2019 Week 15 Preview

play in jazz. It's about the notes. You don't play one little note on our leading that the head shot Mark would see Daniel head shot. I know that it's um incredible effort was put into those the illustration, and I'm sure someone had to do a thing where like they cut little scissors around your hair. I do think that they need to do a revision where they do a little bit more justice to your hair. I think I feel like they they smoothed it or something. I've

been and I don't know who they is. If you're watching the YouTube show which begins with a graphic that they put some money into building it out, and uh, but they never said. We were under the impression that when they come up with the opening graphic for this video show that there would be a meeting in the off season where they pitch it. Hey, guys, do you like this? Would you like any changes? Does this work for you? Uh? Color palette logo, the images we choose,

there was none of that. A shadowy league figure called us into a conference room one day in June and said, oh, here's your new opening and we're like okay. And that was the meeting. And meanwhile, changes are needed to really give it the POPA deserves. Oh so you're saying you're not happy with what I've never been happy with it, and I think it needs to be addressed in the off season. Okay, I've been on record about this. We gotta get Greg's do you have a beard in that thing?

We gotta there we go. You gotta get Greg bearded. I mean, I'm getting better looking by the minute, as is less, so you've gotta get the updated I could use like a square jaw and maybe less pale. There we go. Um, welcome to the Thursday edition of the show. And uh, this is our week fifteen preview. How about that Week fifteen and a lot a lot to get to We have a Thursday night game between the Jets and Ravens that will be part of a mini pod released later tonight Thursday. I believe it will be a

Sesson West joint. It will What's cooking at West Matter? Well, Keisha's mom's in town, so I think she might be watching the game. You know, she might have had plans and name from Mike. She heard Mark was coming and I think she cancered her plans. She's watched football games with Mark before. Last time mom Alkesha was in town, she actually kind of went off on me a little bit. She's like, you told me to bring your boys around here, and then I have my two sons who she she

sees the picture. She loves them. She was mad at me that I had not actually fulfilled a promise. She loves children. Keisha gets it on wh did she sound like asking how you bring those boys around here? You told me bring them and I said, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I don't make promises about my children. They're they're they're unpredictable. So I don't think she yelled, but I don't recall that either, because we were there. It was but she

got right up in my face. He said, you told me you bring those boys, And I was like, uh, well, I uh, this is gonna sound bad, but I don't mean I've met anyone who's not scared of her. My mom, who never took a back seat to anyone, immediately was deferential to. And what a woman. Lakisha's her name again, Roda, What a woman. When Wes was on the ropes, she was. She was there every day with you. She took care of me. She prayed on it too, she prayed with med,

fed me. She yeah, she took care of me. Save that for the theology podcast. We Uh, that's what I told her at night when she tried to pray. Let's just save this for a theology podut Um. Okay, So I got Ron in town, Rhoda in town, We got um a lot of us to get to and we do a draft style and with the first overall pick is Mark Ceiler. And it's important to get this out there that Mark, as we've noted, is heading up the coast on Saturday to cover the final home game in

Oakland Raiders history. Um. Because of that, he won't be here on Sunday to do the recap show with us. However, you will be calling in from the black hole, assuming you survive and uh TPD. But yes, but it creates some oddities for me to have the number one pick and essentially a league that I won't be involved in. And we're taking that Raiders went off the board. Hit that game a little bit later in the show, but

that's off the board. So there are twelve picks that you have, and best of luck to you, because yes, you you you're looking out for others right now, not picking for yourself. Well, I'm picking for Nick Shook, and so I already know because the way his Sundays organized that I don't want to put him into some sort of work tornado. So what I'm offering is, because there's probably there aren't a ton of great games on this late let's be real, I'm offering to move down a

few slots if someone would business. I'm open for business, but I have a different type of thing. I'm not looking to jump up to number one next week when it's week seventeen and a bunch of teams are packing it up and send people that I are. I if if there is a SNAPOOS scenario week sixteen where I am tagged with a between Week sixteen or week seventeen. You maybe don't have to do anything. You maybe have

no no give back in this trade. If there's a scenario where I get snaked into four games versus three, the person who accepts this trade would take my fourth game. It's less work, is what I'm seeking to do. So someone can jump right into number one, and maybe you don't even get into this situation. I'll take it, all right, West, careful? So what what pick? Where's what pick? Is he at? You now pick third, Mark and West is picking first overall game? Very clean trade? All right. I'm taking the

Houston Texans at the Tennessee Titans. I think it's the best game of the week. It is a good trade for you us, probably the most meaningful game of the week. It's my Titans, which I am now claiming again after throwing throwing them into the garbage in about week five. What about your you know, four year long infatuation Marcus Mariota, You think that that ended about two years ago when just getting there. There was some talk in the off season going into this season as well know. The talk

was Adam Humphrey's signing. I believe Meanwhile, he likes Winston's bucks right the way you would talk about an ex not not a current flame. The talk was that the Titans still believed in Mariota and that Tannehill was simply for depth. But you know that plan went awry when Mariota could not navigate the pocket or looked a lot like Mason Rudolph and navigating the pocket. So now we

have Ryan Tannehill in here. As I said Tuesday, he has a chance to become the first quarterback in history to complete seventy of his passes at over ten adjusted yards per attempt, and he he is averaging the most yards per drop back in the NFL this year. So to me, the favorite for Comeback Player of the Year honors a no brainer to sign to a new contract or franchise tag. You try to get a quarterback plane at this high of a level for this long of a stretch of games. And he's got a lot of

big games to go. I mean, we've got two games here against the Texans in the last three weeks. If the Titans can sweep, that they win the division. If they don't sweep, that, the Texans are very likely to win the division if they split, because the Texans not only have the division tiebreak record ahead of the Texans, so if they have the same record, they're gonna win the division. But Tennessee also has to host New Orleans

next week. That's a that's a tricky one. So it might take the Titans sweeping the Texans to win the division. And the way they're playing, I mean, I think they got a chance because I don't know which Texans defense is. I could totally see it because I, you know, watching both of these teams over the past couple of weeks. It's not I don't care what happened. And a couple of months ago, tell me the you know, important area where Houston is a better team right now and more

consistent than the Titans. I struggle to find it. And I know you're gonna go quarterback potentially, and I believe in Deshaun Watson still, but Ryan Tannehill, you could not ask him to do literally anything more. The same trap that we were all on the same page on with Sunday, which was like that comment is kind of easy to make today, but this time last week that was not maybe a comment that was so easy to make after they spank the page, I like being in a trap.

So we'll see how that goes. Who knows which version of the text. I'm just saying the tight The Titans, though, have been pretty consistent in My issue with them and all of us is that they'll sweep back and forth. Exactly. It's the Texans right now that I feel weak to week and they have will fuller back so that that seems to be kind of like you know, you practice at least today. That seems to be their Jenga piece

on offense to some degree. But I don't know what you can count on, even from Deshaun Watson and what's what's around him week to weeks had some bad games, I would not count that man out there. Waited d v O A which factor which places more emphasis on recent games than early season games. They are thirtieth in defense. This is not a good defense, right, That's that's the thing I would be worried about. They cooked up a good game plan against the Patriots, but for the most part,

the Titans defense is more talented, more consistent. That the Titans offense has hit so many big plays it's a little unsustainable. I mean, Tanne Hills throw has hit on so many of his long plays. I mean they've been great throws. A J. Brown and his receivers are making plays for him that you can't count on that every week, I would I kind of expect to shoot out here.

I don't really totally trust the Titans defense, and I do think DeShawn Watson in a big time spot is gonna play well and that this thing could be in the thirties and could be a perfect first pick because

there'll be a lot of entertainment. Oh yeah, grass Field, I I mean we it's Week fifteen, and this is the best game on on the board, and let's since we're here, let's now like look back, I look back in time, you know, on the draft day, like, oh this this time last year, the greatest number one overall selection, the old zeus A nailed it last week with the Game of the Year, and just you know what a moment it was for me to to have all those great games to choose from a number one and over

on how easy it is that was. Like drafted Patrick forty nine, everyone went to take him a game. I went with my gut and I was paid off. And now West, this is I think you made the common downstairs. Greg, this is like the Eric Fisher draft of of game draft like luck and you're taking Eric Fisher. The fourth or fifth best game last week would would be better than this game. You do love the NFC South with your all your heart, don't. I can't stand the Jaguars.

I like the Titans. I'm looking forward to this one. It's a good pick. He's been on this Titans thing, like I. You gotta hang. I thought you might lock them up here in a big spot. I was thinking about it. No, I thought about it. But you can't. I mean, Dan knows this as well. Just when you count the Texans out, then Deshaun Watson and in DeAndre I have too much respect for dangerous team against too stressful. That's exactly all right. The next pick goes to Greg Rosenthal.

