2020-2021 Divisional Round Preview

that we don't see each other. And and and it is good actually to have this, you know, regular time. But even on the day's off, it's like what we'll be on a little zoom meeting, so I get to see your outfits every day. It's exciting. Yeah, I mean we're like going study together really since March, but for many many months longer than that. But I mean it's been heavy since March. This is the Divisional Round playoff preview episode and I am excited as we all are.

This is is always so much fun. Uh. This week of football, it's the best teams in the league. Uh, the NFC East is not involved, and boys, you know that I am the power rankings guy on NFL dot Com. Uh, it's it's how my bread gets budded. Dan Hans shout out in the digital space if you will. Um So I decided, Uh, since I'm involved with making lists and writing blurbs and being called an asshole by extremists and other chocolodytes of the Internet, I'm going to offer up

a list power ranking list of the remaining quarterbacks. Shoutout, and I want you guys to tell me if you agree or disagree. There we go. Number one Patrick Mahomes. Number two Aaron Rodgers, a little concert. What is this based on? Like this year or just right now, right now heading into the week year? And now number three Josh Allen. Number four Lamar And that was tough because umber five is Tom Brady, and I love how Tom Brady looks right now, but I think Lamar is just

a little more special at this stage. Number six close call, but Baker Mark. How about that? Number seven Drew Brees And number eight Jared Goff or John Wolford, any anybody you have an issue with that order now? Unfortunately, you know, I kind of want to argue. This will be an article I think next week on QB Index. They usually at least do this in the playoffs at some point. It's usually this week. Um, I would probably put Brady

higher right now. So um, yeah, it's tough though, like like if you're just facing it on the last month, you know he's higher than Mahomes. I mean, so is Josh Allen. You know, I would maybe put Josh Allen one. Um WHOA well, just right now, the future Aaron Rodgers. See now you're getting saucy. I don't even get a little BAYLISSI to be honest. Uh, And I think Brady is right there. I might go Alan. It's ridiculous how good those five are that Lamar is either fourth or

fifth with the way he do. You have Aaron Rodgers ahead of Jared Goffer behind Rogers like third or something. They're all about the same. Those top five are all playing lights out? How much better can you play? Yeah, that's true. Um, we're gonna get into all of the games. But listen, you know where we're at on this podcast right now, the sessler and all the years of misery and now the glory. It would be silly if we started the show with anything else other than the defending

world champion Chiefs against Mark's Cleveland Browns. Ricky, I knew that I never wanted to walk away from them. Would it be the same as the seven or eight, seventh or eighth grade version of me that lived and died so hard by this team so hard, so hard it cracked through a little bit. It did, it did, it did so hard. I'm just one person that roots for this team. I knew that I never wanted to walk away from them. All right, Mark, we get it. I mean loyalist paying off Mark you, I think I'm sure

better respond to that. But Erica up to her old tricks. I wanted to make it kind of like a warm thing. And then when Ricky was done with her handiwork. It was a bunch of jokes, so you know, but still it's loving. Ultimately, You're not the only Brown's backer at NFL Media. In fact, one of our favorite um man the six Men of the Year. I call him the Pipe Greg doesn't. Nick Shook is also gonna jump on now what's up? Look at Chucky suited and booted? Hello,

Nick Chock? How you doing, buddy? I'm great, guys, Thanks for having me. Wow, how are you feeling right now? Like I don't have a theme song with Jerry McGuire type, Tom Cruise drops for you. But, um, how you feeling at this time with the Cleveland Browns. I don't know if the Browns are gonna show me the money. But after picking the Chiefs and and getting my now weekly hate from Brown's fans who just tell me they're disappointed

in me more than anything. Somebody last week wish that I would step on a lego when I picked the Steelers over the Browns. So I respect that, but it's a bad job. That's a bad job picking against your team in the game that they well, yeah, is it? Is it a case of because I went on Cleveland Radio and one of the first things they asked was why is Nick Shook who you know, you're you're a favorite son in that area. Why is Nick Shook continually

um punking the Browns in these predictions? And the answer that we came up with was a masterful touch of reverse psychology. Is is it that or something else? Nick? Yeah, that was a Nathan's a Girl special. I'm sure. Um No, it's it's a fact that I pick with my brain and not my heart, and my brain has told me last week that the Browns had every excuse in the world to lose that game, every reason in the world to lose that game, and then it's gonna be a

tough battle for them to win this one. But I did dive into some numbers and gave me some encouragement. So I'm feeling better I think about this game that I did last week. But still I still am an a stake with my prediction of the Chiefs being the Browns. Shook. You know, I think that's a bad job. I think you got to pick the Browns. But you're serious analyst men, hence the suit You're going on network later. I get that. I also want to like connect the dots again. Long

has it been a mystery of this podcast? Shook goes to work for the Cleveland Browns, you know, quits that gig out of nowhere, comes back to us, and we're all happy about that. You always wondering if there's some type of bad blood between Choking the Browns. Well, now let's see what's going on with these playoff picks. No, No, there's no bad blood. It's just uh, you know, I think twenty years of the Browns being bad has robbed

me of the ability to pick with my heart. Okay, that's fair enough, and let's get into this game, boys, uh and Greggy. And because you know the Browns and I said this um earlier in the week, it feels like a house money game for them because the season is a success. But at the same time, I don't want to dismiss them as having a chance here. And it does go back to the version of the Chiefs greg that we've seen in the back half of the season.

And I know that the kind of popular line here is to dismiss all those close wins as a team that was kind of going through the motions waiting for this moment, and that makes sense. But at the same time, that was what was happening when this team played competitive games. And now you take twenty days off for most of the most important players, you know, maybe the Browns are in a decent spot here with where this Chiefs team is, right, I guess that's all possible. That they were playing, you know,

just hard enough to barely win. It doesn't really make sense to me, Um, But it's been since Week eight that they won by double digits and they've had problems on both sides of the ball. But in this game, that what really matters. To me is their defense. Remember everyone started the year and being like, hey, the Chief's got a defense. Now it's like the Patrick Mahomes doesn't even need to put up that many points. Yeah they were. They were thirty first and expected points allowed since week nine.

They're bad defense. They give up plays on the ground that that's a problem. They can't get off the field on third down, that's a problem. Against the Browns. Um they've got two really good players and Chris Jones and Honey Badger and otherwise they've kind of struggled. And Stefanski's just out coach Mike Tomlin with the plan that he put up. He knows how to find mismatches. These are two top five or six offenses against the two worst defenses left still in the playoffs. So I see it

being like the Raiders Chiefs too, you know. I see it being back and forth, some long possessions, very few defensive stops, and that's gonna make it a lot of fun. I'm I'm really surprised that the Chiefs are ten point favorites. I don't like that at all. Um, you know, I like the Browns a lot better there, I think. Know you look at you look at how we analyzed the game last week, and it was simple. But one of the aspects was you've got to try to be fuddle

