2019 Week 3 Recap

of Week three two superior to Week two. So okay on balance, but much better than the sloppy play of Week two of the NFL and the sloppy officiating of week the NFL. Okay, you went through a lot on game pass last week. I could tell it took something out of you. It took Yeah, it really increased my sleep, put me to sell it all last week. Um, I'm I'm falling asleep because it is eighty nine degrees in the studio today. They actually turned the heat up from

Thursday show. So this is about survival. This episode of the Around the NFL Podcast also pulling back the curtain a little bit. This is the first in the history of the show, and we've done about a thousand episodes. The Cleveland Browns are playing on Sunday Night Football. As we go through these games, and Mark, how are you doing? I mean, number one, let's start it right here. I'm a raging professional. My focus is on the show and

interacting with you about that too. That too, I you know, my I W I will turn towards the game when we're finished with our jobs here. Our jobs are the primary responsibility. I'm really impressed by that answer, really impressed. It's mostly true. But you're also part of the Ramilly now you've locked up the Rams and you're rooting for the fighting Jared Goffs, Well, that's complicated, Like look into mark soul this game. So that will be going on

as we go through every game that was played. Uh in Sunday of Week three, Um, you guys want to get into it. I I kind of stacked it at the top of the show in order of all the undefeated teams. So we're gonna go through all the teams that are entering week three or entered week three at two and oh and see how they fare. Let's get going with the marquee matchup of two and oh teams,

the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead against the Chiefs. Mahomes right foot in front of the left Mahomes pump, Picking's gonna throw a screen right Darryll Williams on the plot, He's at the head midfield, four star Kansas City. Goodbye Baltimore Ravens, Goodbye to go in the game. A screen pass of sixteen yards tialed up by Big Red and extuecuted perfectly by the NFL m v P Patrick Mahomes. Mitch Holts to the Chief's radio network with the call. It was his version of the hay is in the barn, go home,

Baltimore Ravens, because Yeah, just God banged Patrick Mahomes. I used the game with that completion to Darryl Williams. Darrell Daryl Darryl Williams the final pass and another brilliant afternoon for the raigning m VP, who threw for three seventy four and three touchdowns in a thirty three win over the Ravens, who fall to two and one. Chiefs now three and oh and their quarterback might actually be better

than he was a year ago. Think about that. One of the best seasons of all time, and Mahomes is just playing the game at a level that no one else is sniffing the Ravens. Greg, the Ravens get a lollipop here. I know you're watching this game in the cubicle. I could hear you Deemin and han and and honking about your boy Lament. I don't care what the draft of the assignment says. I'm watching that evidently clear you're

the bad boy of NFL media. The Ravens get a lollipop for hanging around in this game, but it never really felt in doubt. This was another day for Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs to keep rolling. I'm taking that lollipop away. They were lucky to have the final score be this close. The defense, which talked a good game before uh this match up in terms of Earl Thomas saying they weren't gonna give up Big Place, really didn't

provide much resistance. The Arrol Thomas was victimized on a play where you could see Andy Reid saw a tendency where Earl Thomas was gonna jump a route of Sammy Watkins in the slot and they went over the top for um Michael Hardman. Michael Hardman for eighty three yards. There was no pass rush. I felt like more than any game obviously this season, you could really see them missing Terrell Suggs and Zadarius Smith because Patrick Mahomes had

all day back there. Even though he didn't have his left tackle, he had plenty of time, and I felt like they could have put up a forty burger or more if things had gone a little differently. I mean, it's it's nine point six yards per passed from Mahomes.

And you mentioned like how he has improved markedly visibly on the field, and we mentioned on Sky Sports that they talked all offseason now he's more comfortable in the offense and a lot of times I read that stuff and I say, I don't simply don't really care about those kind of assessments in you know, mid July or late June. But he looks that much more at home, and they don't like Tyreek Hill is not in the lineup. But you can't even tell the difference. They have an

absolute embarrassment of wet, big play weapons. By the end of last year, it was a one horse race for m v P. And I think he's widen the gap between first and second place in the first three games this year. The difference is there was some anticipation throws on on third down where he's letting go the ball well before the receiver makes his break. There was just recognition of where the blitzes were coming from where he just knew where his hot read was and they just

had solutions. But the thing I really like today was he was getting on his offensive lineman. He got on a big red Andy Reid for blowing the clock situation, wanting it to be fixed. He he just seems like he has such command that he's not afraid now to call some people out, and he is just like a master of what is happening. And the Ravens, I think they could have played this game ten times and the Ravens just weren't up to snuff to compete in this one.

They were missing Eric Fisher, their left tackle, Tyreek Kill, as we mentioned, Damian Williams, They're starting running back and it just doesn't seem to matter. Lasawan McCoy sat out the fourth quarter with his injury. He reinjured his ankle. Uh and on the other side of the ball. This is the first game, and you knew this game would eventually come, and there's no reason to look too much into it. And see it as a major issue going forward.

But Lamar Jackson for three quarters kind of looked like the Lamar Jackson who struggled at times during his rookie year, missing on passes, maybe not seeing the field, uh the way you need him to. Certainly to stay in a game against the Chiefs, they he missed a lot of deep throws. I mean there were opportunities to stay in this game. I don't think it was an incredible Chiefs defensive performance. I can think of three or four down the field where he had open receivers he missed it.

I think it was three for twelve on throws over twenty yards, so they were daring him to go deep. The running game was good, Ingram was amazing. Lamar ended up getting some uh good runs in the second half. Gus Edwards did pretty well, but he just didn't deliver. I guess the toughest stadium to go into and play

in the league right now. And I don't worry about the Ravens at all because I just think that they're still so well put together and Ingram, to your point, it was the perfect free agent for the right for this team, and he's fitting so I think he could have gone somewhere else and we wouldn't be talking about in week to week. He fits perfectly on the Ravens, and I think they'll bounce back big time on it

from this, and they'll probably meet again. I Mark would have seen Earl Thomas said that he expects them to meet again after the game. The only thing in this a f C though, where it looks awfully similar to last year in the beginning. You know, those losses for the Chiefs and the Patriots, they there might not be that many of them, so they're already if you're a Chiefs fan, you're already thinking about getting a buy in

the playoffs. Before we move on, I want to call attention to one other aspect of the game that I found very interesting. John Harbaugh coached an ultra aggressive game, one of the more aggressively coached games I've ever seen, and I don't necessarily mean that as a compliment. I find it, um, you know, I I call I I find it, you know, hanging the onions that way, that's respectable. But they went for it on fourth down four times, and they went for three for were in that situation.

They attempted three two point conversions failed all three. Uh and when it's a five point loss, and and it makes you wonder. It felt to me that he was he was somehow trusted his offense too much and maybe not enough at the same time. Here's the comments from hardball, because the reporters were questioning his strategy after the game. And we we had a mindset that we're gonna commit and we're gonna try to scores many points as we could.

So that so what we tried to do, you know, and I know, I know we all felt the same way, and all Lamar felt the same way. We all did. We're we're gonna keeplaying that. We just felt a record. So when you write your article, just understand that we'll disagree with you know, we're going after it. And that's where we're gonna player all year. So West, that's the Mahomes effect. It is you're psyched out a little bit and knowing that you have to keep up with the Chiefs,

and they did. They had to keep up. It forced two punts. The Chiefs scored seven out of nine trips that that didn't end. That didn't end the game. So he was right, they had to score. I like the aggressiveness I mean, it's not always gonna work too with team. It was pretty wild. That's one of the best coaches in the league. We've been saying that for a long time. All Right, another undefeated team. They reside in Western New York. To Orchard Park. We go, and Allen's ready to go

out of the gun again. Three receivers lined up right side. There's the staff. Josh looks left, fire's left, got a man wide opening his cat by Gawson Knox out of midfield on the run, gets past one man trying to get past another man bulls him down and he is finally knocked out of bounds at the Cincinnati twenty four yard line. Johnson Knox running after the catch, knocking down Bengals along the way. What a huge play that was,

John Murphy, Bills Radio Network with the call Yes. Tight End Dawson Knox took a Josh Allen pass and turned into an evolutionary ground His forty nine yard catching runs set up a Francour touchdown that was the difference in win over the Bengals and rowdy Orchard Park. The victory moves the Bills to three and oh and sets him up for a huge week four showdown against the undefeated Patriots. Mark Uh, consider this Bills come back another leap forward

for Josh Allen. Right absolutely. I mean they're not a fluke. You know. You get some of these teams that rolled to these early nice records and you have to look a little deeper and wonder what they really are. What the Bills, though, are not is an explosive, big play offense. They had fifteen first downs before the Bengals had their first, and it it looked that way, but they had a lead of sixteen nothing. I mean, they're gonna need to find a way to pile up points and find some

more explosion. I still think John Brown Cole Beasley were perfect fits for Josh Allen. Josh Allen is going to continue to push the ball downfield. He made a bad inter say, had a bad pick in this game. But they they you know that they were patient and enough for the to wait for the Bengals to make a killer mistake of their own with a Dalton interception. But they to me with Buffalo, I I give them a shot against New England, I really do. Because of their defense.