All right, I'm gonna take a late game. I'm taking Rams Cowboys. Uh. That would have been my first pick. And it's one of those games where, yeah, this isn't

gonna decide. I don't think who wins the super Bowl, but it's a perfect Week fifteen game where the culmination, you know, things build throughout the season and the pressure and the misery going on in Dallas right now has been building throughout the season, whereas the Rams have shown how you can flip a switch, how you can change your identity, and then you can get a perfect matchup

in the perfect spot. To me, playing this Cowboys defense, who has been so bad against the run is perfect for a Rams team that's found their identity by running the ball. Last week, Johnny Munt played thirty snaps more than Cooper Cup. Josh Reynolds played twenty plus more snaps than brand than Cooks because he's better at blocking. They're just going full out. We're gonna do be a running

team with defense. I don't know if they do it every week, but it makes a lot of sense to do it this week because this Cowboys defense has been laying down like dogs. Well, they're using Josh Reynolds on sweeps and Jets sweeps and they're and they're they got some of their creative moxieback. I feel like they did. They were just boring and dull to watch, and it has a lot to do with I think the offensive line. There's a bit of an uptick there. They're not a

total raging disaster and their defense has given up. Opponents have scored between six and ten points on offense against the Rams outside of the Ravens outside of Ribbons game seven seven or seven past opponents. The first team defense outside of the Baltimore game has given up three touchdowns since the Jalen Ramsey trade, and a lot of that is schedule and I don't think they'll do that in

this game. But when their offenses is in rhythm, Jared Goff is making some good in rhythm throws, especially outside the pocket. I think their offense can keep up. In their defense at least limit Dallas, who you know all season. They're kind of the team that that analytics can't figure out because they shouldn't be as bad as they are, and yet you just don't have any faces. Yeah, this is not a team I wouldn't lock up against or for them either, because are they like seeing about the

Rams too? I like the Rams and this complete freefall right now or they have been? They have been. They laid down last week. That happened, so do they laid down pretty bad on on Thanksgiving? To that? I think that was more bad luck. That was randomness that that happened in that stretch there, But they absolutely laid down last week, and I don't know if you can predict those things. Did they have? They given up on Jason Garrett for good. I've been joining Dan's bookmaking projects over

that they're basic. Their defense is basic, and they count on them to execute. It's, you know, one of those defense where they don't try to confuse anyone. They're counting on people to fly to the ball. And remember how fast they were a year ago. They really missed late in vander esh and they counted them to be fundamentally sound and not give a big place. And that's everything they're doing. They miss a ton of tackles, they give

up big plays. He just the PFF has the Cowboys as the overall if you look at you stacked the teams from top to bottom across all metrics, the fourth best team in the NFL based on their talent and

how they're producing. And I do think that you are at a point that's different than before with Erry Jones and Jason Garrett, where Jerry Jones is the rare owner that has a weekly radio show where he's dropping verbal fire bombs, raising questions about your coach, and that it's the locker room you lose their main fire bombs right. If it's not, if it's the players that are thinking, so much change is coming, we gotta start playing for our own jobs. We're gonna have a new coach in here.

Bad situation. I find the Rams to be kind of fascinating right now because I think everyone wrote them off as a lost cause this year, and they had bottomed out. Of course in that primetime loss to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Um you guys all wanted to fork them, Yes, I think, and I think a lot of people thought they just were broken and something needed to be addressed

in the offseason. But the stat and good stat by NFL Media Research Tyler Higbee, Robert Woods, Todd Gurley go over one hundred yards from scrimmage back to back weeks, has not happened where a trio of teammates did that since the great two thousand troika of uh Randy Mollas, Chris Carter and Jake Read underrated Robert Smith. So I mean that is this when you have a stat like that, your offenses humming. Is this team peaking at the exact right time after a really slow start to the season.

This is when you want to peak in December feels like a nice time to start. And they've been in big games and they've won big games. I mean, that's the thing. They're the most they're the winning this team in the NFC over the last three years since since Sean McVeigh arrived, and the Cowboys have shown us this here not to be trusted, and we love them again

and start cranking that pr machine. I was gonna say, if if they do end up making the playoffs, that there should be a little bit of like a oh, we kind of missed this one because they still they still had the players. They had the best defensive player on the planet, they had skill posited players, and they had a great head coach and a great DC that

maybe you just gotta let it breathe something. Well. I don't want a problem though, saying that where we were a month and a half ago, they were boring, defunct, stop playing three weeks ago? Right and who which is not my point, that is that's obvious, but we're wrong with a bunch of not a bunch figure it out, and they seem to have figured it out. Who would have guessed a month ago that Golf would be the

quarterback in this matchup, playing with confidence, decisiveness, upper tempo. Yeah, I let's see it, Doc, I mean, let's see it. Cooper Dock. I do believe in this offense, and I think they can play much better. You gotta this is a game. You gotta see it. Golf did of a couple of bad turnovers against the Seahawks. That happens against Seattle,

but it wasn't total pristine. Uh, Mark, You're up alright, so you know, and that's again I'm you know, I'm a GM in filling picking for our friend Nick Shook, and I know that he's gonna be You're like Mike mccagnan last he didn't know it, he didn't know it. I'm the what's his name, the iceberg or whatever they called him, the glacier glacier. I'm the glacier that's about as effective as this tress. You're like a penny counter, basically asked. I don't know why I just made that comparison.

That's not helping me at all. But I am gonna go Browns at Cardinals because it's a late game. This is Shook's home team. It is a great big and well, you know, but Shook it shook as a Browns dude, and they are clinging to those last gasps of life before you know, this guy the game where they get thrown off the cliff and you know, and Act two ends and you say goodbye to that character and the rest move on. I mean, that's where the Browns are.

It is interesting that Football Outsiders points out that the Browns have played as an offense the hardest lineup of defenses in the entire league this season, and it certainly showed in ways that you know, I was watching that and you should check this out, whether you like him or not, or either of them like him or not. Belichick and Nick sab in the HBO documentary where they sit down and talk for about an hour and a half,

it's it's just insane to watch. But some of my favorite parts of it are, you know, and there's old hark back clips and current clips of Belichick huddling with young players and basically and Greg, you was special, would totally fetishize this because it's your world game situations. He's shouting at them saying like there are there's a minute

fifty eight left, you know, we've got two timeouts. They do this, what should you do so, and I'm thinking, I don't know answer to any of these questions, but I think you might, Greg, but he's teaching. I've been saving this one for the weekend when ye put him to bed and you just have a little Greg time.

It struck me, though, watching that, that there are probably a vast majority of coaches that cannot get that done and cannot communicate that to players or the rest of their coaching staff, and to West's point, needs someone up in their ear to do that. And it it struck me that Freddie kitches as the most first year thing about him is situational football and the team seemingly losing

its way for big chunks of time in a row. Now, this is meant to be this easy part of their schedule, and they have won games, but as we mentioned on the Recap show last year, every win seems to be tinged with some element of darkness where you can't really enjoy this season. If they won this game, you begin to look at the overall experience and say, do we

keep this coach or do we not? Because Cliff Kingsbury has lost six in a row with the Cardinals, team that's somewhat falling off a cliff, but no one's talking about him the same way. There's all this heat and pressure around Kitchens. Expectations were totally Expectations may have been unfair. I agree. It's because Kingsbury's offense has improved dramatically, whereas Kitchens is an offensive guy, and that's clearly been the

problem with the Browns. Yeah. I mean, I feel like you have the you know, the NFL leading rusher and Nick Chubb who is about to become he's leading the NFL and rushing in rushing yards yea. And he is about to become the first Brown running Rounds running back in the history of the Cleveland Browns. And they have one very awesome running back to open his season, his career with back to back thousand yard years. He's been a rock for them week after week. I would just

say that that's what they have. If I'm playing the Cardinals, you just don't get too tricky here, don't get too fancy. Do what you do well against a really bad past defensive. So this is one where Baker Mayfield should be able to cook. I mean, it's a great matchup of young quarterbacks for for a relatively bad game. I mean seeing Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield go at it, who are

former teammates. Seeing Baker Mayfield and Cliff Kingsbury go at it who Baker used to hate Kingsbury because he didn't play him and Baker had the transfer when they were at Texas Tech. There's there's heat here. It's fun little side with Uh. Maybe expectations should have been so high if you put in a better head coach. This team is contending for a playoff spot. I think, well, I'm not happy with the coach. It's been a week to

week thing. But I do think it was one of these teams where you're adding all these pieces in the course of three or four months. And it might be that's all about Baker, though he was hired because of Baker and Baker's and Baas had a bad season, and plenty of teams that add pieces in the off season completely reworked their roster and flourish, Right, But this is all to be fair. Yeah, this isn't an organization and

that's barely won any games over the last decade. And if they get to eight and eight, that's not the word. It's really just Baker. Baker hasn't played that well. You know, I saw the stat about uncatchable balls over ten yards and it was it was pointing out how Kyle Allen basically has been the worst in the league with his receivers. But who was thirtieth out of thirty two wide receivers who qualified Odell Beckham in terms of uncatchable balls deep

throws the Odell Beckham they had no chance at. And that's that's a reflection of Baker Mayfield. Well, that connection nearly made back to beck spectacular plays last week, and then there was another great Baker Mayfield throw to the sideline that Jarvis Landry nearly came down with two. So I think Baker's numbers could have been so much better last week, and that interception should have been maybe a fumble, but not an interset. Arvis Landry has my respect for him.

