2020 Week 1 Preview

I don't, I don't, I wouldn't. I love all things Around the NFL podcast related. And this does feel like, you know, the the day after we learned that the city of Los Angeles where we live canceled Halloween. Uh, it's good to know that some things are still around, and that's football, which starts tonight with the Texans and the Chiefs at Arrowhead in front of eighteen thousand brave fans.

And uh, we're going to have a late night Thursday mini pod coming up later uh today or early Friday that recaps that game, and hopefully it will be all four of us with Chris westling Um and we're planning to head over to West Manor to see Lakisha and Link and the whole gang a little bit later. So we're all excited and pumped up as we are every year. I believe this is our eighth season boys uh doing NFL Action here at the dot com. Can you believe it? Mark?

I mean yeah, I can. I think it's also when we started this show, you thought, well, this would be great. At this lasted for you know, a good six months until they catch wind of what we're doing here. And so the idea that the show has gone on for eight months is a small miracle. I think in sports media industry circles that that said that we couldn't even do the podcast together when it started, like one of us had to stay in the newsroom. That's how a

little it was thought of we. I had another boss that told me when I got uh, if I finally got a full time job at NFL, don't focus on the podcast. Don't take it too seriously. Your job is a writer. That's what you do. And we still write, and we still love to write. But this podcast is incredible. I think it's taken on a life of its own, and we're all very lucky to do it for another season. And this is Greg and your way off on that. I love kid. By the way, where is that shadowy? Like?

Especially a week he's just biking around? Uh, you know, he's biking around the beach somewhere, nothing to do. That's where he is. Greg connecting some dots here and maybe so are some listeners working? All right? So what are we doing today? You know what we're doing. We're gonna preview every game to be played on Sunday and Monday. And of course it's week one everyone's playing, so we got a lot of games to get to. Very exciting.

A few ground rules to remember as well. Uh that we will be picking uh in a dray Aft order which will be fun, which means Gregg, as the reigning locks champion, you get the first overall pick this year. Congratulations on that. For the games that will be covering, and we'll do its snake style, so look out for that. And as I said, yes, each of us will pick one lock of the week, which were usually very poor at but we'll track those all season long on the

Thursday show. Uh. And one program note and this is also very exciting. For the first time, the our preview program will also be airing on NFL Network Saturday mornings eight am Eastern, which is just a beautiful little time slot you wake up, Uh either watch it live or on the DVR and get caught up to date if you miss the audio show, or you want to see our beautiful mugs. And it's also mark, you know for those teams out there one am one am Eastern Sunday

morning airing. And you know the teens love that, the late night stuff they do. I mean it's you know, in days of old, it would be just as some of them are getting back from the bars and and but now it's just you know, people that have been launched on couches for seven or eight straight hours, that are still up at one am and saying, well, this show is on, I'll guess I'll watch this. What else do Greg? You know a little more on that one am slot, you're always team this and team that, and

Team this and team that. So that's you know, especially important to you. Well, I like creating divisions among the people I like and the people I don't like. But ten pm Pacific, though, that's how I'm on team Team West Coast time I'm sick of this and East goes bias always saying he's goes ten pm is a beautiful time slot out here on the West Coast. Not bad, not bad at all. All Right, without further ado, it's time to get to it. Spen through all the games

on Sunday and Monday. Guys can pick any game you want, any game at all, and Greg, like we said, you have the first overall pick. And there's a little pressure involved here. We did our Wednesday live stream YouTube question and answer, which was a lot of fun. We technically did preview the first game of the season there, but there's something different the Thursday show. Yeah, it's up to

you to do this. Well. Sometimes the number one overall pick is the obvious choice, like the Bengals, you know, the obvious choice was taking Joe Burrow. The week one obvious choice for the best game is Buck Saints. So that's what I'm taking right off the top. I'm looking forward to watching that in the afternoon window like the rest of the country. Joe Buck, Chris collins Worth. It's gonna be beautiful. The NFL schedule makers got this right when they put Tom Brady versus Drew Brees in Week one.

They're making sure no one can get hurt, you know, during the season. I want to see this matchup twice and I want to see what Tom Brady does against the very good Saints secondary. And I think if you look at these two teams and you're looking for something that separates them, they both have great pass for us, they both have great weapons, but the Saints have that depth in the secondary where both of these quarterbacks are looking for matchups. That's what they're picking out, like where

is the mismatch? And I think it's harder to find going up against the Saint sec and theory now that they have Donors Jenkins, Marshaan Lattimore, they're very deep at safety now with Malcolm Jenkins, Marcus Williams. They've got good players coming off the bench. It's gonna be tougher for Brady. I think to find open receivers in this game than Drew Brees, who's done me playing his millionth game in

the Super Dome. I know you love that, Cessler, Well, you know I I think this is a fascinating matchup. And everyone talks about the fact that the Chiefs are returning eighteen of twenty two starters. To your point, Greg, the Saints defense returns ten of eleven. This was a team that was third in the league in sack slasher.

I think that went a little bit under the radar and I kind of can't wait to see, you know, I think you know, Sean Payton and Drew Brees could it could be on you know, a heavy dosage of hallucinogenics and tell still tell you about their playbook, um from it from total memory. That's how familiar everything is in New Orleans. Tom Brady is Tom Brady, but you're still dealing with teammates in a playbook that is still information.

And what happens when O. J. Howard runs like a button hook when he was supposed to running out in tom Brady's tossing the ball to a ghost and some of you're gonna get that moment where Tom Brady likes to tell us receivers you gotta get on the same page as me. There might be a little bit of that, And I think that makes this game super intriguing because Tom Brady is in a totally new environment. Bruce arians is sitting on a potential super Bowl team. But there's

a lot of adjust to write in Week one. But I'm gonna tell you one little thing right now. I believe in the Saints. I believe in them so much, and I know this is gonna be a tight game. I think this is a great way to start this season of locks. For me, I'm going with the New Orleans Saints as my lock of the week. Baby, all right, that's that's a solid one. I like that. We like to well, there's a code of conduct in this on this podcast where you never lock a team that's too

heavy a favorite. You gotta look in the mirror past that mirror test. But I think, especially in week one with so many especially with how this summer played out and so many other factors, to just imagine any team is a heavy favorite, to me seems a little bit foolhardy. So I I I'm with you. I do think this is the Saints game to win for the reasons you guys added and that listen, the Bucks they were to me,

the training camp champions. I would even give him the whole offseason title the way the Browns won it the year before, and it didn't work out for Cleveland, and who knows if it works out for Tampa. But I do imagine there will be some bugs in the machine glitches in the matrix early on with a new quarterback and a new offensive setup in the post Jamis Winston era. How about the idea of and nobody roots for injuries.

But Jamis Winston what if he got in this game somehow and he's going against the Bucks right off the bat. I also want to know Taysom Hill, who signed that million dollar extension for two years. You know, Sean Payton with that uh commitment to Hill, He's gonna make sure he's in this game. And I want to see how he's deployed with Drew Brees at forty two years old. Yeah, I totally agree about the Saints in terms of if they put in Jamis Winston, they would brought up the score.

I mean, do you remember here Teddy Bridgewater had his best game of the season in a blowout against this Bucks team. So this matchup in terms of Sean Payton versus Todd Bowles, we've seen it before, and uh, the Alvin Camara that we're gonna see this year, I think is gonna be a little bit different. I think this matchup plays very well and I feel a little ashamed, I gotta admit seeing that Mark did the lock of the Week because I was filing the same thing. I'm

gonta lock it up too. I'm not going off that it's weird too that we're both locking right off the top. Joined me. You know we need to start the season with a bang. Join me. I like that, you know. I'm I'm in group think with the the champion from last year's lock lockoff, So I like that. You know, Camara last year, not healthy, had a hundred yards in each of the two games against Todd Bowles and the Bucks. He was still effective. I think he's a perfect weapon

to unleash against a very good Bucks defense. To me, I mean, this game is the one that I'm just gonna turn all the other screens off and just focus on this. We have been talking about Tom Brady endlessly for send months and we haven't even mentioned Rob Gronkowski. I mean, there's just so much to like about this matchup that it is. Uh. It is a juicy Week one offering. I'm glad they scheduled it as such. Last thing I'll say is all the focus on running back

in Tampa. Leonard for it, It's like a lot of wasted hot takes and hot air it's like they were. They were dead last in the league in running the ball in the first half a game when Jamis Winston was their quarterback. You think they're suddenly gonna start running the ball with Tom Brady. Give me a break. It's gotta be about three carries at halften. Alright, we'll have to see how it all plays out. Let's move on to the second draft pick of Week one, Mark Sessler.

