2020 Week 11 Preview

This is our last week of the preseason. Get Ready? I take offense to that because I feel like we have been grinding essentially since like Corona draped the landscape. He remember, the pro football season does not start after you eat your turkey back after this something like that, which is you know what, It's true on some level because it is when the cream rises to the top here in our league and you really get a better idea of how the playoffs gonna look. Who are the

real monsters. But then again, when you look at where we are entering week eleven, we have a pretty good idea of who the major players are gonna be. It just it comes down to who is a team that is gonna go nuts through the end of the regular season, that maybe isn't there yet. Mark, I have a feeling I know which team you believe it to be. And we're gonna talk about the Miami Dolphins a little bit later, but maybe it's a team we haven't thought of yet

or hasn't presented itself. So that's see, that's the fun thing. And we're gonna get into all the games coming up here in week eleven on Sunday and on Monday. Of course, you can also check out our Thursday night football recap, great game Cardinals Seahawks, that the Quiet Storm and I are on the mic and maybe a mystery guest and so stay team. Done that. But let's now put our focus where it needs to be and let's start before

we get to our draft. Let's start with the prime time games and listen this this is a special game. I am so excited, uh for Chiefs at Raiders. I mean after what we saw in Week five when the Raiders went to Arrowhead and stunned the Chiefs and it wasn't a flukey win. It was not a fluke uWin. They outplayed the Chiefs and they caught the Chiefs maybe

on a bad day, but the Raiders played great. And what we've seen since then is the Raiders continue to grow as a team and establish an identity physical Uh, run the football, UH, make plays on defense. Uh. And I think they have a shot here. I know the Chiefs, obviously, Greg are the favorite, uh and they deserve to be. The Desert thinks very highly of them in this game. But I don't see a blow out here. I just don't. I don't necessarily, Although the COVID issues with the Raiders

is something to watch out for. A lot of the players out of the facility this week that hoped to be back for Sunday night. I hope they are because their defense has played better. Uh. You mentioned it, like Nick Kuikkowski, Jeff Heath. Like they're stepping up there making some plays. But I don't know if it's gonna be enough against the Chiefs team, who I think deserve a lot of credit for how they've responded to that game.

And when I think about the Chiefs, I think about how the guys who got paid this offseason are all paid playing like superstars. It's a little underrated. You get a monster contract right after winning the Super Bowl, And is there any let down know. Patrick Mahomes is right in line to be in the m v P conversation. Chris Jones, to me is the best defensive interior pass rusher in the NFL other than Aaron Donald. He is playing that well. I think it's has been his best season.

And then you look at Travis Kelsey, like everyone just kind of takes Travis Kelsey for grant. Oh, yeah, of course he's good. He is on pace for the best yardage, the most receptions in his entire career. And so when you look at the Chiefs best players, if they show up to me, they still have too much firepower for the Raiders. Well, I'm with you, and and I sensed disdain um from the Chiefs towards the Raiders, and I you know, I believe in certain types of revenge games.

I don't believe in like Duke Johnson going to Cleveland and having a revenge game. But I do here because on Monday, Andy Reid bristled when he was asked about the Raiders um. After that October eleventh victory. They took their little bus and circled it around Arrowhead Stadium twice, annoying the Chiefs. I guess the bus driver, maybe um through some jabs at the Raiders before the game or something UM read was annoyed by it to the point where John Cruden had to say, this is ridiculous, that's

not a narrative. I would be a little concerned though, because in that first meeting, car through for like three hundred and fifty yards. The whole thing was the aggressive passing game. He's had a hundred and sixty or less and three street straight games. So to me, it's certain this this this Raider's offense. They are running the ball better, but can they achieve that balance and what probably will be a game that asked them to air it out? I think they can and I think a lot of

that is game plan driven. Why cars numbers have been down. I don't think it's because he's playing worst the last few weeks. I just think they're in a good spot and they're playing with a lot of confidence, and I think that's why this is the perfect time to get

the Chiefs. Having that win, maybe they shouldn't have taken the bus around the stadium, but you know what, that was a big win for an organization that had been down with dumps uh for several years and it was the signature win of Gruden's tenure there to this point. So I'm not even gonna get get on them too much for that. I'm back to the Chief's offense. One interesting thing to me, Um Clyde Edwards Hilaire, their rookie

running back. It's interesting how that backfield is coming together because his snaps have gone down since Levian Bell arrived. But it's not really about Levan Bell at this point. Um. There were two Blue two blowouts and then last their last game before the bye. Uh Arl Williams was the guy that was get in love and getting play and C.

E h was down the snaps. So maybe this is becoming a situation and your fantasy team is probably not gonna like this if you if you've bet on Clyde Edwards Claire big that this is a committee backfield, but it's not necessarily one where leave Bell has been the one that's changed things well, and you save them a little bit for the end of the year. Look, uh Andy Reid doesn't care about all those people that got excited. Hankins like I took C. E h Number one. Overall,

it's like, okay, let's calm down. And let's have the season play out there a past first team. They change it up depending on the opponent. They can do whatever they want. And it's one of the reasons I feel so good like you. You seem like you give the Raiders much of a chance. I don't. And that's why I'm gonna see if I can lock it up. Am I allowed to lock up the Chiefs on the road in prime time? Well, do you have a mirror in your did you look in the mirror and did you

see your reflection game last time? Greg, I'm only asking me a question. See, the fact that you're defensive makes me a little worried. And Mark, I think you probably agree with me. When you look, do you see your reflection? Yeah? I think everyone here has had the game or two where Um, you know they they're on the edge. I don't think Patrick Mahomes is gonna make Jeff Heath look like Troy Paulamalu this week. As as what happened last week, Greg, if you can live with it, you can live with it, um,

but take the Chiefs in this game. You can never take them. Essentially, they're playing a team that beat him earlier this year in Arrowhead all this Raiders talk. You know, Dan, help us out here. Listen. The lock has never been about what other people think. It's what you think about yourself. And if you're a comfortable with it, you lock up the defending world champion Chiefs. And that's good. All right,

let's move on. I actually don't have a huge issue with it for all the reasons I laid out, Greg. I like the Raiders. I like this team. Let's let's get into the other primetime game, Monday Night Football, and this one is fun. The Los Angeles Rams at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One great defense against really a balanced Tampa Bay team, but an offense that is coming off a game where they totaled five and forty four yards and forty six points against the Panthers and didn't even

hit their top gear. They left points on the field if you'd believe that. So obviously, Tampa, when they're right Mark Sessler can do bad things to anyone, including an Aaron Donald Donald Jalen Ramsey team. However, however, we cannot look past the struggles that Tampa has had in prime time. And I don't care what Patrick Claiban says, uh they have struggled when the lights have been on and it's on.

Bruce Arians is radar. I can tell you that. Yeah, I mean arians is having them practice at night to uh simulate that, and I mean it kind of makes sense. You said they have had a team of roster players that haven't had the same nighttime game exposure that say Tom Brady has, who's played in prime time roughly five hundred and sixty times. I like this match up. I've

had some issues with the Rams. I want to see them win a game that creates buying for those who look at the Rams and say you're just a wild card type team that's gonna get, you know, knocked off at some point. This would do it for me. And I think they've gotten into that. You mentioned the Jalen Ramsey thing. I mean, what he did against DK Metcalf last week was phenomenal. That's why you give it. You give up those draft picks for him, And so I think that's an X factor here because this is a

different type of offense. What do you do you take away Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, You've got Gronk. I mean, I don't think we're gonna get Jalen Ramsey on Scottie Miller too often, but someone's gonna have to deal with the best cover man in football right now. They also love Darius Williams, who blew up last week. I like this Rams defense and the idea that this game could be close in the fourth quarter, and that

