2020 Week 11 Recap - Mailman Is Here!

what's up, buddy? What's um? It's not so erroneous because I baths are on the ounce. Oh wait a second, last time we checked in on this West, as you're going through your latest courageous bout against the Big Sea. You've been dealing with the thought of pain and a lot of attempted management of said pain. And the bath has been your sanctuary bastion, and you've spent hours in there and there's candles involved in jazz. What has happened to give us an update? There's been some drama in

the meantime, some bath drama. First, Um fell asleep watching Game Pass, woke up to a to an iPad did no longer work, so um, so I went back to my I went back to my old iPad from four years ago, because you still works. This was not the one that was stolen at the two thousand sixteen Women's that's never been recovered. That is that that one is uh whereabouts unknown. So this one wasn't the one that was in your car that disappeared one day and was

never seen again either. So those are inwhere but whereabouts unknown? Who knows? But uh, I went back to my old iPad. I started watching Game Pass in the bath, woke up and that one was water logged and no longer gonna. Okay, it's it's fine, West, We're gonna we're gonna edit out the second mention, and uh, the NFL is gonna hook you up with a new one because it's been four or five years. You're fighting cancer so that you can do do a job, you know as best as you can,

and accidents happened. They owe you on every couple of years. We're gonna edit out the second mentioned. They will, they will buy you, they will get you an iPad. I think at this point, if I take another iPad into the bathtub, Keisha is gonna have some punishment waiting for me.

I mean, I thought the whole the gist here was the Keisha was gonna at at times not maybe you know, wire to wire, but sit in the bathroom with you and and maybe there would be a doorway to um, well, I don't know, stuff that we wouldn't talk about on this podcast typically. But instead you're alone in the in the iPads are falling into the top. So yeah, both of these incidents were more in like two thirty in

the morning range. Kesha may have been awake to feed the baby, but other than that that she would not have been awaken sitting on the edge of the top. Damn West, that's crazy, all right. So yeah, baths, they've they're not quite so romantic one one man romantic without the iPad. Yeah, I guess. So, I guess that's what we've learned. I guess you could continue to take baths while not watching game pass. But also, why mess with

the process of the scientist? If if that's how you consume your football, who am I to say, maybe take the iPad out of the mix? I like that be my campaign manager A good line of questioning Dan, because that led to what I would consider an explosive update. I mean, there was a lot of new information there.

I mean that was a breaking news. West was lost, and now that we've known less, he's up to three down iPads um and I hope this just continues to go on forever and ever, because it's kind of amusing. I believe that's factually correct. I've fawne through three and I'm now on my fourth. Incredible, incredible stuff, all right, all right, so that's not great news. And and I did like that you had your little moment or you're a little time to yourself in the bath. So I

don't like that you've turned on baths. But I love Wes that you are here with us to go through all of the action here on the Flagship Show Week eleven. A lot to get through. Um As, as we say NFL things change every week, A lot changes, and it happened again, and also one notable injury that's kind of uh West the West side of Cincinnati cries tonight. We're gonna get to all that. Let's start though, with the game of the week, I believe, or if not, the

game of the week right up there. Let's add to Baltimore, Henry gets to carry running laugh Henry to Henry to the twenty, to to the ten, to the oh yes, yes, yes, yes, touch down Titans as the Titans will run out of Baltimore where the shocker in ot. Oh you know what the best thing about and of course that was Mike Keith and Dave McGinnis going nuts for w g f X. Best thing about the play is when you watch it

on the teleprompter screen thing or the telestrator. UM, the run by Derrick Henry's is in the shape of the letter L. He was giving the Ravens literally an L with that run and overtime, hadn't He picked up nine of his one and thirty three yards after a halftime, including that twenty nine yard TD dash and OT to close out the Ravens, a huge win for the Titans in Baltimore. UM. The Ravens actually started the ball and

Overton started the overtime with the ball. And again just this this thing boys with the Ravens, where something just doesn't seem right. You win the coin toss, you have the ball, you had driven down the yield at the end of regulation to tie the game. It kind of made sense that now against the Tennessee defense that is scares no one that you're gonna go win a ballgame and take control and be at the top of this division.

But instead, how how the Landry sax Lamar Jackson sets up a third and seventeen defense holds uh Tennessee's defense holds punt, and then before you know it, Henry and the Titans are celebrating a huge win for the Titans after their ugly Thursday Night loss in Week ten, and the Ravens West just more questions about where they're at. Yeah, and I think by this point we should we should start pointing to the offensive line and why they haven't been the same and why this might just not be

their year. They don't look like a serious contender to me anymore. And when you lose, you know, one of the best guards of his generation retires and marcsha Yanda, and then you lose left tackle Ron Stanley, who's one of the top two or three left tackles in football, and you expect this offense to run on all cylinders like it did last year. That's just not gonna happen, right, And you're hurting two tackles spots uh you know, by moving Brown from right tackle the left tackle, sudden they

got a problem at right tackle. But they still moved the ball enough in this game. And you watch the closer Dancy, you can speak to it better. And when you get the ball at the fifteen yard line on a catch the Dez Bryant of all people, with about a minute to go, you think that's when the Ravens are gonna cash in and score a touchdown. That's in regulation. And they went one for four in the red zone.

There weren't many days like that in rather absolutely and and they had a ten point lead in this game at home against a huge conference rival, just like against the Pittsburgh Steelers a few weeks back, another game that they lost. And after the game, uh Lamar Jackson, who's been somewhat outspoken about his frustrations with the team this year, talked about against the rival, and these teams do not like each other, and there's some bad blood that we

could get into. But Jackson was very frank when talking about why the Ravens were not able to win this game. You know what, that team, we looked like that team wanted them more than us. You know, it was playing physical when we went up. I feel like, you know, we just took off without the games, but we just gotta keep it going, just teams. So Lamar said he thought the Titans wanted it more than us as a game that started with the Titans players all standing at

midfield on the Raven shield. That led to not just Ravens players approaching them, but John Harbaugh and other Ravens coaches, which which stunned some of the Titans players to see them that aggressive. And then after the game, Mike Rabel goes up to John Harbaugh to shake hands and Hardba goes, now, I'm I'm all good. They don't I love when coaches get caddy. It's a little bit of mark, a bit of a caddy business head coaches, and we saw that

at the end of this game. Yeah, it's it's almost like some of these head coaches have pretty large egos um. But to me, like it's something about the Ravens um has an effect on the Titans, and I point to that a what what Derrick Henry did in the playoffs last year. But the Ravens did their job and their

down men on the offense, on the defensive line. Thirty six yards for Derrick Henry on thirteen carries at the half, but then by the game then he he Derrick Henry became the guy that we think in the A. J. Brown catch um in the touchdown where four different Ravens had a chance at him, he he over two over two catches that he had. He broke seven tackles. So the physicality of Tennessee mattered here. I totally agree with

you Wes about the offensive line. They also benched their center who had a series of gaffs in their last game. So you're just not everything went right for Baltimore year ago. Now they're facing a ton of adversity. They're facing injuries, and you know, each seems like every week someone is dropping some sort of hot quote that becomes a narrative in a story, and sometimes that's kind of tells you where the team is mentally. Not in a great place

right now. Well, they lost two games they should have won at home against their a f C rivals the Steelers and and Titans. So this game is so big for the Titans, who have to play the Colts again next week, and they could have been in a tough spot here where they needed to win that Colts game or else they would have been on like a huge losing streak. And so it's massive for the Titans that Brown touchdown and the way they ended it with Henry. It's sort of symbolic that they want to be the biggest,

most physical, most athletics strongest team in the league. And like you you said it like if they just pulled a J. Brown down before fourth down? Who knows, Rabel. You know it's fourth down and the game's basically on the line there and a J. Brown like runs through them all. Did you know Dan? By the way, um, I saw this from Garofalo garat Folo. I know you're you're into the fighting after the game that after the game, the Titans were all singing seven Nation Army, which I

didn't even realize as a Ravens thing. It feels like it's everyone's thing, but no one even like fought them on that one. That is interesting. I guess I'm little surprised they know the sun, but I guess it's one of those songs. It's the White Stripes song. That know. I know, I've just seen every team. I know every team plays it, but Ravens games in Baltimore that is they've kind of taken ownership in the NFL of that. So yeah, that there is definitely some heat there. I

love heat. And the thing I think Lamar Jackson that quote about the other team wanting it more, I think it's directly related to A. J. Brown getting into the end zone there. Uh I think so. And also if I'm the Ravens, I'm like, oh, geez, you're gonna watch his tape and you're gonna see that the Titans didn't even play that well for most of this game and they still found a way to beat you. Uh So

this is probably crisis time in Baltimore. There's still okay, I mean record wise, but they're also on the outside looking in in the a f C. I believe as we head toward December, Let's move on. Bill fakes the hand off, looking to throw, running out to his left looking down field, He's gonna tuck it and run. At the time the fund touchdown tight them ow Zack Street with the call w w L Sean Payton decided to go with Taysom Hill as Drew brees Is replaced him

on Sunday, and it paid off. Hill will count for two scores and the Saints defense sack Matt Ryan eight times and win at the Superdome. Greg Everyone's gonna want to focus on the quarterback and how that decision played out, but it was the defense that really was the star of this game from Saints. The defense absolutely destroyed Matt Ryan and the Falcons, who came into this game playing quite well. I mean, they had less yards in this game that the Falcons did. Uh, then they average in

the first half of their games under Raheem Morris. That that's how That's how much they just destroyed him. I've never seen Matt Ryan that, at least in my memory, look as frazzled as he was. You know, sometimes you hear the announcement be like you know, I don't like you know, the look on his face like this was like a look on this face play and not even maybe just on the on the sideline as much as when he had the ball. He was waiting for those

it's to come, and they were coming. At first it was with blitz is uh, and then later it was just the four man front really on your Mata Davenport a little bit, but mostly Hendrickson and Jordan's just doing work and making it happen. There is one little delicious um Sean Payton nugget from this game. Roddy White, the former Falcons receiver, tweeted out in quotes, um Saints about to get whipped, trying us with Taysom Hill at QB

were about to snack them. And Sean Payton after the game retweeted it, which is just like you know, you you like your little head coaches with a little bit of bluster and edge, a little bit of cattinus. Um.

