2019 Week 10 Preview

good energy Bill. Dan's got a new jacket. He broke out new pre show song. I don't know if you're in my mind it's it's called in my mind It's too There is no tone of surprise that would be the top of a funky b We're excited. We have Kevin Harlan as a guest on our Thursday recap show. So I mean we're tapping into the zeitgeist right now. The shadowy leaf? Is there a shadowy leaf figure behind the glass right now? Give me a head nod or sort of someone? Yeah, you got to check the bank

account for that categorization here, hit. We attempted to add a fourth podcast to our stable, Um this season. We went to the Shadowy League figures. He said, we want a fourth pod. They said no, Why they said no. We never really got a real answer on that. We just didn't get it. They said, no, stick with what you're doing. Well, when you have one podcast that far, you know outrate, saw the other podcasts that you have, why add more? I mean, we don't need to get

into that, but you are right. So what we did instead was we circumvented the situation. We searched from rented. We took the Thursday Night recap, as you know, we made it a standalone and now tonight and we just recorded it and you'll hear it tonight Kevin Harlan with the Heroes. Uh So that's basically a full podcast. So that's how you beat the system. That's how you take down the man while he slumber as you do your work. What happens when he wakes up? The man never wakes up?

Al Right, guys, that bozo sleeping real average Joe's here. Um a lot to get to, a lot to get to because well not as much as usual. And I'll tell you why. Thirty two teams six teams I'm by equals two teams already talked about four divide by two twelve games to talk about just twelve this week, which means we can chew the fat or fear in your eyes trying to divide by two. Now, imagine imagine me at sixteen having to pass the test to avoid summer school.

I don't feel like I feel like the challenge would have been the same. I don't think the skills have advanced. I always thought it was kind of a big but when we had to do some division while playing darts in London, I realized not a bit. No, I'm not great at math. Everything everything I say in this podcast is real. You know, there's there's no character. Math is hard, all right, So let's get into all the games and we do it draft style. And by the way, it

is true. Remember when you used to think and complain to your friends, why do I have to take this trigonometry course? All I need to know or like, you know, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. That's true, So your younger listeners out there, it's true. But being able to like add and divide and multiply quickly does help you throughout yours. I have a child that already one of them despises math, and I've basically said, don't worry about it. It's also the sign of a

creative so you know, don't worry about it. Everybody. That's not always the sign of that. That's the way to look at it. I didn't know that a default scenario. No, there are studies the left brain, right brain, and all that stuff that tell us more. There are plenty where left and right not as not much as occurring in either. There's so much going on. It's funny that the sun have both both gregs like I have balls. No, I

like that. I don't like Uh. Let's hear a little just a little tease, as they call me of the Kevin Harland interview that you could hear in full tonight after our Thursday night recap, like when you when you threw that sponsor read in, like right before you did that, you must have known that this was this was magic. Oh well, no, listen that Howard dinner off is Ore was her producer, and he was giving me the card because the giants at the other end, we're about ready

to enter the CDW red zone. Cd W people you can count on. Uh So I had it right there and then I'm looking at the Cat and the card is in my hand, and I get a nudge, and so I read the car as it turned out, So we didn't want to miss a sponsor man, regardless of who we're scoring, the Cat or the Giants. And Kevin Harlan will join us to talk about that very call and much more tonight after Mark and I recap Chargers Raiders.

All right, draft style, assuming the game happens there. Even if the game doesn't happen, we'd probably get together for even more important reasons to discuss why right, you know, pack the car, get as much water, bottled water as we can, all that stuff. Um, let's do a draft style. The old Zeuster is picking first. The draft order is as far as West. Pay attention, uh, Zeuster, quiet Storm, the old Boss West with the snake. All right, and I picked first and this one and remember have your

locks ready as well? Oh all right, you know there's a reason you're in last place, Wes, I need more craft. Um, all right, this is an easy first overall pick for me. Uh. Not not a killer slate of games to start with in terms of the best, yes so, but the games that are available for us for the purposes of the draft not so hot, so I will go to lambeau Field. I have a rule, I don't you guys are all about who's calling the game, and this might work out

for the old juser as well. But I'm like, Oh, Aaron Rodgers playing under blue skies or maybe some snow or whatever at lambeau Field and his prime coming off a bad loss. Um a tough loss against the Panthers, who are a five and three team. Uh that got back on the horse, as they say, after a really bad game against the Niners. So I am going to

watch and cover this game for the podcast. And I think I think people that look at what happened with Green Bay against the Chargers and say, oh, they're not that good, or this could be the start of one of those slumps that of Submarine Reese and seasons more to think about it. I think every team has a game that doesn't go their way every once in a while.

And also the possibility which could be proven wrong. But we'll see that the Chargers are ready to make a rise and a few weeks from now that won't look like such a bad loss, even though it looked bad in the moment. So I feel good about the Packers still and the Panthers, of course, now they move forward without Cam Newton, who is on I R. And it's Kyle Allen's world. So it's Christian McCaffrey on one side, it's Aaron Rodgers on the other, and let's have some fun.

I agree with you. I think you just throw out that game for the Packers offense. The Packers defense is a totally different story that this is not a one week problem. Since Week four, they are thirty first in the league in yards per play allowed. They are down there with the Bengals and the Dolphins as the worst defenses in the league in terms of just getting off the field. If you believe Bob McGinn, who does a great job doing you know, port cards every WEEKND would

I wouldn't. He's watching every every snap. He's killing Blake Martinez thing he thinks Blake Martinez needs to be benched. Kenny Clark, who has been a really good nose tackle for them the last few years and people thought maybe have a breakout season, is struggling. You know, they're certainly struggling against the run, and that's not good news when you're about to face the best running back in the league, Kenny Clark's playing too many snaps. He's playing more snaps

than any defensive tackle in the league. And Blake Martinez is making tackles, but they all appear to be four or five yards down field with the runner running him over.

I also like, on the Packers side of things, Aaron Rodgers comments about that Chargers game where they went there a day early to l A to acclimate to the climate, uh and the time change, and he kind of hinted that some of the guys didn't make right decisions and and maybe went out partying in l A, which again, sometimes you forget these are twenty five year old millionaires that when they get the opportunity in the million the middle of a harrowing NFL football season to have fun,

they're gonna go have fun and maybe have six more drinks than they expected to or whatever they do to cut loose. And that could be something that happened whatever, but you would expect if that was a real case behind the scenes, that this would have been a focused week where everybody was like got their head on. Maybe they were trying to live up to Packard tradition. Famously, you know, the first Super Bowl in Los Angeles, they you know Max McGee from two Lane booze so hard.