Rams running game. It truly, it truly was a running back by committee last week, Greg and so I think they can keep that happening as well. Against the tough Bucks defense, they got a chance. I think you put Ramsey on Mike Evans because Ramsey is so good against those physical receivers. But that still leaves Godwin and Antonio Brown. What you get the feeling that Brady trust those two guys more. I mean he loves throwing. Antonio Brown, who, by the way, has looked like a guy who's coming

along and is going to help this team. All of them made big time plays for him. So taking Evans out of the game like, that's great. Darius Williams has been great all year, though this guy's the closer. I mean, it's a great matchup because Brady, he missed all those deep throws last week. People killed him for it was all those plays where because he was moved off his spot because the Panthers actually got him to move outside

the pocket. He's not hitting anyone when that happens. And it's kind of the same for the Rams quarterback Jared goff too. I mean, I I don't mean to just throw it back to Mark here. Dan, I don't want to just leave you out of the mix, but talk about Mark's Jared goff obsession, like he's just like so mean to Jared Gofflin Christmas. This should be Christmas for Mark Sessler because it's Jared goff against like the best

flitzing team in the league, which spells trouble. It's it's kind of an ugly side of Mark that comes out when Jared Gofflin comes. Jared goff lives on like a fantastic, like thirty acre orchard in Malibu. I don't think he cares whether or not. I'm you know, in love with what he's doing in this offense. I just think, compared to some quarterbacks picked first overall into year four whatever, that he's just attached to Sean McVeigh and I want

to see him operate a little differently. That's I mean, I thought that that would happened against the Dolphins would be really concerning to two Rams fans, and can the Bucks go and mimic that, because if you make Jared Goff uncomfortable, the result is not good. It's been negative and it's and it's limited what the Rams can do. I think they are a more balanced team than they have been in years past. Though I think you're you are a little bit hard on l A. It's been

that way for a couple of years. And you say you need to buy and win, Well, no one was higher on the Seahawks than Mark Sessler a couple of weeks ago. So if if that's not the buy and win, maybe this will be the one that does it. That's fair. I mean that you know what listen that that was. That was a step And you can't just say the Rams are a team that's just beaten up on the NFC East. It's not the case. So I hear you.

I'm with you. I'm not anti Rams. I just want to see them become one of those teams in the NFC that fascinates me and builds trust. And I think a number of Rams fans that are level headed would agree. There's six and three though you didn't think they were a playoff team. Not many people did come into the season. So maybe I have maybe my read on this team. Maybe my read on the Rams is just like we should be, you know, taking someone else's read because I

could be completely wrong. That wouldn't be the first you should mention. Andrew Wentworth is not in this game, and that is a massive problem for for the Rams offensive, especially in this match. I mean, if they could win in Tampa, I would be surprised. Uh and it would say quite a bit. And one more point on Antonio Brown, and I know, I mean the guy he's a knucklehead obviously, and there was that report of him destroying property at his apartment. I can't, I mean, I can't track it

with this guy anymore. It's not enough to get him kicked off the team apparently. But don't read into his fairly pedestrian numbers the first two weeks and say Antonio Brown is not a difference maker on this offense. I think he had six catches on seven targets last week, and the seventh target he was opened for a fifty yard touchdown that Brady missed. So Antonio Brown looks damn

good and keep an eye on him in prime time. Alright, now that we've got the primetime games out of the way, let's move to our draft, and as luck would have it, for Old Rosie, as he's called by some, I prefer Greggy. You got the first pick, buddy. My mom prefers Greggy too. It's just you and her that called me that. I am so excited I have the first pick because this is my favorite game of the entire season. It's Falcon Saints.

You knew where I was going. I've been talking about this Falcon Saints rivalry as the best rivalry in football on our podcast since we started having a podcast, and it's always because it's a little crazy, like you know, out the records when the Falcons and Saints play. It really is throughout the records because even last year on Thanksgiving, when the Falcons were at their lowest and the Saints were at their highest, the Falcons found a way to win.

And now you sprinkle in a little Jamis Winston into these two franchises that despise each other and these two fan bases, and it's gonna get weird. I don't know how uh much to put into Jamis Winston and Taysom Hill's tag team in the second half of last week. I'm trying not to put too much into it because

it was ugly. Jamis did not look ready, and it made me think, like, I think people are excited, including me, to see Jamis Winston and the Sean Payton offense, But I don't know if he's gonna be bombs away Jamis that he was in Tampa. He's gonna have to get used to this danking, dunk, you know, controlled style of play, and that's not really what Jamis does, and you're throwing Taysom Hill in there all the time. It makes me

a little worried about what this batchup is gonna be. Like, I know, everyone sort of says like, I trust Sean Payton, you know, to use the week to create a scheme that allows Jamis to be successful. I mean, he did that with Teddy Bridgewater last year and really helped Teddy Bridgewater get a starting job. So I think there is trust and Sean Payton more than coach X. I mean, I'd put him in the top two or three in

the league to create something this week. I think the Taysom Hill thing, you know, he's actually had some positive plays, but the perception on him is basically baked into a pie right now. People are annoyed with him on Twitter. I get that, um, he can be used successfully, but well, I mean just the perception. It's like, oh, we're annoyed that where everyone no matter what he does, everyone's gotta like have their little giggles and laugh. People love pie, though,

who doesn't love pie? Well maybe it's a pie with any People don't like Taysom Hill for some reason. I know exactly, Mark saying there's a bit of edge to the Taysom Hill analysis. He does have four fumbles, and he has four fumbles. It's not that it's more than anyone. It's true, Greg, if if Taysom Hill were actually baked into a pie, you wouldn't eat that. By the way, So you know, I'm not sure where I'm going with that argument. I want to see how they how they

deal with these two quarterbacks. But I mean the I get the idea that anyone can win, um in a quarterback thing makes it a true X factor. But the Saints defense right now is warming up, and I just I trust them. I know that. Raheem Morris said the dirty Birds are back, and that may be true, but they're not entirely back. I mean, they're a hot and cold operation. If I've seen one, well, they've been pretty hot with Raheem Morris. So that's why it's a very

interesting matchup. And you know, like they say, I feel like a speaking of Patrick Clammon, something he would hate was saying throwing out all the record books. I feel like you said, the record still be there. Um. But anyway, here's why I love this game. I don't know if it's a first overall pick love game, but the range of outcomes for Jamis Winston and the Saints is so high.

It could be it could get to the point where he plays so well that Drew Brees gets healthy and the head coach goes, uh, I think we're gonna stay with this guy because he brings something to our offense that we didn't have anymore with Drew Brees. It could be so bad that he ruins their season because Drew Brees.

It sounds like we're hearing reports he's gonna miss multiple weeks and it might just be enough where, you know, cost him a division title and someone comes up and gets them and then puts them on the road in the playoffs and away we go, or it just kind of keeps them steady like what Teddy Bridgewater did last year. But the fact that James is such a different quarterback, Uh, it doesn't seem like it's gonna go that way. It's

probably gonna be one of the other. And I will say this when when I do the Power rankings, Um, I kept them at number three of the Saints, even though you could certainly make the case that with Jamis Winston there you drop him, because I do think I just have a bit of a feeling that he's gonna play well, that he's in a good spot. He's got good playmakers around him, he's got a head coach that's gonna keep him from making some of the mistakes that have killed him in his career. And I feel so

good about the Jamis Winston in New Orleans. I don't care how hot Atlanta is or Winston's thirty thirty season. I'm locking up the Saint keep their winning street going with Jamis Jamis. I like this lot. I think this is this is Gutsey because you're right, the variance on Winston. It's not the Bucks offense. I think he's gonna turn a safer situation. So I'm with you, Dan nice Lock.