I'm magnanimous, man, so I give it to you. Well, thank you. You know I'm gonna go. You know, in the past, I would shy away from this type of matchup because it's a little too glistening, a little too glittery. It includes the Dallas Cowboys, which you know, whether or not I want to watch them, they're on Primetime basically every other week. I like this Cowboys at Rams matchup a lot. I think these or two should be playoff teams.

Uh and unless something goes wrong, and I know, you know, Greg is high on the on the Eagles, which means you must be low on the Cowboys. I don't know why that has to happen. I think that this Dallas offense. Yes, you have a new coach in Mike McCarthy, But I think Mike McCarthy is on a bit of a revenge tour to salvage his reputation which was a little bit you know, harassed at the end of the Green Based And I love that they kept Kellen Moorett offensive coordinator.

There's a lot of continuity here. The one big difference you added Seedee Lamb to create basically the best wide receiver corps I think in the NFC. And they talked about Ceedee Lamb. You know, you get these camp reports some of these rookie first round whiteouts are shining or they're not. They've talked about Seedee Lamb as someone that they want to plug in with a primary role right away.

Jerry Jones said that Mike McCarthy has said that. My one concern, you know, and I think that Zeke Elliott also, this is someone that they said we're going to throw the ball a lot more to Zeke Ellity is going to get back into the way it was in eighteen. My concern is you have Lyle Collins out of the lineup and you have someone named cam Irvin in there the bust first round. Think of the Browns who they're saying we have all the confidence in the world, and

but this is not. You can't just say this is the same Cowboys line of old. I think that's your concern for the safety of Dak Prescott, for the functionality of the whole offense. But if Zeke Elliott, for instance, can overcome that, I really like Dallas in this game. I do. I'm glad you mentioned injury. It's one of the biggest factors in this game. Dan, Like I I, no one's talked about it this week. They're basically down to two guys you think of as the Cowboys offensive line,

Tyrann Smith, Um and Zack Martin. It used to be five guys that you could trust, and now they're just kind of like another team. Well, Martin is still an elite guy, and maybe Tyron Smith has come down a little bit. I still think the line is gonna be above average. Maybe, like you said, it's not gonna be an elite line, but they've they've earned the benefit of the doubt for me a little bit at that position.

And then when you look everywhere else, if that line holds up, I think this team could be has no every one offense in the NFL potential. I think it's it's at that point. And on the RAMS side of the ball, I think the there's been a little bit of people getting down on the Rams as having kind of no chance of being a team in transition that had their shot, And maybe that is the case. And that's why it's kind of fun to watch this all play out because maybe, yeah, that's exactly what's going on

in Los Angeles right now. But how about Sean McVeigh. And our buddy Chris Wesling, who we wish was with us right now, has pointed out that maybe Sean McVeigh was handcuffed a little bit last year. Todd Gurley, the highest paid running back in the league, this guy that was supposed to be the face of the franchise, and they kept feeding him and running the offense in some ways through Todd Gurley. And now he's gone, and the Rams obviously made it a point that it wasn't gonna

work with him in the mix anymore. And now we can see what Sean McVeigh looks like, uh, putting this offense together where he doesn't have Girle in the mix. And I also like the idea of Jared Goff coming off an off year when everyone thinks Jared Goff is not that great and maybe he's not a Hall of Famer, but I like to see what Sean McVeigh does. Here was a still very good group of wide receivers and

an interesting backfield. We don't know much about how it is going to operate right now, but I think the Rams offense Gona is gonna be surprising people this year. I can't win to see Van Jefferson, who I think Van Jefferson was one of the stars of Hard Knocks but also someone It was one of the few bits of real football information you got from Hard Knocks that

they love this guy. You know. For me, though, the one thing Jared Goff's offensive line is not really improved that much, and I think that was that was the issue with Jared Goff, that he is going to thrive when he's protected well, and you look at kind of his metrics and his numbers and they fall off a dangerous cliff when he's not protected well. They have great continuity though, and you know throughout their team, these two

teams have great offensive continuity. But the matchup that I'm excited I would be excited about, you know, I'm excited for my daughter, she's a Rams fan. Is when those Rams receivers are out there against these Dallas corners. Those Dallas corners weren't very good a year ago, and then you change your scheme. You got Mike Nolan there, That's where the big change came in Dallas. And so you have guys that really weren't that great and now you're

trying to fit them into a different scheme. And I think you've got more depth on the offense and more versatility in l A than they've ever had because they're gonna use their tight ends with Tyler Higbee and Gerald. Ever, because of Van Jefferson and because of that backfield you mentioned Dan, they're better off without Gurley. I love I love me some cam Akers. I like Malcolm Brown. We'll see if Darrell Henderson gets in the mix for a

little bit of speed. But I think if you're looking at two teams with a lot of continuity, I'm gonna trust the one and Sean McVeigh that got a big time playoff win run going up and down the field against the Cowboys a couple of years ago. How about the Rams were a nice little home upset, open up

their stadium alight. One little, one little quick note about this game is that like this is so um, this is so this offseason, the Michael Brockers said that he had no way to scout uh the Cowboys at all, and that he's basically just resorted to watching like what little shreds of practice clips he can find on YouTube. That's what teams are dealing with right now. It's gonna be insane. I think Week one is gonna be wild.

I think it's gonna be filled with upsets quote unquote, and I think the Desert people are in for rude awakening even would you be totally stunned just by the recent history of the Dallas Cowboys. If everyone does all this hype talk about their wide receiver room and Zeke and Dap being the MVP this year, and then they scored thirteen points, they blow hype. That's what the Cowboys do. Alright, moving forward, I'm up. I got the snake picks. I got two picks here. I'm a little bit nervous. I'll

go with Monday Night Football. Let's do it. Chris Berman calling the game. I don't know Steelers at good dream and such a really pumped uh I'm really pumped. Yes, I love it. I love the franchises. I love talking g men in transition post Eli would be very interesting to see, UM how this offense looks. I don't think this is a playoff team uh in the meadow lands this year with the Giants. But I also, you know we just talked about with the Cowboys. Do you really

ever trust the Cowboys? The Eagles have some of their own question marks, although Greg thinks they're going nineteen and o uh. I think the Giants could potentially hang around in the NFC East and surprise people at the offense, it plays up the standards at Danny Dimes, uh makes the leap if se Kwon Barkley is back to rookie version, which was absolutely dominant. They have some playmakers on the outside as well, and a good slot man in Golden Tate and Evan Ingram who's a great tight end if

you can stay in the field. So I don't think the Giants, if their offensive line is better UH and Danny Dimes cleans up some of his mistakes, are gonna have any problem scoring points this year. I think they're gonna lose some shootouts as well, but that's the way it is on the Cowboys side of thing, excuse me. On the Steelers side of things, I think this is a super Bowl ready team. I picked them on NFL

dot Com. But win the Super Bowl. Um. I think that if Big Ben is of what he was before the injury, I think this is a team that's gonna roll over teams. And I think they're gonna have their way with the Giants in Week one with the one caveat Greg. The same thing I'm gonna say with all these games that maybe the Steelers have to knock off some rust and it's closer than we realize. But I like the Steelers here, Yeah I do too, But they are one of those teams, the Steelers that hit a

lot in camp. Maybe Joe Judge was like that too, you know, Joe Judge is a tough guy. Everyone knows that, you know. Yea, So maybe these are the two most ready teams. But the Steelers are one of those teams that Tomlin was tackling and he was hitting. He was He's still running those old school training camps. So they seemed to me like a team that would be absolutely prepared for Week one because they have such a veteran

defense who knows what they're doing. Where the Giants are installing a whole new offense, a whole new defense, And I'm with you. I think the Dimes man, uh, I think he's gonna be delivering all year. I actually think they can hold up against his defense. But when you go to the other why not you know, dimes common man. I I think the Numbers game when the Steelers are on the field, and that's kind of what the NFL is now, Like, how many mismatches can you have? I

said it in the Buck Saints game. Every every position is a mismatch. They're deep at receiver. I like their two tight ends Deebrown and McDonald, and the Giants don't have anything in the secondary. I'm sorry. I know they signed Logan Ryan, but this is a rough group, so there's mismatches everywhere. There should be a lot of points here. My my concern because I would put Daniel Jones in like the for this week alone to rank the quarterbacks. I'm excited to see Daniel Jones is in the top five.