He showed up, showed back up on Super Bowl morning at six in the morning as the coaches were leaving, and he goes out and gets, you know, a couple big grap hangover. I mean, that's a bit of a different These teams put a clamp on that business. And you know, not to point to Matt Lafleur, but maybe

Matt Lafleur needs to. If Aaron Rodgers mentioned it, because we're asking if it happened, I'm going to assume it happened, right, I'm assuming he was not part of it if he's calling out the people he was with, but if he wasn't hang out with his teammates, that probably feels realistic to They only ran forty nine plays against the Chargers, and I mean, we'll get to if they and them, and we'll get to the Chargers before this because we'll talk about them tonight, but I want to see how

they follow it up. But well, that's how the show works. We've already talked about the Panthers. I thought took the training wheels off. Kyle Allen last week, or he just was more aggressive because he went for it, like he made a lot of tough downfield throws and he hit quite a few of them. I thought he had one

of his best performances. And I don't know if it was just a change in philosophy or something they decided to do during the bye week, but they were a much more aggressive passing game, and I think this is gonna be a high scoring game. I think he picked well, Dan, thank you, and I did also look in the mirror, and even though it's on the edge, I'm gonna stay away from it. I just feel I'm very strong in my conviction that the Packers will take care of business

and get back on track. Um. Next up in the draft is Mark Sessler. Alright, well, last week, I don't like what happened in the draft. Last week, I got stuck with two late games, and I I'm threatening to do the same again because I'm going early with the Browns game once more, one more time, because this is the end of this is where I maybe you know, last week could argue was the end of the brown season if they were to lose this week. I stopped picking the games and I'm going to let one of

you handle Browns games from here on. Alpoton. Well, it's because it's not a pleasant surprise anymore. It's ay, it makes Sundays longer. Don't need it. The Browns to me feel like I imagined. You know, the season started so poorly against the Titans, and it's almost like they never really woke up from that nightmare. But here's my concern. If you took them in a time machine and you said, all right, you know everything you know today, coaching staff on down to the last guy in the roster, we

we this was your preseason. We're gonna take you back in time and start over again. I don't trust this coaching staff or any of the players to change the results if they had a chance to do it all over again from scratch. I see a club that is completely discombobulated and simply cannot get out of its own way. And the offense. To me, the biggest concern is really some of these teams that cannot close drives. They have

not been able to close drives all year long. The aggressive downfield nature of Baker Mayfield from last season's withered up. He's one of the he is the worst quarterback in the league right now when not facing pressure. So all this about blaming the offensive line week after week doesn't hold a lot of water. He's simply not playing well. And I look at the quarterback coach, and I look at the offensive coordinator. Where is Todd Munkin in the

middle of all this? It's not his offense from Tampa Bay that I just think that they have to re look in the mirror and reorganize from the bottom up to the criticism, especially this week after the Broncos loss, is really starting to mount at the quarterback position. And to talk about that a little bit more, I got a surprise guest calling into right now, Freddie Kitchens. Baker's

busy looking in the classifiedes um. We have a special guest, big bombshell announcement that came on Twitter that Nick Shook, our old friend the Bodybill dirt Uh is back with NFL Media. He's the new writer for the around the NFL um news operation we have and now he joins us on the pod to talk a little Browns because previously he worked for the Browns. What's up, Nick, are Wow? Shooks back, Welcome back, And just so you know, we have a live stream on YouTube right now, and then

people can watch at anytime. I took the liberty of going through your public facing social media and picking out some of my favorite photos of you, and we're just gonna have that on a loop during this conversation. If you're comfortable with that, good. If you're not, you know, let me know. I'm a little frightened by what might be up there, but we'll go with it. It's a lot of biceps, it's a lot of a lot of sleeves.

I'm kind of I'm a bit shocked that Nick Shook entered back into this dynamic that he deals with on this show. You talk about not wearing sleeves. Brown Special Teams coordinator Mike Freefer and I used to run into each other in the hotel on road trips, and he'd usually run to me after I was coming back the hotel gym. So he started this thing where he go into every press conference and I would sit in the front row and he just looked at me and go, oh, why why you were in sleep today? Why don't you

showing off the guns? You guys don't the only one, so chuckle. We're talking Brown's bills and um, you know, you not only were working for the Browns until this week, you were traveling with them. What has been your sense, h with what's went wrong this season and what is the vibe behind the scenes there in Cleveland. There's a little bit of of just uneasiness. I don't know if I would call attention. I think tension often UH intimates that that things are are in a negative white and

it's not that. But you know, there's a lot of pressure on this team going in the season. There was a lot of new faces and a lot of moving parts that didn't have a lot of time to get used to each other. And I think you're seeing the results of that to an extend in the field, and and and it does affect you know, the moods Ryan

the team. You know, where are they going to turn it around, especially after this losing streak, and really especially after this lost to Denver, because you looked at their schedule through their first seven games and he thought, Wow, they've really played some tough opponents. You got Seattle, he got San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Page Tree, It's Baltimore,

which is who they beat. So you know, a tough schedule to start, but you thought, all right, well maybe we'll get on track when they played Denver and they didn't do that. So now it's really like, well, are they ever gonna win a game again? So, uh, you know, there are there are I think some concerns. I don't know if I would go so far as to call its issues, and I think that implies that there's there's some discontent or disconnection in the locker room, and I

think that's necessarily the case. But I just think it's a group that's not, you know, figuring out how to play together and really get into a rhythm. That's the thing that they have struggled to do with the most is get into some type of rhythm that they could establish in a game and then ride to a victory. And so far that's how they pretty much ended up

at this point. They have Kareem Hunt back this week, and I'm just wondering, you look at this coaching staff and you know you are, you were couched with them, So I'm not asking you to flame anyone, but do do you trust I am, um, well, do you trust this coaching staff to say we have a new weapon. We're gonna learn how to maximize him. After what we've seen with rather star studded group of skill position players

playing rather underwhelming football. You know, I don't want to say I don't trust them, because I think these are all good coaches, but I think it's a it's again another new piece that doesn't hasn't had a lot of time to get acclimated with these guys. Now. The good thing is Kareem has been the building. He's been able to practice for the last few weeks, so he has had some time in some reps of those guys. But again, you just wonder, you know, how are they going to

work him into the offense. How are they going to establish a rapport with him when they're still struggling struggling to establish a rapport with really anybody on this team. And and I think it all goes back to really the rhythm and the play calling and the way that they've gotten in the way of themselves, which is, you know, a self inflicted mistakes, penalties, turnover is that kind of thing. But then even last week they eliminated that and they

still couldn't come away with a victory. So you know, today I kind of thought about it and said, well, you know, there were three different times where they had the ball late, they were down to single score and they had the opportunity to take the lead or at least tie it and send a game to overtime. You know, there was Week three against the Rams and they couldn't score from the four yard line on four straight plays.

There was the game against Seattle where they had the ball lad down four and they threw an interception off the hands at Don trelle Hilliard. And then there was last week where it was fourth and four and they couldn't convert there to try to get to go ahead touched down in Denver. So even if you add these new pieces and all those talents there, can they really execute. I mean, that's the thing that we've heard from Freddy Kitchens a lot is execution execution to lack of execution.

Once they get rid of the penalties, they just couldn't execute. And you know, it sounds overly simple, but I really do think that is the case. Let's talk Let's talk about the Bill Shook. Let's talk about the Bill side of things, because this is a what a big spot for Buffalo here because now New England and I'm not gonna go crazy here because no one has ever thought the Bills have a chance to contend in this division,

and I'm not saying that they can. But they're one game out and their schedule, which we all know, continues to say stay soft. I mean, the Browns are one of the biggest disappointments in the league. They get Cleveland, they go to Miami, then their home for Denver. If they took care of business, they could get to December at nine and two. The Bills, to me, west are a team that if they continuare this business, we should be taking them easily, even though there is a sense

that people don't view them in that way. I've taken them less seriously of late because they have a major problem. They are one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. The Eagles went over two hundred yards on them. They made Adrian Peterson looked like two thousand fourteen Adrian Peterson. They are the worst screen pass defense in the league, which is why I expect Kareem Hunt they have a big role this week, and I expect Nick Chubb to run on there. I am not impressed with their defense

anymore like I was in September. No, the the underlying stats are pretty bad for the Bills. You know, if you look at d v o A, which is Football Outsiders way that they measure efficiency, the Browns are one spot ahead of the Bills on the season. If you look at the way they do estimated wins, which is more about yards for play and it you know, takes in the opponents. Again, the Bills are worst, slightly worse. They're like the best teams in the league. And that's

why the Browns are favored in this game. You know, And and I'm not I'm not surprised by that. This is a coin flip game. They're at home. I do kind of wonder that you think, is it a home field advantage right now for Cleveland because the second they fall down to score that it's like you feel that pressure. I don't know, It's not so much that six and two team maybe not as good as the record indicates.

