2020 Week 2 Preview

But it's important to keep some you know, distance and understand that it's a long season. So anything that went terribly weak one doesn't mean that the season is over because everything could change. All the depressing thoughts you've had about your favorite team over the past five days that could all just disappear with one good performance over three hours on Sunday. I would mean to throw this out too, that there's another scenario where the depressing thoughts attached to

your team become deeper and more depressing. I mean, you fall into that O and two trap, and history tells you you're in You're in hot water, especially if you're O in two because you're just functional so you know there's both sides of the coin. Here are you talking

about the brands? The week you attack, Dan, this is where you attack if you're if you're into the whole, uh, you know, desert situation early in the year, there's a lot of like preconceptions people went into with the year, and then you saw a week one and people overreact, you know, things are a little like loosey goosey. In weeks one to three, that's the time to attack. I mean, Greg, you have a problem. I think it's very clear at

this point. I hope it's not going to take down your whole family because you've seen it happen in the past and it's sad. I work for the NFL. They they take care of the solution. You know, I am a law abiding NFL. I work for the NFL. They take care of the solution that is that is make the rules that I can't get into it. I can just talk about it, and that actually helps my Sundays um be a lot more relaxed. And there are a series of waivers that we signed to do the jobs

that we do in regards to the desert. I know that Dan and I signed the manually I have no There is no proof that Greg has ever put you get those emails if you forget all right, As we do every Thursday, it is our spin through the week ahead over the weekend. On Thursday nights we release our Thursday Night football recap of Brown's Bengals. But today we will spin through every game to be played on Sunday and Monday. And as always we do it snake style. Six Uh. We go one to three, three to one,

one two three. That's how snake works. And Mark, good news for you, buddy. You have drawn the first pick in the week to draft. Well, you know it's a pre vilege. It's a privilege, you know. In years past, I like to do weird things with the first pick, to throw everyone kind of off their balance. Not this time around. I'm going with I think is what I think is the best game on the board. It is New England at Seattle. Let's not call it something else.

This is I don't see that. I don't get this Super Bowl rematch thing with so many, you know, so many characters in other places. Tom Brady's not there, others included Marshawn Lynch. But here's the matchup. I love coming out of Week one where Cam Newton and the New England Patriots attacked a Dolphins team correctly on the ground, because that's what the Dolphins were riped. That's how they were right to be dealt with. Very different situation here

with Seattle. You've got Bobby Wagner Jamal Adams last week, who was an absolute terror, throwing Todd Durley around, doing all sorts of things, Jamal Adams types of things that we've seen in the past. I love the matchup of Jamal Adams versus Cam Newton and how will the Patriots have to counteract that and maybe show us some things they didn't show us last week on offense? Right, I think you're gonna have to expand the pass the game

if you're the Patriots as the season goes along. But I think they look at this matchup and they think we got a mismatch against the Seahawks defensive line. I mean, the Patriots know their strengths. It's their offensive line, it's the amount of diversity they could put into the running game, like right off the bat. That's an impressive job of coaching. It's an impressive job of quarterbacking by Cam Newton. That

he could handle that much. And I think you look at Seattle and they kind of got handled by Atlanta up front on both sides of the ball. Really. I mean, they have so many strengths, but one of them is not the defensive line. So I don't know if the Patriots are really gonna be ready to start airing it out. I think it's gonna be ground game or bust still with this team, I'm really interested to see how Cam

Newton is used in this game. I the staff that jumped out to me the most of out of every stat coming out of Week one was that his fifteen carries we're the most he's ever had in his career in a game that didn't go to overtime, and that includes the saladays in Carolina. So now we're gonna see, uh if that is indeed how he is going to be used. And on the other side, it's just a great quarterback matchup because Russell Wilson and the whole narrative of let Russ Cook. Is this going to continue now?

Is he gonna be allowed to air the ball out? And it's gonna be difficult against the New England secondary, which is still very good with one of the best corners in the league and stuff on Gilmore. Yeah, right, totally different situation than dealing with a pretty identity free Falcons defense. I think they are I mean, from Brian Schottenheimer to Pete Harold, it kind of voice that this is what they want to do. You've got DK Metcalf,

You've got Tyler Lockett. Why not? I think this is a new version of the Seahawks, right, But at some point the Patriots are just gonna be inviting Chris Carson in the Seahawks to run. They're gonna be putting so many defensive backs on the field and Seattle, if you beg Brian Schottenheimer to run the ball, I think you've gotta run the ball. I think you want to do that against the Patriots because the strength is in the secondary. But but you're right Mark that the Sea change was

not just like a narrative. I mean they got a huge pass interfere because they let Rust throw the ball on third and twenty three. They wouldn't know. Yeah, how many times have you seen Pete Carroll run the ball for four yards on third and twenty three. They scored a touchdown on fourth and five. This might even be a what timing we got here. We also saw them throw the ball up thirteen points on third down like late in the game. That all that stuff, I never

seen it with Pete Carroll. If they did that in the Super Bowl a little more consistently, they would have won it. And this is a revenge game because that's the most painful loss in Super Bowl history. Dan, you loved it being there that night. Uh sure, I don't. You know. That's the past, just like the Patriots of the past when you talk about the great teams in the NFL. And I thought that the Patriots a great start to the season. Great narrative to spin that Cam

is Cam again and all that. But I'd be curious, Greg, as someone who follows the Patriots very closely, what you thought about the rest of the offense. I wouldn't say like it. Maybe it got a little overlooked. There wasn't a dominating effort by any stretch. What did you think about the rest of the offense outside of Cam, Well, there wasn't much. I mean, dentleman needs to be healthy,

he's not to kill. Harry made a couple catches. If if I could live with myself, I would lock up the Seahawks in this game because I think the Patriots have a ways to go before they totally developed. Unlike Mark, I'm never gonna be, you know, picking against my own team, so I'm not gonna do that. But I think this game is a little too early in the season for the Patriots to be ready to go on the road and win a game. One little nugget in this game.

Last week with with New England and Miami, they ran the Patriots ran the slowest offense in the league. I mean, it's not a surprise because you're using your quarterback on the ground the whole time. But one way to defuse, you know this let Russ Cook business is you don't let him in the kitchen. You gotta you got you You continue just to run the ball NonStop and keep you know. Last week was a track was a track

meet the Falcons in Seattle. I think this could take on a different form and forced the Seattle Seahawks to do something a little bit different. M hmm. Sounds like a lot of fun. Good pick, Mark, nice solid number one overall draft pick. And now it comes to me with the number two pick. Oh, it's a hard I always struggle with this, but I will pick the Baltimore

Ravens at Houston Texans with the second overall pick. You know, I am a little bit scared for the rest of the NFL because what we saw from Lamar Jackson against the Browns. The one the only facet you could pick apart a little bit with Jackson last year was some of his downfield throwing accuracy where passes over ten yards he completed less than fifty percent. That was not a

problem against the Browns. In fact, he was pretty much locked in everything that he threw, found a receiver and he was hitting guys in stride and and uh if he uh makes that part of his game even better. I mean that that is a scary thought. So you get to see how he looks in Week two against the Texans defense that is not dominant by any stretch.

But it's also just a great quarterback matchup because Deshaun Watson, I said it on our podcast earlier this week around the NFL podcast check it out four times a week, that I hate when teams get sent It was like it's like a lamb to slaughter that Thursday night football game and someone else's building that's the defending champion. Now let's see where the Texans the Deshaun Watson are are are at. It's a great QB matchup and I think

it's gonna be a really good game. I mean, this is a tough week to see where they're at two because they they're playing maybe the scariest team in the league. You're right. I mean that was as good a day throwing as Lamar Jackson had. And I think it's a way that the Ravens are now taking what the defense gives them and teams are gonna try to stop the run, and that this Texans defense, I think they're gonna give

a lot. I mean, they got these two inside linebackers that are not good in coverage, that get paid huge money. And who who did the Ravens pick on more than linebackers. It's with their running backs, it's with their tight end. I just can't see a scenario where the Ravens aren't going up and down the field like they did when they dropped forty one on this Texans team last year. Right, that game was forty one to seven, So it wasn't as if you know, the Texans offense got going either.

