2020 Week 10 Preview

we're cool, you're rolling. Now we're getting the version of Greg where he's sort of loose, easy, kind of like two thousand and two New Orleans vibe, Greg, a special vibe? Is that true? Greg? Is this what you were like eighteen years ago? I mean that I would have been graduating from if I did go back there quite quite a bit. Yeah, I'll buy it. I'm just you know, you sold it. You've sold it with it with effect.

Way to paint a picture, Greg. Everybody, this is Week ten double digits now as we give you a comprehensive look ahead at the football to be played this weekend and on Monday night. And what we do you know what we do around these parts. First of all, we have a controversy Lock of the Week controversy right now, Ricky Hollywood really stumbling through this season. We don't get the lock of the week from her until after the fact, and she guess what she says, Oh, I took the Raiders. Oh,

the same Raiders that had a miracle win. Ricky come in here a second, had a miracle win. Now you get your second lock of the year. A little bit suspicious when you're talking about the lock standings, Erica Temposse, You know I picked the Raiders. You didn't have me on the show to to vocally state it. I would have, and I asked you on Twitter for one before, you know, well before the game a couple of times, you know, I, Greg, I have so many people MU did like you. I

didn't see the tweet. Yeah. So are you saying, are you saying that everything was counted properly when it comes to our competition? Yes? No fraud. I actually I would have never thought that Ricky actually would have cheated, because what's the point. Um. But then Dan brought it up and she made it clear, Oh actually she did. She's such a bad And I was like, oh wow, how about that. I mean, you're you know, your lock standings mirror your fantasy football team standings which were in a

league with you. So I don't I don't. I don't quite get what the strategy was this season. But I'm gonna stop talking because you'll probably prepare something for social media that destroys me twelve minutes from now. It's like, hey, Erica, remember that time you lost? Like it's irrelevant to everything we're talking about in fantasy football. It's irrelevant as soon as you have a losing record. I get how this works. Well, we'll get you on the record this week later in

the shop. That's what we need. We need Ricky on the record before the games are played. Okay, handled that I was just on my mind. I don't you know. We want everything to be above the board here at the Round the NFL podcast, all right, As we do every week, we do this straft style where we pick games and then we follow them on Sunday the games that we pick, and it's quite fun and competitive, and I the old zeuser, have the first overall pick, and I am very excited to talk about what's going on

in the desert. The Arizona Cardinals hosting the Buffalo Bills and listen, the Bills needed that Josh Allen performance. They needed it because they were still doing okay, they were winning. Uh. There were six and two going into last week's UH

game against the Seahawks. But if you looked at Alan's statistics over the four weeks that started the season then compared him with the second UH quadron of the season, it was night and day, and you were thinking to yourself, Oh, this is a problem because we know that the Bill's defense is and it's good this season. If Alan's going to revert back to his up and down UH level of play in the first two seasons, they're probably cooked.

And then what does he do? He lights up the Seahawks who blitz them to death, and it doesn't matter because he keeps his eyes downfield and makes good plays. UH. So now he goes to the desert to face a Cardinals team that, while I still like them and they're in good position in the NFC, at five and three, UH, they two came to town, put thirty four up on him, beat them. So I would think that Josh Allen should

be able to do some business here as well. Alright, look at this, I look at this Bills team and it's like you are if you take care of business against the Cardinals, and then you then you knock out a low level Niners team. You swept the NFC West, and not every win needs to be pretty. That Patriots victory a couple of weeks ago, you know you're eking out an opponent, opponent that has like a psychological hammer over you for two decades. So you get out of

that one closely. The Seahawks game made everything right. I mean he I can't remember a game or a quarterback with sacks seven times with less effect. I mean he found guys over the middle over and over. Stefon Diggs is working in this offense. But you look at the Cardinals and I think Leslie Frees with the defensive coordinator Buffalo said it right. Kyler Murray is tough to diagnose obviously in games, but all week long you run these

scout teams. You can't really run a scout team that shows you what Kyler Murray can do on the ground, and you go into games pretty raw, wondering what you're gonna deal with and it doesn't work out with So I think this is an incredible matchup between two unorthodox quarterbacks. Yeah, the Cardinals are a great running team. A lot of that's just from Kyler Murray scrambling. There's no way to stop that. I think it's the most unstoppable playing football

right now. And the Bill's defense has been especially bad against the run. But I think they're gonna get better. I was never that concerned about Josh Allen Um relatively. I don't know if he's gonna be like an M V. Pelot. I'm saying in that four game stretch, if you listen, I said, I don't think he was playing that well. He played the best game of his career last week. I mean, I think we're under selling what he did. It wasn't just the numbers, it was the accuracy, was

the way that he did it. And I think you mentioned the first four games and then he bouncing out last week. A lot of that is John Brown. I mean, John Brown to me is so important. If you line up their top four receivers with John Brown being number two behind Diggs, but then you have Beasley and Gabe Davis, is for real. I think that's the best one through four in the league. And I think Diggs and Brown

might be the best one too in the league. And what a perfect week to have them on the field against this Cardinals defense, who's got one good cornerback, Patrick Peterson, but they've been rather banged up at cornerback. They might get some players back this week, but either way, it's not a good deep cornerback group. And I love that the Bills can change who they are depending on the week. You can either go pass heavy or run heavy, and

I think they're gonna go pass heavy. And I'm not sure this Cardinals defense, who has great numbers, is nearly as good as their numbers. I don't really trust their numbers. If you look at the quarterbacks that they've done well against, what about well, what about Kyler Murray not getting enough credit for being this good in year two. I feel like it's flown under the radar just a little bit

this sea and everybody knows he's great. And if you play fantasy, which I'm sure most people watching this show and listening to this show do, uh, Kylin Murray has been a godsend for you. But man, he does it every week. And I found this interesting that Josh Allen and Kyler Murray both account for twenty four touchdowns at this uh state of the season. Of course, Murray's doing

it in his second year Alan and his third. I think we're in a we're in an environment where we are learning to be less impressed with quarterbacks because they're showing up as fully formed h starters. I mean the Patrick Mahomes situation, Deshaun Watson, and Kyla Murray has been absolutely incredible to watch. But he's he's in the sea

of other quarterbacks that are all doing remarkable things. It's not happening in year four and five, So I think it's fair to say that he's he's I don't think he's under the radar because he's probably like a top five illuminary in terms of quarterback you know, que rating where you want to get him on primetime. But I think that more people have to be exposed to the Cardinals that just our team that's not been on you know, they don't get all the night games and stuff. Kyler

Murray is a raging star in the making. Here's we talked about how early in the year he wasn't as good throwing the ball as they were a year ago. They've fixed that. So I feel better about the Cardinals offense right now than any time in the season that the passing game is kind of in sync right now. And Kyler Murray has more rushing yards and Lamar Jackson, I mean, he is one of the best pure runners in the entire NFL running back or quarterback. There should

be a ton of points in this game. Let's pick it. I just want to pay. I'm picking the Bills three points. High school. Let's pick it, Greg, it's so excited today. Uh I uh poo, this is a tough one. Give me the Cardinals in this game. I think, I'm I'm I just got on board with Kyler Murray saying he's as special as they get. How about this for a number. We all went nuts, and Mark, don't worry, we're gonna

get your pick two. We all went nuts last year, as we should have, with Lamar Jackson winning the m v P. But Kyler Murray's on pace to become the first player in NFL history of the four thousand passing yards and a thousand plus rushing yards in the single season. Lamar just had thirty last year passing, So I mean, that's what I'm saying. Mark ohead So I got the Cardinals by a field goal? How about you, Mark Well?

I loved that. I think Buffalo by going run heavy for a couple of weeks, Lord Pete Carroll and the Seahawks into thinking they were gonna go run heavy in seventy degree weather in Buffalo week ago, so you don't kind of know what they're gonna do. I like that about the Bills, but for me, the Cardinals, we just did our mid season picks. I put the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. I kind of rolled the dice there, so they're not going there if they don't win this game.

I think they'll win it by ten points. So you're making your pick based on your insane Super Bowl half prediction that includes the Dolphins, I think. I mean, it's just the Dolphins, the car It's just this sort of world that I live in where all these things finally need to sync up. It makes literally no sense in terms of what the viewer is watching right now. All right, well, good luck to you. Mark up next in the draft, Greg Rosenthal, alright, I'm going to the NFC West again.

It is the Seahawks facing the Rams. This could be one of the biggest games in this division all year long. If the Rams win it, they are tied for first and show face kinda owned Pete Carroll in this matchup so far, winning four out of six. They gave him trouble even last year when the Rams were at their worst.