Big Ben and and do something on defense. And uh, they got a lot of gifts and that changed the game, I mean immediately and instantly, and by the end of the first quarter, everything you would have thought would have happened with Cleveland and Pittsburgh went out the gate. I when I think about gifts against the Chiefs, it's punts. Can you stop drives? Um? It is. There's no reason

to think this can't be a high scoring game. We're in January and the Cleveland Browns their strength is an offensive line that um, even when a guy goes out of the lineup, it just seems to be that Bill Callahan has put together a pretty seamless uh system here where they thrive. I mean, they absolutely dominated the Steelers. Baker Mayfield. Everyone thought he's gonna be detonated by their pass rush. He wasn't. Um. I think they can score

points in this game. I think you're gonna need Jarvis Landry to play like a king because Baker Mayfield is gonna have to make some throws along with the run game and I don't hate the idea Miles Garrett and even Adrian Claiborne going up against the likes of like Mike Remer's and Eric Fisher at tackle. I think that's an issue of Mitchell Schwartz is not able to go um that that scenario of concern for the Chiefs to

some degree, Yeah, I think it's Um. It might sound a little bit cliche based on you know, how do you want a football game on the road in the playoffs? Will you do it by keeping the ball out of the opponent's hand? But that might be the Browns best option here, which is of course you would do that with the run game. You know, the Chiefs have struggled against the run. Um. The difference though, is that the Browns, no matter who they're playing, if they face stack boxes, um,

they're actually finding success. Now. They didn't against the Jets when they were in that tough spot a few weeks ago, But on average over the season, nobody has faced uh stack box more often or more defenders on average in the box than the Browns. Because every defense knows they're gonna run the football. So if you can effectively run

the ball, that's great. But what you really did need to do more than all uh and then anything is to establish a balance, whether it's those quick passes that that Baker Mayfield had against the Steelers, or whether it's handing it off to Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb and and really just keeping the ball out of the Chief's hands. Because this Brown's defense, I saw somebody treat last week and that was pretty accurate, held together by duct tape.

I know they're getting some guys back. Denzel Ward being back is a huge one, but it's still not a good defense. And you don't want to want to get into this track meter a shootout with this team because

you're bound to lose that game. There are layers of to the onion when you talk about the win over the Steelers for Cleveland, and one of them that I don't think is getting enough um play and discussion is the way Baker played in the game, because that was all set up to be, you know, one of the most memorable comeback wins in history, like Frank Reich against the Oiler's type comeback with the Pittsburgh offense going up and down the field in the second half and it

seemed like things are gonna unravel. All you needed was the opposing quarterback to make a big mistake or two. And I thought Baker again in a big spot. And I mentioned this in the preview last week because the he did it again when the spotlight was on against the Ravens, he made a bunch of big throw was. He wasn't the star of the game, he wasn't the reason they won, but again he showed that he he

likes the moment. He's not someone that's gonna cower from it. He's, you know, a little hot and cold as a quarterback um for my liking. But when he enters this stage, I like Baker Mayfield in this game for all the reasons I've stated. I think he's gonna come in and make plays. He's not gonna be the reason they lose.

I really don't think that's gonna be. He's like a lot of starters, or if you protect him, he's gonna he's throwing it great, and he's got a little extra than most starters because he's just more talented as a thrower. Like when I when I compared him to Kirk Cousins, I think there's there's some similarities. Um, but he's just more talented throwing the ball into tighter windows when he needs to. And the difference the last couple of weeks

is he's made a couple second reaction place. I mean, he's not gonna be Mahomes or Alan, but he's made a couple runs and a couple of plays where he got pressured and then made a play. And that's it. Just keep a couple if he can keep a couple extra drives alive by doing that, and there's there's every reason again to believe he can against the Chiefs because there if you talk to the Chiefs fans, they're they're

they're sick of their defensive line. They're sick of Frank Clark not being a factor there, and they're they're a little sick of their offensive line. To like that's where their weaknesses were this year was upfront and both sides, and and especially for the Cleveland offense, like that feels like a mismatch. I mean, Baker last week he had two point three four seconds in terms of time to throw quickest all season. They found a way to counter Pittsburgh's rush, and so it's the same can apply to

Kansas City Field. By the way, our old favorite didn't have a didn't touch Baker Mayfield one single time, right, and think about this and I and I get that, like this gets kind of just washed out of the system because we're kind of tired of the storyline. They practiced for like three hours in the week before that, they practiced like three hours. This year, practice doesn't matter anymore. Maybe it's a good seriously to be It's not really joking.

It's like maybe once during the season the idea of like grinding it out and going through drills and stuff. It's being shown. You would have never seen this until a global pandemic came along. But you know that that has been that's This isn't the first team that we've seen this season that missed practice all week and then

showed up and played a great game. I would say, though, it says something about the Cleveland Browns that someone like Blake Hants, who met Baker Mayfield the morning of the game, had had been signed off the Jets practice squad, came in and played the way he did that. There's a lot of examples of that where with with no preparation they did well. I'm with you, Dan, They're not They don't need to be doing tackling drills on a Wednesday.

But um yeah, I think that the idea that practice simply doesn't matter is probably more of a media thing than actual UH and Patrick Mahomes because you know, there's not you can't speak too much about Patrick Mahomes and he's been out of the NFL world for weeks now. Literally by the time he plays, UH takes his next snap meaningful snap, it will be twenty days and there is That's one thing I do not think is gonna

happen the stock Oh will Chiefs be rusty? I actually went back, when's the last time Mahomes missed, you know, extended weeks and then came back. He was when he heard his knee last season. He missed two weeks of that injury, came back sixty five or seventy percent as everyone remembers, and through for four d and forty six yards and three touchdowns UH in the last second loss to the Titans. So like he's gonna be okay. It's the issues that we're bringing up with the Chiefs defense

that I have more concerns about. Clyde Edwards Hilaire. That's another UH focus point on offense. He's been practicing in a limited fashion their rookie running back after sustaining the hip and ankle injuries, and week fourteen, we'll see where he is by the time this weekend comes along, because he's an important part of what they do. Not vital compared to obviously the passing game, but he did make

them better. Yeah, and t Greg's point about the the offensive defensive line worries in Kansas City the reason that the first moment I realized the Browns had a legitimate shot of pulling off the upside last week, it was and I realized that they were winning at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. There was an early sequence where Larry and Joe sent Markis pouncing into the backfield and stuffed a third and short attempt

that Ronnie Harrison cleaned up. That really, to me kind of opened my eyes and said, wow, like, you know, they want this more now. Obviously it's more about it's more than just wanting it. But the one thing that worries me is if Baker Mayfield, you know, with that quick time to throw that Mark mentioned, if he drops back and throws one of those interceptions that he's been known to do a few times just off of a pre snap read read doesn't even take the time to

see if somebody's sliding down into coverage. That could be a momentum shift during this game that I kind of worry about from the Browns perspective. But they've shown that they've been able to avoid those mistakes for the most part recently, so we'll see. Like I think we're a little too down on the Chiefs, probably we should get That's yeah, that's what I feel right now. That's the vible I'm getting. But I understand. Listen, we got shook in Cesla on the show. We're talking about the Browns

two wins from the Super Bowl. It's gonna seem like the Chiefs sub note shot. But you know Nick Shook did pick the Chiefs. Shook, You're gonna lock up the Chiefs in this game. I'm gonna stay want to know all time. Alright, good Chuck Um. You will be appearing on NFL network as you do regularly. What do you talk when you do your network appearances. I know Greg watches because it's on TV at all times. Well, we're gonna be taping during his appearance. But I'll DVR at