They just they're gonna hang around with teams, uh that are superior to them because of what they can do on defense, they make like very uncomfortable for Cincinnati's attack. The step forward for the um Josh Allen experience came with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, so that uh, Buffalo had a four teen zip lead in this game and Cincinnati scores seventeen nonanswered and that was set up perfectly. We've talked about it in real time,

Mark down in the newsroom. Uh, here's Josh Allen takes over. He has plenty of time, they had time outs, and what he has to do now show us that he can go get the lead back unless he did it with ease. They marched down the field and scored. You still don't know what you're getting week week to week from Josh Allen. And that's to me, that's the reason why the Patriots are going to be the heavy favorites next week. Mark's right that their defense, the Bill's defense,

gives them a chance. And when they when they did finally take the lead, this is when you know Dan was saying, this is a great progress check for Josh Allen. And then they took the lead and Marks said, let's see if Andy Dalton has anything in his human body. At this point, you really thought it was like after years, Andy Dalton, please show me something with the game on the yeah, and he and he threw an interception. When do you know what it's to me? You go in three?

You look, we're talking about a FC teams in the Ravens and the Patriots and the Chiefs, who are looking simply unstoppable. And the Bengals have had as bad of a start to the season as they could have imagined. After I thought a really frisky performance in Week one, they had a chance to win this game and all would have required was the offense to do their part, and they couldn't. It's a tough ask against Buffalo's defense. But for me, I just want to see a few

more like Dawson Knox. They've compared him to Jeremy Shocky. He is an interesting player. I don't know if i'd call him Jeremy shock Uh. Not sure about the off the field elements, but Josh Allen did responding touchdown in a Super Bowl Jeremy Shocky, for you get get slept on. Sometimes I like this Bill. They're fun like It's just the league needs more, even if they're not a super Bowl type team. It's impossible not to enjoy how well they're coached and how they've lived up to any sort

of off seat. They were getting a little buz in the off season and they could have gone one and two, and we forget about him. It's the opposite. I just want to know what Andy Dalton did to poor Mark. I mean what he said on air is very professional, just like he said going into this show. But the invective sentence Salton about the status and you know it was international. Well, how it's just the same old story

from Andy Dalton. Bengals fans can come at me. They're all upset that we're too negative about them, but it's the same narrative over and over, and you want to different. That's so to the Bengals and so the like, this is who you've invested in your you're missing your offensive lineman, You're there's a lot of we do know who he is and he's good enough. At the this time last year we were talking about how he won three straight fourth quarter comebacks and they that's why they started three

and one. He was super question, there's a good team around. There's little pockets like that from in Dalton. But it's just I don't know how if I had Holly Hobby at backup, I might throw her in to see what could happen in a game. Just maybe something different. All right, Let's uh, I don't know who that is. Who's Holly Hobby. It's like a child's doll, typically a girl's doll. Boy could have the doll too, from what I understand, I don't know why you're making eye contact with me, like

I don't know Hobby dollar, I did not. I don't know if it's a real around, isn't. I mean it was it was a it was a thriving article, a toy back in the day. Jeremy Shocky that touchdown for the Saints? Was it with the Saints? Yes, that was he. They had to go ahead touchdown, He had to go ahead touch then when they beat the Colts, Okay, thank

you very much. All right. We mentioned the New England Patriots who have the big match up against the Bills, but first they had to take care of business against a down trodden a FC East quote unquote rival onto the throne of sleeves. Michelle the sable back first, Jan Kent from the tent five, the ball on the right hash stand up under centered parents. But to play fake to Michelle, I'll light off a door set of the tent right to the five stood again for the score touchdown. Patriots.

That's Bob Sochi of Patriots Radio Network. We don't need to hear from you so lack this week. So like what a disgrace last week? Oh hey, kid, pay kid, Antonio Brill, welcome to the neighborhood. Kid grow up. Tom Brady threw their touchdown passes, including that connection with Philip Dorsett, and the Pats didn't allow an offensive touchdown for the third straight week and a thirty fourteen win over the

hapless New York Football Jets. Uh. It was business as usual for the Patriots, who rolled to three and oh two days after their misguided, uncouth an Tonio Brown experiment ended with the wide receiver's release. As expected, this wasn't much of a game. Um. You even give the Jets credit for at least keeping it from turning into a disaster, at least their defense. The Jets offenses as lost as an offense could be right now. They had about a

hundred total yards in this game. Both their scores one was on a muffed punt, uh, and the other was a pick six by Jamal him. I'm just happy, Jamal Adam said something to be happy about. That's where I'm at right now. They go into their buy it oh and three and hope to have Sam Donald back in Week five against the Eagles where they can um kind of regroup. As for the Patriots, Uh, very much. Uh,

business as usual. They they are limited right now on offense a little bit because they have the injuries on the offensive line. As we said, Antonio Brown is no longer in the picture. Um, Julian Edelman leaves this game with a chest injury. I believe they did tests and it's not believed. It sounds like he's gonna be anything too serious. But that's where they are right now. They didn't really move the ball too well on the ground.

Brady started off red hot, cooled off as things went along, but at that point the game was already well in hand. So the Patriots take care of business. They're gonna evolve right now. They're much different than last year, where I think Brady is playing lights out and the rest of

the offense isn't quite there yet. But he's played. He played this three game stretch I think was better and certainly that the schedule has helped, but better than any three game stretch of his personal UH performance during last regular season. They also gave up a hundred and five yards in this game, which was the lowest in the Bill Belichick era. So their defense, it'll be fun to watch them against them. You know they're gonna play much

better competition. But right now, Jamie Collins has been such a huge addition for what they do. I mean, a year ago Jamie Collins whispers were that he was not even trying playing for the Browns, So I don't know,

obviously they've flipped the switch on him, big surprise. But they're up two dred yards to eight heading into the second quarter against the Jets, and I you know, it's easy to pile them the Jets, But it's the kind of season, with the way that it's going right now that yes, I realize you don't have Donald in there, but it's been about as concerning a six day stretch as you could imagine for a team, And and and with the way that, depending on this plays out, I

wonder if Adam Caze gets a second season unless they unless they they start to do what you'd think that they hired him to do. I mean, the offense is de vault them, and you worry about a guy like Levy on building. I know I'm not trying again, not trying to pile on, but I mean, Dan, am I wrong? I feel I believe that it couldn't have gone worse. Obviously the first three games of the season. However, he's not all to blame. The offensive line, which he didn't

put together, has been worse than expected. They started their third starting quarterback in three weeks. Luke Hawk is not an NFL player, and there's nothing If you go to New England, the best defense in the league, with a quarterback that's on an NFL quarterback, there's no way you're

gonna move the ball. And that's what happened now. I don't want to let Gaze off the hook because, in addition to the offensive line being wretched, in the quarterback position being a travesty and a horrible situation for the franchise, the play calling has been bad. But I don't know how much to put into that, because what are you supposed to do when you have this type of setup? So basically you hit the dynamite, you push down on the on the lever, everything explodes. Your season as a contender,

quote unquote is over. You hope to get Dar back, and then I really think Gaze gets a chance to say I'm not a joke, I'm not the problem here. Um, but I think the pressure is on him as soon as they get out of this by to show something on offense, and getting Donald back would be a big lift for toward that goal. Patriots opponents are oh and nine this year. I don't think they've been tested for two straight which you can't take anything really out of

these games. Um. I've been really disheartened by Bill Belichick and I've lost so much respect for him in the last two or three weeks. Um. The guy who's mantra is do your job, treats these press conferences in interviews like a child, like an absolute child, who will not take any responsibility, who will not answer why they signed Antonio Brown, who will not answer why they released Antonio Brown. Just handles it like an absolute child having a fit, and you won't explain why you did this. I just