The Rams beat him last December. And uh, I think it's a chance for Brandon Staley, who we haven't really talked about that much, the Rams defensive coordinator, to let everyone know in a big time game that he matters and that he can cook up this Seahawks offensive line.

That that was my big takeaway from the Seahawks loss to the Bills is that the Seahawks offensive line started reminding me of what they look like when Tom Cable was back there some bad memories, I mean, the interceptions, the turnovers, the fumbles were largely on the line largely. I'm not picking up blitzes. And Staley has been pretty creative. The Rams defensive definitely uh improved. You have Donald, but I think Staley is gonna give this line a lot

to think about. And if they're not good, it's like Russell Wilson's carrying this team a little too much. Then he's carrying the line. The running backs are hurt. We know the defense is very good, and that's like a little too much weight to carry Mr Sessler. Yeah, I mean I love the fact that the Rams who have been kind of hot and cold, I you know, I I feel sometimes they're not the some of their parts. But they have five division games left and so they have a chance to make as much of an impact

inside the West as anyone. Um. And when I look at Seattle and I watched that but Buffalo game, I just want to say, hey, you know, Seahawks defense, Uh, this is not a dress rehearsal. This is real life. This is happening before your eyes. Um, let's, you know, let's buckle up and play some defense for a change. But I mean the aberration aspect to me. And you're right about the offensive line, Greg, but Russell Wilson has experienced playing behind hot and cold offensive lines. This wold careers.

Two interceptions, two fumbles. That's the worst Russell Wilson game we're gonna get in years. That's that part's not gonna happen again. So you're gonna have to come back and deal with the Seahawks offense that's still had DK Metcalf lighting it up last week. I mean, the pieces are still there to win shootout. So I'm not handing this over to a RAMS team. You know, Jared Goff, that Miami Dolphins team, like their cover zero scenario made life

terrible for Jared Goff before to buy. I don't like the teams are able to unspool Jared Goff that way and put that kind of stuff on tape. I think this is a big game for both teams. I think we're gonna learn something about these teams because the Seahawks, you know, it's it's historic what's going on here with their defense. They are giving up the most passing yardage by anyone in the history of the league. They're giving

up thirty points a game. And now you get a Rams team coming off a bye, which gives Sean McVeigh, one of the great offensive minds in the league, two weeks uh to game plan and figure out how to

attack Seattle. And I want to see what Ken Norton and Pete Carroll have in store with their defensive game plan here, because we saw what they did against the Bills where frankly it didn't work, where they just blitz and blitz and blitz, and they set a season high with seven sacks, but they just got carved up in the secondary. So you know, on that side of it, it's like, what can the Seahawks do? Do you? Are you really gonna put Russell Wilson in a situation every

week where he has to be perfect? And the Rams Robert Wood said it going into their bye week when about where they're at as a team, he said, We're good, We're not great. And that's where I have That's why I have them in my Power rankings at number thirteen, which is where I stick teams that are like, I don't know, they seem pretty good. Well, we'll see if they do here. We'll see what they do here. Where's

the Seahawks? To me? Like that describes the whole NFL, though outside of maybe Kansas City Baltimore, I would even throw in there. But I know I'm higher on them the most, Like everyone's good but not great. And I do look to the division matchup, like you can look at the Buffalo game and okay, that that's interesting, But these are two teams that know each other so well. And mcveigh's always had answers for Carol's defense even when

Carol's defense was playing pretty well. And to me, that is significant when I look at this matchup that he's got to know how to get passing yards against the Seattle team. Yeah, I do. I do want to know. Sometimes, like the communication between Sean McVeigh and Jared Golf. Golf doesn't strike me as a big bend figure is going to go and call his own plays. And at some point I wonder what's going on there. Maybe you know, in the downtime they're asking, Hey, you know, Jared, what's

your favorite type of soup? And it's MINNESTRONI But like, I mean, what what I want to hear the whole thing. There's got to be I want to see Golf take a leap, I really do. I want to see him take over games. I got to go back to that Dolphins game. He looked completely out of control in that game and they made life so difficult. And it's it's a script for other teams to follow. No reason to

think the Seahawks can do anything remotely close. But someone will at some point, maybe not the Seahawks, and it's it's like it little it lessens my faith in the Rams. Overall, Jared Goff doesn't need to like lift his game to a heavenly level because he's a limited guy at that point, I think he just needs to be good enough. I don't think he's ever going to be overall the superstar. Well, it doesn't matter. I mean we're five years out from that. Now.

He is who he is, which is, when things are going well, he could be very good, too great, And usually he's kind of this. What is he the thirteenth best quarterback? There's the number thirteen again sometimes so maybe he's a perfect match for who the Rams are. Mark, you are up next? Well, I love I love sitting

in this third spot. And to see what's come to me? Uh, Tampa Bay at Carolina two very fascinating teams coming off a last week one the Bucks that basically produced like the lowest rushing yards of any team in NFL history, rushing rushing attempts, and basically had their worst loss of their franchise lore. And that's this is a franchise that started, oh in twenty six, way back in the day. Uh.

Not what Tom Brady was expecting. I understand. The week one tumbled to the Saints, you thought that they would have come out and looked like a completely different team. They were schooled. They could not. That slow start to me was concerning that said, I think the Bucks team is a team that's gonna give you a game like this here and there, and I'm not overly concerned. What I want to see, though, is how they respond against a Carolina Panthers team that went into Kansas City with

zero fear last week. I thought that they're they're The keyword for them was aggression. They dialed up a fourth and three play that led to a touchdown. They did fake punt that was very successful. I mean, this is sort of what Matt rule. I think it is about he's gonna coach in situations. Uh, there is a play a point in the game where they kicked an on site kick with ten minutes to go. That's when you

can catch people off guard. Now you were playing Andy Reid, not Tara Reid, so you didn't catch Andy Reid off guard. But the Panthers come prepared, and I think this is this is not this is the potential trap game scenario for the Bucks. Lose this one and they're in a bit of hot water. That is the first read reference since two and I just don't know how many reads there are, but she would not be prepared for on

side kick action. Dan, I'm assuming I mean, was that because terror Read and Tom Brady, you know that they had it going on for a little bit, so it all, it all connects. It was a darker period in Tom Brady's personal life. Dark It was great. Professionally, it's pretty dark right now, because, like you can break down that game last week. I think we tend to overrate what happened last week in general. Um, but in this case, I don't think we can because they play the Bucks.

The offense that is a very similar team in the Panthers, The Joe Brady Teddy Bridgewater offense in so many ways mirrors what the Saints like to do. I think Teddy right now is playing very much like a younger, slightly more mobile Drew Brees, the way that you don't know what's gonna come and get you. Uh. That's what surprised me most in that Buccaneers loss. It really wasn't the Bucks offense, because they've been pretty sporadic all year. They

were bad against the Giants. It was the Bucks defense being so tepid, kind of playing back and waiting to see what the Saints did, and it just didn't work at all. And so seeing a team like that move the ball up and down the field is a big time concern. And I think Todd Bowles, who gave up a lot of yards in this first matchup when these two teams plays, has has to be concerned. They got turnovers in that game early, they were a little flukey.

But I think it's the defense that kind of needs to take charge because Tom Brady in the in the Bucks offense, I think has shown they are not a top five type of offense. Is this a top five type of defense? Stand? Is it a top five type of defense? Yeah? I think it is. I think people are putting too much into one bad week for the Bucks. And I know I'm on a show that it also doubles as the Panthers teenage fan Club, and that's good.

And you make a good point. Uh, you make a very good point, Greg about the similarities between what Joe Brady is doing and the Saints are doing. However, I don't think the Bucks are a team that is just gonna nose dive here. And I'm actually gonna go the other direction and say, I think you're gonna get a very good Bucks team that's angry and annoyed and embarrassed.