I think you can make the kind of leap that everyone wants to ascribe to U Kyler Murray and everyone else why not. I mean, you've got great weapons around you. It's really it comes down to staying healthy. My concern in this game because I think you to your point, Greg, the Steelers are battle tested and ready, much more than percent of the league right now. How do you stop t J. Watt, How do you stop Cam Heyward? How

do you stop Bud Dupre. This is another team kind of like the Saints that rack up punishment on quarterbacks, sack totals, quarterback hits. And what we saw last year with Jones, he led the league in fumbles when he was attacked and put under pressure or that was his Achilles heel. I think that's the kind of thing that you're gonna see him and approve on in year two. I mean that had to be a focus. I think you're gonna see a big leap from Daniel Jones. But

can you put it all together in one week? To me, though, the overriding thing is that the the Joe Judge experience, You've got to be, you know, dead inside not to be kind of intrigued and excited by what this can mean for a Giants team that's been a see a really long time. All right, Well, then for the pandemic. Help you if they make you feel something, Greg. If Joe Judge gets into that Greg Rosenthal little heart there, we know that Joe Judge has done his job and

we will be excited coming out a week one. Yeah, but you know you know that with Rosenthal, like he Joe Judge is just another turncoat from the Belichick tree, so he roots for him to fail and doubling because it's the Giants, because of what happened in those two Super Bowls when Eli took down the great two headed Bohema. I love the I love the Dimes man. Danny Dimes has gotten into my heart. I'm just not in love the fact that he's inherited Jason Garrett right in his offense.

I like fun football. It's been a while since the Giants who played some fun football. Let's Greg, Jason Garrett or Patch Schremer. I mean, are we is it really? I mean? I think you know it best. It's it's a draw. Lee Shermer was throwing it forty times a game that was fun. Who it feels like a bit of a with all due respect, like a talking heading to just assume we're we know what Jason Garrett's We don't it's been head coach anymore. You're right, You're right,

all right, it's snakes to me, right. You gotta make the sound effect though, Dan, I mean that was one of the national things draft. Here we go. Oh yeah, this is a no brainer Packers Vikings. That is what I mean. People when they have their fantasy dress, they get bummed out when they're picking last. But when you nail that, that snake and that turnaround like I just did, and you're in the what do they call it, the

something bird seat, catbird seat, I don't know. We're in your world, Dan, you you can name it whatever you want. At this point, I think cool man. Alright. Packers at Vikings love it. Awesome matchup lust speak of things I love. I love the NFC North and there's so many great sublots here. This is a Vikings team that appears ready absolutely to contend for a Super Bowl. And the Janik and Gockway pick up was so smart by Rick Spielman because it filled a big need. They needed somebody that

could get to the quarterback. They needed somebody to replace Everson Griffin and Yoni and Godway could absolutely do that. And he doesn't have to be the only guy now. Daniel Hunter, their other great pass rusher, went to short term. I R, are we calling a boomerang? I are? Are Are we still trying to make that boomerang boomerang? I R. It's a thing. We're making it a thing. We're forcing people. Well, I was just more curious for the three week version.

Is that boomerang as well? I guess it is. It's just a shorter throw right, shorter love. Okay, Anyway, Daniel Hunter is not gonna be playing in this game. That's that's an issue in Gockway is getting used to his new surroundings. He wasn't very active this summer, so that's something to watch along the defensive line for the Vikings. Um. But I think again with Davin Cookback. I know Stefan Diggs is gone, but I think Adam Feelin, who's gonna be hopefully healthy this year, is gonna have a big

season with Kirk Cousins. And then on the other side of the ball, I'm fascinated. We talked about it on our Sandwich Predictions show on Monday. What Aaron Rodgers. I'm predicting he's an All Pro this year just because I wanted to happen. I think that would be a lot of fun if it happens, and hell happ no fury like a legendary quarterback scorned. I think he wants it, and I think he's gonna be better this year. Just

a hunch, but we'll see. I'm with you on Aaron Rodgers having the correct motivation now, not that he didn't have it before, but it's right in his face where we're We're weeks away from him telling, you know, our friend Kyle Brandt that he believed that the end in Green Bay was, you know, was coming. That he that was sort of the tea leaves when they went and got love in the first round and traded up for him. He really had only four games last year right through

for over three hundred yards. He's that's gonna have to change for him to be m v P. And the way that they attacked the Vikings, you know more recently is that Aaron Jones had four hundred yards and his last three outings against Minnesota. And I look at the Vikings defense where they completely rebuilt group of cornerbacks. It's three new corners and Mike Zimmer is good at coaching those guys up. But there are some TVD elements to tow Minnesota's defense. There are, but I trust in Zimmer

and and people have been focused on that. Okay, they've they've got these young corners. Well, the old corners were bad, like they weren't playing well. Like getting Xavier Roads out of there is a plus. And and zimmer is one of the only coaches in the league that's really patient in terms of how he brings his draft picks along. So these guys have been around in terms of Hughes

and Holton Hill like they've been in the building. They're not rookies necessarily, and I like that they needed some fresh But I'm a little worried, as Dan mentioned, what they're gonna be like upfront, And I'm a little worried. Dan. You remember that game, We watched it with your father in the garage. I mean, the Vikings really didn't show up in a big spot. So this happened. This is a chance for them, uh to maybe set a new a new path this year because that was ugly last

year with a division on it. But you know it's weird. Greg, I remember that. I think it was a week fifteen or sixteen game and game uh, and it basically sunk their chances of winning the division. And we all said, ah, the Vikings are frauds. You know, get Kirk Cousins out of here. He's doing gender reveal parties anyway, Anybody who does that needs to be thrown into the ocean. And then they went to the super Dome in the playoffs in one a game. And I know they got killed

the next week by the Niners. But it's like you never know which version shows up. You just never know you're right. But they I just find them to be the classic good not great team and I and I wait to see if they're a great team. I mean, the greatest thing that came out of that total flop by Minnesota was Dan's dad referring to Matt Lafleur as a little boy with a beard. I mean that wasn't kind of the perfect indication of what I think he kind of looked like, lash right. I think he's grown

up a little bit. And Batt Lafour is probably wanting to show people, you know, to stop talking about this soft thirteen and three record from a year ago, which I appointed to a hundred times. I don't like what happened in the NFC title game. They were not a thirteen and three team in that game to me. But Green Bay probably has a little bit of feelings. But they worked in general, they were in fact, they were fourteen. They were fourteen and three game team in that game.

And then I stick by the fact that, like you know, we've been watching football for decades, there's a hundred thirteen and three teams. They did not vibe that way to me, But that doesn't mean they weren't a very good team. All right, anybody got the vikings in this game? I took them. You can check out my picks NFL dot Com or game debut on Friday nights. I mean, why not you got Also Greg went sixteen and oh one week last year in his pixsl NFL dot com. I'll

tell you because he won't, but that was impressive. He went back and changed, I'll give you I'll give you a bag. I will give you a bag of cash if you do that in this week. I really will all right time now four Road to Victory, presented by the US Marine Corps are mark the draft heads to you. Well, and how about we take a little road, a little trip out west to San Francisco. That's what the Cardinals are doing. They're hopping on a plane soon they're gonna

get out there. And this is a classic kind of game that I that I can get up for because you've got my guy, Kyle shannonhan versus Cliff Kingsbury, I think two of the most interesting coaches around and inside an NFC West filled with great coaches, and this is gonna have to kind of show us what Kyle Shanahan can do in a pinch. Your defense is banged up. You look at Deebo, Samuel Brandon and Yuke. We don't know what's going on with those guys right now, whether

they'll be available or wide receiver corps a mess. So I think you gotta do this. You gotta try to keep Kyler Murray in that fast Cardinals offense fourth fastest in the league last year, off the field best you can. So maybe this is a run heavy game. Maybe this is a game where George Kittle, if you own him in fantasy, is gonna lead you to a win because you're just gonna funnel the ball to him all day long. What you don't want to do if you're the Niners.