I think the Texans offense. You know, with Deshaun Watson, there's always hope. But to your point on Lamar Jackson, Cleveland tried to pressure him. They let him sit in the pocket, they let they went all over the place with him on play action. The results were the same no matter what they did against the Ravens, they just imposed their will. They used Mark Andrews at tight end more than they have before. I think that's a bad

scenario for the Texans. And I think this is a team the Ravens says, we don't care about your fantasy football squad at all. We're gonna use JK. Dobbins near the end zone. We're gonna use mark Ingram. They have so many different pieces and they're so confident what they're doing that you know, you look at that game last year and maybe it doesn't carry over seven. I don't know. I mean, what's so different about this Ravens team. They seem just more agitated and more you know, revenge seeking

than before. To erase the past two Januaries and say we are the a f c's best team, come at us. But to my to my point I was talking about earlier the week one, sometimes we get a little bit two wrapped up and the and the Browns did not show up to play, you know, better than anyone mark in that game. So the Aven's looked like they were they were the greatest team of all time. I'm not saying the Texans are an amazing team either, but I think they're gonna pose a bigger challenge. Here's a great

staff from NFL Media Research. Lamar Jackson is twenty five passing touchdowns and just one pick over his last eight regular season games. I mean, that's what I mean. This guy is out of control. That's why he's the defending m v P. I mean, I would lock this game up again if I could look in the mirror for it. But your boys in in Texas, uh you know you love Billy O'Brien. You always got a soft spot for him, Dan,

but I just don't see it. And again, I know it's Week one, but man, that offensive line, which made a lot of progress, uh in was about the worst offensive line in the league in the opener, and that that's a problem. The Ravens are gonna test your communication. They're gonna send a lot of blitz. Is I hope I'm wrong because I want to watch a fun game when it's Watson versus Lamark. I like the dunnyamic of Gregg telling us that he might lock up every single

game that we go through. Well, I know there's all these you know how ankers who are saying, no, you know, you can't looked it up? Are you looking in the mirror? So this thing, you know, I think people would get on me with this one, letting people know where I stand. I am gonna draft of Falcons and the Cowboys. I feel good about this game because, uh, to me, teams that are oh and one but actually have a chance to matter. That's what Week two matters more for them

than anyone. And I start this game thinking about draft day. Go back to April, when any of the pandemic was just starting, and the Falcons reached for cornerback A. J. Terrell in the first round, allowing the Cowboys to take Ceedee Lamb one pick later, and you know, fast forward to a week one and A. J. Terrell was strug Lane. I mean, this secondary was bad overall, but Terrell especially

got picked on by Russell Wilson. And now this Falcons defense and the secondary especially which just doesn't doesn't look great. Has to go up against one of the best, if not the best wide receiver tandems in the league, and Ceedee Lamb is out there making plays right off the bat. Could be big regret city for Thomas the MIT draft right off the bat. Yeah, I think, I mean, I

think it is. And it's the kind of thing that gets on you know, Falcons fans radars right away, and uh they'll cling to it because you know the defense in Atlanta. You know, if someone told me last week that Matt Ryan was gonna throw for four hundred and fifty yards multiple touchdowns, connect with his his top three wideouts for nine cast catches a piece, and they were gonna get flamed by the Seahawks, that tells you a

lot about Atlanta's defense. Uh. The one thing I am a little nervous about with Dallas though They rated as the third worst offensive line in the league last week by PFF, and to me, it's you know, they're banged up. Um. I think we like to think of Dallas is having this stalwart front five. It's just not the case right now. They're gonna have to survive without that. But the weapons and tell me that Zeke Elliott is not running as well as you've ever seen. Uh. That guy is on

my fantasy team. I think that makes me look very smart on a week to week basis Dan, So I'm flying with that. Yeah, he looked good. The same thought went through my mind as I was watching him on Sunday that it wasn't a monster game from him. But he just seems to be moving fast and he's just like that guy could be on my team anyday. The tattoo on the stomach, the feed me tattoo. I know that's his bit, but that feels, you know, a little,

a little beyond the pale for me. His mom even chined in on Twitter that she was upset about it. But listen, it's his body, it's his right. Um. I am really high on the Cowboys in this game. Uh. And because what happened on Sunday night, the way the offense was really shut down uh by Los Angeles. And also because I don't think the Falcons have any identity on defense. And this is a get right game for the Cowboys. This is a game where they're gonna score

a lot of points. And this is what the Cowboys do. They build up expectations, they fall on their face everybody gets out on them, then they do little monster game. People get back on the bus, then they fall off again. I mean it's over and over. But this is the week where they put up thirty plus points. The Falcons can't keep up on the road. And that's why I'm locking it up. I'm locking up the couchu uh Dotty was coming there. Take this game and and do it

with ease. I think this is a double digit win for Dallas. My one. You don't have Laton vander esh Shawn Lee is out. I mean, your linebacking corps is an issue, and I mean the one thing Atlanta can do is they can go up and down the field and score points themselves. So I could see this being a juicy shootout. I mean, your lock I think is a solid one. Damn, but it might take you down to the bitter end to find out if you if

you prevail. I get what you're saying that Mark, but I think that they certain weeks, the Cowboys offense, which I'm still bullish about, even if the offensive line struggled in Week one, will be able to just run away from their problems just by scoring a ton of points. And I think this will be one of those weeks. M I'm going against you, Dan. I got those picks up on NFL dot Com. I like a little road

upset shootout. Don't feel too strong, but if I'm gonna pick a close game, you might as well make it fun. And I liked what I saw at the Falcon's offense. I mean, I know that the matchup was potentially favorable against that Seahawks defensive line, but they really look like a good offensive line. They went over four on fourth down or else. The Falcons I think could have put up about thirty points. And Mark, you said it like

when the Cowboys lose players they're thin. I mean, you're suddenly starting Joe Thomas, you know, not the old Browns, Mark, And you know a linebacker, You're you're suddenly starting Terrence Steel, you know, right tackle? Uh, you're starting Dalton Schultz a tight end. So it's like, I think this Falcons team gotta be a little frisky. They're gonna be frisky this year. All right, let's keep moving, Greg, you know it works.

It's snakes back to you your draft pick and yet an yet them somehow not really that prepared for the moment. Let's take the primetime game. Let's go Saints. Uh Las Vegas Raiders opening the new statu Uh this this should be pretty fun. But I'm starting thinking about the Saints after being on national TV a week ago. They're going to be again, and I think this is a get

right game for them. Regardless of Michael Thomas. This Vegas Raiders defense, to me, is the type that Sean Payton and Drew Brees can just beat from the neck up. They're just gonna dice you, They're gonna slice you. They're gonna find seven yard openings and just move the ball up and down the field. Because I was hoping maybe to see some better um you know, pass rush and linebacker play from the Raiders, I didn't see it. I mean,

they did not play good defense a week ago. And it's one game where I think kind of the institutional knowledge of the Saints team is at least going to be able to score enough points to win this game in Vegas. I think one of the best performances that I saw last week was Josh Jacobs, and you know I watched it after hearing that John Gruden compared him to Walter Payton, I thought, hold on, here, come on,

John Gruden. But then when I went and watched it, Um, I'm not saying he's Walter Payton, but I get what Cruden was saying because this is a player that Number one ran like a man possessed. But he wasn't really a threat as a receiver last year. I think he had about twenty catches in this game. Last week he was completely different through the air. I think they've got

a multi weapon back who can do a lot. And I know on the flip side, you know, the Bucks last week really kept these Saints at bay with two point four yards per rush. That's not going to be the case this week. Las Vegas is an inviting i think front seven to run against. We're going to get a real instant look at where this Drew Brees storyline is in week two, because it's been a big talking point all through the week about the two seventy total yards of offense and how Drew Brees maybe is finally

getting old and all that. Well, let's see, let's see how he looks in week two. He is on the road. You know, if you're Saints fan, you'd rather him have a cushy home matchup. But at the same time, it's the Raiders who just gave up thirty plus points uh to Teddy Bridgewater Breezes old backup and a Panther's offense, which is good but not you know, game changing by

any stretch. So I think that this will be a good test, and I I do like saying I like the Saints, and I like Drew Brees with a bounce back week because I think he has it in him. And I like Alvin Kamara, who didn't get anything going on the ground last week, but he was very active in the passing game. He's healthy. Obviously Michael Thomas is not healthy, so Kamar is gonna have an even bigger

role than you would even think typically. So I expect one of those monster Kamara games, maybe over two yards total offense, that type of day. Yeah, keep an eye on the on the Raiders offensive line because John Gordon is making it clear he's a little annoyed that Trent Brown isn't staying in these games. And Trent Brown, to me, is kind of the key of that offensive line, almost the key of the whole offense, you know, beyond Derek car because they they count on leaning on teams with

that line. That's tough to do against the Saints. It's a little old school football. I like that the Raiders are playing like nineteen nineties early nineties football. You got the Grooden scowls. It's it's perfect for Monday night. I mean, the one concern they've leaved labeled this amazing new stadium, and I wish we could have a full crowd there to see, you know, people coming off the strip after being there all day long, rolling into what they're calling

the Death Star in a high octane format. But the Death Star was essentially blown up twice, so I think the messaging maybe might be a little often. I know that you guys don't get the reference, but it's a science fiction from from the seventies and eighties. Stand doesn't ring a bell? Is that the one with jar Jar Binks? Uh? No, thankfully not. I wish that film never existed. And we've gone far too far down this wormhole as it is

for NFL football in Las Vegas. I never thought we live to see the day, and yet here we are all right time now for Road to Victory, presented by the United States Marine Corps. The draft now heads to me, and I will choose the Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Cults.