And I think it's you're catching if you're a Panthers fan or you're the Panthers, I think you're catching tamp at at a at a very bad time, and you're catching them probably without Christian McCaffrey. So all due respect, I loved what the I loved with CAROLINEA did there in Kansas City, and they competed, and if they were a little sharper down at the end of the game,

I think they might even stolen that game. But I think the Buccaneers are more likely to deliver a bounce back performance as an elite team, uh than continue to go down a worm hole of doom and sadness. Yeah, I would just say that, you know, I I if I am part of a teenage fan club for the Panthers and that ruled and not, you know, guilty as charged. That's fine, But I mean they're hanging around in these games, and I thought that their game plan was really good

for Kansas City. They're just well coached and so I don't see, you know, this is the thing. They come close every week. You gotta get into a situation where you're not lining Joey Sly up for an eight yard field goal to tie it at the end. I hear you on that front. But for year one of this experience, to do what they did to Kansas City, Kansas City team,

that just blows the doors off of people. Um, I would think that would get on Bruce arians radar is like, we're gonna have to come in with a really solid scheme ourselves here. Maybe no doubt. I mean rematches, I think favor the better coaching staff. So I think there's an open question who's the better coaching staff. But I'm not that worried either. I thought Dan was really building up to something here. I thought it was up to

something I'm gonna do. And uh, and that's lock up the Bucks right now because he's I thought you're a lot up the Panthers. You got us all excited that you're gonna really hang some onion. Now Brady retreating from pressure week after week. That's not gonna happen when you play the Panthers. They they barely forced any points, they got no pass rush. And I think that's a game Tom Brady can be very comfortable with alright, looking forward to that one. That's a good game. Mark six snakes

to you in the draft. I mean look at this. I'm going Chargers at Miami. This is you know, the one thing is when you have two in the league. You've got Justin Herbert, You've got Kyler Murray. We're getting these incredible quarterback matchups week after week, and last week Murray Tua did not disappoint. Um. I'm even more excited about this one because I think Justin Herbert is one of the most beautiful pure passers I've watched in decades.

It's just incredibly fun to watch and play. And I know all this business about you know, the Chargers in the last second losses. Uh. Daniel Popper of The Athletic made a great point. He talked about how the sort of Groundhog Day effect that Chargers fans are suffering through, but that in the real movie groundtog Day involving Bill Murray, um, the actual director now that it seemed like, you know, he solved his problems and went through the same issue

over the course of two hours. Good for Bill Murray. But in real life, the film's director said that he thought that that actually lasted thirty to forty years. So that's concerning for Chargers fans. They gotta get out of this funk, and I think with Justin Herbert, you're gonna get to the point where you're gonna go on a run and win some of these games. My concern here is what we've already talked about on this show, what Brian Flores and his defensive crew are able to do

to quarterbacks. They won that last game with five assistant coaches out of the commission because of the Corona situation, So they can do it like Belichick staff with four or five coaches on the whole staff and still make an impact. Can we put some respect on Harold Ramos name? He is not just the director of ground Day, he's egon Harold Ramoss. People told me not to mention his name on NFL network. So you've just created a lot of problems for me. Yeah, so I'm totally I'm totally

with you on Herbert. He's so fun to watch. And if you are a fan of a team that's waiting for a quarterback to blossom, like me with Sam Donald or you Mark with Baker Mayfield, when you see guys like Justin Herbert who hit the ground running, you're thinking to yourself, Oh, we don't have our guy. We gotta find one of these guys, we gotta keep looking. So Yeah, he's exciting to watch, it's fun to watch. Is a great value pick in the draft, Mark uh and the

Dolphins are. This is a great test because I I put some disrespect on the Dolphins last week. I locked up the Cardinals and some of it. You're not gonna get a defensive touchdown every week, and I think there's a that's a big reason why they've won each of these last two weeks as because the game script changed in an outstanding way for them. But at the same time, I'm past the point where thinking they're a fluke. I think this has worked out perfectly with tah especially coming

off that performance. Uh is second start where he did he has he has raised the ceiling of this team and they're not just some plucky underdog. I think they have a chance to actually make noise and even hang in the a f C East race. I mean, the thing is, would you rather take Herbert or to a long term I mean that's fair. I guess you can based it on the car. I mean, I'm I'm taking Herbert, and I think Herbert's got more help. It's kind of crazy, uh,

right now, if you look at to a situation. They're down to their you know, fourth and fifth string running backs. They just lost Preston Williams to an a c L. I think that that's a pretty big loss. It's not like their offensive line is great, the defense is good, and so this game to me comes down to like situational football coaching and special teams. That the Chargers special team is like the worst running act in the entire league. It's it's terrible every year, and the Dolphins special teams

win them gate each and every week. They might be the best special teams in the league. But Herbert's got more support. Joey Bosa looks like he's gonna be healthy. That's huge. Brian Bulaga looks like he's gonna be back for the Chargers. So I this was the game I had the hardest time I'm picking because all the mojo is for Miami, and yet part of me still thinks like they're they're skating there a little over their skis

and the Chargers are due one of these games. One little thing about Anthony lynn Is punted on fourth and one five times in the last eight games. To me, that's just like that's not football, and you have the quarterback in the pieces on offense to attack versus playing conservative. I agree. I just think that's let's just go for it. If you're the Chargers, slay these ghosts through your actions. I mean, they've got they have got to go on

a run at some point. That's what we were talking about on Sunday night, when you could say, oh, there's something cosmic going out with the Charges. Maybe they want to be being put in these positions to get beat in the last second if they were a little more aggressive and and really took the bull by the horns, as they say earlier in the game. So Anthony Lynn is very make no mistake, as as exciting as they've been, as as great as Justin Herbert has been, Anthony Lynn

is coaching for his job right now. And you might need a win like this, or you know, a few wins like this to be back in time now for Road to Victory presented by the United States Marine Corps. All right, I'm taking Joey Burrow against these Pittsburgh Steelers. The last time we saw Burrow, he was lightening up the Titans and getting better each and every week. And you know, when it comes to the n f C

North Mark. I kind of think about you, you know, because I feel like you don't so much root for the Browns as you do just like route against other things that could pain you in the future. So I'm asking you, like, which result would you are you more afraid of? Basically that that the Bengals took the number one overall pick in Joe Burrow. That's just gonna haunt

you for the next fifteen years. And it's gonna be better than your number one pick Baker, or the Pittsburgh Steelers winning another Super Bowl this year with Big Ben A lot of assaults in that set up towards There's there's a lot happening. I mean, it's a no win situation, Uh, the Steelers winning the Super Bowl, that that pain would be over three months from now. Um, and I think

that that's where they're probably heading on some level. I mean, Joey Burrow is going to be around for two decades, so I you know, if I had to pick a reality, I'd have, you know, have Pittsburgh and win their little

trophy and dance around and have a nice time. But Burrow is for real and the little Steelers, well, the Steelers have beaten them thirteen out of fourteen times and ten times in a row, and then in the in the two teams from Ohio know this story well about Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and the reason that Burrow is exciting is that he can change all that this narrative of Cincinnati unable to accomplish anything against its two real rivals.

I don't know if Cleveland or Cincinnati have too many rivals at this point, but Pittsburgh has put it to him over and over and it kind of reminds me of last week, where you know, the Steelers probably would have lost that game in other Mike Tomlins seasons. Uh, they pulled it out there a little bit of a different team, but this is a this is a different type of challenge against the team that you've beaten up

for years. Steelers are coming off an interesting week. They almost get beat in Dallas by a fourth string quarterback, but they get the job done. Big Ben injured both his knees, not just one, both his knees, we learned this week, so he's dealing with that. Uh. Then he heads to the COVID list for close contact. Reason. It's just been one of those weeks that can only happen in But I still I trust the Steelers. Why why wouldn't you? I mean, they they're the only undefeated team

in the league. And I think what we've seen week after week with the Bengals this season, with the exception of one week against the Ravens, they're gonna hang in games. They're gonna give team scares. But I don't think they're gonna do it to the Steelers at home because I think Pittsburgh knows full well that Cincinnati is no longer

this laughing stock that you're gonna roll over. And assuming everyone's healthy and able to play, I think Pittsburgh's gonna put up a lot of points, and I think they're going to win. Maybe not going away, but I think we're gonna get another W with a schedule that continues to stay pretty soft. Uh Mercury Morris getting nervous. I I looked at this at the weather though, little little rain perhaps in the forecast. So that makes Joe mixons

of ailability important. These teams are kind of similar in some ways that they don't really go deep too much. You know, Ben Roethlisberger has fewer plays over fifteen yards than any quarterbacks in the league that don't play in MetLife Stadium. It's Daniel Jones and Sam Donald are the bottom two, and then it's Roethlisberger, and then Joe Burrow is really interesting because he's a number one overall pick we're so excited about that has a below average, you know, arm,

and and isn't really pushing it down the field. He's still got to prove that he can do that. And it's a fascinating matchup because I don't think you can underscore the Ben knee factor because he they were already know, somewhat limited as a passing game when he's healthy. Now he's out of practice all week. The Bengals are the best team in the league, and I gotta be careful how I say this, Dan, I know you like to

talk about the desert. Sometimes they are tied for the best record in the league at beating expectations, so they you know, a lot of people a lot of doubt on the Bengals this year, but they always keep it close even if they I mean, how about Zach Tayler wins the division game? Just outright though, I mean, at some point this has to happen. You've got the quarterback now overdue, overdue it. I'm with you, and I believe