Chuck and watch it later. I appreciate that's commitment, Greg, I appreciate that. It's it's next gen stats. Usually it's rankings. At this point, we're previewing one stat that gives an underdog a shot or a reason for hope, and that's what'll be going to the Browns. Is one of them in a little bit. Do you do that with Siciliana? Yeah? Typically pace is lousy with Browns fans. This is getting

a little bit it is. It is a little wild, which is, by the way, why I feel bad about what I'm gonna do next, which which is lock up the Chiefs. I have to uh, I have to upset or annoy either Mark or um my daughter Alice, who I know, I this house is too much football focus. When she asked me earlier, who I'm locking up um, you know, and I was like, She's like, don't don't lock up there. So if I'm going to annoy either her or Mark, it's going to be Mark. Sorry, you

can't take them up. It's got to be one of those two. I think we're I think we're up to an aggregate of twenty point in terms of lane Wood favorite for Greg locking up in the playoffs so far. So you know, he he knows what he's doing. Everybody, everybody knows what you're doing, Greg, but taking taking the team that I think has the best chance to win. Imagine that. Get those heavy favorites. All right, Chuck, thanks for coming on. We'd love you. You have the six

minute of the year for a reason, and enjoy this game. Thanks, guys, I appreciate it, alright, good stuff. All right, So I got the Chiefs too, but I'm I've locked up against the Browns already in the postseason. There's I'm just not going to do that. But you were taught your lesson, Yeah, didn't work. They were going to be taught your lesson in three days. I know, I don't feel good about it. I I hope you don't. I don't feel good about I like all four underdogs this weekend to uh to

cover at least, you know how. I know both of you guys are playing. You guys are tight right now, trying to win this title. Because I'm just than observer. Now, I think of three or four games out, you're locking up the Chief's double digit favorite cessler not locking up the Browns, which just makes sense that he would just go all in on Cleveland, but he wants that title so bad that he can't truly get behind the Browns in this game. So I'm, you know, just watching the

world burn here. Um, I think I think that's a it's not exactly analyzed correctly. I have thought very hard about locking up the Browns, but my one thing is that it puts too much into one effort. I'd like to spread my lock around from where my emotional side is. Um, that's when it doesn't go well. So it's more about that. I don't want to be worrying about locks during that game. Okay, I can't imagine you would be either way. But you know this is you know, I predicted them to win

and it's not. And I understand when you say that Nick Shook is doing what would be respected by picking the Chiefs. I picked them to beat the Steelers last week, and I believed it, and I believe that they're gonna win. I really really do. I can see it. It's you can see it. I mean, everyone is about three weeks behind where the Browns actually. You are, now, maybe I'm completely beyond where they are and I'm wrong. We'll see but I think people are not tracking them correctly. But

I think there's a chance. That's why I like and where we're Where were we in week seventeen on that mark? I mean, with all I know, you're excited, and you have every right to be, but that team played poorly in Week seventeen and barely beat the backups of the Steelers. How could people be behind the lost the Jets before that? Well, it's like what I would look closely at what happened in that Jets game that wouldn't happen ten times in

a row. And I think that they I think there's something else beyond the XS and os here with with some of these teams in the playoffs. And I think Cleveland is feeling themselves a little bit in a way that you know, I can't really put words to and the Chiefs, and the Chiefs are not as good an offense, right I know we were spending a lot of time in this game, but the Chiefs every number says that

their offense peaked in eighteen. It was a little worse last year, but then got going and right now their offenses fit their you know, third or fourth in the league. You know in d V O A and everything, like they're not quite where they were last year or the year before. I really believe that now. I mean that, of course, I'm just saying like they're not quite the same team right now. Maybe they'll turn flip the switch and will all be around. All right, let's move on

the Ravens. They moved on within over the Tennessee Titans. Great performance by their defense, Lamar made that special play with his legs. UH. Their reward for advancing out a wild card round is a trip to Orchard Park to face the Bills, who just barely got by the Colts.

Um and UH back and forth game that really was a coin flip game, and it seemed like, I don't know just if we're talking about the good fortunes and positive vibes around the Browns Bills to the all the things that went right for the Bills, with those sideline boundary catches by Gabe Davis, the off sides drawing the Tennessee the Indianapolis defender off sides, the fumble late in the game that ended up in the arms of UH,

the Bills offensive lineman. They it just worked out for the Bills, and I think they're gonna have to be better to beat the Ravens, who, obviously um are surging right now six straight wins and this is a Lamar Jackson versus Josh Allen special two studs out of the two thousand eighteen UM NFL draft. What are you thinking on this one, Greg, I'm so excited, Like I just checked while you're talking there your power rankings, just because it's curious, because to me these are I would go

Chiefs Bills, Ravens one to three and Um. I don't think there's like a super dominant team in the NFL, but I could see either one of these teams winning the Super Bowl. I got Chiefs Bill's Packers. I saw you had so you had you had three of the top four. But that's that's how I go right now. The Ravens defensive performance last week really the last couple of weeks, but they convinced me last week was so impressive.

I think Josh Allen, like I just set his playing quarterback at a level that there's almost nothing you can do. I'm everyone is always looking for the person to compare Alan too and the obvious one. You know, if you just take away the physicality, I guess in the running, which is a big deal, but is Mahomes because if you don't keep him in the pocket, and this is true both of these quarterbacks, you're dead. But with Alan, the difference is like the throws he's making outside the

pocket just crazy. I mean they're just crazy. The arm strength and almost the creativity of what he tries to go for it, it's just crazy. And the flick of his wrist on that deep pass as an example what you're saying, uh last weekend, it's just like there are very few guys and Mahomes maybe is the only other one that can make that throw so effortlessly right, and you can kind of put up the perfect defense defense

for him, and he's still gonna get you. And and I And one thing I was looking for heady into last week and they did it was are they gonna start let your calling plays for Alan running more? And they did And that was a big part of last week's game. And I think that's something regular season, maybe not as much postseason. We're gonna do it. And so I love mobile quarterbacks. These are two, you know, might be the best mobile quarterback matchup we've ever seen in

the playoffs. It's just it's awesome. I adore this matchup. I mean it's a quarterback matchup we never would have seen ten years ago. Um, it wouldn't have even been something you could have imagined twenty years ago. And it's two teams that have embraced what their quarterbacks have to offer, and it's a lot of it is like I think the coaching matchup here is fascinating. Um Dan, I like what you said, though I'm a little I'd be a

little concerned about Buffalo's defense. They've been better over the past you know, month plus, but they gave up four hundred and seventy two yards last week. Uh they Now, I think the Colts, I think we were a little cold, not just us, but in general people were a little icy towards the Colts last week and their chances because I think some of the energy around Buffalo and the

way Buffalo was playing. Colts put up a real good fight in that game, but to me, it was like Buffalo overcoming in the first half starts, you know, three starts inside their eleven yard line, a fourth and at the fifteen, like terrible field position early on, and they just made play after play and I think got over the hump almost psychologically in a game where it was like Buffalo just like these other teams needed to get that playoff win, and there was all you know, Buffalo

is more like everyone's picking Buffalo. That's a tough place to be and there might have been some nerves here and there, but they worked their way out of it. But then you look at the Ravens, same thing for them. Downtown Nothing. The way that they battled out of that was one of the most I thought resilient showings by any team all year. And the Ravens after that moment when they when Lamar Jackson had that forty eight yard run, two things were happening. I thought, one rip off, any

rip off the band aid. The Ravens are here, They're gonna do what they need to do. But Lamar Jackson, once he gets going like that, you have to almost view him as unstoppable. And the Titans had no answer. And so I don't love their passing game, but I love that they get enough passes through the air for Lamar to make them versatile enough where they're not a

one trick pony. They're extremely dangerous. I thought that Greg Roman had one of his better games you know, second quarter through the end, one of the better coaching games he's had all year. He's been totally ignored as a head coaching candidate this time around. Um. Same with Don Wing Martindale. I think that's a complete oversight. These are two of the best coordinators in the game, and the Ravens, to me, will take this thing right to the final minutes.

