robbins like I'm pseude.

00:38:59
Speaker 5: Apparatus is the background, you know?

00:39:01
Speaker 2: That just doesn't seem to fit.

00:39:03
Speaker 1: Also, what doesn't fit is two of the best games of the week opposite each other on Monday Night football. We've only got two more of these ever, according to our boss's boss's bosses Boss's boss's boss Roger Goodell, so this is one of the last two. Next week is the very last one. But this one annoys me. I which these two were separate.

00:39:20
Speaker 3: They all do to me, me too, but a noted shield robot.

00:39:24
Speaker 4: I don't want to have to the whole point of Prome time is being able to put singular focus and all of us collectively are on social media having a conversation about one game, and now we're bifurcated, and you know, they've killed broadcast television in general, and so everybody's on a weird delay because everything is streaming now.

00:39:40
Speaker 3: It's yeah, it's bad, bring it back.

00:39:44
Speaker 5: He's got the gavel, Yeah it is.

00:39:46
Speaker 2: It is.

00:39:47
Speaker 1: The NFL agreed with you, and they say this is all going away next year, but it was just still stuck on the schedule.

00:39:51
Speaker 2: I just wish they did the.

00:39:52
Speaker 1: Thing that we were up till one in the morning on the East coast for this game, you know, just just stagger them.

00:39:58
Speaker 5: I'm excited for this game. I think that the Bills have a huge advantage if they want to run the ball. James Cook is among the best rushers in the NFL right now, number two in yards, and the Falcons are six worse in the NFL in terms of success rate in defending the run. That's a huge, huge mismatch and probably a key contact point for Joe Brady in game planning for this game, because one of the biggest advantages for the Bills remains this offensive line and what they can do between Josh Allen and James Cook.

00:40:25
Speaker 1: You know what shocked me is looking and seeing that the Falcons are still first in defensive DVOA right now, like the numbers now. Granted you look at the schedule and that seems to be a factor, I think, but they've been very good against the pass in general, despite like not playing their two young players that much like James Pearce and Jalen Wager aren't playing that much. Despite every week the opposing team seems to target Mike Cues and d Alford a lot and it seems to be working. So I don't know, they've had a lot of they forced a lot of turnovers, which is part of it. But what a great to go up against this Bill's passing game, which is starting to It's been amazing. But I think they're wondering, like, do we need something else? Do we need a guy that can can go down the field and make a big play, because they are right now kind of a station to station type of offense.

00:41:14
Speaker 4: It's felt kind of Eagles ish for the Bills, where they kind of wait to deploy late when they need it and it's like all right, Josh hero ball engage, get mad and so like. I think they have to kind of take the governors off in this game because the Bill's defense continues to be a problem, and especially when you've got guys like Drake London and you know, to some extent calepits but especially John Robinson, where they get loose.

00:41:43
Speaker 1: Forget to some expense, it's just happenings breaking tap.

00:41:48
Speaker 5: What I see for this early is for them to scheme up a lot of like quick like yack slants and screens and dare the Bills defenders to tackle in space or in the middle of the field where they both places where they've been having issues actually wrapping and pulling to the ground. This is where I think they try to go fast early and they try to really hammer them with those specific types of plays with those players, with Bijon, with Kyle Pitts, with Drake London, to try to dare you to tackle them. Because the Bills have still you know, slide improvement up front. Last week. Dean Walker's playing well, but there's just there's just not a consistency week over week and how this defense is containing players right.

00:42:36
Speaker 1: And I think if you look at Pitts's stats, for instance, like they don't look that crazy. It's only ten yards per catch. But he's someone if you just watch them this year, he's just way better. Yeah, he could be a pro bowler. He could be an all Pro. I think the stats and he does have at least four catches in every game, so he's been consistent, are better than he looked. I thought Michael Pennox is coming off his best game of the year. They haven't played in a couple weeks now, but that Washington game, he showed a lot of good anticipation throw.

00:43:00
Speaker 2: He threw over the middle well in that game.

00:43:02
Speaker 1: So I think if you just took out that Carolina game, which you can't, is a terrible, terrible performance by him. But I think he's played well in the other three starts. I think it's an offensive game for both teams. And I'm curious because I think the Patriots really showed their hand and what they thought matters about the Bills. When you talked about the running game, they really loaded up to stop the run and they dared the Bills to beat them in man to man coverage, and it's not like they got a little lucky with a couple turnout. It's not like they shut him down or anything. But I think that game plan makes make sense to me.

00:43:33
Speaker 2: When you're playing the.

00:43:33
Speaker 4: Bills, can't wait, great matchup and sneakily. Where would you think Michael Pennock Junior is in terms of dropback EPA among passers in the NFL right now?

00:43:47
Speaker 1: Well, the fact that you're asking this question means it's going to be surprising. But if I didn't think about that, I would say, like eighteenth right now.

00:43:55
Speaker 3: He is at forty.

00:43:58
Speaker 2: Right.

00:43:59
Speaker 5: The panther is that everybody who's ever thrown a pass. But yeah, that's adjust he's on that line.