the Steelers, believe it or not. A ranked in the league in offense right now, but have you gotten the first of all, they've won every game they played number two most weeks. I don't come out of the game thinking, Wow, this is a really bad offense, and more seems to me that it's maybe not as explosive as an old big ben offense used to be. And you're not seeing like we predicted a potential fifty burger at least I did last week in Dallas that didn't happen. So maybe

not hitting high levels. But also the floor is pretty high with this offense. To me, it's okay. It's like it's okay, gonna be enough to win three playoff games. I think they're gonna need to get better as the season goes along, but they have the people to do it. Do you think they do better than what the desert thinks and actually win a game? Here? Come on, anybody, I think I think they got a shot. But you know, I I think the uh the Steelers on my game picks, Colm,

check that out, but I picked a close game. But there's a little Um, I really kind of want to lock the Bengals up, but I do. The only reason where I am in this because because in the past, of course you want me to, because in the past I would fall for these little rushes of emotion and suddenly Sunday night, you know, I'm I'm in the l column, so I'm staying away. But if they did business, I might have to lock the Bengals up down the down

the road. That means nothing. I might know, its literally nothing, But you know what, I think it works out for Greg and I because if Mark locks up the Steelers, I mean the Steeler's opponent and then Pittsburgh wins Sunday Night is not fun for anybody, but when Sessions in the chair, So you know, let's just be grateful that was road to victory presented by the United States Marine Corps. All right, let's take a break from the draft to

dig into the primetime games. We'll start with Sunday Night football. Man. You know, Al was so angry. Al Michael's was so angry about the blowout last Sunday Night that I you know, I was always hard to watch because you could just feel the anger coming off him. And now we get a Ravens Patriots game, which at least at least the Patriots found a way to beat the Jets, the lowly Jets on Monday Night, so they're not dead in the water by the time they get to Al Chris Michelle.

But still you feel like, despite the win, New England could be in a lot of trouble here. What do you think, Greg, Wow, this is this is one for you. It's one for the haters, you know, a toast to you know, Um, I just you gotta enjoy it about

our failed presidential candidate. Kanye thought better of it. And I I think if you're watching this game and you've been rooting against the Patriots like a ghoul like Dan for all these years, like this is hero going going to play Baltimore and I know it's in Foxborough, but there's no home field advantage anymore. Home teams have a losing record this year across the NFL, and and the Patriots are going to add to it. Because Cam Newton might be playing better, and Cam Newton might be fine,

the run game might be fine. This is a brutal matchup. You can't run on the Ravens. The blitz is gonna get to cam new and and the offense is not the point in New England. It's the defense. It's the defense that is least capable of stopping this Baltimore rushing attack. Do you remember last year when everyone thought the Patriots are one of the best defenses of all time? They were all always a little overcooked. There the Patriots ran

all over them then there. This is the thirty first best defense in the league right now, accordion d V O A. And they have no talent upfront. I would expect the Ravens to run for about four hundred yards in this game and a blow. It's been a weird couple of weeks for the Ravens though. You had Marquise Hollywood Brown complaining about the aerial game a couple of

weeks ago and then dropping a pass last week. So sure, but we have Lamar Jackson on the Rich Eyes and Show basically saying the teams are calling our plays out before we before we snapped the ball. Um. There's just frustration and I and you know, I, you know, I'm someone that I've always been a Greg Roman guy. We won some as you know. We shared a pizza at the airport after the combine. I was, you know, now

you shared a pizza, was the story. Originally I had I had a piece of his pizza because he was, you know, he couldn't eat the whole thing, didn't want the whole thing, so he said, do you want a piece? So I had a piece. But my thing with Greg Roman a little bit. And it seems like at every stop, like he starts out taking over the league, like with the Niners. They do fourteen fifteen formations. At once, it was amazing, Baltimore revolutionary. But year two, year three, things

start to change a little bit. I'm a little concerned about this raven So maybe not in this game, but holistically, who are they this year? Yeah, I don't care about anything else. I just want to talk about you eating the leftovers of the offensive coordinator of the Ravens. It wasn't like he gave you half a piece. We had, no, no, no. We had a wonderful conversation and he actually told me a couple of things about the Niners that got on my radar. Nice guy. And then he said, look at

I can't eat this whole pizza. They made the whole thing. And once in a while, not recently, I mean, let's say that the relationship feels, you know, slightly one sided. But I'm he's happy talking about this, that this is on television right now. Listen. I I want to bring up, since you brought up the desert, uh, that the people in the desert for the first time, and it's got

to be in twenty years. I think that the Patriots can't even keep this within a touchdown that in their building, that that has not happened since the nineties or maybe two thousands, so things have obviously changed. No one is no one that follows the sport closely was tricked by

that win over the Jets. So yes, if you want to say that the ghouls that have been waiting for the Patriots to lose get a chance to celebrate, Okay, but let's not totally overlook the fact fact and I know we haven't some of our conversation here, although it's been mostly Greg Roman Pizza based, that the Baltimore Ravens

are still dysfunctional on offense. So going on the road in byme time do what would I'd be totally stunned if the Patriots are hanging around in this game, because they're well coached and well prepared and and make a couple of plays. Now I'm not I'm not like getting ready for the party. I mean, you say dysfunctional. They It's funny how the bar changed, and I get it.

They're coming off a historic season, their number one in the league and rushing Lamar Jackson is still the best running quarterback of all time, and they still have a great running game, and they're playing a team that can't stop anyone on the run. I mean, they make Zack Moss look like Walter Payton. So the matchup is perfect and I'm not that worried about the Ravens. I think if I was doing the power ranking stand I'm not trying to come you know, for your spot here, I

would have the Ravens number two. To me, they're still the second best team in the league because they could run the ball, they're a great defense, they have Lamar Jackson and everyone else I can poke a few more holes in. So the Steelers going to their building two weeks ago and be they dominated that game. I mean,

I know they lost it. It's significant, but to me that if anything, that game made me feel more felt me made me feel better about the Ravens than almost any game, because they made the Steelers look like they're little little brothers for a while. Your point, some turnovers to your point in the second half against the Colts, they were dominated in the first half and we all know fifty five yards, but they played with tempo and pace, a bunch down the stretch in the second half, and

they looked a lot better. It might have been the best half that Lamar Jackson has had. I think through ten ten straight completions through the air. So I don't I'm not selling them short or anything. I just think that they're not last year's Ravens. They have a little bit of things that we got. When the players start talking it, that's you know, that's a bit of a different aura than last season, which I find it weird that there's a lot of excuse making on Lamar Jackson's

part in the national media. I just think call call it what it is, which is they maybe they're not a dysfunctional as a whole, but as a passing game offense, they haven't been right this year, right, But you said dysfunction as an offense, he is the key to the best rushing attack in the league. If you depends on how you want to measure it, maybe one of the best, one or two, but in total yards they're the best.

Their offensive line is by far to me, their biggest concern because they lost Marshal Yonda, a future Hall of Famer. They're totally banged up. They were struck mean before they lost Ronnie Stanley. It's they lead the league in negative plays, which is a sign of a bad offensive line. And I think when they played better teams that's gonna hurt them. They're not playing one of them this week. All right, let's move on to the other primetime game this week.

It is Monday Night Football, an NFC North battle between the Vikings and the Bears, and seems like two teams going in opposite directions. And you said it, Greg, and it's true, and it's a crazy stat and it's totally connected to the COVID nineteen world that we live in right now that there is no home field bump in

the NFL right now. So even if if this was any other year, I'd say, I know the Bears are you know, they're on a three game losing streak and they're now that this is an offense that is dysfunctional. We could all agree on that, but you're in this Island game, the lights are up, you have sixty fans going nuts. Maybe they find a way to keep their season in decent shape. But I don't, I just don't see it. I think the Bears are one of those teams that no one bought into them off the five

and one start. And usually when we all the football Gagne sent day, when we all decide that a team has done, they make us all looked done. But not with the Bears. They they have absolutely played to what we all expected. They're going in one direction, and the Vikings mark this is a team going in the opposite direction.

