2020-2021Week 17 Recap

of today's show. And Mark, I know you're in a good mood today because, for the first time in the history of this program, the Week seventeen slate will not be the end of your favorite football team season. And we're gonna get to that. But I just want to let you know that I like the smile on your face and I could tell the joy rages within. I mean, it's mostly just relief, um, compared to what the other narrative would be had they lost today. But I am happy,

and um, you know we can get into it. It's you. It's coming out of your pores. I can see it. It's a strange. It's a strange sensation. It's it's very surreal. Um. I know Mark very well, and I've gotten to know him as a sports fan very well. He externalizes anger about the Browns, but internalizes joy and there's so much within him right now, West that you could see it coming out of his pores and his skin. Look, he's flush.

You do don't know what to do. It's he's got a also a reputation to a p and he can't just go gaga right now after all these after all these years. You know, he's gotta there's a certain brand that we have here to protect absolutely, and well, guys have figured it out. You figured it out. We're gonna get to it the playoff schedule and everything at the back end of the show. But I I'm just gonna say right now, I don't I don't have a problem

with the Browns Week one or playoff matchup either. A lot to talk about this week, but first let's go through all the games. We're gonna go by conference here UH this week, and first we're gonna get uh to the a f C, go through everything there how that conference is set up for January football, and then hit the NFC capped with the Sunday night game between the Eagles and Washington football team. But yes, let's start in an FC, and yes, let's start in Cleveland. Mayfield takes

the snap. He's gonna run it to the rights. Mayfield turns the corner. Hey got the first down on the right side. He slides inside the forty yard line, making Fitzpatrick tags about first down, Browns at the thirty nine yard line of Pittsburgh and the clock is running. We're fifty two seconds left. Took all what's up? First down and at Cherry I'm starting to feeling right now. Jim Donovan with the call w k r K that Cleveland Browns are back in the postseason, qualifying for the Dance

for the first time since two thousand two. They snuff out a late Pittsburgh rally to beat the Steelers two. The Browns eleven and five. They're going to the playoffs, Mark Sessler, They're going to the playoffs, and you'll be watching them in your garage or your living room. I don't know they're going, Mark, they're going. It's um it's sinking in. It's still sinking in. I these Browns games, Um, I thought, Nick Shook, who will be on later put it well that they just they don't make it easy

on their fans or themselves. And you know, this was another week where they went into a the biggest game they've had in you know, since their return. I'd say, um, with one practice and a lot of remaining Corona issues, but no excuses with the Steelers sitting all their stars and um, you know, part of me thought the Browns kind of no matter what, they couldn't really come out of here winning the narrative because if you win, you beat under undermanned Steelers team. If you lose, well, we

know what the conversation piece would be there. I thought they just did. They did, They did whatever it took. Um from their star players who were on the field. They got just enough, They got just enough from Nick Chubb. Um, they had a hundred ninety two yards on the ground. But was a little bit different about this game was that a bunch of it came from Baker Mayfield. He is not a scrambler and that's not really a big

part of their playbook. But um, I thought he took off and move the chains on a couple of key runs that will ask when we heard the right there, Jarvis Landry made a couple of key catches. Um, and in this defense, which at this point is built of um, you know, plaster scene and small pieces of wood. Uh, you know, got got the interception from from Uh you know,

the did just enough. I'm kind of at a loss for words because I think that if you look at what the Steelers did, you could ask yourself, um, you know, from a brass tax angle, which team comes out of this more encouraged because Pittsburgh's B team nearly be Cleveland. And I think Cleveland's defense has become, especially without Denzel Award, um, a raging weakness. And they're gonna have to do a lot on offense and a lot more on offense next week to hang with the Steelers team that gets their

roster back. But I give Cleveland credit for um, you know, it's been a chaotic fourteen days for them, and there are a reflection of Kevin Stefanski. Uh. They they're not a panic team. Um. You know, I think good teams don't panic in general. And then Cleveland, unlike years past, UM have a bit of a different demeanor to them. Um, it's Olivier Vernon's hurt. You will see if they get if they get Denzel Award back. If they don't, UM,

I will see I the lother. The one other thing I'll say real quick is that this is this the Browns being here. UM. When I think of the Browns, I think of I think of you three and Erica first, UM because of a really rough, uh eight year period to get here. I think of all the people that UM tweeted today, all the listeners from our show. It means a lot. Um. But I but as to West's point, I'm not, like, you know, one of these fans that just has blind optimism. I'm very concerned about next week.

The Steelers are a very good team. Well, I still think the Browns should a be happy. You know that they got into the playoffs. Be okay, Yeah, I was the Steelers B team. Everyone's got a B team right now, especially the Browns. I mean, they were missing six players. I know it wasn't like the star players, but they had six guys on the COVID nineteen lest So I hate when teams playing back to back weeks. It doesn't happen too often. These teams will be playing again next week,

but it's really not the same game. Not only do you have. You know, the Steelers stars back, but but Cleveland is hopefully getting some reserves and compared to the other potential matchups that they could be going on the road to to be doing the a f C like Buffalo, Like I'll take it if I'm a Browns fan. The way the way that this thing uh ended up for Pittsburgh and and you gotta feel like, okay, at least, like let's not talk about bad luck and like everything

is just luck. Like they had some nice luck today. They kind of missed a call on a Mason Rudolph interception, you know, the two point play at the end. It comes down to a two point play that could have maybe even called a penalty there on the Browns. You got to play Mason Rudolph. So it's like they've earned eleven wins. Eleven wins gotta get you into the playoffs. I don't need to hear anything about backing in like

that's that's a playoff team. But just the way today unfolded, you got a bit of luck, and I think it's a team that they can certainly compete and maybe beat next week in Pittsburgh. Yeah, they you know, the the Steelers looked like they were dead in this game. After Rudolph through an interception, the Browns score shortly there after. Pittsburgh thirteen straight points after that and then go for

the two point conversion. Uh. In between, there was the the play call on third and three for Cleveland where they dropped back to pass when they're in field goal range are very close to it. Baker takes a sack and then an incompletion that then set up the second touchdown of the quarter for Pittsburgh. It wasn't it wasn't the most impressive impressive performance by the Browns, but ultimately it doesn't matter because they got the win and they're going to the playoffs and and like you said, and

we'll be talking about this all week. Uh, Pittsburgh, you know they didn't have t J. Watt in addition to Ben Roethlisberger. They're missing, Uh, they're two best players, are two most important players right there. It's gonna be a very different matchup. But also I don't think Cleveland's gonna be intimidated by going into Hines Field for that game.

I get the feeling that this is this is gonna be a very close game and what's gonna be a great weekend of football in the a f C. Yeah, I mean this just nearly caused um something of a breakup on our private text thread because and I know, you know, I know you guys were um rooting for good fortunes for for me personally, but uh, you know, we were calling the game in the third quarter and stuff, and everyone's saying everything's gonna be fine, and that was man,

I know, I know enough not to do stuff like that. Well, I don't know what dance was was attempting for their I just told you was over in the third quarter after the Routolph pick, And uh, I was right because it was over because you were right. I didn't I didn't totally enjoy it at the time. And I said, unsubscribed from this threat after being on it for you know, six plus years. But um, yes, you were right in the end, and I'm glad that you that you were alright.

So Cleveland playing January football for the first time since two thousand and two. How about that the Buffalo Bills, a team that had that very little luck in the last twenty years, they closed out their schedule with not a lot of movement to be made in the playoff picture. But they did have the chance to break some hearts. Head break some hearts. They did. End of the air, a pretty good booking punt. Mackenzie back pedaling, feels it at the sixteen yard line, dodges two men. Starts up

the middle. Now to the right side at the thirty. At the forty, isa McKenzie on the run at midfield in Miami territory. Gotta beat the punter and he gets around him. He's at the twenty. He's at the fifteen. Five touchdown touchdown, touchdown, Buffalo ISAA. McKenzie goes eighty four yards for the touchdown. He's got three touchdowns today. Good night Miami. Everybody having fun connected to the Buffalo Bills, including John Murphy of w g R with the call.

Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes, and yes, Isaiah McKenzie scored three times in the first half, including that eighty four yard punt returned. It was over at that point. The Bills pour it on against the Dolphins fifty six to twenty six at Orchard Park. With the wind, the Bills clinched that number two seed, um completing an incredible year where they match a single season record for wins and won their first division title in twenty five years.

Josh Allen plays a half, throws three touchdowns because eighteen and Matt Barkley comes in. He even does some things in the second half, and that is the second most points scored in team history by the Bills. And Greg on the Dolphins side of things, just a complete collapse. Obviously, they had listen a lot of these teams are facing COVID nineteen challenges. Ryan Fitzpatrick uh in another heartbreaking step

back to his career, h comes down with COVID. He's sitting at home watching this game and to a and the offense very conservative again early on everything short of the sticks. But it wasn't just to him. This was a total meltdown in all three phases by the Dolphins, a team that you didn't expect that from giving what we had seen the first sixteen weeks. I didn't. I didn't, you know. I give the Bills so much credit. I guess they still only played Josh Allen for a half,

and and they could win by this much. I'm are so used to teams resting when they really don't need to win, and they had a feeling that the Steelers. Um, you know, they knew the Steelers were resting, and they said they were going all out for the two seeds. They didn't really, I mean they sat trade Avious White and Jerry Hughes, but they just put it on him because they're their football team playing good football. That's like,

you know, they're they're not gonna stop in Miami. As as frustrating as it is to end this way and feel like you got left out in the cold, and it's stacked a f C. They were a defensive team, and if your defense getting lit up by like this, it's not like they can feel like they got shorted that it was the Fitzpatrick injury or was you know, playing the Bills this week, or you know, they're getting unlucky not to make it at ten and six. If you're giving up this many points to the best of

the best, and that's the Bills. I mean, they weren't going anywhere uh fast that they had a great season, but this is kind of a brutal way to end it. Although, and and it raises questions because they're they have the number three overall draft pick. Uh courtesy of Billy O'Brien. Laremy Tunsil in the Houston Texans. We sat there in September. This offense comes out like a house of fire. Bill's offense and we say, yeah, but you know, it's what a team is doing in December that matters. This team

gets better every week. You take Cool Beasley way, everybody's disappointed, and then Smoke Brown comes back. Gabriel Davis goes over a hundred. They find some guy named Antonio Williams stasted under practice squad. I had to look. I had to dig deeper to find info on this guy than anybody ever in the history of this podcast. Who is Antonio Williams. This Bill's offense just seems to get better every week. The defense is getting better every week. It wasn't spice

Rack guy Jonathan Williams on the Bills. I mean spice Rack. Spice Rack can't catch a break. I mean, it turns out Antonio is the best random Williams running back ever to show up. Come on spice Rack. You'd have to think that had Fitzpatrick been available, we would have maybe seen a repeat of the you know, lineup switch. I mean this, I get that it's not all on toa but um kind of tracking this first half from Miami.