I think it was overlooked to your point, Mark how dangerous the spot the Bills were in last week, just because there was so much like assumption that the Bills forgot about winning wild card weekend. We'll see you an arrowhead at the championship game, like that was where everyone's heads were at and maybe still is um. And it wasn't the Chicago Bears that was waiting for them in

that wild card bound it was a very good Cults team. UM, So good on them for being able to hold off what what really felt like if there was ever if there's ever such thing, and I know this, Clayboon might faint when he hears this, there's ever such thing as a trap game in the playoffs. That's what the Bills had to get pass last weekend, and they didn't. So good good on. Then to your other point about the defense,

they gave up yes, close to five yards. They didn't have a turnover, and what's what spooked me, And if I'm a Buffalo fan, especially with someone the specials Lamar Jackson now coming into the building. Was at after a touchdown with fourteen eleven to play, it's against the Colts, and you you think, oh, we got away. You know there was We nearly got picked off there, but we got the game under control. We're gonna take it home. Colts get the ball seven place, seventy five yards, touched

down in two and a half minutes. Bills come back, kick a field goal to make it sixteen. Calm things down a little bit again. Colts get the ball back five place, seventy six yards and under two minutes to make it four. That was not a good look for the Buffalo defense, which showed no ability to close out the game. And oh, by the way, Philip Rivers had first than ten inside Buffalo territory with a minute to play, didn't get so you give the Bill's credit for that,

but that defense needs to be better in this spot. Well, they also have shown that this isn't a one time thing. So they gave up more than two hundred yards twice this year. Um, they've given up more than two hundred yards seven times since McDermott's been there, which is among the worst in the league. It's a defense built to stop the pass first. Um, it's a little bit of a lighter, faster defense. They give up runs to the

outside that the Patriots ran all over them twice. Uh, they gave up more than one sixty I think another three or four times, including last week. And so okay, a team that runs for the outside well can can present problems. Oh hello Ravens, I mean they they I know they shut down the Ravens pretty well last year, which you know, it's it's something to think about, you know, in that matchup in the regular season where both quarterbacks

really struggled. I mean Josh Allen to a much bigger degree, but Lamar struggled to considering it was his MVP season. But they need their their guys up front to step up, like all their star is. Jerry Hughes had a bad game, Tradevious White had a bad game last week. He's got to be matched up on Hollywood Brown. We give Hollywood Brown so much grief I mean, if there's such a thing as clutch, I don't quite believe it in this way. But like his best two games of his career are

his two playoff games. He showed up and was a was great last week. He won that matchup over and over a lot of key first downs and they went to him. Man if so is he not progressed from Hawthorne to Hollywood? He's all the waywood? Well, here was the thing, wasn't it always like Hollywood, Florida? So in a way like never you know, it was always kind of a reed any man named themselves after Hollywood, Florida, that fields somewhere. I could be wrong, but I don't

think it was Hollywood, California. It was a different Hollywood. Well, that was his first hundred yard games since Week one, and so you're right they needed it Um, And you know, it's it's no small thing that after that first quarter where the Titans totally exposed the Ravens, I thought that their linebackers, Um their secondary grew stronger as the game went along. They wind up allowing to under nine total

yards in thirteen points. Um shutting down Derrick Henry, shutting down Tennessee in general after the first quarter, And to me, that's just I like, when Marcus Peters is gonna make some play in this game, is you're gonna get one of these raven Esque turnovers um that puts the Bills in a tight spot. So I to me, this thing is one of the tougher games to predict. Uh well, basically since Baltimore Tennessee a week ago. That's how these

games go. I'm taking the Ravens, and I feel okay about it because I think Alan is gonna just I actually think he has more burden on him than Lamar, even because I think the Ravens defense is gonna be better and I think he's got more of a running game, and so I think Alan is just gonna have to

be incredible. Any any obviously could be. But I do like, um, you know, when you watch this Ravens team, they have this sort of the field it's such a stupid thing to go off, but they have the feel of a team that I can just imagine Super Bowl features being written about what this veteran defense full of badasses Judean and Campbell and Peters and Humphrey and they've all McPhee suddenly shows up, he goes over to Chicago, he comes back.

It's like all these guys, these are grown men, like they came out involved last week on defense, they have that Ravens feel and I don't know, I can just see them continuing to win. I have the Chiefs over the Browns by field goal in a close game. I also this one. I think, I like, I had to submit my picks to uh NFL dot com. I have Ravens eight, Bills seven. That type of game we'll see. I think it's hard. It's really hard to pick this game as a blowout in either direction. Um, it becomes

to me basically a coin flip game. I'd like to see the Bills advance because I love the story and the fans uh and all that. Um, But it feels like just something special going on in Baltimore now with that defense rising in Lamar. Now it should be said, I say that, and I picked the Ravens, And I think some of my misgivings of out the defense and Buffalo got me nervous, and that's how it it led to the picking the Ravens. You know, the Ravens only

at twenty points last week. You get all caught up in the big play um by Lamar, But overall that wasn't a huge offensive performance. Is he gonna be able to pass the ball? If Josh Allen has another big day? And this is this is a great game I I picked. Um, I sent picks to the same place, and I'm looking at what I suggested here and I'm not totally thrilled with it. But I picked Bills twenty seven, Ravens eighteen in that in that world, Um, it's just the collapse

of the Ravens probably late in the game or something. UM. If I as we get closer, I feel like it's a field goal type game. One thing I noticed last week is like on the read option plays, like Lamar is not handing it off anymore. They actually they actually stopped Lamar many times in put them in long yard situations. But he's he knows like I'm the I'm the best player on the field. I'm gonna pop a couple here, and he did. He popped like three or four, including

that touchdown. It's like he's no longer handed off. He's just like I'm gonna take over. I was gonna say there's a lot of horizontal Lamar running in the first half of that game, and this is stupid do do this, but you know it also sometimes makes a point. Take out the forty eight yards score and the run around the right end that clinched the game. And I would bet he was at about three yards to carry the

rest of the way. Maybe made some great throws though that the third down throw to Andrews while he's running to the sideline at the end of the first quarter, like one of the deep outs to Brown hit. The thing about Lamaro, he'll have a couple of ugly ones, but if he has three or four pretty next level ones,

then you're in trouble. Well, and Buffalo has given up more catches to tight ends than any team in the league, so you know they're they're Mark Andrews when he's part of that passing game and central to it, the pretty good um. Lamar also threw the ugliest interception of the plays.

And it will not be tough. And I don't need I don't need these backward passes to Marque's Hollywood floor for dangerous Hollywood, Florida brown um stepping up that was grabbing that ball behind his helmet in a one score game. That thing was getting through the back of the end zone for either a safety or recovery for a touchdown.

You know, we talked about how Josh Allen got lucky on that on that fumble, we're told we're talking about a totally different narrative and art to Lamar Jackson's career. It was wide receiver doesn't bell out on that throw. He's a He's a walking example of quarterbacks getting too much credit for wins and too much blame for losses. I thought he actually played fine last year in the division. Obviously, you can't turn the ball over like like they did.