Just watching him wee week has doubled and tripled. I mean, he has been the dude for them. Beckham is gonna be God. I think the off season that report from Yahoo Charles Robinson was not not a side that he's there. I think anything could happen. It surprises me in the in the in the world, and you're like kind of worried about the guy because he okay, like in a mental headspace point that he's very down about what the direction of his career, that he never you know, he

was hoping to go somewhere else. Uh, Cleveland was not his choice, not his destination. And in this era where we're seeing a team player after player, these Marquet guys kind of decide whether they want to stick around or not. To me, everything's pointing to him making noise the way and Jamal Adams is gonna make me know. If they were winning, none of this would be know. And the flip side was there was there were like flowery narratives that were based in truth that Odell Beckham and Jarvis

Landry lifelong friends. They had waited their whole career for this. And why is Beckham saying come get me to people I don't know. We don't that's we don't know exactly what words are being exchanged. But that was the disturbing report. But Landry came out today strongly and said, no one knows anything about Odell Beckham. He wants to be guy. I didn't want him on my team. Uh, I would around, I wouldn't build a team around a star wide receiver

to begin with, but that's not what they did. They had a quarterback to all right, Uh, I am up, I will this is good. I like this one because it's two teams that I really want to see where they're at for real, Bears at Packers, lambeau Field and uh, my thoughts on this. My my initial thought is, uh, you know, watch out Green Bay. And we talked about

on Tuesday what you people don't realize. Not you guys, you guys know everything, but other people out there that the Packers, despite the ten and three record, despite being the second seed in the NFC, just not a lot of not a lot of impressive wins. And of late, the offense is is not cooking. We know the defense can be manipulated and taken taken for a ride in a big spot. We've seen it happen on several occasions

this year. And to West's point, and on the Power Ranking Show I do with Matt money Smith, he made the same point as us that while the reputation that preceeds our Rogers as still being this goat like guy, then you watch him in these games and he's just holding the ball and holding the ball and holding the ball and looking for that home run and it just doesn't materialize in the three and out start piling up. Um,

So where are the Packers right now? While they're at home and they're against the Bears team that obviously has kind of salvaged their season, moved it out of the embarrassment range. They they've given their fans the gift of relevant December football, which I don't think anybody expected a month ago. And most of all and Gregg, we talked about it last Thursday. Um Mitchell Trobiskie, uh has his

confidence back. That's the biggest thing. You could see it in his eyes when things are really going sideways earlier this season that he was just he was not playing with any confidence. And these guys that are not elite level talents, um Mark Sanchez comes to mind from me from my pass is a Jets fan, a guy that's kind of either marginally talented or maybe a little better than average. Playing with confidence will help push you over the threshold. But if you start getting a bad place, dually,

you look absolutely terrible. So he's gotten out of that bad zone and you see it on the field, both in the throws he's making and also he's running the ball a little bit now, and that's why I think that this game is gonna be like if I had to pick a game that would surprise people, the Bears going into Lambeau and winning would not stun me. It really would not. And am I crazy in thinking that? So everybody's a Drabinsky believer now, I'm no, not a believer.

And he could have easily thrown a couple of picks. He played the Giants, the Lions, and a Cowboys team that has not been impressive on defense. I think that's been a big part of it. I thought his best game was definitely on Thanksgiving. Uh you know he was.

He was given a lot of short throws. I give Neggie credit for cooking up the types of open receivers and schemed up plays over the last three weeks that we didn't really see the first half of the season, which I think was a big part of their success last year. I think Naggy and Drabinsky are working better together and definitely using Drabinsky's legs as a big factor. Rubisky as twenty one rush has some scheme, some scrambles over the last three games, and that was utterly missing before.

And I think you pointed out West that when your confidence is shaking and and you know things are just not working, that the daring do is not there for Robinsky and it wasn't and it but he's he has shown I think more of what you thought you'd get this year. But to Dan's point there, I don't, Well, that's been him most at the time. But my my questions are more about the Green Bay side of things,

just being able to explosively shut down an opponent. I mean, I feel like Aaron Jones was had almost two hundred yards against the Redskins, but the rest of that game raised and our friend Ben Fennel, who does a nice job with you know, especially a lot of Packers tape, looked at Aaron Rodgers in that game and was just like, what is happening with this guy that he's not he's not pulling the trigger. I think was what Ben especially was getting after where he had some open receivers and

just wasn't throwing it. It's been the same thing as last year, and coaches keep taking the fall for it, but sometimes you have to hit the underneath routes, just pull the trigger on those throws and yet in the playing a good Bears defense, not a they're not what they were a year ago, but they're good. They're one might be back this week. Yeah, they're and they're one of the six seven best defense in the league. They already held you know the Packers. Smith is out for

the year with a peck injury, which hurts. That's a big loss. But this this game, to me, is one of those questions it's impossible. There's no right answer, like do you trust the body of work or do you trust what you've seen the last three weeks? If you're only looking at the last three weeks, the Bears are playing better right now. You know the Packers got blown out. I trust Aaron Rodgers more than Mitchell Robinsky, even when Aaron Rodgers is slumpy. But I tend to trust the

body of work overall. I've seen too much bad football out of Mitchell Drabinsky. I haven't seen this defense be impressive. I haven't seen the running game really do anything that I believe in In In terms of Montgomery and their offensive line, and on the road against Green Bay, I think you get the best Packers performance, and that's why I'm locking up the pack And then I'm not gonna go to the lock off. But that's what the desert people think

about this three and a half or four. I think that's a man who can walk by the mirror and look right in it. There were really many there were flighting in that room. Yeah, some of these other games. It's like a fun house mirror and it's there and you're like, well, yea, I see one on here. That's a fun house. Okay, Well that's gonna be a fun stop the show there that gives even more like heat to the game that I've selected. At the back of this is like Lamar Jackson going thirty two overall, Uh,

how I got you right? And my find a site in the news lock it off? Do what Tariko would do? He would do it. By the way, how about Rodney Harrison and this guy I put this on the radar on a couple of weeks ago. Starts three and ten on the Sunday night Football Picks on NBC comes on the air this past Sunday and has the audacity, the audacity, the stones, the onions to say to the call to The reason I incorrectly picked ten of thirteen games is

because I was letting my son pick the games. I don't even believe that he said it with a twinkling I've watched that segment enough where it's like he's making up his pick as he goes. What's worse if it's a joker, If it's true, I mean he's throwing whether whether or not you believe it or not, he's throwing his child under the bus. I actually I know that.

I guess I'm taking the contrarian stands here. He said it with a smile on his face, and it just you know why he laughed, the fact that he would throw his son under a little child pick up for Rodney Harris. That's my He's still doing it though. That's my type of sense of humor, the cut type of person who would throw his son under the bus with like fifty million people watching, and it was funny to me. That was funny. I think he was trying to be funny.

I mean, it was the funniest thing that happened all day long. The reason why, though he had the smile, is because he knew he was a villain. As he was saying, he shouldn't be I shouldn't be sharing this with twenty million people right now. But I need my ego to get massaged here. I gotta take this off my plate. And you know what. He then picked the right game on Sunday, making his son look even worse. Yes, as if he had been doing that all along, he

would have surged out to start. Anyway, I will not be locking that game up, but I think the bear is gonna put up a fight. I will Oh, no, I gotta pick again. Oh totally. We're heading into some grizzly territory we gotta take. I don't know what that sound was that. Nice job, good job, You're feeling better. Eric thought, Wow, well Dan picks his game here. Yeah, feeling better finally, Yeah, thanks Christ sounding healthy? Yeah, don't care.

Oh you're apathetic. I thought you were pronouncing that. Okay, no, no announcing that. No, I feel I feel much better. I mean, this isn't a mandated math test. Just take a choice. There's I took a cool Instagram video of you guys with these filters. So you guys all have these neon sunglasses while you're rambling one. Oh yeah, we we have an Instagram account. Yeah there should check out the E t en podcast. Make sure you're checking it out.

Follow us individuals. Do you not have a choice yet? Alright, next choice for me, I'm gonna check it. I'm a Seahawks corner, of course is everyone knows it. Eats Greg alive because he got off Seahawks corner and then he has these little things like you don't care about Seahawks corner. You only care about the Jets. And by the way, you can't take it away from me. I'm on the corner, whether you want me there or not. Off the corner

with you Breg's old place. I exactly. I feel bad for you because I wish you could actually be enjoying this, but you're it's just in your heart. In your heart, it doesn't make it doesn't help you at all. I've been anyway, Seahawks corner. Let's go baby Tenna three coming off a loss, that listen, I'm not gonna kill him too much for the loss. In fact, unset power rankings, I I kept them in the top three despite the loss, because yeah, because the Seattle Seahawks are in the top three.