Is let Kenyan Drake do what he did last on that he dealt with his team get about two hundred and fifty yards and his two matchups against the Niners, they shut everyone down. He was someone they could not shut down. I cannot wait to see what Arizona's four wide receiver offense looks like in Week one. Yeah, you think of that four wide receiver sets that Kingsbury did so much last year. Now he actually has four good

wide receivers. So it makes you think, is he just gonna do it all the time now that he's got Hopkins as the one? But you slide in. Christian Kirk has a two fit. Larry Fitzgerald supposedly had an amazing training camp, which is just it's funny that he's still having amazing training camps. And well, he's the same as Frank. These guys that everyone loves, their veterans always have great camps. They they do. But I don't I don't doubt that

he's out working this Cardinal secondary. Now you have Andy and Isabella and you're you're playing fast and it's totally opposite to what Kyle Shanahan really likes to do. Mark so they're they're from the old school in San Francisco in terms of Shanahan running these heavy sets with fullbacks and keep an eye on two tight ends. Not just George Kittle, but Jordan Read. Here's a guy who's gotten a little bit of camp pipe over the years and

hasn't always stayed healthy. But he really would change their team if Jordan's the old Jordan Reed from Washington shows up like that, to me is a major X factor in Shanahan will know how to use him. I'm sure he will show up, and I'm not making light of it, but the reason he has great camps is because he's a gifted athletic pass catcher and playmaker. And then when he gets hit, unfortunately, he's had head injuries that come up year after year. Hopefully he shakes that because they

really need somebody else to step up right now. Greg, you've been very down on the Niners this summer. In fact, in our prediction show you even said they're not going to make the playoffs. You put sandwiches on it, which just seems to me a little bit strange, but that was that was our onion hangers. You gotta have one that you know isn't too likely, but it just shows that you're not afraid to take a chance. But it is an interesting matchup because you're not the only person

that's doubting the Niners a little bit. And then you have the Cardinals, who everyone is ion. I said that I thought the Bucks were the off off season champion. The Cardinals came in second because everyone just assumes, and this is like the red flag for me a little bit. Everyone assumes that Kyler Murray is now going to take the Lamari and leap and become an m v P type player, And maybe you will, and maybe he's in a perfect offense for it, but that's a lot harder

than that it looks. I know Mahomes and Lamar did it back to back years, but that doesn't happen but once a decade tip now, I would say this too, that you know, DeAndre Hopkins and Kyler Murle didn't work much together in camp really at all. They really didn't get a lot of reps, so that might take a couple of weeks to to iron out. But also, you know Richard Sherman, one of the last guy who seems

healthy in the secondary. He doesn't flip flop. I mean he stays on one side, so you can kind of you if your Cliff Kingsbury's scheme around where Sherman is not with Hopkins, and maybe that creates an advantage for Arizona right there, An Sessler, you know he doesn't flip flop, he just stick. Well, I you know, I just dropped like massive predictions that come true in time. I don't know what you're talking about with the flip flop business. That's absurd. Greg, You're up next, and I'm glad you

left this Patriots Dolphins game for me. That's the one I want to watch early on Sunday. And uh, these teams are kind of similar to me in some ways in that they have great, you know, defensive backfields. They almost want you to run the ball against them. That's they're inviting you. It's not, I guess a shock because Brian Flores and Bill Belichick have the same sort of defensive philosophy. But on offense, you also don't know what you're gonna get. I think you're gonna get a lot

of running. I think you're gonna get a lot of option football from Cam Newton. And I think you're gonna get a lot of surprises from the Dolphins too. I would not be surprised to see two a tongue of Vloa out there with a special package. Both these coaches are so cag that you know they just want to spring something on each other in Week one in Belichick is not happy that Flores went up there to Foxboro and basically ended the Tom Brady era in Week seventeen

last year, taking that by away. So Belichick's ready for a little revenge. Was wait, you can win. You can win against the Titans the next week. It wasn't over at that point. Just the lost any chance, any chance they had at going deep into the playoffs and maybe winning a championship, which is all they're really worried about. It was over the second you knew the team didn't

have it at that point. That's all. I think. It showed like a severe chink in the armor, and it was it was you know, you had Ryan Fitzpatrick, you know, with players jumping on his on his back, he's piggybacking players off the field. It just was not the way New like New England likes to close the season. I thought it was interesting. The Beat writer Jeff how noted that coaches think that Cam Newton can still basically be the rusher he was in twenty seven team when he

ran for a hundred and forty times or so. I cannot wait to see how they scheme him and what this offense looks like. You know, we got used to seeing. Even if the Patriots switched up with Tombrey a little bit, it just looked the same year after year. Do you give the advantage to New England with with surprise or Chan Gailey in Miami You hasn't coached since and maybe wants to run who knows wildcat or pistol all day long.

I'm going with, uh, the Patriots in the Element of Surprise game here, Jan Galiley and Ryan Fitzpatrick made magic on the one Jets team that had a winning record in the last ten years. Uh So they have a knowledge together and I'm really interested to see. I've given Gregor hard time this offseason that the Patriots won't be special anymore. I still believe that, But Cam Newton, Cam Newton's playing football again, and it'll be interesting to see.

The thing I'm most interested in with Newton is is he gonna be running around a lot? Because you know, there's conversations in that building, can he be that guy anymore? Because they kind of needed to be that guy because he's never been a special passer. It's when you put the two things together that that made him an m VP level player. So I'll be interested to see how he's deployed in Belichick's offense. I think it'll be a ton of running. I think you'll see a lot of

James White. I think you'll see some Sony Michelle. Both teams are gonna run. But one team, to me, is more prepared to run. They have a at her offensive line. That's the new England Patriots. The Dolphins have so many new starters. I think it's gonna be very difficult for them to not have had a preseason to get ready for this year. Better win this game, Greg, you get things off on the right foot here. I mean, I don't know. I'm not suiting up. I'm just well, I'm

just watching at home. We're gonna be doing our Week one recap show regardless. You know, well, we'll still You're right, Mark, I could hear in his voice, all right, let's let's snake along. Greg. It goes right back to you. Oh, I am so excited. You didn't think this was gonna get taken so high. It's the Las Vegas Raiders go into Charlotte this week to face Mark's boy, Matt Rule and the Carolina Panthers. A little bit of a reach, I don't think. So, you know what, I got the

Patriots on one TV, gonna get my attention. I got this game on the secondary TV, and I picked it because there are two teams that I just I like, I don't know what these two teams are gonna look like, so I'm very curious. I mean, Rule, it's a mystery. But even the Raiders, if you look at their starting lineup right now, they have nine players that are first or second year starters that were drafted by Mike Mack. That is an outrageous number. Most teams have two or

three players like that. So it's a lot of rookies. It's rookies at wide receiver, you know, Rugs and Edwards for the Raiders. So even though Gruden has been there a couple of years, it's it's a lot of mystery, and to me, that gets me at that gets me going on Sundays. Maybe maybe it doesn't, you know, maybe you're just already board by these teams. Dan, I am with you. I think that tell me more the Carolina side Sunday mornings like that. I look at the Carolina

side where the mystery is. Basically, you've got like nine players on the defense that we're in college a year ago, you know, studying the books and playing on Saturdays. Now they're suddenly having a deal with the Raiders offense. John Gruden year three, I I flipped to the Carolina's offense.

So I mean the big name that they have it all O C Joe Brady who basically turned Clyde Edwards Hilaire into elis use all time leading past catching running back, and now Clyde Edwards Hilaire is being taken number one overall in Kansas City by fantasy heads for that reason. And they basically said, that's what we want to do with Christian McCaffrey, that there's no idea this, We're not going to diminish his role. He's basically it's more of a Saints type offense. They're gonna run him the way

that Alvin Kamara was used. And there are weapons on this offense. You still have d J. Moore. I love that they got Robby Anderson. The idea that this team is starting from scratch entirely is not true, but we do need to see the Teddy Bridgewater experience week one. I know, Mark, you've already put Matt Rule into the Hall of Fame as an NFL head, but her Titanic. He has a Titanic challenge in front of him this year. I don't like their chances early on in the season.

They seem to me a team maybe kind of like how Brian Flores did in Miami last year, where they start out a little bit of a mess, and then as the season goes along and he starts to get the team more comfortable and everybody get finds their roles, they get better. But I like the Raiders a lot in this game. I think they they have they have a better flow to them right now. They have more

more in place entering the season. And I I'm call me the one guy out there, at least in the national media that thinks they are car could be legitimately good this year, not just the guy that everybody kicks around. Yeah, I think it's a mismatch. When they have the ball. The back seven for Carolina is pretty rough. I thought you were gonna lock it up there, but I guess not. I don't want to go that far, but I will. I do have a team in mind. Mark, it's your turn, buddy,

all right. Well, you know I'm predictable enough. I think that you know where I'm going here. I'm gonna go Cleveland at Baltimore. And you know this game is giving me, um some troubles internally because you know, as a long

time just a few, just a few. I I don't know if I like the idea of having to roll out a whole new coaching staff and a new offense and a lot of new faces um against a Baltimore team run by John Harbaugh and essentially all the same people from last year, other than the fact that you added, you know, Derek Wolfe and Calias Campbell and Patrick Queen to uh what should be a much better run defense. I don't know in a pandemic that I need on Baltimore dropping a forty burger on the Browns um added

into the spicy mix of life. But um, I am hopeful about the Browns in general. I really do think that the the b line through their entire offseason under Kevin Stefanski has been hyper organization. All the players basically said, this coach is super zoned in. Everyone has very specific individual goals. Um their practices were organized us a lot to like. I think Baker Mayfield has his head on straight this year. My concern is just that I don't think you're gonna see it in week one or right away.