And I love this game. In fact, what a steel for the old Zeuser here in the middle of the draft, because these are two teams that you know, fashion themselves super Bowl contenders, but look nothing like that in Week one, and one of these teams is gonna be oh and two and that will be a bitter pill to swallow. Uh So I'm two things I'm really interested to see. One, how does the Minnesota Vikings defense look after they just

don't show up against the Packers. They did not show up in their building against Aaron Rodgers who shredded them for over five hundred yards. Could have been a fifty burger if a couple of things went Green Bay's way. That's how dominant Rogers was. It was just pitch and catch all day long against that young secondary. Without Daniel hunter Um, there was no push at the on the defensive line for the Vikings. It was just an ugly game. So Mike Zimmer is a great defensive coach. They have

players on this ruster expected better effort here. And on the Cult side, everybody knows what happened. It was the biggest upset of Week one. The you lose to the Jaguars, who we thought were in tank for Trevor mode. And Philip Rivers does the Rivers things which he throws ill advised passes, allowing uh an inferior team to defeat his team. Uh so how does he bounce back from that? This is a really interesting game, a Dan, I'm with you. This game is that I will I'm a little into

because I was gonna pick this. Um, you know, do the snake draft where I go like eighty two picks without with no selections. But um, you've made You've done a good job. You look at that Jacksonville game and the Colts ran twenty more plays in Jacksonville had two hundred more yards. I love the idea that Jonathan Taylor is going to get a lot of work in this game. He you know, he had a couple of plays against Jacksonville catch and near touchdown that showed his speed. He

is a phenomenal young running back. Can't wait to see him. And for me, I mean the Vikings defense. Can you handle a number one writers wide receiver. You had a seventh three lead that turned into a twenty seven deficit in the blink of an eye, and that is why I do believe the Cults are a playoff team and our producers know what's coming unlocking this game up. Know he did it. Oh my god, you hate the Vikings so much, Mark, No, I just have a feeling Greg

wanted to do what I just did, that's all. And this not a ton of conviction yet. Well you know, I picked the Colts to make the Super Bowl, which is a little out rageous because I know there's ghouls like Dan who just want to dig dirt on Philip. Go watch that, Go watch that Week one tape. Let's go see that the deep out, the strong arm that Philip Rivers was throwing. I mean, I was actually encouraged by this game. When he makes some throws, it actually

made me feel better. That's not that you have to have a big time arm to be making these throws down the field. I feel better about them. I want to see their offensive line play a little better, especially in short yard situation in the run game. But this is the matchup to do it. Because you said the Vikings defensive line didn't show up. You said they have players, do they at defensive tackle? That's kind of the position

that they lost the most. That No, one's really paying any attention to I think Taylor goes up and down the field. You're right, I wanted to do this, Mark, I am doing this. I'm locking it up. Well, now we gotta say the games ahead of time, because we got the graphic and everything. I had a couple that you know, we're a little less spice. See this one. This one felt nice. You know. The way that Tom Coughlin was loyal to Eli Manning and Giants management is

the way you are the philip Rivers. You will always look past all the terrible things he does and say, oh, but he had one bullet pass, uh to t Y Hilton was seven minutes to play in the third quarter. So his arm is still great. No, man, no, that's not gonna cut it anymore. He is he cannot do what he used to do in his heyday. And you see it with these throws that he forces into small windows.

And because he doesn't have the arm he did and it never was a rifle arm, it is now becoming a balloon factory, uh for the for the philip Rivers era here in the late period here, and I just think you can't ignore that he even had a third interception that was taken off the board by a penalty. You can't ignore that he is a liability at this

point in his career. I don't know why. Well, I means don't have C. J. Henderson first of all, and and the Colts to I'm telling you, Jonathan Taylor is going to be the guy we're talking about coming in this game. People are Jonathan Taylor, but people sleep a little bit on Marlon Mack, who was playing really well early on in that game as a receiver and as a rusher. He blows as Achilles, a terrible setback for him.

So everyone says, but slide into Jonathan Taylor. He's a superstar. Maybe, but it's almost like not getting Marlon Mac the respect that he deserves as a I like Mac, the us him hines well as well that I mean Paris Campbell's coming on. There's a lot of young guys on this offense. I think they're gonna grow and get better weekly. I'm just saying that Jonathan Taylor is a big part of it now. And it's not a nag on Mac. It's just that I really do like what I see from Taylor,

and not a nug on you. Mark Sessler I was just pointing out more that I feel like people just brushed the mac injury under the rug, and then all the fantasy had just under the rug to the kid, you know, and okay, you know there's nothing personal towards you. That was the road to victory presented by the United States Marine Corps. All right, Mark Snakes, do you you know?

I already know where I'm going here? And I think it says something that I'm picking one team that um as a Browns fan, destroyed my childhood thanks to John Elway, and another team that continues to destroy my football Sundays in the Pittsburgh Steelers. But this matchup is just a little too juicy, uh to pass up after what I

saw on Monday night from both of these teams. Uh. I look at Denver and even if they were to lose to Pittsburgh and they were owing two, which at a time when we can write certain teams off the way that this offense is starting to what they're showing me and where they are right now and where they're going to be when guy like Jerry Judy and Noah Funt, but especially Jerry Judy comes into his own, I saw

a star player on Monday night. I know there were some drops, but I think we all saw the same thing. A completely different type of wide receiver who completely jumps off the page. This is a tough test. Pittsburgh defense looks absolutely Uh it's a it's monstrous and the front and the front and seven and the t J. What t J walk and do that to me? I don't love that for Drew Lock, and I don't love Denver's

offensive line, but I just want to see how they handle. Uh. But the strengths of boast boat teams here and you know, Big Ben look great, so I think we're looking at I wouldn't be surprised that these two met again down the road in the playoffs. I want to see where they are too. I really believe in Denver as a late season sort of berserker type operation. Oh you know, Mark loves the berserkers, and this this team is one that that could do. I mean, no offense, insane. He

he just physically after the catch. He might be the guy and duty. I mean he's putting people on a blender in those clips that they should be a lot of fun to watch. But we've also never seen Drew Lock play a defense like this. That was kind of the criticism of his late season run. They certainly didn't play a great defense in Week one. He literally has never faced a scheme like this, a group of talented players like this and teams that can blitz as much

as this. So I'm really curious to see if Lock can avoid the sacks that he's been able to because since he's come UH into the starting job, he is the toughest quarterback in the league to sack. I mean, he gets rid of the ball place. It's one of the things that you kind of sleep on on him as a young player. I'm sample size. We're doing it again with this Drew Lock stuff. It's it's such a small sample size. How do we know. I mean, the Tennessee Titans could not get to the quarterback UH on

Monday night. But I want to see, let's find out about Drew locks ability to avoid sacks after after Sunday. This is actually the big one thing. And Broncos fans know that I've been kind of holding out on giving Drew Lock any type of keys to the kingdom. Yet here's the game right here. This is gonna be I believe his seventh start. This is going to be coming off an oh and one where his he led his offense to fourteen points in a loss in Week one,

and now you're playing a great Pittsburgh defense. If you avoid sacks and you make plays and you keep your team in this game, or you help win the game, I will I will say, Okay, John Elway made the right decision by going all in on Drew Lock, but I want to see it first, because I really think Pittsburgh even didn't didn't even play their a game. I didn't think on defense against the Giants, certainly against Kwon Barkley they did, but Daniel Jones was able to move

the ball through the air. Darius Slayton lit them up. Um, I think the Pittsburgh Stres have a higher level on defense and at home, could we could see it. I just I think you're holding out on Drew Loock just a little bit. I think we're also we look at quarterbacks a little differently young quarterbacks. But and maybe I

sign up too quickly for some of these guys. But I mean, we're still waiting for guys like Baker Mayfield and Sam Donald to wake up and play consistently that way, and no one's talking about not being sold on them at some level. I mean, I think a lot of people are talking about not being sold on those duds. I am no, but I'm talking about, like, like the idea that Drew Lock has shown a lot in a small Sandals size, so why are we selling it down

the river. It's like he has to prove himself now against what might be the best state defense in the league. He will I think, yeah, I think he will make plays in this game. Watch what he does. I just think that the game after game, Drew Lock is aggressive and he's got weapons around him. I mean, I don't see a lot to not like about true Lot. He was one of the PFF had him as great at as one of the worst quarterbacks a week one. So there are other people who're not seeing it. I'm somewhere

in the middle here. I think he's got a long way to go, but it's gonna be fun to watch him. And on some level, he reminds me a little bit of Roethlisberger um with his his creative ability, and that's the problem. Lot is gonna have to put up points because Roethlisberger has got mismatches all over the field. I know, Vick Fongio is great at coaching up cornerbacks. I mean, who else could put an undrafted guy and uh, a