They are they are UM the tenant three Seahawks are a team that UM went to l A and the You know, nothing more dangerous than a cornered animal game, a team with championship metal like the Rams, uh needing to win a playoff game in their building at home and to the Rams credit and again Rams are peaking. Played a really good game, caught Seattle flat foot, beat them up, and it happens. I give every team a pass. They get out coached by Sean McVeigh quite a bit.

It's kind of Pete Carroll's thing. Um. So now they've got to get back, get back swinging because in the NFC, you lose another game at this juncture, you have no chance at the buy and the division might go by by two. So they go to Carolina to face the Panthers, and we know the Panthers have they peaked way too early.

Week six Week said when they were in London, we saw him, Kyle Allen, the flowery pros being written around Kyle Allen back then it turns out that his ceiling really it's probably a you know, a nice solid backup, which is not a sin. It's not the worst thing in the world, pretty great undrafted. It's called a twelve year career and I just imagine what you know, what's going on behind the scenes in that building are we really gonna say trade Ken Newton? And uh, I think

a lot. There's a lot that goes into that decision. But if unless you really have somebody that you like either on the free agent market or you're gonna go hard for a young kid in the draft, and you're not gonna have a top of the first round pick unless you make a trade, do we really want to say about it? Cam Newton? I don't know. That's that's a discussion for another time. But I love the Seahawks in this game. And uh, look at that mirror. No, you can't know. You can't look in the mirror. I

knew I couldn't pick. This wouldn't have passed here anyone's mirror test. I'm locking them up Seahawks corner. Baby, what I see a reflection and it's looking right back at me. You can look in the mirror on this. Yeah, I mean you're the one who has to live with it. Just say, didn't you just say? I can't believe that you have them so high in the power rankings. Now they're going on the road, came off with terrible loss, and now I can't lock them up. So I'd have

them six instead of third. In the power rankings and they're planning. It's a team that basically called it closed up shop and called it quits a couple of weeks ago. Well, one of the defensive backs did. I wouldn't say we have evidence at the entire Have you seen their run defense? They made DeVante Freeman look like too Well, that's why I'm locking up the team they're playing. I don't you know the mirror there it is. You can't look in the mirror on this one. They haven't been too competitive.

I mean they lost the Falcons by twenty plus two, so I've lost three in a row. Wes, I need a dub two times. This is why the whole mirror thing is a nonsensical thing. Away, the mirror longer exists, so it's true. It just it changed on this situation. That's why I honest with himself, we wouldn't be the mirror being right back at me. But it was a little warped, I have to say. But this week has

a lot of warped mirrors, that's all. I can't wait for your lock alright, what's a lock up to Cowboys again? I mean this this is a Panther's team who staying out of this one. You know, they have their head coach promising they're gonna win a game. The last time they were home was one of the worst games you know, in the in the last probably Panthers history. I mean they lost a big lead and lost to the Redskins in Dwayne Haskins. There's no way they're losing at home.

I mean they're winning at home to the Seahawks because this is a game where Brian Schottenheimer, who wants to run the ball in first and second down, is it pays off to do so. You know, you don't need to do much else than hand the ball after Chris Carson. Yeah, Nickie, the people on youtubeer behind this lock right now, complete opposite the masses are. Your mirror is shattered. Dan is a vampire. That's a herror that can't pass any mirror tests.

I got your mirror right here. Oh I am disappointed late at night tonight, when you have your third ten, you're gonna be hating yourself. And also that comment that's all the ones saying I'm a vampires have all fun, but the listener, the fan, they said, I'm disappointed that one does stick to me. Well, it's that's true. They have I'm gonna leave the window open to jump out of this. They have lost five straight games, including in three of those games that some of the worst teams

in the league, the Falcons and the Redskins. The Falcons are you know, other that one game we locked them up? They've been good for close to a month now. I would have liked to see Caffy about to go talking some scrimmage. Wy don't you even talking about I'd like to see Seattle do a little bit more against the Rams offensive line last week. I know, I mean, Clowney is playing through a sports turning it right now, and you know that's doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun.

I wouldn't want to even you know, leave my house at that. Just say one thing about Client, because we all shower praise on the man when he shows up in these huge games, and he does, but do you make him like the highest paid defensive player in the league when he disappears for Peter playing hurt all the time,

he's clearly part of his whole. Maybe he has made a huge difference for them this season, then, but well, and he's in pockets of games, But then O'Brien's rising up the rankings as a GM came to the same conclusion, right they this is a game where he or the Seahawks pass rush, which has been very up and down but mostly down, should get off. I mean that's part of the problem for Kyle Allen is he's got Dennis Daily playing left tackle, maybe the worst left tackle on

the league, trying to protect the undrafted quarterback. They need to find identify a left tackle who can play should be the like their number one problem. You need Tyler Lockett to show up and like kind of be the pre injury Tyler Lockett. They've been struggling. They couldn't they can't hold the ball through the area. Got Tyler, he's heard he's banged up. Who are you throwing? Why are you trying to argue against him? You have the number

three Tyler and they're they're flying across the country. That's always the top. You don't have to convince me. My mind's already made up. You need to convince yourself alright up now is Chris Westling? Oh? This should be a Oh, I'm back to my own pick. You do think Dan's kids are making the picks? I'm gonna be good. I've lost three in a row. I'm gonna have to grab one of these late games and I'm going Vikings at Chargers. And not only not only am I doing that, I'm

locking up the Chargers. So you're what's the esssion cutting off your nose despite your face? Not at all. This is l next to the game that I had written down before the show started. I mean, I have admirable West. What do you do when you look in the mirror? Oh yeah, I wouldn't say that, but no, the I'll give it to you. It's fair for you to come after me on my lock. I have to take my

hat off to you, sir. You're locking up against a team that is what nine and four, the Vikings, and a game they have to have in December that would be a bad loss for them, right. I had seen some stumbling block here, and I think the Chargers are better than their record. I think their defense, particularly is probably about to play their best game of the year with Durwin James back, with Drew Tranquil rookie emerging as a really good run stuffing linebacker, and Joey Bosa a

defensive Player of the Year. Candidate. I like this. I don't trust the Vikings on the road. I never have trusted them on the road. I trust them at home. I think this is a stumbling block game for the Vikings. They the Chargers, as we saw last week. I know it's against the Jaguars, but they are They're healthier, they

have the firepower. This is really the first time all year where Okay, you've got Irwin James, you have Ingram and Bosa both healthy, you have the entire array of your top receiving talent in terms of Ekeler, Gordon, Henry Alan, Mike Williams. They're all there right now. So this is this should be the best Chargers team we've seen throughout the year. They still it's not like they were playing

well before last week. But the thing with the Vikings is they in the in The Chargers aren't a team with a winning record, but it's hard to ignore that the Vikings are nine and oh against team that currently have losing records, and they're owing four against teams that

currently have led. That fits the narrative. It doesn't fit the narrative they and that's the Chargers defense has successfully shut down the run late in the season outside of one pretty bad campaign against the Chiefs, they have clamp put the clamps on people. So if you can do that,

I don't know if I would call. And you know it's an easy target, but that there are a lot of Vikings fans spread out the entire country, and it feels like another game where you could it could feel like a half and half home crowd more right, more than Kings. I think so too, But I you know, and yes it was Jacksonville, like you say, Greg, but the Chargers team that I watched covering that game on Sunday that wasn't awakening and they were going for it

and completing huge plays downfield. There were a few too many drops. But Austin Ekeler, to me, is a top five enjoyable player to watch when he's on it's nearly two hundred yards and does it all for them. And I don't see why you don't just keep leaning on him all season to go one hundred in a game. I think he's one of the best passing down backs in NFL history. I'm fascinated to see this game. This was a great pick because because I don't know where

the Vikings are totally right now. I'm not sure how good their defense is. It looks like Adam Feeland will be back though he's practiced for the game, and their offense certainly missed them. They were too stationed the station without him, and hopefully he can help both himself and Diggs get some big plays. By the way, Philip Rivers had one of his best games of the year, and

this is how bad the Jaguars defense is. There are a few big drops that could have been way more yards for him, way you know, another touchdown or two. He looked good. I don't know. I was impressed, Huble. I don't think he's been that bad. If you protect him, he needs things to be right around him a little more than he was as a as a young player. If you have a good offensive, I think he can play well. That's on him, like he protects them at times because he's so good before the snap, but he

can't move alright, Greg, you're up? Do I exist in this draft? I feel like I haven't picked in like two and a half hours. M m. Maybe not. You would pick up the Greg, mhmm. Something to do with your trade walked it up. Probably? Oh that's true. Unless I have it wrong, but I don't think I do all right. I will take I think you might. No, I think you got it right. I have. Then I'm