They the offense seems to just sputter and sort of fall apart when he's in there, and like like twenty eight yards or something on their first four drives, and they were averaging about two yards per play. Um, that was where they are at when the game was spinning out of control. And absolutely this would have been h

a relief performance. However you want to put this floor strategy for Fitzpatrick, but again it wouldn't have mattered because, um, what Miami did well all season, UH was you know, play uh, making the most of their players, getting contributions from all phases of the team defense, which led the way special teams doing special things. And yet a special team's breakdown on a punt return when they when they could LEAs survive it and you had the defense could

not get a stop. I believe Buffalo scored four straight touchdowns in the second quarter. Um, and the offense, which it all was always the liability with this team, UH was certainly didn't have it in them to get into a shootout with Buffalo. So um, while you could look at it as like man, it's a bummer, fits didn't get to end his playoff drout and didn't get in

this game. The way it played out and the level of the Bills are at even when they're only playing their stars are half the game, I don't think it matters. And the Dolphins, of course didn't get the luck they needed from the other games, so they go home. Uh. Just a tough, a tough way to end what was still a successful season for Miami, but a tough way to close it all right, let's move on now. The Baltimore Ravens also had put themselves in position to clinch

a playoff spot with a four game winning streak. They would lock themselves in with a w on Sunday. They got the Bengals, and I think you know how this is gonna turn out. Topic we'll carry across the thirty Lake Grace Midfield Bangal forty thirty topics, twenty he might ten, five will touchdub jak dutters, Jerry Sandowski, w B A L. Yes. The Ravens finish up a dominant closed to their season

with a thirty eight three beating of the Bengals. That's five straight wins for Baltimore and it clinches their third playoff birth and as many seasons with Lamar Jackson behind center mark the Ravens captain ferocious clothes with a historic and brushing performance. I mean, this is when I watched

this team. We just talked about the Bills. If I look at the Ravens and say, and I get that their schedule has been light down the stretch, who can handle what they're doing right now during this five game win streak, which um this podcast predicted Dan Hans is some well over a month ago. Uh, they are averaging two hundred and sixty seven point four rushing yards per game.

And it's so I love how they're doing it because today they run more for the fourth team since nineteen fifty to have more than four yards in a game. It's incredible, and it's and you know, and you can look at Tennessee and what what someone like Derrick Henry did. Um, they've shifted who gets carries in this backfield. But the way they have it right now, it's j K. Dobbins thirteen carries a hundred and sixty yards, Gus Edwards twelve

carries sixty yards, Lamar Jackson eleven. They are perfectly happy to be a three headed beast. Mark Ingram not a big role but he had nine rushes today. But in general, there's sort of a a pick your poison backfield, and it's gonna be someone different that blows up next week. And you're getting Lamar Jackson now, um rushing for yardage per game that is higher than his m v P level a year ago. Um, he threw a couple of

beautiful darts as well. Uh, someone like Mark Andrews is back involved in these games and there and they look to me completely unstoppable. I mean they really do. How many weeks in a row have we told us story where at halftime they had two d and fifty eight yards the Bengals had sixty two. And that's a Bengals issue to some degree. But the Bengals offense had looked pretty good the last couple of weeks, certainly a little bit a little bit different than in in weeks past.

And the Ravens just they take the life out of you. And I get that, UM. Time of possession is not like a total hallmark stat. But when the Ravens have the ball for twenty two minutes in the first half, it is with them because it's the way they do it. Even on their first drive, which was a field goal drive. They took seven minutes off the clock, So someone's have to find a way to slow this running game. Um. And when they were a bit milk toast in the

middle of the year, they didn't have this power. They seem agitated to me. Um, they're gonna get Tennessee and the playoffs. I cannot wait to see that game. I think they are fueled off of a sense of revenge right now. I just see it in them in a way that I don't some other teams. And they are total power. And you know, this is something that I think a lot of people, UM would look at and say, sports teams have a bunch of cliches. We don't buy into it, and that's fine, but athletes a lot of

times do. And John Harbaugh has told this team to roll roll off of faith and guts, two things that you can't see. Um. Yes, that sounds cliche, but they are operating like a team that has seen something no one else can. And I would be very scared to deal with them a week. Come on, Greggy, it's time to buy in on your The Ravens a team you fell in love with. You jumped off the band wang and at the wrong time. I mean, you got the Titans next weekend. Put the question, and I've got it.

I got it from you, and I got it from some sports talk guy too, is like, is this Ravens team more dangerous and better than last year's It's like, well, no, because they're missing those players. They haven't beaten the great teams you know yet and uh, that team, like if we know now that they blew it in the playoffs, but they were one of the greatest regular season teams in the history of the NFL. So it's like, no, they're not more dangerous than that. But you're right, it's crazy.

There are a five seed. They led the NFL and point differential entering this game before going up thirty eight to three on the Bengals. And I do love the way it sets up in the a f C because the Titans are not only the team that broke them and broke their hearts last year, they're the ones that did it this year. That game that the Ravens gave away was their low point and they had no business losing that game to the Titans, who just sort of took it from them at the end and started their downfall.

And now they get to go and make up for like the two tough, like biggest teams out there. On offense, you should expect a lot of points. I mean, it's beautiful. And oh, by the way, if the Seeds hold, then they get to go potentially or the winner that game potentially goes to Kansas City the next week. And that's delicious. To sign me up. Let's do it. What do you think about the Ravens right now compared to where they

were entering the playoffs a year ago? I think of how wrong I was that that I thought this team. I thought they were broken. Like Greg said, I thought the Titans broke that. You the way you deal with a bully is to punch him in the face, and the Titans are the only team willing to punch them in the face. They do it, they come away with it twice. They come away with it well done twice. And I thought this offensive line losing Ronnie Stanley, who was a Pro Bowl left tackle, and then now you've

got Zeus Brown kicking out too to left tackle. That guy should be an All Pro. To keep the offensive line together and to keep the running game the number one running game in the league. After switching positions. Supposed to be the slowest lineman in the NFL, now he's playing left tackle and they're killing it. I was so wrong about this team. You know. The one thing though, West Like it was Lamar Jackson who even said, teams

have figured us out. Teams looked at the Tennessee game and they've they've were not We're like six or seven weeks removed from a lot of chaos happening with that team. Marki's Hollywood Brown, say what's going on here? Why can't anyone find me? And I think they just sure they were. I mean, it's just like they've been through a lot, They've reshaped themselves. And the one thing that I do

think is different from last year's playoff team. Remember was Mark Andrews and back then Mark Ingram, the centerpiece of the ground game, who both were hurt going into the playoffs. They played, but they were not themselves and that was that was part of the issue with Baltimore. They were not at high power and right now they are and they have you know, J. K. Dobbins there this year,

and he's really turned into a player here. He broke the Ravens rookie touchdown record, Patrick Queen on the defense. It's a different team. Uh. They want to have a better result than they've had in recent playoff games. I I just I like a lot what I'm seeing from them, and I think a lot of people um agree. All right, So the Ravens keep rolling. They are the number five seed. Uh, they will play the Titans. The Titans had a chance to win the division the a f C South on Sunday.

Let's see if they could do it. Hack thirty seven yards to win it, Snap, said Sloman's kick us up. His kick hits the upright, he goes through. Yes, yes, yes, yes, Thank shot for Sloman in the a f C South champions reside in the six one five Mike Keith of another great call that I think that was like a West like Bob Yucker in Major League when the announcer is so excited that he runs away from the microphone to celebrate, and it's like, Mike, come back from Dave McGinnis,

come back. You gotta call the game. Yes, always trust Sam Sloman I was a a caller, robo caller, or a cold caller for Sloman Shield for two weeks in the late ninety nineties and so I don't get that

out there no matter what. Trust Sam Sloman, the villain kickers thirty eight yard attempt playing off the right, upright sputtered over the crossbars, time expired, the deciding points in the Titans forty one thirty eight win over the Texans, clinching the a f C south Um Ryan Tannehill, through a touchdown pass, ran for two more that gave him

an even forty scores on the season. Think about that and Derrick Henry, he did it rushing for two and fifty yards to become the eighth player in NFL history to amass two thousand yards in a season. And uh, it was so weird because that's a that's an incredible game, two d and fifty yards. But the Houston defense is so ridiculous and and so non competitive, and we've seen it because Derrick Henry's previous two games against the Houston

Texans defense he also had over two hundred yards. But in this game, needing the tree or whatever it was to get to two thousand, it was kind of like in the bag. Even by halftime he wasn't He still was like a hundred and fifty yards away, but it was like no, he's gonna get this, and then it just became waight is he's not gonna catch Dickerson because he's done that his entire career, these last three years, amazing Hall of Fame years where you know his numbers

are good but not great. Oh then all up seventy seven yards down the right sideline and all of a sudden, you could make up a lot of ground have become the all time rusher. He didn't get that, but he got two thousand, and the Titans win the a f C South, even though Chris Wessling they're a hard team to trust because I can't I continue. I tweeted about

this because I struggle wrapped my head around it. I know it's a different world now in the NFL, and the numbers are a little screwy, especially when you compare

it to old errors. But here's a team that has a two thousand yard rusher and a quarterback in Ryan Tannehill who had thirty three touchdown passes and seven rushing scores for forty and yet I see them as one of the weaker uh A f C uh contenders quote unquote because the defense is so bad to have all that on offense, and still I feel like the highly vulnerable in round one. That's unusual, so weird to picture the Titans in that way, where offensively just flush with talent,

you win with superstars and a J. Brown. That play he made down in the middle for fifty yards. What an awesome play. And then he just makes plays every week. Uh, Corey Davis falls fifteen yards side of a thousand and what he people who watched him every week. No, he had his best year by far. John who Smith one of the better run after catch tight ends in the league.

They are flushed with talent on one side of the ball and then the other side of the ball, saying every week they cannot rush the passer, so they can't stop anyone. It's like next level how they can't stop anyone though. I mean, if Brandon Cooks doesn't drop a first down throw that from the show on Watson with about thirty six seconds left, you know either would have had a first down and been closer in field goal range, or it would have set up second down to the

clock would run. This thing would have either gone overtime or the Texans would have won regulation. I had no faith that the Titans were gonna be able to force a stop there. They needed a little luck. They made a couple of good plays after that to force force the field goal. But the crazy thing is, you know, the the Titans got the ball back, I believe with nineteen seconds of eighteen seconds left, and I thought in one time out and I thought like, oh, that's probably

enough time. That's probably that's probably enough time for Ryan Tannell. I figured it would take two plays to get into field goal range, not not one. I was like, that's probably enough time to get a kickoff here, because the Titans are that good and the Texans are that bad,

and uh it came together. What what an awesome game the way that I was down on Week seventeen going into it, But I have to say the way that the late games were all like back and forth, like you didn't the Colts could have been anywhere from the four were seed out of the playoffs with like eight minutes left. It worked out pretty good. They gave us some good late Week seventeen drama. So thank you Texans.