I have no respect left for him. Yeah, they the interview. I think probably that setting off with Dana Jake hup Sin before the game. It was tough to watch him staring staring her down. The timing of the release. You know, they they clearly made a smart move to get rid of him based on you know, what's happened even since

he joined the team. I believe that the leak, which was self serving, that they did not know the allegations that were about to happen one day after they sign him, because of course, why why you would not sign a person and give him that sort of money a day before that's gonna drop. But the process they went through after that fact, uh, to to have him active last

week was really strange. And it does sound like the the text or the d MS that Brown sent to his accuser of the Bobby Clemco story Great journalism by Robert Klemco was basically what got him cut from the Patriots because that happened when he was on. It was a little gross just to see everyone from Tom Brady on cozy up to him the way they did after they knew what was out there. And there are a lot of Patriots fans who I'm sure you've heard the same,

are glad he's not on the team. Anymore. I only everyone can be put in the same bundle, and I would assume most they're relieved. I mean, and it's not lobby Clemco said, journalist is just doing his job. Is also getting docks on the internet for what it's worth, uh for outing Brown for his creep behavior. But and by the way, I could put Philip or Set on the field. This guy gets better each and every week. Yeah,

you don't need Antonio Brown. The thing with Belichick with the press conferences, that Jacobson thing was just uncalled for. And I don't know what he was going for there, but the fact that he would he walked off from his last press press conference that came shortly before the release. It's as if he believed that because he's Bill, Bill Check and because they're the Patriots, he wouldn't have to be answering these type of questions, which should have been

a foregone conclusion. If you bring this man into your building, that becomes part of your experience as head coach and your organization. It almost felt like he thought he was above that. But you weren't, Bill to do your job, and and which is I think one of the reasons they cut him is him having a deal with the Patriot It they're okay, they're a great team, they're three and oh they're steaming towards January again. But this was

not a good look for the organization. I don't care if they didn't get they don't get hit in the wallet on it. It It looks like they'll be able to get out of the contract uh and they'll move on because they're so good at moving on. But this I believe was a boy and one quick thing. I mean, Belichick gets too much of a free pass for treating the media this way, because if another coach who hadn't won as much as he had treated reporters this way, it would be a major story. I mean, you can't

get away with that dismissed the behavior. But because it's Bill Belichick, it's part of it's baked into his charm. I guess to some that he dismisses the press this way, it's a joke to most and on the and on the Antonio Brown front. He then fires off an array of tweets on Sunday morning, taking um shots at a bunch of people, including Robert Kraft, a reference to his

UH prostitution arrest. Also um ben Roethlisberger's past issues with women, um basically hitting out and then challenge Jing, I guess the players association to fight for me because the teams shouldn't be able to take away my guaranteed money. Well, nobody's playing the violin for you, and then deleted business a boom as because his agent probably is like you are taking money out of no. No one would be screen capturing those tweets. You're fined by tweeting, but deleting them.

All right, let us move on another undefeated team, The Green Bay Packers slot to the left side. They stacked those two receivers in Davante de tatle of tandem from the forty jumping into the neutral zone, Rogers says a three player, so it appears rainfalls deep. Common Mark quest Belles Standley give us down Free Bay forty yard farmb Mark Quest Beldess scandling the Great Wayne Laravy for the Packers radio network with the call Aaron Rodgers doing Aaron

Rodgers things. Rogers drew the Broncos off sides, then delivered at forty yard touchdown strike to m v S two thousand nineteen breakout candidate. The Packers a seven to sixteen win at Lambeau. Green Bay moves to three and oh under rookie head coach Matt LeFleur. At the Flower I do, I don't. I don't demand that you do, but I'm glad that you are. I like it. The Broncos falled oh and three under their rookie head coach. I don't need help with this one. The FASO West give us

a progress update on the Packers offense. Three weeks out and three victories in Packers offense is still feast or famine. It really depends, just has it as the last couple of years, where whether Aaron Rodgers is hitting these big plays or just missing these big plays. This was a dominant ball control attack for the Broncos, dominated time and possession. But when you play that style to try to keep the Packers off the field, you can't turn it over

three times. And Noah Offense, the rookie tight end who looks like he's gonna have a really good career, has been one of the most mistake prone players in the NFL. For the first three weeks of the season. He had a really bad fumble in which Jayra Alexander stripped the ball, and speaking of Alexander, the story of this game is the Packers defense, specifically the offseason that Brian goodcas add the draft, the draft that he had last year, taking

jayra Ex ound Alexander in the first round. This year he comes back with Rashawn Gary, who got his first career sack and also had a fumble recovery. Darnell Savage, who we've pointed out has been great so far. He had a diving interception in this game. Preston Smith and sa Darius Smith combined for five sacks today. What they're big free agent acquisitions, Goutti is he's having like that Bruce arians out in the parking lot. Let's get let's get the pickup truck out and beers and let's just

sell him. He's doing like the Michael Jordan's shoulder shrug he walks to the office. That's amazing. Wow. Thirty six Russians for their the Broncoes running Philip Lindsay like Phillip Lindsay's best game of the year. Royce Freeman lost in eighteen yard touchdown to a bad whole team penalty on Emmanuel Sanders. Just a really big call by the reps on that one. It took a touchdown off the board and then Flacole ultimately got sacked on third down in

that series. Flacco, you know, I don't think he was the primary problem. The concentration should be on their defense, not on their offense. They don't have a sack or a takeaway, and still they do not check. Barrett is eight sacks. He was on the roster last year. This team is zero. Now. They almost had a Gholston today and it was one QB hit for the whole team.

And the last two weeks everyone saying, well the quarterbacks getting the ball out of their hands quickly, that's not happening when it's Aaron Rodgers the pastor just for whatever reason isn't getting there. But you know it did get there. That goody music. I mean, just the tip to the guys and girls out there, like if you're if you're a significant other, you know in the mood, you know you're trying to get them in the mood, just kind of things, are going to put this on and just

lots the magic flat and this is the way. Yes, yes, well, before he got into football, this was his his trade. He was a hardcore German rapper if I'm a Broncos fan, I don't know. Maybe we'll talk to West, maybe turn this this experience off and check back in. I don't need u thirteen more games of Joe Flatt, I don't. I know it's not all Joe Flacco's issues, but there's just an I can't imagine. You can't trap a more

uninspiring scenario to season. To your point, your criticism or the idea that Adam Adam Gaze should be criticized, which I think is totally fair, isn't Fongio the defensive version of that. This guy has a well earned reputation as a defensive mastermind. The fact that he would take over as a head coach, and Greg you mentioned a couple of weeks ago the difference between going from upstairs that down on the sideline and how that changes a lot about how you do your job on game days. Maybe

that will be a story coming up. I mean this to have no sacks, to be this ineffective on defense with that talent you can the margin for air is so small you They did move the ball much better than the Bears last week, and they lost in that killer past. They did move the ball and hold it much better than the on the road. But and they moved a second half better than the Raiders in the season opener. They have looked good for Spurts, but not overall.

And what did Emmanuel Sanders say after the game. We're in a world of suck right now, as I'm in a world of pain and the heat in the studio this it is uncomfortable, but we are forging on. We are a thirteen billion dollar company. I mean, it doesn't help it. You know, off camera there is like asbestos falling from the ceiling on us too. So I'm not even sure we're gonna get to the the next game.

Please just second down eight at the Miami nineteen in the gun, Elliott goes out in the pattern to the right and froze it down to the call O the pockets touchdown the Fangio. Two touchouts today for Amari Cooper and that was a perfect nineteen yards strike. Frump Crush Scott nineteen to nineteen. We've heard a lot from him early on this season. He's Brad Sham, the sham god of k R L D Dak Prescott through two touchdown

passes to a MARII Cooper. He also ran for a score, and the Cowboys they righted themselves after sluggish start, knocking off the Dolphins thirty one to six. Mark, if Miami executes better in this game, we might actually have something approaching an athletic contest in the second half. But they did not execute. And uh, you know the Desert people who set that really big number, they were right. I think Dak Prescott has raised the bar on his own

performance that what we saw today. People were panicking a little bit and concerned about where he was at halftime, but a year ago it would have been sort of every game we expect from Dak Prescott. They were fine. I I think you know, Miami is gonna not lose every single contest fifty to nothing. Uh, the Cowboys were a little sluggish, but they had two yred yard rushers in this game and dominated by the end. Wouldn't be concerned if I'm Dallas overall. To me, you just I

don't know what to take from these Dolphins games. How do you self scout when you go out and win thirty one to six. It was not Dallas's best performance by any stretch of the imagination. Similar to the Jets, and Pats, like, did the Cowboys come out of this game healthy? They got the win. We knew that was gonna happen. Are they okay health wise as they moved forward? Well, yeah, I think they're fine. I mean, it's they took care of business. I don't know the Dolphins to me, we've

already discussed them at length. But I don't know how you keep this this locker room engaged because you're you're we're trying to. They had the sunniest half they've had all year. They were down ten to six after two. Quite they were. They were up on the Cowboys about fifty total yards. They had two yards. Josh Rosen did give them a spark, it sounds like in the first half, and then in Kenyan Drake fumbled inside the ten right as the first half was ending, and then that would

seem to be it. Let's put this tank job in perspective. Since nineteen fifty, more than half the NFL teams have been added to the league starting from scratch as expansion teams. Since nineteen fifty, no defense has allowed more than a hundred and thirty three points that the Dolphins have allowed in the first three games of the season. Since nineteen fifty, no team has had a worse point differential than the

Dolphins minus one seventeen. Since nineteen fifty, only one team has had a worse yards differential than the Dolphins minus eight thirty one, and the top four of that list is three expansion teams and the two thousand nineteen Miami Dolphins. This is worse than an expansion team. Can't happen. Didn't have to be Um the Dallas running game, Zeke who still seems to be getting warmed up. Nineteen for Tony Pollard.

