2020 Week 7 Recap & Home Invasion

because that was untrue. What what Matt Rismith said, we might very quickly agree to. Uh, I'm at I'm a far truncated deal. Yes, it's all about leverage. We have zero leverage right now. What we're looking for is leverage. Um, ha ha, funny, funny, funny. Yes, Week seven Sunday in the books and uh a bit of a wild Sunday. Uh, some surprising outcomes, some blowouts in the late portion of the Sunday schedule. But we are down to two undefeated teams now one winless team unfortunately, a team that I

identify with very closely. And um, some interesting football to go over, Greg, what do you think about today's football? I mean, um, when you can assign yourself Washington versus Dallas in Detroit, Atlanta early, it's like you've got your finger on the pulse of what's happening in the NFL. I mean I did, I did. I made a trade with Chuck Who's gonna come on later. Um, but no, it was a fun day, like when it's like when the Jets gave the Colts seventy seven second round picks

for Sam Donald. You know. Sometimes Greg texted me on after our our network show. I'm saying I would really like, Um, I didn't want to watch the Saints game. I don't know why, I just I just wanted to watch. Well, he went and suggested that he switched with Shook, and I said, absolutely, like reach out to Shook and do the legwork. And then he's like, well, now, actually I don't think I want to do that. I'm overthinking it.

That we never spoke again, and then he tells me this morning that, you know, the Backwater channels were a buzz as Gregg is trading with Shook games without an I changed my mind again. You know, you guys go like more in detail, you charge these games. Mark kept it going. I had already I edited out. I'm not

touching it. Oh no, this is gold Greg. Remember when remember when the the you know, our analytics expert here, I'm not going to even name him because I'm kind of mocking it here now is like, you know, make sure no matter what you do, it's like the first five minutes of the show, don't lose them with some jibber jabber, Like get right into the big stuff. That's

when you lose that audience. Mission accomplished. Whenever we have like thirteen games to talk about, if we can just like bury the audience of seven minutes of jibber jabber, that's what we're gonna do. Nick Shook is coming later. Uh he of the big trade win over Rosenthal. Uh So stay tuned for that. But let's get going with Yes, the matchup in Nashville between two undefeated's. It's do or die for the Titans who have one time out in

their pocket. Doskowski in this range this year. As he kicks it on its way, the kick is white right, it is all right. Wow, I can't even hardly believe it. But a nice Midwestern sound that was Bill Hill Grove tounch Ilkin with a call W D. V e. Hey, listen,

sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. The Titans badly outplayed the Steelers in the second half on Sunday, but a slow start coupled with the latest high profile failure by Stephen Kaskowski, allowed the Steelers to escape with a When Pittsburgh is six and oh for the first time since nine and now stand with the Seahawks as the only remaining undefeated teams in the NFL, um boys, Uh, strange game here because it's Steelers win the coin toss.

They go on a nine minute, eighteen second drive ends with Deante Johnson touchdown. Uh, they get a three and out. Pittsburgh does get the ball back, score another touch on it's fourteen. Zip. They're in complete control. It gets by the third quarter it's seven, and you know, my I start wandering. I'm saying, oh, what's going on in the NFL?

Marx Browns are having some fun with the Bengals, like, but then all of a sudden, the Titans start doing the Titan thing and they get back into the game, and uh, they fall short because Gaskowski can't hit a kick that he's got a hit in that spot. So that's where we're at the Steelers. To me, um, as good as they looked in the first half, the second half was a little bit concerning. But listen, you can't take away what they did in those first two quarters.

Ben Roethlisberger looked really good in the first have did not look very good in the second half. James Conner is really doing good things for them. Uh this season. I've really been impressed by him so far this year. And um, the defense was able to make enough stops even if it wasn't their best effort to get the W. So the Steelers moved to six. And oh the Titans, they're kicking themselves because they had a golden opportunity here, uh for a huge comeback and want to come back.

That would have been down twenty seven seven to the mighty Steelers. It didn't happen, and they're they're the reason they lost third downs. Titans were unable to stop the Steelers on third downs. Pittsburgh thirteen of eighteen third downs in the game, and they only had the ball for one minute and twenty one seconds in the first quarter.

So keeping the offensive field was huge for Pittsburgh. I thought they took in the in the first half, Tennessee out of the game, and you know, this is a team that's played three games in thirteen days, and it showed a little bit. I thought, UM early on here, but we've talked about Big Ben's various troubles on on deep shots down the field, but what he's doing very

well is carving defenses up mid range. And I think that they just this just strikes me as the most complete team, UM in the a f C and maybe in the league, because of what they can do on defense. But also you know, they got one catch from Chase Claypool today and so in return, you know, Deonte Johnson steps up. You mentioned James Conner. I thought, you know, he's been up and down, but he made big plays

for them. And Tennessee to come back from a seven to seven deficit the way they did, um, I thought it was impressive. You know, Gauskowski has been a real roller coaster ride, a true adventure, and you got the dip today. UM, the ugly part of that. But to me, Tennessee this doesn't take the shine off of who they are and what they want to be. They just had

a first half where they played un characteristically. I mean, I think they had like thirty yards on the ground well the last two weeks for Guskoski, So that's something that they're gonna have to think about. I know he hit a big kick at the end of the game, but he had his struggles last week. I see this as as a Steelers defense game, even in the second half. The fact that you know, they got the ball on a Ben interception and then the Steelers defense shuts down Tennessee.

That was one of six drives, so to Tennessee. At ten drives in this game, on six of them, they didn't have a first down. I mean that. I know they scored some points on the other drives, but it's and the Titans are awesome. They only end up with fifteen first downs on the day. If you have six drives where you go three and out or four and out like some of those drives were. I mean, that's that's pretty impressive, and you would expect the Steelers to

take care of business when they do that. Yeah, I was really excited to um do like a reverse when middle dunk on your Ben Roethlisberger game manager assassination from Thursday Show, Greg and after the first four two weeks ago, it wasn't. I'm not painting it as negative as you saying. I'm just saying that's kind of the style they're playing.

I know, but through four four drives against an undefeated Titans team on the road, Pittsburgh had put up twenty four points and Ben was seventeen of twenty four for one sixty and two touchdowns. Deep shots or are they Johnson? You know, I think short and mid mid reign shots. Yes, So that's kind of his his game, which I guess is to your point of the big breeze uh moniker that you've tagged him with as well. The rest of the game after those first four drives, three points fifteen

and uh three interceptions. The first pick was just you know, threw it up for grabs at the end of the first half, but the last two were definitely on him. Although the third pick, the one that's set up the Titans to nearly tie the game, was Juju Smith Schuster in coverage against the linebacker, you know, running around against the linebacker, couldn't get any separation. I don't know what's going on with Juju. Is he just not a guy

that separates? I don't know, but Ben put it in a really good spot um, but Juju, the coverage was so tight that he couldn't like hold onto the ball and it got knocked out of his hand ends and then picked off on the deflection. So nice win for the Steelers. But also, you know, the shot of Big Ben on the sideline after Gaskowski went wide right was one of we got away with one here, because that could have been a killer loss. But they escape it, and uh man, they're looking good. I think we're gonna

get to the Bucks in a bit. Mark. That's my pick for the most balanced team in the league right now. But the Steelers when things are clicking right as they were early in this game, it is a reminder that their tops gear is pretty much ahead of everybody else. I think in a f C maybe the Chiefs have something to say about that. Let's move on. In the backfield, two receivers left, one a right, may feel back to pass looks going towards the end zone and it's caught

by down petals. Joe touched down. Hey got it, Hey got it. The Rocky fromfis got it back. Children throw unbelievable catch, unbelievable throw. Jim Donovan and Doug Deacon w k r K. I can't believe Donovan People's Jones is a real name. Like I'm I'm thrilled that that there's a person that goes by that name. It's like that old Key and Peel sketch, Like that's what that name sounds like. But he made a name for himself today, Baker Mayfield hits Donovan People's Jones. Also the name you also,

you always have to say the full names. It's so wild with eleven seconds to play, ceiling a wild one win over the Bengals. This also featured after that play, Hail Mary that very nearly completed. That would have been a fitting way to a wild game. Mark. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first game in NFL history with five go ahead touchdown passes in the fourth quarter by the two teams. Mark the Cardiac kids are back. Yeah, it's um. It was. It was a game of two.