But it's like he had a basically right now, he had an average Lamar Jackson game, which is really good, and and everyone else around and right now I think is playing at a higher problem is that's not how coverage of football I know. But he's like a good example, like, is there really that much difference between Lamar for like right now and the way he played in that game a year ago? I don't think so. All right, let's

uh pause halftime, uh and spend through the news. What's going on on the coaching carousel and in other places some changes on coaching staffs of by eliminated teams from the postseason. We'll start with Ryan schotten Schottenheimer, who was out in Seattle. They part ways citing quote philosophical differences. Uh, this offense in his three seasons, you know, it was pretty hot and cold. But it was as hot as any offense in the league in the first half of

this year. Um the hashtag let Russ cook era. But the collapsed in the second hit the second half, and then what happened in the playoffs dooms Schottenheimer. And I just want to say, like I love Troy Aikman, Um, but it did It felt so simplified. I left me almost angry when he said during the telecast UM last weekend that the decision was made when the Seattle defense was so bad in the first half that Pete Carle said, oh, we have to stop this. We're changing the offense to

fix the defense. It felt so simplistic. I would really love to know how this actually happened, uh and led to the collapse, because it had to be more than just a scheme change. It just seemed like so many things went wrong. They were still, you know, passing pretty heavily on early downs, and they it's not like they totally went away from it. They just were worse. I think I think there's a pretty strong argument that the early season success was based on a number of unsustainable,

amazing deep shot plays that you can't really scheme. And he played a bunch of division opponents who know how to how to stop him, and uh, it's just there aren't that many open receivers. And but Russell Wilson was playing, you know, really poorly that game that they lost to the Giants twelve to seventeen. I mean, there were whispers and there were a couple of comments from people in Seattle that said that others kind of mimic that, and

we're able to use that. I mean, they went out and scored forty points the next week, but that was against the Jets. But they didn't. They were not the same offense other than that down the stretch. And I mean, if you were a Rams fan, though, you've got to be loving this because there's nothing sweeter than beating a divisional opponent like the Rams did in the playoffs. And what comes out of it is total k us for

Seattle and the Seahawks. Everyone asking if Pete Carroll's like falling off a tree branch at this point, and like the scheme's changing, we're firing coordinators. I mean, it's just it's, um, it's pretty ugly. A few things jumble my brain more than when someone says the score of a sports game and it's the lower score first, as you just did. You said twelve to seventeen, and my brain is still recovery.

You want to know why I did that? Because I went to I because I wanted to be accurate, which at least I was accurate in terms of these score But I went to Pro Football Reference and I went to Seattle's page, so they list Seattle's score first, um to suggest that they were the losers. But then I read it to you, and so I'm the loser because I said it that where I'm the loser because I I blocked up the Chiefs And I've been feeling Mark's uh you know, Mark and I were on good footing

until now. Now. No, I couldn't be less annoyed at you. I think it's great that you did so, Mark, how about this in terms of correcting um yourself? Who? How do you pronounce the last name of the departed Steelers offensive coordinator Randy I say, Randy Fichner, all right, the Steelers and other news will not bring back offensive coordinator Randy Pietner. By the way, if I ever become the

host of the show, will never happen. I'm going to set you up for so many little trick questions that guarantee you had no idea how to say that, but you let you will allow me to tumble over that on a show that someone right now in like uh, Scotland is listening to thinking that guy is an idiot. Um, I will find a way to get back at you. I promised you. I really do think I've always said this. I think in the off season we should do a show. Put Cessler in the host chair. I'll be in the

Sessler chair. I don't know what we'll do. Maybe maybe Greg will produce. Ricky will be in the Greg chair and we'll just mix it up, and then that would be a great spot for revenge. Mark start to plot it. Uhickener, Uh is not coming back. This isn't a firing because his contract was up. But Pittsburgh's another offense that everything was coming They were eleven or oh and big Ben was um having a really nice season and then the Wheels came off, they lost four their final uh five

regular season games and then lost obviously Cleveland Browns. And so he's out and the Steelers under Mike Tomlin. You know, Tomin's not going anywhere. They've had three head coaches since nineteen sixty nine. But changes were coming, Greg, and they're starting on the offensive side. I feel like that the pink slips started to be written the minute that Mike Silver went on NFL Network and and said that Ben Roethlisberger was telling people that he started drawing up plays

because the plays they were calling wasn't working. And I mean, that's not too suckle, not too subtle from your your Hall of Fame quarterback, and by the way, also not too subtle from you Gregg throwing the Big Ben under the bus as you always do in every other in that in that sort of case, Yeah, I loved I loved watching Big then play for all these years. But I don't like how you try to shift blame. That's not that's not what you want out of your leaders.

But this has kind of distracted from Mike Tomlins defense absolutely collapsing down the stretch too. It's not it wasn't just the offense was not just the urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Looks like this thing might happen. ESPN reported that the former Ohio State and Florida Florida coach

will be the jaguars next head coach. This thing is not official, but the negotiations have been reported reportedly been in the works for over a month, and uh, we'll see now, Mark if they if they get past the finish line, it's a flashy higher. It makes a lot of sense. Obviously they're gonna bring in Trevor Lawrence as well, uh, to reboot the machine. Whether it works, we'll see. Urban Meyer has been out of the game a long time and he's never been a coach on any level in

the NFL. I think it's one of those hires where kind of like when Nick Saban went to the NFL or Steve spur Your, um, uh, Chip Kelly to some degree where it is going to be so under the microscope because urban Meyer and you know, we aren't huge college guys, but I feel like I've been hearing about urban Meyer for decades and have never equated him with

the NFL. I mean, for obvious reasons. He's reigned in college, and he's been through a lot of UM ups and downs and controversies, you know, off the field, with some stuff that happened in Ohio State. Um, this is a polarizing higher. But he apparently, like is UH, was very interested in coaching Trevor Lawrence. So if you're a Jaguars fan, UM, getting Trevor Lawrence is one and and the coach matters

a ton UM. I wonder where we'll be three hour, three years from now with with this kind of a higher. But um, Jacksonville fans, from where you were a month ago to where you are now, I mean, it's a completely different headspace, and it's one filled with um new waves of hope. I mean for a team that just had no future a few months ago, all right, and real quickly, Brad Holmes is hired as UH the new

general manager of the Detroit Lions. He's the former director of College Scouting UM in Los Angeles for the Rams, and the Broncos reach a deal with George Patton to be their new general manager. He spent the last thirteen years with the Vikings. He signs a six year deal to replace John Elway as GM. John goes I guess further upstairs and as the football's are, if you will. That's what's happening in the week Factor. Greg. Do you have anything about Patton you want to? Oh? Yeah, I'm

a huge patent night. I mean, this changes everything. And he's been doing interviews for years. He I mean, that is a tough job GM. With Elway not just still in the building and not in some ceremonial role, he is going to be all over General Patton. It's funny. I've been reading some of these insidery reports. I don't know, man, it sounded like Elway was more like I'm trying to get out of here and just chill. And the Broncos

were like, can you stay around another year? And he was like, yeah, sure, but um you're you're all good? You know how higher the GM, it sounds like he's just kind of over. I don't think he'll be there two years now. He's a competitive man. We'll see, We'll see if he's able to stay out of the kitchen. All right, Let's now move into the NFC and start with a great old showdown between old quarterbacks the NFC South the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coming off that win over

the Washington football team last Saturday night. They now head to the super Dome to face the number two seed Saints, who didn't get a bye, but they got something close to it. With the Bears. It turned into essentially like a full squad scrimmage and then they won nine And we're just happy that game is over and we don't have to talk about it ever again. And now what we get is two of the most prolific passers ever to play football. Two men. Brady forty three years old.