This guy can play thirteen for one oh three in the touch they had two thirty five yards on the ground. I think that's great for the I mean we could see Tony Pollard in the preseason looking like a special player and someone that was going to have a role, and I love how they're using him. He had thirteen carries today, Elliott had nineteen. The playmakers coming out of their ears, let us move up five seconds on the

play clock. Quick snap, Propito pro same zone. He cocks, team says, get Greg Papa the papa there And that was Tim Ryan Cackle, just cackling and happiness and confusion. Forty forty Niners Radio Network. Jimmy g threw a five yard touchdown pass Pettis with one fifteen to play, and the Niners overcame five turnovers, including I believe three in their red zone in the red zone to beat the

Pittsburgh Steelers twenty um. For the Niners it is their first three and oh start uh in twenty one years and um and for the Steelers their own three and talked about on Thursday A show, this felt like the type of game that Pittsburgh circles the wagons as they say, and the Mike Tomilera and find it, finds a way to win. And Chris Westling let me, I'm gonna set you up on this one because you had a good point on Twitter. First of all, good job with a

good point. It happens, I'm not yet. When they traded for Minca Fitzpatrick, who by the way, had a big role in this game. He had an interception I believe he forced the fumble as well. Um. It led to a lot of discussion about how many first and high round picks on defense the Steelers have and Keith Butler and defensive coordinator you pointed out, Hey, Keith better make

this work now well twice. After a slow start by Mason Rudolph in which he couldn't really get anything going on in the first half and it he looked lost, he connects on a catch and run touchdown with Juju Smith Schuster that covers about ninety yards uh. That puts him ahead and a meat the Steelers defense coughs it up.

Then Rudolph does it again. He takes the Steelers down the field, puts them back in the lead in the fourth quarter, and at that point the Pittsburgh Steelers defense needs to win that game and take it home, but they didn't. Jimmy g and credit to the Niners go down the field and then three and oh, and there's a lot of good reason for optimism in San Francisco. But that's stunned me that Pittsburgh, in a cornered animal game with their season on their line, could not find

a way to take that game home. They have shown the Steelers have shown flashes of dominance on defense this year for quarters at a time, but as Gregg has pointed out, it's only for quarters at the time, and then second halfs of games. You're not stopping anybody. And from what I've seen. It's mostly the second area. I want to see how well Minca played. Supposedly he was making big plays today, but they're still allowing too many big plays on their defense, so I really want to

see that. But you're right that they have way too much talent on this defense, and this is an organization does not give up first round picks. They will not have a first round pick next year for the first time since nineteen. Well, the pressure is on. You gotta win games or else that pick is gonna be in the top five or six. I think Devin Bush and Mark Baron, who we talked about going into this game, they struggled and covered just in terms of the PFF score,

we're big time liability again. Baron. Baron's kind of killing them. The story though, just looking at this from as far as that the forty Niners do have a defense, and I know they're playing Mason Rudolf in a struggling offense, but the forty Niners had the type of defense that would struggle against any offenses. And right now they've played three teams who aren't great on offense, the Bucks, the Bengals, and the Steelers, and you know what, they've they've shut

them all down. They give up two thirty nine yards today. They kept their team in it despite all the turnovers. That is a big time change from a year ago. And you know, of course the right it's why they're three and o. It's why you know there's reason to believe they can stick around in this thing. Their neck and neck with the Packers for the most improved defense in the league. You're not getting last year's James Conner

right now at this point. One thing I noticed, and I know this stealers and they've seen this in the in the stretches where they haven't been dominant on defense this year. They got eaten up by the Niners ground game. Towards the end of this thing. They were just running right up through the belly of Pittsburgh defense. And that was concerning to watch. Well, that's gotta be because the offense couldn't control the clock at all. Right, defenses out

there the whole game. And Connor had the turning point in the game after the nine has turned it over the fifth and final time on another UH fumble deep in Steelers territory. It looked like they the Pittsburgh would have a chance to run out the clock or at least add on some UM insurance points and Connor coughs it up, which led to UM the final score. So you know, leavy on Bell, that guy held onto the ball and you miss him right now. The Steelers miss

they miss Antonio. Brown's not getting smith Schuster going off. You know, week after week it's been the opposite. Well, I mean, the big Ben's absence, I think is gonna put a cap on smith Schuster ceiling there. I mean their own three and that's it. They had to win this game, and they didn't win this game. Their offense doesn't look good at any point really this year. They're pretty much done. And uh, that's it for that game.

Let's keep moving. This could be the ball game. Urts has got it back on fourth and fifteen, looks pumps once, looks press the comps from behind. Now he throws deep down field. Fit is knocked away incomplete, picked up defensive play bras Shawn Melton on the past, intended for J J Arthago white side and the Lions will take over on downs and this thing is over, baby, execute three snaps from we out of here. Nice job, Dan Miller

of Lions Radio and neerk. Although I must I don't want to correct Dan, but I will say that it wasn't so much of a great defensive play by the defensive back, but he dropped another killer drop when you watched on replay Dan on Dan cry j j Arthega Whiteside had the seventh and most crushing of drops for the Eagles on Sunday. He could not hold on to a beautifully beautifully thrown Carson Wentz downfield past would have put UH the Eagles first and goal essentially at the

one yard line UH in the final minute of the game. Instead, it was dropped fourth down. Game over four, the Lions beat the Eagles and in Philly. So I and I don't want to um take anything away from the Lions because they're undefeated. How about that they they gagged away Week one into a tie, but then they found a way to be in a Chargers team that shot itself in the foot, and the Eagles kind of did the

same thing in this game. But there's there's something to be said for a team that finds a way to take advantage of other teams mistakes, and that's what Matt Patricia's team has done so far this year. So that is my takeaway on the Lions right now that I don't believe they are necessarily a good football team. And uh, in my power rankings exercise I do weekly, I got absolutely slaughtered by Lions fans for putting three NFC North teams in the top ten and leaving the lines out

of the station. I'm not gonna have them zooming into the top ten this week either because I don't necessarily buy them. But credit where credits? Do you go to Philly and beat an undermanned Eagles team? Will you got

to win? And you deserve something? I don't know. I don't know if a team in the league has gotten not luckier but more fortunate to play in a Chargers team last week in the Eagles this week about as banged up as they both could be, and the Eagles just simply don't have enough people on on the field right now. That said, and I hear you, while not sticking them in the top ten or anything, I love teams more than anything. In September and October, that changed

my long standing perception of them. Now they haven't entirely done that yet the Lions, but they aren't boring getting excited about just standing away games. They to me have been the most boring team in the NFL since I've worked here and over the past ten years. And I'm not saying they're lighting up America at this point, but if you're Matt Patricia to be two oh and one at this stage, things could be a lot worse. Yeah,

they lighting up America. Here's the thing, though, when you start off, you know, maybe not lighting the world on fire, but you stack wins. They can get better too. The Lions could be a much better team in December, especially defensively than they are right now. I think they're a better team defense than they are in terms of individual stars. They're not really getting stand out players. And the one thing that stands out to me is I kind of like this Matthew Stafford better than a Jim Bob Cooder

Matthew Stafford. This is the Matthew Staffords that's using his big arm to throw down the field, that's being a little more aggressive, can fire it in there like we we liked. We like the Cootter. It helped him out for a little while those time and throws, but after a while it's like you've got the biggest arm in the league. Let's see it, and we've seen it in the last few weeks. This is a show, show your

face team to me. The Lions. So they were dominant for three quarters in the opener against the Cardinals, then gave up what twenty seven points? That's not good. And then against the Chargers, the Chargers are rolling, they're rolling, and then two touchdowns get called back, a fumble at the goal line they got. The Lions got a lot of breaks in that game, and as Mark pointed out, the injuries to the opponent. And then this week they play a really injured Eagles team. I haven't seen this

game yet, but I really want the lines. Are they gonna be consistent, consistently good or just taking advantage of a bad team. That's the NFL, NFL, and it's it's such a bar. It's kind of a boring point to make. But there's not that much separating most of these teams. The Broncos are not that far off from being too and one. So many of these teams, the Chargers and the Texans, who will talk about later, all three of each of their games has come down to the last possession,

and it's just a couple of little things sometimes. And it's the same for the Eagles, who are you know, the potential game winning catch falls to the ground last week, same thing happens today. You now have a short week and have to go play the Packers in Green Bay on Thursday night. And this is a team I thought the Eagles were gonna start five and one or six and oh, and you're staring down one and three if you don't take care of business in a tough ask

in Green Bay. Yeah, they're getting killed with the timing here because they are. They lost more players. Jason Peters came out of this game with an illness. The offensive line, UH is missing multiple players. The fact that they don't have Alshon Jeffrey and de Sean Jackson is showing up with all these drops. Carson wins. You love. I love Carson Wentz and he played so great in this game. He I loved how he played, even though he was imperfect last week, UH in the loss of the Falcons.