It was two sides of a coin for Cleveland because Baker Mayfield, you know, and he has had his troubles in the last couple of contests. We know that started over five and for the second game in a row, through an interception on the first play and and that brought more news because on that play Odell Beckham. One of the reasons Donovan People's jones was, you know in there at the end, was that Odell Beckham went down

with a knee injury. That Ian Rappaport has Um put a tweet out saying he'll get an m R. I but the concern is that it's very serious, and I think we usually know how those go when we get those Sunday reports. He was out of the game immediately, um Baker when he hit it, missed his first his fifth pass. I tweeted out because at that point Joe Burrow looked lights out. And we've been seeing it week

after week. That is Cleveland, okay, with having the fourth best quarterback in the a f C North, and then and then he the last week or so. I'm not really jumping ship. Just look at the other quarterbacks in the division. I mean, I I don't think he's the equal of Joe Burrow, but Um, perhaps psychically to lash me and and to shut me up. He completed twenty one passes in a row to finish the game before spiking the ball um on the at the end, and uh,

he looked good. He looked good throwing the ball. I thought today, Um, he made some money throws. And on that final drive what what what to me looked like growth was they had no time outs and he had to go you know, near length of the field with no time outs and and it wouldn't have happened without some insane catches along the way. Um, you know Rashad Higgins, who Richard Higgins, who has shown chemistry with Baker Mayfield two years ago then last year was out of the loops,

seemed to be in the doghouse with the coaches. Has come on um again and he and he's a big part of that passing attack and he's gonna need to be. They're gonna be without Odell Beckham. I wanted to see what would happen with a thin receiving corps once he went down, and I thought they showed perhaps more chemistry than they have through the air and really any other game. I don't know what that means. Um, I'd want to

go watch that again. But another hair prison Bryant and today is I just found this out today with one of the more absurd um holidays that seems completely created out of finnair. It's tight end day apparently, Um, George Kittle made it up. So is it for Please tell me it's for a charity, because I I stomached it today because I was like, it must be for a cause. But if it wasn't for a cause, I am furious. Yeah. Now kiddo came up with it last year, and I

think they just they ran. If it's for a cause, I mean, if it's for you know, George Kittle's personal enjoyment, that's what it is, right, but here to celebrate such a day. Um, Harrison Bryant, the rookie who we've talked about on the show before who looks legit. Um two touchdowns, Austin Hooper was out with a pendicitis Uh, David and Joeku caught a past. You have to touchdown past. You have to wonder if it's the last action he will get in Cleveland. He's on the trade block. Um. I

can't say enough about Joe Burrow. I just thought that there were Um, there was one play that really Uh it was third and eleven and Joe Burrow um took off on a run and it just like Cleveland defend. Cleveland's defense is a disaster and defended it poorly and he ran for a first down, but he made froze all over the field and their offensive line was banged up to at one point Jonah Williams went out with

a neck injury. Um Trey Hopkins, their center was out, and it showed I mean that that it's they had issues. Um In Borrow, like he does week after week, made plays. So I think it's fair still to say that Baker Mayfield, in a very good division, is the quarterback looking up at the rest of these. But this was sort of a well it's different, you know, if it's Thursday night football and like I am able just to go, you know,

sitting do that. I I mistakenly thought that I was covering Pittsburgh, Tennessee and was tracking that heavily the entire time, taking all these notes, and I'm discovered two minutes into the show that I had completely botched that and I had made a mistake. But anyways, um, I give Cleveland credit for being five ways to figure it out in the middle of the show. I think it it out four minutes ago. When you when you're um, when you're

intro to that game went on and on. I thought he's at some point is Dan tossing this to me? I was a communication issue this morning that I read incorrectly. That's another it's another deep died that I'd like to take us down and how our show is produced. But I will I will stop there five and two, but I you know, we'll get some of my radar teams that have a clear ceiling. And I think Cleveland, this is this is good progress. But they're not five and two the same way that I look at UM other

five and two teams we've encountered. But they could be different. You know, all these teams are gonna be different in December. I still really believe that, And so you you want to be five and two with a chance to be different and hopefully better in December, with Myles Garrett potentially UM trying to get a Defensive Player of the Year award in December. Every every game, like one of the first things I do check the Brown's box score, and I'm looking forward to watching this one is like, Okay,

did Myles Garrett get his forced fumble today? It's like, yeah, he got it, and he got two sacks and another tackle for loss. And and in these games where there's not a lot of defense, and the Browns don't have a lot of defense. A lot of times it comes down to Kent, do you have a guy that can make one or two plays? And Garrett kind of makes one or two huge plays every week, which is pretty awesome.

And not to the labor this point, but when we had our discussion about the importance of sacks and getting to the quarterbacks, and it was deemed that Jadeveon Clowney doesn't need to get sacks, and by the way, he still has zero sacks this season. He's struggling. He's not even getting his hurries this year. Listen, Miles Garrett is an example why you could say stats is an overrated stat or something. But that guy changes games because he gets to the quarterback and he knocks the ball loose.

He's a big time player. You know what. The Browns strike me as Mark, I see what you're saying with the ceiling, But they, to me, they feel like a nine and seven team. Maybe a bounce goes their way and they go ten and six, and they're playing in January in the playoffs, and they're giving someone a hard time on the road, like you're signing up for that in a second. Right, absolutely, So I'm not I'm not trying to be like, you know, covertly down on the

whole situation. I just I'm trying to view them the same way that I viewed on the teams. Go be a really good team. That's the next test for them. But good job getting off the mat after last week. Let's move on. Ricky's not sitting at her desk. Uh where we live? Maybe she lost her connection? She's now she sat down, Now she got up again. Oh she's had the connection. Uh, Ricky, we should keep all this in, Ricky, come back to us, Ricky, what's happening? So you see

that guy that just walked in my window? He just like he's my I guess just moved in next door. I'm not sure, but he knocked on the door with the pizza and he was like he kind of speaks broken English. He's like, can you cut the pizza for me? Because I don't have anything? And I was like, oh, I can give you a knife quick, and then he

just asked like, what are you doing tonight? Like and I just gave him like a freaking butcher knife and I'm home alone and I don't know he just he's just knocked on my door and asked me to cut his pizza. Like, what am I supposed to? I don't want a strange man, Eric Erica. When a strange man knocks on your door and your home alone and he asked for something to cut with, you don't get your biggest knife from the kitchen and give it to him. This is like the skills one on one. Well, what

could have you done? Not answer the door? That would be an He's literally knocking on my thing and I'm like hot like and then he's like, can you cut my pizza? And then he just asked when are you going to be done? Like the show, Let's let's keep the show moving. Let's close the curtains behind you because right now he has a free view for whatever. All right, where are we? Let's move on. Let's let's move on.

Alert Alert, Alert, or maybe asker is to call on first and Chenna Jeff Wilson Jr. Back in takes the wide run right, breaks a tackle five touchdown San fran Cisco and that feels great, baby, Greg Papa Tim Ryan with the call deadbolt that door, Ricky Hollywood. Jeff Wilson Jr. Ran for a buck four team three touchdowns. Cam Newton threw three picks before being bench for Jared Stindham in the second half. The forty Niners cruise to a thirties

three to six win over the Patriots. New England falls the two and four in what was the most lopsided home loss of the Bill Belichick Eraic greg After the game, The hood had One said that Cam Newton, quote absolutely

close quotes, will remain his starter. Should it be so definite? Yes, because when Jared Stidham has played this year, he has not looked any better, including in the in the cameo in this game, I know it wasn't a lot of tape um, and I just think this ceiling for this team, especially offensively, you know it's not too high, but it's higher. With Cam Newton getting out of this crazy funk that

he's in. You have to give the forty Niners defense credit. Um. But Cam is as streaky a quarterback as I've ever seen throwing the ball. I think that's been true his entire career. And he came out and you could just tell right away like he was off, like he was missing guys. He's been holding the ball a ton the last two weeks not seeing things clearly, and then when he does pull the trigger, it's like his interception was just you could almost see his mind like saying should

I throw this or not? Interception, missing receivers like that was all bad and it wouldn't have mattered, like he could have been the best Cam Newton today. And the Patriots defense was never gonna get enough stops for them to compete in this game. They were very lucky to be only down at how off time. It was as one sided varsity j V as any half I would say of any two teams all year. The forty Niners had eighteen first downs at halftime and the Patriots had

fifteen plays. And it's a reminder Kyle Shanahan not saying that like he's a better head coach than Bill Belichick, but if I I would rather have an offensive head coach that can cook up magic with a whole bunch of craziness and injuries rather than a defensive coach with the game you know, with who can manage a game and have certain things, but has a team with clear flaws.