And I mean, it is an odd thing from an employment angle to be heavily tracking seven games at the same time. It may be a few more than I need on a weekly basis. But it was You're right, Gregg, it was thrilling. And I'm just watching the Mike Rabel's expressions underneath the mask, but you can still sort of get, you know, read on the eyes um watching his defense just get literally fried. But but the floor for the offense is so high that I don't I kind of

have more belief than doubting them. They're in and they're in every game at least because of that. I'm with you Dan that it's hard to like see them surviving all the way, but but you also figure like they're they're in every game. One one quick thing I saw after the game was verybel giving a big shout out um to his owner who's from Houston, who ripped the team away from Houston. It's kind of an underrated art

model situation. So the first comment he has is given his credit to Amy Strunk Adams, who's you know, whose dad took the team from Houston. How about that they go to Houston, they win the division over him to end their season, and they stick it in their nose

like are we celebrating this or not? I don't like it, but it's sort of like an underrated thing that like they're just allowed to dance on the team's grave that they stole away, and you know, to finish the way the Texans did, which is what four and twelve they get five or the four four four and twelve And what comes out of a season like that is a

bedrock draft pick. Hopefully you don't even have that because, as we said, the Miami Dolphins have the number three overall pick because of the Bill O'Brien trade to get Laramie Tunzill. Uh So just an all around, uh really bad season. Uh for Houston and uh and for Tennessee maybe West. Maybe this is because you look at the rest of the a f C and you know, even the Steelers defense, which we've sung the praises up all year and rightfully so, they've had some moments of laps.

Maybe it's gonna be a wild type of playoff where the team with the most explosive superstar talent on offense just makes a run. And you know, the Chiefs are a team that can match anyone and shootout. But I guess I shouldn't be too hard on the Titans, And I was a little bit earlier because the defense is that bad, but the offense might be that good to shock some people. Yeah, who wouldn't like a Banansa playoff? Right?

Just to scoring Banansa just take off every game Bills, Chiefs, Titans, Ravens like there there's a lot of forty burgers in there. That was the most obvious forty one game ever. There was no doubt that Deshaun Watson was gonna go nuts one more time, and no doubt the Tennessee Titans defense would stink. And you knew Derrick Henry was gonna go absolutely mad. Uh So, a fun game to watch, even if it was I guess in a way a little bit predictable. One more thing I gotta get because we

just did the announcer power rankings. Lest I wish you were on that show. Um, but and you know, some maybe shots were taken at the a certain team, Gregg Gumbel and Rich Gannett. I don't think they were high up in either list. For Greg and Mark. Maybe gannon did a little bit better. I think part of it every judging in his teams. But Derrick Hennery, Derrick Henry runs for two thousand yards, and I mean it is

beyond an afterthought with these guys. This is what it sounds like when Derrick Hennry goes over two thousand, second and five. This is Henry Henry. He has enough for the first down at midfield. One thing about Tennessee, they won't panic. They played to a certain style offensively. That's now he's now over two thousand, just the eighth player in NFL history to do that. Congratulations to Derrick Henry. That is a that is a season full of work.

That's that's not not easy. Three seventy two carries to get it done. He's just a beast. A season full of work. I think they I think they nailed it. The mood, the tone, the moment, like a season full of sentences, like an exhibition game, is what it sounded like. And and and since I'm getting down on somebody, let me pull back. Going back to the Browns game and Kevin harland They showed Jarvis Landry on the sideline flossing for some reason, which is like an insane person would

floss in the middle of the football game. Kevin Harlan comes out of nowhere with this gem for the ages, and there's teal hygiene. There's something thing to take note, kits out there and there's never a bad place to flush. He sounds wait a minute, so wait, so Stephen Diggs was also flossing today? Who what? Wait? Who is that it was? I believe it was Stephen. I am sorry, Mark, I apologize. I just you know, in the sake of that he's and that moment is like, why what does

Kevin Harland remind me of? He's like a he does like voiceovers for Ovaltine in ven. He's the total package. Enough of this funny business, all right? Talked about the Titans. The Colts entered this game, entered this week on the outside looking in in the playoff picture. Uh nearly won the damn division and they're going to the dance. They have the Jaguars in Week seventeen. Rivers for all the hear hash hands off to Jonathan Taylor, Chal dirty, He's

gonna go touchdown, ch Ath Taylor. This is the line of scrimmage and writing into paper from forty five yards out? Touch down? Hid? Why chot Athan Taylor have a day over two hundred rushing yard? Nice call? Matt Taylor? W F and I forgot about j T T Remember JTT Jonathan Taylor, Thomas all about j F T Jonathan and Taylor running back Capa Tori close to his rookie season with two hundred and fifty three yards, including the game winning forty five yards score in fourteen win over the Jaguars.

The Colts flinched the seventh seed. They'll face the Bills next weekend. Greg Taylor's rise has been a game changer. I can't remember a player improving this much within one season. He was one of the biggest bus in the first half, and I think one of the best running backs in the league down the stretch. I mean he's gonna be

a first round Fantasy pick next year, I would imagine. Uh, And I think remember a month ago when I asked you, starting now, whose career would you rather have, Jonathan Taylor or James Robinson. Yeah, now I'm taking Taylor without a doubt. What did I say that? Did I get it right or wrong? Then he said, you gotta go with Robinson. See that bad job. You gotta look into the future. This guy, I mean he yeah, even he changed. I mean Robinson was out for this game. Who knows what

would happen? Then, Uh, it was fitting that Taylor did it because he's really what separates them right now from a hugely disappointing end to the season. What like what a the closier day for the Colts. They get the help they need early, you know, they find out the Dolphins lose and that they're winning in they get up twenty and nothing. Okay, we're gonna sail to this thing. Then the Texans start blowing their game and they're starting

to think we can win the division. But right as that's happening, Mike Glennon starts hitting third and fourteen, third and eights, third and nine, and the Jaguars score a couple of touchdowns to cut it from twenty to fourteen, and the Colts offense goes to sleep, just like it did a week ago sixth straight possessions without a single point against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a must win situation that included two missfield goals by Blanket Ship who's had

a good year. Um, but it was fitting that Taylor was the guy who kind of put them on their back with that run, and that the Forrest Buckner and Comico Terrey, who have you know, both been good this year, but Bucklinger's obviously carry them had two sacks and Terre with a huge sack kind of saved them. The defense stood up at a certain point when it really felt like, Wow, the Colts are gonna gag this thing away? Is this how Philip Rivers is? Career ends? And the defense and

the running game ultimately didn't let it happen. Thank God, I'm at least I'm happy. And Darius Leonard to um. I mean, when he makes an impact, he does not do it without flash. And you know, there were reports before this game that Philip Rivers basically has said unless he's brought back to play for the Colts, he's going to hang up the cleats. And so we get one more week of Philip Rivers. That could have been the end.

And you're right, Um, they didn't have the scores in their stadiums, so they didn't know what was going on with Tennessee. But they made this far too interesting. And when I look at the a f C playoff field, I'd have to put the Cults um as a team that I just struggled to believe in uh to the level of some of these other teams. But they find a way to win these games ugly and if you're gonna get that kind of rushing performance. Who knows they

have the Bills. If they were playing the Steelers, you're thinking, okay, you know, or even the Titans are they're familiar with. But but the Bills, that's a tough job. I mean, you got the Chiefs obviously, you have the Bills, you have the Ravens, and you have the Steelers. Even though I know that they stumbled down the stretch. They started the season eleven straight wins. That's a twelve win team. I think the Colts, uh, you know, they're they're very good.

Are they? Are they great? West? Do they have that next year which you're not gonna need to hit to win a Super Bowl? No, I think we've We've been talking about it all year. They're they're just shy of being great because they don't have their full compliment of receivers. They never had Paris Campbell healthy, they never had all

their young guys healthy. At the same time, Philip Philip Rivers needs Jacoby Brissette in the red zone to have a complete quarterback because he's too limited in the red zone. They're just shy of of being a full team. Well, we and we they we also haven't mentioned since we've last tape they've lost Anthony Costanzo. They're great left tackle for the season. He's not coming back. That wasn't their problem today. Rivers was really not bothered um. But their

passing game hasn't developed. I don't think it's injuries either. You know, compared to most teams, they're they're relatively healthy, and they had a stretch where the passing game looked better. But when Rivers is going six point one yards protempt against the jag he had a bad interception in the second half, could have had a couple. You never know, Maybe he comes up with one great last playoff performance. I also wouldn't be shocked if the Colts did bring

him back. I mean, I don't know, just knowing their history, are they sure they're gonna be able to do better than Philip Rivers? Maybe not. So it might not be the end for him, but many they avoided what would have been a regrettable gag job to to end the season having back to back games like that. All right, let's move on, and it is time. It's the time of the show. It's tag team time. Too, handsome ball gentlemen on the show but not for long, because Nick

Shook joins us, and Chris Westling says goodbye West. As always, your presence lifts the show to a much higher plane, and we have no them but love and respect for your abilities and you giving us the time today. Any final words, Uh, my voice is done, Shook, take it from here. You wanna you want to stick me with anything else? Dune I said a month ago, West, before you go. No, Actually I asked the whole podcast that question. You were the only one who answered, Okay. See the

rest of us are like, I'm not saying anything. There you go, Chris Wessling, the King, go rest up, my friend, Chooke, How are you, buddy? I'm fantastic. I've spent the last what is this five hours or so um in between watching multiple games once and all the audio from the broadcast. Hearing people outside my apartment screaming with joy is a celebration in downtown Cleveland. You think they won the Super

Bowl here? So in a way, you know, for a team that has had as uh much bad fortune as the Browns have since they rejoined the league, I get that. Hopefully people are doing it the smart now. Many people are in that stadium look like thousand or something or twelve thousand, sound like the letting more people in there. It was twelve. It was. I saw some guy tweet at Joe Thomas. He was like, he's like, come on out. You know the bars are open only for three more hours.