That's a gutsy lock all right there. I want him to be like brock Oswiler when he took over in the last season of Peyton Manning, except he never gives it back like you said. And it's Jamis Winston and in the Super Bowl he needs Michael Thomas to step up though. That is one thing we have not seen. Michael Thomas and Alvin Camara both grade at the same time. Uh, Michael Thomas has eighteen targets this year for nine five yards. Man,

he could use Michael Thomas to be Michael Thomas. But you get a feeling he's not a hundred percent off that high ankles brain, or maybe not a percent checked in. Maybe it just seems there's something still. Even though now he's back in the game. I still don't know if I buy in on what's going with Michael Thomas. He doesn't seem like the same guy. All right, let's move on. The number two overall pick goes to Mark Sessler. All Right, this is my number two overall pick. I hope it's

not right. No, I just said I said it was. I said it was the number two. Well, I'm reminding myself, you know that's how this works. I'm gonna go Brown's Eagles. Um, I just kind of want to see if Mothers total to well for the old Sensor. This is like Aden catch type Brown's pick or maybe who is it Courtney what's his name? Courtney Courtney Brown, Courtney Thorne Smith, Yes, Thorn Smith who came in and registered twelve tackles. I believe in the two thousand and three season. All right,

stop trying to get me off course. Here the Browns and Eagles look at mother Nature is reeked total havoc on Cleveland, and it sounds like it won't be great again on Sunday. It's played in Cleveland's advantage. Not against the Raiders because they didn't have Nick Chubb, but last week against Houston, Houston lined up eight men in the box like thirty six times and it didn't really matter. The Browns ran for like a hundred and fifty yards in the fourth quarter. Wyatt teller Um a human being

who was made in the lab. Apparently he's become like a supercharged guard for them. Highest rated PFF guy in the world. Right now, Um, and it looks like it. He is a dominator. So with Chubb and Hunt and the whole crew back in Austin Hooper blocking as well, I like this idea of them going and beating an Eagles team that frankly has been not just bad, but as boring an offense as I've watched in years. And

they just seemed tangled, um, lost in themselves. I don't see a lot of trust around Carson Wentz in the scheme. Doug Peterson, you guys, we know that on this week on radio he's venting on people. That's when you think, you know, things are starting to get a little thorny. And yeah, I'm gonna pick the Browns in this game. I keep picking them, But I also have this feeling, and I bet you did too, Mark, just because you're a Browns fan, that like they're gonna get picked off

in one of these games. Are to win. It just it feels like it's coming. I don't know if it's gonna be this week. I'm picking them to win because of what you said, Like they dialed Wentz back. I think a week ago. I think they made a concerted effort to cut down on some of the plays that maybe he turns the ball over, have him outside of the pocket left, having have him running left. So it's like, Okay, you have no turnovers, but you were still terrible. I mean,

and can we get a normal weather Brown's game. You mentioned it might be bad again, but I just I want to see what this team looks like when there's not thirty five wins. Yeah. Our friend Nick Shook, who helps us out on the podcast on Sunday nights and does awesome work in NFL dot com. He's a Cleveland native and it broke him last week. He he tweeted out that he wants to put a roof on top

of that stadium in Cleveland. The whole thing with the Browns is supposed to be tough in the elements, but it's frustrating because you don't get a good gauge on these teams that are playing, including Baker Mayfield, who has kind of been just out of the picture because there's only so much you do passing when it's thirty five wins.

I think with the Eagles, I've officially lost hope that Carson Wentz is gonna get fixed this year because I think, and you heard in that radio interview and really great job by whatever station that was. Can we just say again the up Carson teeing up Doug Peterson in the worst way imaginable. UM, But you sense the frustration is because they don't know how to fix him. They don't know how to fix their quarterback, and they need their quarterback.

So I'm very apprehensive. That said, I'm I'm totally with you. I don't want to say it, Mark, but I got a feeling the Eagles are gonna pick off the Browns in this game. If I had to pick this game, if I was doing the old Greggy pick every game scenario that he does on his other program, I would be picking the Eagles to take a w NFL game debut Friday nights eight p m mea stard. I mean, if you're gonna plug it, you know, give it the

I mean the endless plugs, the endless plugs. I write an article that appears on Tuesday's about twelve people read it. Find that on the internet if you can, please. But I'm with you. I'm a little concerned about this Eagles UM and the matchup is concerning because they need it desperately to break out there's like twenty five more hours of Eagles football this season. I mean, based on where we are, that's twenty five too many. But I would be concerned about them. Uh, you know, getting a couple

more wins here. Cleveland better have their heads on straight. Pick the game Art Cleveland one Eagles eighteen field goal over time in driving wins. Cody Parker, Cody Parkey. Alright, very good, Alright, time now for Road to Victory presented by the United States Marine Corps. Oh, the old zoos of the draft is really fall to them in a beautiful way. It's like back in August when Alvin Kamara can't drop to me at nine in my league of record in Fantasy, and I was like, this is gonna

be a good season. Well guess what, I'm picking third overall and I get Tennessee at Baltimore. Let's go, let's fly. I can't wait to watch this game. The Ravens. We gotta figure out what's going on with this team. Are they a Super Bowl contender still or are they a team that just doesn't know how to win, can't get a big win And this is a big stage for them. Uh, coming off a very disappointing prime time game. Yes, we

understand it's on the road. We understand the elements for terrible or as a monsoon uh, for the final possession of the game, when they had a chance uh to steal it. It just wasn't in the cards. But it's just it just hasn't been right. And I know, you look at a lot of the numbers, and you look at the analytics, and everybody's telling you that the Ravens are still a great team. In six and three is

hardly a bad record. But something just seems a little bit off in the pie mark when you put all the ingredients in there, all the ingredients are great, high quality, and then you put it in the oven, you take it out after an hour or whatever, I don't know how long pys cook um, and it's like this doesn't taste right. Something is just a little bit off. So

what will they do against the Titans? They are getting the Titans, however, Greg, I feel at a good time Tennessee is a team that has some confidence issues of its own. After a disappointing prime time game last Thursday against the Colts, a special teams apocalypse for them, and I don't know if their defense and especially their secondary, even with Desmond King, is up for this challenge. Yeah, you look at their defense and I think it's still

the worst group in this game. Like, if you talk about the Ravens offense defense, the Titans offense is obviously still good. The Titans defense is the problem. But this is a week you're gonna need to see Lamar throw the ball because I think that's how you beat Tennessee. And one of the problems you mentioned with the Ravens dan is like the identity that they had a year ago was running up the middle on offense and setting the edge on defense. Just a team you cannot get

to the outside, and those are both collapsing. And now you play Tennessee and Derrick Henry. It's like who is tougher to stop when he gets to the edge than Derrick Henry. Like that is a problem, and I'd be a little worried. It's the playoff rematch. It's like a lot of bad memories. They need to exercise their demons or else this season starts feeling pretty dark. Yeah, I'm

with you. I mean it's I think both teams have been impacted by offensive line in trees and we know Ronnie Stanley has been stale has been out for the Ravens. Matt Skur the center had to tweet out an apology for you know, a string of a surd drafts of snaps last week. So d J. Fluker was benched in that Patriots game. And I think for the Titans, like tailor of one being out with the A C L. And you know Roger Staffel was hurt last week. That

is impacted Ryan Tannehill to some degree. He's had to kind of speed up and get rid of throws a little quicker. I mean, he is as tough as they come in the pocket, but they've been a little disjointed themselves. So I think it's two teams, uh, two organizations with their backs against the wall. It's like as a mythical giant verse a depressing bird. I don't know who to pick. I'm in a state of confusion. I have two quick

takes off. The last time we saw the Titans. Number one, A J. Brown catches that pass down the sideline when they're up seven nothing, they're up two touchdowns and who knows how that game plays out. So just a failure to execute what seemed like a fairly basic long touchdown pass really hurt them. And then my other point is a broader one about Mike Rabel, the head coach. And I understand patriot loyalty runs deep here, but the next big field goal or extra point that Stephen Gaskowski mix mrs.

Is gonna be on the head coach as much as it is on the kicker, because loyalty has to have its limits. I cannot believe, uh that we're still in this situation with this setup or Kaskowski. It almost doesn't matter what he does, He's gonna be their kicker. So if it happens again, put it on Rabel. Kaskowski is doing the best he can, but he's a limited kicker

at this point in the game. I mean, what a what a pick for you getting this as the third overall pick, the most mismatch kicker battle you'll have all season with the goat, you know, justin Tucker, and you've got Tony Romo on the call in this game. You don't normally see value like that this late. We got jim Nance because I know I saw some reports Jimmy Nance is looking for a raise. Is he gonna be there? Is he gonna be in the booth game time decision. Alright.