gonna take the Denver Broncos heading to Arrowhead. Yeah, and uh, I want I want to see what Drew Lock does again because I'm not sure how much I trust it. But let's just let's just watch him, right, Let's watch it and let's have fun. And it's going up against a pretty good past defense. But more importantly, I'm fascinated by this Chief's team in their offense, especially whether they can just get it looking to my eyes kind of like it looked last year, because it's been it's been

a while. It's been a little while since Patrick Mahomes totally looked like Patrick Mahomes, that the offense totally was playing in sync. I know they've put up fairly good numbers, but if you watch them, they've just been sloppy. I don't know if Mahomes is healthy. I mean, he heard his ankle early in the year, then he hurt himself in this matchup when he dislocated the knee cap. He came back at that one big game against Tennessee where it seemed like everything was ready to roll, and then

the last three weeks. You know, last week was his lowest graded game according to PFF of the entire season. I think two of his worst three are are in this stretch. It just hasn't seemed totally right. You know, nobody's talking about this, but you just said it, and when you said it reminded me, Oh damn, that was a It was a gnarly injury. Yeah, he dislocated, dislocated his knee, came back in three weeks or four weeks, and maybe this is something we don't find out about

until next May. But is he not the same guy right now? Is he physically compromised to the point where it's affecting his accuracy and he's not the same player as he wore was then he heard his hand, he heard his hand, the hands things sounds like it's fine, but these are piled up. He had the ankles. It's like it's just one. It's been. He hasn't been healthy all year, which diagnoses why the people fantasy heads are upset that they're not getting what they wanted at Patrick Mahomes.

I mean these quarterbacks and it used to be paid man and you'd find out, like you say in May or June, that he played with like some insane leg or aneything for two straight months. And some of it's just sloppiness, Sammy Watkins running wrong routes, offensive linemen making mental mistakes. They just haven't totally been in sync. They

haven't all been on the field very often together. And now they are though, And I and I predicted on one of these shows here they were gonna, you know, win out which one I don't know, like a Tuesday show or something like. I still think this team can win the Super Bowl. I really do. And I just I guess I want to just waiting for him to hit that next level, you know. I think everyone thinks that's happening. Ryan Bartlett behind the glass, he's waiting for

it to happen. Is it going to happen? I don't think too many Broncos. Too many teams like the Broncos of turning around. They were two and six and a raging mess. It was like Vic Fonio seemed lost, they didn't know what they're doing, and they just beat the Chargers team two weeks ago that we were singing about a second ago, ripped the Texans into fourteen shapes and it's like, yeah, it's like Courtland Sutton Andrew Lock. Part of the reason Courtland Sutton continues to dominate week after week.

And then when you get Noah, I like that Andrew Lock. There you go, this lock that's technically correct. Lock is so important for Elway, not just for identifying that quarterback, but if he is the real deal and he turns into the answer, suddenly, Elway's last two draft classes look studdely. Five games is a tricky sample size to base your entire next year off of, but that's what they gotta do. I mean, these next three games are huge. I think it's just a little early to just assume, Okay, let's

that they're fine suddenly. But he's got three more games and this he's got some tough matchups, including this one. I don't know, for what it's worth. D v o A was more impressed with the Broncos at mid season than they are now. I don't I don't know why that works, but they were losing all that those close games on the last play at mid they really there. We always see how fine a line it is between ten and six and six and ten and They're a great example. They should be like an eight and eight

type of team. Mid season, there were games for their defense really surged to give up thirteen points, zero points, twenty one points, fifteen points, thirteen. Over the course of a month plus, they've lost some players on defense, including Derek Wolfe. Miller's banged up. I mean, they're not quite the same, just the person now they are playing well though. I was gonna say, I didn't know if your umbrella

was coming out Greg today. But the desert, you know, because ten points of wood, I'm going out away on a win at least for a while. Yeah, I I just I think the Broncos have a chance to keep this one close because the Chiefs have not really been the Chiefs for a while. All Right, up next is Mark back to back? Here you go back back to back. Well, I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give a little treat Jeremy Bergman. I believe this is for Jeremy Burke. Your first pick

was for Shook. I believe right. I mean, my organization is a mess. I didn't even will figure out. We'll figure out how it's definitely getting Browns. Yeah, well he's getting the later one. But I'm going to give to one of them Patriots at goals. There you go on the Cincinnati Well, I'm surprised Greg didn't grab that, but he was gonna get it with his last pick, and you know I decided I take was watching him live. I kind of like to watch shop him down at

the knees. Good job. Now, I obviously would have taken then with one of my first two picks if I wanted. They're not a fun team to watch right now, but plus I like watching him. Uh. Sometimes you know, they're a little tough to watch. I mean, there are a lot tough to watch on offense, but the Bengals defense allowing offensive point totals of seventeen, sixteen, six, and twenty over the last four games. I'm not buying into the

Bengals as much as uh some people might. How much into a team that's one in twelve, Well, because they're playing they're not they are playing differently, and like I I, well, we've saw we talked about it as a potential trap game for the Patriots, So I'd ask us if you still think that's posibutely this should have been your lock. The Patriots offenses to the point where nobody can expect him to go in and beat any team in the NFL. That's what I feel like, And I feel like Andy

Dalton is playing better than Tom Brady right now. And this Bengals defense, I know Chubb went over a hundred yards, but if you take in the first half though, they were take out that Bronco Nagurski run where he's just running everyone over for fifty yards, they pretty much shut the Browns running game down. They put up four hundred and fifty five yards on often they could have easily beaten the Browns with better situational football. They went one

for five in the red zone. And I do worry about the matchup of Geno Atkins in this line against the Patriots offensive line. Greg Bard did a great job writing about it on Boston Sports Journal. The offensive line is a disaster right now for New England. All the talk has been about, you know, figuring out the wide receiver issue, but part of it is because they can't protect him when other teams are blitzing. They're on their third string center that a lot of people believe they're

starting center. David Andrews was kind of the key to that entire operation. The guys that have been there have been underperforming. Instead of other than Joe Touney, Isaiah Win their first round pick comes in. He hasn't really helped things at all, and so they they're kind of collapsed ap scene and they can't make up for it. I would attack on and I know that we've you know, pointed fun at James Devlin being too important to the

Patriots scheme. But Michael Bordi Lombardi noted that the minute Devlin went out, what happened was that Sony Michelle, who's in the point of entry back where you need that guy to blast the whole, his role is diminished and they leaned on and they've done this. How Didtlebarti connect that to the season finale of the Sopranos. That's he's opened with a Sopranos nugget, and I thought he did a nice job with that. Bronk and Devlin to the best run blockers and their positions, But how does it

connect to Joe Pesci's character. I would invite you to read the article yourself and you can draw your own conclusions that we need we need a little well, I'm struggling over here a little most a new revenge game. Well, he hasn't really done anything, you know. The most nuance

revenge for it. I never stopped thinking about it is on Draft Day in two thousand thirteen when somebody called his house and said he was drafted in the first round, and then he was celebrating with his family, and then it turned out that it was a prank Callan was draft of the first time he went in the second round. Since well, the other the other nugget out there about most of New that the forty Niners were pursuing him

hard Patriots. The Patriots one out and the Niners got stuck with Plan B Emmanuel Sanders, who has totally blown up. We're most of New. I would say that's been a disappointment. He's not. You would have wanted a lot. I thought it could have been like a second half Patriots surge. Dude, Well, it looked like he hurt his ankle pretty uh severely and came back quickly fighting through it, and so you're hoping, at least I'm hoping that it gets better and he's healthy.

I think it's dangerous. Joe Mixon also, to me, Joe Mixon is a top seven or eight running back in the NFL right now and is playing really well, we'll play a dog, all right, Mark, all right, let's see you got here, because if this isn't, I was gonna give shook just a total Let us decide where they go. Just just pick. You picked the game, buddy, you're the Falcons. A. I was no, because I mean I was using strategy that suddenly the game's chain to me in the last

three and a half minutes. So I'm going Falcons at forty Niners. It's the best game I see, letter, because you've got the best team in football, and you know, there you go, and so we west you. You tweeted out that if you want to sit down and enjoy an evening, watch that Saints forty Niners game that I didn't get to the way you did on Sunday because it was just a billion things are happening and the

sky is falling down. Sat down with my son, who's seven years old and obsessed with football, Colton, and we watched the whole first half together and it was the best game I've seen all year to awesome teams, and it just struck me that you know, and we we all like Kyle Shanahan, and we know about Sean Payton, but it was probably the best coaching duel that I've seen all year too. And I just trust like Kyle

Shanahan from here on out at this point. And I don't call this a revenge game because he was with the Falcons. That seems a bit absurdy went and did what you know coordinators do when they when they succeed. But I would say that you could point to Kyle Shanahan's obvious departure from Atlanta as the key turning point where the team never really figured themselves out. If started offense,

it bloomed into defense. And now you have Dan Quinn thinking that that not happened, where would the where would the Falcons be today? Instead, the Niners were totally transformed. They were were one play away from the NFC title game the next year's not not but but they were frustrating. I remember you had Matt Ryan on your fantasy game

and you brought it up weekly. I just would I would say that it's funny that how little weeks can see the future, that that Kyle Shanahan was on the top the list of hot coach type potential candidates where if the Niners didn't do what they're doing, or if they had a five and seven type start, he'd be gone instead. He looks like the biggest fine they've had since Bill Walsh. And yet the the injuries they're dealing with are real. I mean Western rich Burg, their center

is out for the year. D Ford and Richard Sherman are gonna miss this game. That's a problem for a future week because this week they're playing the Falcons and they're playing Yeah, they're playing an offensive line that is among the worst pass blocking offensive lines in the league and the forty Niners defense coming off what for them?