He deserved a much better fate in this game. And I'll call attention um when you fire up your game pass not you're condensed anymore? Markets Now what Gametrix game in forty which you know it's a it's a wonderful product. I think it has given some people a sense of liberty just to you know, to do a nice chunky fifty and twenty seconds after the play ends. I like my editing on those games sparse and right down to the bone. I want those games to be about thirty

one minutes. I got too much other stuff going on in my life to be spending forty plus minutes on these games. I mean, yes, there are other things I could be doing and watching. You know, some of these teams, I understand some of these teams want were into watchless territory, like I'm gonna bounce on you. Sorry. That reminds me of how was Hustlers. We didn't get the official overview movie. Well, now it's solid solid, Well just give it a give it a solid B minus. Yeah, that's not Oscar Worthy.

Everyone's buzzing about ja I like j low in a lot, but Oscar Worth. Come on. There are multiple points in this game where the Eagles had a chance and it seemed like they were gonna just take over. Uh. None more so than late in the game one to play the Eagles um block Matt Prayers forty six yard field goal try. They scoop it up. The Eagles do run it back to the twenty two of the Lions and so and they're all set up and a legal block on Jenkins pushes it back to midfield. It was a

questionable illegal block. Check it out, West, I'm condensed and forty uh A. Darren sprowls fourth and five gets called back for O p I and then of course Arthago Whiteside blows it. Uh So the Eagles are in a tough way and the Lions are un defeated as we will enter the last week of September. Who would have guessed it. I want to see an NFL game where the refs are not allowed to throw a single flag, but the players don't know that the refs aren't allowed

to throw. He may figure it out midway through the second quarter. I like this, let's move on. This will be a forty four yard field goal or actually thirty four yard field goal to win the game for Papa Pinion. The holder snap spot kick on its way and it's no good. He missed it way missed the kick, and the Giants win their first game of the season by Papa w f a n with the call Matt gay Blewett two s p A T s and that chip shot field goal, allowing the Giants to escape with a

thirty win over the Bucks. Terrible. Also the Bucks great comeback for the Giants and the star and the story of this game, uh is Danny Dimes, the rookie quarterback through for third three thirty six and two touchdowns. Also ran for two touchdowns, including the go ahead score with one sixteen to play. Giants came back from eighteen down in this game. Wes um. We've been waiting to see Danny Dimes play in games that matter, Well, we got it today. I thought he was impressive from the opening

drive throughout. There was a bit of a lull uh, probably late second quarter where the Giants weren't doing much. The Bucks went ahead to ten at halftime, and then Evan and Graham seventy five yard touchdown on the first play of the second half. Uh. Daniel Jones is another forty six yard bomb. I believe in the next series that sets up another touchdown and before you know it game and this came down to the end. Daniel Jones on that game to go ahead drive, just marching down

the field was decisive. Confident, knew what to do, and then you know, the prairie land opened up on that touchdown run. I believe he's the first Giants quarterback ever with two rushing tds and two passing tds in a game. He also led them to their biggest comeback since nineteen seventy. He's now want to know when trailing by eighteen or more points, Eli Manning. This is not a knock on Eli, but oh and forty four in those games, that's just how hard it is to come back from eighteen down.

Take your victory lap, West, It's not well, yeah, this is a nice world that we live in now where West has some palpable excitement about the New York Giants. It we have never experienced this at all. I would compare it to this when I was going through chemotherapy and I couldn't hold anything down. There was one night where I was getting brave and I was like Quisia sleeping, I'm gonna go try out some peanut butter crackers, Like that's gonna be the best thing I've eaten in four months.

I went to eat the peanut butter crackers and they were stale. It was like eating you know, soft plaster. That's what Manning watching has been for three or four years, eating stale crackers every single week. This time the crackers head crack crunch. I thought you were going to say that that you ate them, and then you threw them up and that was like watching Eli Man. No, it's just the Yeah, if some stale every single time, you

know what it's gonna be. You see the like the suddenly the Giants have a quarterback who's not athletically limited to and they kept mentioning what he can do that Eli cant and we all know that elies an iron man and and someone that if you're a Giants fan, you love Eli Mann in the history of the guy. But they've needed this for so long. And Sequon Barkley was lost in this game to an ankle injury, and it I don't and I mean they they thrived even

without him. I thought that simply would not have happened a week ago. Go watch that Giants Bills game and look how limited that attack was. They thrived without say Kwon Barkley and Daniel Jones succeeded despite Shack Barrett like launching and all out campaign on defensive player of the year. This guy has eight sacks in three games. What three sacks? Last week? I think he was Defensive player of the week.

They gotta give it to him again this week because he had four in this game, two forced fumbles, and I think if that's the one thing Giants fans probably are a little bit. Actually they don't even care because they're riding high right now. But the one thing people worried about in the preseason was the ball security for Daniel Jones and one of the one of the fumbles was definitely on him being too casual in the pockets they had to The other one was Shack Barrett just

doing Shack Barrett. It doesn't get any brutal of a loss for the Buccaneers in this To lose a twenty eight to ten lead is bad enough, but then to lose it and then to watch Jamis Winston throw a fifty five yard or down the field, puts you inside the ten yard line and you think you wanted again. And then to lose it, that's like losing it twice.

That is brutin. And this is the crazy thing. Arians takes a five yard delay of game penalty to back up his kicker, who who had missed the extra points earlier, Matt gay Um. And here was his explanation why he did that prior to the game ending miss. What happened at the end there when you got the five yard penalty delayed What happened there? I just took it on purpose. Yeah,

I want to feel he's better back. That field goes easier back five yards No, no sense, Hurrian, We want to move the ball over, put it in the middle and uh and make it an easy feel at all. Yeah, I mean, Matty, get out of the building. You cannot miss that kick. It's it. And everyone listen to podcast. I'm always team kicker, and I defend these guys, and I don't think kickers get enough credit about how hard

their job is. But sometimes you just gotta make the kick because so many people are affected by you on that miss. Bruce Arians on the sideline, Jameis Winston on the sideline. It totally changes the course of their season potentially because you can't hit a thirty or four yarder. And if you're a coach thinks that he needs to do things like take penalties to make you more comfortable, You're not the guy. You shouldn't be the kicker in the first place. I'd like to see the data on

five yards further back being an easier kick. Yeah, brutal, because he did make four kicks in that game. I the thing is that Bruce Arians is a savvy guy, and I appreciate in general his brutal honesty when asked all sorts of typical softball type questions. But when you say this, and we're all here mystified by the strategy to create a longer attempt for your kicker who is not exactly you know, Martin Grammatica times one thousand. If that was even a good kicker kick, if you multiplied

him by a thousand, you would be the greatest. However, said by I mean, why put those words out there for us to dissect and everyone to dissect all week long after a totally brutal, painful loss. Is that, honestly

what Arians was thinking by taking that penalty. I guess you takes good the bed with him, He's going to tell you what's on his mind and and what I'm a good example of what I'm saying, Like on this very show Thursday, Mark, I think it was you was saying, is this what you know Bruce Ariens came back for

to the hope that Tod Bowls defense is gonna take you. Well, here's a game where Winston throwser yards and three touchdowns and connects with Mike Evans on this huge clutch play that should have set the season on a different course. In the kicker after a great win over the Panthers, that's completely lost. That feels like a thousand yeller at this point. This will get lost in the Daniel Jones hoop la, but you will not see a more lopsided

receiver versus cornerback matchup probably all year. Then, Mike Evans just taking the soul of Jack Rabbit Jenkins over and over and over again. Throughout this game. It was like craigy Low trying to guard Michael Jordan's rabbit. Maybe no more talking Jack Rabbit, all right, before we move on, I gotta hear that, Yeah, that Buck's call of the Matt game. Miss, Let's hear it. It comes down to

a rookie kicker warring green and yellow shoes. Jean Decker are better from the twenty four or thirty four yard field goals, the spot down kick his hair born. It's long enough long enough it is. It is no good how the Giants win by one thirty one? What a probe DeCross You sounded suspicious of those shoes to begin with. Alright, let's check in with the New Orleans Saints. Snap his back and the kick is away to high punt but short Harris fields it at the forty. It makes two

Messi's off to the races the forty thirty. Deante Harris into the ends on those fags on the field and the Saints strikes first on special teams. Deante Harris took the punt back fifty three yards to the house, the first punt returned for a touchdown all year. Who Teddy Bridgewater throw two touchdown passes in his first start in place of Drew Brees, and the Saints beat the Seahawks thirty three to uh in a game that really wasn't that close, Greig, This was a game that uh the

Saints showed up, balled out. Seattle got a late touchdown, but good start all around for a very strange game where the Seahawks dominated in the first half. But it was kind of an Everything that can go wrong did go wrong for the Seahawks. They give up the punt return touchdown. They have the fumble return touchdown on a

Chris Carson fumble that goes back. So the Saints put up fourteen points without doing anything on offense, their punters having a great game, you know, pinning the Seahawks way back Russell Wilson's fourteen for fifteen hundred fifty yards in a touchdown, and they're down to seven at the time. So on one hand, yeah, it's about a lot of bad luck. On the other hand, when the Saints came out after halftime, that was their best stretch of the

game offensively and defensively. They put the game away. And you know, for all the talk of you know, running backs, you know, don't make that big of a difference. I mean, it was a huge difference in this game. Chris Carmon Carson slipped and fell three different times in the first half, and he lost the fumble return for a touchan. Meanwhile, Avan Kamara I asked on the Thursday show, let's see an MVP type performance, and this that this was exactly that.