That was Road to Victory presented by the United States Marine Corps. All right, so I love my my pick there three overall and now with the snake, Are you kidding me? I get Green Bay at Indianapolis. What a traft for the old susor and the late games in the afternoon. Uh nice matchup here. You have the Packers who listen, they're having a nice season. I like the Packers. Do I totally fully trust the Packers. Uh? Now, I'm

not there. I don't think they're a team that has shown us that they are at the level of the truly elite teams. But when you look at their record and how the season overall has gone, you could say they have been So I'm kind of still learning to trust Green Bay. I like this matchup as a measuring

stick game for them because they go to Indianapolis. So they go on the road and they face the Colts team that should you would think be able to give them, uh some trouble because they play very good defense, the Colts, so they could have the opportunity to potentially disrupt Aaron Rodgers, who has been at an all pro level this year, and then on offense against Green Bay defense that I don't think anybody trust. Uh, Philip Rivers and Nahem Hines, who I really liked what we saw on Thursday night.

Maybe they're figuring out that backfield, which we know is a big issue for the Colts. They haven't been able to get um that backfield going since Marlon Max Achilles tear and Jonathan Taylor has struggled. But maybe Nahem Hines, who had a hundred and fifteen yards uh and two touchdowns against the Titans, is a solution back there. So I really like this as a close game. Uh, and I think it could go either way. I'm with you

on Hines. You know, I know Greg was calling to see more of him a week ago and you got it. And Bob Kravitz, longtime beat writer for the Cults, um compared him to Eric Metcalf of old and I see a little bit of that. What I liked about the Cults last week in the in the win over the Titans was I mean, you know, we we also mentioned the special team stuff. It helps to have the Titans with a third string punter, just to throw that in there. But Um, at the same time Rivers, they went a

little up tempo. I thought that Rivers probably played his best game of the season, and they need that. They need the offense to complement what I think is the most enjoyable defense to watch in the league. I think Darius leonard Um is the anchor, obviously, the heart of that defense. Anyone in excuse me, another shot at the Rams. It's not a shot at the Ram. The Rams are in the mix, but the Colts that's their identity, and they at least have an identity on that side of

the ball. So it's a great challenge for Aaron Rodgers, who I mean, look at they squeaked one out against the Jaguars last week. I like to see a little more firepower from Green Bay. They don't seem to be the team they were a couple of months ago. Yeah, Matt Lafleur keeps talking about that that they don't have energy like on the side. He really, he really doesn't stop talking about it like that we need more juice.

He doesn't know why they're not excited, Like I don't know if that's an excuse after the factor, if this team really is flat. I think this game sets up well because they're on turf, and to me, even though they're you know, from Green Bay, they are would be a great indoor team. Davante Adams cutting on turf. Aaron Jones, who has been a little quiet relatively coming off the injury, his speed showing up on turf and their speed could definitely give the Colts defense problems. It's a great matchup.

I have a very hard time picking this game. I'm curious where you guys would go. I went with the Cults, but I don't feel good about it. I think the Packers. I would pick the Packers, but I don't do it with a lot of confidence. It was good to see Marquez Delda scantling breakout there with going forward for forty seven and he had the long touchdown. They just need more consistency, uh from him and Alan Lazard if if he can get back. He's missed time with a core injury.

I know, uh, you kind of forget about it because it was right as he was taking off that he went down with the injury. But they seem like they had really found something there. So there's a potential here that with Aaron Jones, and I know he's been kind of been a bit of a committee. Surprisingly Aaron Jones the last couple of weeks, but as he gets further away from his injury, Lazard back NVS flashing Davante Adams being Davante Adams that the Packers will go up a

level on offense and perhaps as soon as Sunday. So that's why I picked the Packers. But I I do think it's a close game. I'm looking forward to this. There's a good one. We should mention that Gayerra Alexander, who is I would say the best cornerback in the league this year, has been out for a few weeks. They hope to get him back this week. Maybe Kevin King too, who is another starting corner So that's a

big deal for them, uh, in addition to Lazard. But I want to see a little more before we move on. Just out of this Packers pass, right, Remember Zadarius I had him in the top five defensive players of the year last year. He hasn't been the same. Kenny Clark hasn't quite been the same. He got that big extension

in Preston Smith hasn't been the same. So if Philip Rivers is protected, I kind of like the Colts in most games where you can give Philip rivers sometime, and so far the Packers defense hasn't had nearly as much juice upfront as they did a year ago. I mean, I know for sure that Mike Petton is watching this. He watches every episode and listens to every Podcat Buddy that we do. I mean, that's the league land. You know, you want some energy on that sideline. Flip the switch

on the pass rush there. If you write a big feature about Petton once, uh, then you like go live in his apartment that was like next to the facility that there's been something. There's been a long string of Brown's coaches that have lived in those apartments. But he also dug in on his thoughts on the Warren commissioned other things. If you that's another article that you could find um on NFL dot com if you so wish to search for it. There you go, Marxie, plugging isn't

a bad thing. You're proud of the world. You want to get it out there. And while we're here. The Power Ranking Show with Matt money Smith every Tuesday, three pm Eastern noon Pacific on NFL Network. The Packers seven and two entering this game the Saints seven and two. The Saints now start James Winston on purpose. Uh So the Packers, with a somewhat soft schedule, have a chance here to go get that number one seed if they

can close out this regular season strong. All right, up next in the draft, I'm just I'm just on fire after that three or four uh slotting by the old Zeuser Mark, you're up? Well, I mean there aren't. You know, I'm gonna go Dallas at Minnesota. I need you know. There's not that many four o'clock games. You gotta schedule your day out. But there's something to like about this that I talk about teams that change draft who they are.

What this guy hates his draft class exactly. You're like the guy in the press conference afterwards, it's like, it's just how the board felt to us, like we would have drafted him out. That's exactly what happened at all. It's exactly what happened. I mean, you have, like, you know, there's stuff behind the curtain here that we have to deal with that the viewer doesn't need to worry about

Dallas Minnesota. Alright, Minnesota at least is this I think has grown into one of the tougher teams and their defense. Over the last couple of weeks, they have given up twenty two points twenty points thirteen. They were tenth and dv o A. This defense has turned it around. There's a lot of new fliate faces. Mike Zimmer had a lot to deal with a couple of months ago. This is turning into one of Mike Zimmer's better coaching performances

on the flip side. Dallas is defense. You know, there's a lot of bubbling up this week because you're dealing with Dalvin Cook. Is it going to reb a repeat of when the Browns came in and ran the ball for three hundred and seven yards? And it was DeMarcus Lawrence who said, absolutely not. We're not that defense anymore. We're not gonna have a repeat of that game. And I don't think they are that defense. Greg. I know that you've talked a little bit about the uptick for

the Cowboys on that side of the ball. I don't and I don't believe in this team, but I think we might get to a point where maybe Mike McCarthy isn't wishing that he had just simply vanished to the Caribbean eating shrimp and drinking like cold beers versus actually doing this job. They've got a chance to close it out strong here. That sounds fun. I'd much rather be doing that. But let's let's do that. Yeah, I'm I'm a little surprised that Cowboys defense didn't get more love

for how they played against Pittsburgh. Maybe it's because they ended up losing that game and then they go on to buy. But DeMarcus Lawrence is one of these streakiest and best defensive players of the last five years. When he gets on a role, he dominates, and he has been on that role in the last three weeks. Then Neville Neville Gallimore, who didn't hear from earlier in the season, He's had two great weeks in a row. You get

late In Vanderesh back, he's playing much better. He's kind of looking like the late in vandereshival and Randy Gregory made a big difference. So I think, I don't know's I know, it's only a two week sample size, but they played good defense two straight weeks, so I at least give them some hope that maybe they're turning it around. There. There are players on this Cowboys front that can that can cause some damage and maybe keep this game close.

I think they're gonna be just good enough till lose close games instead of lose blowouts basically, or when the NFC East at four and twelve, I mean one of those two things. It's certainly possible, you know. I I didn't give up the ghost with the Vikings the team of Zeus t L. And here's the thing, I don't know if I'm ready to give up the ghost with

the Dallas Cowboys either. And it's it's maybe rooted, uh in some weird sense of faith in Andy Dalton and this idea that he could still he could still pilot this offense and get them back to respectability on that side of the ball with all the playmakers he has.