third rounder rookie in against Tennessee and be okay? I mean they I think the name of what is it, Michael osamudia Bus is his undrafted guy. It's like, okay, that's great. You can coach him up as much as you want. These are mismatches against Juju and Deonte and and really this entire Steeler's wide receiver Crewer's this hard to imagine the Steelers not putting up some points in this game. As much as I respect your boy, Dan vick Fongio, all right, let's move forward. And I'm not

counting him out. Mark, I'm saying this is a big I'm gonna give like your boy Gardner means you, I'm gonna give you some love for your boy a little later in the show. Uh. But Drew Lock, come on now, let's see him do it first. All right, I'm up next, I will go with Oh, this is this is a tough one, but I am gonna go with Rams at Eagles. Uh. With my next choice. I really liked where I saw

from the Rams. Really all across the board. In Week one Sunday night, I thought that the offense was fun to watch, and it was clear that Sean McVeigh, a guy that sometimes weirdly now gets overlooked as one of the great minds because it's just been a narrative that played out a couple of years ago and we've moved on on some level, uh in the cogniscenti, but he still knows how to do call plays and you could tell he was doing things that we're keeping Jared Goff

in a rhythm, kept them comfortable, more short passes, Adam's hand rollouts, uh to keep his issues with mobility at Bay Bay, and concerns about the offensive line. Speaking of the offensive line, they played a lot better than they did last year. And we all were right to have concerns about the line after last season, and they still might turn out to be a liability, but they're healthy right now and we saw that what they could do

when they're healthy. And then the running game, Uh, we don't have Todd Gurley, but that didn't seem to be a problem against a very good team in Week one. So I'm really excited to see the Rams and the Eagles they got to clean it up. They got to clean it up because that was ugly last week. It feels like one of the biggest games for any team is this Eagles team try and avoid oh and two because they're panicking. Uh in Philadelphia, and with that line

being banged up, I'd be panicking a little too. With Aaron Donald coming to town. I was kicking myself after we did our Sunday night recap. Um. I just couldn't believe that I didn't mention Aaron Donald, that none of us mentioned Aaron Donald. This guy is so amazing that we almost take it for granted. But that performance in Week one, and I know you're not supposed to take you know, football points out of hard knocks necessarily, uh, but I'm going to because he was unblockable and hard

knocks and he was unblockable in Leak one. That was the most pressurous he had in the game since eighteen. And Jason Kelsey, I know he's healthy, um, but he's getting up there in years and that the guards in Philadelphia. It's just he can wreck a game all on his own. I give him the m v P from a week ago. He's the reason we're talking about the Rams offense is because Aaron Donald held that Cowboys defense down. Yeah, no,

I'm with you. I mean the one thing, though, I understand that if the Eagles ever lost this like, Philly talk radio is just simply gonna explode from the inside out. You know, we've seen it before. Uh, They're not happy about much no matter what's going on in Philly. But here's the thing. I mean, when I look at Carson Wentz, I still saw him make some incredible throws in that game to Dallas Goddard, to Jail and Rigor. I mean, there's no questioning the arm I thinks too, And I

think some of those eight sacks. You you've got to look at the way that Wentz plays and sometimes maybe another quarterback could have gotten out of some of that trouble. Um. You know, the entire ecosystem was blown up in Philly last week thanks to Chase Young and the Washington defense. I mean, is that going to happen again? Aaron Donald suggests it might, but I really think Philly is gonna have to come out and show something different. If you

get Miles Sanders back, that helps. I mean, they just were off balance all game last week. Yeah, it's hard to say that. That's another one of those Week one things where it's like, how much do you put into a Washington you know, ten weeks from now, if they're the most defensive front seven that the league is seen, uh this year, it won't seem so bad that the Eagles struggled in Week one, which is a tough week historically for everyone to get on the same page on

an offensive line. Or maybe yeah, you're right, the Eagles have major issues. Wentz has got to clean it up. Was not a good game for him. A lot of those sacks are on him, a lot of missed open throws. Maybe he's just that guy, you know, I know the Eagles fans never want to hear, but he reminds me a lot of McNair, where you know, he's a great quarterback, but he misses more gimmes than than other great quarterback. And and that's just been the case since since Week

one of his rookie season. And I don't see that changing. And I say this with peace and love to the people of Philadelphia, because I know your maniacs over there. Nobody's gonna really feel sorry for where you are as a football fan base, right now he's still got the Nick Foles glory years right in your rear view. There are a lot of other franchises that have nothing. They get nothing, they get squat. You had one of the best Super Bowl wins in the history of that game.

So come on, behave better please, Philly. Yeah, all right, welcome back, mark your pick. All right, well, I'm gonna go um Washington and Arizona. I really enjoyed watching the Cardinals last week. And you know what felt good about it, It's this team that um could have been a disappointment after being pumped up month after month in the offseason, people thinking that Kyler Murray was gonna make a Lamar Jackson type leap. I think Kyler Murray has me to leap.

I mean, he played a really good game. You know that, both against the Niners. Both teams got off to a slow start. But then the DeAndre Hopkins chemistry came into play. And I know, we spent all summer saying they didn't practice together, didn't have a camp together. It just didn't matter. And we spent all summer saying they played four wide receiver sets left and right. DeAndre Hopkins is going to

be drowned out. Well, he just did what he did in Houston and days of Old fourteen catches a hundred and fifty one yards what would have been a game winning touchdown at the end, but it was stopped at the one cent. The team in for the win right after that. I just think that Cliff Kingsbury has something here. I think coaches around the league gonna start cut copycatting this. Now you're playing a really interesting defense based on what we saw last week. So it's a very different challenge

than what the banged up Niners presented last Sunday. Right The Cardinals are built though, to stop great defensive lines. They did it a week ago because they get rid of the ball so quick and because Murray most of those runs that we're seeing those were scrambles, they weren't called runs, and it's like, there's really no great defense to stop that. Murray and Kenyan Drake just break your ankles. But this front line, led by Chase Young has a

shot at least. I mean, I learned some things about Washington. I think their secondary is gonna be better with Ron Rivera, who always coaches it up. And they were making plays on the ball, and I learned that Chase Young is gonna be a force. We don't need to wait around, and there's not gonna be any warming up. It's like, oh, he's a young pick. It's like, no, Chase Young has come to play two forced fumbles in his first game. He was the best player on that entire team in

his first game. The energy that he plays with where sometimes he's going after the quarterback that he realizes it's a screen and he runs down the running back who catches the screen. I mean, this guy, it's a lot of fun. It's kind of what I wanted out of Jadevian Clowney and I love Clowney, but to me, they remind me a little bit of each other with the

energy and the strength that he plays with. Which is interesting that you mentioned Clowney because Clowney was the last guy that got as much hype entering the draft um as Chase Young did. And yeah, like you said, Clowney has been a good but not great NFL player. But Young, yeah, right away he shows you I am I am the man. I am going to be an absolute wrecking ball. And when you take him and add him to a defensive

line that was already quality. I think it's gonna be interesting to see where things shake out for Washington because if Dwayne Haskins can raise his game up and be even just like a solid game manager, where they the offense is okay with a couple of good weeks here and there, if the defense terrorizes quarterbacks week after week and forces turnovers and puts other teams in difficult situations,

and then you look at that division. I'm not getting two ahead of myself here, but you're buying some football team stock. I'm buying a little bit of stock in that football team franchise because the Cowboys are known to let us down there already owned one with a tough Week two assignment. We know what's going on with the gream and and the Eagles are a bit of a mess right now. Don't be surprised if Washington's hanging around in the NFC East race and a couple of months,

because they have the pieces to do it. Dan, I really like it. There's one thing that you know, this is a completely different offense than a year ago under Scott's Turner the New l C. They were the seventh fastest team a week ago, and last year you remember I love their games because they'd be over in about a minute and forty an hour and forty five minutes, because they run the ball sixty times. They're different, and they have young pieces, and I know it's gonna take

a little bit of time, but you're right. If they can manage to score and just you know, consistently put some drives together. If this defense looks the way it did last week, Ron Rivera is in for an interesting first year in Washington. Dan says, don't be surprised. I mean, I'll be surprised. I think, yeah, They're coaching is better. Man. They're left tackle last week was was really struggling there on like their third spring left tackle. He's gonna go

up against Chandler John. I just think this offense is gonna have a long way to go, So I'm not getting too excited. I am excited to see though, that the Cardinals as like a team that you expect to win a home game. So go go take care of business, Cardinals. Yeah.

I also like is you know, we cover the league breathlessly even in the off season, and we talked about all these off season narratives and how the season is gonna shake out and then of them seemed to blow up in everyone's faces, but DeAndre Hopkins immediately being an unbelievable number one wide receiver for Kyler Murray and the missing piece in his developed next step in the Lamarian League. Hey, that all played out exactly to plan UH in week one,

So we'll see if that continues. Listen, looks like, you know what, we got all the way to week two before I messed up the order. But let's try to get back on track here, UH, and Greg, why don't we snake it up with you? Sorry, guys, I mean, let's let's get on track with the giving the UH the Super Bowl champion m V peace and respect and get him off the board. Now it's it's Patrick Mahomes.