I'm like, Joe, please don't go to the bars. I will try a blind eye this one time. To you go do whatever you need to do. Cleveland right outside. Alright, Chookie, So congratulations to you on the Browns. You are doing yeoman's work this week, because we're gonna take kind of a brief pause from the playoff implication level games in the a f C before we get to the a f C to fill in the rest of the margins

of week seventeen. Two more games, three more games, excuse me hitting the a f C. Let's start with what went down in Denver two point a town car looks left fire, got it? Waller, Jeff Card, Jeff pod Raids, thirty two, Proco's thirty one Suckers, Vitru Lock Braby, listen, bred Musburger. That that man, he's not a young man anymore. To have that level of vigor for a meaningless week, seventeen tilt. That was a nice higher by the Las

Vegas Raiders. H Musburger k r l V Yes. Josh Jacobs plunged in from one yard out to get the Raiders close, and Derek car and Darren Waller converted on that two point conversion in the final second, securing a win over the Broncos. Mark thirty points in the fourth quarter alone by these two teams. Sounds like a fun, dumb game to close out disappointing season for the West Roers. Yeah,

fun and dumb would be accurate. Um, they really want to thank the Raiders for going for the two point conversion there versus taking this into overtime, which you could put on for kind of gone on for another twenty five minutes or so. Note no human needed that, Um, I mean the Raiders. Um, this was kind of every Raiders game. Like Jerry Judy of the b Goes We said, you know, we saw what happened against the Chargers last week, drop prone, horrible performance. You think that would be the

note that you go into the off season with. It's the Raiders defense, so they get right. Um, Jerry Judy at a ninety two yard touchdown that you know, looked like it could have been the game winner, and then Oakland came back. Oakland at one point had three turnovers and five snaps. Um, you get a little bit of good from Derek Carr, you get enough from Derek Carr. Again, I'm not trying to read, um, what's going on with

some of these coaches. But Gruden, underneath the mask looked absolutely steamed at Derek Carr at points in this game. But the issues are on defense. They they did enough on offense to get this thing done. Uh. You know, two teams with a ton of questions. I don't know if either starting quarterback is the starting quarterback next year. Um, well, I mean I go, I don't know. I think this is we're putting Derek car in the same class as

Drew Lock. I know I'm not putting we put a lot of heat on Derek Carr in this podcast, but now we're getting crazy. I'm not putting them in the same class. I just think that like there's something and this is this is just in the water. I think it's been that way the whole time. I don't get the sense that Gruden is thinking we're good at quarterback. I think that that you know today kind of advertised. Why you know, Derek Carr is um a quality starter? But is he gonna get you over the hump? And

at what point do they look at somewhere else? How about this? How about from this perspective, maybe you also like him a lot more than I do, And there's no he's fine. I guess I defend him because I think he's a little better than he gets credit for it. But he is not great by any stretch. You could probably do better than him if you hit on a quarterback in the draft, or maybe even one of these veterans that shake free. But if I'm if I'm looking at the Raiders, if I'm Mike Mayok and John Gruden

and I'm like, how do I fix this team? I'm going to the defensive side of the ball before I go replace the quarterback. That's just well, well, if they do that, they would they would have done something. He's been there three years, so I mean they certainly have to keep trying. All I could think watching the end

of this game is Andy Reid. I mean, I know he wasn't you know, free to be watching on TV, but if he was, he should just be thinking, Man, this is a nice division of being these coaches just bungling. He's like like they were, you know, Vic Fangio and Grew. This is how Belichick had it. Wow, what a setup, right, Like he basically was looking to be like, are you guys doing an Anthony Lynn impression on purpose? Like are you trying to lose this game? With the time management?

It was. It was crazy going back and forth that I was losing my mind. Well, and Fangio took a time out at one point that allowed the Raiders to completely climb by. I was thinking, you know, and there's all all all these games had these moments like Greg's head would explode. You were watching it. Took his headset off. With twelve seconds left and potentially like three more snaps for the Broncho, he just decided, you know, I'm just not even gonna I'm not even gonna be involved with

the strategic decisions for the rest of this game. I'm just like done with this season. Which you know, well, maybe it's maybe it's not car and it's not the defense. It could be the head coach, but I know you love him as well. Done, so I will get off my No, that's not true either, I don't love John Gruden.

I don't know personality, but there's no sense debating whether John Gruden should be the right head coach because he's gonna be the head coach because he's just ten year contract and he's i think entering just finishing year three. That doesn't make it right, but you are correct that that is the case. Um, all right, let's move on. A hand off to Michelle coming to the near side, clips of factor Marus. He's gonna throw it to the right for Cam Newton makes me catch at the seventh

inside the five into the end zone, touchdown, Patriots. I'm a second TV toss budget, Kobe Meyers. Let's throw all days right there, Bob Sochi, of course, Scott Zolak goes out on a high note. W b Z. Cam Newton threw three touchdown passes and caught another, and the Patriots rallied to beat the Jets, who win snapped a three game losing streak for the Pats. Um and that's ten straight wins over the Jets. So everybody else gets healthy

against the Pats, not the Jets. Shook. Uh. This is the end of the road though for the Patriots, and that's a new reality. Yeah, it's a new reality, and it's an uncertain reality. And this is gonna be the second straight offseason which they go into it not really knowing what their situation is going to be a quarterback. The difference is is last year it was well Tom Brady either comes back or we figure something out. Now it's do we want Cam Newton back or do we

look somewhere else? Because I think we've learned enough from what they've done with jetson Stidham or not done with him this year to really tell us what we think or what they think about him. And Kim goes out on a strong note at least for this season and maybe gives you some consideration for bringing back means sparkling passer rating two or forty two yards, three touchdowns, all that good stuff. Um, but again it is the Jets, and unlike last week, the Jets couldn't hold onto their

early lead that that stretched into the second half. But you know, there's there's no better way I think they come back, uh in a game than by scoring and then getting an interception after you threw a touchdown past to your quarterback, and then scoring two more touchdowns and putting a game that you were trailing in against a bad team away and going to the off season at seven and nine and not really knowing what the hell of your team is going to be next year other

than the guys are gonna get back who opted out? Uh this year. So it's a weird reality. It's death not one that we associate with that flying Elvis logo on the side of the helmets. Well, Belichick was really annoyed at after the game about what he thought was a report from Adam Schefter that they were, you know, that they were moving on from Kim Newton. And it got to the point where I think Mike Reese he

certainly clarified on Twitter. I think he might have done it on the call actually say no, Adam Schefter didn't really report. That was like one of those games a telephone that Schefter was just kind of in a conversation thinking that, you know, saying he doesn't think the Patriots are gonna keep him. Then it gets passed along as some report when it wasn't a report, and like Belichick was spitting fire, He's like, well, why don't you go ask your anonymous sources, you know who our quarterback is

next year. Jake trying to stand up for Camp. He has appreciated Cam all year. Um, I don't think that was phony, Like Cam won the Good Guy You award from the media. They're like, you know, they all they all liked the experience. But I can't imagine Cam is gonna be back. We have the whole off season. This game doesn't matter. Seven and nine. That just felt like it felt like this was a seven and nine Patriots team all along. And that's like right where they ended up.

And that's where they are seven and nine, and Belichick will decide who his quarterback is. We don't know who the Jets quarterback is in, but it won't be Adam Gates that has anything to do with that. Decisions came down a few minutes ago. UH, the New York Let's get some missive music here, Ricky the New York Jets. UH informed Adam Gates that his time with the franchise is over. Here's what Christopher Johnson, chairman and CEO, said

in a statement. Our strong finish last year was encouraging, but unfortunately we did not sustain that positive momentum or see the progress we expected this season to our fans. It is obvious we have not been good enough. We are committed to building a strong organization on and off the field and will continue to provide the necessary resources to field a team that you can be proud of. It has been a long time since I've been proud of a Jets football team. It's been ten years. In fact,

uh it you can stop that now. In fact, it's no longer his miss if it's not mine. In fact, now that the Browns are in the playoffs and the Bucks are in the playoffs, no team in the NFL is on a longer playoff drought than the Jets. Uh. And they have to do something big this offseason. We

have to see how it's all gonna play out. It starts, though, and I sincerely believe this, not with the number two overall pick, and that got a little bit more interesting with what Justin Fields did in the college football playoff over the weekend, but with the head coach. They need to hit on this head coach and get an adult in the building, a CEO type dude who knows how to run an organization and can work alongside Joe Douglas and Joe Douglas a GM needs to be the guy

that picks who the head coaches. They need to be on the same page and and they want to keep the structure in place that where the ownership is the you know, the GM and the coach report to the owner. Fine, but give Joe Douglas the power to choose who this guy is. That's how you get this thing off on the right foot. It It can go in any direction, um in terms of who they go with, whether it's an Eric b Enemy type or Arthur Smith or someone from college. I don't I don't really care. I don't

have a strong feeling on who it is. I just needed to be someone uh that again can handle the job and everything that comes with it. Because that was Adam Gates among his Amongst his many failures was his inability to handle the job in the locker room with players, with the media, and even starting with his opening press conference, which goes down in the annals of New York Sports. UH for how it's funny. It was too people. They need to be better. Enough is enough? Get this right?

I don't know if I I trust ownership to just be letting Darodagoas make the decisions. You shouldn't nobody should trust Jets ownership after what's happened these last this last decade. But I'm hoping maybe they've learned some lessons from the Gates Higher, which obviously was a disaster h from start to finish. Another way to look at it, all right, I feel like we've we've we usually like do the thing where we kind of like read an obituary and

go over like you know what the coaching tender. I feel like we've we've done that four times at least with Gaze, Like we've written his obituary like six times. Yeah, this is probably the least surprising firing that happened immediately after a game in the last five years in NFL history. Maybe, Yeah, all right, let's keep rolling the Chargers and the Chiefs and meaningless listen to the grittiness of Cleveland. Neighbor sounds

like the fantasy corners. Something that's like a fire truck. Well, it doesn't help them, like right across the street from like the Justice Center for downtown. So you're gonna be up late tonight. I predict the people of mean, they're out in the streets. They're just going wild. You can are you looking and what are you doing? Yeah? I mean I'm not near a window. I mean this room is surrounded by windows, but I would have to stand up to walk away from the camera to look at this.

But yeah, they're out there. All right. Let's let's keep rolling. Let's head to arrow him. Herbert play action again downfield with the heat left sideline. Mike Williams car touchdown Chargers Yes, Matt money Smith of course, with the call for the Chargers radio network. Justin, Herbert cappt the glorious rookie season with three touchdown passes, leading the Chargers to over the Patrick Mahomes less Chiefs shook the Bolts end the season

on a four game winning streak. And you know that, combined with the brilliance of Herbert's debut season, makes you think that Anthony Lynn is gonna be safe at the end. Yeah, you know, I think if they didn't have quarterback figured out at this point, it might be a little less stable. And you kind of have to discount the win today. I know the Chiefs are obviously the number one c the FC, but not having Patrick Mallins is a big

deal um and affects a game like that. But I think the fact that they have quarterback figured out answers a really big question for them, and they have a core roster wise, and you look at their starting lineup on on both sides of the ball, I think really defense will be more than offensively that you could say, well, this this is a team that you compete. But that's also been the story this team for the last two years. We've talked so much about how they lost nine of

eleven games last year by one possession. They lose close games again this year because they're still kind of out of sorts. We just discussed that, you know, in relation to the Broncos and the Raiders. So I think it does give him, you know, a little bit of a boost and sticking around. And I have a weird feeling that the Chargers aren't going to be about making a change because of this type of result and because of Herbert's play as a rookie. But I'm not really convinced.