It's gonna take time the same way it will for so many of these other teams. Maybe I'm being too uh pessimistic here, Greg, Come on, why why are you so nervous? I mean the the Ravens, it's the Baltimore Last year, it was the Browns that dropped the forty burger on the Ravens and gave him a big fat out. I know you called that game of fluke. You called that game of fluke when it happened, So I mean I kind of vi that game is a little flukey myself.

So okay, I do too. But I think if you look at the Browns roster, I'm not trying to just you know, pump you up. Okay. The Ravens are known for their backfield. Who's got the better running backs? I would take Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. I really went, who's got the better tight ends? It's at least the question you got in Joku. You add Austin Hooper, I know you love your boy h from the draft of Browns and Harrison Bryant. Then you have the wide receivers.

Who's deeper wide. I'm just saying, I mean, this Brown's team is talented, so let's puff out our chests. Last year and for most of the most of the players you just bought up, Greg, they were all there last year, and all those Ravens guys were there last year. And one team went four fourteen and two, and one team went six and ten. And the games, even the second matchup, they were ahead in that game, deep into it, and then Freddie Kitchens happened. Greg Dan, I would say this,

I mean, the Browns are not the same offense. Though they actually added they didn't have a tight end that was healthy at all last year. You've got three good tight ends. They're gonna run the ball. A ton Baker Mayfield is gonna be involved in play action, not these you know, eleven sets all day long. I think that can make a positive effect. Yeah, I mean, but you you're also saying you think of forty Burger is about

to be dropped on a flip un tootally illogical. I think the Ravens have Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are a super Bowl. They're in the top one, in the top two teams in the a f C. The Browns were an unknown and probably will take six weeks to get their act together. I guess for me, it's like I went through it last year as we all did with the Browns. Show me, show me that you're all these pieces actually turn into something, and they made the

right They made the absolute right move they had. Freddie Kitchens was a bit of a punching bag and a scapegoat, I thought, and everything that went wrong was put on Freddie Kitchens, and maybe a lot of it was. But Kevin Steffantsie, we'll see, he's kind of a blank slate to me too. I know he's had some success in his career, but I'm not ready to say they've fixed head coach. Kevin Stefanski's in town to do that today.

The fact, the fact that I don't trust the Browns after last year's mess, and the fact that the Ravens are the Ravens and they're playing in Baltimore. I know there's nobody there. I'm locking it up. I'm locking up the defending Provision champions to take out Marx Browns and do it handily, because I get the feeling that they're probably well ahead of the Browns right now at the

stage in the game. I mean, Dan just likes to he likes to make the little cut and then just pour a big salt shaker of salt in it too, and that you know, I don't. I I don't appreciate this locked in, but you know what, I think you're gonna probably start one another and I don't. I don't think it does at all. But you know it doesn't pass my personal test, which is just about number just went.

You went position group by position group and said the Browns were better at every position than the brown than the Ravens. So I guess to keep it close, I am picking Browns to keep it close. And now that you did this, I'm just gonna pick. You know, I'm gonna be rooting for the Browns win it outright, all right? Any final thoughts, Mark, give me a record, Give me

a record. How about this? I think they could be nine and seven or eight and eight being conservative there maybe or maybe I'm not, But how about surprised me for once. They haven't won a season opener since two thousand and four, when Jeff Garcia was a quarterback. That was the year I've lived in l A. They have not when I moved to l A. They have not won a season opener since. Maybe it's maybe I've jinx them by moving, you know, to the West coast. Um, this is how I think it's. It's it's a mess.

It's a mess. Get me out of here, all right, hanging there, buddy, all right, it's time. Are we snaking again? You know, there's so many reasons why I miss west on the show on a show by show basis, But the snake comes at you fast. Three person's draft, I mean translation, Dan doesn't know what he's gonna pick. Make a choice, Dan, I well, no, this will be good for you, Mark, because I know you don't like when

I say Anti Brown's thing. So now you get a chance to make seventeen Adam Gaze jokes because I'm gonna pick the Jets at Buffalo Bills. The Drayman going up to Orchard Park in a very difficult game assignment for them. Obviously, Uh, everyone loves these Bills and that's part of the reason. Obviously, I'm always gonna be super plugged in and want to see my Jets, especially in Week one when Hope is still somewhat in the building. But what kind of Bills team are we gonna get? I mean, who who are

the Bills? Because some people see them as a super Bowl team and then there are other people out there and Greg Greg is one of them, and I think I am too. That's ay. Yeah, they're a super Bowl team except for the guy that plays the most important position, and he still needs to make improvements in Josh Allen. So how does Josh Allen come out? Uh out of the gate? Because I want to remind you guys one thing. I'm breaking my own rule because this is ancient history too.

But next year with the Bills and Jets played as well, and the Jets blew the game and hideous fashion and San Donald had Mono and C. J. Mosley towards growing. But Josh Allen was terrible in that game. I think he had four turnovers in the first two quarters in the game. And is that going to be the guy that comes out of the gate this year too, where he's chopping, he's throwing the ball everywhere, and he's putting

the ball on the ground. Because that version of Josh Alan needs to go away if we want to take the Bill seriously super Bowl contenders. He's got to be better with the ball. He's gotta be more accurate, and he's gotta be you know, his head's gotta be on his shoulders because the last time we saw him, he melted down a little bit against the Texans in that wild card game. So this is his first game since then. So we'll start with the Bills there. I think they're

obviously the favorite here. Uh you got what do you guys think about seeing the Bills in finally in action. I know you're excited, Mark, I mean, this is the team you've been pumping up. But I think Greg Williams is a pretty interesting challenge for Josh Allen right off the bat because he's he's not gonna cheat you for lack of blitz is and showing you a different look.

It's like he's gonna test Josh Allen. Mentally, I don't think the Jets have the same personnel, at least that they would like with Mosley, you know, opting out and Jamal Adams gone um. But but I kind of flip it around and think about Sam Donald's two games against this Bill's defense, and yeah, maybe he did have mono that first game. It was a rough Week one to

start Week one, you can always throw out. But I remember that Week seven team game two when he's going up against the Bills backups and they got three points with about seven minutes left in the game. And this is such a good secondary, it's such a veteran defense. It's about his trustworthy of veteran defense, I think, as

there is in the league. So it is a big time challenge for Gayson Donald right off the bat to show that there's been a little bit of progress this offseason, because it doesn't get much tougher, I don't think than than going up to Orchard Park. I mean, i'd also point to a different coordinator and Brian Dable, who you know in Buffalo, is one of the more creative offensive play callers around and did a lot of interesting stuff last year, especially late in the year with pace and

timing no huddle that helped Josh Allen. So I think that those two guys grew together as the season went along, and you know, I know other people do this, but I point to that Cowboys game is what Josh Allen is capable of, along with the games where he's mistake prone. Um, but Dan, I don't, I don't just you know, think

the Jets are gonna get wiped here. I think that you know, we are forgetting about someone like lev On Bell because of what happened last year, and we're forgetting at times about the fact that Sam Donald can do things where three games in a row he he completely confirms for you, if you're a Jets fan why he was taken where he was taken in the draft. I

think he's been putting a really tough situation. Um, their offensive line should be a little bit better, but again, it's four of five new starters that the that's the kind of thing that's gonna take time for teams to mesh. Uh. Buffalo, you know, to me just simply is sort of stronger all over the place. And their defense has been very consistent year to year under Sean McDermott, and I don't see that going away. So it's a really big challenge

for Donald right out of the Gate. It is and I'm looking forward to because one thing with Sam Donald is there are no there will be no excuses this year, and that same thing goes for his third year and Baker Mayfield and his third year. These guys need to

fall out. And as much as Donald kind of got put behind the eight balls first two years, and maybe he's still there because Adam Gaze, I don't know, maybe he's just the wrong guy in Any quarterback tied to him is not gonna be in a good position to win. They did improve the offensive line. They got really good marks from people that covered the team this summer. I don't know if it's gonna be great and Joe Douglass