I enjoy it thoroughly. There was one of the things I was watching Kenny Albert and John Vilma announced the Cowboys Vikings game, and they had been with the Saints a few weeks ago, and they said that the reason that they were like one of the few people that were not at all surprised um that Taysom Hill got the start, when I think most of us were, like,

we assumed it was tasting Hill. We had, you know, he tape something because of all that business, and then uh, you know that that basically Sean Payton said, at any point that Breeze got hurt in a game, he would put Winston in, but if he had a week to prepare, he would choose Hill every time. So I just added a little bit of context to what how the decision was perhaps made right a little adenom that that was like a month ago where he said that, right, I mean,

it's and it. But they finally got that week to give him full starter starter reps versus throwing him in the third quarter or something. So that's what I'm saying. This is clear, and this has been the plan for weeks and months, and to be clear, I think that should be this story Taysom Hill, because Drew brees On I R. That's happened since we last talked, and m it's a testament to this organization how strong it is.

That there's seven and oh with their backup quarterbacks the last two years now, and this defense is bawling and the offensive lines great, in the running games great, that's all great. Like we we know that about the Saints now. But Taysom Hill played really well today. You know, he had a slow start in his defense kept a minute to are in that slow start, um is deep ball. You know, got some some laughter, you know, it hangs

up there and everything. But he made good decisions and more importantly, I think he made about three or four throws as a true drop back guy when he was under pressure where he didn't see the pass rush, and he delivered some nice throws. And so his running, not unlike a lot of running quarterbacks, sets up advantageous matchups in the passing game. And that's what happened today. The Falcons tried to shut down him in and Alvin Kamara and he's gonna get one on one and he made

him pay. But let's say this, I don't I don't like this set up. I don't like this set up long term, and it doesn't feel like a Dan hans Um. It's not that long term. It's a couple of live at this point. I lived on Taysom Hill today. You know, I locked up the Saints. I rolled with him and got the win. Visit to Taysom Hill. But you're right, first of all, he that I thought the deep ball was troubling. I thought that that tells you there is an element of their game that has just not involved

when Taysom Hills your quarterback. I also found it's also threw breathe his quarterback Eiven. Okay, but there's a difference in what happens on the intermediate intermediate routes with Drew Brees. They're very different quarterbacks that way too. But like you had, so, you're not gonna have a deep all presence with Taysom Hill. I thought it was odd that Alvin Kamara wasn't involved at all in the passing game either. Maybe that's just an aberration, but it just seemed like this is not

something that is going to work long term. I maybe I'll be wrong on this, but that's why I thought the defense played awesome in this game, and they they set up the Saints well and hild it enough and good for him in the red zone he found a way to get in the end zone twice. Uh, but I still wonder if this is the right decision. Well, he he held the ball too long and he was indecisive. I don't think he sees the field well at all for a quarterback for an NFL starter, I think he'd

be well below average in that area. Um. But but then again, for all the things you take off the table, you're you're putting things on the table too. His ability to make plays late in the down UM one one play where he hits Michael Thomas coming across the middle of the field late and the down was really impressive. His numbers would have looked better than the Saints score would have looked better if not from Michael Thomas drop

in the red zone early in the game. Um, but I did think that was the kind of performance was to me was not even that impressive, but still pointed out how ridiculous the anti Taysom Hill people have been all along, how how the bar is for for what

they're they have found him to be laughable. It's funny that that you say that, West, because it did cross my mind today that Twitter Middle School was all set to go off on Hill today, like this was supposed to be the culmination of all the years of teasing. Uh and it was supposed to be Hill going down in flames and destroying the Saints today. It just it did not. It didn't happen. So it was kind of like Michael J. Fox at the end of Teen Wolf, when he's not the wolf anymore, he's Michael J. Fox.

He's got to win it as just himself and the whole high schools need to pounce on him, but Michael J. Fox prevails. He though like he was he started off a little nervous ian Rapport reported that he was a little shaky in practice early in the week, which had some people wondering because he kind of was feeling the enormity of what was going to happen. And maybe there's a little bit bit of that early in this game. The Falcons defensive was had been playing fairly well coming

into this game. I don't think you just put it to the side that he runs ten times for fifty one yards and two touchdowns like that's that's a game changer. And and he goes, you know, he only has five in completions his numbers, you know, throwing the ball where you could say, you know, Thomas had that big drop, but he also got a little lucky on one deep throw that was you know that Sanders made a play on.

But I look at Michael Thomas and I say, Michael Thomas goes over a hundred yards and catches more on time throws in this game than the three games combined he had with Drew Brees. I mean, there's no question about that. And I don't know if that's just Michael Thomas getting healthier or what. But the reason why I wasn't as as um I'm not as worried as you, Dan Is, there was a lot of like on schedule

throws in this game. It didn't seem totally Flukeiah. I guess here, all right, let me put it this way, okay, And we all know Jamis Winston is at this point in his career, what we've seen not a high level quarterbacks.

And I'm not making I'm not making the point that this is a travesty that Jamis Winston isn't playing right now, but when it happens, and it will when the Saints go down fourteen to three in a big spot at some point down the line, Taysom Hill feels like the last guy you're gonna want in the game, uh, to try to get you back in the game. I would I would like to see how they their offense looks when they get put behind the eight ball just a

little bit. Yeah. I think that's I think that's not totally different than where they were at with Breeze, with these long, slow drives. And I think, look, if Winston had been the quarterback, and I trust obviously Sean Payton deserves the benefit of the doubt, to put it mildly, um, and he he knows Taysom Hill is the better option

for them, that's who he wants. But if they had a week to prepare for Jamis Winston, they probably make a pretty good plan there too, because they're an awesome team with great coaches, you know, like and that that that goes along with I would say also the way that they know the quarterbacks in their own division, what they did to Tom Brady and the Bucks a couple of weeks ago, what they do to Matt Ryan today?

And Greg, are you saying that perhaps Sean Payton should be trusted over um, you know a bunch of talking heads on Twitter on who should start at quarters? I'm not. I'm not saying that contract. I mean order that he's gonna have a great career as a starting quarterback, like we'll see. But in this spot, how can how can you be worried? You can't be too worried about it? I mean, they handled the Falcons and then some and if they're we we talked for years like, wouldn't it

be great if Drew Brees had a defense? Well, here we go. It's a it's a different time right now, but here we go. They're one of the best teams in the NFL for for the fourth straight year. It's pretty impressive. One of the possibilities here, you know, just to counter with Dan said that, what Dan it? It is a possibility that they'll eventually live to regret this. One of the possibilities is how they get better every week, they get explosive, they find another gear they didn't even

have with Drew Brees and they hit there. They had They ride the wave into the playoffs. Bree Breeze is eligible to come back week fifteen, he has eleven broken ribs. According to ESPN, that was a big common question. I had it too. I was like how many. I thought it was twelve, so I know nothing about my own body, twelve on each side. What was the rib thing in the Old Testament? How God took the rib of Adam and you know, created Eve. Yeah, there you go. Good times.

That was like a big thing with the ribs. You sticking at that? Your it is that your school of thought? Dan on how the first career ribs story ever created? Yeah, Mick Ribs, that was a thing, remember very I like the smoker a few racks of lit ribs. I guess I'm just just you do us and you're quite capable at it is tonight that night I'm gonna, you know, take on the Bible. No, I won't do it, Mark, but I will say perhaps in in today's times, in the idea of the man's rib being used to create

a woman, is that gonna hold up under scrutiny? Well, I see if you if you came out of nowhere with that concept tonight and just said here's what I think happened like, you would be met with some resistance on social media. Yes, all right, I think we should move on. Save it for the theology podcast that's coming. A thirty nine yard field goal from Blanket Ship to give the Colts to win out of the whole of Sanchez.

Here's a staff falls down, take us on the way and it is it's doll walk off winner for Rodrigo blanking chip call tread one in over time. Look at that the number three and number four overall pick in the draft. On Thursday, Games one and two in the recap, Zusar nailed at Mark us, I told you it was a good draft. Um credit where credit is to thank you Rodrigo. Blanket ships field goal was true and the Colts had their biggest one of the year one over

the Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium. That game winning kick was set up a Marquez Valdez scantling fumble on green based opening possession in overtime. Matt Taylor there w F and I with the call, Aaron Rodgers is not going to forget that MBS bumble boys. Uh it would be naive to assume that MVS is even alive as we record tonight because the nature of that turnover and west the Packers have no one to blame but themselves. They had a two touchdown lead at halftime. They're putting the

ball in the carpet over and over, four turnovers. They just let this game get away. No business losing this game once you take control. But they found a way to blow it. And it's troubling. Yeah, it almost felt like they thought they headed in the bag and close up shop. We're done for the day. We have Aaron Rodgers, even if the Colts tried him out of comeback. He can move the ball at any time, and it didn't. It just didn't happen, and uh C MVS go from here.

It's got After that big fifty yard catch um setting up an opportunity where they were hoping to get the field go and had a chance to go for the win in regulation. Um, that's heartbreaking. I don't know about this narrative that Aaron Rodgers is gonna have him buried underneath the Bay bridge or whatever. I just don't put it past them. It's it's surprising too, though, because Rogers had such a big part, you know, in the collapse.