I mean, I needed I needed to be proven to me, uh, in a close game if he does keep his job next year, that they finally turned a corner, because at this point, I'm I'm, uh, you know, this is kind of a negative take on this, but I'm kind of tired of just making excuses, are thinking, well, but if but it feels like what Brown's fancy used to do with their team. Well, they won, they almost beat this team, and you win this game, and you win this game,

the situation turns out a lot different. That's not enough for me. But they do have quarterback feared out, which is you know, that's a really positive sign. I mean Jake Blazer this morning when in the other direction and reported that Lynn was not expected to be safe. Um, I mean tb D. But I don't think it's totally um decided. And you know, to his too, in his argument, they've missed a hundred and nine starts by players that should have been starters for them this year, which is

among the highest in the NFL. And Um, to your you're right, Nick, it feels like every year we're talking about Chargers injuries. But UM, it just to me, it's a case studying how different organizations proceed, because I don't know, I want to be convinced that if they keep Lynn it's because they truly think that Lynn is the best coach for the job, versus we're an organization that doesn't want to pay um fired coaches while hiring another one.

All right, let's move on to Detroit, where the Vikings and Lines finished out their slate back to past nine seconds ago. Throws left, it's caught by Baby bounces off two Lions, ten five touchdown, a forty yard touchdown for Chad bb who like a pinball in a pinball mach Jean bounced off a couple of bumpers wearing Honolulu blue for the second touchdown of his career. And for Kirk he has three, which means he's thrown the second most touchdowns in a season in the history of Vikings football.

And we have taken the lead. Paul Allen k f A N with the call a meaningless Week seventeen game against the Detroit defense, it's Kirk Cousins domination time. Baby Cousins through three touchdown passes, ran for another score, pass for four oh five total in the thirty thirty seven win. Minnesota been for seven and nine, Detroit five and eleven shook. What are the positives to take out of the season

for the Vikings. Number one positive that you can't ignore is the fact that you found your replacement for Stefon Diggs in a bona fide number one receiver in Justin Jefferson. That's the greatest trade perhaps in the history of the NFL in terms of how it worked out for both sides. He's been he's been awesome this year. Um, he's he's gonna be awesome because what makes him good is going to continue. It's not the fact that he's necessary early

a burner. He's a fast guy, but he's a complete route runner even at his age, and um, it's only going to continue to get better. Kirk Cousins has made the most I think, or at least at least established a relationship with him on the field where you think that you know they can reach new heights as the seasons go on. UH And of course you have Dalvin Cook in the offensive side of the ball. Now the defensive side of the ball is where they need to get better. This is a season of change for them.

They had a lot of different personnel, a lot of different moving parts coming in and out of UH Minnesota, a lot of veterans that they relied on who left. They had to turn to young guys at corner, Cam Dancer being one, Jeff Gladney being another. So, UM, I know they kept their safeties intact. But I guess we shouldn't be entirely surprised by the fact that they weren't this good. They need to get off to a better start, and maybe we're talking about a better team, you know,

going forward, and maybe that happens. I I saw some comments from the Lions, you know, beat guys. It really feels like Matthew Stafford's you know, in his pressers have almost been like saying goodbye to Detroit. He's like opening up more than he ever is. He's sort of putting his whole ten you're there into context. You're seeing his media buddies like Dan Orlovsky make the case aggressively that he needs to be out. I don't think any of

this is a mistake. I think Stafford wants out. Um there is hoping that that he gets out, and we don't need to go over it now because I want to get to the good games. But I think it's coming. I think it's coming. One little lion snugget. There are reports that there reports the Detroit. When you're trying to move the show along, it just like speeds up, and there are reports that Detroit is gonna chase Seahawks general manager John Schneider. So ian Ian got that one. That

would be interesting. That would be a heck of a coup, I think for them. And yeah, it's been all it's been all over the breadcrumbs on this. I agree with you, Greg, Matthew Stafford the fact that he played in that game today, and I know he's a tough dude, but with all the injuries, it felt like a guy that wanted to go out with one more game with Detroit. We'll see on the field what happened, shook, You've come, you survived. I don't know if the building urn is gonna survive.

What's happening in Cleveland right now. Um, I almost worry about the city if they win a playoff game. But for now, it appears that you're safe. And we thank you for giving us excellent work as the six Men of the Year. That's why Greg agreed that you should be named the Pipe. No, we did not. Now I called. I said, let's just go sixth Van or whatever. I don't know, but pipe is not is not good. You know what's funny about that? Danny, We've talked about this.

My profile picture on Slack for the last four years has been a picture of j. R. Smith walking downtown next to my little sister during the cast parade, so it fits. It fits. But about worrying about the state of the city if the Browns a playoff game, They're not gonna have a home playoff games, so we don't have to worry about that, at least not this year, all right, I said, not the guy you are next year, sister. I wouldn't think you know she was. She was like fifteen,

all right. Hopefully, Well, we hope and we just you know, it doesn't and you know, you better treat Nick shock sister well in general, because Nick Shook will be coming after you if you ever do her dirty. See it's all out there, Nick. There he goes. The pipe is off. Let's now head over to the NFC playoff relevant games, starting right at the top, where the number one seed was up for grabs, at least until the Packers were

done with the Bears. Rogers looking over the defense and third down, third and about four snapped to Rogers blitz on Rogers lofts it deep down the middle. Got a man out there, it's mvs and he is John ten five end zone touchdown, Green Bay Packers seventy two yards. You know, I think that was Wayne Lara by w TMJ. Aaron Rodgers, I believe finished with forty seven touchdowns. Uh this year, he'd have probably fifty nine if MBS caught most of the wide open bombs throwing to throw his

way this year. He dropped another one today, but he did catch that one. That's seventy two yards strike from Aaron Rodgers. Uh. That put the Packers in control. They cruised to a Yes, they clinched the number one seed in the NFC. They will have an open round next week. They will not play. They have the bye, and then they will host uh, the lowest seed remaining in the divisional round. And if they get out of that round, yes,

they will host the NFC title game. The Packers have gone thirteen and three now and each of Matt will Floor's first two seasons on the sideline pretty damn good. And Aaron Rodgers enters the playoffs boys playing at a level that approaches the highest of highs h in his legendary career. Yeah, I think getting a game without David Baktieri under their belts, especially you know, matched up against Cleil mac in this you know, solid pass rush, uh and doing what they needed to do. I think it

would be good for their confidence. I mean it's Rick Wagner and Billy Turner, two guys who are you know, pretty disappointing elsewhere, like free agent pickups, and it's really all about the system, and it's Rodgers making them look better because their offensive line is great and they're gonna miss Box tr But to be able to put up thirty five and ultimately pull away from the Bears says a lot. And I think the NFC is still very balanced.

I don't think they're huge favorites here, but I know I think they'll be rooting on the Bears next week. I can hope for this rematch, you know, because and then get the Bears again. And just to be clear, David Botr they're all pro left tackle. He blew out his knee in practice on Thursday. That happened after we recorded. That's what Greg's referring to. I mean, these stadiums with you know, very few are no fans. What makes up

a home field advantage? I think we'd all agree that a team like the Bucks or the Rams having to go into you know, my subminus temperatures UM is a mess, and part of it is the way that we see Green Bay play in the snow as if there are no elements at all. And UM, I think Matt Lafleur, you know, last year, I think I was on the record saying that thirteen and three didn't look like thirteen

and three to me. I tell really believe in this team in the NFC right now, and I think that his two year span of UM coaching is massively under the radar. It's it's almost like it's been normalized or people are just board with it, or it's not a talking point. I mean, you're getting Aaron Rodgers playing right now at a level that UM, it's gonna take something rather remarkable to shake them up. I mean they're like yet,

like losing your left tackle is huge. But but every every team is dealing with something like this somewhere and can they overcome it? UM. I don't love their defense, but yes they can. This NFC side of the board, it's nothing close to the a f C s. We can lift up teams like the Rams and and fill in the blank, but the Packers have an easier course

than almost any a f C team would. This is an interesting game too, because you look at the final score, six team oh blowout, just like we all predicted, which is why all three of us locked up the Packers. It just felt like Green Bay, with a lot to play for, was going to bring the Bears down to Earth, who were on a three game winning streak, But it was against three of the worst defenses a football. It kind of played out that way. But this was also a game that was UM with eleven minutes to play

in the fourth quarter and Chicago has the ball. Uh. The drop by Valdes Scandling that I referred to came in the third quarter. It was as bad as bad gets, the worst drop you'll see by any guy this season. It would have put the game essentially um on life support. Instead,

Aaron Rodgers takes a sack on third down. After that they have to punt it away and the Bears go on a fifteen play fifty one yard drive that takes up over eight minutes of the clock, and it ends on fourth and one at the Green Bay twenty five with an incompletion from Trabinsky to Allen Robinson and after that turnover on downs, which again chewed up more than half a quarter of game time. Uh, Chicago's defense gave up touchdown Mitch Drabinsky interception, Green Bay touchdown, game over.

So I don't know what the Bears are gonna do going forward. It's a It's an interesting situation because Trabinsky obviously played a lot better once he got his job back. But I I would sometimes we put too much into weeks seventeen, and by we I mean decision makers in

the league. But I think Bears fans, Bears management, if they are thinking of giving Trabisky another chance on this team, should look very closely at this game compared to the other three games, because once the competition rose up, he was not able to play at the same level who was earlier this month. Well, they'll have next week's, you know, game against the Saints to look at. In that defense

might find a way to solve miss Robinsky too. I mean, I I don't know who should be making those decisions. I wouldn't allow the GM to be making any and we don't know that for sure. Although there was a report Naggy is expected to be back, which makes me think Ryan Pace the GM is gonna be back. I think making it to the playoffs will matter with this ownership, which is, you know, not known as the most active ownership in the world. You're you're also known as a

sleep at the wheel. That's why it come one way to put it. You know, who wasn't asleep at the wheel? Old Dan Hansas, who had Aaron rodgers Um getting that All Pro I will recognize now would be stunning if he did not win m v P and First Team All Pro. And you you just mentioned La Fleur and that got me thinking. You know, Mark, these voters send in their votes this week. It's like, I think it's you know, it's do Wednesday or Thursday, something like that.

It's before the playoff games. In the way the season ended for Miami. Who would have been my pick um Floor Brian Flores. I think he still would. I would go floors in the way it ended for Green Bay. You know, I think Sean Payton will get some votes, Stefanskill get some votes. I think La Fleur will get some votes. It's it's pretty unpredictable, but I wouldn't wouldn't shock me if La Fleur ends up winning that award, and it would be well earned. He I mean, it's unbelievable.