And and I'm I have much less confidence with this take than I did when he first entered the lineup, But I still think unless he completely lost his skill set, or unless Mike McCarthy and Kellen Moore are just bad at their jobs and have no idea how to get him comfortable. They've had weeks now because of this COVID nineteen and the concussion. To look at the tape, who knows make it look at the old Dalton tape in Cincinnati. What did he do well? What is he comfortable with? Well,

here are some of the best playmakers in football. Let's find a way to start scoring twenty six or twenty seven points a game. I'm not ruling it out. And when if they can do that, and if they start that this week, and I don't think you it's impossible ask to do it against Minnesota's defense. All of a sudden, the NFC East once again mutates and just something still disturbing, but even more interesting. So I had I was almost boys. I almost was completely had like seventeen red stripes deep

and locked up the Cowboys just on a lark. But I didn't do it. But that's how I feel. I think they're gonna put up points and be better on offense with Dalton back, Justin Jefferson and Ceedee Lamb. Ceedee Lamb was the guy that was the superstar rookie wide receiver before Dak went down. I like that both these guys are playing in this game. There there's just this is a this mark. Don't be so hard on your draft class. This is a pretty decent late round pick. Well,

I had Ceedee Lamb on my fantasy team. Literally nobody cares about this, but I mean, the guy has gone to sleep. I'd like to see him, you know, reawake and and be productive. I think he's looks as good as anyone else in the rookie draft class. But Jefferson are insane. Come on, Cowboys, get off the mat. It's still there for the taking. But I'm rooting for my Vikings. All right, boys, let's keep rolling here. Up next in the draft, Greg Rosenthal, what you got, well, what I

don't got is your Jets. I'm gonna stick you with Joe Flacco. That's how the draft is gonna go. I'm taking the Dolphins and the Broncos. This is the game that Mark Sessler would have loved. But you know what, he already took the vice. He's already got a late afternoon game. And uh I I do love watching this Dolphins team too. Mark is not alone really ever since

they blew the doors off the forty niners. I think since that moment forward, you could say, wow, this this is one of the teams that just gave you something new, gave you something surprising that you didn't see coming this season. And that's nice. It's been a little bit of a chalk season. A lot of expected teams are good. There's not a ton of massive surprises. And they're a team

about margins. And you know, Mark keeps comparing them to the early Patriots, and I see that because it's turnover margin. They're great at that and I think that's where Ta has helped them to It gets rid of the ball more quickly than Ryan Fitzpatrick, so it it helps their bad offensive line. He's not as explosive, but he also you know, it hasn't turned the ball over. He's caught, he's got some breaks, but he's not a guy that's gonna fumble. He's not a guy that's gonna take a

lot of sex. That's a positive. They don't get penalized. That's small margins. Uh, they're great on special teams week after week after week. That's the margins. And that was a big Belichick thing. And I think Flores and the way he coaches his team, um is really smart about more teams lose games than than really do win games. And these two teams, Broncos Dolphins, are a perfect example. The Broncos have a better roster. I mean they have a way better roster, and look at where these two

teams are at. The Broncos go out and lose games, whereas the Dolphins the marks set the team of sestl uh. You know, they just play solid every week and they let the other teams blow themselves up. Yeah. I mean, I think one thing that we've said and like mentioned that they're only a handful of coaches that do everything you just talked about, and Brian Floores appears to be

um heading towards that group. He's in the group. I don't feel that way about Denver's coaching staff and there and it's you know, it's like they're three and six for the fourth straight season. Um. I think I think reality presents itself when you have a lot of friends from a certain fan base and you can feel a mass revolt. And I feel that with the Broncos right now. And I think it's the the the interest around Truelock

being totally extinguished. I mean he's had a string of bad games, the Raiders game, his mistakes, UH dangerous passes and what that turned into, the turnovers. It just nullifies as your chance to win. I meany they have given up thirty six points per games since weeks seven. On defense, they really banged up. They're really banged up on defense. It's like Bryce Callahan, no A j. Bouyer, no Von Miller, Shelby Harris, Darrell Casey, Mike Purcell, all these guys have

been out. But they're also last in the league on d on offense and d V o A. So neither side of the ball, right, No, exactly, they just eclipse the Jets after that past week. Um, and so, I mean, you're heading in the wrong direction, and I think there's a big offseason coming ahead for John Elway. There's there are parts in place on this offense, but you've got to get a quarterback that can at least be safe with the ball versus what we saw recently from Drew Luck.

They entered this season as an interesting fringe e in the mix, potentially for a playoff spot team. Uh, and then they got a bunch of their key players hurt, and then their quarterback, who they believed was an ascended young player, has poop the bed. So it's like you have those things together, a roster that's been compromised by injuries and a quarterback that is not playing well and that's how they are, That's how they got in here.

I want to clarify something again. I can't believe I have to do this again because it happened with the Panthers too on this podcast. Just because I am not as high as you guys on certain teams does not mean I don't enjoy watching the Dolphins or I'm not excited watching your Jets fan. You're you're worried that they're gonna replace the Patriots as this new they're the new rivals. That's gonna you know, take the witness speak. Let's yeah, you have all these theories baked in your mind about

why I don't love certain teams. With the Panthers, it's because the Jets could have had Matt Rule, and now I guess with the Dolphins, because the Dolphins are the next Patriots. All that stuff is like in your heads for me. With with the Panthers, I just didn't think they were ready and I think I've been proven right on that point. And with the Dolphins, I just the

only question I ask. And they're fun to watch and I loved the onions that it took to put two in the lineup and the fact that he's he looks like an exciting young player. That's cool and Dolphins. What people on the outside of the a f C East don't understand is like where I am as a Jets fan, I don't have malice towards Miami. It's been so long since the Jets and Dobbins have been relevant, truly relevant teams. And I know that Jets had a little window there

in the beginning of the Rex Ryan era. That all that bad blood has worn off, and hopefully in a couple of years it will be back and I'll be back to hating the Dolphins. But I'm not and I and Henry Hodson is one of my good friends here in l A. He's a Dolphins fan. I'm happy for him. I just wonder if if it's sustainable. Well, if you want to paint me that way, I gotta tell you the other side of the story. The Dolphins isn't sustainable to be getting a huge special teams play every week,

getting huge defensive plays every week. Maybe maybe this is it. Maybe this is one of those years you guys have mentioned the two thousand one Patriots. Maybe they are on a magic carpet ride. Uh, but I need I need a little bit more and some of the defense and special teams like the block punt last week is an example. It's just not gonna happen every week, or usually it doesn't. It all right, but for there's a couple of things

happening here. Number one, Like, I can guarantee you that Greg and I don't spend five minute today, um thinking where you are with the Panthers or Dolphins, Like it's Dan, this is the second Thursday show in a row, and you've stopped down to make a state of the union about where you are with Matt Rule and where you are now with the Dolphins. Like I don't think that you dislike the Dolphins who don't want to watch them. They're probably close to how I feel about the Bengals

as the Browns fan. But I mean, I guess when they win a playoff game, then will you like be like you're not like you never went to like when the Dolinsky I will, I will love the Dolphins as much as you do. I was just saying Greg has set up his initial point by saying, I'm with you, Mark, I like watching these Dolphins. I like watching them too, I just I just don't think they're gonna be. That depends what the goal is. Like I think if you're a Dolphins fan, just giving your fans some fun football

and being in the playoff race. They've they've won, and I don't necessarily think that they're gonna go in the Super But now I do think they can be a playoff team and they can have this formula um to get them into the playoffs and then who knows if you can win a game or not, because like they do have talent like Xavian Howard is playing like a pro bowler, and those two cornerbacks Byron Jones and Xavian Howard, which was a GM move you know, um, Chris Greer

and and Brian Flores. That was their vision kind of to build back to front. Those guys are really playing great and it seems like it's a disaster for old Drew lock this week. All right, it's snakes. Oh by the way, Mark, did you have something to add on the Dolphins in this game? I do, yes, which, um, if you watch the back end of our NFL Network version of the show will be revealed to you there

as well. But to double dip, I'm gonna be locking up these Dolphins and I don't like the negative energy around the concept of me finding fun and a team. It's not a mean versus you or me versus anyone else thing. Let's put that to bed. The Dolphins are well coached, so those little things that happen are gonna happen more to a well coached team. It's not random

or just an aberration. I mean, I just think this is the difference between Team A and some other teams, and I hope it continues for Miami Jets Dolphins games. You used to be the best a f C crazy rivalries around. They did like forty five to forty two. Let's get back to that versus the Jet scoring forty two points over six weeks combined. Let's get back to

those days. Enough next game and the words of the recently retired Joe ban Ingo over on w f A n from your lips to gods as my friend Revord Lawrence and to uh slugging it out over the next decade, that sounds that sounds fun to me. To me, I like, I like, I like the Dolphins as well. In this game, all right, Greg, it snakes to all right, everyone's got different strategies how they do the drafts. When I got Falcon Saints early game, you're gonna do no, I'm now

you don't totally. I want a game. I'm not gonna get too crazy focusing on this week. That game is Jake Luton facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mark is upset here. You did exactly when I was. You know that. You know that's nice, good strategy. I I you know this game, I want to blow out. I want the Steelers to just take care of business and and I'll be enjoying

the greatest rivalry in football on the other screen. I'm not a hundred percent sure there's gonna be a blowout because you know, Number one, the last time the Steelers went on the road against a bad team that they were very lucky to beat the Cowboys. And number two, I think the Jaguars defense. It's so Again, it's only a two week sample size, but it's worth pointing out teams do change as this season goes along. They've been totally respectable the last two weeks. They've been very competitive.