00:44:05
Speaker 3: No, yeah, it's it's everybody.

00:44:07
Speaker 2: But still it's still that's not good.

00:44:09
Speaker 5: It's doing the rude thing where I'm leaning over looking at your screen. I'm like, who what I get it.

00:44:15
Speaker 1: The first couple of weeks it was a lot of checked up, but I think he was taking what the defense was giving him. There havenh't been a lot of explosive plays until that Washington game, and obviously that Carolina game. Was so bad that it's going to skew the numbers a little bit. But that is interesting, all right.

00:44:29
Speaker 3: So perhaps an opportunity number.

00:44:31
Speaker 1: One defense, number twenty one offense according to DVA, which I would not never have expected coming into the year.

00:44:36
Speaker 5: Yeah, something weird. That's just weird.

00:44:38
Speaker 2: That's I don't really believe it.

00:44:40
Speaker 4: Yeah, thanks thanks to not believe. I believe one thing that I know for certain, Jordan, all that matters is Drake May. The New England Patriots are favored by three and a half points at the New Orleans sit. It's a couple of Greg Rosenthal's Corps beliefs. Yes, Drake May. This is in the city of New Orlean. The over under is forty five and a Halfspirodidas, Adam Marcholetta and Adida ki Kawala on the call. They're back. The vibes are great. They just got a big win in the AFC East, Greg, and now they go on the road.

00:45:12
Speaker 1: To New or dangerous game. You're right about Drake May. He's the only thing that matters.

00:45:17
Speaker 2: They see.

00:45:19
Speaker 1: They also aren't particularly like that great of a team. They're twentieth right now in DVA. Like I think that indicates even last week they were lucky to win that game. They were out gain like there was a lot going on in that game and they have it. Definitely not a WI but when it comes to the Drake May fan club there there is definitely a wee you if you're watching, you can actually see our throw of the Year candidate that I'm going to throw out there from Drake May from last week's game where he is rolling out to his right, and especially when you watch it on the overhead view and he throws it on the run with a defender in his face, just perfect and dissipation, and I think it.

00:46:01
Speaker 5: Does it gets better as it sales. Yes, looking out how close to the sideline he's kidding.

00:46:07
Speaker 1: I mean, he throws a pretty deep ball. And I think his connection with Stefan Diggs has made me reconsider the upside of this passing game because Digs and him are giving more as kind of a tandem than I thought he would have with anyone this year. Shout out to Stefan Diggs and whatever he did in that recovery, because he's still not a year away from that ACL surgery. It's pretty amazing how much Juicy looks like he has.

00:46:32
Speaker 5: Yeah, back to back games he's played awesome and that was a little bit of a revenge game, although it seems like good vibes and he interacted with the crowd and all of that stuff, and kind of I.

00:46:41
Speaker 1: Want him to play every game in Buffalo. He seemed like fifteen percent faster.

00:46:45
Speaker 5: Yeah, he and he was feeling it, you could tell. I mean, he he took extra time before the game to interact with the crowd. This this will not be that same type of like nostalgia and dynamic, but man, this is kind of this is to be actually, I think a much more fun game than I think people thought it might be coming into the season looking at the schedule, because obviously New England's coming off their biggest win certainly in the Verbel era, in the Drake May era, I would say, too, right, beating Buffalo like.

00:47:14
Speaker 2: That in prime time, oh in the last four.

00:47:17
Speaker 5: Years, yeah and forever, And that's that's great for them. They're they're healthier on the on the defensive side. To Christian Gonzales, holy Cow looks just as advertised, right, looks incredible. But they're also going against a better than most people think, playing better than most people think Spencer Rattler certainly not in QB island range, but playing better than a lot of people would think. And playmakers, young playmakers all over the ball. Jona Sanker again I shout at them out a couple of weeks ago, again making.

00:47:48
Speaker 1: Place PEPSI Rookie of the Week candidate this week making plays in addition to Jackson.

00:47:52
Speaker 2: Dart, which was one of the strangest things I've ever seen.

00:47:55
Speaker 5: Two names where people are like, what the and it's like looking at it and all over the field attacking the ball. I told you guys to keep an eye on Kendre Miller. Very hard to tackle that guy. He's starting to get into an even carry share, if not a little edge on Carrie. Specifically with Alvin Kamara. This is the type of thing you kind of hope to see with Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson. In terms of Alvin Kamara is being used still as a passing game mismatch. He's great there, but also you're getting someone else coming in and getting more of a workload with the carries. He's very hard to tackle. So I think this is actually kind of a frisky game because you got a lot of interesting guy, like interesting players on both sides of the ball for each team, and the young guys are really the story of all of this, starting with the new England quarterback.

00:48:40
Speaker 4: I'm concerned about the you know, the reverse chargers on the sideline with Brandon Staley, and you know it's it's head coach. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that that. You know, things at the start for coach Moore have been like that bad. But for Staley in the Saints defense, they're blitzing at one of the highest rates in.

00:49:02
Speaker 5: The league and he never used to blitz.