they're not the Hogs up front, but they are much better. Uh. And there are you know, like you said Levy on Bell, Christopher herndon the tight end, there are hard seavers here that are that they're healthier than healthy at the right time for week one cut down stay. He needs smarter with the ball and he has to show the debts that he's got because if he doesn't, if he's not better, the Jets are gonna stink. They're gonna be three and thirteen bad and then the organization is gonna have a

big decision with a high dress pick. So that's a lot of pressure on my boy Sam. But I do believe in him, and I'm so excited to see him play right off the bat. I want to see what he does here with my boys. He's practicing fully, he's Caraman's back. I'm glad because I don't want to see Sam Donald with you know, both hands tied behind his back. So I think Mims is going to be a key for them, and I'm excited at least that that they're a little healthier going into this game. I think it's

it's interesting to see. It's interesting to see Dan's optimism um for a Jets team that could collide into total darkness, and my pessimism with my team. I think it's so Dan. I do appreciate that you kind of always start these years hoping for the best. We'll see where we are, you know by Sunday night. It's supposed to be fun, Mark, you know, I mean I wish it were fun. It's not. It's not the fans fault when the team goes too and fourteen and how much fun am I supposed to

draw from that? I mean, help me, help me. This is fun. So I guess my point. This is the time where we get to have fun and just hope for the best, and then reality sets in and then we then we could be miserable and and be you know, nervous and all that weekend. Alright, snakes to me, snakes to me in a big part of doing this is you want to make sure you don't overly populate um certain time spots, because we really are This is no no joke, This ain't no jive talk is the great

Dama Check used to say. We will be assigned to watching these games come Sunday for the website and then reporting on them for around the NFL Flagship Show on Sunday night. Um so I have to make the choice. I gotta pick a four pm game Eastern. It will be Chargers at Bangles. And it's kind of a no brainer for me because for two reasons. Um one, Joe Burrow Well I was playing this game. He's the number one pick. Everyone's in love with them. Cincinnati has become

a frisky team. They are, of course the team that we have really decided to track on a higher level this year. They are in the bengalship sanctuary. So you know, shame on us that it's even taken this long for the Bengals to be drafted in the Week one preview draft. So to see how this offense was Zach under, Zach Taylor and Joe Burrow operates right at the gate, see if the defense has improved, which needs to happen as well,

and then the Chargers. UH. A month ago, I would have said, all right, I'm only interested in this game because of UH Cincinnati's offense and the guy playing quarterback. But Hard Knocks, they did what they do, and they did an awesome job giving us a better idea of what the Chargers are about as a team and UH institutionally with head coach Anthony Lynn, so they're kind of an easy team to root for. How did they recover,

uh from the loss of Derwin James. And in the Hard Knocks finale, you saw how Derwin James's injury happened and how crushing it was inside that building. Matt money Smith, who's the voice of the Chargers, was saying to me on the Power Ranking Show that there's still pieces here for this to be one of the better defenses in the league. That people are getting too caught up in the James thing and saying that the Charges now don't

have a chance. They still could have a very good defense, they just lose that Celia being maybe the best defense in the league. I don't know if I don't think people were getting caught up in Derwin James. I think like it was appropriately you know, labeled a disaster for them. But here's how you, you know, you make up for it.

You unleashed Joey bos Melvin ingram Lin, Vaal Joseph against the Bengals offensive line that has not improved um and I I really think that the one hit potentially well it just got a first room that we'll see he didn't play last year. I mean so that he's like a lot of other rookies playing left tackle. Where will

you know what? I hope that works out for them, But the rest of their line, if you go look at like the PF grades and sort of just watch what happened last year, that is what could stunt burrows growth. And I don't think that's a crazy thing to say. I mean it caused total havoc for them a year ago. I mean, you're gonna need Joe probably get a lot of Joe Mixon early on. I think that know, you see where like a J. Green is going in fantasy drafts.

People have forgotten about a J. Green if he's healthy. That is a huge add on too. This offense. So there are ways out of problems. But you're not behind the Cults offensive line if you're Joe Burrow. And that is my one concern that can rattle a young guy big time. It's a big time concern. But I flip it to the Charges, to their charge. Their offensive line

does not look great on paper. I mean they're a little bit better at tackle now this year, but that at right tackle especially, I mean that left tackle might be the worst starter in the league, at least in terms of their performance a year ago. And I don't like teams that are one dimensional, and I am a little worried the Chargers offense is gonna be one dimensional.

It's like, you look at this Bengals secondary, where they already lost Trey Waynes are starting a third year guy, Darius Phillips, and they don't have much step and you're like, okay, let's attack them through the air well. Is Anthony Lynn and Tyrat Taylor gohan to attack him through the air. Are they you know, if Mike Williams, their wide receiver doesn't play in this game, do they even have the receivers to attack them. You're going into a game where it's like you want to just keep it posts by

running the ball. I I don't like that one bit. I kind of like the Bengals maybe as an upset home team here using all that talent that that Joey Burrows got around it. Interesting. Yeah, I mean that, I'm just going. I'm just going strictly, you know, by what the people in the in the desert are are telling me. But now you know, now Zach Taylor's got got enough receivers to actually run the type of offense he wants where he's got, you know, three wide receivers on the field.

Like last year they were running it out there didn't make a lot of sense. Now they've got some players that can actually run this team all right up next, Mark Sessler, Alright, I this is a game that I would be surprised in days past that I would pick because it's probably would have been my last pick in years years of old. I'm gonna go uh Bears at Detroit Chicago. With Detroit a couple of interesting things happening. That's where this you know, um somewhat ridiculous quarterback competition

in Chicago. How does Mitch Robiskie look against a team that he's fared really well against historically. It's like the one team that he's almost, you know, consistently and reliably um taken care of. Uh. But I think this Detroit defense up front is a little bit different in the past and hum a lot of pass rush. I think they kind of sort of sit back and say, maybe come at us, But you've got a rookie cornerback in Jeff Okuda. Uh. For me, though, it's all about the Lions.

I I have picked the Lions as my seventh NFC wild Card team and I just want to see if there's any reality to that. Can it be real? And I think the running back situation is really murky with Adrian Peterson there. Matt Patricia has been glowing over Adrian Peterson in practice, so that kind of tells me he's gonna be the dude out it right away because they don't seem to really trust anyone else at the moment healthwise. Great offense Matthew Stafford, I think could be very effective. Um,

if you don't start want to know here. If you're Detroit, I think you got questions. I I think you need to have a quick start. Um, they've got a bit of an issue with some of their scheduling. And if you're the Lions, like, let's kind of say what happened last year after Matthew Stafford went down was the myth? Three? Reality is that we can be a nine and seven type team with forty two Expatriots on our defense. I mean, you said that Trabinsky has good numbers against the Lions.

It's like the one team he's done well. Well, it's because everyone has good numbers against matt Patricia's Lions defense. I mean, you've been there three years, you got your you've got your own GM picking the players for you. It's like, show up now. I mean, just show up and be average on offense. We know they're gonna get it done, and uh, I'm curious if the Bears are gonna be a difference making defense still that they still were very good last year, so it's not an easy matchup,

but they'll score points. But man, Patricia, it's it's time because if you can't stop Mitchell Trabinsky in year four, like you haven't been stopping him in year two and three, it's like, what are we doing here? Why? Why are you our head coach? Get it done exactly. That's why the optimism around the Lions, I guess, including yourself, Mark, you've been on that train on social media. This is

still the same coaching staff. And just because Matthew Stafford's what were they three five one before he went out? I mean, I guess I need to defensive numbers. But you're right, yeah, I see it, Patricia on a on a weekend week out basis because two years in it's just not been working. I mean, they nearly beat the Chiefs last year. I mean when they're on, they're on, and it's a it's a lot of nearly and uh,

we'll see. Like Adrian, I don't know. The Adrian Peterson thing is fun, but it kind of weirds me out. It's like I was all excited about DeAndre Swift. It's I'm not fully confident in them, like being able to figure out a bit of a complicated soup on their roster. And it's funny how if you watch football long enough. And I'll use an example from the past when the Jets had Rich co tight and they went one in fifteen.

They lost so many games right at the end of the game, and then Bill Parcels took over the next year and they started winning those games. Like coaching plays a big part in those narrow games where you need somebody to, you know, figure out how to get it down down the stretch. Don't know, Mattie p I kind of. Patricia is not a guy that I root against. I think me neither you can do it. But it's time. It's time big year three for him. All right, who's up next? I believe it's Greg with a snake back

to you. I'm glad and thankful you left me the last prime time game on the board. It's Tightens, it's Broncos. It's late night, but they're weirdly using the ESPN number one team. I don't know what's going on there. It's Lewis Riddick. I'm excited to watch him on Monday nights.