Breeze I believe is forty one. It could be the last time and likely is the last time they'll ever be on the same field together, with Breeze heading towards retirement. But Mark will start this way. You never know what Tom Brady either. Now, Brady has been incredible UM this season, and he was good again last week. UM. But the assumption here, obviously is that Brady is going to continue to thrive and be in this situation, UH for years

to come. You just never know. There's so many outside factors, so they're they're absolutely needs to be urgency for forty three or forty three year old quarterbacks. You may not never get to the divisional round again, great matchup between two old kings. Well, it's I think it's for the reason that we watched the NFL for for the chance to see UM at this late stage in their careers.

You know, they're not that different than our age. They're older than you guys, uh and you know, you know, I mean, most guys that are forty two and forty three are lumps of clay at this point. And these guys are still doing what they're doing. It's impressive. Um. Tom Brady, I think you know, since maybe mid December is in the best one of the best quarterbacks in the league, if not the best, I mean, and his

deep the deep ball is back. And so when I look at what happened in Week nine when they were shredded thirty eight to three. UM, even week one, Week one I throw out. But the Week nine UM shredding of Tampa Bay, it concerns me because I think the Saints on both sides, like their offensive line and defensive line, you'd have to say, are big advantages that they can they can force their will will on teams and win

in different ways. Um. But but the Bucks have changed, They've evolved, and it's guys like Antonio brown Um really flowering in this offense, and we've seen it with Rob Gronkowski and I don't love their ground game. But this is a matchup where it's like, it's like a Pro Bowl of wide receivers if you look at both sides. And so I don't think Tampa Bay is gonna put up three points in this one. I think this is gonna be a completely different looking game. But the Saints

to me, match up well and have the advantage. Yeah, It's one of those where it's like, is it about matchups? There is about who's playing better right now? Because the matchups say Saints just because Peyton's four against Arians, you know the way that game played out. A lot of these matchups go back before Arians was even there, Like Marshall Lattimore's kind of dominated Mike Evans his entire career, Trey Hendrickson, you know, dominated Donovan Smith in the in

those matchups and really kind of destroy things. Cam Jordan's probably gave Tristan Worths, who has been great at tackle all year, his worst game. So like those matchups seem

to favor New Orleans, so does the coaching matchup. But then you just like look at it, and it's like Tom Brady is way better than Drew Brees, like way better right now, Like it's almost underrated how well Brady's playing, because yeah, I tweeted something out about it, and it's like, we'll look at who they pay, who who they played. It's like, okay, show me the other team. Okay, the Lions are terrible. Did anyone else put up six straight

touchdowns against them? No, so relative to what everyone else did. Know the throws Brady's making they played at they played the number three d v O A defense last year. I mean last week they put up thirty one points and they went one for five in the red zone. They could have put up forty. The throws he's making are outrageous. He's playing so well. Um Brown is more incorporated. He had just joined the team. Godwin's playing better. So, if anything, I think Brady's it's almost over. So they

played the Falcons face. Okay, Falcons shut down the Falcons shut down Patrick Mahomes the week after Brady killed him. The Chiefs aren't even try right now, exactly exactly, that's what they say that, that's what they say. Okay, they shut down Herbert too. I just I don't know. I trust the offense, and that's how always I always picked these games. And well I'm not picking against Brady right now. Yeah, I I love um, I love the way Brady's playing

right now. And to some statistical backing from our great NFL research team, uh, that really paint the picture of how much the Bucks have changed since that three um lowest moment against the Saints. The Bucks have average thirty four point one points per game, uh nearly four totally yards per games since their Week nine lost to New Orleans, including the playoffs. When they lost to the Saints, they had the three points, of course, and a hundred ninety

four total yards. They I mean, Brady was angry. They had no chance to get anything going. And now though Tampa Bay is the most total yards and second most points per game in the NFL since Week ten, but it's also marking unstoppable force versus an removable object game because the Saints have allowed sixteen point two points per game since Week ten, including the playoffs, so they're playing

great football. You could say nothing's changed for them since that that most recent matchup on the defensive side of the ball, So why not why shouldn't we think now that Tom Brady and this offense will come down to earth a little bit when they face a familiar foe. I mean, I come down to earth from where they've been. Sure, I think they'll they'll be more competitive than than that last one. Um, it's tough to be a team three times. Although I don't know what the science behind that is.

I think to do anything, it kind of says it's it's relatively easy for what it's worth. Let's blow that narrative up. That's an absurd I can hear that from everyone, and it's the numbers say that that, Yeah, they have the overwhelming the third the third time you play them, they have the overwhelming advantage, usually because they're a better

team usually right, well, right, that's got to be. But you would assume that you're meeting in the playoffs if you're doing it a third time, so both to be good. I think it's big that Devon White is back for the Bucks. He's been really disruptive. I love his speed. Um, he can cause some chaos. I mean that the Bucks pass rush could give some problems to Breeze. You've got

to figure out a way to do that. But the You know, this Saints offensive line is one of I I kind of like a defense that's been as good as the Saints have um over the back half of the season. The way their offensive line is playing, I kind of just cling to those things. I don't think it's gonna be I could see like six kind of type game. NFC South teams are always wacky. I mean, you know, please, I'm worried about you know, if the Bucks defense way more than the offense. The defense is

quietly kind of falling apart um. They don't have much of a pass rush. To me, that's the big that's the biggest difference right now between right now and early in the year and last year, Shack Barrett has about a third as many QB hits and sacks. You picked the wrong year to get on the old Shack Barrett. Right, it's not happening. And this is a tough matchup. So last week, because they can't generate pressure, they're like sending crazy blitz is and Taylor Heineke is lighting him up.

That worries me. Um, But can the Saints take advantage there? They just haven't had many big plays. Even last week. It's like five point one yards per play moving the ball. Breeze has one game out of his last seven where he's thrown for more than seven yards per tempt. So it's dink and dunk and dink, and maybe that works and he's starting By the time you listen to this. He turns forty two on Friday, and when he got interviewed after the win um uh Sunday, it sounds like

he's already a broadcaster. Like he actually sounded like a dude doing like a hit uh for NBC during halftime of a Sunday night football game in week nine. He's like, already there. You know, I don't want to play the So I know we talked about on this pod where Bruce arians he's still plugged in. I think Drew Brees is one foot already in retirement. I mean, isn't more fired up than ever. I mean, he does not want his career to end, by the way, of course, losing

losing the great things to come to losing that. Tom Brady, Hey, I've been in the shadow of you my whole career. I'm obsessed with like numbers, but you know, everyone thinks of Brady as the ultimate winner, and my career is gonna end at home with a loss to you in Tampa. I just put in uniform that would be rough, but it would be I don't know, the opposite, right, maybe Sean Payton. I think Sean Payton could win this game, you know, on his own. You're right and the yeah,

you got everything. It's all about kind of recalibrating. Um. When you talk about the Saints, the what Drew brees in the offense is where they factor in in terms of the whole Saints. The Saints do here, It's just a part of it. It's not the main driving force. I like the Saints. I'm sticking with him as my NFC Super Bowl pick uh in a fuel goal game to get past the Bucks. But I don't feel good about this one, to be honest with you. I really think it's a game that can go the other way

very easily. But I am picking the Saints by a field goal four. We just reminded me I took the Saints in that like super Bowl challenge to make the Super Bowl, but I'm picking the Bucks this week. So you know that's the problem with these things, Like you're covering, You're covered either way, you know, Like I picked I have Saints twenty four, bucks twenty one and overtime. Um, but I'll tell you one like, I need Will Lutts

to be a little bit more. He's it seems like happening the Kicker Club at to to twelve in the morning before these games. But Will Lots has not been um force of old. Who did they just sign? They just signed? Yeah, they signed a kicker this week just to have in reserve, just because uh, Let's has been a little Let's has been. He's been revoked. His open bar privileges has been have been revoked. He's not allowed