Now the only reason that they are ahead by that much is because Aaron Rodgers, you know, absolutely fill aid. You know, the Colts defense in the first half, but when the Acker's offense goes three and out, three and out, they fumble the ball. Uh, and then the Colts stop him on fourth down, and at that point you thought the game was over before that game tying field goal, Like, that's a pretty long stretch of uh failure by the Packers. And like I was shot on that fourth down play

where Rogers couldn't connect. I was shot because it was one of the rare times this year where it's like, oh, maybe good defense can be good offense. Because this was that sort of game. Yeah, and and the you know, the the defense was up and down for Indie, but DeForest Buckner a huge play, and they knew what they wanted when they went and traded for him. He's been

an asset for them all along. So I mean, you look where the Colts were two weeks ago before they beat the Titans on Thursday Night Football, and then this game, and it's suddenly there seven and three. Now. I'm not sure that they are a classic seven and three team or that I see them that way, but my perception has changed a bit about who they are and what

they can be. I still don't know if I trust this offense though outside the good day today, but you are starting to get guys like Michael pitt in Um involved. I mean, some of these younger players are coming back. Jonathan Taylor has been a bit of a disappointment, but they might have a chance to be much more functional

than they were for large chunks of the season. I have a question for the crowd, yeah right, See, where ten games into their rookie years, one was traded up for in the second round, the other one was undrafted. Whose career would you rather have going forward, Jonathan Taylor or Richardson in Jacksonville? I mean James Robins Robinson. I'd say Robinson just because he looked like the better player, although it sounds like Taylor had about his best day

of his career. Robinson been a top ten running back in the league this year. Maybe wonder what James Robinson would look like behind this Cults offensive line. This Cultural offensive line, though, didn't they have about nine holding penalties in this game? I mean the end, the last couple of minutes of this game, how it was managed was

was just insane in a million different ways. All those holes you know, the Packers another chance, but one I just one small thing I want to point out that I feel like the analytics or maybe just like evolution will eventually get rid of is unnecessary spikes. And there was another And even when you got the smartest quarterback in the league taking an unnecessary spike at the end of that game and giving them one less throw to the end zone, that's a pretty massive deal to me.

It's like, at some point I think people are gonna wise up and know when to spike it when not to. With about forty seconds left in the game, he takes a spike to two throws and then the game's over. Greg second guest and coaches on the clock management, Well, it's funny because I had that thought a couple of weeks ago. Similarly, when somebody spiked it like way too many times and the announcers were griping about and I said, it won't be long before analytics are tracking this, and

then somebody's gonna get in big trush. Some quarterbacks gonna be great at it, and some of them been getting criticized for it, and we had no idea was even a thing. And here Greg's already all over It's We've been doing these shows for so long that the and I saw that, I was like, Greg will comment on that. He will comment on that in this show. So if

you're a Packers fan, you're sick to your stomach. They had twenty eight points at halftime, like I said, a two touchdown lead, and then they didn't score for twenty nine minutes and fifty seven seconds in the second half before the field goal um right at the end of the fourth UH to force overtime. So that that to me.

On Thursday, I talked about it. I don't know if I if I trust the Packers, and I kind of feel the same way about the cults, to be honest, even these these last two weeks they have wins against the Titans and Packers, so that's definitely they've that has raised my esteem my my viewing of them um right now.

But they're kind of mirror images. Maybe not as teams, but they're both seven and three in their conferences, and I think the teams that are ahead of them, uh in the conference are much better, but there are a full step up ahead of the teams that are right below them. So it made sense that this went down to the went down to the wire and just keep an eye on Philip Rivers, you know, as just as we see Drew Brees is up to what like twenty seven broken ribs. Now, these old quarterbacks start to get

hurt unless you're Tom Brady and you're unstoppable. Rivers had a foot slash, ankle, something happened at the end of this game. We'll we'll track that because he's already guy who can't move and if he has, if that's a lingering injury, that is not going to be good for him. One little kicker note, I do like this Rodrigo blanket ship. I think he'd be kind of a sneaky fun guy in the kicker club. I'm not allowed in there myself,

but I'm just sort of presupposing from the outside. Uh yeah, we we we haven't let him in with open arms. I want to say that it's it's gonna be. It's gonna be a Christmas gift that I'm gonna share with you boys. Something I stumbled upon, uh just today actually about blanket ship, but I don't want to share it. What is it that he's actually thirteen years old? He just doesn't look like an adults me. But it's the

respects or whatever he's got going on. I have a gift of the podcast, but I want to save it for another time anyway. So good for the cult. So that's a nice win and a great great showdown again when they have a rematch against the Titans coming up in week twelve. Let's move takes the snap play action, Fake, He's back, He's gotta get hit, HiT's up in the air, Crack off Tucky, Tucky's gotta downa tideline, twenty hard, twenty fifty, Tannis gets award on the tap and the pack pie

Tucky Tucky touchdown. It's just a fun name. Jim Donovan with the call for w k r K. What you're doing Carson stepped in front of the Carson Wentz pass and took it fifty yards of the house, Cleveland's opening score in av Win Brown's latest conquest and miserable conditions at their home stadium, Mark The Browns lost Miles Garrett to the COVID nineteen list this weekend, but it did

not really show against the Three Falling Giggles. Yeah. I think, you know, we've talked about Cleveland's defense as you know, being subpart and you just they're living with it, and they've they've learned to live with it, but they do have Uh. You know, you got Myles Garrett, who's essentially I think helped win three or four games for them. Denzel Ward wire to wire has been uh, absolutely one of the toughest looking quarterbacks cornerbacks to me, and he

did it again today. Uh. They got pass rush from guys that have been relatively quiet this season. Adrian Claiborne had a sack and a half. Uh and because of his arm issue, he can only line up on one side, so like you already, you always know where he's gonna be coming from. I think that's one reason he doesn't get as many snaps. But Olive a Vernon had three takedowns today. Um, one of them a game changing safety, so that was huge. I mean, they got help from

guys um on the Sunday. They absolutely needed it and it was really a defensive oriented win Cleveland's. This is the second week in a row where I've watched h Last week it was the Texans. This week was the Eagles come into this game saying we're going to say all out to stop the Cleveland's running game. Eight men in the box, time after time. I think it was thirty six snaps against the Texans and the Eagles had

nine today at times and it worked. They really like Cleveland at halftime had about fifteen yards rushing and it was the Eagles that had piled up you know, nineties something, so they looked like opposite teams from what you're what you'd expect. What Cleveland does does pretty well though, is that when you're using Chubb and Hunt the way that they do, they have found ways just to wear teams down in the fourth quarter and that broke free the Chubb.

One big chub fifty two yard runner, so which you know he does a Cleves patented stiff arm and uh sets up the Browns near the goal line. Then Kareem Hunt had an unbelievably um acrobatics sort of diving touchdown and that was it. I mean, Cleveland's offense was was rough and the weather, you know, is certainly a factor. Um. I I come out of this with questions about their passing game, um Baker Mayfield and with two or three

real money throws in this game. But I just don't know if I trust them minus oh b J to be consistently productive. They were lucky that they were playing an Eagles team that has a broken down quarterback, and it's in many ways, this game from the Eagle side is just more of the same and what you'd expect. Uh Whence to me just is there's just it's almost like you can't almost diagnose everything that's happening to him. He just seems a completely different person, like he was

body switched with like Eric Hippell. I don't know how to explain what's going on with this guy mentally. But Cleveland we on our preview show and I came to agree with you guys. I think you talked about this being a potential like let down game because they've had this sort of soft part of their schedule, and I really thought all game long that's how it was going

to go. But they played a team that I think just has way too many questions um and and a team that people have assumed and just put into the crown ship of the NFC East. I don't see it. I don't think they're winning this division. Not the way they're playing right now. Carson Wanz is exhausting. He played exactly See, he's the only quarterback in ever soon it plays a whole season in one game. Like how many quarterback controversies can you have in one game? Like seven times?

Eagles fans had to be like, take him out, No, put him back in. That was a good play, That was a good playing No, you know he's got how can you possibly keep playing this guy? Yeah, it's you know, it's like when it was early in the season and you thought it was a situation where he's having this walkie season where he has these ugly stretches and then he gets hot and then he maybe steals a win or gets the game close enough where you have something

to build off. It was, man, Carson Wentz has been pretty hot at cold, But now I feel like in. You sense it from Eagles fans out there, Connie Fox and John Gonzalez amongst them, that there's just an exhaustion level that's been hit with with his struggles this season, and you have to I mean it's fair to wonder,

at what point do you try to save the season? Uh, if you want to look at it that way, and bring in the guy you you drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round, and just see if it could spark the offense, which seems like hart while according to their own head coach, that's Harrisy. Let's hear what Doug Peterson said after the game. I think you're you're sending a wrong message to your football team that the season's over.

And and um, that's a that's a bad message, and and um, you know we have to we have to work through this times. You know, when when when times get tough, it's you know, sometimes that might be the easy thing to do. No, it's the opposite of saying the season's over. If you bench Carson Wentz, you're telling your players, Doug, I think we could still be something this year. But whatever we're doing right now isn't working. And I want to save this year, you're not putting

on the white flag. And I think his attitude speaks to a general malaise that's fallen over this entire organization this season. Well, I would be I have about benching Doug Peterson. It's like I think that the pairing of Wentz, you should be you should be a little annoyed. Doug Peterson. You you went out and wrote this keep seeing, you know, auto biography after the Super Bowl. This book has been on your radar for a while. I mean, it's it's a little much, but it's also very common. Like the

winning coach just gets like a kind of toss. I needed that as much as I needed, Like the Tim Tebow autobiography after one NFL season, Yeah he didn't. You didn't have to read it. We're talking about Doug about Peterson's book again. I'm just saying like, maybe, you know, like there were other coaches on that Super Bowl staff that maybe should have had the books written about them.

It might be, you know, it might be a common um or a somewhat of a statement about how they think, you know, Jalen Hurts looks, which which is part of it. And I'm not saying that they have the best feel, but this coaching staff hasn't given us much reason to think, and neither as Jalen hurts his snaps, UM that they're gonna be able to cook up an offense with most anyone.