Where Davin Cook is an m VP level player right now, back to back two yard games from scrimmage four games this season already, where he's had at least two touchdowns in a game, and Kirk Cousins is playing a lot better as well because his running back is a super duperstar. Yeah,

I mean, my one concern. You know, Chicago's still has that defensive strength, and they have held Cook to eighties six yards rushing in his past three games against Chicago, So it's sometimes you know, you can forget the past. But because he's playing like a completely different type of human being. He's the best running back in the league right now, so you'd like to think on prime time, Uh, they're gonna figure that out and get him yards and get him yards to the airs. Well, Kirk Cousins is

thrown thirty four passes over the last two games. That's how I like Kirk Cousins. We don't need too much of him. This offense is functional because they want to be a run first attack. I'll tell you what. I'm a little suspect about this, but I'm gonna do it because I have changed. I've I've turned the tide on the Vikings. I think they're going to hang around Mber to lock them up because of my lack of belief in the Bears to some degree as well. Wow, okay, okay,

I don't think it's confident one. I think you should have gotten Bengals. I hope you know, don't uh don't you don't switch out of it. But you know, Kirk Cousins has never beaten this Bears team. I do think the vision matchups are instructive at least that Matt Nagy has owned Mike Zimmer for whatever reasons. Defense of Kirk Cousins in prime time. I did, I did, you know what. It's a new day, it's a new era. They changed what they did coming out of the bye. So yes,

Dalvin Cook is obviously the key to it. But one thing they've done is they stopped throwing deep so much, but they have thrown a ton on first downs, even though they're so run heavy. They've actually flipped the script where Kirk Cousins is throwing a lot on first downs. That's the best down to throw on. Of course, with play action, they've been very effective and the defense has changed what they've done to that. The matchups have helped,

but they're playing a little more cover two. They're less aggressive. They're just trying to kind of you prevent the big play, keep the offense in the game because it's an offense first team. They are third in the league since week three the Vikings in expected points on offense and that that's pretty impressive. I mean, they are very good run game. They are great when the Kirk Cousins doesn't make a mistake.

I'm excited to root against Kirk Cousins though in primetime now that you have locked him up there, Mark greg I mean, if anything, Greg, I can you can feel me? You know I'm on your heels. I'm only behind you. So I'm right inside the Greg Rosenthal mind, and that's where I want to be in his mind. Kirk kirk Cousins is he's funny because everybody likes that fun with Kirk Cousins, and and we're we're doing that as well right now with his issues when it comes to playing

at nighttime in prime time. But I will say that he's not a quarter ick you have to hide either. I know he was really bad for a stretch this season, but Kirk Cousins is pretty good. He's maybe never gonna be great, and he's probably never gonna be hoisting a little trophy as as Mark called it earlier today. He's probably not gonna be that guy. But he's pretty good too. That's why he got paid thirty plus million dollars a year.

So I think the way they are now and why that number doesn't surprise me, and why I thought earlier in this season that the Vikings were gonna be good is because it's all there on offense. I know you lost Stefan Diggs, but now you have Justin Jefferson in there and he's stepped in and become a Pro Bowl level player. It's all there for them to be a top five offense, and we've been seeing it for the last couple of weeks. So I like the vikings of this game. I'm with you, Mark, I just couldn't lock

it because I don't know. Weird things happen, Weird things happen with Kirk Cousins of Prime Time. I'm I'm already concerned with my decision, which is usually not a great um a great look. All right, let's move on the old zeuser. You know, when you pick first overall, it's a little bit of a drag because you have to wait a long time for your next pick. I will pick another late game here, the Denver Broncos at the Las Vegas Raiders. I am into the Raiders. I'm in.

They've crashed the top ten of the Power rankings for the first time in my two years on that beat, and I'm it's it's for reasons that go beyond uh surface stuff like John Gruden school and now they're in Vegas now. It's because the team's identity is different. It's not it's not the Raiders that I believe we're seven and five last year and then trailed off down the stretch. I think this is just a better all around team.

And that's especially so on offense, where what we've seen the book on Derek Derek Carr, he doesn't like uh to throw downfield. He looks immediately to his check down whenever possible, and we're not seeing that as much right now. I like Nelson Agilar when he brings to this offense. How about that for a pickup by Mike Mayock. He's given a downfield element. Hunter Renfroh Gregg doubted initially in his career. He's become a nice, little um complimentary player

in the slot. Henry Ruggs is a future star, and you see it. He's having a more customary type season. We're starting to get used to this world where guys hit the ground running his superstars. But what we're seeing with Rugs like he's dropping some breadcrumbs and then he's gonna, I think explode a little later maybe next season. Uh. And then you have Darren Waller of course, and a running game that they move the ball and they could beat you up. So I like the Raiders and the Broncos.

The Broncos. I don't like the Broncos. I don't like So that's that's why I feel very good about the Raiders in this game. Because the Broncos are making things look better with fourth quarter rallies. But I think the Raidors just an all around a stronger team. The Raiders sort of showing us that they can win different types of games. Uh, they can win the nail biter last week where they've got to keep up and and also you know, basically take charge in a in a higher

scoring game. Um. They went into Cleveland, and I thought that was more of a John Gruden type game than some would say, where I know they didn't you know, it was terrible weather. Uh, the air attack was muted to some degree. I think Gruden would happily pound people with the run game all day long. And Josh Jacobs

showed up that day. Uh. You know, Josh Jacobs is interesting these third and rushing but forty four yards per carryus so it's not quite the Josh Jacob's experience from last year, but he stepped up in a couple of big operations. Um, I'm with you Dan that if I were to rank these a f C teams, right now. The Raiders, to me, barring some sort of collapse in their defense, is a question. There are legit wild card

team that I think could win a playoff game. They've beat in the Chiefs, so I don't know what other questions would linger about their potential ceiling. I thought about locking this game for the ray Ters too, I didn't. I do expect them to win. It'd be more of a pick against the Broncos, though, because the Broncos are just showing you very little um. I don't give them any credit for the for last week's garbage time um stuff. Drew Lock didn't even really play that well uh in

the fourth quarter. I mean he had that terrible interception they had, they had a turnover on downs during that comeback. It was really about the Falcons offense, uh, retreating into a shell and giving them chance after chance, and they just haven't moved the ball like they were a great collection of talent and I was so high on them. I'm starting to give up the ghost a little bit. They lose uh a Koe Buonum, who I loved to a torn e c l. So he's out for the year.

And you see, you see the individual talent like Jerry Judy's popping love love what he showed last week. kJ Handler is good, but lock Had just has that thing that maybe Derek Carr had early on in his career where he's just he's just scrambling at the first sign of pressure, rolling to his right, a little bit of Baker Mayfield two thousand nineteen disease, and and after that it's just like anyone's guess what's gonna happen next. His

mechanics seem a little bit off. He does that thing where he takes a snap and he just starts going backwards and backward and backwards. So that gets on your radar a little bit. Uh. You mentioned the tight end going down, and you did a nice job with his name, so I'll just call him Albert his A C L Tare. He's the seventeenth Denver player put on the I R either Boomerang or three week I R. Is there boomerang

I R this year? Is it? Just like? Yeah, and Greg I had not announced that I have locked up the Raiders, but I will do a lot of the Raiders. They are my selection. I'm gonna get behind this team. While also I like it just twist the night a little bit on all those Broncos fans that think I hate your team. I don't like this particular team. The franchise is fine, l A. You know, I just like the twisting on l A. I s had everything his whole life, uh fall to him. So now he's got

to deal with a little bit of adversity. So coronavirus risk right now. But other than that, you're right, it's you know, you got a man with the rohona. Did you just hit me a little COVID nineteen shame? All right, I'll take it. Well, you know it wasn't my intent, but it's factual. And we're you know we are we're

journalists and reporters here. This is a fork in the road game though, this is a or a fork like I'm gonna fork you if you lose game when it comes to Broncos, because if you are one of those Broncos homers, you can look at their schedule and still say like, well, if they win this game and then they gotta I forget. You know, they have a pretty easy schedule moving forward, it's like, then get in the mix. So this is it, like this is their last stand.

I thought one of the reasons they were so bad defensively last week was A. J. Boyer and Bryce Callahan, their two best quarterbacks were both out, and they're both back for this week, so I think that makes their defense more competent. But they haven't. They haven't showed me much. I'm mad. Like you know, you put yourself out there as a team that you believe in, and then and then and they turn your back on you. I'm stupid.

I mean, Greg, you you are. You are someone that I am surprised put a ton of faith into a Hatch Shermer uh led offense. I mean that, that's my one concern was not not being some of your parts. That's a Patch Schremer staple, Isn't It Also funny Mark that Greg described what it's like to be an actual fan of like a normal franchise or struggling franchise. That's what it's like to be a Jets fan or or a Browns fan. You put your faith in them and

then they turned their back on you. As a Patriots fan, you haven't had much of that for half of your life. But it's coming. In fact, it's here now. I don't have any faith in them. But yes, all right, I it snakes to me and Mark, I'm not gonna do it to you because I think I did it to you last week. I'm not going to take the Browns again, although I think they're the best game on the board at this point. But I'm gonna leave it to you because I know they're special. Uh They're they're your special

little flowers. So I'm gonna stay out of that realm. And oh, Piggins are slim, So let me go and get there's some rough games. Let me check in on this NFC East dump dumpster fire. How about that Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants. The Giants are two and seven, but guess what, boys, if they win this game, they are a half game out in the NFC. STA's where we're at this is, this is an historic dumpster fire situation.