That's the Chargers, It's UH, it's so Fi Stadium. It's the division rival that has given Mahomes the most trouble. For what it's worth, the defense did a pretty good job against them at times last year, and if Joey Bosa is healthy for this game, they certainly still present UH some challenges. But I want to see if the Chiefs approach from Week one changes, because they quietly were very different, not just that they moved the ball up and down the field, but they went crazy heavy play action.

Mahomes is one of the quarterbacks that they almost don't use play action at all. It's one of the only quarterbacks in the league that is has been worse on play action, which doesn't doesn't really make any sense, and they went wild with it against the Texans. It worked to some degree. You know, the Chargers are gonna be trying to defend that past. They have a nice defensive backfield despite the injuries. But I'm just curious if it's

gonna be a sea change. I think that was Andy Reid's a little bit too to surprise the Texans in the Week one. It worked to some degree, and we'll see if it will work this week. You know. The only thing though, and I know that you can't injuries or injuries, but how different would it be if this defense in this game had Derwin James. You know, they lost Drew Tranquil as well. They're already banged up. Uh, And I just I you know, I don't want to

be pessimistic about the Tyrod Taylor offense. I feel like I've hit on that multiple times. I well, I feel it, and this is This is a kind of the quest with Kansas City is how do you keep up with the team that you know, even if you hold them down for two quarters, they're gonna have that quarter or that spurt where they scored twenty one points. So I see a field goal offense with Tyrod Taylor. This is on the first four drives last week out of the gate.

You'd think some of that would be scripted action where everyone knew what's coming. Fifty eight yards over the first four drives. I mean, just this is against the Cincinnati Bengals, and I just helped me believe that this team, the way that they're constructed. I love that Anthony Lynn is sticking to his convictions. I mean, this guy wants to run the ball. He wants the quarterback to run the ball.

But how do you hang in a game like this with one of the most prolific attacks we've ever experienced covering the NFL together, I don't think they can. And I wish a lot of things about but I wish so Fi Stadium for the Chargers debut had seventy people in it. Maybe even they wouldn't fill that place out, well, it would filled the Chiefs stands probably, but uh, I don't think a road matchup is gonna phase this Chief's offense. I think it's I think it's building proof. I think

it's almost defense proof. I think they're that level of greatness. I found it interesting that Clyde Edwards Hilaire, who had that big Week one game a thirty eight yards on the ground, didn't even have a reception. It's like they have so many ways to beat you that they could put up thirty four points as they did against Houston in Week one and feel like they're only half paying attention like there were. I looked this up. I asked

the NFL media research to look this up. Four teams didn't score thirty four points one slast year, and the Chiefs did it unlike a C minus game for them. So I think they're just at that special level, maybe a team that comes across around once every ten twenty years, where unless you have an offense that could keep up and then get a couple of big plays on defense, you're not gonna beat them. And I just don't think the Chargers have the firepower right I've picked on Lynn

for this approach. Now you could say they had a certain idea of how they wanted to attack the Bengals that they can hang in a low scoring It proved proved me wrong. Uh, Anthony Lynn, because you're going up against the Chief's cornerbacks. All right, can we name him here? Antonio Hamilton's Legarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton. These are these are attackable guys. And you didn't see kind of the personnel or even the scheme diversity out of the charges that

you would like to see. Last week. It was kind of less rolling the same receivers out there every snap. You're going three tight ends. Your whole offense is going deep to Mike Williams when you do throw like Tyrod can throw it a little bit like I I I'm with you guys that you gotta get aggressive because that, to me is attacking the weakness of it. It's it's that or use your defensive line power to create turnovers. There aren't that many games for Patrick Mahomes has multiple turnovers,

but there's been a couple. I mean, you could think of the Super Bowl where you're open. Your opponent in that game had a chance. You just you have caught to cause chaos with your strength, which is Joey Bosa and the Pete Melvin Ingram and the people around him. But if that doesn't happen, this thing is lights out. I could hear our buddy, Matt money Smith, if he was watching this or listening to this now, just yelling that, well, but you're not giving the Chargers defense enough credit. Even

without Derwin James, they have that ability. Okay. I just think the Chiefs are one in a million type team that even if you have a a very good defense, uh, if you're not simply great, I don't think you're stopping him right now. Maybe maybe we'll be wrong. But the good thing is we know Matt money Smith is not watching this or listening, so we won't have to have that conversation with him. I'm certain I think you're right, Greg. It snakes back to you. Okay. You know the fans

didn't think I was gonna go Bill's Dolphins. Right here. They're they're saying it's a reach Rosenthal. They're wrong. They're saying that you hate the Bills too, that's what they say. Well, that is so not true, New York I. I don't believe in Josh Allen long term. The Bills fans are coming after one week saying you believe in him? Now, it's like no, I mean that that game is a

game we've seen out of him. I do believe in Brian Dable though, and I do believe you can play an offensive round Josh Allen strength, which they're no longer letting him throw the ball intermediate or deep at all because he misses. It's all short stuff. You can't do that forever. But it was working. You know, the scheme got him open. And they've spent the whole offseason saying, Okay,

we're not gonna run Josh Allen anymore. That that was such a fake out because they ran him more in that game than they ever have in terms of called designed Josh Allen runs. And you know what, I love it.

We We've said on this podcast a lot that I think in the best case scenario, he's a poor man's Cam Newton, and uh that he that's what he looked like last week, poor man's Cam news But also if you're if you're the Bills, you look at what Cam Newton did to the Dolphins and the way that Cam Newton had one of his better days, and you know, why not just do the same thing and I think Brian Dable doesn't get enough credit for being a really pretty creative fensive play caller who will switch things up.

He really did down the stretch last year. He played with pace a lot um with the Bills that helped Josh Allen. I think you're right that they're taking away some of those throws that caused him chaos a year ago. You know, Miami is way more pieces on defense than they did in ten. But I still think they're attackable. And I mean, if if Buffalo were to lose this game, we'd have to look at it as a thunderous upset in my book. And I mean, to me, I've been

kind of tracking Zack Moss and Devin Singletary. I think this is gonna be the Zack Moss Hello to the World game where if you have him on your fantasy team, you might think which time to start thinking about starting this guy because he's a little bit of a red zone Uh he's a red zone weapon and they're gonna

line them up and have him score touchdowns. I was looking for the term what's the one Dan about what they called, uh, the one guy who's in the red zone vault, the red zone vault if you're gonna be a fantasy you know guy suddenly in the one eighty turn from Sessler where now he's just dropping fantasy. No, I think it's called versatility. It's versatility. That's what i'd like to That's what i'd call it. I think the Dolphins are not a very good team. I think they're

gonna struggle this year. I think this is gonna be one of many losses for them, And so I don't even know what I gotta be honest, like with the Dolphins, I don't know how invested I'm gonna be in or how excited I'm gonna be turning on game pass until two it gets involved with that offense. On on the Bill's side of it, I thought that Josh Allen poopoo platter in Week one was kind of fun to watch because you got it all. I mean you got you got great plays with his legs. Uh, given the Jets

defense fits. You had his first three yard game where he was pretty accurate on a fair number of throws, but then you had some hideous airmails where they should have absolutely put away the Jets. Uh. They should have turned that game into an absolute embarrassment. Forty Burger style, but instead the fourth quarter, the game is still somewhat in doubt because he puts the ball in the carpet twice. He misses a couple of been touchdown throws. So you look at the whole game and it's like, I saw

really good stuff. I saw more bad stuff. So I still feel exactly the same about Josh Allen, even after people were like, oh, yeah, he had his best passing day ever and he didn't throw an interception. Uh, you watched that game and it's still a guy that's a little hot and cold. So I really liked them in this game. But Josh Allen to me, is still jury out as we are now into year three right and then, and the Dolphin strength is in the secondary, so I

don't think they'll throw it again this week. I this was another game, but this is my new running team. I was gonta lock this up, and I didn't. I didn't know if it would be allowed. Would this game have been allowed for I think it would have been a bit of a ghostly visage in the mirror if you locked up. It's it's early though, and um, I'm

not gonna totally count out the Dolphins from improving. Even even though I am very confident the Bills win this game, this is a big game for the Dolphins, So flories, the worst thing you can do is go into a year division to start the year. So if they really do want to make stra I mean, this is a big time game for the Dolphins. And conversely, Bills, if you want us to look at you as a Super Bowl contender, go take care of business. Get to know

what better way to start your season. If schedule makers, Jets, Dolphins, come on, Bills, do what you gotta do. All right, I am upamama, I'm gonna, I'm gonna let's go. Yeah, I get to watch Aaron Rodgers again on Sunday. I'll do that because I did that last week and I had the time of my life. Because Aaron Rodgers was a beautiful thrower of the football and just ran that offense with great precision. So we see if that is uh something of an anomaly and he and he goes

back to being the overly cautious guy. Uh that kind of gives you fits as we saw the last two years. Or if this is really gonna be a thing, and it seems like the script is set up for it to to go down again because he's at home. Uh, and he's against the Lions, and I don't even know where the Lions are at. This is where you really need good head coaching. I don't know if the Lions

have good head coaching. When you lose a game in the fashion that the Lions lost to a division rival in Week one, uh, the way they blew the lead to Mitch Trobinsky of all people in your building, and the DeAndre Swift, this guy that you're so high on, has one of the most egregious, gnarly drops that I remember in a regular season game that literally cost this team the game. Like, how do you bounce back from that?