But you're right, he's sort of at the point now whence where you almost have to, you know, seriously think about taking him out, just because if you're if you're turning the ball over this much every week, at some point like you gotta make ancision. There's still in first place, though still in first place, and the Browns are seven and three. Speaking of a seven and three team that might not feel like if they're one and two against

teams that have a winning record. But I give the Browns a ton of credit for their coaching staff coaching them up well enough to take care of business in all these games. It's not their fault that they've had an easy schedule. It's actually kind of awesome that they haven't been picked off week after week in all these games. I mean, the last time they were seven and three was and I think if it weren't twenty, I'd feel like I'd be more plugged into the excitement around this. Um,

it's just obviously a weird year. But I think the thing I take away from it is that every week they seem outside of that Steelers and Ravens disaster zone games, they're they're well coached, and that's the weirder. The weirder thing than the record is just the fact that they aren't a disaster on game days coaching wise, because that's

been the case for twenty five years. All right, let us move forward with a five man rush steps through the pocket Tolls zone, US is gonna be intercepted, intercepted by Justin Simmons in the end zone. Simmons his fourth interception of the season, his fifteenth of his career. None

bigger than that one was sixty three seconds left. Dave Logan with a call ko a. Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced the ineffective to a tongue of by Lola on Sunday, but Justin Simmons end zone, I n t ensure there'd be no fits magic at Mile High and the Broncos thirteen win greg The Dolphins had been the league's feel good story for the past month. What did the Broncos do

to snip out all that good year? They got after toa they got some third and long plays from Drew Lock and they got Justin Simmons to make one of the defensive players of the year. If you if you see on like the All twenty two, look how far away he was when that place started. And whether it was through tapes, study or his feel or whatever, right

his knowledge of what Fitzpatrick was gonna do. You can't even kill fits too much for for throwing it because he saw Blackman his way off the screen and and the Broncos defense deserved to win this game. Their whole team deserved to win because they dominated. The Dolphins were extremely lucky. I would say, uh, to be close. Late in this game, they go to Fitzpatrick to give the team a spark because to a tongue of voloa, UH struggled. He did not push the ball down the field at all.

I don't know if that was because of a foot injury that he came into the game with or what. But after an awkward sack, they take him out early in the fourth quarter and fitz comes in and immediately within two plays moves the ball more than than two have had in about two quarters. So I think the move made sense, and I think if you listen to the comments after the game by both players and the

coach that To is still the quarterback. I was impressed, and I think this is what you can do and what you should do when you have adults in the room and you don't treat the quarterback position like there's some like week egoed little like your non professionals, and To and To and fits totally reacted in the way that you'd want to, and you gave their team the best chance to win at the end of this game. And now you go back to two next week. It's

like raising children. If you treat your if you treat your four year old like he's one, he's still gonna act like he's won let him grow up. I'll how you treat quarterbacks. I agree with you so much. Greg. Alright, so Devil's advocate here to a struggles again in the first half. Next week, do you put Ryan Fitzpatrick again? And if it happens the next week, do you do it again? Because it wasn't the point of this too. All Right, we know we're kind of on the fringe

of the playoff race. This is a few weeks back, but we were gonna go to this kid we want to get a look at him. Maybe you could raise the ceiling. For better or worse, we get we get a guy that gets valuable experience. Don't you start messing with that if you start yanking him in and out of the lineup. I mean, it was one quarter the experience he was getting year. It was no longer useful now. The injury, even though Flora didn't it, I mean, we don't know. Flora said it didn't and they sort of

don't want it to be a story. And two it doesn't want it to be a story. Um. But the same foot he was on the injury report got rolled up on and stepped on on the play before he left. But he made it clear and this has happened in a couple of games, his first start and now this one, that he wasn't moving this offense. You know, they the offensive line wasn't protecting him. They couldn't run the ball, and the three times he tried to push it down the field, it wasn't closed. So it wasn't pretty. And

the Broncos defense was dominating. They had a hundred yards and eight drives. The only reason, uh they got a touchdown early was because of a bad Drew lock interception. The only reason they got that touchdown is also because another Justin Simmons beautiful interception of Tua was overturned by a questionable penalty. So so I don't blame him. They they're they're trying to win games. I think that's the goal.

Dan is to play to us and to make the playoffs, to do both, and they tried a thread that needle. I see the complete opposite situation to like Justin Herbert, where Justin Herbert is you know, all the big names around him um on defense and special teams are not propping him up at all. Uh, He's doing a lot on his own. Two remarkable extents, um to A has played a couple of games where I have seen you know, quarters go by at a time where I'm just not

seeing it. I think he can do really like you see them, the awareness, the accuracy, uh, the poise, UM a couple of plays where you're just like, yes, he will be a productive, intriguing starter. But he has been highly supported. To Dan's point from our Thursday show, UM, you know Andrew van Ginkl can be linked to like two of their wins they've had, um endless turnovers, they've their defense has played as well as it's as you could possibly ask it to. Special teams has been super impactful.

So on a daylight today when that didn't quite happen, Um, and it was more just on toa you get caught. And I think it's fair to say we just talked about Carson Wentz not being benched. I mean, why not treat Carson Wentz like an adult and sit him and see what you have as well? Not to go back down that alley. But um, I hear that, Like you know, there's I think the standards are different in different situations, I think. And it's also, yeah, I think you're a

head coach. You get paid to kind of evaluate the situation that's in front of you. At that point, we're we're a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter of a game that was all you know, felt all felt all but over. It's it's to me, it's a little different than going into a game like that. But I think it does point out one of the Dolphins as big as flaws, they were always going to play with a small margin for air, but the number one flaw they have is they're one of the worst rush defenses

in the league. Philip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon ran all over them almost for two hundred yards on thirty carries, and they have gotten into these games scripts where they've been ahead each and every week. They're the best first quarter team in the NFL, and it's really limited the other team from trying to run. I mean, the Broncos ran on a third nine eight in the game when they needed points because they didn't want Drew Lock to throw an interception didn't even work. But that just gonna

showed you where they're like. Run game was today and that's gonna be a problem for Miamis they kind of do. They are a team I think because of their defense that really can play with the lead a lot better. All Right, speaking of Justin Herbert, Herbert rolls to his left, still holding the ball, goes to the end zone to touchdown Chargers Keenan Allen. Why not at a touchdown to all those catches and yards today, a nice bowl on a half of an afternoon and the third touchdown toss

from Herbert. Keenan Allen's had a lot of big games in this league, but this is gonna end up being the biggest when it's all set up. Thank you who got what we needed. Matt money Smith with the call, k Y s R. Justin Herbert through three touchdowns in the game for the fifth time this season. That's a new NFL rookie record. And Keenan Allen, what else can you say? You piled up an amazing six team catches in this game, including that thirteen yard score final score

Chargers over the Jets at Hollywood Park. Herbert was great. My concerns about what his haircut could mean for his rookie season unfounded. He threw for nearly three yards in the first half, picking on an underman Jets secondary that was starting three rookies. Uh, so you kind of saw it coming. Uh, And yet it was still impressive to watch. And Herbert is on a game by game basis so impressive to watch. That said, if your charges, then it's still a little bit annoying watching this team, even when

they win. Uh. The game starts with a blocked punt that leads to a Jets touchdown followed by a fumble at the one yard line. Uh, when they were going in for a score. Then they get the game together, they take control, and then they almost give the game away. Uh. They give up three straight long scoring drives to the Jets.

The Jets in the second half and then go three and out with a chance to salt the game away in the fourth quarter, giving Joe Flacco the ball and an eight point deficit which should have been six, but Sam Ficken uh missed two extra points. Uh. Credit to Los Angeles for making the stand at that point, uh and getting the Jets to go um turnover on downs. But even then, like Jets were knocking on the door.

They were, and I believe the thirty yard line of the Chargers with a minute or so to play before a fourth down in completion in the end zone to Denzel Mims. So they close out the game. But at the same time, if you're Chargers fans, you're just you're just a little bit exhausted by the trajectory of all these games in the Anthony Lynn era. But that's my general takeaway. There's that frustration. But men, justin Herbert would stud he's gonna like smash the rookie touchdown record. Um,

he leads the league in fifty plus yard completions. I mean, he can do it all. And like I you know, we're watching, you know, four games at once, and I'm trying to keep track of of my game, but all I can do is my eyes are just drawn to what Justin Herbert is doing. He's that watchable and that unique. So I mean, I guess it's a Jets man, Dan.

You kind of would like to think that a year from now, um, after this horrible autumn into winter, you'd have a quarterback like that, um capturing people's attention the same way. And Joe Flacco again not a star performance by any stretch. And in fact, he threw a grizzly pick six the play after that Charger's fumble in the first quarter. He just floated one into the flat. Uh and a Chargers defender stepped into it. I want to

give him the love that he deserves. It was oh Tavon Campbell stepped in front of it for the touchdown. Uh tavan Campbell, so that the former Lakers player, Yes, Campbell, I believe it is uh so. But Flacco again showed he's the one thing he has left is a deep ball, and he kept on bonds away. Uh Rashard Perryman will give him to the Saints stand Well, maybe Brashard Perryman

had another long touchdown. Chris hern didn't even have a touchdown in this game, and and uh, you saw some nice things from Denzel mims Um, who I really think is going to be a player if they could ever get an offense figured out. He's really flashed the last couple of weeks since coming back from those hamstring injuries. So that's where the Jets are out there. Oh and ten for the first time enfranchise history and six losses

away from guaranteeing themselves. Trevor Lawrence, I feel mistreated and lied to by the NFL draft industrial complex about Justin Herbert. I understand why twofl a few spots coming off that major injury, but all the doubters for Justin Herbert and look at I'm too lazy to watch it take myself when it comes to college football, so I can't say much, but I can't believe this guy's arm and just the

style in which he plays that he had so many doubters. Well, I think it goes to you know, you gotta look at their coaching staff in college and the type of offense that they run that people just never saw him in the position to make it. But yes, you would think that a guy with that armstring. You saw it show up today, like on the Mike Williams touchdown. The fact that his arm is so strong is why the defenders are out of position for Williams to go run

after it. You know. Night our former guest Nate Tice pointed out this sixty yard bomb that he threw where like the ball never even left the screen because it was it was so hard. I mean, he he is getting to the point where he is gonna be in the mix of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback ever. I mean, to me, he's a top ten quarterback in the NFL right now. I've never seen I've never seen

a rookie quarterback play better than Justin Herbert. I haven't, I haven't, right, you mean in terms of overall NFL. I mean, if I could give me any quarterback in the league. I'm not saying word. I'm even just saying for like a game tomorrow. You know, I'm just for like right now, Yeah, easy, top ten. He's been as productive at any quarterback in the league since he took over the starting lineup. And we'll get to it a

little bit later. Unfortunately, He also locked up Offensive Rookie of the Year today with the injury to Joe Burrow unfortunately. One quick thing to West's point, I mean, if you're the Oregon coaching staff, how do you like, Hey, season ticket holders, we had what potentially was a Hall of Fame quarterback for four years and through screen passes and ran run play option, buy tickets. Now, Yeah, I'm looking

at the stats. He he had thirty two touchdowns, six interceptions of seven passer rating yards, seven sixty seven percent completion completion percentage, good numbers in Oregon. A r look. I don't watch a second of college football, so that was not coming from an educated place. But no, we had heard that that he his college game had some flaws, which obviously um there was some bad talking of him.