I think we're gonna have a better experience and I think he's got a fun game because I think Drew lock is fun and I'm not sure what we're gonna get out of the Titans, but it's just hard to be as optimistic about these Broncos since the Von Miller news. We have not taped the podcast since we found out that Von Miller is likely lost for the season, definitely lost for three four months. And you think of what the Broncos were gonna be under Vick Fongia, and they

were really playing some good defense. He was coaching him up, and you're thinking it starts up front with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. And now you have Von Miller's out, and Bradley Chubb's coming off torn a c l and hasn't practiced fully in weeks. And that makes me a little concerned going up against a very veteran Titans offense. Yeah,

I mean. And they've reached out the Broncos to to claim Matthews, trying to get him to join the party, and he declined, and there were whispers to claim Matthews wasn't gonna play the entire season, and they said no, he actually is still interested in the right situation. But Denver wasn't the right situation, and it seemed like the

prime place to go and contribute right away. I mean, I'll flip it over to you know, Arthur Smith, the Titans play caller, and what he's been hearing all offseason is, you know, Ryan Tannehill could never be the same guy he was last year. There's an interesting stat from Rhodo World that when Mariotta was the starter, the Titans average point four three points per minute, when when Tannehill took over, its shot up to point nine nine, which is doubly

the production point wise Mariota put on board there. Now, I mean we saw it with our own eyes. It was real, um Ken Tannehill be that guy two years in a row, so much later in his career than you could point to and say it's just simply growth. I think a lot of est what Arthur Smith does with Tannehill, and you know that way that offense is based.

I think you can still get somewhere in between the Tannehill from the Dolphins and what we had last year, which was probably a lot of statistical outliers, but still a player put into a much better situation than he was in Miami. Yeah, I think the uh, Ryan Tannehill situation is maybe not as dire as people are making it out to be because I think with the setup that he has here, I don't think we're gonna go back to seeing the Ryan Tannehill guy in Miami that

frustrated everyone. I think he'll always be a little better than that at this point, as long as you can stay healthy, which was also an issue in his past that he was able to get past in twenty nineteen. But asking him to be that borderline dominic guy that he was as as he was is down the stretch

in the regular season last year. But can they still be a top A f C contender if he is a step below what he was last year and and this is a perfect game too, I think show that he doesn't need to do that much like he takes a lot of sacks. I don't know if the Broncos are a team that's gonna be able to generate sex right now. They're a team that if they struggle on defense, it's definitely against the run that you can just imagine Derrick Henry having a big game. I am excited to

watch uh Drew lock in this game. But when the number one thing I could come up with when picking for the Broncos was the altitude, which I don't know, after like no preseason games, it does kind of seem like a hard thing. That's probably not a good sign. I'm just I'm just glad that it's not Mariota going because this was the gate to Denver, because this was the game that broke our buddy, Chris Wesley, and I don't know if you remember, it was sixty nothing, a shutout.

It's the game Mariota got venched. Uh he after five years, he finally gave up on Mariota after this game, which was just a tough one to watch. So if the Broncos I want to feel good about anything, that's it. They shut out this Titans team a year ago. I'll be it with Mariota. I had an offseason of like minor key feuding with the Broncos fan base about Drew Lock.

And that's why it's so good that football is back, because now we could see I'm not even saying who's right, because I've never said that Drew Lock stinks and games of games of consequence, games that matter what happens. UM looking forward to it, all, right, who's up, Greg, It's snakes back to you. It does. I don't think there's any way for me to avoid just have it loading up on early games. So I might as well take

my Super Bowl champion prediction. Indian Apples Colts heading down to the fish tank, do we that's no, wait, that's Miami whatever they call Jacksonville where they got cool like in like three thousand fans. This game might be the least of the weekend, right, the big chlorine tank, That's

what it is. I'm a little worried about this game for the Colts, I really am, because I think people and I see it in terms of how people are predicting this game and how heavy a favorite the Colts are, uh that people just think the Jaguars are gonna totally stink. And as we've talked about this show, I think Week one is gonna be weird. And the Jaguars actually have a lot of continuity on their offensive line for the first time ever. It's not as bad as it used

to be. I think they have okay weapons at receiver and they have Jay Gruden, who I think is a quality offensive coordinator. So if you're gonna tell me this game comes down to the last drive and Philip Rivers needs to make one of those you know, last minute touchdowns, to go when it would not surprise me one bit. It just feels like it's a it's a tricky spot. It's division rivals. I'm not just assuming the Colts are gonna roll in there and win a game right off

the bat by a lot. Why you laughing, Mark, I don't know if I I really think this offense is kind of set to fly Indianapolis because I think they're gonna be run heavy. I find it interesting that Jonathan Taylor, who seemed like he was just gonna take over running back, is now being sold as you know, we drafted him as a complimentary piece to Marlon Mack. That's not a bad thing. They must really like Marlon Mack. You know. I want to see too. I want to see where

we are like in a month with that. But to me, I I just like teams in this weird environment that we're in. If you come in with the best offensive line in football, returning to everyone, and I mean it's the best tackle combination, you've got the best guard in football. They just resigned their center. I mean that's something that Philip Rivers has not had on his side in a while.

And so maybe we move away from the environment where Philip Rivers, who cannot run for a for a lick at this point, is trying to run for his life, you know, against pass rushers and winging the ball forty yards down field. This is a better set up for him. I don't know what that need. I'm not sure Philip Rivers is necessarily still a totally functional quarterback. That's why we need these games. To Dan's point, but the set up in the whole situation screams eleven and five to me.

The defense, by the way, in Indianapolis was really frisky too, and their schedule is great for a bit. The old Zeuser has always enjoyed spoiling for a fight with Rosenthal and westling to the Mailman and the old Boss about Philip Rivers because he seems to get the excuses that Eli Manning never got. Because he's great at football, because he's great at throwing the football on target to the people he's intending something to go to the other team. Yeah,

flex Burs, Plexigo Burrs caught it on target pass. So did Mario manningham greg fifteen feet away from Plexico Burros at that time. But you're right, Eli did play well in those playoffs. Y is phil Rivers. I think he is who he is at this point, and yes, he needed to go somewhere. This is the best place he could have gone. That's the only reason of buying it at all is that he's gone to a place with a great offensive coach and Frank Wright and a great

offense line in front of him. But there might be and I would say, you know, I am not locking in eleven and five even close to it, because it's like this could absolutely go sideways with Philip, where it doesn't matter what you put in front of him. He's still an old man thrown balloons into the secondary and hoping for the best. Uh So I see that as a problem, even if even if the protection is better. I like them in this game because I think the

Jaguars are gonna stink. But I still think the Colts have a lot of questions to answer with that quarterback. In fact, I wouldn't even put it past the realm of possibility greg that Jacoby Brissette, Jake Brisket gets a little bit of pt Coach's decision style. By week, Jake Brisket yanks put a sandwich. He's making Jacoby a bit more money than than any backup in the league. I

guess him and Alex Smith are paid almost like starters. Um. I do think Mark being a good point on this game specifically in terms of the Colts do want to be a running team, and the Jaguars like half of their defensive tackles opted out or retired, uh, you know, early in in the off season, so that that could be trouble when you're trying to stop the run. I think it's a problem. All right, Mark, you're up. We got two games left, so you will essentially be picking

for me as well. Now, So just I'm gonna I think I'm gonna be generous to you and probably give you the game that you would have preferred here, but I'm gonna pick what I want to see. For a couple of reasons. I'm taking, uh, the Philadelphia Eagles visiting Washington, the Washington football team. I kind of just want to see how Ron Riverican opens this very new era. You're welcome, Dan,

You're welcome. I mean it's you know, it's no you have to follow the Twitter handle of the Washington Football Club. It's new Rivera. I like that. I'm not huge into that word play, but I don't feel ordered to say that, you know what, you are we going to Washington for everything, because you know, if you wanted to catch up, you know we we are, you know, taping this on NFL dot com. You can always check that out. It says Eagles at Washington. And I noticed that with my picks.

They edited my picks from like Eagles twenty football team ten and they just changed it to Washington. I don't like it the way from the team. That would be the most journalism an old journalism school trick is in a sentence, if you're gonna say the city name when you're mentioning the other team, you should say their city name. To the idea of mixing Eagles with Washington, it should be Philadelphia at Washington, yepis sure, whenever anyone's ready for that.