I'm sure it was an embarrassing performance against New Orleans where they really were out coached, at least in terms of their their defense was and they were confused they give up. I don't think this team ever expected to give up a forty burger against any team. They'll be ready to go out against this Atlanta team and eat

you know, nine sacks and two turnovers whatever. Well, you're minimizing their injuries on defense, it's DJ Jones, Julian Taylor on their defensive line, Juquas Guitar and Kaiwan Williams and their secondary. They are just they just have a lot less depth than they have when they were cruising the story that the best players up front are there and so for this game, I'm not doing okay, But the first half of the season, this was all about defense.

Second half of the season, Garoppolo, I think has the most passing yards and the second most touchdowns in the NFL, and the defense has been I don't know, not as good the way it wasn't the first half, Dave. It was a fascinating stat that they've played the Patriots and forty nine, who have had the best defenses this year, played the easiest schedules of opposing offenses for the first eight weeks of the season, and they've eat the two of them. Have played the two hardest schedules for opposing

offenses the last five or six weeks. So part of it is just the schedule, uh, and again that eases up. We we should mention Calvin Ridley is out for the season for the Falcons. Let's say I give him a B for his second season. And then Desmond Trufant, who had been playing quite well at cornerback, is out for

the season, so a bad team got worse. And Devonte Freeman, coming off his best game in the season where not only the defense he played against but looked explosive and may people miss, is dealing with a knee injury and isn't practicing yet. Falcons are in that category of teams that cannot get out of my life quick enough. We have some developing news. By the way, I wanted to share this developing. We've been tracking this, of course since Tuesday,

and it's the story that it's not going away. Spy gate two oh no, keep spying spy harder mark it just what your thought said this? Okay? Robert Kraft, Patriot's owner, declines to address spygate to quote, you know everything you should know? Well, that is that something that was I tweeted about that and I said, no period, we period to period, not period. Isn't that like when someone says you know everything you should know? Is that like a

villain like twisting like a mustache like that? That's when you know there is more to know. I want to know more. That's what's being said. There's basically been no news updates since we last talked, but Roger Goodell did address it, and he did say something that should be obvious, but I think significant that. Yeah, their previous history will play a role in whatever punishment comes comes about. And

that is our upgate, upgate, spygate too, spy arter. It ain't over yet, will decide when we've seen enough way to take a stamp that ain't going away. Greg, Oh, yeah, I am gonna. I'm gonna take the Buccaneers Lions. Oh, we knocked this one out. I like that as my backup game. You just knock it out. And uh, you know what's more fun than watching Jamis Winston right now? Who could? Who could do a lot of things? I mean,

I it's funny. I feel like this room and and really the culture at largest kind of turning around on Jamis Winston. People are starting to just enjoy the madness that he that he could get to thirty touchdowns, thirty interceptions and five thousand yards. It's on the table. Love it? What are weird? What its world like? Enjoyable things like that. He's just wacky. It's wild. By the way, the desert is out of its mind in this game. This is

not This is not a game. You can look in the mirror and to say otherwise, it's just ignoring basically the last six weeks of our lives and of what the Lions are putting out there now. David blow is physically overmatched. I'm sorry, he just is. He doesn't have NFL talent um. Marvin Jones to i R a week after t J. Hockenson went to i R. This team is just it's not talented enough to keep up with the Tampa I hear what you're saying, but they haven't.

You know, they've been They've kept the scores low. Sorry, I'm not would have lost nine of the last ten. Why are we acting like this as a game That the Blowhards Fan Club was established with pride at halftime of that Thanksgiving game, and I don't it seems like you didn't watch that in live. I did not watch. I did, and it was captured the imagination. I will say, since then, if you look at the match one game since then, one and a half six quarters, Blowhards Fan

Club is hit very rough water. That the Eli Manning Renaissance Foundation was founded at halftime of Monday Night, Well, these are bad ideas well. Mart. I'm not saying you shouldn't support the guy. I'm just saying when I look at this game, I regret my already yet. Yeah, I would say it was in the first half of that game. He was very aggressive and was showing chemistry with Kenny Galladroy.

It's not happened since I I want to have what is the argument if you're Alliance fan to say I want matt Patricia around, I want Bob Quinn around because I don't see and I know you know Matthew Stafford right now, but you've had Matthew Suffard for a decade plus. I mean, what is the how are we moving the ball forward here? He had him for a year and in a third. I don't know what they We were excited about them when they were fristy and like it

is September. It does seem like a long time ago, and we were really giving them a lot of pop for being to one and one, But we also said they were extremely shallow roster in any any sort of injury to their starter and GMS had multiple years to

make that roster, not this Shew. It could get carry On Johnson back this week, so there's a well, yeah, but that you know what about the Bohemians right both Scarborough picked up off the street in the middle of November and is getting seven fally, Jami Winston was a practice. He's got a thumb scenario, simply just throwing a tennis ball during the open part of the session. So I don't know, you know, they get saying it can't grip a football very well and you've lost the points. Third

in the league in yards. I would not be if you throw Ryan Griffin in there from two lane, he's gonna play pretty well for you. But he was too, he was a preseason superstar. Now that maybe the preseason m v P. Now that's a fair fight, Griffin and blow West. Why did I take this game? Mirror is way too strict right now. West, we're talking Jamis Winston with a bad hand without Mike Evans on the road. And you can't can't throw the duke can I mean? West?

Who cares? No? I mean you can't lock the Have you have these people not been watching the Bucks and lines they because the Bucks are one of the best teams in the NFL over the last month. I mean, if I understood the Seattle Carolina argument. In fact, in some places it doesn't even pass the who Yeah, they're mirror much credit because you know the world if football is unpredictable, well then why why isn't every game even? Greg?

But because they've they've actually done a good job if you look like when they're playing pretty good teams keeping it close. Now, a lot of that's with driscoll. But if you want to talk about we were still talking about this game. By the way, this is incredible. Why not they kept it close against the cow but it covers it's their last five losses during this losing Street quest. They lost by seven, eight, three, four thirteen. It's not like that. I noticed you didn't say any of all. Right,

let's move on West. It's hard to recover from what I just heard. Uh, there isn't much left here. I guess I'll take one more notice. Sorry, Fort West. The storylines part of the research guide, which I pointed out during the end of the season. Jeff Greenholt and his gang sometimes run out of blurbs to talk about. For the Bucks and Lines, the blurb is two teams eliminated from playoff contention Alright, I'm gonna go Eagles at Redskins, even though this could be the most painful game to watch.

The trade if you want the block. I I immediately regretted the blow pick, and uh, I would rather have this game if you want to make an in game trade, alright, alright, yeah I'll take I'll take the bucks, buddy. You still have to introduce you right now. Yeah, I can say.