in the champagne room. So right now he's just like the nerd at the end of the bar, hoping that a girl will talk to him. It's Blair. It's Blair wh they have Blair Ross not now. You don't tell me. I have a kicker problem. And the way to solve it is let's get Blair Walsh on the field in a playoff game. Well, it's not happening this week, but he he was on their practice He's on their practice squad right now. Blair Walsh. What what sort of female

um inhabitants are allowed into the Kicker Club? I was. I was. I thought it was just kickers hanging out together. How would you decipher who's allowed in? Well, there is like a big undercurrent, bubbling undercurrent of groupies, kicker groupies, a big undercurrent, and uh, that is what we're talking about. Just think like led Zeppelin on tour nineteen. All you

can tell me more about it. Blair Walsh um, of course missed like a nine yard field goal to cost the Vikings a playoff when he gets the Seahawks about five years ago. So I don't know, man, that's how you brought in the building. I mean in like negative eighty degree weather. But fair enough, the ball probably weighed like two fifty pounds. It was a two yard kick. All he had to do is touch it and it was going over. I mean, lots would have to go like, oh for three in a win or something. I think

to see Blair Walsh next week. But um, alright, which takes us to the final game we're going to discuss it is the other NFC tilt to decide who goes to the championship game? Mark, how about this when you if you want to look at it like this as a Browns fan, because it's been a long time for me. But divisional round weekend, when your team's in it, your two wins away from the super Bowl, that just get two more dubs. It's it's a lot to ask the

club feel surreal territory. That's what I'm trying to be off to mystic? Why go into this right? I'm with you all right here we are, I'm with you. You picked. That's why I think it's just my guilt coming through. I'm really reconsidering because I think my my heart actually believes the Rams have less of a chance to win. Um, but I had to take one of those. No, Greg, stick with the chief. Let's hit it. Packers and three Rams,

eleven and six Again. I am now essentially a commentator in the lock competition, So I'll just tell you right off the bat, I'm picking the Packers and I'm locking them up here at home, coming off the by against Jared Goff most likely, who has been practicing in full John Bulford obviously is in a tough spot coming off that stinger. Do I do I start here? Mark? Do

I really feel good? And all due respect to the Rams on defense, but do I really feel like Jared Goff is gonna make enough plays in this game, playing and potentially snowy conditions in lamb field, uh, needing to throw the ball uh, and then a matchup against opposite Aaron Rodgers. I do not feel good about that at all.

You're gonna need something very special. You're gonna need some Brown type Brown's type circumstances, a snap going over a quarterback's head, uh, interceptions on tip balls for this to be a game. To me, what do you think I'm

with you? Uh? I mean, we've gotten word that John Wilford is actually out, so that at least settles um the drama around the quarterback situation and everything we've seen from Jared Goff and everything that we're hearing from you know in subtext and decisions made by Sean McVeigh says that your lack of confidence in that quarterback is felt by various people inside the organization. I think right now, this is a quarterback with notoriously small hands. Um, he

is a fumbler. He throws interceptions terrible times. I don't know about doll Hamman, I don't know what size the doll is, but um, i'd be concerned. The one thing is I think that's getting a little forgotten in what I'm hearing day today, is this like Rams defense and legitimately is so pumped up that like this matchup will be titanic. It could be. It could also be twenty one to three UM at halftime. If the Rams offense

can produce I think that their ground game. If you get the good version of Cam Akers, you've got something going on there. If you get a mistake free version of Jared Goff, they can hang in a game. If you have your Darius Williams of the world, Aaron Donald says, he's healthy. If if you're if Jalen Ramsey can erase Davante Adams to some degree, Um, that's TRUEY, that's it.

I mean, this is the way I never thought we'd say back in September that the bigger coaching storyline for the Rams is not Sean McVeigh, but Brandon Staley, who has become um like the the patron saint of think pieces and people being obsessed with assistant coaches as they are coordinated. It's Brandon Staley right now, And I mean the bigger task is probably Sean McVeigh figuring out how to get this offense um to compete in a game where they might have to score a bunch of points, right.

I mean, the Packers defense quietly finished the season much stronger than than they did um early in the year, including that Titans game. And I think an average defense right now is shutting down this Rams group and so that it's just a tough it's a tough margin. Fair. There was nothing we saw from golf last week, um that I found any different than what we saw before. It's part of it is his thumb. A couple of balls came out wobbly, so that's that's not on him,

but it's what he's playing with. But more of it was his processing, always a little bit of a beat late. You know, the two big plays they got were a little flukey, a little hard to repeat. It was that that scrambled by golf that that led to the long acres you know, run on the short pass and then that kind of moonball that Cuff came down with. It's tough.

It's tough to win a game like that, but there's I think there's at least a chance that Brandon Staley, the man that McVeigh hired because brand and Staley was best equipped to stop a Sean McVeigh offense, that's why he hired him, is equipped to stop this Packers offense.

Somewhat there, Aaron Jones is gonna have a chance, I think, to have a big game because it's all gonna be about the coverage and it's all gonna be about stopping the Packers passing game, and they'll probably live with Aaron Jones going off if the Rams were to pull off the upset. I just feel like that's what everybody would be talking about Monday morning. What a masterpiece put together by the Rams coaching staff who figure out a way to defuse this Aaron Rodgers offense and uh scheme up

a way to get enough points. I also like not to pile on um the Rams in terms of my feelings about how this game is gonna play out. And we have a very special guest who's just about to join us, who is gonna be very mad at me. Um. I know Aaron Donald said this week he doesn't him feel his ribide or anymore, but that's what guys say when it's the playoffs, and he's obviously no way he's gonna miss this game. Aaron Donald's the best defensive player in the league. You might be the best player in

the league, depending on who you talked to. But that cartilage injury he suffered uh in his rib cage was bad enough that it took him off the field for the entire second half of a hotly contested game in the wild card round. And even if and you know he's being managed this week, and that makes sense, But once you're going full speed and you're lunging and attacking and falling on quarterbacks and engaging in hand to hand battle with offensive lineman, I don't feel great that that

injury is not gonna pop up again. And if it pops up and he reaggravates it, is it gonna be bad enough where it takes him off the field entirely Like that, There is a scenario, And now let's bring her in, Lakisha, Come on in the great Lakisa. Jackson Westling beautiful as always. I like the new hairstyle. There is a scenario here, Lakisha where Aaron Donald exits in the second quarter with a reaggravation of his injury. Jared

Golf can't throw the football. I guess like Borders is the backup, and this game just goes completely sideways and becomes the blowout of the visional round. He can tell me why this premonition that's coming into my mind is a bunch of baloney. Well, I will say this, I agree exactly what you said about Aaron Donald. That freaks me out because especially playing in the cold, we don't know how that's going to react. But you have to remember that it's Aaron Donald. So even if he's at

what could be everybody else is a dent. So if he's going to be out there, I know he's going to give it his all. So that's the number one thing that if he's doing great, then no, we're doing great and our defense can pull us through. Offense is where it gets a bit scary for me. So right like Donald, potentially you know, Troy Hitman said he's the best player he's ever seen, better than like not on that he's at his absolute peak. So you would if I had to guess he probably has a broken rib.