But anyway, he's a stud. Good for Chargers fans, move Walker to throw as time on courts, A long one end zone, Samuel Yes, our touchdown, Carolina McK mixing with the call, welcome back to the show, mcmix and it's been a while. W bt T. No Teddy Bridgewater, no Christian McCaffrey. No problem for the Carolina Panthers who got a touchdown pass from XFL legend p J Walker and a shutdown performance in their defense twenty zip over the Lions. Mark did the Lions forget to show up there? What

had happened exactly? Fireball offense. This this is the game that I would I would point to Um for the reasons you just mentioned who was not on the field for Caroline and just say, Matt Patricia, you gotta be kidding me here, you gotta be kidding me. But here's the thing. P J Walker, Um, he had he had two interceptions in the end zone, so it was not a perfect game. But this guy can throw and like he had a fifty two yards strike to d J Moore, who blew up in this game. And it looked like

they had been practicing together for weeks. I mean, the thing the first thing you look for is that they'd be at a sink um and there were moments like that. But Robbie Anderson was there for and Robbie Anderson and p J Walker played at Temple together under Matt rules. So again it's like I think there was trust and p J Walker and they didn't really change the offense that much for him. They kind of let him wing it and and you know, Matthew Stafford had the hand thing. Um,

I didn't notice any effects from that. This It's just that I think into this game that that was not an issue at all. Well it wasn't an issue, but but the way they coached the game, it made me think that they were a little concerned about Stafford's ability to air it out against a defense that's allowed teams to do that to some degree. They ran the ball NonStop in the first half. They they really looked to me, uh, like they were in tank mode. I mean, and I

know they're not. I know they're not. I think they're just a confused organization. I mean it was an barrassing lost like you're You're Dragon Lions fans through a lot because on top of it, I mean, they could not protect Matthew Stafford. The Panthers had five sacks today and that's not been there calling hard all year. So I just think they got They came in and got completely outplayed by a team that believes in itself more no

matter who's on the field. I mean, and we've seen the Panthers get close and it's like it's time to close out one of these games. Um, and so that happened today. I'm not shocked that, you know, they gotta win like this at some point, but I'm surprised it came with no Teddy Um and Christian McCaffrey's losses. You know, there's no replacing him, but Mike Davis has been a pretty awesome filling week to week and so you know,

they this this to me. Like I pointed the Lions and say, if you stick with this coaching staff, um, you have a lot of answers to give to your fan base, who should be as frustrated as any fan base in the league right now. Dealing with injuries is like the number one sign I think of good coaching staffs. So the Lions had massive injuries too. When I saw that Amondola and Gola Day and Swift were out, I mean where is their offense? They were a tough offense

to watch with those three guys. You know, Amondola's kind of you know, tertiary compared to those other two. But that is there are like Swift, Swift, that Gola Day. That's it. So it doesn't surprise me their coaching staff couldn't scheme up much to do. But still the get out I'm not expecting them to get shut out. I would not have been. I'm saying it's it's inexcusable, But that's a sign I think when you compare these two

coaching staffs with the difference between them. Yeah, and on the other side, God like Mike Davis, who two coaching staffs in Chicago and Carolina couldn't do anything with him last year. Yep. But Matt Role staff can and p J. Walker. How many other guys are out there who are, like you know, it's just playing in other leagues or not not in the NFL. Come come straight in and win a game like this. The only time the Lions showed

life in this game. They got a flee fu flee flicker touchdown uh from Stafford to Marvin Jones um that was wiped away in the third quarter on a legal formation call on Marvin Jones. So that would have made it fourteen seven, and then maybe who knows what happens. I think that was the spiritual end of this game, because it just you could just could tell that the

Detroit could do they could get nothing done here. It's it's the watches on, It's I don't think there's any more question, because this Lion's team is not going anywhere. We know that they're heading towards nine or ten losses, and they will be one of the teams it seems destined to be searching for a coach come January. This was a big step toward that direction. Let's move on top top switch. I feel you, Lions fans. We're in

this together. Play fake looking. In the middle of the end of two Schultz touchdown with a minute thirty seven left, Dalton de Schultz and the Cowboys have regained the lead. Oh yeah, aren't at sham the sham god? Okay, l d oh, Greggy, I'm talking about the Eagles stone first place. Guess what. There's another team in the mix now, the

NFC East, four of them. Don't you ever? Don't you ever count out the going Gingerman Andy Dalton with three touchdowns in his return from a concussion and COVID related absence, including that go ahead strike. The dune of Dalton salts late in the north quarter. Cowboys beat the king Mark You talked to Bathom. But yes, the Cowboys are now in the mix legitimately again in the NFC East, which says so much. They are They play Washington on Thursday, so you know, they have a chance to pick up

another win and separate from Washington. It's just it's kind of weird in like mid November, late November, to watch like a two win team come into Sunday with so much to play for and uh they looked like you know, having watched the Eagles, you know, minutes before, this team brought much more life. I think their defense is improving a little bit. Um guys like Laton Vanderesh looked to me over the last three or four weeks the way that I remember Laton Vanderesh from the past. Uh. There

like the scheme. Maybe maybe you know, people complained about the scheme being tough to deal with. Maybe it just took you know, the a Brother's team that could have used a real preseason to go through some of this. But the story of the game was both quarterbacks and the offenses. I felt what I felt like it was tough to watch one of them lose because Kirk Cousins was lights out and I mean the wide receiver play

in this game was unbelievable. I'm sure you all saw the Ceedee Lamb catch, which was um, you know, I uh, the Odell Beckham catch. There's one of these, like there's maybe two or three of these these kind of plays um a year or even every five years, because that was something that was just remarkable to watch. Adam Feeling had a one handed touchdown grab in this. He had a second one handed grab as well, so the wide receiver and Justin Jefferson did more Justin Jefferson things, So

that was the fun part of this. There were six lead chain is four of them in the fourth quarters, so it's just sort of a matter of who would um have the ball last, and Dalvin Cook Dallas did a nice job against him early. He got real hot towards the end, and I saw Dallas' defense get worn down, and I thought a couple of times the Vikings were gonna kind of blow the lid off the thing and just walk away with it because their season is obviously on the line as well. But Andy Dalton, like give

him credit. I mean this Dallas team, uh, they have so many parts they look so they look like, you know, everyone's ditching all the parts getting rid of them off your fantasy team. But guys like Ceedee Lamb brought life today. Um Amari Cooper had a couple of big catches as Zekiel Elliott ran for his first hundred yard outing of the year. Tony Pollard, I think it's a nice compliment to him at a big, huge touchdown run himself. So Dallas has life and they're more fun to watch in

the Eagles. So I'm I would rather see Dallas, Uh, you know, make something out of this. Uh and and and four? John, This shouldn't be impossible that if Andy Dalton could just be basically Andy Dalton. He doesn't need to be special because he never really has been, but he's been proficient for large chunks of his career. They should be able to score to thirty points a game with this team, even if it's not the same offense it used to be. The offensive line isn't as good,

there's still enough there and Dalton is capable. West am I crazy? I mean? Is it crazy to think that the Dallas Cowboys this should be not an aberration this week but something we see more often going forward, Dalton getting more comfortable and the Cowboys becoming not embarrassing anymore on offense. I think you're right, and I think we've

seen a team that's kind of transformed. They seem like a different team November two than they were October two, Like they've I think Mark mentioned their improved defense, and it's not just a little bit. I think they're much improved. And they did get worn down today. You know, it's not good to be given up a hundred and sixty yards to Dalvin Cook and great games for Thalan and Jefferson, But but I do think you're not gonna roll into Dallas and just pile up yards and points on on

the Cowboys like you could earlier in the year. Well say they won the game too, write they mean they did win the game. They got Zack Martin back and he played right tackle actually um and played really well. So I think that, you know, the line health in Dallas, and it seems to be a theme with all these teams, like they have I think more offensive line combinations and pretty much just about anyone. But getting him back today was a spark. Yeah, everyone was crushing, including me, Mike McCarthy.

So we should give them credit, you know, their offensive line, not just it's not just that they lost, like future Hall of Famers and all this stuff. It's just it all happened at once where you had like four or five new starters at once, and so it's very encouraging if you think back to the last time Dalton played, which was against Washington, and this offense was inoperable, that they've gotten it together and that that does go to coaching,

it goes to these these young players. Um. But part of it is is more of it is the defense to me, and I know they gave up a lot of points here, but when Kirk Cousins gets the ball the way that they were rolling today and they go four and out when all they gotta do is kick a field goal to get it to overtime, and Alden Smith get who has been awesome, gets a quarterback hit and Randy Greggy Gregory, who looks pretty good coming off a couple of years off because the suspensions, looks pretty good.

I mean that that's major. I mean they touchdown past the Schultz was absolutely outschemed the Vikings and Mike Zimmer and I don't know if it was a busted coverage or what, but the fact that Schultz didn't have anyone around him within about six or seven yards in the end zone with one thirty seven to play on the go ahead score. So yeah, maybe it's this is a night.

We'll give some credit to Mike McCarthy and Kellen Wore because certainly it's been tea off all season long on these guys, and it's been deserved because they entered this game two and seven, and quite frankly, we're not uh competitive after a Dak went down initially, But you just, man, who's gonna win the NFC East? If the Cowboys start playing like this, you would think, well, someone's gonna get someone's gonna get a fourth win on Thanksgiving and we'll

have the most wins. I don't. I guess that puts them in first place either Washington. Uh. And it's a tough last for the old team of zeus Ciel also stuck on four wins. It's a tough one, yeah, because this felt like a hiccup game. I talked about it on Thursday. I didn't think they were gonna end up ten and six. They were gonna shoot themselves in the foot at some point, and but doing it at home against Alice, it's it's not it's not a good look.