The reason why I picked this game over the two other bad games left on the board is because the Redskins defense has actually been playing pretty good and I want to see guys like Landon Collins, who's living up to his contract, Cole Holcom who is now leading all rookies and tackles at inside linebacker. They've got some players on that defense, and I just I'm at the point where how can you expect any game for the Eagles to be easy? Like, don't you just expect this to

be a slog? They they're not gonna have Lane Johnson, Nelson aghilar Is Iffy, So they're back to their you know, wild receiver corps of Greg Ward and Arthego, Whiteside and whoever I mean, and they're going up against a Redskins team that's least been competitive. They're trending up well, I mean, the Redskins barely lost to the Packers last week. They also might get Trey Quinn and Paul Richardson back Haskins. I'm a little right, I'm I'm there's a defense, decent

offensive life. I'm shocked at Haskins ranks seventeen among PFF's grades at quarterbacks since he became a starter out of that seems crazy to me. But I do think if you watch the play to play Haskins of it all, he other than taking a lot of sacks, the throws are pretty good and there aren't like bad mental mistakes in terms of the throws he's making. Like, I think he's doing pretty well considering this asuation. Disagree with you. I think you're minimizing his taking sacks and he's had

some awful throws that he's gotten away with. I don't they can't. They can't justify him being eighteenth. I mean, it was very surprised, but I mean, the trap game monitor is all over this one. They've got the Eagles Cowboys next week, and that's meant to be the meaningful game to decide which team rolls into the playoffs at seven and nine for a home NFC East title game or NFC East scenario. Please that I could see this being nineteen Redskins. You can look in the mirror and

lock up. There, have you locked? Yeah? I did. I went with the Packers. I'll close it out with Dolphins at the Giants. UM picking this game because there's not another game to pick, Uh, that could be worse. I get to watch Ryan Fitzpatrick, who's he's just fun, been fun to watch this year back in MetLife, like the Dolphin, Met Life, the Dolphins, they usually are involved games that, like the Red Skin, this is an example of a

bad team that's just awful to watch. The Doppins, You know, they play some games that have a little juice to him even if the stakes aren't high. And was that case last year? Last week against the Jets of the Metal Ends. They're still at the Metal Ends against the Giants, and it looks like Eli starts again the only other big, the only other big in terms of steaks we're talking about here. Um. Eli dropped to one sixteen and one seventeen as a starter. Um, so he needs to win

Sunday and maybe get another start to get over five. However, I want to point back to un Wes. You've made this point before, and what a disgrace. Uh, if this is not covered, but you better be counting the playoff wins. Like if you're talking about his career record as a starter and you're not, does he really outside of the two players he must he's lost every other playoffs. Let me see, win to SWS. That's six wins right there, and then he lost every other playoffs. He never been it.

He's been in the playoffs seven other years. That's not right. My bad. I was so old. I mean, you guys are just you guys, apologize for that. If you were looking to jump all over it, I should have. I should have known actually that he barely got his team to the playoffs. Otherwise, that played to script perfectly. That was great, and so eight and four. So what it really is one four because each of those times had

four games. Right, He's lost every other time except for the Super Bright But then no, so ELI could lose out and he's fine. He's good. He's covered now unless this doesn't take into account the playoff games, which I haven't done the necessary research. What's more important like a week eight weeks seventeen game and the Super Bowl. They only made the playoffs five times in sixteen years. That's coach how many Super Bowl MVPs did he win in the six times? How many times to do Bill Belichick

and Tom Brady in the Super Bowl? How many times? Just twice? Fel justin tux MVP right, twice they had seven points. The only beat Belichick twice in the Super Bowl? Just twice. Alright, how about the number two pick that's on the line, Chase Young's future, the Chase Young ball could be the Dolphins are gonna take a defensive player after all these shenanigans. They're gonna already told you they're trading. They're gonna get Tom Brady. This is a big one

that's actually out there on the internet. Now. There are some quasi insider type suggesting that they're hearing that. It's uh, this is a big one though for the draft order mark on some Reddit subread it was more reputable than that. We shouldn't miss Jack's Raiders. By the way, Greg, have you heard from Silva and Patrick Laird that Dolphins running back? I mean, I know, it's like a poor man's Rex Burkhead. Oh, I know. Well, he's been a whole thing in the

fantasy community. He was almost boys too deep to go into. He's not quite a running back, not quite a receiver, not quite an h back, not quite a fullback. He's like not good enough to be any of those. He's all they have. But in a lost year which Ryan Fitzpatrick loses like two weapons per week, Davante Parker is in the watching protocol. Alan Hearns might not play this game. Who's left for him? Patrick Layard played a big role in that Eagles and the Giants are as healthy as

they've been all year actually with the skill position. And I am confirming now Eli's one seventeen and one eighteen, and people are throwing that stat around Simmons putting on his clown hat and his clown shoes and making a podcast about it, and you're not counting the playoff wins and a quarterback stats. That's fair not I mean, it's fair for you to bring that up. I mean that's to not count playoff wins. Uh, Simmons calling at the five hundred Bowl for you, Eli, you know, take off

the clown shoes. But that's kind of you can think a little victories taking off the nose. You could lock up the Giants here. There you go, there you go like that. Dolphins are way too frisky. Dolphins are gonna win it. But I don't even need to, Like Mark said, Eli can lose out and he's still good. His reputation is secure and he would finish them. Yes, it is secured. You tell Manning is good after losing four straight games to end his career in the most you know he

wants to win. Mark, you will be in Oakland the black Hole for the final Raiders game, uh, in that region and they will be playing. What a great set up for them. Unfortunately no playoff ramifications at six and seven, but you get kind of the ultimate lay up because who else would you want coming into your building when you just want to have a celebration. You don't want to be, you know, on the losing end of a game. You don't want to be playing some nail biter. You

just wanna whoop some butt. And the Jaguars that's what they exist for at this stage of the NFL season. That's what they've existed for, without question over the past month plus. And what we're hearing is that Josh Jacobs, the Raiders key player on that offense, they're running back

practice Thursday. Hunter Renfro returned to practice, so they're getting a little healthier, and they need Josh Jacobs because the key to beating Jacksonville, I mean you can do it by land or through the air is simply probably show up. Just unleash him times now walk on the field. Yeah. I checked with the Desert people, and I don't think it's legal if you're saying you actually checked with them with some reporting that's out there based on what their activities.

And I just because you know, I would say, how many times have I locked up bad Iffy Brown's teams? Are? You know? I'm not someone that just secures easy locks week after week. Emotionally, I want to lock up the Raiders because this is going to be number one. These are not The Raiders aren't exactly flying into the end of the season either. They have plenty of they've been outscored by right, This is not this is not some uneven wayward You know that. I want to lock up

the Raiders. If you I'm gonna do it. And if you don't like, if you don't like it, too bad. When you look in the mirror, does anyone look back at you? Yes? Absolutely, room, I have no problem with that. I want to read one thing we'll we can hit on the rate we did on on Tuesday, We'll do it on Sunday. I want to read the greatest paragraph that I've read on NFL dot Com the entire football season.

It came from We're gonna hear from Year Long Form. No. No, it came from Wes explaining why Gardner Minshew was, you know, beat out by Kyler Murray as Rookie of the Year. So here we go. Allow me to while Kyler Murray's skill set and potential stand alone among rookie field generals, Jacksonville's Gardner Minshew might have given him a run for his money on this list had he not been unfairly relegated to the bench in favor of a business decision. Bang,

let's go on to the next part of this. I fed the Minshew game tape into the George Michael Sports machine Love It, which spit out the following composite score. Tony Romo, Jake dilone seven percent, Baker Mayfield eleven percent, Mark Sanchez seven percent, Doug Flutie five percent, Greg McElroy three percent, Randall Pink Floyd three percent, Pistol Pete Maravich two percent, Marty McFly one percent, detect Detective Russ Cole zero point eight percent, Uncle Rico zero point two percent.

Dwight Yoakum West. I when I read that, it made my day appreciate that more excellent. It's really the Rico and Yocum combo. I mean, I would maybe go a strong point for for you. That's how I know you're a great writer. West. You could take such a generic kind of afterthought quarterback and make them interested. Oh please, this this Jaguars team is so bad that Gardner Minshew has to run through an obstacles. Of course, just to get a pass off, you have to run a gauntlet,

and Ful's had too as well. This offensive line is terrible. They're basing their offense around Leonard four Nette, which is just a bad idea. And the defense is the linebackers are the worst position group in football. They the way every time Austin Ekeler touched the ball, it was as if the linebackers and safeties for the Jaguars were police cars escorting O J's Bronco down the freeway. They were just like there along for the ride. It was amazing.

It's a recipe for a little for some wildness. You would think the offenses in this game that Minshew will get back. I'm saying it's the last game in Oakland. They better send these fans out with the wind against the Jaguar. If you're gonna take this team away from the Oakland fans and act like it's some sort of celebration, I mean, they did it in week fifteen because they're ashamed,

and they buried they buried it. Here's my concern. Honestly, my concern is that we have listeners Raiders fans that listen to the podcast. They know your fandom, they know about the Manchu Vians, and Minshew wakes up the offense and they beat the Raiders and just a lot of bad vibes in that building, and you become a target of their frustration. And that's number one. I thought you're

gonna say. It was like a Cleveland scene where they're throwing the chair, the seats, like margin mark being carried into the black hole, and then like a sacrificial lamb being torn apart, limb from limb, him, head popped off, arms, legs, just just the torso remaining ship back to Culver City. I'm not saying it's not something I want what a way to go? Bring us the girl. Wouldn't they even

announced that death on NFL network. Bring us you get out of the last seven or eight weeks in the season to then I wouldn't have to write the article. You know, you would not have to write the article. To write the article where the NFL? Now if I died on assignment? Yeah, I believe our podcast has gained enough popularity where we have moved up to the C block one of us. I think it's buried in the eleven to twelve space of the program somewhere. I think

we've moved out of the D block. I think we're right in the middle of the show now, like it's Lindsay Rhodes coming out of like the third break on t A. It's like, oh, by the way, Mark Seessler was ripped apart by angry Raiders fans on Sunday at the conclusion. Now David Carr talking Derek Carr. Alright, uh, anyway, check it out. Mark Seessler is gonna check in with us via the phone or maybe maybe Ricky if he's in one piece, a skype from the field or something

some type of cool vibe. I could probably do that depends where you are at that point. Let's see alright. Anyway, all right, let's get through the rest of the games. Uh, Sunday Night Football, good one, yummy. Yes, the Buffalo Bills get flexed into Sunday Night Football. Greg, you're a you're a man that knows this, this type of this minutia of the NFL. When's the last time the Bills played Sunday Night football with Al Chris two seven. That's a

long time ago. I leave against the Steelers that that is twelve years ago. Uh. So they get flexed into this game, and that's great, and it's so the nine and four Bills, who you know, have a strangle hold on a wild card spot, but can we if they lose here, does it start to get a little interesting?