But the Browns have shown is nothing to say that they're going to win a game against the winning team. I guess that does. I mean they've been close. They were close against Seattle, they were close against the Rams, they were wiped out Brandon Alan. This is this is a team. Their biggest problem is themselves in a lot

of in a lot of ways shook before. I'm curious, how do you think Baker Mayfield just you know, is handling his first real struggles and adversity on the field since he was a freshman in college like on a day to dab. I know there's a lot of jokes this week about how he looked after last week's game and all that, But how how is he kind of handling it because he came in he's all about confidence, and I have to imagine that that it's it's not

the same as it was eight weeks ago. Well, you know, it's funny seeking that press conference, it never occurred to me that he looked like he did in photos and on TV, But then after seeing it again, it was like, wow, yeah, he looks a little disheveled there. And obviously we we've heard some of comments about how he shaved twice from the time you get to the stadium to the time he left looking for cans in the back alley after.

But I mean, it's it's interesting because if you consider his career and you kind of mentioned it there, Greg, he hasn't really gotten to a point that he got to this summer which was this is this summer, this offseason was the first time where he didn't have the whole world doubting him or not expecting him to succeed.

You know, everybody loved him, everybody loved his potential and and and all the things were positive about the Browns, and you almost wonder if not that he lost that fire, but you know, that's what drives him, and and it makes you wonder if, if you know, not having all those doubters might have maybe for the first time, led him to be a little bit complacent. Now I can't obviously confirm this. I don't know him well enough. I've interacted with him, but I don't know him well to

know whether that was the case or not. But I mean, he did spend the summer, you know, doing some some commercials and getting married, and I'm not saying that really affects it, but it is an illustration of the fact that he had this love from the outside that he'd never really had before. And you wonder if that affected the way he's played and the way you know, he he was he approached this season. I do I will say that having been there for every training camp practice

that they had. He's been inaccurate this entire time, and he was inaccurate in practice in July and it was just slightly off and you thought, well, maybe it's camp, maybe it's just something that they'll work on. But it

hasn't gotten any better. Now in the last few games, he has to played a little bit better that interception on the on the touch pass, notwithstanding against New England, you know, statistically he's played a little bit better, but they still haven't produced wins, and they haven't been able to come up in the clutch, and I think that's the most concerning thing, you know, like Mark said, they their biggest problems themselves, and if they could just execute,

they could probably come away with some wins. And that's why I think that they still have somewhat of a chance to resurrect the second half of the season, but they would pretty much have to win out to really do that, which is obviously a tall task for anybody, especially with the weather playing right now. So I mean, these next day games are gonna tell us a lot about the makeup and moxie if Baker Mayfield, because right now, so far, he just hasn't been anywhere near where he

was as a rookie. You know what I'm gonna do with Nick Shook on the phone, I'm locking up Cleveland because either this thing, either this thing is gonna be you know, like glorious Sunday, or I'm going to continue just to burn up like a nuclear bomb landing on Earth. With the locks situation, I go where Mark goes best to what I actually kind of like this one there. I do think the Browns are gonna win. I mean,

I just I didn't I worry about Sunday night. I didn't I worry about what happens when you lose a lock and the Browns lose. I mean, I've shown literally no emotion all year. I think we're good. I just saw some emotion locking up a two and six. Yeah, you know what it is. There's these these model shots of Nick Shook like shooting free throws. Why don't you've you've clearly hired a photographer Nick at some point to get to maximize this. Check out our YouTube show, Nick,

we gotta move on the draft. The clock is up. But thank you for joining us and welcome back. We're really excited to have you and see you at I know you're gonna be doing your work back in Cleveland. But I'm sure we're gonna get a chance to see you every once in a while, including at the various tent pole events. And that's great news. Yeah, I definitely

you know what ill day one thing? Mark? You know, For as emotionless as you've been, I don't think you've been able to encounter an emotional uh impast or or challenge like the one I encountered in which they fly to San Francisco for a Monday night game and you're with the team and they get the doors blown off and then you have to fly back in the middle of the night five hours on the team. Boy, guys, you just got destroyed. So at the level then you were too close, Nick, you flew too close to the

sun literally with the plane. All right, Nick, Chuck, Ladies and gentlemen, that guy works out. All right, let's move on. Uh, Greg, you are picking third. I am, and I'm gonna go with one of my maxims. It's the Tony Romo game early, it's Chiefs, it's tight ends. I don't think this will necessarily because but I want to enjoy Romo in the morning. I want to enjoy Patrick Mahomes has returned to the field.

That's not official as we tape this, but he is practicing fully and it sure looks like he's gonna be back. And I don't think the Chiefs needed a reminder. They shouldn't have because they were a super per Bowl championship level team last year. If they want to coin toss they probably win the Super Bowl. They should be reminded after last week. Really the last two they can win the Super Bowl. You beat the Vikings with Matt Moore at quarterback, and I think look like the better team

doing it. You hold the Vikings the three hundred yards when Tyree Hills back, and their whole offense just makes more sense when Tyree Hills playing at his best, which I think he is now. Watkins is now the number two, Damian Williams is the clear running back. I think they're settling into who they are and I think the defense is better this year and they're playing a Tennessee team, which is I think earning Dan's ire more. I can't I was gonna say the word, but I can't even

do it. What No, I'm kind of out on even that because there that Mariota was a big issue with the Tytoons scenario, and but they just they exist, that's all they exist, and I don't think they can hang with a team with this sort of championship level talent. I think losing Malcolm Butler is a big loss for a team that if they're gonna go anywhere, and if they're gonna get anywhere close to the wild card birth fifth or six splot slot in the a f C,

it's you. It's through your defense, and so when you lose a starting corner, I just I don't like that situation for them. I think the Chiefs we've forgotten about because they haven't had those magic moments from the homes and because the Ravens just took down the Patriots, and I think Baltimore became that team that people are focusing on as the number one or two slot in a f C. This is gonna be a different narrat narrative after Sunday night. I see you look like you're you're

not happy with what I was saying there. I did not. I thought the Vikings were clearly the better team, and they were get out gained by five yards with Matt Morrick quarter, but they were about to run away with the game driving down the field and an illegal man downfield call changed everything. They were about to go up two scores and that was the turning point in the game. And then Damian Williams ninety one yard touchdown happened. Right

after that. I thought the Vikings were in control. The Williams touchdown was so huge because, yeah, I think More played very well in these two weeks, but they kind of needed somebody to step up and and get that game back in their favor, and they did that. And by the way, you mentioned Tyreek Hill, is he healthy? Damian Williams runs a four four? Tyreek Hill caught up to Damian Williams during the touchdown sprints and what does he run like a three six? What's going on in

Tyreek Hill? It has a chance to have his best like stretch for like he hasn't. There's been different parts where he's him and Mahomes have been healthy at the same time. Not this year, and I just feel like he's about his dominant and offensive figure and with them healthy, he could he could take off the difference though West I think is the defense is is something this year. It's a pretty good it's a pretty good past defense.

They're not great, but just the fact that their defense can kind of help them win some games is way different than a year ago. Somebody. I've had a few people ask us to explain d v o A. Basically, if you're watching a game and you say, hey, that yard on fourth and one is worth a lot more than a yard on first and ten. D v O accounts that if you say a yard versus let's say the Patriots defense against a yard versus um the Dolphins defense.