Twenty six and six uh to start his career. In the regular season, they won a playoff game last year, got wiped out in the NFC title game. The way the NFC sets up, and we'll get to the playoff pick sure at the end of the show. Um, you could definitely make the case for the Packers going back to the Super Bowl. UH, something they've fallen short on ten years in a row. I'll be interesting to see what happens now. One of those other superpowers in the

NFC is the Saints. They entered Sunday hoping for a chance to swipe that number one overall seed, but they needed help to do it. But first they had to take care of the Panthers fakes. The handoff looks to throw over the middle, touchdown right down the center of the field. Zack Streeve w w L Drew Brees through yards and three touchdowns. The Saints had five interceptions, Teddy Bridgewater benched by Matt Rule, and New Orleans the feed

of the Carolina Panthers thirty three to seven. That locks New Orleans into the number two seed and the Saints yes will host the seventh seed at Chicago Bears in next week's wild card round feels like a nice set up for the Saints. Well, I'm gonna lock it up, but hold up on that, hold off on that. But I already like where you're going with that. Yes, the Saints were rocked by COVID madness in the days leading up to this game. They lost their or most of

their entire running back room. But an elate, an elite team like the Saints, they adapt and then they thrived. So no Alvin Kamara, uh, no Latavious Murray all right, entered Tie Montgomery, who ran for a hundred and five yards on eighteen carries to get the Saints their twelfth win. They swept the NFC South. That has never happened before.

How about that? The NFC South, which is famously, at least until recent year, has been this ping pong type division where nobody had even won back to back titles in the first uh twenty some odd years of its existence, where I guess it would be less than that about fifteen years initially. Uh. Now the Saints have taken control of this division and you're feeling good about them entering the playoffs, right, Mark? Oh? Absolutely, and I think you

nailed it. The U the versatility to overcome losing Kamara and the rest. I mean, you weren't playing a playoff team today, but that doesn't matter. I mean, like, you know, that's no small thing to lose a position group, and the way that they fought through that, and um, you know, I I look at someone like Emmanuel Sanders, who without Mike Thomas once again, uh nine catches today's sixty three yards in a touchdown. Not huge numbers, but he's had a couple of weeks like that where he stepped up

and they've found a way. Um as much as any team in the league, I think to mask over star players not being in the lineup, whether it's Breeze or Mike Thomas fill in the blank. Um, they're extremely balanced. Their defense is super concerning in the NFC if you're gonna have to deal with them, and uh, you know, I would love to see them have this you know, final trip with Drew Brees in the postseason, because I've presumed it will be UM in New Orleans. They're gonna

have to go on the road at some point. Um, But this team is this team is a tough out and I think that there you have to look at the way that They've three years in a row lost heartbreaking playoff losses, that breaks franchises, that breaks teams. But the combination of Sean Payton, Breeze and the rest of this team is different. Right. I'm I'm so fascinated by this team. I love the narratives. I mean, you said it up. I mean, I just love the spot there

at It's so unique. It's it's one of the best four year runs any organization has had the last two decades. The the only other teams that you could possibly throw in there would be, you know, the Patriots, who you know, made you know in one three super Bowls in those four years. The Seahawks, who you know, we're in two super Bowls in one one. The Chiefs of the last four years, you know who, who have a chance to go back and in one one and an ANFC championship game.

The Saints have like two lame playoff wins to show for it, and they have a Hall of Fame quarterback in his last year, and they have this class of two thousand seventeen rookie group that's entering their you know contract years came here, got resigned, but you got a lot of like Alattimore and Hendricks and everything's blowing up here. After the year, it's it's definitely gonna be a lot different.

There's just a lot on this to team. But I like how they're coming into the playoffs, especially their lines. Their offensive line can take over. And you never know. The two seed matters mark because you say they're gonna have to go on the road eventually, you know, not if the Packers losing the divisional round, they that's what they gotta hope for there. And I think getting that two seed does matter because it means the Saints, if they can beat the Bears, get another home game in

the division round, and that's big. Yeah. Sean Payton has done such a great job this season, navigating through everything, including a slow start, especially by the defense, and then the Drew Brees injury and then handling of the Taysom Hill situation and Jamis Winston to get to twelve and four again, I mean, the guy just knows what he's doing. Like him or not. The Carolina Panthers finished five and eleven.

After the game at rule Um, he didn't put it, he didn't label it an outright benching of Teddy Bridgewater. He said that he felt that Bridgewater was lacking velocity on his throws because he had an ankle injury earlier in the game, which is why he the decision uh to bring in his backup and and it was a disaster for p J Walker, who came in and was intercepted three times. So the Panthers, I think that's the

one other big story for them. They obviously are a team that's rebuilding, and it's gonna be on Rule and whoever the new GM is to figure out what the quarterback room is gonna look like. You got the feeling it might look very different. I think it'll just be Teddy in a rookie, you know, just because Teddy's guaranteed so much money next year and it just makes sense for them to add to add a rookie. They're they're

gonna be in the top ten picks. They've asked to interview Patriots personnel had Nick Cassario, which would be a very interesting hire if if that were to go down, pairing him with Rule. I like that. I would like that move. Um it's I like. I like this season

from the Panthers, I do. I also like that the Saints were so unlucky that they somehow didn't get a buy there, like the first number two seed you know in the NFC too, I'm not gonna buy all right, Let's uh continue uh to move, heading over to San Francisco where the Seattle Seahawks Harvard Slim hopes of being the number one seed in the NFC. Let's see how their day turned out. So here we go to turn in hand Collins this time inside the ten, inside the five,

pe dives touchdown Seahawks. So back it's up five. It doesn't matter. Alex Collins is gonna punch it in for you anyway. Steve are abel k I r oh with the call. Alex Collins ran for eight yards an eight yards score. Russell Wilson through two fourth quarter touchdown passes the Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks rally with three win over the Niners. Uh. They end twelve and four, the Seahawks with a four game winning streak, but they are locked in at the number three seed because of the Saints

and Packers winning. The Seahawks will host the rival Rams in the wild card round next weekend, Mark, how good do you feel about Seahawks after today's game? I would Um, I'm concerned about their offense. UM. It's it's almost like a flip inverse relation to where they were earlier in the year where the offense was. Um, we watched it

through the air. We we had Russell Wilson pegged as a potential m v P because of how they were allowing him to play and how dk Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were playing, and the defense was all the concern. I mean, Locket today set a Seattle Seahawks record for receptions in a season. Dk Metcalf set a franchise record for yardage in a season. But a lot of that has to do with the compiled numbers from earlier on. This team had a hundred and nine yards at the

start of the fourth quarter. They couldn't run the ball. UM, and it took a very typical Seahawks finish of the two Tyler Lockett touchdowns and the Alex Collins um dash for a score. I mean, they came up late, UM in a game where you know, and I would put this a little bit into it's a divisional game against Kyle Shanahan and who uh and Robert Sala who. I thought, again, it's been weeks in a row coaching lights out. UM

made things real tough for Seattle. Seattle made things tough for the Niners in in in in the opposite way. UM just sort of a typical NFC West beat down. And uh, you know this Niners team, they keep flashing to the box up in the sky where like seven star players are not in the game. I mean they're doing with nobody and Seattle. Um, you know, they worked themselves out of a funk to some degree. Do I trust them right now? My trust to them is a lot lower than it was a couple of weeks ago.

The one other thing I'd add is that Jamal Adams, who UM played really well today, he got he injured his shoulder, and Pete Carroll basically said, look at we're not we feel like you can play. We that will be decided in full next week. But um, uh you know that's something to monitor. But they they feel like he didn't. He avoided a major injury. At least six points in their first seven drives. You know, Russ had

a hundred and one yards in his first four attempts. Now, part of it, I do think you're right, is because they're the division and these teams, they know each other. I think they've got to beat a little bit on what Seattle does. But guess what They're in the division next week against the team that they just played two weeks ago, whose defense made Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense look just as bad until they finally broke a

midway through the fourth quarter last week. So it it's it's weird that the NFC West is actually the closest thing to the old NFC East or a f C North. They're like the last division defensive division kind of left, and it doesn't make any sense, but that's where the Rams and the Seahawks and the forty niners, at least at right now, it just doesn't feel like it's trending

in a good direction for the Seahawks. I agree that Adam's injury, we'll see how serious it is, but it's a shoulder injury and he came right out of the game with it. He's obviously the key to that defense, and the offense has just been going in the wrong direction for weeks now, and you have Brandon Stallion, that Rams defense that that feels like it sets up. Well. Now, we'll see if it's John Walford or Jared Goffin. We'll

get into all that, uh this week. But that twelve and four record for Seattle and the division title, all, you know, positive and a really nice season. But it is that the offense is disappearing act on some level in the second half. That really would have me most worried if I'm supporting Seattle, especially with the possible defenses that they're face, gonna be facing the Rams and then potentially the Saints. Then again, we were seeing teams flip

flip the switch. They gotta be happy they got back to this point with Russell Wilson once again, and all these veterans, they're they're in good position. Speaking of the Rams and John Wolford, he's hit as he throws its tent, it is caught, it is intercepted. Troy Hill, that's twenty down the left sideline. He hits midfielding cuts to his right in his space. Troy Hill at the twenty. Troy Hill at ten, stubbing the pay dirt A pitt Sits turned a half j B long the great JB along

with the ball for KSPN. Troy Hill picked off a pass from Chris Struggle little and took eighty four yards of the house. That was the defining play in the Rams eighteen to seven win over the Cardinals, in the game that prominently featured back up arback's Greg John Woolford did pretty solid work in place of Jared Goff, accepting that opening interception and Kyler Murray will now plenty of

time to heal up what looked like a pretty bank. Um. Yeah, it was disappointing that the Cardinal season ends, you know, essentially with Kyler Murray injury and his ankle on the on the first drive of the game, he takes a sack, his his ankle bends backward awkwardly. He has been struggling and and Straveler comes in there and it's the battle of the backups. Um, But I kind of thought it was about all the coaches too, And I would have said going into this game, Sean McVeigh had it all

over Cliff Kingsbury. I'm a little down on Cliff, and I definitely think coming out of this game, Sean McVeigh has it all over Cliff Kingsbury. He didn't know he was gonna have his backup quarterback. To be fair to Kingsbury, but you know, they had nothing the Cardinals offense did. They had fifty six yards late in the third quarter. Is a tough matchup. Whereas the Rams were moving the ball, they were dominating this thing. It's weird that it took that pick six to get them finally into the lead.