I'm not writing them off. I still think they can get to nine wins and find their way into the playoffs. But now they just made their path a lot more difficult. I will say that they have the Panthers and Jaguars coming up, so they can get back to six and six by mid December and be okay, but not good, not good. Alright, and before we move on, let's welcome

in the great Nick Shook. He has been an invaluable bench player for the podcast this season, and now he joins us along with I love when there's the two bald guys on at the same time. What's up, Shook? Yeah, you have the good bald duo right here, right next to each other in the screen for those you good. I love that chair for you. It looks like your trap muscles never stopped. Yeah. See this is like this is the back. Yeah, so that I should probably not wear black, but a lot of what I have is

black because it's first at all. You look like you're right now in the holidayl volcano in the middle Pacific Ocean, ready to blast some island off the face of the earth. I am very much not in that setting. I mean the windy cold Bluff Street, Cleveland. All right, let's check in with the Cincinnati Bengals. A tough day in Cincinnati Burrow, now running to the side, tried to get to the corner of the end Zode Oh. Chase just tagged him.

The ball is out and recovered there. There's a flag down, which I think it's gonna be a hole to get Cincinnati. But Young caused a big turnover crushing in the borrow. It was recovered out of bounds. That was violent. But Chase going up against his fellow teammate from Ohio State that's Bram Weinstein and Juliet Donaldson for w t e M number two pick. He's Young reacquainted himself with number one picked Joe Burrow at the goal line on Sunday. His crushing hit on fourth down a huge play in

Washington's twenty to nine wins over the Bangles. Sadly shook the big news out of this game. There was a different hit on Burrow, uh one that ended his fantastic rookie season. Yeah, and it kind of swung the entire tone of the game. The Bengals had to leave when that happened, and then pretty much just fell silent for the rest of the game. Outscored thirteen and nothing for the remainder of the contest, and you can kind of feel the air sucked out of them when they saw

Burrow leave on the cart. You saw a lot of players from both teams, a lot of former Ohio State players who were teammates that Joe Burrow for a couple of years going over to give him their best wishes. But um, I mean it kind of reminds me of you know, you lose your your alpha male, your a leader. Because Burrow is a guy. Although he's a rookie, he's a guy this team has rallied around almost from the beginning. Um,

he's a kind of guy. You know. Somebody like to talk to you about about the game, likes to say that he's the kind of guy where if you find yourself in a fight, he's coming over the top to to throw a haymaker and get in the middle of it. He's sitting on the side like some pretty boy wood And I think that's the type of guy. Um that

this team has has rallied around. And and you take that away and suddenly they're the Bengals of old, which is the Ryan Finley Bengals, which is the Bengals that don't stand much of a chance even if they are improved in other areas and that's kind of what you saw for the remainder of the game. It really kind of punctuates to me what has been a concern for

a lot of people and I know definitely myself this season. Kid, they protect Joe Burrow long enough to get through the season and and keep his health in order, because he is obviously the franchise guy. He's looked like the guy. He can be their guy for the next decade plus if they can keep him upright and keep him on the field. Unfortunately, the nightmares came true today and we'll have to wait until next year to continue. Joe Burrows

young and extremely promising, still career. HM. When I saw the moment I saw the replay, I knew he's done for the year. And just images. Cincinnati is such a heartbroken city when it comes to injuries, and to see just flash through my mind Carson Palmer sacked by chem of on olha Um, Kenyan Martin University of Cincinnati basketball player breaking his leg, ka Johanna Carter tearing his knee in his first preseason before he ever plays a game. I mean Ken Griffe Jr's hamstring. It just goes on

and on. Tim crumb Rose broken leg in the Super Bowl. Just a heartbroken city and just to have to deal with this again. I had had boots on the ground and since you are boys spice track. He texted me this. Every Bengals fan I know hope for one thing this season borrow avoiding a devastating injury. That's it, no exaggeration. Mm hmmm, yeah, it's it's unbelievable that that's certain organizations just can't shake terrible things like this happening to them.

Because that was the big takeaway of this season was yes, the Bengals were not going to be a playoff team this year, and who knew if they had the right leadership on the sideline at this point, and they certainly need need more players around, but they had this guy

to build around and they still do. But now you throw in the complication of a reconstructive knee surgery and the timing of it, you would think sets him up to be ready for Week one, but then, of course, in the back of your mind, you're wondering if this

affects him as an athlete going forward. We've been talking everyone just trying to figure out Carson Wentz, what's wrong with Carson Wentz and one of the theories is that after he blew out his knee and then he suffered the back injury, that he lost some of that quick twitch ability. You just hope that with the advances and where we are technology and medicine and rehab, that he'll come back and be the same guy. But we didn't even want to have to have this conversation, and yet

here we are. Yeah. I had had a conversation with another another friend today during that game before he got hurt about how you know, they just haven't been able to really protect him well, and a lot of that is due to injuries up front, but also a personnel decisions. You know, they've tried to invest in the offensive line the last few years, Jonah Williams being one of them. He couldn't play his entire rookie year because of an injury, and he was able to come back and has been

part of the mix. But you know, you make decisions like going and resigning a right tackle like Bobby Hard who wasn't strong, who's been a little bit better since then. You've had a rotating cast or right guard for much of the season. Um, you never want to pin a devastating injury on decision makers. But at the same time, when you do spend your first overall pick on a franchise quarterback and you set him out there behind an offensive line that's just not the best, you are setting

yourself up for a risk for something like this. I mean, we could go back into history of the league and think about a guy like Tim Couch for example, who was put behind a terrible offensive line in Cleveland. I mean, this is not the first time this has happened. It's just a terrible outcome that you never want to see any happen to anybody. And the fact that it has happened, now you know you have to double down an offensive

line protection going for it. But again you worry, did he lose something that he might never get back with an injury like that? Now that how does it affect next year? You know, how does it affect him? A lot of a lot of times. You know John Watson even you know, slightly different player and not quite the same in that first year back. It just makes the

evaluation of Zach Taylor harder. So we'll see my my sense because it's Mike Brown and the contract that Zach Taylor got in the history of the Bengals is they might not even really be thinking about firing Zach Taylor and the way that that fans would um. But it just at this point, you're gonna be playing out the string with Ryan Finley, and so you gotta you're basically almost making your decision on Taylor right now. Is he the right guy to shepherd Joe Burrow for the next

few years? Is he the right guy to coach up in offensive line? Because coaching is is a huge part of uh the offensive line, and they've struggled to put it out. But I remember a show like back in April when we you know, Unsolved Mysteries, and one of the topics was we have no idea who Zach Taylor is. I'm not a lot closer to knowing who he is now. Um, And they're clearly gonna if you look at the way this game played out after Burrow went out, they're gonna

free fall. So you're gonna you're gonna, you know, you're you're not gonna learn much about Zach Taylor from here to the end of the season. I don't know, I mean you you know, I could see them they're gonna do one or two things, probably cling to him too long or bring back Marvin Lewis would be the other thing. I can see they're gonna be picking in the top five, and I guess you can learn from this invest in that offensive line that feels like a no doubt or

a no brainer for Cincinnati. Hopefully there's a prospect they hit on and do a better job protecting Joe Burrow and year two than they did in year one. And a shout out to Alex Smith. He won a game for the first time since November eleven, two th eighteen, one week before he broke his fibula and tibia in his right leg and nearly died from it. So his comeback story kind of now has come all the way there. Uh, and good for him and he's, you know someone for

now he's going to yeah, exactly. Now he's gonna be on the most watched game of the year traditionally is the Cowboys game on Thanksgiving. Alex Smith in a big spot, trying to get into first place. They're a frisky team and they've been a better offense with Alex Smith behind center. I just don't think it's that hard to to say that they've been better. He's an inspiration for me. M west go on, I want to hear that. That's I

just wanted to say that you. So I've read where studies have been done on pro athletes, specifically NFL players on I R and the depression connected to it. Because first of all, you're anybody who is taken out of society for a while in their job eventually comes to ask what's my purpose? What am I doing? That's a big one. But second of all, and this is particularly pertinent for Alex Smith, is our relation to pain and time spent by yourself? Um is one thing. Time spent

by yourself with pain is something entirely different. So for him to go through all that, that gets my respect. Well put of course, West and we see the parallels to what you're dealing with. And you know you have our respect through the roof, buddy, and we love you. And every time you're on this show, that's a better show. And you've on it again, So thank you, Thanks guys us.

The legend Chris Westling goes out on you know, do they have what's the podcast awards as a Webbys or whatever whatever it is that that money again, what is the one that got We got a Stitcher Award, Civil award, the physical award is on someone's mantles, like in on the East Coast somewhere at this point we did I think we also got Best New Podcast iTunes Honorable Mention

or something. We were like, oh, that's right. They gave it to a Yeah, they gave it to like five or six, and were one, yeah, give it to alright, let's move on. Chuoky. He gets the snap, throws it long down the near sideline Chase clay Pool with a diving crab for a touchdown for clay Pool, the rookie out of Notre Dame. That is here's seventh touchdown receiving.

Make that number eight on the year, Bill Hill Grove w d V. And there's that check music, and we're playing it every week because the Steelers win every week. They're now tenant. Oh. After Ben Roethlisberger through two touchdown passes, including that thirty two yard connection to Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh cruises as expected to a seven to three win over the Jaguars. Claypool, um I would like you to think about him when you're evaluating the best rookie whiteouts. This season.

He has ten touchdowns in ten games. Greg this one win his playing. Yeah, it did. And you know, I know we're maybe like a little heavy to use an industry term on the show. We can save some time here that that. Two big takeaways I have from this game is that Ben Roethlisberger's arm has looked better the last two weeks. I think he's made more impressive throws in the last two weeks than any part of the season.