Because Kyle Shanahan can still have these game plans where Jimmy g made a couple of nice plays early didn't have to really do much, And it's a coaching game,

and their coaching was better. From a different perspective. Along similar lines, maybe Kyle Shanahan has a better GM than Bill Belichick, whose GM is Bill Belichick, Because it feels like to me that the Chickens are coming home to roost here with a roster that's talent deficient and a quarterback that is at this stage of his career hot and cold, and there's gonna be games like this when a team comes in that has more talent than you,

that's well coached, that the Patriots maybe aren't special anymore, and the fact that these games can happen for a team that no longer has a legendary quarterback behind senator to clean up the mess that no longer has UH can beat you one on one on offense, that the defense isn't special like it was for long stretches last year. Um, I wasn't like watching the I guess you're supposed to

be like Mark. Let me know if you agree. I think you're supposed to be like watching the Patriots get getting whipped in Foxborough and be like, I can't believe this is happening. This is so weird, but none of it felt surprising to me, So I didn't like take any like Jet Miserable, Jet fan joy out of it

because it just made sense. The Patriots aren't very good. Well, it doesn't seem like it should surprise anyone who watched the Broncos Patriots game with the same cast of characters and Julian Edelman Um in time for Halloween becoming a complete ghost in an offense that has no direction, and and you are fair making a fair point on the GM side of things that a lot of this were

systemic issues a year ago for New England. You just had Tom Brady masking over things that I think someone like Cam Newton um in a huge funk could not. The defense massed over a lot of that last year, so the defense falls through the floor. I mean, you've got nothing to save you. And you know it's like Kyle Shanahan. Um, where I'd agree with you, Greg, is that he's put up, he's placed. He's faced Belichick four times and put up thirty an average of thirty points

on him. And that came by the way he had him in the Super Bowl too. You can say whatever you want about that game ended. They put up thirty you know, they put up enough points to win that game. I mean, we knew it would be a great duel between I think two coaches that have like immen's respect for each other. But the forty Niners have war parts

right now. They're pretty broken themselves. I mean, the minute Jeff Wilson comes in and does a very Shanahan s thing by running for a hundred and twelve yards and three touchdowns, Bang, he's being taken off on a cart. They can't get healthy. But I would look at the Niners overall globally and say they've had a lot, you know, maybe west of the Eagles. Their injury issues have been um second to none, and they're winning games. I mean the whip they took care of the Rams. Uh, they

absolutely decimated the Patriots today. That makes you think, um, when they get healthy, when that time comes, Even with Jimmy g looking quite average to me, um at best, I still give them a chance um to sneak into the wild card. I do too, because I mean, look, they've they've they put it on some teams, but they lost Deebo Samuel at the end. Of this game in a blowout was a tough spot. Um, I don't know

how serious that was. And you lost Wilson and the reserves on defense like Sherman and d Ford and some of the bigger name guys. They're coaching through it, but they're probably not back for another month. Um, it's amazing what they've done. I also think they're a terrible matchup for the Patriots because that the Patriots can't stop the run,

and that's how Belichick's defense is normally start. They're so slow at linebacker, I mean Bentley and Jennings, who's this rookie like the outside zone like they they're set up to stop some passing teams, and so I think the Bills next week, like that's sort of the Patriots last stand in this division. They're set up to possibly stop some passing teams, but they cannot stop the run and they just run it so well. The Patriots, by the way, also lost Joe Tuoney, their center in this game to

kill Harry had a concussion. You mentioned Edelman was in and out. He's been so slow and injured this year. He had two throws to him today. Both of those throws were intercepted. Uh So, the Niners are now four and three, and you just it's it's incredible how quickly things have changed for them, because you know, they were coming off loss to the Eagles in primetime, tough loss. Then you get blown out seventeen GM G gets benched and there's just like panic in the streets about the

fort with the schedule up ahead. Then they beat the Rams and the Patriots on the road. What lies ahead And we'll dig into this more as the week goes along. But at Seattle home Packers, at Saints, at Rams home, Bills all coming up now, So they're not out of the woods by any stretch, and at four and three, they're very vulnerable to get knock kind of out of this wild card race. And Jimmy G looked a lot

better today. I know they're two picks. One of them was just you know, at the end of the half um. But he did make three or four throws, including on third and long. He looked like he was moving better. Uh that he looked like Jimmy G kind of from two thousand nineteen today. So they're gonna need that because because they're so banged up. But man, they're they're so uh talented even despite all the losses. You're right, I mean that the Patriots have no players with juice that

are just gonna win one on one. Ricky, you are still available to us. You're aw Yeah, you're still around. Good God. We're gonna check in on you periodically, just like what do they call those well being checks? Yeah? Um, you are in your you know, mid to late twenties. Lady never tells, so you've never known anything as a Patriots fan like this. How are you doing right now? Um? You know, as perfectly stated in the best football film of our generation by Coach Boon and remember the Titans,

it would be perfect in every aspect. You drop a pass, you run a mile, you miss a blocking assignment, you run a mile, you make a fumble, I'll break my foot off in your John Brown hind parts, and then you will run a mile perfection. Well, you guys, the Patriots will be running mile after mile today. What's happening? Okay? All right? Think Dan set that up or something. Listen. I wanted to give her the floor. Hey, speaking of

um the demise of the Patriots um dynasty. What did Zolac have to say when they pulled Newton out of the game. Meanwhile, off the sideline for the Patriots incomes number four in the blue jersey. Jarrett stood him quarter too late, so no helmet, no ear piece on for Cam Newton. How does he know what playtist? Oh? Boy oh? A hit piece on camp from Zolac. Well, they's like coming very clear though that Patriots fans who have listened to this show for um seven eight years are heading

into complete darkness. If if they're going to be dressed up this way every time they stumble, it's gonna be a long ride for those listeners. How did Zolac get from here to here? Quarter too late? So no helmet, no ear piece on for Cam Newton. How does he know what playtist? I hate to hear it? How does he know Cam totally checked out? All right, listen, this is all I have. Let's move on. Brady Ball told the quarter intel, Scotty Ller, it's got the ball. Touchdops

Tampa Bay Touchdouck Tampa Bay Bucketeers, Scotty Miller. Great throw by Brady, Oh, Tom Brady, that guy Tom Brady kicked him out the door. Gene Decker off with the call, and that was one of the prettiest touchdown passes you'll see all year, the Brady to Scotty Miller corner end zone pass. Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, moving moving him ahead of Drew Brees for number one on the all time t D throw list for the time being. As the Bucks battled then pulled away from the Raiders,

Sizzler Watching Brady today, he looked vintage. He looked like a master of his craft. You know, the Bucks might be the best team in the league if he's this guy, I would agree. I mean, we can argue about the most complete team, and I hear you with Tampa Bay, Um, i'd give it to Pittsburgh in the a f C. But one thing, Um, that we were always waiting for with Brady in the Bucks offense was you know, it was clear that in the first couple of weeks that

there were issues. Um, were they going to overcome them or where that was? That just who they were? Well, they're overcoming them, and you just feel this operation heating up, um, And I think you could see it in the eyes of Tom Brady. You could see it in the eyes of Bruce Arians, who at one point came over and just put an arm around his quarterback. I mean, Bruce

arians is having fun. I think I mentioned last year that I thought he seemed like he had a bit of a thousand yards stare didn't necessarily want to be involved what what with what he was doing. That's not the case now. And I mean, this is a game where Mike ever bore there were you know what, that's fine, it is absolutely I don't I don't really I not claiming that that was a home run. Takes a guy for Fox for a season or so. He didn't seem to be having much fun doing that. He seemed checked

out for That was a checkout. That was a checkout. Maybe I was continuing at off of that, but this was a game where Mike Evans was essentially not a factor until the game was out of hand. Um, and it just didn't matter. And it makes me wonder, you know, we've there are the reports out there essentially they're they're they're adding Antonio Brown, um and there are a variety

of responses to that move. But it's like, Okay, let's see how you can squeeze Antonio Brown into a into an offense where Rob Gronkowski starting to look better and better every week. Scottie Miller is becoming exactly what you thought he might be. With Tom Brady, Chris Godwin was all over the place today. They get just enough from their ground game when they need to. Uh, their offensive line is playing well. Tom Brady is throwing the ball

as well as he has in years. Uh, he's totally in a game like today when he was totally dialed in. I actually have to give the Raiders credit for hanging around,

and they really did hang around in this game. There was a backbreaking moment for Derek Carr and it was they were at this point down I think it was twenty four to twenty or so, but car got picked by Antoine Winfield Jr. Who is becoming an awesome safety in the NFL, and that basically ended it because that set up a quick short drive for the Bucks in Ronald Jones Um to pop him in for a touchdown. That was two touchdowns and forty two seconds. The Raiders

were broken at that point. And I watched this Bucks team, guys like Devin White on defense who had three sacks, who had a play where he uh saw a a a ball handler like seventeen yards away and just single handedly sprinted at him and knocked him down. I mean he blew up Derek Carr in a play where I thought Derek Carr got hurt. Uh. It was one of the better games in the second half by Devin White that I've seen a defender player the year. It was

very impressive. So they are extremely complete. Uh, there aren't There's not an overt weakness. And you just have to look at the offense. Um. And I know that I you know, was I got for the way I phrased as saying that they would score forty points on on the leg. But I would just say that that you see it now they can do it. Um, they are that attack in everywhere. Well, they haven't had they haven't

been totally healthy. Now getting Godwin back his key to me, he's, you know, the second most valuable player on that on that offense. And they're different. And now they add Antonio Brown.

I don't think they knew they need Antonio Brown. You know, I think, you know, listening to Bruce arians have to answer the question that that well, if if Antonio Brown did what he's accused of doing, which you know to be clear as sexual assault and rape, Um, then then the legal system will take care of that and he won't be on the team. And I just I don't like him being added to this mix right now in arians answering questions like that after this game, because I

think it's unnecessary. I I lad uh my my debrief column last week with the Bucks saying like this team can win the Super Bowl. I mean, I think that was I think that's an obvious take. I think they're the best team in the NFL. I I'm not. I didn't need to see much more out of Brady. With a good offensive line and the high quality of throws he's been making, like he just needs to be a top ten to twelve type of quarterback, they could be

even better than that even as an offense. I think if if they do their best, but with this kind of line and with this kind of defense, and and with this kind of depth of playmakers, to me, they are they are the They are the team. If I had to pick one out of the NFC, they would be my team. Yeah. And you saw what they did in the final three quarters against the Packers last week when they put it all together and just blew out a very good Green Bay team and this game to me.