De v o A factors in your opponent. If factors in all these different situations during the game, to even out the stats and make them make sense like he's actually watching the game. There's a factor in garbage time, absolutely factors in garbage that's important. That's where that's where

totally yardage sometimes can get skewed. The Titans, this matchup reminds me of you know, Mike Mularkey and and Mariota leading them to a playoff win in Kansas City, and John Robinson, their general manager, has been there for a while. On paper, their talents like a little better, but there's no progress since then. I mean, there's no juice their their their draft picks are either Okay or or or less and their free agent pickups like Saffold has been a bust for them. Dion Lewis has been a bust

for them. Cameron Wake is not really playing lately. Although I liked that signing, The just don't have much juice. That come back when by the Titans would never ever have occurred on our Earth history of Patrick Mahomes were at quarterback either. It wasn't all on Alex Smith. But the um the biggest thing I'm looking for in this game is had his Mahomes? How is he moving? Because he came back a little earlier on the timetable, we've heard that this is something that he might still need

surgery for after the season. If he comes back, is he Patrick Mahomes or is he gonna be limping around after one hit in the second quarter? That I mean that that could decide whether or not the Chiefs are a real contender. West, You're up. I am going with the Los Angeles Rams at the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Donald's return. Oh wait a second, it is time now for the road to victory. Chris lessel And, presented by the United

States Marine Corps, tell us about it. Well, this is a matchup where you have a Rams team that has not been quite as good this year. Their offensive line has struggled. Brandon Cooks will not be playing. He's going to you a concussion specialist. So this is not the Rams of yesteryear. And this is a very good Steelers defense. I believe they're up to a top five defense in d v O A. Now, secondaries on fire, Cameron Heywards having a good year. T J. Watt is as good

as any edge rusher in the league this year. Great matchup. And on the other side, I'm not gonna disparage Mason Rudolph anymore. I realized the problem is inside of me, and it's not with him. It's the mid season duldrums and bad football has just got me a little bit more upset than You're higher on him than before. You're just you're not on that beat anymore. I I should allow for the fact that players can improve. Well, you're

you're you're testing yourself by taking him once again. I think this is like your third straight we got the Ruto. It's a very self destructive. Every week, Greg says a Steelers or West of team he watches him every week less goes that's not true, and then he picks them in the draft. I don't think it was a Steelers as said that about wasn't I don't know this Rams team. I thought they did a couple of good things going into the by. They had some good opponents to do

it against, but they played with tempo. They really split the snaps between Darryl Henderson and Gurly, I mean right down the middle, and Henderson gives them a little bit of juice. I'm curious we've given this coaching to have a lot of credit over the years. They just got there by. They kind of survived the first half of the season five and three. I'm curious to see what type of team they come out as because it wouldn't surprise me if they look like a better team in

the second half of the season. Come on, give him a little credit. Steelers a first in the league in sas Jared Goff can get that deer in the you know during the headline, second in the league and turnovers FORCET. It got me thinking if they had Roethlisberger healthy, with the defense that second in the league and turnovers forest, that's a Super Bowl contender for sure. I will not be surprised when they are in contention in Week seventeen

four playoff. Let's pick this game. Mark the Rams have allowed twenty points in two weeks against You know, suspect teams to be kind in the Falcons and Bengals, but I think that they are going to put the clamps on Pitts bricks offense and wine to the Pittsburgh quarterback who should not be named gets a little panicky under pressure. Well, he gets a lot panicky under pressure, and Aaron Donald

brings as much pressure as anyone. So as much as I like the Steelers defense in a home game, and as much as I don't trust Jared Golf on the road, I just I got a lean toward the Rams. I don't know how's this Rams team traveling this year. I don't know if I trust them in this game. Quarterback never traveled. I think this is a field goal game, and I'll give it to the Rams because I think they're a better team. But it would not surprise me,

I'll say. I mean, there were three and one on the road and lost their only game on the road to Seattle by one point, right, and they probably should have one. I have the Rams and this was I debated between this game and another as my lock. I'm not locking it, but I I do feel pretty good that the Rams are gonna I think they're gonna be a better team in the second half. All right, there you go. And that was the road to victory present did by the United States Marine Corps. And love those

means their heroes, the real heroes. And now Wes, it is time to snake slither your way to your next pick. I hate to do this to Greg. Oh, but you love it too. Sorry, No, I don't love it at all. I don't really love this game, but it's clearly the best one favorite rivalry in the league. Falcons at Saints.

I mean it's seen better days. Well, I think Saints fans are still ravenous and want to put it on the Falcons regardless because this rivalry it has surprised me at times the extent to which feelings get hurt in this rivalry and the intensity of it. But the Saints, with Drew brees back, I don't know that they have a weakness at all. Uh. The defense is phenomenal. The way this team is built. They have nailed draft picks and it's not just that they're all proble. There's guys

like Von Bell and Marcus Williams. Their two safeties might be the best safety tandem in the league this year. Um Cameron Jordan. Everybody knows about Da Mario Davis nailing that free agent pick. He's playing at a Pro Bowl level. And the offense Alvin Kamar is supposed to be back to So what what is the weakness on this team?

Drew Brees mentioned this week he wanted to make sure to get the other wide receivers involved, thinking about how they were slow at the end of last year and that he hasn't really played this year and you know they didn't exactly do that in Arizona and so that. But when you're looking that deep to like, hey, we gotta get more guys involved. Just because our dominant you know, wide receiver Michael Thomas and our great running game, it is kind of doing everything for us. That's a good problem.

I mean, because Michael Thomas is on track right now for a hundred and forty six receptions, which would beat Marvin Harrison's record of a hundred and forty three two thousand two. Why so keep Marvin Harrison's name and well I don't feel concerned personally, but I you know that that's probably not news to him. Hundred forty three well especially they're trying to spread it around to this extent.

But what other team in the league loses their quarter better, loses Alvin Kamara and finds a way to improve, get deeper, and get better. I mean, Lettavius Murray, who there were a lot of questions about, totally stepped up and did the job we know Teddy Bridgewater did. And the Falcons, meanwhile, of lost Mohammed's Mohammed sanew and down, They've stepped down and been a total disappointment. I think that one of the most disappointing players in the league all year has

to be DeVonta Freeman. Yes right, I mean he's just been week after week and he's getting touches. Can't make it. They changed their kicker. Everyone thought they might fire Quinn. They changed their kicker and their punter during the bye week, so we got young Wai coup Michael Vick's number seven, which is just feels like, uh, put in the target on his back. It's not what I wanted for a two point That was a good idea. What a year

in Atlanta. Wow, alright, we do have to Taysom Hill where at that reached seven, and I think it's arrow up because it was a sandwich bet and he's at three and I was real concerned about this week ago he got three. He got his third last week and with with breeze back, I think they're gonna use him more in the red zone and in ways where he's gonna he's gonna meet that sandwich bet. Like this better because when you're rooting against the Bucks pass rusher Shack,

it felt, it felt there's an ugliness to it. Well, that was that's a prepared vengeful streak made by the three of you. However, being against anyone in this case, you're rooting for a man to succeed, which I like that. I've also learned that sandwich bets are much more enjoyable when you have an entire year to find out if they happen or not, versus predicting like a tornado taking out two animals and people in week four, I think

then it doesn't happen. Um that you, when we were in London, predicted that a player would miss time with an animal related injury. We came close that at if the cat just could have nibbled on someone and they needed a you know, a raby shot in the bell. He gets infected and he just gotta take a week off. I would say this. Met Life Stadium released an update suggesting that they have not found the cat. The cat is still there and the cat probably you know, even

animals need attention. Not I shouldn't even say he or revenge. I mean, he got a lot of attention. Next time he hears that crowd roar, maybe he comes out and this time he bites someone. He comes out with purpose. You know, he was a little skittish, didn't seem to know what he wanted when he was on the field of Monday night. Comes out Sunday or this time. Remember the he's gonna bite Sam Donald right in the butt.