Now against the defending division champion. So it's gonna be gut check time and week two for the Lions and Aaron Rodgers show continues for Green Bay. If I were the Lions, and if I were Darryl Bevillo, I would get Swift involved right away because I think he's a key part of what you want to do on offense

down down the road here in Detroit. If you're gonna do anything, and you got to just put that, uh put what happened last week into the into the rear view mirror, and to me, though, it's this Lions secondary. I mean they went you know, the injuries hurt them last week. They really did a good job against Miss Robinsky the defense until the fourth quarter when somehow Mr Robinsky like supersized and went nuts and tore them apart.

And now you're dealing with someone that's not going to be streaky like Mitch Drobinsky, but he physically got bigger. I think he just got like, you know, like maybe added like twenty five pounds of muscle in the fourth quarter out of nowhere, like built it like just so

I don't know what it was made of. But yeah, I mean I was watching that thing and it just surprised me because I really was out on Mr Robinsky and like he he was completing some beautiful passes, but a lot of it was because Detroit is really banged up and they're not you know, they're getting a couple of people back, but they're not a lot healthier this week.

So I don't like the combo there at all. Right, Jeff Okudas expected to come back, but he supposedly struggled in training camp and wasn't even necessarily going to start a top five pick. It doesn't get any uglier than that. I think if Patricia loses his job this year. I mean, I know it's early, but man, he's oh and five against Mr Drobiski. Doesn't get any word than go and own five against Trabinsky and blowing at seventeen point lead in the fourth quarter. I mean, we almost undersold what

a catastrophic loss that is. And I'm with you it This is like a week that you learn something about them. And look, they can try as hard as they want, and they can coach up their offense. Well, um, I think they have some advantages maybe when they run the ball. The Packers are a little thin right now. Kenny Clark's banged up. Their defensive line didn't look very good, so I think the lines will be able to run the ball, like you said with swift Mark, but you can try

as hard as you want. That might be a tough one to get over. We don't root for these things, but we do track them. In fact, we do something called the hot Butt rankings on the Around the NFL podcast from time to time. If they can't find a way to win in Green Bay, the lines would drop to OWN two. Then they're back on the road in week three at Arizona, another very tough game could be owing three. Then they come home to face the Saints,

one of the true juggernauts of their conference. And then the worst part, the worst part of this for Mr Patricia bye week. You go owing forward to your bye week ownership has a it's unfair motivation to make a move there. Yeah, it's unfair because the injuries really work key and that includes Kenny Golladay, Like they're just not the same offense without them. They're leaning on Peterson and Adrian Peterson. I mean that kind of slipped under the

radar too. It's crazy people are that he came in there. This should be put on Peterson's Hall of Fame plaque that he came to practice for three days in Detroit at age thirty five and he beat out DeAndrea, Shift Swift and carry on Johnson in those games. I don't want to hear that those guys are banged up. They're playing. They're healthy enough to play. Adrian Peterson's just better. He justified it. He looked great. I mean, it's amazing. Ques here.

I've never actually been to Canton. Do they have plaques? I know they have the bust, of course. I mean they're a nice little graph. I think unless you totally Mr remembering and thinking about Cooper's downbou, I'm pretty sure they've got a nice little paragraph and that's Peterson's paragraph. Well, I know Cooper's down Baseball has the plaque and then they have the plaque. They got the bust, and they got the plaque under. I mean, I've been to Canton

multiple time. There's there's a lot of plaques. There's a lot of bus I think Gregg is confusing some you don't even some remembrances here, But that's that's for some reason Greg's memory, it just comes in and out for I don't know, I don't know like that. My mom's like that too. Yeah, I know what you're trying to say, but it's just genetic. Okay, sure, Mark, you're up all right? Well, I love where I'm going here. How does this game still hanging around Carolina at Tampa Bay? Lots going on here?

Number one? Uh, Tom Brady value you like to pick or you don't like it? It's yeah, I think it's you know, I I got the weird first overall picks. So the second time I'm picking, you're already in hot water. But I like this one. I want to see how Carolina responds to Tom Brady probably being very agitated about every all the talking heads, all the little chucklers saying that Tom Brady is not Tom Brady anymore. Here's where I give him a break. PFF marked him with six

big throws. That's up there among all the quarterbacks last week. Yes, I know he had the interceptions, but that was there was some communic communication breakdown there. Tom Brady doesn't vibe to me the same way we talked about young quarterbacks. Will that happen again? Can you? He's going to have that house in order. They're gonna work on that, and you're playing a completely different defense here in Carolina. You know, I love that they drafted Derek Brown. I think he'll

be a good player. He did not have a good week one. He did not make a big impact last week. They've got like seven guys on that defense that we're in college a year ago, so that's gonna take time. I think this is a bounce back scenario for Tampa Bay. But I like Carolina's offense because what I like about it is they didn't try to come in and the guys that were there last year and do everything differently.

Christian McCaffrey was Christian McCaffrey. Matt Rule told us, you know, when he was on our show that he he you know, he has a relationship with Robbie Anderson. I know that Robbie Anderson doesn't know if it's a bear or a panther that's dancing in the end zone. I get all that, but Robbie Anderson was productive last week, and I think that he's a good part of this offense. D J. Moore was involved heavily. So I just want to see against a very good Bucks defense that shutdown McCaffrey twice

a year ago. Um, they can find a way out of this. This is an interesting matchup. I really think, Carolina, I probably have too much faith at this point in Matt Rule can be a little bit spicy in these types of games. I don't just give this to Tampa Bay, you know, without thinking about Obviously, Matt Rule has earned the benefit of the doubt in the NFL, so I understand that I know you will not like him until he has maybe two or three Lombardies on a shelf somewhere.

But I tell you had a nice he did. You gotta admit that, Dan, right? Sure? They were competitive, Yeah, their offense. They lost it home to the Raiders, who are like an eight and eight team at best. So I'm not I am not going to hand out any lollipops for that. I'm not gonna hand out lollipops quite yet. For Brady Um and Arians working together though, too. I'm with you, Mark. Brady made a lot of good throws.

He didn't play as poorly as people thought. But I think tape dogs look at what happened last week and they see this blend of Tom Brady's offense. They ran some Patriots plays. I mean you could you could recognize them with Scotty Miller and in some of the tight ends.

And then the Arians offense, which is just leave your five linemen up there and let your quarterback hang out for a while and take some hits, and they're gonna have to figure out that mix that maybe the Arians, you know, postgame comments are a little bit about that. It's like, how are we gonna win? Are we gonna play your way? Are we gonna play my way. These are two strong willed guys. Mike Evans didn't know what was going on in terms of the sin routes. You

could tell they weren't on the same page. Like that's gonna take time, and I don't know how that plays out. It's perfect for Brady though, that they get to this Panthers defense and if you look ahead, they really don't have a ton of tough defensive matchup, so so that might be their number one saving grace as the schedule makers just set it up nicely for that. Greg. That is a great point because when you think about, like when Peyton Manning went to the Broncos, it wasn't hey,

let's mix five different offensive schemes together. It was Peyton Manning's offense from the jump. And was is there a disservice on some level when you have Brady for probably let's say you have them for two years. Why not just give Tom Brady exactly what he's comfortable with. I mean, arians has his offense that he's comfortable with and ran it with Big Ben and all these other guys too. But I mean, I wonder if the mishmash of these two schemes is how much time until they get it right.