And I know he hasn't been this isn't this isn't two thousand seven Tom Brady or anything, and he's not gonna throw fifty touchdowns, but the way he played today was just to me. And I'll again mentioned the Scotty Miller touchdown past. I mean just the way he's moving the pocket, the confidence he's playing there, to the accuracy that he's throwing the ball with the zip that he's

throwing the ball with um, he's playing unbelievable. And you know, with the Antonio Brown situation, there's the component of it with the off the field issues and the criminal behavior, alleged criminal behavior, which is messy, and that's that's a separate conversation. But I think in terms of team building, it's it's a no brainer. Uh, In terms of building

your roster out. I know they have three really good wide receivers and Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scottie Miller, but Miller has been banged up, Godwin's misstime, Evans hasn't been healthy. You never know how this sport works. It's a war of attrition. So if you get Antonio Brown in the mix and he is on the field and making plays

he's going to, I think make this offense better. I understand why they did it from a team building standpoint, but it's obviously fair to get on them for uh some of the moral implications of bringing out a player like Brown. I would also note that arians after the game was said that the decision to bring on Antonio Brown. He said, Tom had nothing to do with this. Now, I don't know if I buy a word of that now two years like he even said he like admits how much he lies to the media. He says, it's

a it's a good thing. I don't know. He's not getting paid much Antonio Brown. He's getting paid the minimum with a little bit of incentives. So they like the Patriots a year ago, there's very little risk in terms of finances, and you could cut them as quickly as you wanted to if if you if you felt like it. But I'm telling I mean, we we're talking a lot, and I want to see them do it against a good defense. I mean, you said, we're not that surprised

about the Patriots. Well, when they put thirty six on the Raiders, we thought their offense might be pretty good. This year, everyone puts thirty everyone's falling apart. My point is everyone puts points on the Raiders. Um. So that's that's a huge part of the today's equation. It's not taking anything away. It's just saying that I like this Raiders team, but their defense is maybe the worst in the NFL. It's certainly one of the three or four

four worst. And that's why it was so crazy for Erica to uh go in a lock off against me and Tom. How do you go against Tom Brady right now? Erica? I mean, you come at the king best, not miss Yeah. I mean it was a long, a long game. Did you guys see my storybook? Um for Gruden and and that whole thing, And I just I went with it and I lost really hard one. And what is right now with the one win being anti Jets, Dan, I think you're muted. You were frozen there for a second.

Are you back? Tough? Sitch there? Ricky? I did one thing. I want to get on and just I want just check in her welfare at check she's okay, good. I just wanted before we move on, get on the Raiders and um John Gruden hated, hated, hated, fourth and one at the Tampa Bay seventeen yard line, three to play in the fourth quarter, they kick a field goal to cut it. All year to cut it, I mean a year to cut it. It was seventeen game. They were

down a touchdown to cut it. As if this was a team that was going to get multiple stops on a locked in Tom Brady with his supporting cast, this would happened. After that, Kansas City got the ball back eleven Place sixty seven yards touchdown. Next drive for the Raiders, interception on the first play, following drive for Kansas City to Place twenty four yards touchdown, followed by a four and out by the Raiders filed followed by six Place

thirty two yards touchdown. It went from congratulations on your field goal, Well they, I will say, they were hanging in there and trying to, you know, not completely go hey, we're off. And then they scored two touchdowns in two seconds. So that was all packed into a crumbling a huge melt play to win the game. Let's move on, Sorry, sepred It's dann Sorrenson. Sorenson, here's true. Lock throws a fifty yard pick six, dirty dance Arenson. How about that?

The Chiefs got a two yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Byron Pringle, another name I Love, a hard charging TV run by Clyde Edwards, Hilaire A Mahomes, the Tyreeke t d connection, and yes dirty Dance. Sorenson with the pick six and Drew Lock added up to a fortin over the Broncos at a frigid and snowy mile

high mark. You know, this is a game again. This is one of the coldest days in the history of Broncos football, which you would never think would happen this time of year, but it was, so that's gonna affect the passing game for the second straight week. Kansas City weather elements played a part, I think in how they were able to attack the opponent, but they were hitting Denver from so many angles that it turned into a

blowout even with a single Mahome is touchdown. Well, and if you're gonna, if you're gonna try to challenge Kansas City, who is not a team that can't operate in cold weather. I mean it was beautiful to look at the snow. The Broncos were hideous to look at. And you know, this is a game for those you measuring Drew Lock and um, you know, I know a couple of close, die hard Broncos fans that came away from this one

just very concerned about what they have under center. I mean, you have two killer fumbles from Melvin Gordon, uh, two interceptions from Lock and they never really got untracked. And and you know, you we saw our first taste of Levy on Bell for the Chiefs. I thought he looked it looked pretty good. They didn't use him a ton,

but it's just another we're talking about Antonio Brown. It's another piece to add and you can question why they're doing it, but to me, it's just like, you know, load up, load up, down the stretch and uh, there was no This game was just not a competition. And I think that the Broncos, for all their parts, um parts are great, but you need you need like the quarterback play to equal it. And it just didn't happen

today at all. Well reminds me a little when the forty Niners suddenly had all their players back and then they got blown out that first game with the Dolphins. I mean, and the Broncos obviously aren't at the stage of development at the fort You still gotta start playing together a little bit um and uh, the offense you would expect to do more. I'll take the l on this that I thought. I thought the Broncos were gonna

be in this game. But you have a first half where it's a pick six and a kick return against it Saint the Chiefs. Forget about it. I mean that that's it. It's over. I mean they the Chiefs were held till like five and a half yards to play. They didn't have a they didn't have a third down in the game, they didn't convert a third down in the game, and they put up forty three points like they had under three yards in this game the Chiefs.

So I think the Broncos defense was up for a challenge, but it's if you're giving away points on special teams, uh, in your offense, eventually the defense is gonna cave it. I think it's one of the better defenses around, but it's just you can't be put with you can't have that weight put on you dealing with the Chiefs. It was terrible performance by the Broncos. I still have an open mind with Drew Lock, but now eight starts in and I just don't see anything special there. He's gonna

need to improve his play. Um, he wasn't good enough in this game. Just But at the same time, if you're gonna give the homes a past for not lighting it up in in these elements, and let me just give you a little hardcore information on this kickoff temperature of fourteen degrees tied for the fifth coldest game in Broncos history, the third coldest home game in franchise history, and the coldest pre Halloween home game in franchise history. It sounds like a like a Jake Jillen Hall natural

disaster film taking part. Let's hear it for climate change. Way to go. It's racking up the scores this year. Uh. Levon Bell did look pretty good. He had to sixteen yard runs. Uh in limited work he ran six times for thirty nine yards. He had one run of sixteen yards in two d and six the four carries with the Jets. So I think he tweeted after the game, man that felt so good. Uh. So he's happy to be on a winner. You know. It goes to show you if you complain enough, you could get into a

better situation than the modern NFL. Good for him, Um, but Yeah, total effort for the Chiefs here and the Broncos. Running out of time to write this thing. Let's move on to Rogers looks rainbows right side, He's got his Bandavante Adams to the ten of the five, right side to the end zone, cutting it back, touts down Green Bay Packers. Wayne Larravy with a call. W T MJ

with the call. Aaron Rodgers look vulnerable last week against the Bucks, who was back to m v P form against the Texans, throwing four touchdown passes too to an uncoverable Davante Adams in Houston for the Packers, Mark Uh,

Aaron Rodgers looked like Aaron Rodgers again. Yes, and this is a game that I was supposed to cover, but I did catchum many elements of this and for me, because of coming off of last week, it was one of those games where heat check on the Packers are are We had entered in into a place where they're

a myth. They aren't what we thought the first four weeks. Well, I think they are what we what we thought they were because they were and they were dialed in from the beginning with literally no with no, with no reservations. I mean in the first half two fifty yards nine point four yards per attempt, and you know you're playing

a Texans team that's been frisky. But the Texans opened with basically three points a miss field goal, and then they went to half where the the Packers like right right out of the gate, a fifty five yard drive and eighty eight yard drive, both of those taking up ten and nine plays, eating up the clock. They score a third touchdown before the half game over, and then you know their defense has not been special, but that's enough,

that's enough to get it done. And so I look, I think it's I think what happened last week was we just talked about the Bucks you were dealing with. It's one of the two or three super legit defenses, and that's your concern. Can they operate? Can the Packers get to a higher level against that kind of a defense, Well,

they'll probably see them again mm hmm. Like this is a spot where you know, you the Texans are one of the few teams that travel their cornerback, you know, Bradley Roby with the opposing number one, and then you have him matched up against Davante Adams. He has his struggles and he gets hurt and uh, it all all falls apart from there. I mean, Packers defense is all they gotta do. Force three punts in a row to start a game. You're gonna win every one of those games.