Remember the groundskeeper the Seattle Mariners took a cat off the field once and spent like five seconds trying to stop being bit by the thing is it was taken off angry cat? All right? Next up, Greg Rosenthal, is it now? I I'll know this silk. I'll take the Cardinals Bucks game as a backup in the morning. Yeah, I saw you tweet about that and so I was like, you know what, when he's right, he's right. I kind of like watching this Cardinals team a little bit more

every week they get David Johnson back. They're intriguing. I think it's a good sign Cliff Kingsbury has changed up what they did so dramatically between September and October. That's a that's a sign of a good coach. This is not a talented offense at all, and they're kind of getting it done. I think Kyler Murray is very calm. He doesn't make mistakes. He just feels like a professional. I mean, a professional that's gonna be around for a

long time. I just like what I've seen, and this is a game where it's gonna be really hard to run. Every team has got to kind of decide, do we just go crazy pass heavy against the Bucks because they're so good stopping the run. Uh, that would be interesting if the Cardinals do it, because they're they're not a great passing attack. It's not on Murray, but it's just not a talented group. I'm feeling good about Murray the second half here, and he made some throwers, including that

one where he dropped down. I think on the Cardinals Twitter feed. They called it a fadeaway touchdown pass. Uh that was just perfectly placed and not a lot of guys can move and put the ball put that much zip on the ball. He's also one stat that really jumps out to me, especially Mark, as we know with young quarterbacks how turnover prone they could be. He hasn't

had a turnover in five games. Now. You can also say there's a lot of you know, low risk passes, and he's throwing short of the sticks a lot, perhaps, but that means he's just protecting the ball and in a first year starter that's been thrown into fire, I think that is a very good sign. And he's running

a lot relatively. Yeah, and I will I will say on the subject of Kingsbury that there was certain when you're around the league as much as we are, and you talk to people and you hear, you know, certain we're bathing in this information that's secret information that just comes sweet when you're around it. What you idiots don't know, Yeah, which you people don't understand. But there was a certain

man that would be great to see Cliffsbury fail. And I think a lot of it was coming from people that also study the college game closely and thought that he squandered talent in his job and that he didn't do a good job when he was at Texas Tech, and they thought, oh, now he's the hot shot that's gonna light the NFL on fire. And he hasn't lit the NFL on fire. But to Greg's point, this team is improving as the season's going on, and they and

they were very competitive. There's no shame and losing by three points than I am kind of like super punk on Adam Gaze. Was it for Kingsbury to bring in Kenyan Drake off of you know, sight unseen a couple of days and he blows up against the best defense in the league. I think Adam Gas has bigger things to worry about, but he does. But it was just a little thing he didn't need to need to deal

with on a Thursday night. When they get Edmunds back, I mean Edmunds, Drake and David Johnson that that's a wild backfield. I also think the Bucks are playing better. You know, they offensively did really well in Seattle. I think Jamis has had his two best games of the year in a row. It has to be the unluckiest team in the league, right they are if you look at the expected wins, for instance, on football side, this is more of a four and four team. They've lost

a lot of close game. They find ways to lose close game, but they've played good teams tight and then they find ways to lose. What's impressed me about the Bucks is how many teams have had as many breakout sort of stars as they have. Godwin, Ronald Jones, Vida Vella, Shaq Barrett. These guys were not nucleus players a year ago. And on the other hand, O. J. Howard has been on nothing for them. Cameron Brad has been a nothing for them. They don't use tight ends, but they have

found some nucleus players. The question is when are they ever going to fix the secondary? And is their quarterback a franchise quarterback. Winston played his best game though. I mean they had touchdown drives, a seven, nine, twelve and ten plays last week. It was the best three quarter stretch I think he's had. I'm gonna do the ultimate lass half full Bucks. Take care that Jamis Winston, non

consecutively with games, has had an amazing half a season. Yeah, they played eight games and he's been legitimately good in four of them. He's been very bad in the other four. That's who he is. Here's the thing. They're unlucky, but they're unlucky and they should be like a seven or eight win team. So it's there's no middle ground are talking about. I get why people are that he drives coaches mad, but also enticees coaches because he's not just

a bad quarterback. He's not like a Mariota type. He has more highs and lows. That's some pretty threat he does, like the throwing of the football. He does. But when you watch him versus Russell Wilson, you see that Russell Wilson has timing touch and three that Jameis Winson just doesn't rush Wilson. That's dangerous, bro. That's your m d P right now. Someone asked me, if Andy Dalton plays to the level of a surrounding talent, wouldn't you want

him on the Bucks? And I said no, because why why would you give away Jamis Winston's upside for Andy Dalton. He's the middle, right, They're both in the middle. They just get their different ways. Well, put, Mark, you are up. That was really well put, Greg, that was you know what. That was the best. That was the best little side of the season. I'm not speaking about Jamis ever again.

All Right, I'm gonna strategically take a four pm game on the East Coast, but it will be one pm, one oh five PMR time for people that don't care about that little nugget Dolphins at cults. Now, you don't have a lot of choices. Well, let's be honest. The whole slate is bad game. I will not look forward

to this the back half of the one. We should be quick so that we leave time for these nice prime time I'm with you on that, and I would I would view it this way instead of telling me I'm picking a bad game, I'm taking it away from you guys having to deal with it because of that giving spirit that I have towards the three of you

in theory. There we go it. My one thing about the Dolphins is I know, first of all, if I were this whole organic tank situation, I would look at teams that when oh in sixteen or one in fifteen or two and fourteen got the quarterback they wanted and where they are a year two later, it does not solve all your issues. I give it. It's a nice idea. See what happens there. The Dolphins I think are gonna go about four and twelve. They play the Jets, Giants, Bengals,

and Browns down the stretch. I have know they the way that they're playing each week. No, you're gettingre getting a little bit better Fitzpatrick, and I'm just saying they could get two or three, which can pull you. When you've got the Bengals the Redskins in that mix, you could be the team with the third competitive. They're too competitive they were. Can I just tell you they're not the same team as they were last week when they beat the Jets. Their best receiver was Preston Wilson out

for the year. With they're little not winning streak, but the little streak of playing competitively coincided with Mark Walton being a physical, bruising running back suspended four games. They're two best offensive weapons are gone, so Xavian Howard. I know that's been for a few weeks, but yeah, they don't have a lot of top shelf talent. You would think the Colts offensive line could just grind this defense into dirt the by the end of the game. If they're as good as as as we think they are.

I do like Zach Pascal though he really looks like a little player dog like a legit starting receiver. He's the only receiver left in the court. We never I don't think we were talking week to pick up bring up Mike francessa by the way. A tough time from Mike um but t Y Hilton that non contact injury, that's you know, he's had a tough years. This a way less watch and is what's going on with Jake Briskett?