But Wolford looked good. McVeigh you know, had him comfortable. It was an aggressive game. They could not run the ball at all, and they pretty much put it on Wolford's arm. And despite throwing a ghastly interception on his very first throw and you thought, oh my god, this is gonna be a disaster, I thought he played great after that. He did a lot of the next level stuff with his legs and with his army. Next level, Yeah, I mean, here's what I mean, above the level he

was before. No, I mean like next level, like quality quarterbacking stuff, like multiple times they hit third and long throwing it where he threw past the sticks multiple times, he went through his progressions and got to his second um or third read and then with his legs, you know,

he was the leading rusher in the game. He outgained the entire Cardinals team and he picked up you know, a couple third lines with his legs, So that was next level for a backup quarterback, and next level that mattered too, because the Rams are banged up in their backfield. They can't do what they were able to do a month ago with you know guys out of the lineup, and he had fifty six yards. Wilford and our friend Jason Zumwalt, who friend of the show, who is a

Cardinals fans, so not happy. But he texted us Dan and I early in the game suggesting that Wolford was essentially just a clone of Sean McVeigh, that he's just sort of Sean mcveigh's body and face in a helmet and it looks just like Sean McVeigh. Decided, I've had enough of Jared Goff. I'm gonna put myself out there. I could see it, and I don't know what. Yeah, we'll find out. Jared Goff, of course had surgery. I

think expected to play. They actually had tape of him throwing the ball quite well in pregame where I was like, wow, could he play because they had him throwing at twenty five yards on the field to play. He is expected to play, I think, you know, based on what Jim Nance got from from McVeigh and and based on the video they showed, I was like, wow, God was kind of spinning it today. Already interesting. Um, all right, so the Rams back in the dance, third time in four

years under Sean McVeigh. Sorry about that, Mark, and we now I am. I am not against that at all, and you're very entiled for them. That could be it. By the way, for Larry Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson in Arizona, I think that it was a sad way to end. Fitzgerald. It wasn't even healthy enough to play today. Wolf. All right, let's head to Tampa. The staff Brady looking looking, looking flushed, looking those up all I don't favor. It's caught by

Antonio Brown. Flagthone, Brown will score touchdown, Tampa Bay touchdown, Tampa Bay bucketeers. See what the flags all about? Part of cannae. Anyway, we got plenty of gun powder. This is the season for the alley. Yeah dreams a w f us with a great call, Tom Brady through for three yards and four touchdowns. It's Tom Brady helping the playoff bound Bucks clinched the fifth seed in the NFC seven. They whoop up on the Falcons, who aren't so younger

under Aheam Morris anymore. That's four straight wins for the Bucks. Uh. They will get the NFC East champion on the road next weekend, Greg, Tampa Bay is right where it wants to be as second season Beckons. There they are because they're like an offense first team that is just rolling. They lost Mike Evans during this game to a knee injury that Bruce Arians said after the game. They're hopeful

is is not that serious. I don't know what that means, you know, reading, yeah, there were there reports that he did not have structural damage, so reading between the lines, it might be a legament strain which could be anywhere from your back or a couple weeks. We'll see because they're gonna do more tests. But the crazy thing is, like, you don't miss Mike Evans that much. When Antonio Brown comes in and has his best game as a Buck, gets a couple of touchdowns, goes well over a hundred yards,

eleven catches, Chris Godwin does the same. Rob Gronkowski. You know, I we gave him them grief about Gronk looks better than he's ever looked and like, no, that's not true. Man. He does look a lot faster right now. So you're saying that the coach in the quarterback who is the greatest quarterback of all time, actually know how to assess their own tight end, which we laughed at me or days ago. I still laugh at it because he's not the same guy he was. It's not that there are

two different ways to look. Yeah, I don't think he's better, but there. They threw a screen for him today where he had juice running it that I really don't think he had even four or five weeks ago. He look, he only had two for twenty nine in this game. But they didn't get stopped. The Falcons didn't stopped the

Bucks except for one possession in the entire game. And that one possession that they stopped them was off a perfect throw for Tom Brady to Scotty Miller that went right in Miller's bread basket that just bounced up in the air and they got an interception. That that's how like unconscious they are on offense right now. The Falcons

put up a great fight. It was thirty seven, uh, pretty late in this game, and they had been matching them and score for score, and it was just like you weren't gonna they would have scored eighty points if they got more possessions. And and don't forget what the Falcons feisty Falcons defense did to the Chiefs seven days ago. I mean, this isn't a totally lost team. They they're

playing hard for Morris. And so this Buck's offense, this is week's in a row now where like I, you know, you have to strip away doubts and just sort of wonder what their heights are. This is gonna be the Buck's first postseason game in thirteen years, and it needs to be said. You know that the Paths finished seven and nine. They're going home. Tom Brady ends his first

season in Tampa with forty touchdown passes. And I know we are in a pass happy NFL world, but that is an amazing season for a forty three year old man. And there were some peaks and valleys, of course, uh for the Bucks the season on offense, but Brady played sixteen games and ends with forty touchdowns. The Bucks are getting for what it was a two years and fifty million whatever that deal was worth, every penny for what he has brought to this organization and now they're gonna

be playing January football that matters. That's uh, that's a big deal. Unbelievable. Gotta respect. Listen, I am a Torture Jets fan, Greg, But you know what, I love the Tom Brady gets out of New England and I get to appreciate him like other people on the outside, just for what he's been able to do. Because you look at what he was doing at the end of his New England run, it looked like a guy in decline. And he's still He's not the same guy was six

or seven years ago. But this has been a really strong year and I think he would have Like that's the thing. It says more about where the Patriots offense was at. Look, I don't think Tom Brady in New England would have been that much better this year. That was the worst, you know, set of characters in the entire NFL. Like, I think that would have probably been a disaster, maybe a slightly better disaster, uh than seven and nine, But I don't think they would have made

the playoffs with Tom Brady. He's the best forty three year old player of all time. I mean, it's it's not even he was a top ten quarterback this year. He's even at a diminished level, he is a top ten quarterback. And when you say right now, his arm in certain ways is as good as it's been all year, I mean it's deep. Passing is stronger over the last three weeks than it was at any point in the season for the most and they got and they got a nice set up with the schedule here in terms

of the playoffs. And one thing to keep in mind their defense not playing as well. But they were without three starters, including Devin White and JPP because of COVID. But those players, like some of the Browns players, are uncertain for next week depending on the timing of when they come off the COVID list. So that's that's gonna be something we're tracking. All right. Let's wrap up by spinning through the carnage of the NFC East. Let's start in the Metal ends, third and goal at the seventeen

of the Giants dalk back to throw Nobody's open. He slides to his left. Now he side arms it into the end zone and it's intercepted by the Giants, picked off by Xavier McKinney. The rookie against his first career interception that seals the deal for Pick Blue. With one fifteen to go, Bob Papa played them bongos for w f A and Leonard Williams applied the pressure. Andy Dalton threw up the desperation balloon and rookie Xavier McKinney came down with the ball in the end zone with one

fifteen to play. One Giant's first down in some ridiculous Wayne Gallman fumble recovery later, and the Jilans stayed alive in the NFC race with three to nineteen win over the Cowboys. Greg the Cowboys never failed to let down in the Big n I mean, just when you you think you've seen it all as as a Cowboys fan, if you know for them out there you're losing this game. That Jason Garrett, I mean, that just puts a little extra sauce in your your pants. How about how about

what it's been a long day? What kind of sauce? It's some bad sauce, A little bit extra though. I mean, it's just like this was Jason an outside sorcerers. Did he create the sauce? Don't look too deep into art sometimes just accept what it is, uh week Week seventeen, that this was Jason Garrett's move from thirteen. This was like what they did every year was they'd get to Week seventeen, they put them on Sunday night and they would blow it. They didn't put this one on Sunday night.

But man, you were watching this game knowing that the winner could be the NFC East champion and the loser gets eliminated. And so there was that that feeling. But then there was another part of me that's watching it like these teams stink like I watched like they looked every bit five and end and six and nine trying

to blow the game back and forth. And and Mike McCarthy really ended on a down note by not challenging this this play that seemed like a pretty clear overturn that helped the Giants kick a field goal that made it four. He also didn't go for two. The fans are not happy with Mike McCarthy. Andy Dalton had a really rough game, was very lucky not to throw about four or five interceptions. I'm glad the Giants won this game because they were the much better team today, but

but it it carries through another week where you know. Now, I wouldn't say confidently because we've been tricked so many times that we're cautious to speak at this point about the NFC East, But thinking, you know, twenty four hours ago, this Dallas team is the team that could you know, do some damage if they click on offense, and you know a week ago, Andy Dalton looks great today. He in the first half rout for three point three yards per carries, throwing passes all over the place. Um, is

that the Giants defense doing that? Or is that the Cowboys just being totally um, you know, inconsistent And watching Mike McCarthy's interview after that game, I mean, it is a man with a thousand yards stair. Very few people seem to need a vacation as much as him without deserving one. Um, yes, no vacation for you, Mike McCarthy. I think I've been burned by the Cowboys so many times on this podcast for getting sucked into those little mini um spurts of relevant relevance. Um, this time, I

stay it out of it because they did again. They're so obvious about it now that they do it just to get people to get sucked in and then they lay the egg and you say to yourself, how did this Cowboys team come out of the one that we saw last week where the three wide receivers were going nuts and Andy Dalton is throwing the ball with authority. That's what the Cowboys do now, That's what they've been

doing for decades now. They're just an up and down mediocre organization in terms of their ability to put out a winning product. And it happened again, uh in. And come next summer, you're gonna hear if Dak Prescott's back there, and you're gonna hear about Ced Lamb and year two who had a huge drop by the way right before that interception. You're gonna hear about how the Cowboys are back and they're gonna be and then they'll suck everybody in again and then the same thing will happen. It's

just enough the Cowboys for the coverage they get. It's time to actually put together a real team that we could take seriously. This was not the team. And and

Jerry Jones doing all the same moves. Saturday night, we learned that he signed Kellen Moore to this like big time, like one of the highest paid offensive coordinators in the in the league after Moore's agent pretty transparently used the Boise State you know, his alum maybe maybe intended to possibly go to Boise State, but the end result was they used Boise State to get a ton of money out of Jerry. That puts Mike McCarthy in the bad spot. That's what they did with Jason Garrett back in the day.

To Wade Phillips, they they gave Jason Garrett the money. Like it all, just like it keeps repeating itself. I knocked my water over. Okay. So the Giants win on Sunday afternoon, but to win the putrid NFC East with a six and ten record, they would need the Washington football team to fall to the Eagles. Did it happen? Sunday night? Fall? Lets loose Young picks it up Scott is here and rides him out of out of the

twenty five yard line. Can you believe it? They get a big break and they give it right back two plays later. That's the story of the game. On Sunday night, Nate Sudfell replaces Jalen Hurts with thirty five to play in the fourth quarter and immediately goes into the tank of the Eagle's offense does the interception by Sudfeld followed by and Alex Smith pick that led to sun Felt

unable to handle a shotgun snack. Chase Young recovers it, Washington takes it from their final score fourteen and the football team, at seven and nine, claimed the NFC East. And good for Washington, who won five of the last seven games to take this sad division, and good for Alex Smith. One of the great comeback stories in the history of our league. But that is not what people are talking about immediately after this game to markets. Yeah, I mean, I you know, uh, you bring Sudfeld in.