00:49:04
Speaker 3: And they're getting the second worst pressure rate in the league.

00:49:08
Speaker 5: They and Chase Young hasn't been out there either.

00:49:11
Speaker 4: The pressure rate on blitzes, like there's a significant, like almost twelve percent difference where they're blitzing thirty three percent of the time, they only getting pressure on those twenty three percent of them ough, and so like even when they're sin in the house, it's they're not getting there and it's it's not gonna work against seventeen.

00:49:27
Speaker 1: My take again in this game was like these two teams are not that different other than the quarterbacks in terms of their overall ability and that's a pretty big difference. I think the Patriots have a dude, you know that a QB island worthy dude, and the Saints have an offense that's punching above its weight. It's like twenty third. But they are different because the Patriots have pass prushers. Yea, both teams are thin. The Patriots might even be thinner. Once you get past like the first the best fifteen players on the Patriots roster, it's it's like it's one of the worst rosters in the league from sixteen to fifty three. I really do think think so it falls off a bit of a cliff, but their top end talent is much better. And the Saints their defense is one of the three or four worst in the league and their special teams is one of the two or three worst in the league. They're special teams has really cost them. So this is a game that the Patriots should win, but that it's kind of an interesting test. I said it for the Colts last week, for instance. Okay, you're a heavy favorite at home against the Raiders. I don't think the Patriots are as big a favorite this week, but this would show me something if they can back up what was a big win. I don't even care if they cover this game, just find any way to get a victory. And if they're a playoff type of team, which is now I think realistic to expect that they could get a seven seed or something, then you got to win a game like that.

00:50:39
Speaker 5: It's two rebuilding teams, both rebuilding for very different reasons, one who has their quarterback, the other who still has obviously major questions at the position. And they're both kind of teams that play a little bit more so even now, the Patriots I think have opened it up a little bit as well, playing as if what do we have to lose? You know, Like I see that even though the Saints are losing almost every week last week excluded, I see that from the Saints they don't have games, and they and they don't have the guys they have a major position holes to fill, and so do the Patriots. The Patriots are behind by like three draft classes at this point. So it's like both I think in terms of you know, I think this becomes a tight, like a little bit tighter of a game because it's like, Okay, we neither of us have anything to lose. We expectations were already low right, I think higher now for the Patriots after winning the game that they did. But you never know. I mean, I just I don't know. I just I see the Saints making this tougher on the Patriots than I think. Again, people who haven't watched the Saints all year would expect.

00:51:44
Speaker 1: It's also the big expedition fan meet up field trip for the Saints block party. Yeah, the Saints traditionally performed very well that week.

00:51:53
Speaker 2: I'm going on with the Adam and Ryan this week.

00:51:56
Speaker 5: So check that out, Jess really quickly. I wanted to do a Will Campbell check in for you.

00:52:00
Speaker 1: Been fine, probably coming off his worst game. Did not like they gave him a lot of help in that Bills game and it wasn't amazing, but good, good in the running game, he's been fine, which is all you can expect.

00:52:09
Speaker 5: That Well, just just for you, I thought I'd pull a PFF okay twenty seventh ranked tackle overall, So that's great, top third, that's great as a rookie allowed obviously one sack, six pressures total in five games.

00:52:22
Speaker 2: Very good. Hopefully it is very good. Great, Hopefully it's a great game. My game.

00:52:28
Speaker 1: I am taking that one for sure. I just want Drake May to have like a statistically untouchable game so that Mike Rabel will finally give him a game ball. He's given two to Andy borgallis the kicker, He's given zero to Drake May.

00:52:43
Speaker 2: It's on people's radar in New England.

00:52:45
Speaker 1: That like Mike Frabel is nagging Drake May and he won't ever talk about, like too positively about Drake May. They all think it's calculated. But bor Gallas, Wow, gotta hook that guy up.

00:52:56
Speaker 5: What a complex psychological.

00:52:59
Speaker 2: I don't know he's doing it intentionally. I don't know.

00:53:02
Speaker 3: When the kicker hits the game winning field goal, he killed the game ball.

00:53:05
Speaker 2: I get it. But a couple of weeks ago, like May.

00:53:08
Speaker 4: I'm actually Gaalaxy our quarterback to make him try it.

00:53:12
Speaker 1: They had that Panthers gave me had like three incompletions and they put up a forty burger and he's like, hey, let's give it to Like Mac Collins.

00:53:18
Speaker 5: He always gets the game ball in your heart.

00:53:19
Speaker 2: There we go. That was it. Preview shows. We did it. We've done it.

00:53:24
Speaker 1: As we mentioned, we're going to have Jehan Robinson on our Thursday night recap show that is the next time you will hear from us me Nick Shook in.

00:53:33
Speaker 2: The feed talking a little eagles giants. That's it. I'm over the jet lag claring it's over.

00:53:41
Speaker 5: It was over when you picked up the Snickers bar and swung it.

00:53:44
Speaker 1: That's why you got to watch the show, because you never know if I'm going to use something as a foreign object and just take out

00:53:52
Speaker 2: See if there's an it