It's like you just need the Packers defense to show up. And that half is as good a half, you know, production wise, as they've had in a long time. The Packers defense, they need to start having some building blocks as I'm not worried about the Packers offense. They did this without Aaron Jones today. I mean they found out before the game Aaron Jones is inactive and they still

they still put up points like that. And Davante Adams he's a special player because he he's he's the guy in the league that and you know, maybe DeAndre Hopkins is another one that when he is gets into his zone, he could just put up Madden on easy type numbers. He had a career high one yardage, the most yards by a Green Bay player since Jordy Nelson went for two oh nine back in Week two, and Adams was one catch shy of tying the franchise record shared by

himself in Week one of this year. And Don Hudson back in two, so like when him and Rogers are right, there is no more devastating tandem in the league. J J. Watt uh spoke after the game about where the Texans are at. Let's listen to that. About the way Rogers played today, and I'm compared to the ways you've seen him play earlier and when you guys played against him, he played very well. To her, what do you do that? What made him play well through the ball to receiver?

In my cart? I if you could see the look on JJ Watt's face, it's why I wanted to man he was He had this like gritted teeth look. He wasn't gonna say anything like he's look he sounded like he wanted to jump through the screen and strangle John McClain, who was asking that question, probably from Houston, Poor John McLean. Well, it's also a team that you know they're There are whispers out there that they could be heavy, um, very

active before the trade deadline. And I think the trade deadline is not going to be a deadline this year because to get players in with the Corona business, they're saying the trades are gonna happen sooner, and guys like Will Fuller have been mentioned um this week, this week because a week from Tuesday. But yeah, you could see in the next forty eight hours. I think we could see trades because it's like, if you're gonna let him go, move on, I think with what to you know? They're

one in six as they hit thereby. His brother t J has not that this is part of the reason it's frustrate, but kind of surpassed him, perhaps as a talent in the NFL on an undefeated Steelers team. And here's j J wat Um, a proud player, future Hall of Famer, on the other side of thirty in the middle of a mess in Houston. I can imagine it's got to be very frustrating from where he kind of saw his career arc as on a Super Bowl contender,

I'm sure he thought. And now to see where they are now, tough sitch as they say, as you say, okay, as I said, let's move on. Here we go, Let's see it the money plays, Let's see what the Lions dial up. Two seconds to go. Stafford in the out of the gun. He's got it back looks looks talks watch steps up, looks talk, J get it. That's tied it and then extra point away. I'm winning this game? Wow, Babby,

how big is that? Big is that? Oh man? That might be the call the year from Dan Miller with Lomas Brown w j R. Yes, Maddie Stafford uh found t J. Hockenson in the end zone with no time on the clock, a game tying score that's set up a long after a penalty p t by Matt Prader from forty eight yards to nail down a win. So there you go. The Lions, who lost so many games like this win one. And for the Falcons it's the same thing over and over. Greg lots to unpack here,

but I want to start here. Actually with the Todd Gurley touchdown that costs the Falcons the game. Yeah you heard that right. Everyone knew it was coming. Everyone watching that game knew that the Lions had to be thinking of allowing the Falcons to score a touchdown. The situation was about a one ten to go. They had just

gotten inside the ten yard line. They could have just run the clock out that the Lions were out of time out and the only cha they could have for you know it would be blocking a young Way coup kick from from you know, a couple of yards away, or they could have kneeled and then scored a touchdown after that, after birning some clock, and you thought, I wonder if Matt Patricia is gonna think back to the Patriots Super Bowl where they, you know, they let the

Giants score, whether they do it again. And I think the Falcons coaching staff told Todd Gurley, don't score a touchdown. So he breaks a tackle right at the line of scrimmage where they kind of have tried to tackle, and then they let him in and he decides about the one yard like oh no, oh, no, oh no, tries to get down on the ground, tries not to score. It was too late. He scored by mistake. It is the most Falcons thing ever that you are allowed to score.

You're you're told not to score, and then you score by mistake. And you could still you could have still stopped the Lions at that point. But after Gurley scored that touchdown, there was no doubt in my mind. I don't care that the Lions had no timeouts. There was no doubt in my mind they were gonna go right

down the field and score down. And you do have to give Stafford and Kenny Golladay, who was a total difference maker today, credit for making some great plays in that drive, especially Golliday which set up that game winning touchdown. But what a dart, What a beautiful dart to Golliday

to set up the Hawkins and score. Yeah, and in in true Falcons fashion, Falcons zooming up the pain rankings the fact that when as he loses his balance and he goes down to the ground, it's like this like fun house mirror reverse scenario of how football works, where it's like did the ball cross the plane for the touchdown? But that's not what you want, of course, Yes, of course with the Falcons, it's gonna go the wrong way for them and just another crushing loss. I mean maybe

in the long term. Honestly, Mark, this is kind of good for the Falcons who are playing for two thousand twenty one anyway. But at the same time, for a team that's had so many stomach punch loss is this year to just add another one to the ledger in a new and unique way. You just don't need that. Well there, I wouldn't trust them to not be in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes, no matter how that will they played for fifty eight minutes. Um, but look at these

frisky little three and three lions. Oh you're jumping back on because they're and you you were sinking them. I mean, get on. I built my own vehicle wagon with my own vehicle. You know that as as horror horrific this matchup was in terms of the uniforms and the stadium lighting, which I know Chris Wessling got a lot of tweets at him and he was retweeting them, and you know, it was an all time bad looking game. You know, it was a very evenly played, you know, good football contest.

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones played well. It was like very even, very tense, but to end that way was just the most falcons. And they have mentioned that any sort of trade rumors around Ryan and Julio Jones, I mean, I guess you get blown away. Are simply wind at this point that they're not moving them this season. I noticed that. I guess it was whenever their previous home game was. And that's a beautiful building, Mercedes ben Stadium.

We were there for the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, and it was kind of the first of its kind. Having the in the round visual scoreboard that's now going to be the rage everywhere, and we see it in the new Hollywood Park facility here. But there's something off about the turf, the coloring of the turf and the lighting in the stadium that just kind of everything feels muted and a little bit depressing. That feels like a fairly easy fix. Thousands of so many things

they need to fix. That feels like something that could be handled pretty quickly, maybe even during a bye week or something. Um Mark, I'm picturing you like on like a like a donkey or like you know, you're on your like borrow and you're you're trying to catch up to the sputtering Lions bandwagon. So you could do like an Indiana Jones, do the whip and pull yourself on it. You're strugg going to catch up with the borrow. You can you can do it. Maybe, I mean you're putting

me on a on a farm animal. I'm not. I've built, I said I built and enjoy. It's not going to be an animal this. If this game doesn't convince you, they're they're gonna, you know, roar to the playoffs. So what will I just said they're frisky, and they are they're suddenly suddenly, they're back in the conversation. Sitting at five hundred. A lot of season left, Greg and Dan moving on. Here's the snap on second and two and this passes. This really interestinger ship that Jerry Hughes has

the ball and he has goes down. He gets a late hit, but Jerry Hughes comes up with the pick somehow. What a call. Listen, the Bills had six field goals for their scoring, not a lot to choose from in this one. Yes, the Bills losing streak is over because their defense finally took a game over Buffalo's. The health Sam Donald in the Jets the four total yards on sixteen plays from scrimmage in the second half, allowing the Bill's offense to dig out of an early double double

digit deficit and an eventual eighteen to ten win. Donald was sacked five times and through two picks, including the game stealer, a deflection u corralled by Jerry Hughes late in the fourth quarter. Um. Jerry Hughes was awesome in this game. He played like a man possessed. Um had two sacks tackles for loss. The interception, just around the ball all game in a strange game, because we talked about it on the preview show that this was an

obvious get right game for the Bills. Uh, you kind of imagine this could have been a thirty four to seven, you know, forty two to six type game, and they get right. Well, that wasn't the way things started out. They fall down ten nothing in the second quarter. Uh, Josh Allen has a fumble uh and deep and Jets territory that he loses. Um. He is showing some accuracy issues again and you're you're wondering what's going on here.