Your quarterback of the future is Jalen hurts um And they want to under the guys of wanting to get a look at Sudfelder has been on the roster since seen so a lot of new information to be gleaned. Of course, in this situation, I find it um utterly absurd, And I you know, I've got got a bunch of smart um you know, whipper snappers telling me, don't you see that they want to secure their draft pick this

or that. Okay, look um, that's your freedom. But I just think that there is uh something to be said about a code in the NFL that you don't do that? And and and it's also just to me, what are you You're putting Nate's sunfelt sud Felt into a tough position, And all I needed to look at was the faces of the Eagles offensive lineman and other players along the sideline, including Jalen Hurts the other game, just wondering what is going on here and the reaction of players not only

just on the Giants but around the league. I think it's an absurd um way to handle a totally broken season in Philadelphia. Um. And it leads me just to wonder what on earth Doug Peterson was up to? Is he smarter than I am and all of us? I don't know. I I found it to be a really ill note to end the Eagles season on and the Giants and Washington's well, it's gonna be a great chapter in the sequel to Doug Peterson's book, you know, with

that he really he really knew what was going on. Fearless. Wait, let's let's give credit where credits due. It's pretty fearless putting Nate Sudfeld into a game that is still within striking disser. It's saying you don't give a flying crap what anyone thinks, so I'll give them that, yeah, or or that you don't really care about winning the game, so that that's why everyone's upset. And it totally understandable

why why everyone's upset. But they told me they weren't really that interested in the game before it started, So these are these are weird lines. And I do think you're not doing right by your players that are out there competing by having a plan. And it sounds like, according to Al Michael's and Chris Collins were that the plan all along was to bring Sudfeld in, which we didn't know that. Mike Garafolo indicated um something to this nature,

not not totally specific, but thought we'd see Sudfeld. So they wanted to look at Sudfeld. Now they now Alan Chris asked Peterson, why would you really do that if like the game's close, and yeah, he didn't answer that question to them, and apparently they answered yes, And it's it kind of makes a mockery of the other players, but teams do this stuff all the time. Players who finished last week's Eagles game, we're just ruled out for

this game. Um, it's a little different pulling obviously superior player in the middle. And it's such an annoying way for the season to end, for this NFC East crown to be given uh to Washington, but it's kind of fitting. I can't believe NFL got to two fifty six all the games in time, but man, they're like limping to the end these last couple of Browns weeks like this has not been great football. And anyone that watched the Giants Cowboys like I don't feel bad for those two teams.

They're dreadful too, right, I mean they they dug their own grave in double digit lost season. So the Giants fans have the right to be frustrated right now and upset with Doug Peterson. But ultimately, Doug Peterson didn't do this to the Giants organization did by not fielding a better team. Also, Doug Peterson, I don't agree with it at all. I think, yes, there's there should be some

type of code. You're playing in prime time, you're representing the league and your team, and you have a really competitive, not great football game, but a competitive football game going on. Jalen Herbs is an exciting young rookie quarterback and to just remove him from the equation, uh, it doesn't pass the smell test. It also could have helped if Nate Sudfeld looked at all prepared to play when he came in the game, the guy for a guy that's a

technically a three year veteran. I understand part of the reason Doug wanted to get a look was because Nate hadn't had a lot of opportunity to play well. I don't know what Doug saw in this quarter that's in

that quarter of play that's gonna help. And it also felt like part of something um ichier around the Eagles right now that this happens on the same day, uh, that a report comes out that the relationship between Doug Peterson and Carson Wentz is fractured and we see the divorce coming between the former franchise quarterback and the head coach. They make Carson Wentz inactive a healthy scratch. They don't

want to risk getting him hurt. And then it felt like almost like a show, like, Oh, this is my I'm Doug Peterson, this is my situation. Jalen Hurts is my quarterback of the future, but I want to get Nate Subtfeld in there to see if I have my backup of the future, because I know it's not Carson Wentz because our relationship is fractured, and it all felt a little bit ugly and really a tough way for

the Eagle season to end. You feel for the players who compete and wanted to win on national television tonight. I mean, I would like, you know, to flip it a little bit, like, UM, yeah, you at least we get a seven win UM NFC East winner. I guess that's something. UM. And there are a lot of good stories for Washington and we've been over them countless times with Alex Smith and Ron Rivera. So it's not to take anything away from from them, and they I think

they probably are the best team in this division. I although I'm so things like that like they I and I'm I'm gonna move off my prediction that I've had for months that um, the Bucks will lose to the NFC East. I don't that at this point when you can't know, you can't and then you're thick with it because it might still be proven right, could have it could happen. All I would say one thing. It's like you had other chances during a terrible year to get a look at Nate Sudfeld. I get it look at also.

By the way, when when April comes and they're in the first round picking at number six versus number nine, a lot of people will be telling us how smart and cunning that was. I mean that this the story will flip and suddenly they'll be celebrated for their Why why big of a deal? Yeah? Is it that? Here's the thing that Washington had two eight yards in this game against the Eagles backups um Smith wasn't wasn't wasn't careful with the football in this game. There was not

a lot to take out of the offense here. No if and if you follow any Washington fans or read the reply to some of the reporters, I mean, it's a heartwarming. Alex Smith is a heartwarming story for everyone, except for Washington fans who are who I have noticed, are sick of watching him check down on plays. And they and the reporters covering the team kept saying, you know, updating all must every drive that oh Taylor Heineke is

not coming in this drive. I guess they were under the assumption that was possible, that like maybe Heinek would come in UM for Alex sand I think the Giants had probably the highest upside, but who who the heck? I mean maybe Ron Rivera just Um just held off on a real craving to get a look at Tyler heineke H with the division on the line in minutes

to go, please and and Greg. When we talked about the Bucks earlier, you said they got a nice matchup, they get the NFC East winner, And yeah, I think the Bucks are a safe pick to advance out of the first round. But you know that pass rush they get hot. Tom Brady sometimes can look lost when he's got pressure coming at him. In his forties. That could be a lower scoring game than people might think, despite what Tampa Bay has done the last few weeks. But

we will have time to talk about that. Um. Alright, So Washington Wensley's I haven't said I'd never said there are word once this entire season. I just want to say that when Alan Chris are saying it repeatedly, the old Juicer went to fifty six, never said the R word. I think I had an a plus record on that too. You go Sessler nailed it as well. Greg fourteen times. I don't think I have it right here on my notes. I don't know. Let's spin forward. It's been you don't think,

but he did. Alright, let's spin forward. This was. This has been branded by the NFL. And again I like to think that we are plugged in fellows to the league and also through our connection with our fans, both of this podcast and the writing side of things, like we might have some, um, I don't know, some type of creativity that we can offer to the NFL when they say, hey, we want to brand this weekend of

upcoming playoff weekend in a different way. Nobody did. And now we're learning that has been branded Super wild Card Weekend. How about that? Because there's three games on each day this year, because there's two extra playoff teams. Uh, it is no longer wild Card Weekend. It is Super wild Card Weekend. And here is what it's gonna look like.

Saturday one a f C game, two NFC games. Starts with Indie at Buffalo in the one oh five pm time slot on CBS, then the NFC the Sandwich game in the middle of the Sandwich Los Angeles Rams at Seattle for forty on Fox, so that will be Troy and Joe Buck. We hope Tony, Romo uh and Jim Nance will be together on the early game, but Romo uh COVID nineteen will see what happens late game Saturday, Tampa Bay at Giants, NBC. Then on Sunday, and this is this is notable. That would be news if they're

out the Giants. But I think you means, excuse me, Tampa Bay at Washington Football Team Sunday, The early game Baltimore, Tennessee. That's an ESPN, ABC joint. The middle game four forty Eastern Chicago at New Orleans on CBS, and then the Closer or Cessler the Closer Cleveland at Pittsburgh on NBC. And it should be noted Alvin Kamara um arguably the best running back in football, who got sent to the

COVID nineteen list. He tested positive. I don't know if this has changed, but I had read yesterday that if the Saints played on Saturday next week he would not be able to clear protocol. But if they played Sunday, which they are, he may be available next week. That that's a story. He also has to be healthy enough to play. He was not a close contact COVID list. He was I have COVID list guy. So big weekend

of football coming up. You made it to the final um, to the Final nine, Mark I. I you know when I when I used to have root for teams that would make the playoffs, or I remember when I was like a Yukon basketball fan. You know, I liked if they were in the Elite eight game in Sunday afternoon because I was like, well, I'm I'm one of five fan bases left still rooting for a team that's alive. The Browns will be one of the nine teams still alive for the Super Bowl late Sunday afternoon. You've been

guaranteed that. Well, I'm you know, I'm glad they didn't get the you know, the Andy Dalton versus the Texans spot on Saturday, like ten am, Um, you're right, it's Steve. You got Alan Chris. By the way, they did Confervent the Alan Chris game. Mike Terrico is doing the Saturday night game. It's also about three minutes before we start our podcast, so there could be some raw emotions coming off of that. I would just say the super wild Card weekend. I don't know what what we're critiquing here.

I feel like the message was stretched the bounds of human creativity, and I think box checked. Call it like, uh, divorce, you know, divorce weekend. You know it's a lot of football. Well, yes, and we are not going to jinx this because yes, now it's the playoffs and there are a lot of games to play in The NFL has not bubbled up or done anything like that, so we are hardly in the clear on code. But just to make it out of the regular season and get to fifty six played, um,

that is my her miracle. It's a great slate, by the way, I mean, other than that NFC East game, you know, the Washington get in there, those other five games all look great to me. I don't know, Chicago New Orleans doesn't do the whole. I guess, I guess I take it back. And I've seen the ram even

though I'm intrigued by the Rams. Um, I've seen the Rams Seattle like defensive struggle a couple of times this year, and I feel like I've watched every single Seattle game on an isolated island on Prime just it's NonStop Seahawks, but I'm glad for them, happy for you Seattle. Yeah, but there's no there are no complaints about the a f C wild Card weekend. That is going to be a lot of fun to watch, all right, So there you go. We've done it all, we've said it all.

And as we take this at eleven forty two pm on the East Coast, only Adam Gates has been let go UM as coach. He is now the fourth coach that's been fired UM and there are usually a couple more. Zach Taylor should be noted a report from Florio on NBC that he may not be safe. All this up in the air right now as we record this, and that's why we have a special around the NFL podcast episode coming up earlier than usual late Monday. Will tape it.

It is the New Horizons Monday podcast. We don't call it, we don't call it Black Monday. It's New Horizons maybe because opportunities abound us, so we will break down all the movements probably on Monday. Maybe Greg, maybe nothing's happening on Monday, and we'll say maybe, we'll wait to Tuesday. But either way, the New Horizons podcast coming up next we'll be flexible listener. If you're a listener, you need to be flexible. And well, we gave them the best

decision a lot to listen to today. So you got to crank through this one quickly, crank it. Send it up to two times uh in terms of velocity of the show, all right, velocity of the show. Okay, it's definitely time. Been a long day. It's been a long day, all right. This is Dan Anson signing off for Quiet Storm, the old Boss, the Mailman, the Pipe, and of course Ricky Hollywood behind the virtual glass, who's going to do

excellent producing work. I know she will on this mega app alright, everybody until Tuesday when maybe Monday, stay tuned.