I think you're gonna see a less confused offense um from week to week. But can you really blend these two schemes together. It does make me think too a tough se suation for Tom Brady because Peyton Manning had the benefit of the great Adam gaze up there and these arians is the guy down in Tampa. But no, I I totally I'm on board with what you guys are saying. And the other thing, when you were like setting this game up, I was sinking, Oh, there's no way,

there's no way tom Brady starting. Oh and two he's at home coming on but this But you know what, his head coach isn't Bill Belichick anymore, and he's not Tom Brady anymore, or at least the Tom Brady that you know became the greatest quarterback ever. So I think this game is dicey. I like the Bucks in this game, but just assume since Tom Brady is behind center, that they are going to get right. This could be a tough game. And I kid marked because I know you

love Matt Rule with every fiber of your being. Yes, it was a good start. They got out of the Gate, and they were competitive, they put up points. So this is not gonna be a Panther's team that is going to be a complete team that's gonna roll over for the great Tom Brady. This could be could be a tough one for Tommy boy. Also, where was Bronk in that offense? I no, he, I think he played a fair number of snaps compared to the other didn't but

it didn't look great. We'll he he wasn't moving to the Bucks defense though, is why I'm surprised you guys think this will be so feisty. Uh. I really believe in this Bucks defense being a difference maker, and and he gives Brady a nice margin for air. Yeah, that's that's a good point too. Alright, Mark Snakes to you, It's Snakes to me. I'm gonna go Bucks. Got got a lot of one o'clock games here. It's going to

be a busy Sunday. Might have to just wanted these out to Luke and Calton to watch on different television. But um, I'm gonna go Giants at Bears. What's that good stall tactic there? Yes? Everyone, it absolutely was. Look, we got a list, A lot of lists are on a laptop. I loved what I saw from the Giants on Monday night. They are a very incomplete team. I'm

not saying that they're a great team. I just had fun watching them, and I grew up watching the Giants, so it's really just probably more dipped in nostalgia than it is anything else. Um. You know, they were dealing with the Steelers defense that basically said you're not going to run the ball at all tonight. Um and everyone, you know, fantasy heads who have se Kwan Barkley or like, you know, cutting off their arms and legs at this point, well, hang around because I think it's gonna get a little

bit better. I don't float. Don't cut over your fantasy star, right, that would be an overreaction. I just want to see the growth of Daniel Jones. For as frustrated as I get by Mr r Bisky, Um, Daniel Jones makes a lot of mistakes too, alright, But for something about him, his style, his aggressive nature, his daring do I'm all

about it. I love it, and I think that like the Giants are fun and they you know, you look at the end of the game nineteen play drive that ended to no points all right, you want to have points. We get that, but they follow it up with a thirteen play drive for seventy yards in a touchdown. I just see an offense that's gonna grow as the year goes along. Do I think that Jason Garrett is the

first person I'd want is my play caller? I don't know, not head coach, but I I I'm the jury is out on on you know, ruling against him as a play caller. I think this. I think there's a lot of weapons here, and maybe am I am I alone here? I think you guys like Daniel Jones too. I just think this matchup is interesting. I think the Giants are gonna win. I've I'm gonna do a Greg thing here.

I came very close to locking up the gmn um, but well, it felt it's a little bit too like what I normally do, which is gets sold into something and then on Sunday around five o'clock California time, I'm thinking, what were you smoking back on Thursday when you made this pick on a podcast? So I'm sticking with my first luck. Well, guess what, Let's bring in our great producer, Erica tam Pose, because Ricky she has something she'd like to say. She's involved in the locks competition this year.

She got off to a tough start. I believe, I believe she is. Oh and one, she needs a w you don't want to start owing. Two and she's got something to say. The floor is yours, Erica Mark. I'm gonna do your confidence for you, and I am gonna lock up the Giants because I think you know, the Bears really struggled last week until you know, got hot, Yeah, exactly, And I think you know Sa Kwan didn't get off to as big of a start as we expected to.

And everyone talks about the Bears defense and Khalil Mack and all this, and that, no, the Giants are gonna take it. Watch. I argue that the offense. You the fact that they hung in that Steelers game, and I know that the Steelers were clearly the better team and the game was kind of decided by the time he got into the fourth quarter, The fact that Jones kept them interesting and kept the offense moving when C Kwon Barkley was having a historically terrible game, there is reason

to be excited. In fact, as a Jets fan, I was a little envious watching how comfortable Jones looked in the first game of the second year compared to the way Donald looked in the first game of his third year. So, Giants fans, don't despair. Now you got Ricky on your side, and I feel like now everything And how about how about this? How about this? You know, everyone talks about the Giants defense like, is there any kind of major you know, stars there. They were confusing Big Ben for

a lot of that game. So and tra Whisky is not Big Ben, I think so. I think that they were they were making they were putting a little bit more pressure on him than we would have expected the Giants to do. So tri Wisky is not Big Ben. Okay, so imagine what's going to happen? So what right, whatever you're saying? How about Trabisky the Giants? I thought the Giants defense was gonna get absolutely shredded by the Steelers.

That didn't quite play out that way. Trabisky has a nice set up here greg to string together back to back games. Well, at least, he only really played one good quarter in Week one, but the Giants defense should not be impossible for him to put together a few more scoring drives. Man, if you look at the Bear schedule, they don't play any good defenses for a long time. They barely play any really good defenses all season. It is setting up for Rabinsky, the fool of the Bears.

But I don't know. He was nine for twenty two to start that game. Even during that comeback, at one point he like threw the ball backwards and if if the Lions had just fallen on it, the game was over. And that was the blooper play that everyone's talking about. So I was not at all convinced in Robinsky. I mean, every catch that h Miller and Alan Robinson made seemed like they were amazing catches. And uh, I thought it was interesting if you listen to Joe Judge this week

some comments he made about Danny Dimes. Man, he loves him some Danny Dimes. He said he loved how he stands in the pocket like a man. I mean, that's a Joe Judge comment. You know, he's like acting like a man. And he pointed out, I think that if you look at the all time greats, what they had around them early in his their career is a commonality. He was kind of saying, like, well, we don't really have that yet, so like, I'm gonna give this dude

a break because I think he is special. Um. And now it was an interesting thing for Judge to say, like he was almost admitting that they're not there yet. But I'm with you, Ricky. I do the game picks u NFL dot Com game picks. I took the Giants too, So we're we're all. We're all on the Giant all right, Thank you, Ricky. Great to see it. Um, all right, we move on. It comes back to me and I will do everyone a favor. I will take the San Francisco forty Niners at the Meadow ends to face the

New York Jets. And you know this is one of those It's turning into yet another Murphy's Law season for the Jets. In addition to having all their problems personnel wise, head coaching wise, now they're super banged up. Levy On Bell moved to injured reserve with a hamstring injury, so we won't see him till week five at the soonest uh, Jamison Crowder has been out of practice this week with a hamstring. And if if if they don't have Crowd or if they don't have Bell, who if they don't

have Denzel Mims also on. I r this idea of Sam Donald having any chance of success. I just don't sit And he played terribly Donald in Week one. On top of everything else, he missed throws and he did not make the right decisions, and he did the type of bone headed mistakes that need to be out of his game by now. But again, it's like, I don't know how you expect him to be better when Chris Hogan is on the outside. Chris Hogan picked off off

the street. And I said before the show starts today, I honestly think because I played softball with Greg couple of years ago, and he moves pretty well for a man deep into his forties, I think that Greg would do better getting open in the slot than than Hogan could on a football field at this stage. And so the Jets offense is not going to score a lot of points, and it's a perfect setup for the Niners, who it's not easy for a West Coast team to come fly east and play an early game, which is

what's happening here. But I mean, come on, Niners, you are the defending conference champions. You got humbled a little bit in Week one and I know you're dealing with your own injury issues because your quarterback, your golden boy, Jimmy g went up high on George Kittle and gave him a sprain knee, so we don't know what's going on with him. Their wide receivers are still banged up,

of course, but you're the Niners. You should swallow up this Jets team with your defense and then making enough plays, find a way on offense, and just get out of get out of Jersey with a seven to ten win, and then get everything back on track. There's no excuses here for the Niners, no excuses at all. I would like to see Greg get jammed about at the line of scrimmage by Patrick Peterson and see how open he got on the field. But beyond that, I mean, that

was the nicest thing Dan's ever said to me. Yeah, that short area quickly, it seems right. I'm gonna be you know, I'm gonna be, you know, rocking those feet. I don't know what you say, you know what, they're just moving quickly. No, you got it. You you had it right when you said I'm gonna be rocking those feet. I won't take it away from you. Different word I think this is a big game for whehe must start like, um, he had a you know, a couple of big plays

last week. They've got a lot of good backs, But why keep it simple? I mean, you're really banged up. Uh, you know, I just if I'm the Niners, I'm with you Dan that there's no excuse not to Uh, you know, there's no excuse. And I the one my one concern about Sam Donald, and it's this. It's it's overt and it's obvious, and it's the same concern I have about you know, Cleveland's quarterback and a lot of young quarterbacks that get to year three and you're not seeing a

lot of progress. It's just the mismanagement around him. And just I'm I just wish we could have a cleaner look into how he's being treated week to week and coached, because you really want to see growth, because there are these moments from Sam Donald and it's it's streaky, but they'll he'll have it sometimes would be like two games in a row where everyone's back on board because he can do everything that you ask, but then it goes away. And so I think some of that is coaching and

some of that is getting you know, building confidence. Um, you know, none of us are quarterback gurus, but you know when you watch a player make a leap, a lot of it has to do with the ecosystem around him, and then the coaches and the people in his ear and just the schooling going on along with the physical skills that he has. So the concern is what's going