But they are able to get back in the game because the Jets offense with Donald uh struggling in the first game for dal Loggins who took over play calling duties from Adam Gates, which I guess is just gaze and total desperation mode mode at this point, just trying to do anything to spark matters. But it didn't work and uh, Josh all couldn't get Buffalo into the end zone. Um. But they also didn't punt as far as I can recall, Uh, they settled for eight field goal attempts, hitting six of them,

and that accounted for all the scoring. So not you guys did not miss a golden game here, but the Bills will take it and they get back on the winning side of things, and they're five and two. How are you, uh on Donald's return because you know, early get you know, he made some big throws which I saw, and then you look at it and in the second half,

the Jets at four yards. I don't know if I've ever seen that four yards as a team and on sixteen places, you know, there's just basically a three and out machine, and you know the way, and I tweeted about it this week. So like, if you're trying to figure out what do you want out of this Jet season, at this point, it's like, alright, ten games, let's see

what Sam Donald has. Because you're kind of like as Mark alluded to on our preview show, and a bit of a catch twenty two situation where like you don't want to give up on Sam Donald because you have a lot invested in him and you you've seen the flashes, but at the same time, like he needs to improve and really make it a tough decision for the Jets if they do indeed end up having uh, perhaps the number one overall pick, and this game, to me was

like a huge red flag because the Bill's defense hasn't been any good this year and the Jets didn't have Jameson Crowder, which is a huge loss for that offense because he basically is the offense for most of the season. But they did have Perriman back, and they got Denzel Mims back, and early on they were they did have a bit of a connection. But the fact that you face planted in the second half, you're You're just gonna make the decision easier for the Jets if you have

a couple more of these performances. So yeah, I was disappointed by his play. I mean, I guess if you're you can't you can't kill Jets fans if a couple of months from now, if this season plays out as it has um to switch loyalties because a Jets fans job has been an awful job. But you're not sitting there just to not enjoy life. Um, so a ton of changes coming. I did see DJ in terms of quarterbacks, not in terms of teams, because I wouldn't blame him

for tweet switching teams. I mean, life's too short. Well, that's well, I don't think that. I don't know too many Jets fans that would do that or any To be honest, they're very loyal, man. I wouldn't blame them. But I saw Daniel Jeremiah. Jeremiah tweet that their Jets rookie class um. He was gushing about how promising it was. I'm assuming that's because Mims came in and made some plays. Mims got out of the game healthy, made some catches

and that's you know, you get excited about that. And McKay Beckton came back in and he looks like a potential all Pro level left tackle, which is a huge hit. But yeah, I mean DJ was happy to see a positive tweet about the Jets once because you don't see many of them. But yeah, Donald is up to about thirty starts now, and you can't just continue to hope that he's going to kind of pull it together at a certain point, especially why it did cross my mind

during this very ugly second half. You know, Joe Burrow lightening up the Browns, and he's been lightening up teams all year, justin Herbert, what he's been able to do. Uh, you know what that's what you expect at some point, and you just haven't. You haven't seen it from Donald And even though he's been in a horrible situation, you gotta have results at some point. So that's where I'm at on I'm starting to kind of mentally begin my break from Sam Donald and and mentally preparing for the

idea of hitting the reboot. Well, it's competitive, although the Jets, you know, look as bad as you know any team. Certainly there are only there. I counted their seven teams with one winner. Less, there's a lot of bad teams this year. The battle. Uh, there's a lot of three gaul You could your seven teams right now where it's week seven right now, and there's seven teams with one winner. Take a look at the jets upcoming schedule and tell me where you see the three games. You're lucky because

their schedules brutal ba game as they got. All right, let's move on another team in the tank for Trevor Sweepstakes. Steps back now, throw it deep down the left sideline. That's Terry mcclord. Wide open pitch catch, touchdown, touchdown, Washington. You are not gonna double cast that one. Bram Weinstein and Julie Donaldson w t M. Good to hear the female perspective in the calls, and you don't get much

of that might be the only one, right scary. Terry McLaurin and Kyle Allen hooked up on a fifty two yard touchdown and the Washington football team coasted to win over the moribund Dallas Cowboys. I mean, a team that could be headed towards major changes in the near future. Greg, the Cowboys really are this bad? They are. UM, it was unfortunate to see Andy Dalton go out with UM a concussion after a dirty hit UM by John Bostic.

I don't know if it was intentional, but it was a late hit on a slide and he'll he got kicked out of the game and he'll probably be suspended. But I don't think that should um distract from how thorough a total beat down the game already was before that. I think you could have had Andy Dalton out there for twelve drives and I don't think they were going to score a touchdown with him or UM. Who was

who was their quarterback? Ben Denucci? Like just I don't even I don't even want to, I don't even want to professional and look, he actually made one one good throw and in his limited time, but wow, they were overmatched on both sides of the boss, just totally overmatched. Forget Washington being in the in the mix for Trevor. Their their defense is too good. I think they're gonna win too many games, and their offense is better with Kyle Allen. I do think it was a smart move

to go to Kyle Allen. I kind of I thought so at the time too, And I think he's not great, but they're better. I mean, we liked Kyle Allen for games last year and then you know, the floor fell out. Antonio Gibson yards on the ground. I think you're right, Greig. They're they're a little too frisky. They're a little too talented on defense to be in that race. This is

the Cowboys to me um this season. Mike McCarthy answering questions after the game about the Dalton hit from Bostick and acknowledging that one of the things that threw him that he found concerning Let's hear it, we speak all the time about playing for one another, you know, protecting

one another. M So definitely was probably not the response that would yeah, that you know, when your quarterback goes down, you want everyone around him and and and that was done with Dak Prescott obviously, but people get after Boston,

but I mean that's what he's saying. It's it's rally around your quarterback and show show Washington that you're not taking that and instead, um, this lifeless roster which has had a complete disconnect a with the coaching staff and be with anyone observing the Dallas Cowboys this season did nothing.

And I think that speaks to me about the A lot of the criticism you started to hear about the player coach relationships and everything going on weeks ago that had you concerned, but you saw the talent and now it's just like, talent is fine. Every team has talent um, they're not playing up in any level to where they are.

And I don't know how you come out of this season if you're Jerry Jones and things stay a pace um with a vote of confidence and Mike McCarthy it's one and done and you know what the rest of the thing moves on with. And I mean, this is as bad of a coaching job as I've ever seen. I think that is well within the range of outcomes if this continues, and especially who knows what Dalton I mean, he was diagnosed with a concussion, was a nasty head.

You know, these guys can come back five days later from concussions, it's just the way the sport is, or sometimes, depending on the severity, could disappear for the rest of the year. So we don't need to know his status right now. But the fact that he has come out and looks so helpless, uh, puts this team into a really dark place now where uh if he can't play. And Benny Denucci, who we you know, we like his name, but he's a seventh round pick. Uh, so you're not

expecting a lot for him. This thing could really create her. And again you have a aging results wants results now level owner. And I would even put a sandwich wager out there that this this could end up with McCarthy being sent out of town. And I don't think I take you on it. Because you want to do it, let's do it. I just just I's not a crazy sandwich to put up there. I think there's cases for both sides. I don't know if Jerry Jones gonna want

to admit he's wrong that quickly. It's gonna be slow water torture though for this season, because because of how bad the NFC East is, they're gonna have to like not give up. Like it's like the games are gonna keep mattering as they keep playing this bad and and I thought like, when I, you know, heard about the you know Dalton not you know getting near him, I thought about, like, well, how many of these guys know each other that well, it's like an offensive line of

just total replacements. I'm not saying that justifies it. I'm not. I'm just trying to tell you these aren't even the Cowboys. It was only one starter left, um from the offensive line as before, Andy Dalton's not there. I just want to throw this out before he goes. By the way, I think Scott Turners doing a good job as their coordinator considering how little talent there is, and that I think it again shows um how poor like Dallas is coaching the The Washington football team had a hundred, two

hundred and fifty two yards at halftime. Washington, they had their season high and running for the year at halftime a hundred and twenty five yards against this Cowboys d and their health. They're pretty healthy on the Cowboy, so you know, let's not forget about that Cowboys. The wow. I don't think I should have locked up the Cowboys this week. Hey, Eric, are you there? Did we lose her again? I think I think this is this is a periodic welfare check if you're just joined. Eddie Spaghetti

is here now he came. He's a hunk of bees. Yeah, so Eddie was just outside checking the perimeter. I like it. Eddie brought in. I got Staten Island in the house, full investigator on the case. I'm glad that Eddie's in the building because that's a guy that I would trust. Nothing else in that apartment A right good. I just also want to make sure you're not like wandering around the city handing drifters, stunned guns and lead pipes, and after what we saw earlier with the butcher knife being

handed to the stranger here. Yeah, no, I'm I'm very very properly scared. So Eddie and there's nothing in the apartment. He sounds like he maybe just moved in and he ordered a pizza because has he's he has no groceries, and so he maybe it's legit and he's a very nice person that needed a night for you. Yeah, let's get shook over there. That's you know, Eddie's a nice piece of meat over there for protection. But let's welcome and Nick shook Erica in a little bit of danger. Potentially.