Miles Jack. They have a rookie, dave On Hamilton's in the middle of their line. Sidney Jones, who used to be on the Eagles is now a cornerback for them and playing really well. I'm just they've played two games in a row. It's worth noting the Steeler's offense hasn't been like overly explosive, so this could backfire on me. And it's a close great game. I don't even want it to be a great game. But to me, Jake Lewton, Uh, he has not been as good as kind of the

raw numbers look like. And it looks like a guy who's just gonna get overmatched. And Gardner Minshew is still out, he's still hurt, and he's not coming back. I need I need, as we've talked about. Uh, I need a Jaguars win somewhere in here, get them to two and in the best case scenario, even three wins. I just don't see it happening here. I think it's gonna be grizzly. I think Ben Roethlisberger looked great, uh last week, four touchdowns through yards, and he just has so many weapons

at his disposal. With Deante Johnson healthy, Uh, what he brings to that offense. Juju Smith Schuster has gotten on track after a funky start to the year, And of course I lost twenty nineteen, and Chase Claypool is just a difference maker. He's just one of those guys that he's raw, and you'll notice he'll maybe drop a pass here or run the wrong route there. He's a rookie and he looks like a rookie of times, but he's just got such a nose for the end zone and

he's a born playmaker. So you add him to the mix, and it's just like Ben Roethlisberger doesn't have to be two thousand, uh ten Ben Roethlisberger anymore. He just needs to be proficient, and he's more than that. So I love the Steeler's offense and obviously love him against Jacksonville. I would like to see the run game in Pittsburgh be a little bit more consistent, a little bit more diverse.

I think that there's just been some disappointing out I mean, you make up for it because of everything else they can do, but they're gonna get into a game or two where they're gonna need someone like James Conner to be better than he's been. So but I'm with you, Greg, This was my strategy. I was gonna pick that for the early blowout window. But what I've learned is when you go in that direction, you're gonna get like a weird overtime game. So where you go, where I'm gonna

go is Detroit, Carolina. Um, you know I can control the matt rule messaging on Sunday night that way. That'll be really important on this show apparently. But it's a

good way to look at it. Here's ther thing I'm gonna be honest with you, Like when I when you're circling through these game pass um operations, you know, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, in preparation for our preview and just to learn about the league, the Lions tape is always the one that I drift off into a sleep and I start to wonder what I need to do to kind of like perk my body back up. Yeah, exactly, So you want

to get rid of the Lions on Sunday. But I do think that the Lions that it sounds like Kenny Golladay is practicing, Um, getting him back would be huge. Matthew Stafford's in an iffy situation. But DeAndre Swift finally became the guy that I kind of thought he would be right away when they you know, superseded him with Adrian Peterson all this other business. Swift looked really good

last week, so it's it's an interesting matchup. I think the you know, no Christian McCaffrey for the Panthers, but this offense has been watchable and explosive week after week. It's just that you know, they can't win shootouts with that defense unless their offense is almost perfect. And you're not playing you know, the Chiefs this time around, You're not playing the Bucks. You're gonna get the Lions. I think this is the game where Matt rule to your point,

Dan like staying close. It's nice, but they have the guns to win some of these games. You gotta close one of these out. This should be the week. Well not if Teddy's hurt, so are going into the game not not a d percent sure if Stafford or Teddy Bridgewater will start. So if one, if one is sitting and the other is playing, I'm I like that team

to win because if they're both playing. I kind of like the Panthers in a coaching game because I think these two teams are close enough that coaching should make a difference and the Panthers get to win. But you're right there, the Lions are way more watchable when Golidays on the field. They're way more explosive. And now that they've handed it over to DeAndre Swift Man, his cuts are just great. I know, you know, you say like running backs don't matter. That's a fun um you know

twitter joke. Well, they matter for your watchability because when it's when it's DeAndre Swift back there, Uh, they are a much more fun team to watch. They've had some good things. They've had some young players come up a little bit. Uh. Whereas if you have Golliday and Swift unlocked at the same time, we haven't really seen that this year for the Lions. I can't believe the Lions are four and five. It doesn't seem like make sense to me. They feel like they should be three and six.

Uh uh. And I know that's only one game, but it does feel like a big difference. They feel like a classic three and sixth team that's going nowhere. But they're right in the mix if they can just string together some wins. And yet I don't trust them, and I think, um, I think the Panthers are too good to just continue to lose every single week. I think they're I think they're overdue, frankly, and I think the Lines are a team that is known to fall on

their faces. So if we have, if we haven't the right players on the field, and if we have the both quarterbacks playing, I think it's a very dangerous game here. Uh for Detroit who probably feeling good about themselves after their latest win and they got a five game a team with a five game losing streak up Nicks in their schedule. But I would not be surprised. Even with Christian McCaffrey not playing, and we know he's not playing, I think the Panthers have a shot here. I just

don't trust the lines at all. Shout out to our Romeo Acquire just because we've never mentioned him, and week after week you see him showing up for the Lions. So I went and checked on like PF, like, how's this guy doing this year? He's in the top five or six pressures for any edge defender in the league. Romeo a'quara has been on fire. How about Matt Patricia developing some defensive talent? There's his first So yeah, it's an overdoe um. But yes, also keep in mind that

the last time we saw the Panthers. They gave up fifty yards of offense. So Kevin, If Kenny Golladay's playing and Matthew Stafford's playing and DeAndre Swift continues to develop and Marvin Jones is in the mix, they might be able to be the latest team to score a lot against Carolina. Um. All right, here we go back to me. Uh, pretty easy. Patriots at Texans. Uh, this is an interesting game to me. The Texans hold no interest to me at this stage. But Deshaun Watson still on the team,

and that's cool. You get to watch DeShawn Watson on a secondary screen on a Sunday. Life could be worse. The more interesting storyline, uh, here is the Patriots who have gotten off the mat with back to back prime time wins. One against the Jets wasn't overly impressive, barely beating the worst team in football. But then you go and you bring uh takedown the Ravens at Foxborough on Sunday night. That was more impressive. So they have a

chance here. There's still they're still in a tough spot because the division is probably gonna get away from him and be gone. Because the Bills, even with their loss, are still comfortably ahead. And you look at the wild card set up in the a f C. It is just filled with six and three teams. It's crazy. How many six and three teams teams right now with three losses in the NFL. That's wild. Yeah, that that is

very strange. So all the Patriots can do is do the old cliche and just play the team on their schedule and try to start stacking up wins. They got two in a row, and now you got Houston, which has been one of the worst teams in the league, even with DeShawn wi in this year. So I like the Patriots chances. I said this. I hit this point

on Sunday night, so I'm not gonna belabor it. But I think the idea that the Patriots are like this totally hopeless team that has no chance to win and they're plucky underdogs and all this stuff, there's still a

lot there, uh to build on. And I'll throw one guy out there, and I know they don't love It's the way they use them is interesting, Damian Harris, because it seems like they have them do all the dirty work and then don't give him any glory, uh, and he shine when it's time to get in the end zone. But Damian Harris is just like super impressive to me, is a running back. So if you have Harris and then Cam obviously with his abilities, you can make up for the fact that you're not gonna be getting big