And uh, you know, I I, as I often do on this podcast, I think back to life and growing up in the cold town, and uh, on Sunday mornings, Uh, my mom would take my sister and my brother and myself to church and we go to St. Margaret's and we'd go through Mass and that was you know, it's tough to get through a forty five minute mass when you're a seven year old boy and you know there's sports and football to come. So after church we would go drive from St. Margaret's down to Kardian Place to

my grandparents house. And there's Poppy. You know where to find Poppy. It's one pm on Sunday. He's sitting in the big brown chair and he's got his pretzels and he's got his He had like a big handle of root here that he used to drink and it was eventually had to be moved to diet root here. Uh, and that would be his spot for eight hours. And you know what, he was a Giants fan. Poppy resting piece.

And when the Giants and Eagles are playing back in the eighties when I was growing up, it was Bill Parcels and it was Buddy Ryan and maybe if it was another NFC's game, it would be Joe Gibbs would be involved. You know, you had the Cowboys, I mean, you have the Landry in the final years, it was a great place. So we're not there now. We're in a dark place for the NFC's But I'm just gonna watch it and think about when times were I'm gonna think about the good old days. Bob Glauber, our good

friend from Newsday. He wrote a great book about the NFC East. The good old days were not there. These are the bad old days. This is when a two and seventeen in the middle of November can win and be a half game out of first. Wow. This is um. Yeah, it's tough to top. Tough to father that you're thinking back to them. I'm thinking way back to two games ago for the Eagles. Do you remember back then when

they played the Giants. Wow, to get this matchup twice in three games for the Eagles, I thought it was the game that might turn their season around. And we'll see, maybe it has. You know, they they look terrible beating the Cowboys a week later than they have a buy Now they get Lane Johnson back, they get Miles Sanders back. I mean those are significant, uh players for them to get back onto the field. Just make it easy on yourself, win a game, show your talent because the the NFC

S doesn't have to be like this. The Eagles can still be frisky. Uh. You know, as a wise woman once said, be best, you know, be be your best self. You know that I don't know if that really Angela No, Um, if you don't know, you know you don't, but there are I certainly have no idea who you're talking about. It was, you know it was. It was a really it was a national platform, um to just be best.

It's like probably like Tina Cash or like Tina hot Loote, like some sort of singer that you're into our our our listeners will absolutely. I'm sure the only thing that the Giants do well right now is they've actually established a little bit of an idea to speak in during the show. I bet Ricky know it. Ricky would know. I have no idea what you're talking. I mean it came from our highest levels of government. That's that's all, um. You know, I don't know why I'm teasing this out.

Greg really connecting with the audience on that one. If you just got if you just let it go, then it would have been you dropped too many like curiosity bread crowns. I couldn't. I couldn't help myself. And I mean, this is it. This is it for the Giants. Though they win this, they're in the race, they lose. It's over. They got a nice little power running game lately they

actually are changing. As as the season's going along, you somehow found a way to top Dan's beautiful nostalgia dips NFC East Uh, Dan, I grew up in the same world as you, watching the Giants and sometimes the Jets. But yes, the shine is off. But I do think that there is incredible interest around this stretch for Carson Wentz. Between now and next season. You used the second round pick on Jalen Hurts, and if this thing continues to nose dive, I mean it's gonna be a rough offseason

on Philadelphia Sports Talk radio. But you got the Giants. They play Washington in Dallas. All three of those should be considered winnable games. Washington to me seems like the biggest challenge of that group because of their defense. You win that and you're in the playoffs, essentially barring like mathematical nightmares. Um, but I'm with you, Greg, like this Giants team this is not and I don't want to keep dropping a bombs on Pat Shermer and previous Giants coaches,

but they have a different feel to me. They're spicier, their situational football is a little bit different. Their defense is rising up so the game is intriguing on that front. I would rather actually see the Giants sneaking of the playoffs than the Eagles, basically for the reasons that Dan mentioned about childhood um not logical one. Yeah, I guess the Joe Judge thing. The defense has improved, There's no

doubt about that, especially where where we were. You know, how we were talking about them entering week one is like, name one guy that can do anything on this defense, and you know they they've been able to, They've been

able to have a good season. They had some nice pickups James Bradberry, Leonard Williams, although it's still you know, pretty high price tag and also there for them, I don't know if they're going to give him a huge contract, but he's played well this season, definitely better than he played with the Jets. It's it's so weird with wins and we will move on because we I know, we spoke with bow Wolf at at at at length about Carson Wentz and the Eagles on Tuesday show. Please check

that out. I actually it's gotten to the point where I went on spot rack dot com and looked out when the Eagles can get out of this Carson Wentz contract. That's how bad it's been this year. Potential out in two thousand twenty two. So Jalen Hurts is on the roster. Obviously, we'll see where it all plays out in Philadelphia. But it's been a strange season. Greg, you're up in the draft,

all right. I'm gonna take the Lions versus the Washington football team, and I am excited for this game because of Alex Smith, because of what I saw last week. I think the coverage around Alex Smith has been understandably like in awe of what he's done, but there's like a little bit of condescension that's that's come with it, of like we're all just afraid he's gonna get hurt, and like, what a nice job that you returned, almost like he didn't like earn his spot back on the team.

And look, he has a guaranteed contract that I think played a big factor, uh into that. I watched him last week, and you know what he looked like. He looked like I would expect Alex Smith to look at thirty six, which is an NFL quarterback that I think would be in the end that I think would have a job now he'd be a backup. Like, but that's what I would like, a guy who can come in

as a backup. Um, make the right decisions in terms of your offense, make some good plays, make some bad plays at the end when you absolutely need a touchdown

and get picked off. That that happened too. But he moved the ball pretty efficiently, and I was like, this might not be it for alexmth he might be in the league another couple of years if he wants to go to Josh McCown mentor and breaking classic you know, in case of emergency type of route, and you know what would make this comeback story even better as a win, this is a very winnable game. I think for Washington,

their defense can can do some damage. And uh, I think Washington could could move the ball, and I think they could get a win. I'd love to see Alex

Smith get a win. Yeah, I mean, I I feel like any time anyone faces Detroit, you'd have to say this could be a win because um, they've not built any you know, and it becomes trite and tired to say this stuff, But I mean they feel like kind of most people, um I knew or myself in your twenties where you kind of give yourself look like the next five or six years, I'm just gonna like discover who I am and put in a lot of like self care and self exploration, and you know, I'm not

sure what I'm about or what I'm gonna do. It's like, Lions, that's cool that you feel personal like your time, but I mean I look back and I enjoyed that time, and I hope that it amounted to something. Even then, why did you do your voice when you mimic someone? You have this one? You're like Twitter middle school or oh you're twenty and finding First of all, Twitter middle School. I am a part of that middle school. So I'm

not saying that I'm looking through the window. I mean that school and equally annoying at times, but I find it an annoying environment. Um, the Lions I find highly annoying. Do I need to defend that to anyone? I mean, you know, it's and I love matching to me depressing and it's like it's like, you know what, it's late November. It becomes for me a chore just to keep dumping on some of these teams like the Bears and the Lions.