We're keeping an eye on it, Nick, but we're gonna send you over if we feel it to be necessary. OK. I don't go to the gym five days week for no reason. What a piece of meat himself? All right? Shook is with us? Uh to continue with the highlights, And here's a shootout of fun game down at the super Dome. Shall we sly will attempt an NFL record sixty five yard field goal? It kicks away. It is

getting dangerously close and just short. Mm hmmm mmmmmmmmm. Zack Street with the all for w w L sixty five yards dead red down the middle but fell about two yards short of the crossbark. Was that close to NFL history, But it didn't work out for the Panthers and Joey Sly and that rule with BA to the Saints. Drew Brees completed past the eight different pass catchers through for two, eight, seven and two touch INDs and added another score in

the ground. That's three straight wins for the Saints. Shook. Let's give New Orleans some credit here. They are shorthanded on offense and they're still getting it done. Yeah. No, Michael Thomas and yet Drew Brees really spread the ball around really well. Yeah. Yeah. Deonte Harris had his first career touchdown catch today. He went to a number of different other different receivers album camera doing it again, of course, over a hundred all purpose yards for the seventh straight game,

which is the longest active streak in the NFL. I mean, you know, this is the offense even without the guys that we knew. You know that the names aren't there, but this is still the offense that we expected from the Saints. And yeah, the only one by three points, but it was it was enough of a back and forth the fair where when you stepped away from it afterward,

you're like, that was a quality win. I mean, the Panthers, you know, they're not a team that we expected much from, but they're pretty competitive and it was a competitive game today. So it still is a good win for the Saints. Well, it's also a game you look at, you know, the yardage and the game's close, but the yardagees and the Saints moved the ball a lot better um, and that

goes to I think the Panthers overachieving. But the Saints are pretty deep, even though they're injured, and we get to Michael Thomas because I do, I do want to talk about Michael Thomas, but they're pretty injured in various parts, but their lines are are getting healthy, and like they're deep along those lines. And Marcus Davenport, who's back and healthy, had a huge sack to back up that Joey slide field goal and not to me like that has that's

a huge moment in that game. Yeah, I mean there was only two sacks the entire game, and and that was the biggest defensive play I think of the entire game. The other one was Brian burns Uh forcing a fumble near the end of the first half which let do a touchdown and the Panthers, I mean, he took a seventeen fourteen leading in the second quarter and looked like, oh, they might pull this off. And it was close throughout the game, but you're right, the Saints, you know, out

gained them, and it was really them. It was really the Panthers finding way to remain the game late, and you know that that sack kind of put him in a position where you already knew that was gonna be outcome. You're like, are they really gonna do it? Is this really gonna happen? But I will say I'll give Joey Slye this. If Teddy bridge Water doesn't take that sack, that's the tie game and went over because from sixty

five missed by about two ft. And this is a guy that was on the Corona list a few uh some things ago. Yeah, that's start of the week. Um, Greg, you I think you deserve credit for standing by Teddy Bridgewater during this offseason ramp up to the season. He they moved the ball and they could put up big plays. Robby Anderson and d J. Moore are now the only teammate duo in the NFL with five plus receiving yards through Week seven. Uh entering Sunday Night Football. Uh they

this is not a dinkin duck. The average air yards per tempt um myth around Teddy Bridgewater has been proven false. Uh So listen, they're now three and two in five games without Christian McCaffrey. I believe they're playing Thursday night and they're expected, uh to potentially get McCaffrey back. He has not played since week two, So I mean, you're signing up, You're you're signing up for three and four probably if you're Matt Rule, even though you're disappointed tonight.

I got sandwiches on Teddy having more yards than Josh Allen, which uh, I would have would have thought it with Teddy's in like the top seven right in passing yards, he'd be in good shape. But he's he is trailing, but he's in that mix. I do think we should mention how weird this Michael Thomas thing is. I don't know what's going on here. Dude, he was supposed to be back like three or four weeks ago. Dude gets in a fight and get suspended before the bye week.

Everyone thought he was gonna play the week four. Then there's like rumblings he returns to practice that he might get traded. Then there's Sean Payton going after someone on Twitter saying that's a bunch of nonsense. And I have found over the years when there's weird things coming out in New Orleans, it's for a reason, and usually when

Sean Payton is going out of his way to deny things. Uh, usually it's the Saints that are putting out that story in the first place, like something something that you know, wide receivers are so tough sometimes because they're so volatiles at times personality wise, And it seems to me with the smoke that's coming out of there is that this

guy is causing issues behind the scenes. You don't find the latest hamstring hamstring tweak, then I don't know, he could be banged up, but I Mike Florio reported um on NBC tonight what you were just saying, Greg that they kind of potentially were floating Thomas before the trade deadline, and now this injury kind of has thrown cold water on that. And uh, I mean, this guy set the all time catch record last year. This guy had been

the most productive wide receiver since Antonio Brown. Oh yeah, Antonio Brown, another all world talent that's personality and off the field issues torpedoed his career until recently. Now, I mean, it's it is very interesting to see how this plays out. And it is weird that the injury stuff wrapped around me the punch. I mean, it's they're also still like sneaky two months away from probably Drew Brees walking away and becoming the notre dame announcer and looking themselves at

least on offense in a pretty deep rebuild. I mean, he was healthy enough to be practicing to get into a fight with the car I don't know, you know what I mean, And that was like three weeks ago, so that, yeah, yeah, Mark, does that Does that speak to you think Michael Thomas couldn't handle the struggles over rebuild? Or is it the fact that because like that guy, a guy at that age that he was that good of a receiver, you would want that to be one of your key pieces, and I think he would too.

I mean, I'd be surprised that they trade him. But when you throw in the fact that he's punching teammates, and that's the part of the story that we know, there might be the experience of Michael Thomas becoming a little bit too much for everyone. If there was ever a player that were to unfollow his team on Twitter and Instagram after an O and two start with a new quarterback that's struggling, it is Michael Thomas. Maybe they're trying to get ahead of this. The unfollowed. That's a

good call. All right, let's move on. There was a there was a false alarm unfollowing on Twitter and Instagram today of Harrison Smith and the Vikings. I want everyone to know that it was out there that Harrison Smith had unfollowed the Vikings on his social but it then was later learned via reporting that he in fact had never followed the Vikings in the first place. So everyone stand down. Harrison Smith is not on his way out of Minnesota. Now we move on. I got to get

that out there. Greg Coms rose right sideline for guiding, caught right sideline Ted Giten to the touchdown Chargers Herbert to Giten seventy yards just too much speed, Matt Money Smith Daniel Jarremiah with a call k Y s R. Man Money has got a n DJ have a front row seed for something special here justin Herbert is a man on fire. The super rookie went off with another big passing game, also set a charges rushing record for quarterbacks uh four touchdowns, including that game winner at the

Jalen Guiten win over the Jacks at Hollywood Park. Herbert finally gets that elusive first win, but we all know he's played well enough to win a bunch of games already. Shook, this kid looks like an instant Stars is a huge story in the league. You know, I was really startled.

I mean we followed the league from each week obviously, but I was just startled for a moment when I was watching the end of the game today and heard the broadcast say, and Justin Herbert officially has his first career in because you think he's been playing well for a month, like that type of performance from a quarterback usually leads to victories, and yet the Charges have found ways to lose and and have you know, had some

close calls. So I was like, wow, that really is his first career win, but it's it's the first of many. I mean at this point, some of the passes that he threw today were just absolute times, and he seems to be getting better with more experience week by week. It's kind of in the mold of Joe Burrow. But Burrow looked better from the start I think, or has been. I don't know if they started he was here and

he keeps going up. Um, but they're both improving on a weekly basis and it's really exciting to watch, and especially for a Chargers team that I mean when when we entered this season, we didn't know what they were getting out of him. They kind of took Justin Herbert because he was the guy after Tua and they had Tyrode as the bridge quarterback, and you didn't know when

Herbert was going to see the field at all. There was some thought that he wouldn't see the field at all this season, and yet he comes out and he's

playing like like a stud. So it's really exciting. The thing that is interesting to me is like you watch his touchdown run, which was I mean his arm set up that run because because they didn't know what to do with him, and it's like, okay, I mean from a team planning angle, they wanted Tyrod Taylor to red shirt this season for Herbert because also he's um and Anthony Lynn favorite because he's a mobile scrambler and in fun on the grounds, like sorry, Justin Herbert can do

basically anything on the ground that Tyrod Taylor today is gonna do for you, and he can do a billion more things through the air. I just wonder how they scouted him beforehand, I mean to the eye. He is a complete wonder. Well you gotta pay I don't. You can't know until they're in the games. I feel like, yeah, when when coaches say like we will love we love this guy in practice, like that's why Colin Kaepernick is replacing Alex Smith, it's like, oh, well, coaches are with

him all week long. So it's kind of like, could bend it anyway you want? I mean, well, you think they've they struggled to evaluate just how awkward is it for Daniel Jeremiah having to call these games. I'm sure he's like interviewing with Justin Herbert and he has to be like, oh, sorry, bro, I had you ranked twenty in my top fifty rankings behind and Drew Thomas struggling weekly behind Kenneth Murray and thanks in your world DJ versation. Well, I mean Herbert knows. I mean he's analyst. He's a

great behind Ross Blacklock. I don't even know if he went in the first two rounds um graded behind all those guys. And here's one of the greatest quarterbacks as a rookie we've ever seen a lot of what a hit piece by y I can done it, but um, anything else on this game shook than the Herbert. Well, on the Herbert point, I think the one thing that has helped him so far as he's doing a lot of the things that he did well at Oregon, including running.

I mean, anybody remembers that Rose Bowl win that he closed his organ career with. I mean, that's a prime example of basically what has helped him through the first you know, five weeks that he's played football in the NFL. So you know, I think you're right on not figuring out where these guys are headed. But at the same time they get out there just kind of do with thing. Now. Jacksonville wise, there was some rumbling about Gardner Minshew, right, um,

who is gonna lose his job? He was okay, I mean he had a couple of touchdown pass the day, hundred seventy three yards. He kept him in the game. But then it was the same Gardner Minshew outcome at the end fourth and two, he gets the conversion fourth and eight, he misses an open DJ Shark by five yards, and that was basically the ballgame. So you're ceiling is low. Sure, it's exciting from time to time, but these Jaguars, we know they're not really going anywhere they're gonna play. How

is it? How is the head coach today floating that story out there to our reporters saying that we're going to We're We've made a decision that Mike Lennon will give us a better chance when when they're down thirty nine and they need, you know, points when he's trying to push the ball downfield. You can see the frustration on the receivers on the two misses he had there. You know, I think he's just a limited guy when you have to open it up a little bit. But

they're certainly in the tank for Trevors. So stakes at one and six, now off six straight losses. Now Sunday Night Football, Sunday nine, can you make this one? It is in a sixty nine minute at forty five second game.