chunk plays most weeks. And I didn't bring up Jakobe Meyer is a guy that's starting to evolve a little bit. So the Patriots, all right, I don't think they're a playoff team, but I still could see them getting to nine and seven and maybe that does get them in the back door. Well, they're playing that weird berserker role in a sense, because I mean, you play them, you lose, and then, like in Baltimore, it's a week of hideous headlines and narratives and everyone's upset and what's wrong with

the Ravens. The Patriots I thought had one of their best performances by their offensive line. Now they've had issues there this season a little bit, but they blew Baltimore off the ball. They ran the ball really well, and so I like the idea of being able to go do that against the Texans. The Texans, as we mentioned before, I mean sold out to stop Cleveland's run and couldn't do it. So if you're New England, you're sort of a similar type of team. Your your your challenge through

the air. Why not just go, you know, use your strength and try to blister Houston And yeah, I think they've won every game where they haven't turned the ball over the Patriots, and basically those are the games where Cam didn't have to throw too much. And it's such a mismatch you would think you would think that they

do it like that. The Texans, if you look at the way they spend their money, their a disaster because they have so much money on defense and a lot of those guys are supposed to be like good at stopping the run, Zack Cunningham and J. J. Watt and and Solists and all these guys, and they are the worst run defense in the league by far. It's a total disaster. They're also last enforcing turnovers, so that's a problem.

And then they got to try to um, you know, guard the second coming of you know, Jerry Rice and Jacobe Myers. I don't know if you guys saw this. PF tweet said the top three PF scores of the season at wide receiver number one Davante Adams, Okay, I'll give it to him. Number two, what a rookie season for Justin Jefferson and number three Jacobe Myers. Watch out DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones. All you guys are not Stefon Diggs whatever. Like you guys are in the mix, but

you're no Jacoby Myers. I can't wait until March, and we're trying to think of things to talk about, and Greg gets into his talking point of how the two thousand, twenty nine and seven Patriots were his favorite Patriots team. Ever, it's it's coming, just getting ready because you could feel the buzz I would Ricky would would embrace them. She's been very anti Cam and so now, I mean, he can't say one thing. It's not even about It's not

even about that. It's the fumble on the final drive, it's the you know, not getting it's where it's third and fourteen and they throw it ahead yesterday. It's just he's just not doing what I want. Here's the thing he's not. We know where Cam is pretty much. He's not. He's never gonna be two thousand fifteen m v P CAM again. But he's still But he looks like that

against the Seahawks. Listen, he looks like Cam Newton still and sometimes that guy comes out and it's like, oh man, he's still Cam, but he's more limited at this point, but he's still good enough to win that. Yeah, you know what he is. He's a he's a g D miracle for one million dollars a season. If they were playing Jared Stidham, they might be owing sixteen. I don't I don't think Eric was, but I don't think Eric was ready for the Patriots kind of suck now routine.

She she's you know, she's not Greg's age, and I have all these like Patriots in like really missed the team from It's like, no, you don't you. Erica is just like not ready for the team to be like the tenth best team in the a f C. Listen, you guys, you're not special anymore, Erica. That's what it comes down to, Erica, come on, well listen. Okay, like I said on the Network show, it's got the third in the a f C East Pats versus the third in the a f C South Texas. Okay, you guys,

this is you have to come back to it. This is a matchup for the Ages, Like, I can't think of something more exciting. Okay, you know j C. Jackson intercept my heart baby, Like, that's amazing. I'm so excited for this game, and the Patriots are gonna win it, and I'm locking it up there you are, Yeah, well you're on it. You're just like the Patriots. You're on a little winning streak yourself. So you know, you guys are both what are you gonna do? The Patriots, You're

you're occasionally cut cheating. You know, it's a lot of similarities. And on air, you can't even argue with me. No, you're You're good. You're moving on. It's snakes to the old Zeuser. I will grab the Jets at Chargers basically a shook game. I think we're picking for, yeah, shook

at this point. I you know the level of frustration for this Jet season, because we just talked about it when they almost before they go into their by, they almost beat the Pats and and you see with their full compliment of wide receivers that it's really not terrible. Their skill players at wide receiver, and you could put points up against an average defense like the Patriots. So you're thinking yourself, oh, seven games. Now, they have seven games left in the season, their O and nine, and

they're trying to do two things. They're either trying to get Trevor Lawrence with the number one overall pick, or they're trying to see signs of life from Sam Donald, which would maybe if he did show signs of life and thrive, would take them out of the number one one overall pick. But then you set up a situation where you get behind Donald, and then Joe Douglas uses all these assets to build around Donald the right way,

which has never happened. The only fly in the ointment, of course, because there's always a fly in the ointment. With the Jets, I'm piste off Angelo, is that Sam Donald's shoulder isn't right. It's still banged up. They ruled him out on Monday, which I found ominous, which tells me that it's not even close to being ready to play. So the idea that Sam Donald might have already thrown his final pass with the Jets, I think that's now

in play. If you're talking about a right shoulder and you're talking about injury something he's injured twice and he needs to look out for his own self at this point as we look ahead to a career reboot, most likely somewhere else, as much as the Jets need to make sure they don't ruin this kid's future by putting him back out on the field, which I wouldn't put past this organization with this current regime, or at least

the coaching staff. So more frustration because you don't get that last look at donald the way you thought you were going to get um. And I don't really have anything else to say on the Jets other than I'm piste off Angelo because that is what I was looking forward to. Donalds with crowd or with Perryman with Beckton on the field. Don't even get that. Jets fans don't get nice things the Chargers. I don't like this haircut.

I don't like Justin Herbert's hair cut. And I'm not making fun of a kid for having a bad haircut. I've gotten a bad haircut. I got a bad haircut right before my senior problem. I think it's why my senior problem wasn't successful. Um, So I'm not making fun of him for that, but I do feel there's some mojo that you could because they were glorious locks. It was long and it was a little bit greasy, but it also represented, uh, you know, he's this like kid

that's confident and he's not like everybody else. Now he kind of looks like every twenty two year old that I ever knew when I was growing up. So, uh, is that going to take his play down and on? I don't know, I know it sounds ridiculous. I feel like that's a stamp of approval. And it happened to Samson like in the old uh way back in the old days, that cut his hair off. He lost his strength. But um, you know, ultimately the Jets want to be

what the Chargers are. Forget all the last minute losses, but a year from now, whether it's Donald or whether it's Trevor Lawrence, to have a quarterback that you totally believe in. I I don't know if it's unfair, but I'd be a little bit concerned about Donald's durability in general.

It seems like it's always one thing or another, and it's you know, he hasn't been in a bad situation, but you want to be one of these teams that have five one of those five or six quarterbacks that do like a hundred and sixties starts in a row and skill and he doesn't have it. He doesn't doesn't appear to be. I hate like stamping him with that, but I mean it's hard to get a read on a guy that's like continually out of the lineup. Well, it's a solder injury too, which is you know, a

worrisome one for any any quarterback. Adam Gates did say he expects Sam Donald to play at some point this season. I don't. I don't know, though. I think this is their best chance to win, you know, for a while. It's the last team they play with a losing record until the paid that currently as a losing record until the Patriots. I'm little anxious if I was a Chargers fan about the Chargers as some two score favorite out there. Flacco. Flacco look pretty good last week, I mean, and he's

got some weapons. Joey Bosa is back at practice. He says he can't remember when he got a concussion, and he's now been out for three weeks with a concussion, which is a problem um Man. And Chris Harris is back in practice. So those two guys would would help a great deal. But that haircut it's it's not so much the haircut itself as much as the decision making process.