It's like, we get it. I am very close to just simply saying goodbye to you for this year, and I don't feel bad about doing it. Is wait a second. By second, they've annoyed me because sandwagon, you got off the bandwagon, you hyped on the brow and you were chasing after the bad wagon. You said you got back on. Are you back off again? I got in. I got in the bandwagon. And remember I was stuck in the back with the you know, all the all the people

like you know, we couldn't get nice seats. I saw Mina Kimes up in the first class area with a nice cocktail and like having a wonderful discussion with the you know, the driver of the vehicle. I'm in the back. I've got like I'm sitting next to a horse. Um. I jumped off that thing and I'm walking back home and I'm a little annoyed by the entire experience. I fell for this um like a rub in August. I'm out, all right? Someone answered me. This what I know. Alex

Smith is an incredible football story. But where's Dwayne Haskins? Weird? Smith is an incredible comeback story. He's what he is he almost died. He almost suffered an injury on a football field that killed him. Uh, and he was able to make it back. And his leg is not the same leg it was. It's a miracle of science as much as it is human spirit. But he's thirty six and he's much closer to just being a Josh McCown type mentor figure in the NFL than being a guy

that can lead a team. Are you really cashing out your chips on Haskins to the point where in this season where you're obviously not winning a Super Bowl, but somehow you're in the mix in the NFC East to just get one last look at this guy before you

completely kiss him off. Is it is there? I think they think that Alex Smith gives him a better chance to win a understand how back to Haskins when they have to, and they've already given up on Haskins on some level, Like it seems personal, you know, the way

that they've talked about it. It seems personal. They didn't draft him, and Uh, I think there's a little bit more and I think it's gonna come out because usually these things do UH with Haskins, maybe behind the scenes and there were whispers that he's not a guy who's been working hard enough. There's gotta be a little bit more to the story to to really explain how deep in the dog doghouse he got. Rivera said this week that Haskins can learn what it means to be a

real NFL starter by watching Alex Smith. So it's not a fit, but it is an outlier to your point, and a fifteenth overall pick to be treated this way, and you're too No, no, I'm washing their hands exactly. But it's like like the like you know, and and I feel bad for these quarterbacks to come in regime change. And Ron Rivera probably would be happier even in this offseason um signing a veteran he trust. He just seems like I do that wants veteran leadership at quarterback versus

experimentally working with a young guy. And Haskins probably did himself no favors. But it's an outlier in terms of how he's being treated. When he missed, when he missed his first victory, neel down taking selfies with fans, I guess that that was when it was over. Let's let's just face it. Uh. In Washington, all right up next, Mark, all right, well you know this, this will come as no surprise. UM, thank you Dan and and Greg by uh by proxy for leaving Houston at Cleveland out there

in the open. I mean that was the big solid I gotta tell you, Mark, I didn't have to do it, and I did, and I was out of respect and love for you know. It's no Honestly, I'll spend the entire weekend, Um thinking about this act of kindness that

you've bestowed on me. I want to see what this Browns team can do because this game, like this game scares me because I I kind of felt like Cleveland made it very clear what they are, not just with the Baltimore and Pittsburgh games, but losing to the losing to the Raiders in Cleveland and terrible weather. They were really banged up. They've been really banged up. Like you know. I also give them credit for hanging around with no Nick Chubb, with Wyatt Heller their star guard out of

the mix. Austin Hooper has been gone. Um, They've had defensive guys in and out of the lineup. Their defense is a lost cause. And when Myles Garrett, well, no, I think it is I mean it's you're gonna score points on them every week. When Myles Garrett was not on the field during long portions of that Raiders game. I mean, they became what they were average though, I mean they not You're right they are, but for this

year that's sort of normal. Like for me, I think they were they were like a C minus um deep D plus if D plus is still grade um defense and then to sixty nine. I know, but that feels that feels like a slap in the face of a child. I don't know what you're saying. What is the plus to get It's known as the gentleman's F. Well, I don't know. I don't know how many of those people turn out to be gentleman either. But um, that's a whole different conversation. It's health structure of the grading. It's

not a reflection of whoever gets the grade. It's just like the gentleman's F is a D. But there are right but that that also is a phrasing from like the seventies, and there are no gentleman anymore anyways, Cleveland, like you're you're getting nick shell back. Come on, I'm saying I need the Browns to take care of business here against a bad defense. But you know I'm not locking it up. I already locked up another team. But I'll say this, Deshaun Watson um scares the life out

of you if you have to go up here. I think he's playing as well as he has ever played. Will Fuller after a week of you know, trade gossip came out inflame the Jaguars, which I mean, I think the three of us could probably put up a hundred and twenty yards as a trio against the Jaguars defense. But still, um, you could do that against Cleveland too. So this is a trap game in every sense of

the word. And if Cleveland wants to be taken seriously with the Raiders and with frankly even like the Dolphins and some of these all those five and three type teams, you've got to take care of business here and take care of it decisively. And then these teams aren't They're not to me, it's not a trap game because they're even record wise, I know, I know, but well, I think if you've watched both these teams this year, you

think they're about even. And and like I checked out, like the e p a por play that you know, Texans are ahead of you know, the Browns in terms of that, they're ahead of them in terms of d v O A. And that doesn't surprise me because I just think they're they're close. The Texans have faced the hardest scheduling league, and they find a way to lose close games. And the Browns have won some close games.

I think they have a better situational coaching staff. I think they've got a little more um, you know, mojo in the bank right now. And that's why I tried, like I picked them to win this game in a close game. But it's not an uneven matchup to your point, we're kind of burying the lead though. You know. The undercard here is the Duke Johnson revenge game. You know, he has a primary guy. It's getting so much attention, and then Johnson is rushing for like two point eight yards.

P thought he left okay this week. Now he's gonna make the Browns pay for prevention. But more importantly, it's the Jack Easterby versus Sessler game. This guy, this guy took over in Houston. He infuriated Mark so much that um, you know, maybe some shadowy link figures even noticed how

obsessed Mark and um. And then he's back in the news this week because you know, we got J. J. Watt and like Deshaun Watson talking on Sports Center about how mad they are essentially at Easterby for firing uh, an award winning PR director that everyone loved, the only woman PR director in the league. So if the tech since we're looking for like a little more bad PR this year, Easterby gave it to him. Wait what lets your pride take over? Like Bill Simmons attacking Goodell on ESPN,

just go just fire with two barrels? No, because I I like, well, I don't want to get too deep into it, but um, I feel like I've said a lot.

I think that I think that this time around, I don't need to say anything now the players are doing it for you right that they like to and to fire you know, Amy over what they called, you know, a cult non cultural fit um and to see the response that came out from every corner of journalist world, because you know, when you have to work on these stories or or deal with these teams, not all PR

staffs are created equal. And when you have a bad experience, and we've all had that, if you've tried to write features and stuff. Um, it makes life feel difficult. And when someone goes out of their way and does a great job like it puts a great face on the organization, and it put a great face on the text and for a lot of people, he was verting out. The enemy is in the the Dwayne Haskins novella like that sticks on the shelf. I want to read this novella

when we find out what's going on here. When you get when you irritate J. J. Watt Um, we know this. Uh, it's not good for you. Yes, save that for the memoirs. Also, yes, bad optics for the Texans. Mark here's a stat from the NFL Media Research Team. Cleveland has either scored thirty plus points or seven or fewer points in every game this season. Five and oh when they score big, oh and three when they try up on offense. They are

the picture of a hot and cold team. But however, this post by schedule shapes up nice for you, buddy, Texans, Eagles, Jaguars. The next three weeks. Just just just be okay, you should be. They gotta win tho. If they can win two out of three, that's fine. Win all three because it gets tough. And what we've seen though, what we've seen is that they're hot and cold. So I don't think they'll win all three. Never know, but even if they went two of three, Man, you're seven and four

in December and you you with an expanded playoffs. All right, it's gonna be a fun final month of the year. Brian Howyer and Cleveland Memorial record seven and four right before that, thank you, because like I just feel no, Um, I think younger fans of any of these teams that have gone through like you know what we've been through, Dan and not you know, listeners are like with YouTube, please shut up about this, but um, you know they

have more optimism. I just I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop in, to drop on my head from the top of a building, so understandable. All right, it snakes to you, Well it's snakes to me. So I guess I will go. I mean, how many high octeam games do I need here? I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go Jacksonville, Green Bay. Well, we've reached the part of the proceedings for the games that are getting shipped shook, so don't get stressed out about this. Well shook will

go Jacksonville, Green Bay. How about that just to be the blowout of the year. It's I Actually, I'm just gonna start this with a question for you, Dan, because you know, having watched uh Jake Luton in his well,

I I was impressed. And number one, I like, I read all these scouting reports where he's, you know, game manager, like okay arm but I think he throws a nice ball um deep and he I know he made a few mistakes, but I am refusing just to sign up for these late round quarterbacks at this point because I think it's just part of a larger sham where they're going to try and go what is it, Lieutenant City.