I think he had a hundred and sixty one yards from scrimmage. The rest of the team had a hundred and four and so many of those yards were in the passing game, breaking tackles after he was hit very hard, including by Jadeveon Clowney. When you can run through Jadeveon Clowney, you're something special. A huge win for the Saints. I I realized the game that's not as close as the score.

But there was a sequence at the end of the first half where the Seahawks had about thirty three seconds to play with and decided not to take a time out as they were aiming to score, I believe, and Will Wilson hit dk Metcalf on a fifty four yard or that would have put them in position for at least a field goal, if not more, and time just ran out because Pete Carroll, one of the smartest coaches we've ever watched coach football, did not take a time

out there. Tony Romo was killing him and I thought he was right to. Yeah, he had two times out. It was a rough day for Pete. He got hit in the face football before the game. Yeah, it left a pretty big mark on his nose. They went for it on fourth down three different times. Uh So credit to him for being aggressive. But the Saints run defense and we've talked about their defensive line stepped up in

all those scenarios. Uh, and then they stopped a past that I believe Russell Wilson audibled into with another one. So that was three other times that they were stopped on fourth down. And it kind of like a resourceful win that you would like to see if out of a good organization on the road when you really need it. That's a I was gonna say. You know, Greg made the point Thursday. This is the kind of challenge that Sean Payton really loves and he digs his teeth into

and that's great. They won the game because they played as a team, and special teams really matter. But to me, I'm looking back to the end of last year and still their offense doesn't work unless Alvin Kamara is taking over the game and being the best player on the field. Do you feel Greg any better about their all fency after today? No? I mean, they didn't have a play over twenty yards at Teddy Bridgewater who went seventy seven and two. Didn't. I don't know if he threw a

pass over ten yards, I don't remember it. Like I mean, there there were some catching runs. He didn't really need to. They had five offensive penalties in the first half that were not on him, so it certainly wasn't on him that that they struggled throughout that first half, but there was he looked like the same guy that we've seen the last couple of games. It's still early and that was only that was really his first real start, and there was almost no Tasom Hill. There was less Tasom

Hill than usual. I wondered about that Payton probably thumbing his nose a people, but like, they gotta keep him healthy. That was the first Bridgewater starting. He's gonna have several more because Drew Brees just had surgery. Of course, Um, but I wonder if we're starting to get an idea of the Teddy Bridgewater experience where his ceiling is that he's not going to be a dynamic guy. He's a hold of fourth guy all the way, Uh, because it doesn't seem like he's a dynamic type player. Well, he's

only got to start let's say six games. He just won one on the road in Seattle. If he can win three, if they can win three of those games, he's gone and and and it's his teammates that really stepped up from his defense, making huge plaz in comary. I want to go watch it. But I thought the concern last week was that when Bridgewater was on the field, Camara dried up entirely. The whole offense lost any sort of dynamic traits. And not the case today, although as

much as much. I mean, the crazy thing is, they had I think one of the bottom five yardage games in Sean Payton's career last week, and they had less yardage. It was a different It was a crazy It was a crazy Maybe what I just said sounds completely around Dallas. I don't count them out of any game. I just

think that they'll find ways to be competitive. And I think a lot of people myself included, who said, oh, they're you know, they're going to be kind of just another team until Breeze comes back and the South is wide open. This was a nice little show on Peyton game. And you know, I'm still you got the Bucks shooting themselves in Matt Gay's foot, extremely rare to Pete Carroll never lost a September home game fifteen and oh until today,

wouldn't be Matt Gay shooting the Bucks. I mean, someone's foot was damaged this was also almost the first to score loss in the Russell Wilson era at home, but he just did you. He stuck it out by touchdown as the Bengals almost speed Seattle. I'm expired. Go Hawks. Seattle had been fifteen and o at home in September since two thousand ten. Did you say that? Well? I wanted to repeat, it's a fun little it's a good nug six departments and credit that. That's move. Dan did

that himself. He came up with that study. I've been tracking every one of their September home games since I've started this company. Yes, into the game, they take a screen to him. Was wide. Over the end, Seattle had been septillion sold, nothing to go on the first corner.

Matt Taylor, Colts Radio Network with a call. Jacoby Brisset completed his first sixteen passes through for two touchdowns in the first half, including that connection to Zachary Pascal, leading the Colts to win over the Falcons at l Os Lucas Oil stated Jake Briskett led four straight scoring drives, didn't have a turnover, closed out the game with a big completion to Jack Doyle. It's good to have some

quarterback depth. Greg Rose Involve. That's right. It's good to have a coach that doesn't coach scared Andy Reid and his former disciple or not, Frank Reich. I guess it's sort of there in the same coaching tree. Both called third down passes where they could have called runs with under two minutes left in the fourth quarters of their games, which would have given the call ball back to the other team and forced them to, you know, go the whole length of the field. But you know what they did.

They called passes. They trusted in the play call, and Jack Doyle got the big first down t Y Hilton left at halftime. I mean Jacobe Brossetta got the ball at the end of the third quarter beginning of the fourth. He needed to score both times, keep the ball both times he had the ball because the Colts defense wasn't stopping anyone. The Falcon score touchdowns on every second half possession. And you know what Jake Briskett does in the fourth quarter.

He scores touchdowns and he delivers clutch drives every week. He's a pretty good quarterback. It's not a star, he's not really even the key to this team. But he's He's part of what I think is kind of a team that's coalescing pretty well. Do you know what it is? He's better than to hold the fourth guy. Yes, he's like right around the Dalton line right or even maybe on the right side of it. I think his contract, that extension they gave him, tells you he's better than

to hold the fourth guy. Hold the fourth guys get like five to seven million a year. He got fifteen. I mean when he when we last got our sample size with him and with the Colts, it was when their offensive line was not what it is now. And it's in a better environment than he was before. But for some reason, the Colts kind of remind me of the Eagles a little bit, where you know they're gonna get banged up and lose players, but the ship doesn't

entirely sink because they're well coached. Their front office is extremely sound, and they've added depth this team, This Colts team had no depth under the previous front office. They have it all over the place. Now they've got infrastructure. When these two teams play, though, I mean, it's one sided. There's no more. There's no rivalry in the history of the NFL More one sided than Colts Falcons. I mean, Falcons fans don't even show up, don't even watch the

game when you play the Colts. People have been talking about the Colts Falcons rivalry for decades. Fifteen wins, two losses. It doesn't get more one side. And then that Atlanta fix what you're doing. That's that's like once every four years. So that's you know that Ryan thirty four three or four three touchdowns, one interception, passer rating of one. That all looks great, but I mean, I just feel like it's the same thing now. It was a strange game.

Falcons only got six possessions. I'm gonna ask our department if that's a record. There was one one play kneel down at the end of the first half. They would if you're not counting that. They only had six possessions and he threw a red zone interdeption in one of them. Other than that, they played pretty great on offense. I mean, they touchdown Davante Freeman, rand Well. I can't really fault Matt Ryan here. They lost Kan O'Neil their strong safety

for the second straight year. Achilles tear looks like he's out for the year, not don't like the energy around this Falcons operation right now. There is there is something going on here right I'm with you, dark spiritual force, and I think it's on. That's where dan Quinn's defense needs to make a stop at the end of the game. His offense is putting up touchdown after touchdown and they're giving up drives to Zach Pascal and Marlon Mack and mo Alei Cox. Those are the three guys. All right,

let's check in Mark. The Browns just fell behind. So far, you've been a total pro throughout the broadcast. Does it change now? No, I'll continue to operate as an absolute pro and show em all okay. But the studio that's now up to degrees, that's much higher on my list. I'll ask the question though. The listeners are are wondering, did you go to Hustlers alone or that did Simone

come or no? This was on our our Friday is typically our day to do what we do, and I went to see it on my own because I didn't think that was a movie that Simone was going to be opening opening day, Hustlers opening day. I like going to the movies earlier. I don't like hearing other people eat in the movie theater, So I'll typically go to like a eleven AM show and sit way up front, not near any other human because when I can hear someone eating popcorn during a movie, I cannot concentrate at all.