I don't know if you guys remember John Lott, the crazy locker like weight room guy who for a while the NFL Combine made into a mini celebrity because he would scream and yell and be goofy. He's the guy who cut Justin Herbert's haircut. He just had his strength and conditioning coach cut his hair. And it's like, that's bad decision making. You want something, you want something more out of your quarterback, better stylus. Please, um, all right, don't trust John Lott. I'm come on? Is that if

their games? No, we have one more? Mark close it out? What a game it is. It's the Cincinnati Bengals at the Washington Football Team. I don't know, I kind of want to see a little more from Zach Taylor. It's like, this is a team that has their quarterback and I get I know they're not a perfect roster, but they play three NFC East teams over the next four weeks. I don't think you have a lot of excuses to come out of this season with you know, two or three wins. Again, I mean show me a little more

down the stretch Cincinnati, and it's a good opportunity. Like Washington right now, was that some dogs in Erica's neighborhood or something like that, and let's leave that in our Bengals then drop Ground were so annoying and for that you get the jugular got them go ahead, mark day off for Greg. I don't you know, I don't necessarily know that we need to be down in the Bengal tiger into nothing, but it helps Washington, Gary and cut

Christian Is on. I are they they're left tackle Cornelis Lucas was you know, he's week to week that really banged up on their line that said, Um, I don't really know where pressure comes from for the Bengals unless you're Karl Lawson. So this game I have apologies to Nick Shook because, uh, you know, it could be worse. It could also be a lot better. Um I try. I feel highly about Nick Shook, so I feel like

this is gonna waste some of his time. But um I feel the same way about Washington, Like you know, the whole thing, we're like, we're chasing this division title. Just let's work on building the roster, please. I I don't. I don't understand, like exactly what's going on with Ron Rivera as in some of these coaches that I fall for. I like Ron Rivera ton, but he's sort of the opposite. I feel like there's a lot of old school thinking.

Um and you know, even I do like this one little thing that happened last week, which was a key to leave announced the Washington Detroit game and kept calling Scott Turner the son of NORV Turner, young Turner. He never even called him by his first name, just called him young Turner all day long. And it was like I was like kind of tracking the game vaguely, and I was like, who is he talking about that? When I figured out, I'm like, that's wrap name. Uh, Scott

Turner's done, okay job. I don't think this game is so bad just because Joe Burrows involved and he's fun, and their offense can be fun when they're not playing the Ravens or Steelers. And I guess I'm buying more into the Alex Smith thing than than everyone else. I've been impressed with how he's played the last two weeks.

He to me has looked like the best Washington quarterback, which It's just been this weird turn that the second Alex Smith plays, everyone like stops being impressed by his comeback and is like more dismissive of like this guy's a bum. And I actually I'm thinking, like, I don't know. It kind of looks like Alex Smith always looks, which to me is somewhat impressive in a tough situation. Like they moved the ball really well the whole game against Detroit.

Some things went against him. He's not I'm not saying he's a top fifteen quarterback by any means, but I'd like to see him get get a win and and this is certainly an opportunity to get one. Yeah, I think that I'm with you, Like he's gotten back on the field. That was a minor miracle, maybe not even so minor. Uh, he's now played well in a game that was cool. Now get the dub, complete the comeback story. Who knows it would be cynical if you were hop

scotched for Comeback Player of the Year. He's gonna have it. I saw somebody on Twitter. I'm trying to think. I don't even I don't remember who tweeted it, but uh, throughout a different player for Comeback Player of the Year. That was I've seen some big Ben love, which seems so, but you're right, then I have to their some. I think people are bettered of the Alex Smith narrative a little, and it's like, let's not lose focus here, like he's the comeback player, all right, let's just hear me out.

I mean, obviously you're gonna give it to Alex Smith, and he deserves it. But I don't think it's absurd if big Ben throws thirty eight touched downs and four interceptions and the Steelers go fifteen and one, I mean, well, it gets it. He missed the entire year with a he shredded his elbow last season, I mean three legaments torn and he's thirty eight years old. That's that's pretty awesome coming, I know. But in March we're making fun of him for like looking like a four pound mountain man.

So it ve know it the narrative, right, it gets to the point which West has always said and me too. Sometimes it's like, what is comeback Player of the Year. It's a morphous It's like one year Philip Rivers won it after being like the twenty second best quarterback to being like that tent and it's like, to me, it's more about the off field what you have overcome, and

so that's that's Alex. But that reminds me actually a little bit of of I wish, you know, I always wish West is on the show, But I'm remembering one of the times he was on the show on a Sunday night and he thought it was really important. And this is what gave me a little hint that he is kind of buying back into the Bengals. He thought it was really important that Joe Burrow stood up after his total disaster against Baltimore, and the next week he came back out and looked to rific and like you

believed in Joe Burrogan. And so he's kind of in a similar spot here too, because Joe Burrow played terribly last week. They all did. I'm not saying, you know you're gonna have rookie moments, but you don't want to totally give him a pass. He looked like a rookie, and so you'd love to see him respond and have a nice game. I'd say on a micro level, he's

done that inside of games too. No, you are you are right that like watching Burrow is no different than watching some of these other young quarterbacks that stir the imagination. So that was your upside, All right, good stuff, loved it. I have some breaking news for you. I have some breaking news. Dan snow breaking. We might just retape part of the show. So let's see what he's saying. First.

Teddy Bridgewater is not expected to play this week. According to our guy Ian Rappaport, that would put in h p J Walker XFL star p J Walker in line to start again. That's tough. So he goes down with the knee injury late in the game on Sunday against the Bucks. Should have been flagged that hit, but that bees should have been flagged. You're right, it's the opposity of the one that he destroyed in practice with the Vikings a few years back. Testing revealed no structural damage.

But I guess there must be a little bit more to it, uh than that, which is just disappointing. Puts the Panthers obviously in a very tough spot. Yeah, one of those niece s brains that they have a bye week coming up, not next week, but the week after. You know, I think they're just trying to be careful. But either way, p J Walker was a fun quarterback in the XFL. But the limited samples, that very limited we've seen in the NFL preseason hasn't been overly promising.

So p J Walker would have walked to the XFL m v P if that season wasn't rule. Go in a game with p J Walker and people will be impressed. But that that's the news there, alright, good stuff so well, not good stuff. Hopefully Teddy gets back. Um, well, that's I guess he could to be a comeback Player of the Year. He's been back a couple of years now. He's not in the mix, but I think everybody roots for Teddy Bridgewater and you hope this is a short

term situation for him. Um, all right, we'll be back. Well, we'll be back in a couple of ways. We'll be back on television on Saturday, Saturday morning on NFL Network. Set your DVRs uh for a little early football talk. It's a version of this very podcast, but it also has some new elements, including a speed round. We do some a little bit of a deep dive on the locks of the week. So it's fun and you get to see these beautiful mugs on your big TV and what what a what a joy that must be for you.

So check that out. And then of course on Sunday, uh, the flagship show where we recap every game we just previewed for you today. You had something to add, Mark, No, I'm doing administrative work on the side. I'm not listening to a thing. Come on, mar come on, but I think it'd be great. Please watch us. You know, um read our articles. Uh, you know, fashion your week around us. That's our that's our theme for the week. It is

self promotion. Well, Mark, here's it. Well, here's the thing. Mark, you were getting a little upset with some of the promotion from Greg and I earlier. Uh, this is a seriously but for you to promote the network show on Saturday. So get up, get the people excited. What else could they learn from watching the network show? I'd say this. You know, it's been a busy week. Probably if you're a parent, Um, if you're on the on the West coast, you know, you set your alarm for four fifty five am.

You get up. The show starts at five in the morning. I can't think of a better way to start a Saturday, four hours earlier than you'd want to. That's a nice cell, Ricky. Yeah. So I've got a few things. Um. The week's link obviously is Monday. Make sure you take it, uh, make sure you watch it or DVR it or whatever. And also I have another storybook coming out on nfl UP

either tonight or tomorrow. And it is about since an Annie Verse Washington, and you know Joe Burrow and Chase Young first and second overall pick and they both were teammates at Ohio State. So it's got some cool little fun facts in there that you should check out. You're really going for that, Cincinnati, Um, big audience time share there, right,

huge ratings Cincinnati. Yes, Joe Burrow you know, made his bones at l s U, but apparently played in another college but he was like red shirt and it really matter. All right, good stuff, all right, um, thank you everybody for listening, Thank you for watching. We love you. Oh and one more thing uh coming up this week, Uh game pass. Everybody overseas outside the US and Canada are game pass um special is going to be landing on your devices, so make sure you check that out. Alright,

that's it. All the plugs are out. Dan Hands is signing off for a quiet storm. The old boss, Rocky Holli Wood behind the at Glass until Sunday night,