He had some plays today where just his anticipation and arm strength was awesome, kind of the old Ben plays. And that's what I was looking for. Early in the season. He was playing effective, but you weren't getting those Ben Roth the spurger throws. And you got him today, you got him last week. I love that. And then we talked about this group as like a bunch of like really great receivers, and they are, for sure, but Deante Johnson's the one. I mean, if you look at the targets,

he gets it. He gets fifteen targets a week, he gets eleven or twelve catches a week. This guy is a problem. Like he is by far their number one receiver and he's doing a week after week, which is

it just makes it more impressive. It's really impressive too when you consider the consistent impact Chase Claypool's head usually in scoring out so much in yards, but definitely in scoring that they can spread it around this well between him and Deonti Johnson to where you know, correct being if I'm wrong, but Judrew Smith Schuster is bordering on

an afterthought at times. I don't know a weekly basis, but at times you forget that he's part of that receiving corp as well because of the effectiveness the other guys and Eric Ebron also kind of doing his part. Fore catches for thirty six yards in a touchdown today. He's been a nice little edition for the tight end. Not quite as lucrative as people thought when he's signed there, um,

but great. He's been effective for sure. So um. You know, it's it's a team that It's not necessarily that they rushed super effectively, although James Conner was really good today six point eight yards per carry. You expected this against this team, but the fact that they're so balanced, and of course Ben Roethlisberger playing a big part of that, it makes it really hard to ever pick against them

or or think that they might lose a game. I mean, obviously they're tennant, know, so they get to this point. But when I look at them in a week by week basis, I'm like, well, it might be close, but I still have them winning because they've won games by every every fashion possible. It's been close, it's been comebacks,

it's been blowout, has been everything in between. They have the mark of a winning team and one you know, Dan, for you as the president of the Luton Night's Um, this is the kind of game it's you know, sometimes writing these newsletters is tough. You gotta dig dp. He had four interceptions today. He does not appear to have

the skills necessary for this career at this level. So you know, I'm just gonna encourage you because I've been on the on the wrong side of some of these fan bases that just you're gonna have to take it to a new level. The coverage, think the dedication. I think it's time for me to pull back the curtain a little bit on what this was always really about.

Out Remember the Remember the Bodyguard, Remember that movie? Sure, Kevin Costner Houston Um look at Jake Luton Luton as the maniac that was trying to off the pop star played by Whitney Houston look at me as the Kevin Costner type. And I was looking, which makes sense. And what I saw going into this, Jake Luton Arrow, was you were going to gravitate towards him and latch onto him. And I knew that you were just going to be hurt again. So what I did, I constner the situation.

I jumped in front of the bullet, right in front of you. You're Whitney Houston, congratulations. Took the bullet, took the gut shot so you wouldn't be hurt. And now and now I'm injured and I'm hurt. But I know I did the right thing. I was doing my job, which was always to protect you. Whitney Houston. I will always love you. I mean I I you live in a in a special fantasy world where that's the narrative

you're coming out with this. I appreciate um. If any of that, if any of that were true, I would appreciate it. I mean, you should be Gardner Minshew's biggest fan right now, Dan, you should be uh get our let's go letter. He was questioned about the injury report this week. I think. I think he's coming back in this Jaguars team. I know it doesn't show what the score, but their defense is playing better, and minshew, maybe you can get you a win and get the Jets up

to number one. They I know they didn't show it. I didn't watch this game, but I know they didn't show anything here. They're gonna win a game once they get means you back in there. He's gonna have one of those games. But that doesn't happen until he's back in. Mark, I will always love you. Let's move on and I'm way to Houston. I don't like the future, but here we go. Shotgun, here's here's uplift wants to wait from it? Steps up? Who wants to run? He's drag path flings

the ball forward. It's dead and Tea were on town waiting twenty When I'm at an eleven ago, Mark van Demir haven't heard from him. A lot k I l z Cam Newton could have found anyone scrambled was forced into an incompletion, the game clinching fourth down stop for the Texans. They beat the Patriots. It marks Houston's first one of the year over a team that is not the Jacksonville shook this loss. It's a killer for the Patriots and no other way around that. Yeah, it's a

killer because of the uphill climb that they face. Um, but when I watched it, I I kept coming back to the same point, which was, you know, for as much as we've talked about how this offense has had to adjust to have a little bit of a different scheme with Cam Newton and they run the ball with him and this and that, he aired it out a lot today. I mean, I know they lost the game and it's gonna be tough going forward, but if you want some encouraging signs, you get out of Cam Newton

for three or sixty five yards in a touchdown. He he found his guy today was Demir Bird converted a ton of third downs with them. I think the third down percentage was over thanks to the contributions of Demir Bird, who had I believe it was a career day and and uh it was in couraging even if it doesn't end up meaning that much because of the fact that they're in a pretty deep hole at this point. That Cam Newton is not just a guy that you try to run a QB power with, but can also find

open receivers from time to time. Well, their defense has been the story to me this season, the total collapse, you know, Gilmore. I know they had some moments against Baltimore and they're gonna you know, they'll probably have some moments during the season, but this none of this season was gonna make sense for the Patriots with the defense that's in the worst ten I would say of the NFL,

and I think they are they are comfortably there. This This feels like a game where it was like two teams that getting closer to a record that actually, um is where their level is. Because Houston's about as good at two in two and seven team that I've ever seen with Watson having you know, he's been a top five, top six quarterback this year. They deserve to be three and seven, and the Patriots probably deserve to be four and six. That's about their level. And and it's short

circuits and he hopes they had for the playoffs. But the way the NFCS, the a f C is looking, I mean seven and three is like you need that right now to be in the playoffs. That's how the a f C is looking. Usually that stuff kind of levels out and as but there is every once in a while. Happened to the Patriots actually years and years ago that eleven and five didn't get you in the playoffs. But it is interesting, uh to see how many teams are on pace for you know, eleven and even twelve

wins right now. It's funny because, like we've we talked Justin Herbert, who's playing like amazing and changing everything we thought UM on a terrible team with a terrible record that for some reason, I maybe just because he's young and I feel like there's hope around him. Like this, Deshaun Watson, this incredibly stellar season lost on this direction

list team UM depresses me. And I think it's because I'm not certain that there's a very clear way out of this darkness for the Houston organization on a lot of different levels that we can talk about down the road, but it just feels like a we're wasting and almost will be we'll have forgotten about Deshaun Watson's incredible work

this year. He looks awesome. Well, they need to get They got to get past this wreckage of the Bill O'Brien sure era as a GM and that's gonna mean getting past a couple of drafts that are have been compromised by when now moves he made that in hindsight

were not the right move. So yeah, that's and the general kind of vibe around it with easter be involved, uh, and the fact that they have the interim coach, there's just a for sure, a different kind of picture around the Texans as compared to the Chargers, even when to me, Deshaun Watson at this stage is a better quarterback than Justin Herbert, although maybe closer than anyone could have possibly thought we should know because we never we never mentioned

this on a show that easter be Um. I think he did enough and got on got on enough people's radars that they had to make a very clear statement. The team president did mid last week that he will not be the GM, and then the owner came out and said over the weekend he will not be the GM. I think just that's fine. If he's choosing the GM, I don't care. It's meaningless, but there was the prm

of that they're making and I get it. But my I guess my point is if he's ultimately the most important person in setting up the GM coach structure, which at this point. We have every reason to believe he will be then all that stuff is is bogus pr But we don't need to talk Easter be all day again. I'm sorry. I will say that they do have some pieces in place. They have. You know, Justin Reid had

a good game today. He had a clutch sack lead in the game that put the Patriots in in a hole and ended up resulting them settling for a field goal when they had a promising drive going to look like they could end up tying the game. Obviously, you have Deshaun Watson. The biggest thing they have to do in the offseason. I gotta figure out how to fix this running game because again no semblance of a rushing attack whatsoever. Deshaun Watson led them and rushing with six

attempts for thirty six yards. He had a touchdown run that basically punctuated Greg's point about the defense when he ran right through Devin mccordy for a touchdown. I mean and and trucked him like he was a big running back, not a quarterback. Could we expect to make that guy miss or outrun him instead of running through him. But there are still a lot of holes to fill. It's not a complete wreckage. This ship isn't entirely sunk with

Bill O'Brien going down as the captain. But they're gonna need more than some life preservers to keep it afloat or keep their people on board a float. Well put

Nick Shook, which takes us to Sunday night football. Great protection again Mahomes to the ends of light off and touchdown Kelsey, Patrick Mahans, who exchanged plays like no other Al Michael's little skipping his step in Las Vegas with the call Patrick Mahomes to the great Travis Kelsey with twenties eight seconds to play in the fourth quarter of the deciding score and a thirty five to thirty one

Chief's victory over the very game Las Vegas Raiders. Um. The Chiefs moved to nine and one, the Raiders fault to six and four, and can only ask what could have been if they get one more stop? Greg Both teams have reasons to feel good about themselves. I know only one team could win. Uh and you go all the way top to the quarterback position. This to me was the best quarterback game of the season. Maybe Russell Wilson Kyler Murray one. You can say rust Cama was

pretty solid on Sunday Night, but this one was better. Okay, fine, you can talk about that one. But I thought Derek Carr and Patrick Mahomes put on an absolute show in this game, and it was a joy to watch. Really, it was amazing. I mean, I love watching this Chiefs team.