Where are we at right now? As if practiced penatively expected to It seems like he wants to and he's pushing for it. He's not, you know, he's not a fleet of foot guy. Will he be able to move in the pocket? And again same thing with Mahomes. This would be even more extreme because he just got hurt. Is he survived? You know, a couple of pass rushes his way. It's a good team to uh to be

out of the field against. Though it fits his playing pretty well though I mean, is I was thinking about it, He's still the second best quarterback in the a f C. They shot too high for their shot too high with him. He's He's sort of a luxury that I think a lot of teens with young quarterbacks who are playing behind awful offensive lines would like to have just to give that young quarterback a mental break for a month and say, all right, once we get all of our talent back,

then we'll put him in. I don't know, let's crunch some of those analytics might be the best quarterback in they've let's let's crunch some. I'm just saying, this guy's a career delicias. He's having fun. I love fits. I'll never may. I want him to. He'll come to New England beat Tom Brady's backup or something that would be fine. All right, I am up on the snake, so I will take I'm glad this game is still here. Well I'm not snaking yet. Mr slithers, Mr slitherers. The Lions

at the Bears, now, well that's an upset. Here's the thing. Here's the thing, gentlemen, um, The Lions will drive you crazy. If you're a Lions fan of Kevin patra type. There's only one Kevin Patrick, of course, but you look at three four and one and you're so angry because we know they kicked away that week one game, and they've had several games now this season where they just executed

a little bit better. If they gotta stop here or there, they are in the middle of the NFC playoff phrase and instead they're there about to fall out of it. And that has nothing to do what's happening on the offensive side of the football. In fact, I think one guy that has kind of flown under the radar for years. I've always loved him, Marvin Jones. He is a great player in this offense. He is he is really he's on pace for career high and yardage totals. He's a

playmaker for Detroit. And you put him across from Kenny Golladay and they are in terms of one two tandem. I I didn't look it up, but they have to be right up there against any tandem in football. Matthew Stafford is as we know, as we've been talking about, has been very good this season. Great even so. The offense is built to sustain and the team can survive with a shaky defense. But this is a bad defense and it's killing him a week off, a week after week.

They can't get off the field, they can't get stops and and they lose these close games as a result. Um, now, let me say this. They go to Chicago, and I know this is a bad season for the Bears. It's been probably one of the more disappointing seasons in recent franchise history. Maybe just take out they've been around a hundred years franchise history. Given this what people thought coming into the season to be three and five and and come be reaching the realization that you you picked the

wrong quarterback. That's a tough spot to be in. However, I don't think this is a four and twelve team, and I think they're gonna win enough games to keep this from becoming a total embarrassment. I'm not saying they're gonna re enter this race. I think it's like a seven and nine team. I think the defense will improve, and even though the lines contend every week, um, I think this is a game where Chicago gets right and this is a heat check because the old jusers picked

four in a row. I'm locking up the Bears to steady the ship a sinking shape. Plug plug some holes in the h and so I'm gonna lock up the Bears to beat the lines. But at the same time, it's a total heat check because I could see you going the other way because the lines on balance have played better this season. I could see Chase Daniel winning that lock for you if it happens, because I think we're on Chase Daniel watch at this point. Not even

an unnecessary shot at Trabisky. But you know, I know the Eagles had a couple of players back on their defense, but to do what happened against Philadelphia. Chicago's offense is as concerning a unit as there is in the league right now. They bring back almost identical personnel from last year when they were pretty good, and their offense doesn't do anything well. I'm not sure what their defense does well anymore. You can run Jordan Howard was running through

gaping holes all game. Enough team to throw on, you would think match. But where's Eddie Jackson who got like defensive player of the Year mentions last year and I don't think i've heard his name this year. The pass rush hasn't been as consistent they've They've played against a lot of good offensive lines. That's not the case this week. This is an ultimate like weakness on weakness matchup when the Bears have the ball, because the Lions are driving

their fans crazy because they never blitz. There's something some fan bases just get obsessed with little things, and Lions fans and Lions writers are obsessed with the fact that the Lions never blitz. And it's true, they blitz way less than any other team. And I don't know if that would I don't think that would solve their defense. But this is kind of the ultimate you know, movable object, job object and movable force. This disasters going against each

that's what you like to say. And the Lions are forever a top ten, top five pain rankings team because certain teams just invite tragedy and the type of head scratching ways to lose that just make the fan base suffer even more. And when they had the game on the line, they get to the goal line on Sunday against the Raiders and the rushing to the line and the Raiders call time out and everyone's like, what is

Oakland doing. You're giving the lines a chance to to get on the field and get their offense set Well. Guess what Matthew Stafford said after the game that he had a play set up in his mind with his best playmakers on the field as he was running to

the line to get the playoff. And then after the time out, their offense sends out a package that has Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay, Danny Amidol all on the sideline for the last play of the game, which is leads a harmless interception and of course gotta get the ball. The logan you cannot, that cannot be the way you play football at the game on line. That's just poor execute jumbo package with their lead with t J. Hockenson

not on the field too. And Darren Bevill specializes in answering questions about the final play of the game dramatics. But that was a buzz point too. That's could be. That's could be kind of like an ugly fun game, you know, so bad. It's good, all right, and we'll snake now. Now we'll slither Mr slithers uh to the Snoopy Bowl giants at jets Uh. That's you know, this

is some hero work. Because I know nobody wants to watch this, and I get that, um, but I'll watch it just because I need to see, um, how the goffin teams can go because it's been this is every once, so it doesn't happen very often, but it happens maybe more than it should when you have both of the New York teams having dreadful seasons, and this one happens to sync up with the every four years when they

play each other. So in the metal ends, you get a two and seven against the one and seven, and uh, Adam Gates, as we know, is run out of excuses, the pressures at a season high after the loss of the Dolphins, you get a Giants team that anybody can score on. Uh. But as we see, here's the crazy thing about the Jets off. It's the last two weeks.

This the game's starting incredibly well with well oiled, well executed touchdown drives, ending with Donald Donald touchdown passes, and then once you get past that scripted portion, the whole thing drives up. Uh, is what is up with that? Is that on the player or is that on the coaching or is it on both? So I want to see the Jets not only get out of the gate

quickly but not completely shrivel up. And then on the Giant side, Uh, it sounds like and I that's had a star star Cross career, um Sterling Shepherd might be ending up on the i R with concussion issues. Evan Ingram has this is not good a midfoot spring, which sounds an awful lot a lot like that Harlot, that wretched woman Liz Frank can trust well Camp said the

same thing. It was diagnosed as a midfoot spring. To Shank, I don't want that to be the she's so she lacks so much trust that she'll suddenly appear, as listens, the worst kind of one. So many great women, she is not a good one. Um. So we'll see if Evan Ingram comes back next week. But he's not playing this week. So two bad teams going at it. Somebody's gonna win, probably, and both teams really needed. The Giants have lost five straight and you know all about the

Jets of struggles this season. I thought Leonard Williams showed up pretty well in that first game for the Giants, and it's an interesting you know, I don't I don't

buy any of these revenge games. When employer A has given you millions of dollars to buy a big home in the Tries State area and they were nice enough to trade you somewhere, we're in theory he probably didn't even have to move properties and still plays in the same I saw him get in the backfield a couple of times, but that felt like a regular Leonard Williams game, Like I don't know he could he hit and there. Well, so what's so? So what's the biggest issue for the Jets.

It's their offensive lines. So I'm just saying Leonard Williams could be an annoying Maybe he does, but I have four years of evidence that he won't be getting to the quarterback much. They should be a game where you feel better about your quarterbacks afterwards. There's not a lot of resistance. The Jets defense has not played well. I

mean the tabloids are loving it. The back cover of the New York Daily News was Dumpster Fire nineteen and it's a picture of MetLife Stadium, almost disrespectfully photoshopped with fires I think from Los Angeles. You know above it. You know it's it's like slightly disrespectful. It's that it's a lot and it's brutal. Because you know what, New York is a great football city. I think that gets lost. You could say it was the capital of professional football

for the first half of this century. I mean this, this is a town that loves its football in the history goes back and it's and it's I mean two thousand to two thousand, like eight or not. No, I'm saying that. I'm saying nineties fiftiesties. You want a big football game, you play it in New York. I mean and you and you know that it is a big football town. Uh. In terms of and it's a bad Uh,

it's a bad time right now. It's a shame Ingram's injured because what Mike Kasecki did to this team, Mike Kasecki, who has never played well against anyone. And then to hear Adam Arceoletta announcing the game say, these Jets cornerbacks cannot cover the Dolphins wide receivers. The Dolphins wide receivers, they said, Truman Jackson. Johnson to I R with two ankle sprains and said, you took all the money and

I'll get out of our life. Uh. The Jets, I believe, have just five quarterbacks on their roster heading into this game. Not not that it should be any excuse, but on top of all the other misery with the Jets this season, they are the most injured team in the league terms of guys on I R and also on the injured list, so they are shorthanded. Breaking news, Oh Tremayor Johnson just robbed a bank where the Jeffs to keep their money. Philip Lindsay is moving out of his parents house, thank god.