You know that what you know that they're not going to announce that that's a problem. But if if he was right, their defensive line has been playing good, you know, not just him, and you know the Packers are without boxed the area. They've got a great offer line, but their guard that they put in there, they got Billy Turner and and Rick Wagner. I mean, you got Leonard flot like you could you could see it. And then Ramsey, to me is the bigger X factory. Ramsey talks a

lot of talk. This is the toughest matchup you can possibly have. If you can if you can actually shut down Davante Adams and the Packers are the most number one receiver dependent team in the league, then you got a shot. I guess I gotta see it before I believe I gotta see it before I believe it. That's like the one thing I'm really looking forward to watch. And it's like I'm hoping it's not a blowout game, but like my eyes are gonna stay on um Davante

and Ramsey. I think you have reason to think that Ramsey can do this. I mean, it's it's kind of been like matchup free. He's just been that dominant. I thought there was a moment in the last week's game where you know, and they and we talked about this before La Keysha that there there's no better feeling if you're a Rams fan than sending the Seahawks into utter turmoil that you know results in firings and may Ham

and twitter post from you know, Russell Wilson. But there was a moment where Ramsey is just wagging his finger all over the place, and it's like there are times when he can be annoying um when he was on the Jaguars, for instance, but he is at the height of his powers and gives you hope in this game, I would wonder, and I I hate to have to do this because like the show is about to end, but I haven't done my lock yet and maybe if

you could, Lakisha, just cover your ears real quick. Just for the record, I have to lock up the Packers. I'm sorry. Uh, Chris is doing the same, so I don't know about locking. Don't say that though, but against the world, Lakisha is legit RAMS fan and she's one of the She's an unusual RAMS fan and in fact, let me read a pin to tweet atop her fine profile,

which you can get at Lasia Jackson and Lakeisha. By the way, in the decition to doing great work for NFL and being the rock of all rocks for Chris wessling Um has her NFL Uncorked video series, which you need to check out. Here's the tweet. Going from a St. Louis RAMS fan to an l A Rams fan is brutal. It's like getting back together with an X that all of your friends hate. Sigh. Lakisha is a St. Louis native who moved to l A and then the team

followed her here, which is very unusual and unique. Now that enough time has passed, you still have some of that residual guilt or issues with, you know, friends that hate your ex. Not not anymore. But I will say for the first like year or so, it was really hard. People thought that I knew something when I moved out here, and it's just like no, like that's you know, I was not an insider. That did not happen on purpose. But even like with the first you know, one or

two years we were even getting good. I was very very hesitant to like post pictures and say too much because it just it was hard and I and I felt bad. I wasn't you know, I was sad for my city. But you know, after a while I had to post something saying like hey, I gotta live my life and these are my boys. So ridding hard for them. L A. Rams you know, you don't know, you don't need that support your happiness. Let you know you have

to go through Jeff Fisher. You came out. I suffered through all that and now I'm in the glory years. You got yourself a husband, you know, a great job. You know these people they need, they need to support you. Yes, they're happy for me now though I was, I was, I was with you on the metaphor. Now I'm not tracking it. It's the husband, the rams or is at West now the husband in this case was the rest of West, thinking of West Lakisha. How is how is our man right now? He's doing a little bit better

this week. It's not huge, but we'll take any little, you know, significant like little little progresses, just you know, slowly just taking a day by day. It's hard to kind of get too excited because, as you guys have noticed, whenever you know something good will happen, it's like we'll take two steps forward. So it's just living it each day by day. And I'd have to ask along with that, like link, uh, not sure how many days he's been

on the earth day? Is he mowing the lawn? Is he helping out around the point in his part, I was worried because he had just woke up when I got on him, Like, oh goodness, I hope they can't hear him screaming. But he's growing so fast, Like that's the know I said this last time, But every day, like he just makes us so happy. And now that he's able to crawl and go wherever he wants to, the cutest thing that he does is we ended up

getting a recliner to help Chris sleep. Um, so if Chris is like up in the recliner his blanket, sometimes we'll like hangover on the floor and Link will always like crawl over and like put his head on it and like look up and talk to him. And it just get that just kids just know, like babies are smart. They know like when you need that extra like loving like you know, dead, you know I'm still here. You

can do this. Yeah, it's obviously been such a challenge for you guys, But having Link in there, I can't imagine. That's that's the light of life in the home. Getting so much personality. Yeah, I can't. You get to know him better. Unfortunately, the pandemic is keeping us from really getting to no link. But in time we will pick a game. We need your pick, Lukisha, No, I'm going Rams there you go see, you gotta talk to shooks. Shooks picking against the Browns for the second great week.

What's the final score of this game? Final score? Let's goree's that's the score that Peter King's leading with his Monday morning quarterback Brandon Staley and Sean McVeigh cooked up the game plan of their lives. Alright, my fingers crossed. Got to give at least a chance of the old like Sean McVeigh la fleur matchup. You know, we used to call him the what who was he? The boy boy basically got hired because he was associated with with Sean McVeigh. And so I'm you know, you're not Sean McVeigh.

I'm Sean McVeigh. That's what That's what he says, hopefully. But although I did pick the Packers, does he say that to? I don't know what he says. I love Casa, by the way, because when I told her about when we talked about coming on the pot, she's not like excited to talk Rams necessarily. Her first response to just like I'm so excited to see you guys. COVID. This is so annoying, but this is like I feel like, you know, we're at Rocko's just chatting it up, talking

to football like we normally do. Aren't they like two better times? We'll all be together again sooner rather than later, hopefully. All Right, that's it. Good show, Lakisha. You are. You're the perfect woman in a lot of ways. Beauty, brains, loyal, no sports. I don't know if she can cook, and you cook not as good as West. So you found that you're good at finding the perfect compliments here you're not about the food. West makes love for her, um

and away. You're the best, and we'll be back on Well. Two things. We have our television show which is not this show. It's a totally different show that's previewing Division Round Weekend that will air on NFL Network tomorrow at three pm either Eastern or Pacific, and there will be six Eastern pasad thing and there will be re eras. So just check it out and and DVR it if you're overseas. I think you could track it down on

International Game Pass. But that's that's just a g that's just a guess at some point I'm gonna nail down. We're tied up by like rope and um, you know whatever else beyond at six pm on NFL Network. I feel like that's a violent coup. I'm given Erica the credit for that. I'm sure she was stumping behind the scenes. And then we'll be back, um hopefully with Chris Westling the other Westling on Sunday night for the Divisional Round playoff recap. It is the greatest football weekend of the year,

pound for pound, So let's all enjoy it. Everyone, stay safe, stay well. And I have a new rule on this podcast, Mark We're playing out every a t N podcast, including through the off season with that brown song, until Cleveland's been eliminated from the playoffs. So that's our new outgrow music until Cleveland's gone. That's what it is. All right, Well we'll see I hope it's you know, another eight

or nine or ten shows. Please all right, hit it, Ricky, all right, Just Dan handsOn signing off for Tis the Old Boss. I love this long the Quiet Storm and Ricky Hollywood behind the virtual glass until Sundays you goin back leave the round this first detemp, so get on the feet and let the games begin to see who we go again? Well we are gotten never something things we did like the old dog down, then the cord he got kids. Now we're gonna make notes in a

brand crease. Here we go, get you get, don't plus and web back on the back, pop rock this shot, let them all and shot it out loud we go, and it's the breathing grounds. First detemp, So get on the field. Let the games they gain. See who we go? We go to play the round? The play its first to ten, So get on the wind. At the game begin, See we're going, and we didn't we get we get, Well we didn't we don't get. Don't get Maybe you gonna chang so bound back and then it's gonna be good.

Here we go, cheer we go in. It's the favorite round and first to tap, so get go to even at the game begin, sham we all gain. Call we call again to cleave the whispers toge