It throws me completely out of my element. Interesting, Let's move on left. Adam is slot left, dig soul alone to the right. On first down play action Cousins boot like drop to the left, plants to foot deep right. Man, they're harddown Cousins. Adam feeling headed? Six zero Minnesota. Paul Allen, Oh, he's one of the zero truthers. John Matt money Smith, who I do the power ranking show on NFL dot com.

He always says zero. He never says six nothing. It's always zero, and it stops me in my tracks every time. Gooseg so Kirk Cousins bounced back from his wolful performance last week in Green Bay, playing turnover free football through that touchdown past Adam Theineland him is only touchdown pass of the day, an easy win over the Raiders. Dalvin Cook over a hundred yards for the third straight week. The Vikings two and one now West home game against

the Silver and Black. Just what the doctor ordered. Yeah, we sort of referred to this on Thursday as the recipe for Kirk Cousins success home game. Check nailed it. Inferior opponent, check nailed it. Not a nationally televised game three for three Vikings. This had a lot of it. Seemed like the same DNA from the season opener against the Falcons, where the Vikings jump out to an early lead, run the ball down their opponent's throat, and don't rely

too much on kirk Cousins. Dalvin Cook once again the focal point of this team, and if there was an all Pro list for September, he would be the running back on it. You could do that. You're happy to talk about it on the pod. You'll do at it halftime halftime through eight weeks. It's amazing you've been assigned to it. I'm sorry. Monday, nine am. When they give Alexander Madison the ball, they look pretty good running the

ball too. They're just a big, good running They're a great running team when you can bring him in as a bat. They're very close to three and oh if they get three and zero, excuse me, if they could execute against Green Bay better. Um, I think the vikings are okay, but I don't know if it'd be zero in the context record it makes sense whole thing, But Wes, you so nailed it with the Kirk Cousins thing. If those things line up, he will never lose a game. He never has lost the game, and he never will.

The problem is the way sports and the NFL are set up is that the deeper you going to the season, you lose those elements. He's sort of like slightly better than Andy Dalton, right. I think that's where he's always been. And you've made a good point the other day where there's the people who are anti Cousins and you and West sorry that uh you know, people crow when he has a bad game, and then the defenders start crowing when he has a good game. I think he has

been in that same area the whole time. About quarterback eleven through thirteen depends what the other what other quarterbacks are around now, there's more good young players that asked him. That's just who he is. That's where you're right. But I I heard, you know, in all the write ups and stuff that this was a good Kirk Cousins performance, you know, and reason for encouragement and he through for

a hundred and seventy four yards. Dan, you wanted well, and that's this is a Mike Zimmer fever dream where you're just gonna run the ball two times and but that like we're talking about situations where Cousins is going to be put into one of those games where all those boxes aren't checked before the kickoff happens. That the same thing with Mike Zimmer wanting to run the ball

thirty times and do nothing through the air. Good luck, You're gonna win a couple of games that way, especially at home, when you play as well as you do in that situation. But that's not how you get through a season in I'd i'd be concerned. I want to give our listener Mighty Gazelle credit for phrasing the Kirk Cousins recap from Thursday, So well well done, And one question about the do you see any scenario where, like the guy nice person, where Derek Carr is the quarterback

for this Raiders team next September? This experience feels like it's going south an buy a house right next door to I do know, I don't. I'm disappointed that the Raiders couldn't be competitive and that their defense, just because that means if we're watching a season worth of them not being competitive, that's just making my our Sunday's worst. Fontes Burfett got injured today after he tried to punch somebody after the play. I don't think the officials saw

the attempted punch. Oh, but the league will. Yeah, he might get a FedEx envelope, but he's he got like his own deposit box for FedEx right outside his front door. I feel like I've been told that Vontelly's perfect has been injured about forty seven times in the first three weeks of the season. They just like built a FedEx can goes next to his house to save the time. I think he just moved next door to the fine police. Let's move up. I backs, I'm off set to the right.

Tight line splits Holson in the backfield the block from McCaffrey right up the middle, running free to the thirty five. The fourties got potential. McCaffrey thirty twenty. He will store ten five a lightning boat. Christian McCaffrey Mick Mix and Panthers Radio Network. Christiancaffrey ripped off a seventy six yard touchdown run. Kyle Allen throws four touchdowns in his first start in place of the injured Cam Newton Panther's cruise

over the Cardinals in Glendale. Mark This was the best case scenario for Carolina, who just wanted to survive without their injured former m v P. Instead, they thrived with Alan. What an encouraging performance on a day where we got a couple of quarterbacks in their first starts changing the way we feel about certain teams. I loved that Kyle Allen came out. He was aggressive from the start. He seen you know, like you could tell right away that he was just feeling good. He was in the zone.

He was kind of laughing on the sideline, didn't have, uh, that sort of nervous energy that you might expect from someone. And I know he played well in Weeks seventeen last year, but that I just wanted to see here, you know, on the road, how does he come out and do it? And they they had more life and energy to their passing game than they have all year. And he was hitting throws that Cam Newton was not hitting in the past couple of weeks. And that it's funny that they

Christian McCaffrey. That was one of those. It was a touchdown that was not because of Kyle Allen, but he made a two or three throws in this game that were total Money's tosses, and I enjoyed watching them. And I don't think you can count them out because he's a quarterback on any level at this point. I mean, you gotta go out and do it a couple of weeks in a row. But there was something nothing about his game that seemed like crippling limited to me at all.

It was the opposite. It sounds like it was so impressive that not only will you not rush Cam Newton back, but you will make sure he's when he comes back. I think because you know what, we don't know what this team is. There's no reason in general to rush Cam Newton back after all the stuff he's been through the last couple of years. I just would wait to perfect scenario. The way today played out. They have that um ability now to be patient. They were. This was

classic corner cornered animal action right here. Yes, it was they saved their season that in oh and three Panthers team would have a lot of whispers about where the coach is going to be the next year, whether Cam Newton's eve gonna be on this team next year, all that stuff, and you've you've put all that off for another week or two. I'm a little confused, Dan, there's a caged animal in a cornered dog? Are those two different kinds of games? You can put whatever animal you want. Um,

I love dogs. I don't even like the image of imagine the dog corners. But cornered animal or caged animal works. This is a step back to it sounds like for for Kyler Murray, two forty yards of offense from the Cardinals in seventy three plays, so they ran a ton of plays and didn't move the ball at all. Well, and and we guys should mentioned Dante Jackson who had

two spectacular interceptions in this game. And it was some of the first action where I watched Kylermarly, who I wouldn't say was confused out on the field, but he threw a couple of terrible balls and Carolina turned two of those into those interceptions. He's not tearing the league up. That was kind of the although it would have been

a surprise too because it doesn't happen often. There was that hype around Murray that he would come in and Kingsbury would come in and they'd be, you know, ripping people up. That's not happening right now. So now the Cardinals have to do be what they weren't last year, which is patient, they and and let this develop as a partnership. Because it looks like like Greg said, four point zero yards per tempt on forty three passes. This is the this is the defense from week one one.

It's actually been a little bit better for Arizona than we expected. This was what we expected. All right, Let's move on Chargers at the Houston. Thirty four rivers, shotgun rivers, deep drop, firing downfield and tip almost that are safter it's in took play and the Texans are gonna win today. We'll beat the Chargers today. Mark Vandermere of the Texas Radio Network, who I love to get get to get to get back and get to get back in the Texas stop the Chargers in their last gasp attempt to

tie the game. Deshaun Watson threw for three fifty one through three touchdown passes and J J. Watt the area is heating up two of the five sacks for the Texans and a seven to twenty win over the Chargers. Who watched this game, I did Greg Rose withal Deshaun Watson every game does athletic things, and once again he was on fire. It's the doo of Deshaun. You all right, let's let's let this breathe. Yeah, you have to be comfortable in the chaos. You are going to invite pass rushers,

You're gonna invite hits. That's just his style. And all the things you like about Deshaun Watson are because of that, and and being this game especially, he held onto the ball pretty long because his offensive line played better, and that the game winning touchdown and the comeback. We're from

those second level plays where he just does something. He He can be comfortable with that, and I think the fans have to be comfortable with that too, with him getting hit more and taking sex, because that's where he makes his magic by it. I'm on Dan's side of the Texans ledger. Deshaun Watson has won me over. He's so exciting. These two teams I have a hard time

getting a feel for right now. Both of these teams have played to the buzzer basically in all three of their games, So they could each be three and oh, they could each be oh and three. But I think there are some things about the Texans that we can say. Whitney merciless, another big game. DJ Reader has made the leap. He was a big difference maker today. And the offensive line I think has a chance to get better. It certainly was better today and I think that's that's a

big How about Tunsil is he? How did he look to Bosa and Melvin Ingram, who have been relatively quiet this year? We're relatively quiet once again. Wes you joining the Texans bandwagon? Well, I'm not there yet. I'm just here to enjoy. I mean, I love Deshaun Watson. I'm may not that I'm gonna cornering me out. I'm gonna your corner now. Then I loved them from the beginning. The Titans lost me and may have lost me forever.