That's what I'm asking Dan. You started that fit. When you start a fan club for these fringe players, it takes a lot of dedication. Uh, it can't be just you know, it's not just you're not riding a rainbow. You've got to you've gotta dig in for the tough times, the positive times, and but you have to be the guiding force. I have not heard a word, seeing a tweet, um, not even a shred of publicity around this fan club. It does it still exist? Um, yes, absolutely, now absolutely

of the show. You know, the old Juicer was a bit of an active subversion to start off this fan club because Mark is obsessed with anyone drafted outside the sixth round, that's a quarterback. So I wanted to beat him to the punch, and I did with Jake Lutanity and I, uh, you know, the things started off incredibly with a seventy yard touchdown. A little hot and cold, but that's what usually I think it's the Tom Brady disease where we expect these guys. Usually, these guys fall

late in dress for a reason. They're limited, uh physically in many cases, and uh it means they're gonna get exposed eventually in the NFL. So I am mom more about this is where I'm at. Honestly, my team is oh and nine the Jaguars or one in eight, right is that where they are? In one and seven? One and eight, They're gonna have the tiebreaker because they have an easier schedule in the Jets there one and seven right now? Uh, so I need the I need Lieutanity,

I need mean shoe. I need one of the one of these guys to have one of those scrappy games that gets the Sesslers of the world excited and steal a game or two to get the Jaguars out of the mix. Because this feel us to me like a team in a state of suspended animation where they don't have their head coach in the building, they don't have the quarterback, and I don't want them to flame out to one in fifteen because that makes the Jets have to go winless to get the number one overall pick,

which I don't want. And they have the toughest schedule in the league coming up. They I think the only team they play with the losing record the rest of the season is the Vikings, who is probably the best team that has currently has a losing record. I didn't think about that though, Greg could. I guess they conceivably could catch the Jets of the strength of schedule. Yeah, it's early to project to the schedule picnic either, by

the way, Yeah, it can change. It can change a lot um On paper, you would think, well, maybe this would be a game that they could do some damnit James Robinson against this Packers rush defense. Jaire Alexander's the key to the Packers defense. He's been out of practice Wednesday and Thursday. We don't know what his status is gonna be, but you know he would be able to shut down DJ Shark. If not, you know you got Miles Jack back. He makes a big difference in All

Pro type of season. Out of Miles Jack there's something for the Jaguars, but otherwise, uh, it feels like it's a steam train for your boy, Aaron Rodgers, and it really is starting to look like you might get those sandwiches for him making All Pro that means he has to be a top two quarterback. I did notice how no one out of thirty voters predicted Rogers would win the m v P on NFL dot Com. I mean I was part of that, but I was like, wow, like half of the people went my homes half when

Wilson and uh the car contingent went car. Wilson had those has had two messy games where he's piled up turnovers. Rogers give it to Rodgers right now. If I had a vote this very second, I think I would give it to Rogers. It's close, but he's he's unbelievable. He's a lot of fun, and I know Davante Adams missed games. Uh, that might be the only thing that separates him from having an historic like Jerry Rice nineteen season. He would still up. That's a good point. He should run sixty

again and rack it up. He's Uh, it's unbelievable the chemistry they have and how the offense all runs through. Uh. Davante Adams, Alan Lazard. I don't know if he's on the horizon yet, but he when he comes back, he'll be interesting to watch too. I love this Packers offense all right. Final game, Greg slash Shook. I think the only game left and this really shows how far it's

fallen is the forty Niners Saints. Can you believe it that that's happened here in week ten after where we would have guessed this game would have probably would have let off the show if we were taking bets back in September, Well, Shook. If if this is what he ends up watching it, it's not a bad game as it shook games because you know, I do think the forty Niners will be more competitive. Everyone remembers that what

happened on Thursday night. Look, they found out they lost their left tackle and number one receiver the day before the game. They found out they lost their quarterback and George Kittle two days before the game. They're on a short week coming from Seattle to play the Packers. It's all a disaster. I mean, this is a very tough matchup two against a Saints team that you know, it's

coming off their best game and is very complete. And I think the defense upfront is definitely playing better and it's going to give a lot of problems to kind of the zombie forty Niners. But I kind of think the forty Niners will be a competitive team down the stretch, for instance, Like I don't think they'll be like the Patriots. Uh that who I don't expect to compete against the

best teams. I it wouldn't surprise me if you have a nice game playing here by Shanahan, it's close in the third quarter in the Saints, you know wind up pulling away. Yeah. I'm so impressed with what the Saints did last week. And I I hear what you're saying about like from the Bucks angle, not um overrating one week performance because there are a lot of these aviation games and if you want to knock out the Bucks um, well they also beat the Packers, and then you know,

the Packers beat the Saints. So it's like all these teams are kind of registering punt punches and body blows. But um, to me, it was more like what they've been through this season, the Saints have had to be one of the more resilient teams. It starts with the whole Michael Thomas thing. It starts with basically having the Bucks come into your division and be touted as this team that's gonna come and just supersede you. It continues on with what the fact that the Saints have had

three utterly crushing playoff losses in a row. We we look at the Falcons team that lost one Super Bowl and never recovered from it. Um, we're looking at the Niners team that lost a Super Bowl and they're really struggling. A lot of that has to do with esoteric stuff that has nothing to do with the core team, But

the Saints are always hanging around, always there. It goes back to Sean Payton, and for me, I'm just sort of sad that the Niners are out of this because the coaching matchup alone, um is one for the ages. I know, I don't want Falcons fans to get mad at us. So yes, we are aware. They went to the divisional playoffs the year after the collapse. So the one throwaway for beating the champion, the Eagles, if Jonas I believe, is what happens, and that's part of it.

And Matt Ryan, I always think of the first down play in that series. He had Julio and he overthrew him in the end zone. That's it's sort of an overlooked sliding doors moment. And we were at one of their playoff wins, so I probably should have recalled that. I just think they were just a little psychologically bro. I don't think that you could say, hey, they really returned from that um and showed us all that they are.

You know, A long term answer, The Saints have been this team forever because of Sean Tayton, because of Mickey Loomis. You know, I got you, buddy so talented. It doesn't matter how many teams he's running team. It's a nice time for Mark right now. He taysom Hill, you know, just well it's no but I I how I haven't you know, sung a bunch of poems about him this year. I think that's not worked out two great games in

a row. He looked good the forty Niners. This is how you make a case for This's why I think I shooks watching this game because be better. And actually, now I'm having second thoughts. I probably should have taken the game because it is the last stand for the Niners. They're the defending conference champions and their season is done. They're just gonna be too deep ahole if they lose this game. So maybe Kyle Shanahan has these guys ready to roll in. The Saints have a real challenge on

their hands. We shall see. All right, there you go. That's uh the full Week ten preview, and of course Sunday night we have the flagship show or recap every game we just preview. Ricky, come on back. You know we had a little dust stuff at the beginning of the show. I thought you cheated. I still believe that. With the lock standings, we're telling us, uh Tuesday afternoon, Oh yeah, I locked the Raiders. Okay, cool, Um, so we're gonna lock you in right now so we can't

have any Uh, there was no fraud. We don't want any fraud. Uh tell us who you're locking up this week at two and seven for the year. Yes, I am. You know, I'm putting a lot of effort into this, you know, top six pick rookie matchup between the Chargers and the Dolphins, and I'm really excited to see them. You know, they're both two of the three highest passer ratings for rookies going in to this game, and it's

gonna be really, really exciting. I feel like the Dolphins are on fire the Chargers, I mean, Justin Herbert is playing lights out right, so I think it's gonna be a really good matchup. But I'm going with she's so nervous, she's deciding right now. He's a tough one, all right. Before she says who it is, everyone realized whoever she doesn't pick is winning on Sunday Erica, Tah and the

Dolphins are gonna take you in. Oh wow, I like that, right, is a street your first street legal lock of the year, because you took the Jets against the Jets once and then you've at this point you're just admitting to cheating. You could keep you know, we know it's one one were my other one, grig. Since you're so confident about you know, street legal stuff. No, no, I'm saying, this is your chance to be to get a street legal win. I think I think you're gonna get because there was

basically last week. This is your chance to earn his respect. Yeah, well that's never this happened. Yeah, this wouldn't do it. You know, after the last time you locked up the Dolphins was on my behalf with brock Osweiler starting and they won. So I think there's a little bit of what a memory, a little bit of magic to that. Yeah.

So I don't know if you guys have been seeing the story books I've been putting out for the nfl up series, But this week I wrote a nursery rhyme for to a versus justin Herbert, So keep an eye out for that because it's excellent. Check that out and tell us, uh, if anyone is not seeing the dump off yet with a great Emma did she I know she goes by a different last name yet that I haven't learned how to pronounce Somaki Emma v p uh and Ricky doing their thing the dump off. Tell the

people about that. Yeah, the dump off is our um. You know, we give you real, real information going into the week with no absolute analysis whatsoever. So it is fun and Kurt Warner retweeted it, so that's pretty cool. Wow, he definitely knows you exist, not not us, not you guys. Alright, good stuff. Check it out, check out the dump off, check out the to a nursery rhyme over on up Funds stuff. Um okay, this Dan Hanson signing off for Quiet Storm. The old boss, Ricky Hollywood behind the virtual

glass until Sunday Night. S