All right, it is about time that man is a millionaire. Just came across our email. Big story. Where do you go? Natural write of pass or got one of those like apartment like the new apartments that's above town Starbucks and Pokey plays. It's breaking West's work. He's working on the you know, the first detail. His plan is to move to the city eventually, but he's starting there on a by So I guess you had to go breaking. We weren't going to get to their game, all right, last game?

Mark Sessler, all right, well I'm gonna go, you know, because there's no other options here. But I don't hate this game. Ravens at Bengals, I don't hate it. I want to see I want to see a little Ryan Finley action and see what he can do. He feels to me like a little bit Andy Dalton two point oh.

But I don't think he's the future. He's just a stop gap at this point, and you know, I have no concerns about the Ravens not completely sweeping up the Bengals because the one thing about the first time they met, and I'd like to see what the Bengals due to answer it after the horrendous first outing where Cincinnati looked like a team and I mentioned it on that Sunday Night wrap up that had never observed read option plays, that they had no concept that a running quarterback could

be part of the NFL and do the damage that Lamar Jackson does. And the story is coming out of the New England Sunday night affair where Baltimore totally took care of business. Was Bill Belichick throwing everything at Lamar Jackson early in terms of disguise, coverages, every type of coverage out of the gate, and the Lamar Jackson not just with his athleticism which everyone's went to, but with his with his neck up abilities or dan his mind there. I am now conditioned to try to talk around that

actual in your well. I mean not always I do it to you, you know, but how are you're telling me that you're going to go from Bill Belichick to what the Bengals are bringing you and not completely drop a total destructive bomb on an O N a team that has no continuity issues at this point at all on either side of the ball, Ravens in a blood bath. How sad would it be to be a non destructive bomb?

Now I'd feel bad. Well, there are bombs, like draft bombs that don't do a lot of destruction for well, they do to their own team's salary cap in their own teams, but not the intended targets existential crisis. Not the easiest, not the easiest first matchup for Ryan Finley. I mean, the Ravens through some blitzes at Tom Brady that fooled them. If you if you're able to fool Tom Brady, you're gonna be able to throw a lot

at Ryan Finley. And the reason I think they could be different down the stretch defensively is they're so good and deep in the back end. I think they're they're willing to let those guys play man coverage one on one, you know sometimes, and just get wild up front because they're not really nierating much pass rush on their own. And so you would think, wink Martin Dale's breaking out

that chain and he's gonna be fun. This week we talked about Earl Thomas, who had a bad September but has played really well the last few weeks, and Marlon Humphrey. I thought about putting him on my mid season All Pro team. He's had a great year covering number one receivers and holding his own and making big plays. That is out piece out on the internet. Is in my editor's hands. It's not contentious in anyway. They are doing

their did you hit the deadline? I think so. I mean West by the way, twenty minutes away from driving out to Palm Springs, so the edit desk will be handling any you know I did. I did a risky thing because I I referred to your mid season All Pro team and then wrote like insert link here, assuming you would have filed ahead of but my game picks are up already. That was a little risky. Turned this

in hours ago. He nailed it. In other words, I think, so it's in someone else's hands to deliver to the people. That's nowhere. I'd rather have it beaten in someone else's hands. Um, all right, let's move on to No. A. J. Green in that game for the Bengals. By the way, he declared himself out. If you're the Bengals, he's ready to be gone. The number one pick if you're the Bengals, or do you want to see Ryan Finley play? Well, you can only have one of them number one pick? Yeah,

no way do you, Anchor? I don't think yourself. I think you can play fairly well and you still end up one. I have that same angst with the Jets in Saint Donald. I would love them. Yeah, you have a lot more. At what cost? All right, let's move this. Now we have two great primetime games, starting with a banger. The Vikings travel to jeral World Big d to face the Cowboys, who, um uh, you know this is a

really good game. Was because we know the Vikings came very close and perhaps should have won that game in Kansas City they did not. And now this is the this is what we've talked about was this is here. It is Kirk Cousins on the road in prime time against a good opponent. In all history he has flunked. Will he flunk on Sunday Night? I think that goes both ways. The Cowboys have beaten Cupcakes this year, so they need to prove something too. I guess the narrative

is more that Cousins under more pressure. But what I like about this game is, remember when all the smart people were telling you that nobody, nobody who knows what they're doing runs the ball anymore. The top five rushing teams in the league all have winning records, and these are two of the top five. Both run the ball really well well, I mean, the Ravens are doing it totally differently. The forty Niners are pretty run heavy. I worry in Houston. Texans are a top five rushing team.

They've had some leads and they have been good to the Vikings. I do worry about though, when Pam Oliver comes back from halftime of last week's games and basically said that Mike Zimmer growled at her about out their lack of rushing attempts. And then that's every week, right, right, I mean, but it's like Kirk Cousins has three great weeks and then there's a bad half and he's just

like he's like mad again. It's this pussing pull And you know what, they actually did play pretty well in the second half, running the ball and throwing the ball to their running backs. But it's I don't know it's Smith is playing really like Kirk Cousins is streaky. That's part of the Kirk Cousins experience is when he's hot, he's hot, and sometimes he's not. That was not a

good game by Cousins. I know he made some plays and they got in the end zone three times, but he was really bad early on missing guys high and then he missed missed a couple receivers late the last possession, which I got on him on Sunday Night Show. That was more a breakdown and past protection than it was

on Cousins. But in general it's still that is a money moment at two thirty to play in a tie game, and they kind of wilted as a team, including the punter and then the defense um because they were and after all that, it's still twenty three all and it's second and twenty one after a fumble by the Chiefs and that more gets him back in field goal range. So the Vikings just did not close out the game. That was disappointing. I don't love breakdown and pass persection

for the Vikings. When the Cowboys pass rush looked awesome against the Giants, and I get it, it's the Giants, but the Vikings like Kirk Cousins in Dallas dealing with DeMarcus Lawrence and the rest of the hot boys, which I feel like that was a Greg thing for a while, that became a national thing. So yeah, no, no Adam Feeling, no Adam dealing and also a MARII. Cooper went to a doctor today for a check up on his knee and m R I and we'll not practice, so we

will see. Jane s Later is reporting that even with the m r I, he thinks he's gonna play. He thinks he's gonna practice Friday and really be the same guy. Though it's a good question Adam Feeling. The problem with not having him is that Stefan Dick then gets all the pressure, all the coverage and doesn't do much. I don't want to take off the bandage and reopen this wound, Greg, but what's happening. Perhaps Adam Feeling could have used another week of rest before he came back, an interesting even

though the doctors decided he was good enough. Doctors just like we're not We're not privy a hamstring injury, which can be tricky, especially for an explosive playmaker. Maybe another week. There's sixteen of these things. You bring up, Dan a fair point, it's a fair point of discussion. Just thrown it out there. But the information in this situation, I'm gonna make a hard left turn and make an unfair criticism of Kirk Cousins. You ready do it? Don't you

think that? I don't know if you remember the play last week that was third and eleven and then he slot. He slid one yard absolutely nowhere. I saw that play and I was kind of like, that's why everyone gets crazy about Kirk Cousins. I don't I can't imagine any other quarterback in the last Top Brady and other great quarterbacks wrestle. None of them were sliding right there. Somehow it just doesn't happen. I've seen other quarterbacks do that,

and I have a problem with it. I agree with you, but I don't think Kirk cut I think think yeah. I think the Cowboys are much more complete. Their line is offensive line is playing great right now, unlike the Mason Rudolph puts down his shoulder and gets four more yards now he runs backwards. Does anyone think the Vikings win this game? I don't know. I agree with you, I think the Cowboys are just complete. I gotta feeling we're gonna get another stink bomb at the quarterback position.