That's good. That's also positive. And you know what I'm gonna do as a favorite to you, Uh, you're in this Devin Sawa Final Destination roller coaster ride with the Devil Broncos. Nobody knows what that means. I'm letting you off the ride now. Thank you for that. That's very magnanimous of you. But I I can't let myself out of the penalty box yet. I haven't offered enough. That's awesome,

that's you're definitely a raised Catholic. Um. By the way, there's definitely forty seven people who get that Devin Sawa reference. Oh yeah, I mean people do underrated movie. Um. All right, let's uh, let's head to Sunday Night Football. Four down and gold from the five. This is week pre may feel flus from the pocket, rolling like pro to the end zone. It is intercept the ramps taken away on the final snap for the Browns offense. It's John Johnson with a diving picking the end zone and the Rams

are gonna come hold at three and oh. Westchester's finest J B. Long of the Rams radio network with the call. John Johnson the third with the interception in the end zone on fourth and goal. The Browns go four and out with four shots to potentially tie the game, and that was it. The Los Angeles ramsen victors in Cleveland and Sunday Night Football. They improved a three and oh. The Brownies fault to one and two. Mark Sessler should start with you on this one. Um, We're gonna get

to the Rams in a moment. But you had trepidation around this game all week. You've had trepidation around the Browns since their Week one clunker against Tennessee. I imagine

you don't feel any better right now, Writer's block. That's sort of how this team feels to me right now, when you're trying to produce something and you can't get in that flow and you can't get out of your own way, um or a relationship stuck in neutral where they're just there's something about this team, uh, offensively, especially because I thought they played a lights out game on

defense considering how banged up their secondary is. This is in the whole season and I and I'm concerned, like at the core about a line that has not protected Baker Mayfield well. But even when they are, it feels like Baker Mayfield has almost been zapped by the early season experience a playing behind this line, and and it's it's hard to watch because last year a team playing with house money down the stretch felt so loose on

offense that you felt like they could do anything. I wanted them to go play the best teams they could and challenge those teams with what they had with Freddie Kitchens and Baker Mayfield and even pri O'Dell Beckham just the rest of their weapons, and they are banged up. But I don't really point to any of that as what's going on here. I think they just it's I'm at a loss for words to some degree, because yes, I don't think it's a surprise to see how they

performed on offense tonight. It's been happening all year. I don't know the way out. I don't I like your analogies, and you might also say kind of like a kicker who compensating for his last two misses, where it's stilted and it feels like they're thinking about it. Think hesitant in pressure situations, and Baker Mayfield not trusting his offensive line, and as Greg said we were watching the game, he's

actually scrambling into pressure, not away from pressure. I mean, the last play of the game was emblematic that, not that they did a good job project protecting him, just that the game ended with him rolling back to his right and just throwing it up. Because a lot that he's counting on improvising some plays and some of the

plays that were there. You can nitpick, but it sure looked like Jarvis Landry was basically wide open on the third down slant, he goes to another he goes to the tight end on that play instead, And it's just those little decisions. At some point you have to trust you're right that for now, this is what this team is.

The Rams are very similar. They've kind of looked the same each week, where their offensive line isn't playing as well, but that they get it going in the second half, and that the defense has been playing, uh, really well. And that's the difference between three and o and one and two. The Browns offensive line continues to be an issue, Aaron Donald, Clay Matthews, the whole front seven was getting after Mayfield, who, like we said, didn't handle that well either.

And the play calling is definitely something I'm gonna hear a lot about, uh in the hours and days ahead around the Browns. Uh. Most famously in this game, or infamously, i should say, was the fourth quarter, fourth and nine near midfield draw call that got snuffed out after about a five or six yard game. Uh. Everyone confused. There was a you know, Twitter was a buzz afterwards. Uh,

ESPN's tracking data. That's the first fourth and nine running play that they've tracked in over twenty years and just a head scratcher. And after the game, Uh, Freddie Kitchens he took ownership of it, but also said it was the play he wanted to call, so you figure out that. And then again they get the big interception Cleveland of Jared Goff who throws high and a pick uh and Baker Mayfield this right, not looking comfortable, does get them down inside the ten after uh, some completions that are

also a roughing the passer call on Aaron Donald. And then on those four straight plays four passes, Odell Beckham not targeted once. He was brought here West to be a missing final peace guy in that offense, and he had that one big play against the Jets last week, but in general, this offense has not been able to

take flight. I think football is so much more complicated than everybody's sitting at home once to admit it is, but sometimes when you have the best athlete on the field, you just have to take a chance and throw it up in his direction and let him make a play when nothing else is going right. I mean, if you

look at that Jets game. Everyone wanted to stream the highlights of Odell Beckham with the eighty nine yard touchdown, but they were struggling to get him open and make him productive in that game too, despite the final score the final line for him. I really think the Rams defense is doing a lot of the carrying on this team, and they are much better than last year. Claim Matthews already has more sacks than he had last year. Dante Fowler has been a regular behind the line of scrimmage,

Mark pointed out during the game. Corey Littleton has been one of the best linebackers in the NFL this year at Taylor rap as a hit as a second round picky. They are a better I think Marcus Peters and to keep to Leabre playing better and to Cleveland's credit on defense, they entered this game missing all four their starting defensive backs and they put up a real good fight. I

mean that Rams warmed up as things went along. They actually ended up with two one yard receivers in Brandon Cooks and Cooper cup who had a huge game two touchdowns over a hundred yards. But uh, the Rams had what three points at halftime. I mean that that is It's a pretty incredible incredible to me if you would have told me that after everything we heard about the injury issues, that they would get the job done. Uh, going into the second half and the offense just not

able to figure it out. That's to me one of the biggest stories of the young season right now is how disappointing the Browns have been on the offense. I mean, and it's the problem is because it's you know, the pressure is gonna get amped up. They are days away from having to go deal with the Ravens, who are

a far superior team playing in sync right now. And you know, I total respect to the Rams because in in the early year that they've been here, they're three and oh and they knocked off Carolina on the road. That was a tough game. It's not that was not an easy ask. And to go and do it tonight, I mean, it's the Rams have to be respected entirely. Well.

Freddie Kitchens is getting a lot of grief about being in and over his head, and I feel like that's maybe projecting what he looks like or just they have made some curious decisions certainly, and lack of experience. That said, good coaching. It's about adjusting your three games into the season. What's not It's obvious it's not working right now. He needs to figure out how to adjust whatever he came

into the season planning to do. And it's a new experience for him because yeah, he was he was the guy calling the plays at the end of last year, but he wasn't the head coach at the end of last year. That is a big difference. And the the guy who's not calling the plays was one of the best play callers in the NFL last year, and he was the guy dialing up fits magic early last season. Todd Monken, Uh, Mark, it's not all bad. You locked

up your Rammy's. Yeah, you're part of them. I'm sure the city of Cleveland can feel great about that, all right. I just have it like a couple of questions, Well, how long have you lived in Cleveland ever? In your life? Like total? How many times have you ever spent there? Even I mean I've I've been there a number of times, but never I never walked around saying look at me Cleveland. I'm just saying, how many years have you now lived in l a. Oh, I've been lived in l a

for fifteen years the Ramily. I don't know. Maybe they're calling you home theretion applications. They locked it up for you. Today was your official entry into the Ramily. I mean I feel no passion around that at all. I mean, you're a big movie guy at all. Sort of makes sense, but that has nothing to do with the m guy hustlers, nothing to do with the rams. I mean, nice try, Hollywood's team, Nice try. All right, Mark, Well, you were good sport and you did not go crazy in the studio,

and you were hyper professional and unbeh happy. The entire crew both in front of him behind the glass, we thank you for I'm not surprised that I acted like a pro. It's good, all right, we'll be back. We'll be back on Tuesday with our Monday night football recap, and then we start spinning and looking ahead to guess what, guys. Week four. The train is out the station and it's rolling. I can almost smell London just a couple of weeks. There are absolute agents and the heroes are going to

London in a couple of weeks. You can't wait for that. And we'll have more information on that trip, but that will come down the line. All right, Ricky, let's get out of here. You're happy. Antonio Brown's not with you anymore. The Mailman, the Old Boss, Ricky Holly, Hollywood, Ryan part let everybody else till Tuesday. S