I don't want to take it for granted. Just the small things that Patrick Mahomes does, but Car matching him throw for throw and Car being the one for much of the game that went down the field and when he really needed to was able to create is what made this game so surprising, uh and delightful. The only thing that wasn't surprising was the last one fifth, the that that the Chiefs get the ball back after Jason Witton of all people, you know, give the Raiders the

lead and they just march right down the field. I think Mahomes is brilliance though, came out the drive before, like the fourth and one play where the blitz is time perfectly and he has the backpedal and time that thing like he made. That's where like a guy like Mahomes makes it look easy. Another play where he pump fakes and gets it to Kelsey on the scrambled drill. It's like, that's those are the plays no one else

can do. And so yeah, the Raiders get a lollipop and they feel good, but it's a brutal loss because they're not gonna win the division there six and four now, and the Chiefs way by Rex years to take them out on the other end of the get it. I mean, I like, I I see a Raiders team fueled um, And I don't mean this negatively. I mean it almost positively fueled by anger, anger towards the Chiefs, and like from a bird's eye view, Um, you know, Dan, you

say that it's the boat. Teams have things that can take away Mike Mayock, Um and John Gruden together are building a formidable a f C contingent here. I I look at guys like Josh Jacobs, Um, Jonathan Abram, Max Crosby, Hunter, renfro Um, and it extends to everyone else. It's just that they I think, you know, even looking at the box score three quarters in, they almost mirrored the Chiefs. I think they're they're They're not the Chiefs. They don't

have Patrick Mahomes, they can't be. But they won the first about to go one and one if you said you'd go one and one and be sitting here where you are with your record. Um, the Raiders have to be thrilled. I I think they can hang with anyone in the a f C. Um, They're they're well coached. Uh to me, I I watched this team and like, yeah,

you fell tonight, but I have no problem with it. Like, um, I think the Raiders are just well constructed, well built, well coached, and you're you can't give the ball back to Mahomes with you know, one for five or whatever was going on there. Um. I also would throw in a side comment that I don't think that al Michael's respects Leam mckugh at all. He had to he had to mention Leam mckugh sort of postgame theatricals at some point, and you could tell that this was also one of

the best for all the negatives around Corona. The audible the audible like audio energy of this game. Being able to listen to Derek Carr and others like do pre snap and um, you know, like line of incredible stuff like so, I don't know, it was a wonderful football game. Um. The Raiders hung in there. To me, the Chiefs, this is what they do. Michelle will interview the star of the night in and then Leon wraps up the weekend. Am I wrong about that? I just sensed a sense

um a potential potential lack of respect there. Al Michael's called the Miracle on Ice forty years ago. Al Michael's has betting slips that are older than Liam mcku. So it's just a matter of time. It's just maybe in time, Lee will earn the respect of al Michael's, but we're not there yet. I think that that anger is personified by Jonathan Abram, who it became clear to me two or three weeks ago when the Raiders are playing the Browns that Jonathan Abram is a borderline psychopath on the

football field. In that game, he made a tackle on Kareem Hunt and ripped his own helmet off just to talk trash. He flies around the field like that every game. He took that type of anger and into this game, and I think it becomes frustration for the Raiders going forward, because you're right, they are kind of building a similar fashion, but they don't have the X factor. Derek car is a good quarterback. But Patrick Mahomes is is one of

a kind. And when you take the field with you know, a minute twenty or whatever it was left, you know, less than two minutes. It's basically what Gregs tweet was, which was, Oh, yeah, I'm sure that will wrap this game up. You know, that's a good job, Raiders. Congrats on the wind. Yeah that's not gonna happen because you knew Mahomes gonna lead him down the field. They made it look so easy that it is really frustrating. But this would be such a fun matchup if we got

this in the divisial round. Let's see the Chiefs of the one seed and let's you know, somehow they downed the Steelers in the feet of the say the Chiefs are undefeated or not undefeated, but they take the one seat and they meet in the divisional round in Kansas City. I mean, it would make for a great postseason matchup because I don't think the Raiders are that far off. And I know they still gave up thirty five points, but this was one of the better defensive showings against

the Chiefs I think this season. Um relatively speaking, they gave they gave them problems until that final quarter. They definitely gave them problems. There was a moment there I was like, are the Chiefs gonna struggle to well? There was a vote where I thought, I want to have to cha. They got two stops. I mean, they choosing their choosing, And it's the problem with playing the Chiefs in the in the impressive thing is the Raiders can match them, but do you do you want to lose

fast or slow? And they chose to make them go in these long drives, but they weren't getting stops. Yeah, I know, and for the most part you're especially in the fourth quarter, but there was a little bit of a period there in the second half I was like, wow, they're actually standing up somewhat well, considering again that this is the Chiefs, which most teams struggle to stop. So it would make for a really fun playoff matchup if

we could get there. And until then, it's it's a fun rivalry in this division, and it's kind of a return to, you know, a rivalry that is strong decades ago and looks like it's going to be for the near future. All right, So it's Jason Witten that catches the go ahead touchdown pass with one to play. We've been We've really been all over the place. We're jumping around, We're trying to figure out how much time was left. And I said, abe is the exact number when Witton scores?

And how about that? Jason Witton had almost had the game winning catching a big primetime game in and this is what happened when the Chiefs took over. It took him seven plays to go seventy five yards in one minute fifteen seconds. Mahomes to Tyreeke for ten, Mahomes incomplete, Mahomes to Tyreeke for nine, Mahomes to Hardman for sixteen, Mahomes to Kelsey for fifteen, Mahomes to darry uh Darris Williams for three, and then after a time out by Casey,

Mahomes to Kelsey for twenty two. It's we we shouldn't take it for granted, like what we're seeing here with the Chiefs and how they can make everyone look terrible, uh so amazing, and the Raiders they fall to six and four. I was just I just took a look at the a f C standings. It's still obviously a log jam. They have the tiebreaker as Shook and Cessler no very well on the Browns, who there are one game behind, and also now the Ravens have dropped down

into this six and four territory. I think the Raiders are a playoffs team. Maybe something changes from now. I think they're a better team, uh than the Browns Tennessee. I think they are a better team than the Titans and the Ravens. As weird as it is to say, I think they could be better than the Rates the Ravens. So I expect the Raiders to bounce back from this. Well. More importantly, their schedule finally opens up. It's been one of the toughest in the NFL all season, and the

rest of it is not bad. The only thing I would I would caution against and I think they could be a dangerous team in the playoffs, is like now is their time? Okay, yeah, maybe they're building something. That's what they thought last time, That's what a million teams think, and so it's when you're at this point, like you

gotta advantage. I think they have an offense that can go deep in the playoffs right now, and their defense makes a couple of plays like no no team has given the Chiefs as much trouble as the Raiders so close. I'm not afraid that's exactly it. I think that maybe it's a Grooden thing, UM, and we don't know what's happening behind the scenes. But if you can only imagine Gruden's speeches to this team, and you know he knows

Andy Reid. Uh you know, as Greg mentioned, Andy Reid is John Gruden's or Grant the godfather of of of Andy Reid apparently, But like, um, there, well, I think there was just no fear. We're gonna go, We're gonna go take it to the Chiefs and like, uh, I'm with you, Dan. I think the Raiders um came into Cleveland and outmuscled a Cleveland team that missed some of its key components. But that tiebreaker is killer. I could see a ten and six team in the a f

c UM watching the playoffs from home. I mean, I'm pretty sure we will get that. Huh. Well, you know, you know what's happened, and it's gonna happen probably the same team twice UM in the course of a tenure. This is a nice little in joke on the Browns and maybe saved for the Browns podcast. I wouldn't call it a joke. It was not funny. Uh shout out.

The only thing more impressive than the quarterback play today was, as Mark alluded to NBC Sunday Night Football, the best best best production in the game, from the booth to the highlight, to the uh different camera angles to the sound. It's unbelievable what they can do. And it was like having Derek Carr in the living room all night and hearing all this, which I don't know that I want, but I'll take it tonight. I don't need that seven

nights a week. But I liked Mamba, James Harden, Pistol Pete, Chris Mullen, all NBA players that are name dropped, uh in the cadence also Sammy Davis got a name dropped. It was a lot of fun and U and one other thing in the telecast the weakest link, Ricky. Now they're you know, now they're selling it as in big block lettering. Could this be the weakest team ever? So I know Patrick Laban was optimistic that, oh, that's just kind of like the stick of the show that the

host is going to get on everyone. But now we have ever more evidence that something happened on this show that maybe wasn't great. Yeah, I don't know. If you're listening to this on Monday morning, you gotta check it out tonight. And if you're listening to it late night Sunday, I gotta check it out tomorrow. I'm gonna I'm gonna reverse that narrative I expecting Tuesday. I guess you're screw Yes,

you're gonna have to listen to it yesterday. Another theory, I expect a littlebron like performance out of Ricky Hollywood on the weakest link to Alright, from one week team to do another real quick new segment that Eric and I cooked up. We we should do a round up at the end of every Sunday show. Just where we are at with the lock of the week? Ricky? How how are we doing this? Alright? So here is Oh, it sounds nice. What's this? Oh? This is the club

for the Dove the Doves. So if you've won your lock this week, you get I bottle service a separate table. This week it's just Dan alone. Naturally, this segment occurs now Mark always thinking the worst than meet and utter reality. Alright, well, Mark, you're in the room with me. Right obviously, No. No, Greg and I like went into our you know, our Dolphins finish. Oh, I'm I'm alone. Where where's the rest of the gang. H We're outside the club, dub Now

it's only you. What happened? What? Ricky? The conceit of this is to let people know what the locks were this week? Us absolutely so. Greg originally locked up the Chiefs, but switched it this morning, um to the Dolphins. Bad move. Mark also locked up the Dolphins. Dan, as you alluded to earlier, you took the Saints even with the Taysom Hill announcement, West has locked up. This is a big one. You guys the Rams on Monday night football against Tom Brady?

What about you? America? And I locked up the loser Patriots total non factor. Kang in there, Ricky. Will this segment occur next week? If Greg and I were to win our locks and Dani were to go down in the House of Fire, I can't hear you. It's still loud in here, Mark, of course not. Maybe next time you can can join me. All right, absurd Greggy, you can come on in, Come on anyway, all right, here we go. It's like the only third place allowed inside

only coming in. Somebody said, all right, why did you switch off the Chiefs by the way, because the line was seven and a half and we had said it seven. My whole my whole point was with the whole thing is I don't like this game. I'm gonna try to I'm still in first and if there is a rule if you win two years a row, which this would be, then you can kill it. But my whole point with my problems with the segment was you need to have rules. You know, if you're gonna play rules, then then what

are you talking about. I'm saying if if I win the two years in a row, everyone knows that's the rule, then you can kill the segment. The segment will never die. The segment will die when I'm off the show. When I won the picks two years in a row, then I got to kill that and this happen. You can't be killing the idea of this, uh you know, part of our show, but also be writing picks for NFL dot com. Think he thinks he killed the other You

can't have that, you know. Every way you know we did is Greg Rosenhall, the fun Ler'll be on that for a long time. That mystery has been sold. All right, that's it. This is a Den Hanson signing up for a quiet storm. The mail Matt, yes uh, Nick Shook, the unshookable Nick Shook. Working on it. We'll figure out eventually. The old Boston Ricky Hollywood behind the velvet roast on the wrong side. Until six