on around Sam Donald. And that's why I said it's Merphy's law because in addition to the questions you have and everyone has about Adam Gaze and is this rebuilt offensive line gonna take then you just get the Jetsy stuff, which is Mims, Bell and Crowd are all banged up. It's like this was not a team that had depth to start with on offense. And if you take them all out of play potentially by week two, well, how

do you how do you learn anything? Right? It says It says everything that Hogan stepped off the street right into playing every snap. But you want to see better instincts out of Donald and that's and yeah, maybe his head is just scrambled. But you know, Baldy had a great breakdown this week where he's on the run on a play and he's got a receiver deep and that's just the scrambled drill. And you haven't seen Donald create as much as you would hope when he is on

the run and things aren't going well. And then you get to the stuff that that you mentioned, Dan, which is coaching, which is like they're taking delay of games after kickoffs. They're like running screens in the middle of the field with no time out with seconds left. And to me that that is more coaching. You can't put that on a third year quarterback. It's just where they don't look organized, like, yeah, you want Donald to take control of the situation, but that that's ugly and that

that can't continue or else. Yeah, we see Greg Williams as the head coach of this team. I think they got a chance in this game. I mean, let's not undersell the forty niners injuries. They're missing Richard Sherman. They might be missing a killer weatherspoon, they're missing I youk right now. De Ford looked like a shell of himself when he was on the field last week, did not play well like they They are banged up too, So I think the Jets have a little bit of a

chance here. We'll see, all right, we have one more game according to my calculations, and Greg, you're picking it all right. I got the old Jaguars tight ends kind of deserves Yeah, well the Titans. To me, you know there'll be a special defense. Um when I see it, I don't believe that there are a difference maker on deference. And that's why I think the Jaguards, who played efficient football last week, are gonna be a problem for Tennessee in this game. This this is one of those games, um,

move the rainmakers tempted to come out. I mean, I don't know, should he just do it? I guess why not. I'm just saying I like the Jaguars to keep this game close. I am surprised that the Titans are being viewed as some big time juggernaut favorite in any situation. I don't think they've earned that. Their sloppy last week. They were a nine and seven team a year ago. That that caught fire at the end, But on balance,

they were a nine and seven team. And I think your boy Mark Gardner Minshew and Jay Gruden could be a perfect parent and it could be so good that it's gonna make them think we should keep these two together. I loved what I saw out of them last week, and I think the offense that Ruten runs can't Minshew just be a better version of Dalton or even maybe a similar version to Cousins, but with a little more athleticism. I think he can and I think this is the

offense for him. Yeah. You know the one thing that I noticed from Minshew and it it was it was happening early last year and you were thinking, is he just not having to think too much because he's so he's in there and he's so raw that a lot of times he used his feet to turn a negative play into a positive. I think it's a legit trade of his. And you know, I know that if you look at that game, part of it is that Philip rivers Um is accountable for throwing two interceptions pretty deep

in Jaguars territory. So two of those, you know, the scoring some of the scoring for Jacksonville with short field stuff, but the nineteen to twenty isn't because you know, Minshew was some sort of gun slinger, you know, whipping the ball down field. I think he's well coached by Gruden, and West said it on the on our Sunday Night Show that he he took what they gave on defense, and I'm with you. The Tennessee is not imposing their

will necessarily yet on outside of the ball. So Jacksonville in general kind of James Robinson ran, well, this is one of the first, one of the few rookies, undrafted rookies to ever start Week one in NFL lore And he looked, was he the first? I mean, it's like, that's it's it's it's it surprises me that it's that better than he did. And I was gonna say one thing about Fournett. I think that, like you know, people were killing Jacksonville for the for Net pick flaming out,

and it did. But here's the thing. I think that removing for Net opens up that offense to what it can be. I'm not saying that they're all there, but it was additioned by subtraction. And Robinson doesn't need to do what for Net did in some games of old. He's a good piece in there. And I got, like C. J. Henderson on defense, I just the whole tank thing. There are some young players on this team in general that

give you a little bit of hope. I'm not saying that this regime should be around to do it for the fifth time. But they're not the worst team in the NFL at this point. They don't look like it. Mark, I have something to say. I you know, I was been I've been a little slow to come around on Minshew. Part of that was, as you like to say, Twitter Middle School was a little bit annoying quite frankly last year.

And the love affair with all the moxie and the the do rag and the hair split down the middle and the mustache element of Gardner Minshew and we looked past what was a pretty hot and cold first season. But I love the and the Andy Dalton uh mentioned there, and the fact that it connects directly to Jake Ruden

he used to coach coach Dalton. I feel like for me personally, I'm raising the bar up for Minshew as just this novelty guy to someone that has like a Dalton type ceiling now, and I know that ceiling is probably not a Super Bowl ceiling, but a guy that in the right set up with the right coaching Uh. He plays differently in the Dalton did, and he certainly has more charisma than Dalton did, so he's more exciting and that's why he's a huge fan favorite. But he's

a guy that you could win games with. And it it's not just this fluke about the way he looks and the things he says in the sound bite. So I I was really into the way he played and he and I think it's sustainable with Jake Ruden there uh, not nineteen for twenty every week. But I'm I get it. If you're a Jaguars fan watching that game, it's like, oh yeah, I forget about this tank for Trevor thing,

let's see how this plays out. Would means you well, and I and so the Minshovians dan, we'll take what we can get, and I and I honestly appreciate that that's an honest appraisal. And here's the thing. If your gardner, Minshew, I see a guy that clearly is putting in the work. It's not just Hamm running around in a cut off shirt in a bandana and my hair is flowing. I see someone that has learned a new offense quickly, and you know, really last year, probably didn't expect to play

at all and was learning on the fly. So I'm with you that I'm not saying he's you know, Brett Farve or something, but Andy Dalton, and he's just a little spicier and more interesting than Andy Dalton. It's hard not to be UM. So I like a little combination, a lot more, a lot more old Andy. You mentioned he might not have like if Dalton's the ceiling, which seems fair. I think Dalton's had a really solid career, UM,

but maybe not a super Bowl. My favorite take I think I've seen all year, if, like, if we had a segment take of the week, I'd give it the Mike Renner of PFF who said that the Jaggers could have won the Super Bowl with Minshew in two thousand and seventeen. And I thought about it, and I was like, yeah, so I really think they could have. I really think they could have. Um and and we didn't. We touched on this obviously on the Tuesday podcast the when we

recap the Titans wild win over the Broncos. Stephen Gaskowski is still on this team. He's still the kicker of the Titans. Mike Rabel got behind him, and that only last as long as Week two last and and how he kicks in that game, because if he struggles again, and I mean miss is one kick from inside, you know, forty seven yards. It's probably gonna be a hea gown

situation to use a Westling is um. And I just wanted, while we're here and talking about kickers, and I'm gonna invite you guys in, although you're not professional, place kickers into the Kickers club. Come on in. It's a closed door meeting. We're closing the door of the club. We're putting the velvet ropes up. No one's allowed in. And I just want to say I'm disappointed. And all you guys, I know you're better than this. You know you're better

than this. I mean, Week one was an absolute travesty. I have some numbers. Nineteen field goals missed, five miss p A t S Packers Vikings was the only game that didn't feature a missed kick, the only game. Are you kidding me? Seventy one point six percent field goal percentage, the lowest since Week one nine, the most misses in

almost a decade. That that's the you know, everyone else is in a pandemic and and there's no tackling, and there's no practices, and they were able to get on the field in Week one and deliver your kickers, your kickers like you had all the time to practice and all you needed was the uprights. And that's how you should open week one. You come into the Kicker Club, you come with your head held high, but you also better come prepared, and you weren't ready in week one.

This meeting is over, but I do not want to have this conversation again in week two. Well it's a good it's a good message. They need a stern talking to. But Dan, you you know, the kicking in general kind of has gone south since you, you know, you raised the you You've you created this club. It's a vibrant, um, lively night spot for kickers to hang out. Are they hanging out at the club too much? Are they there

too late? Are there are there bodies in shape? You know, pre club, we didn't have these issues, so you know, just it's it's a factor. Well, plus week we have a we have a raging pandemic. Maybe we opened that club up a little too early, you know what I'm saying. We have a lot of we have contact tracing, We have those wrist bands that well you were just sitting there, Greg, so you have whatever they had, all right, So there you go. That is the full week two previous late.

Make sure to check out the Thursday night recap of Brown's Bengals Mark. Obviously we're taping this before that happens, That's why he seems okay right now in that of catatonic. And then come back on Sunday for the recap of the full UH slate of games that we just previewed right here on the Around the NFL Podcast flagship show.

So thank you for watching, thank you for listening. This is Dan Hansons signing off for The Quiet Storm, the Old Boss and Rocky Hollywood from West Hollywood until Sunday night. S