You know, they followed nine of five and they have a tough schedule ahead, uh comparatively, so they go They're going to Hines Field and um uh Greg, So, yeah, the Bills, who again came close but no cigar uh last week against the Ravens and he got the Steelers, who you would think are gonna be very hard to beat in their building in primetime. The way they're playing right now, this feels like a really another really tough spot.

I love it. It's it's such a fun sort of matchup of just storylines we didn't totally expect coming into this season. PFF went out and just said it that that the Steelers have the better quarterback in this game. I'm not going that far, but I do think he's got I do think Josh Allen has the tougher It seems a little bit, but I do think Josh Allen that this is a recipe for a potential disaster, that his matchup against this Steeler's front uh is harder than

than anything Duck's gonna have to do. Because Bud Dupree and t J. Watt, we we've talked about them, but they send a lot of creative blitz as they trust the secondary, and Josh Allen versus pressure has been a nightmare. Uh, Baltimore really copied or did a lot of the same

things that New England did. At no point did he really know where pressure was coming from, how to deal with it, how to adjust the offensive line, and why wouldn't Pittsburgh do the same thing When the two best defenses Buffalo has played this year have a very similar sort of set up, and I just think it's gonna be trouble for Josh. Allen's just gonna have to be a defensive game. Strike shortened seasons excluded. The only team of the Super Bowl era to finish first outright in

both sacks and takeaways is the seventy four Steelers. The two thousand and nineteen Stealers are currently leading in sac and takeaways. This is right now playing the best defense in the NFL, and the Bills aren't far behind. They were mediocre about a month ago and they have really climbed d v O A because they're defense. I mean date the Ravens lost Mark Andrews, which changed that game for them, but Lamar Jackson was had fits to and the and the Bills aren't maybe your pure pass rushing

team at this point, but they are well coached. Their secondaries nasty and we can find you know, Duck Hodges has not played a secondary like this yet. He has not not tough matchups in general. He could get James Connor back this week. We thought maybe out of practice turning, but then as we're taping this, he left practice on Thursday. But the difference is Connor's coming back to an offense, it's a little deeper. I mean, the Auntie Johnson is

just I love the way he runs. James Washington is making some plays, so they've they've gotten a little something on offense, even if it's not like they're explosive. Bills haven't beaten the Steelers in twenty years, which is just a knug. This game feels like it's destined to be seventeen to thirteen. Someone wins seventeen to thirty, but a fun seventeen to thirteen, right, because it's been right and

it's so meaningful. I mean, if the Steelers win this game, they have I know they still have the Ravens in Week seventeen, but the Ravens might be sitting there starters and that would be interesting. Like they have a pretty good path to the playoffs, Whereas if the Bills lose this game, they do have to worry about the loser of the Titans Texans and they I wouldn't say they can forget about winning the division, but it might be out of reach because the Bills do not have the

tiebreak right now with the Patriots. So if the Bills fans it did the playoff calculator actually, our friend Mike Burko did it for me. I did double checkers work. If the if the Bills Louise beat the Patriots next week, but they are finished tied in the standings, the Patriots are gonna win the tiebreaker anyways, so right now they've sort of got a game and a half to catch up with that's assuming, by the way, that the Patriots do win Week seventeen, But they have a game and

a half to make up right now. They can't afford a lot. You look back, and that Bills thanksgiving a in over the Cowboys was massive because they'd be in a much darker place that they lost that and then dealing with New England next week. But Dupre, I have a feeling is going to get to be one of the highest paid, like defensive players in football, just because

that's how it works out. He's actually gonna get I think, maybe get the free agency and those are the guys that somehow sneak through and just get an insane amount of money, kind of like de Ford did this year. Anybody else have a thought, Yeah, Josh Allen, every time I watched him play, I think with a high soft deep ball. The receiver contract it and make adjustments. With a laser deep ball, there's no opportunity for adjustment whatsoever.

Everything has to be perfect. And he is the worst deep passer in football, even though he has the strongest arm in football. They did fight back. You might him up. I thought about it, but I I can't. I have too much respect for the way the Bills are playing defense right now. All right, takes us to Monday night football.

This could have been a good game, but then the Colts went in the tank and lost three in a row, all but ending their season, including you you lose in Tampa, and we know the Bucks are playing better and there they can be a tough team because Winston's so up and down. Um, and he was up in that game, but we'll end down. And now they get the Saints.

And the Saints it feels like a really, really bad spot for the visiting team because the Saints are coming off that loss where ah, they lose by two points. They put up forty six points in their building against the top rated defensive league and lose. Someone's gonna pay for it. I think the Colts are going to be on the nail end of the hammer. And this one, uh, this the mirror. It's invisible West, there's nothing to look at. It's over the test. Although to the no, yeah, it's

way over like my desert test. But to the cults credit, they're in every game. The Titans game was the only two score loss they've had all year. Yeah, and that was close to the very end. They eleven of their thirteen games have been one score games, and we kind of talked about how they were getting lucky, a little lucky early in the year, and now they've lost four straight one score games, many of which are right at

the end. So you feel for them because I do think almost everyone, like throughout that roster, there's a lot of players over achieving. I think the coaching staff is gonna done a really good job. But when you're throwing it to Marcus John, it's just they just don't quite have enough firepower to stick with the Saints. Hey, Alvin Camara, about a total yards and two touchdowns. How about you put together one of those superstar games and put yourself back on the map in that way. You need that

guy terrible fumble last week. The need that guy. He's healthy. It seems like his explosion is there on some runs and he was averaging pretty good yards per carry, you know, until last week, at least over a month. But like that special level, he's not making the mess. He hasn't been the same guy that he was the first couple of years. I think it's really been overlooked this week that the Saints lost Marcus Davenport and Sheldon rank for the season. In that game, I mean, Davenport was really

playing well. To me, he's very similar to Clowney. He's a poor man's Clowney. He he has a a good starting defensive end. And Sheldon Rankins, who is playing about half the snaps, is a very good interior, you know, rotating guy. And that's part of what had made up this team's identity was their defensive line. And now you lose two of the you know, four biggest parts of it. That's pretty huge. T Y Hilton might be back. He practice.

Where's Jared Cook where? We haven't seen an update on him because they had night game that I don't know, they didn't practice until today. I don't know. I'm not you know, the Saints office. I know they got it going for a week, but I don't know, you know, they had the Panthers a couple of weeks ago at home, barely won that game. I just I don't I want to see it out of the Saints week after week.

I think there's some things working against the injury wise, especially if Cook's at Alvin Kamara had two touchdowns in Week three that's always had all season. He had eighteen last year. That's crazy. They also had mark ingram right, and they had Drew Brees for sixteen weeks, and yet here they are. I feel like we don't have Deonte Harris love on this alright. He is the ex He's the X factor. I feel like for the playoffs, it's just Deontay Harris is the best return man. Deontay Harris right,

I mean he's doing it. He's popped a lot, but he's due to pop a few more touchdowns. Um, all right, that is a week fifteen. Um again, it will be sess and West West and sess uh covering Jets Ravens And Wow, congratulations you guys, because that's going to be the game. People are gonna be like, Wow, the upset of the season and you get to talk about that for ten. Might have a little Lakisha on the mike too, Reports Lakisha came up to me in the newsroom this morning.

You're so stupid as you because I made the comment. She's like, I'm not dead because I was on the throwback podcast. I can't get her on the throwback she's pregnant. Of course I can get her on the throwback podcast. I just want her to be comfortable and uh, maybe sooner rather than later before really the baby bump starts to become an issue. Better. Hope Rhoda doesn't find out about what you said. Do you have any other Jackson

family members you want to impersonate? And Greg is on the throwback podcast that went up today Arcade Fire Funeral maybe the defining album. What a record at least the defining you know, guitar album of the We were both living in New York City at the time, Uh, in different areas of the city. Penthouse that really hit it, I did, that's anyway, Greg, you were great on it. So I want everyone to please check that out if you enjoy that type of music or just banter. All right?

Because Dan hands a signing off four Quiet Storm, The Mailman, The Old Boss lived in an outhouse twelve between A and D drug dealer downstairs in the glass until Sunday s