I just got a feeling. I hope I'm wrong because I like although I just like the I do like the soap opera of Kirk, and it would held off it. It would help the soap opera if he delivered a monster game in front of Al Chris at Michelle in the world, I don't see it. You think it's gonna go sideways. Yeah, well, you don't want You would rather have him have a great game or a terrible game. You don't want him to have just a you know, okay exactly. And I don't think he will have an

okay game. I think it's gonna go one way or the other. I think he's gonna be You're gonna hate it West, but he's gonna be a big story either way after this game, right playing without Adam feeling, it's gonna be all on Kirk Cousins fault. I'm sure it will. Twitter will tell me that. All right, let's move on to Monday night football to close it out, and another good game, a great game, even uh the Seattle Seahawks seven and two they travel to the Big Bow bottom

to face the eight and oh, San Francisco. This is glorious because, uh, I don't need you know why. It's glorious because you got Russell Wilson travel into San Francisco to try to knock off a team that hasn't lost yet. And if there was one one quarterback right now, greg that I would trust to go into San Francisco and go get a win, it's Russell Wilson. That's absolutely fair. I do wonder if he'll get enough passing attempts in the game plan to do all the things that Russell

Wilson come. They finally yeah through the ball out last week, but that was against the Bucks where they trailed. And it has a great run defense. The forty Niners are kind of the opposite. It's strength on strength when uh so Wilson goes back to pass the forty Niners defensive there's any weakness. It's against the run, and so I think it's gonna be tempting for them to run a lot.

It's just it's such a weird Seahawks team that it's an elite Seahawks offense, especially the passing game and a bad Pete Carroll defense, and that defense is by far the worst group in this game. I think the forty Niners are very bounced. I think the Seahawks offense is great, yet the Seahawks defense is below average, maybe even like one of those seven or eight worst defenses in right now. And that's why I don't think it's so crazy to

walk up the forty Niners in this game. Oh, I like it, Like it almost always of undefeated teams getting locked up, You're you're saying, what's going on in the mirror, But that's all right, that's that's well within this is solid. It's fine too. I think it's fascinating to have Russell Wilson and that offense having to deal with Richard Sherman. Not last year's Richard Sherman, but this year's peaking Richard

Sherman is someone that you cannot throw to. Right now, mid season All Pro has the lowest opposing passer rating of any cornerback. How about that, because near the end of his Seahawks run, you kind of got the feeling he wasn't the same guy that he blows his achilles and he comes and he signs with a bad San Francisco team. You think he's kind of going out to pasture. He's o J in his San Francisco years. Oh, I'm roaring a strictly football player the end of a run,

and you'll remember him with the first team only. No, he's a big time player. Again, he is a big time player. Forty Niners are getting healthy in some senses. Joe Staley there stud left tackles coming back. Kyle You's check best fullback in the league coming back. They had to put Kwan Alexander, their middle linebacker on I R and they are not deep at linebacker. They do have Drake Greenlow, a rookie who's been pretty good, and Robbie Gould,

theer kicker, is injured. So you've got Jason Myers for the Seahawks shaky, arguably the shakiest kicker in the league at the moment against I believe Chase McLaughlin, who the Chargers just cut in the Forts picked up what I gotta do? How does Kay not get the call here? I think he's telling you something when he keeps not getting picked up by anyone. George Kittle also might be out for the forty nights, which would be a huge. He hasn't practiced. No one really knows he played through

his injuries. He said, they'll they'll find out. It's make anyone else they'll take. It's a Monday night game, so that really would change him. But I also noticed last week Commanuel Sanders burning up Patrick Peterson, and that just makes you think that that signing is gonna be great. The fact that they can run, and they did it

a couple of times last week against the Cardinal. When they can, When you can run on third and three and third and four, that just makes your offense so dangerous because they're picking up first downs running and then they hit you with the big play to Kiddo sometimes on third and short too. You don't know what's coming. And we've gotten on Jimmy G for kind of not knowing whether he's playing well or not. He played awesome and that was one of his best, if not his

best starts as a pro. But Jimmy G that we expected when he closed that season two years ago, three years ago at this point, so magically not just hitting throws, but standing in the face of pressure and hitting throws, moving around in the pocket and hitting throws. That was

a great game. Maybe if Russ performs in this game and they win and he plays great, I mean he is having He would be my m v P right now, and his Their schedule of opposing defenses is brutal down the stretch, So anyway he gets the m v P, he'll have to with really no second or third wide receiver with tight ends to keep getting knocked out of the line. They've got two. Dk metcalf And and Tyler Lockett are both having good years. I just say it feels like whoever gets hurt a tight end, the next

guy comes out. Jacob Hollister was awesome last week. I mean that's they and he finds a way anybody can catch these passes. Because Russell Wilson is making keyhole throw after keyhole throw after keyhole throw for the last five or six weeks, it's got to be number one in that QB index that they they still put out there. They still they said they should do it. The editors dot com, Ali bon Pouri and his guys Tom, they do a great job. Who help us every week and

they vote on it. They that Ali's grinding that tape. But I'm Russell Wilson's got to be number one. That's all I'm saying, Well, why don't we check he brought it up? Now you can keep talking, you know, program, Yeah he is, okay, thank god? All right, Well they're getting it right. We said it all, We've done it,

and uh a reminder that later tonight. In my mind, the best Thursday Night recap we're gonna have because in addition to Chargers at Raiders, which is a great a f C West battle, we will also have Kevin Harland of Westwood One Fame. Kind of feels like we could just coast and just hand it off to the Harlan. Would you say it was the best one if it was a week that West and I were hosting it or of course, and that would be like a lower ceiling.

You know what I said? What I said, it's what's the great line by Luke Wilson and hard knocks the season? It is what it is and it's not what it's not, Ricky. How about a plug for something's going on on our social which is blown up? Thanks? Oh yeah, you guys. So we created an Instagram for all things A t N and it's the A t N Podcast. The handle um started it from scratch. We started it from zero. We're already over six hundred, um posting a ton of

behind the scenes content. Did I say a hundred? I mean I mean by the time we reconvene Sunday, I'm saying this thing's at least five. Let's challenge, Yeah, how about this a challenge to the listeners. We love you. You do everything for us, but one thing you could give us for an early Christmas gift. Get that thing up into the thousands, a ton of different content. A lot of people are always, you know, tweeting at us, like, oh you always cut off stuff, you know at the

end of the pod. Sometimes that's the best stuff. All that all that type of stuff is going to be on on the i G we're doing. You know, it's going to be so fun. And you gave us each the password to put our own contenta who knows what that will lead to exactly. And this is the a t N podcast t N podcast and we got and we a teen like Erica running it. So not none of the old guys that will get you know, get

things rolling in a good way anyway. Thou people following it by Sunday night or the podcast is over, We're done. That's it, all right, Let's let's get out of here. Is Dan Hands signing off for Quiet Storm, the Mailman, the Old Boss, Ricky Hollywood, Ryan Bartlett and everybody behind the Glass. Thanks for everything. Watch our show on YouTube and listen all the time until Sunday. S