I don't think today's editors seem to care about those old jay school rules. Here's the thing, Like, I mean, the Eagles, you know, very banged up. Um, you know they're they're just not who they are. It's it's crazy that a year ago these two teams battled in Week one, the Eagles lost to Sean Jackson after a monster game, and we're never the same at that position in a year later. All Sean Jeffrey is not around. I mean he's not healthy. That you're banged up all over the place.

Jalen Riagor is not healthy. It's like, we have to see what happens there. Um, But I'll flip to Washington and let you guys discuss the Eagles after. I just want to see Dwayne Haskins in this offense. I want to see what happens with um their backfield. You know, Scott Turner, he's the guy that battled for them to draft Antonio Gibson, who had about thirty three carries in college. But they are saying that he kind of fits that

Christian McCaffrey role that Scott Turner oversaw in Carolina. So what does that mean between him and Bryce Love at a week one? You know, outside of Terry McLaurin, you really don't have much at wide receiver. But that said, I mean everyone's sort of just putting Washington into this two and fourteen bucket. Don't forget about this defensive line, which I think could cause absolute problems for you know, I know that you in in in Philadelphia. You've got

your guy back at left tackle. But I don't like the those line situations in Week one right here, and maybe guys like Chase Young and so in the rest of the crew they have up front there that's a Ron rivera dream. So that is their one advantage I think they have against the posing offenses. I mean, how about our crack team behind the scenes here they change the graphic. It's now Philadelphia at Washington. Be the change

wonderful you want to see in the world. Um, Gandhi, that was that was a Gandhi quote, Jason Peters, You guy you mentioned at left tackle. I don't even think it was Gandhi. Um, but my son was super into like this Gandhi book. He's really likes the history stuff. Let's get back to Jason Peters. We thought he was tackles. How weird is it? He's five. But they have these like you know, kids like history ones where it's like

I am Gandhi. But then he wants you to do it in the voices and you start worrying it's a little racist. So you're like, no, I don't want to do it. In the voices, you revealed Jason Peters decided whether he is gonna play left tackle or not. It was really weird because at first he said no, wait,

I want no, I don't do it. That's what I'm saying, because he listens to the audio version too, and then he wants me to read it separately, and he wants me to do it in those voices, and it's potentially problematic. It's a little like um, it's like a different version of Dan doing um Lakisha's mom. You know, it's a different version. It's not problematic. You figure it out. I

do think the Eagles line will be problematic. How about that? UM. I think it's just so interesting that Peters didn't tell it was totally up to him and Doug Peterson was super thankful that Jason Peters came to him on Monday and said, Okay, I will play left tackle. Before that, they were just not They were just gonna go with a totally different plan. I mean, you gotta be like a Hall of Famer with a lot of pelts on the wall to just be calling the shots. I've almost

never heard of anything like that. I think they'll be fine. Least they'll be finding this game. I don't know if there's any team in the league that could have used the preseason more than Washington. I'm giving them two or three weeks before I even judge them at all, because they just got so much going on that's new. I mean, there are soap opera off the field. Ron Rivera is fighting health issues, and then the team itself really does nothing for me, So thank you, Mark. Let's see how

Washington does. But I feel like the Eagles should take care of business here playing this game. A little surprised Jalen Reagor might play. That would be huge, all right. Last game that leaves the Seattle Seahawks traveling to Atlanta to face the Falcons. An early game like it, solid game. The Falcons are a little bit, uh nondescript right now in terms of from the national spotlight perspective. You're just not hearing a lot about them. Uh they're flying under

the radar. And maybe that's with good reason. Maybe this is a team that just doesn't have a big expectations and they're gonna be a middle of the PAC group. But let's see how it plays out, because I do think, at least offensively, that things could be special here. And I know Todd Gurley is a guy that we uh wrote off in many circles, and he's not the same guy used to be, but he's gonna have a he's

gonna have every chance to prove people wrong. Uh in Atlanta in that backfield, and then you have Julio Jones, who's thirty one years old but still an all time great, and Calvin Ridley, who I really think has a chance to be the breakout wide receiver of this season. And then Matt Ryan still there, who let me down on my fantasy team back in two seventeen. But I'm over it.

I've moved on. So give the Falcons a chance, and um, the Seattle side of the ball, Yeah, the Jamal Adams trade was huge and added to the piece to their defense that they needed. I still have no idea, and I would love someone explained to me how they pressure the quarterback this season, be as last time I checked. That's very important, uh in the NFL. I like Seattle, I don't love them, and I kind of feel the same way about the Falcons. I think it's a close game.

I think you're right. And I got back to these two teams and I was like, to the does Matt Ryan sneaky own Russell Wilson because I had a vague memory, So I checked out the you know who needs a research department, checked out the old Football Reference game game Index, and I was right Matt Ryan's five and two against the Russell Wilson Seahawks and including twice in the playoffs.

And that's why it had stuck in my mind that the Falcons took care of business at home against the Sea Seahawks team a couple of times and games that made a big difference. Is is that really gonna matter this week? I don't know, but it helped convince me to pick the Falcons because I'm with you, Dan that I don't trust the Seahawks upfront. And man, what a cliche. It is like you win the game in the trenches, and but I look at these trenches in Seattle and

I'm not loving it. On either side. They have a new right side of the offensive line that's not inspiring. They don't seem to have much of a pass rush, as you mentioned, and so I thought, Okay, let's let's go for a slight upset here the Falcons taking care of business because Maddie Ice owns for us well and that and that would mean that Atlanta will start seven and oh and then lose nine in a row. Because they they are the streaking and NFL team as you

can find in recent years under Dan Quinn. I want to see it's Seattle sticks to this, uh this business about you know, Russell Wilson saying, let's let's treat every quarter like the fourth quarter that Brian Schottenheimer's saying, you know, we want to start games faster. I think that they that they may believe that and they really want to do it. I mean, it's gonna take take Schottenheimer to kind of lift away from his DNA where you're gonna want to run Chris Carson thirty five times a game.

But why not do that with Russell Wilson. You've got good receivers, You've got a good set up for him. I I like that for Seattle. On the flip side, I mean, to me, Girley is a huge question mark. And I also want to see if Hayden Hurst can just step into the Austin Hooper role and produced at the tight end position the same way, because that is

an integral part of their attack. It has been under Matt Ryan for three or four years, so that is a key, key thing, and if you can't, like, they're gonna have to find other ways to move the ball. I don't know if I trust the wide receiver group if anyone gets hurt. I mean, it's not super deep. Um really really interesting Falcons team on offense and Bryan Schottenheimer and running that offense in Seattle. Chris Carson is

I feel like one of the more underrated leadbacks. But he does put the ball on the carpet a lot, and you wonder if that is a problem that he can't fix, and that could be a hard problem fix for running backs. We talked about it with quarterbacks, which they could coach that out, but sometimes these guys can't do it. Does that affect his usage and anybody that drafted Chris Carson hates that I just said that, but just something to keep in mind as begins. All right,

good stuff, guys, it's fine. Ricky. Are you there? Ricky? Hey, guys, er, how's it going. You want to let Ricky in the locks battle this year? Each episode? Yeah, Ricky, give us a lock of the week. I am going to start off strong here and I'm going to lock up the Bangles over the Chargers like that. I like it a little saucy, but I'm excited. And you know, Tyrod Taylor, Joe Burrow, Derwin James is down, who A j Green is feeling unhealthy. It's gonna be exciting. I'm actually excited

to watch Michaels. I have one wish for this weird year, and it is that, And it's not Greg. It's not about you specifically, but if Erica beat Greg in the locks lockoff scenario, it would be one of the more I'm giving her a fifty fifty chance locks that would chat. The locks is a silly love silly She's not. I'm saying it's a coin flap. It's all luck. I have no predictive ability. That's what It's gonna get Greg's buns hot if he if he doesn't beat Ricky, I love it.

What are they say? And they're like Women's ESPN, call it my women's ESPN. But I feel like the Bengals are gonna win all right. Later tonight, of course, Uh, the recap of Thursday Night Football that will be its own podcast at Lands and then Sunday night, Yes, it's time. Uh, the flagship program will recap every game we just previewed. Will also of course be live on the air on Sky Sports over there in the UK and in Ireland.

So we're very excited to be part of that team again with Neil Reynolds and and Rob and the whole gang. So that's very exciting. So a new season is here and uh you will hear from us next tonight and Sunday. That's it. Stand hands a signing off for White Storm, the Old Boss and Ricky Hollywood in the Lost competition. Oh we just got some sizzle feel Sunday Night.