It is the only time that Arizonas had to lose Al Michael's with the call friend BC Zane Gonzalza tones for his error at the end of regulation when he shanked a forty one yard or hitting the forty eight yarder in ot Arizona Cardinals thirty seven, Seattle Seahawks thirty four and a thriller the Cardinals improved to five into the Seahawks finally lose their first game of the year. They fall to five and one. Uh shook. This one was wild. The Seahawks seemed to have it in hand.

They were up thirty four with less than six minutes to play. Uh they are unable to close the game out on defense and no surprise there, and then unable to take advantage of there are opportunities when Russell Wilson was on the field. Yeah, I felt like once the scramble to get it to second and short at the two minute warning, it was basically, well, you know, they get this first down and it's all but over and then you know, Arizona gets to stop and suddenly have

a ball game. But even at that point, the Cardinals still have to go down the field. I mean, there was there was. It was such an unlikely and I haven't looked at the probability metric on for next Gen in this game, but I'm worked up. I'm sure it just shot down because like this was unlikely. This was

definitely unlikely. But I mean it speech to the moxy and the the ability of of a young guy like Kyler Murray to be able to leave it, and also the Larry Fitzgerald forgetting the ball to the center in order for them to snap in times. People love that love that unlikely. It was insane. How did they They blew the Seahawks blew this game a thousand different ways.

The Cardinals, you know, tried to um in over time a couple of different times too, But there were so many parts of this game that was that were absolutely insane. It reminds me of the inverse of that six six Cardinals Seahawks game, which happened when I was in London and you guys weren't. I remember it ended up like five in the morning and there was a gate all year. Was that like the worst game of the year or

the best game? Like this one tonight. It was sloppy as hell, but it was the best game of the year. And I go back, um like to that overtime period or what set it up rather and the decision from Pete Carroll and you mentioned uh Nick shook that Russell Wilson scrambled to set up a second and short where all they need is two yards to to finish off the game, and the first run loses yardage and I and I was. I remember thinking like, are they going

to have the guts to throw the ball here? Because if they throw the ball here, they're gonna win the game. And I don't kill them for running it there. But you went run, run, run in that spot, you went backwards. In the end. It was like the only time all year where they didn't have the guts. And Kyler Murray directs one of the craziest uh late minute regulation drives I've ever seen fifty four seconds where they had two

designed runs. They spiked it three different times. Uh. You never seen something like that, And it was really like

courageous and smart. And then Cliff Kingsbury did as much as he could in overtime to make us think they're not necessarily courageous and smart or in or in regulation, because I mean, you know, had that gone down poorly for the Cardinals, you've got the talking point that Zene Gonzalez kicked the would be uh game winning but would be not game winning field goal on second down, which I mean, it's amazing that what you with, especially with the kickers, like the last thing they do is all

we remember and it wipes out all these other storylines. Um. But I will say I will footnote this by saying that I thought that one of the biggest things that that Arizona did in regulation and the overtime period was UM getting to Russell Wilson. That Byron murphy sack was huge. I mean, coming off a regulation period that saw them, you know, combined for nine two yards. The minute this game, UM, the minute that the Bucks Raiders was moved out of

this slot in Arizona seatll got moved in. UM, We've been through this enough. A mental note UM rolled through my mind that said, you will be up at least an extra hour and twenty minutes that you would have been up. Um, Cliff Kingsbury there, I'm sure we'll have

a victory Monday. On Tuesday morning at the team meeting, he should have Rolex watches for everyone on the Arizona defense for bailing his ass out UH on this game, because Yeah, I could not get over it, and I couldn't believe Alan Chris are usually still locked in on things. Didn't even make any note of it that he settled for the forty one yard field goal second right after a five yard loss. It was a reminder that head coaches can lose their nerve too in a really big spot,

and I think that's what happened. Uh, sorry, I think that's what happened here. Uh. He they lost five on a run and he just said, okay, send Zane out there. He lost and you and what you would he really failed to realize is that the Seattle defense was guessed. Even Kalsworth was making note of it, that these guys were done and all you gotta do is run it. You're probably gonna damn was gonna break either for a game ending touchdown or for another five, ten, fifteen yards. Instead,

he brings up Gonzalez and he misses the kick. But yeah, I was really surprised. So a good job by the Arizona defense for like Mark said, getting to Wilson in overtime and at the end of regulation and in general Seattle's offense, which has been so unstoppable. Uh, they end the game going punt punt interception. Uh that was not expected either, and the interception was crazy, Like they didn't really discuss that either. Because Isaiah Simmons, a top ten

pick who's barely played this year. He played under five snaps tonight, and one of those snaps was that interception. Because Arizona was so injured by the end, Russell Wilson just threw that to no one. There's no receivers anywhere remotely here. The pressure was coming and and they had blitzed them advanced Joseph, give him, give him some credit for coming up with these crazy blitzes. And overtime they just cooked him up. Russ was cooked like he lost

his mind a little bit. I I wrote that I don't want to go on too long, but this game was so insane. I just like wrote down. I was starting to, like, you know, right down like a top five plays from this game because this game was so incredible, and then it got longer and longer. Here are the things that this in no order, but here are things that happened in this game. Uh, Kyler Murray being cool enough to smile when he sees sees Hopkins one on one and then throw a touchdown to him. The three

Russell Wilson throws to lock it, We're all insane. The one hander to start the game was one of the best catches of the year. The bomb touchdown was ridiculous, and the in the touchdown on fourth down to lock it was just like that two point conversion in the in the NFC Championship, that alone was amazing. That Kyler Murray scramble touchdown where he just you know, joked them

out of their shorts was outrageous. The Kyler drive we mentioned to force overtime, Kingsbury's brain fire Simmons is uh interception. And then almost the biggest thing was I thought the Seahawks one on a on a game winning touchdown and overtime that was over same game and you didn't even mention the Bens in Myowa unsportsmanlike conduct that took the field goal off the board and allowed Arizona to get the touchdown instead that then set up the game tying

field goal at the end of regulation. I mean, that's Seattle has been dancing with the devil all season, I think with their defense, and they've gotten away with it a couple of games. It finally came back to haunt them too. I think that's something to take out of this game as well, that they're gonna remain vulnerable, uh, even with a great Russell Wilson, as long as this defense cannot make stands. Yeah, you know, you bring the Bens and Myowa thing is huge because we could point

scapeboats out of a bunch of different people here. I mean we could we could go to Brian Schotheimer for calling not only did they go run, run, run, And you're fine with that, Greg, I was fine with that too. They called the same play three times. It was a stretched round of the right three times. Do you think the third time they might actually anticipate a little bit and try to shoot the gap, which is exactly what

they did, stuffing him in the hole. I mean, Carlos hides on a guy who necessarily gets stuffed like that. They knew that was coming and and so you can point him as escapegoat to keep my oas escapegoat if you go down the line. But I think the one thing that really stands out to me about this entire game is centers on Kyler Murray and it centers on the fact that he's been doing this like like scrambling for the touchdown for example. It's almost a near weekly thing. Now.

I mean, this is something that he's I don't know if you would say added to his arsenal or whatever, but it's something that's helping their offense reach that next level. But what we haven't seen him do is do it in a position like tonight where he had to go down the field where you had to leave a drive lead a drive like that, and they had to execute

on every single play. You found a way too. And and I don't know if this is really a turning point for them, but it's really encouraging because we had some high hopes for them. They kind of, you know, they hit a lall early in the season. They're coming

on strong now and and it's it's a lot of fun. Well, we called it a doorway game on Thursday, and that's my word for it, because nick I thought the same thing about Cleveland facing like Pittsburgh, Like you go through that doorway, you show that you can get through, then we think about you differently. And I think about that. You know, I know that they beat Seattle last year,

but that's last year. I mean this this after after you know, a two or three weeks sort of semi funk where I wasn't sure what to think about Arizona's offense. I come out of this completely different than This game also was a study in variance because how different football games can be. Like we talked about the Cardinal, the Carolina New Orleans game had four teen possessions, seven each.

That's kind of unusual. This had possessions, I mean, and it looked like it's the point where if you were one of the lost Soul being asked to write the what we learned for this, I would have I would have like literally run out of the building at this point because I don't do well with those things. And there was like seventy five different plot points. Please to Grant Gordon, who's writing this, thank you one of the

great guys on the desk and NFL dot Com. Yeah, there's only a handful of special quarterbacks in the league, and we got to see two of them tonight. Just a wild game. All right. That's Week seven Sunday, Look at us, Look at us almost mid season. Now we're

flying along. Coming up this week on UH the Around the NFL podcast, we're going to dive deep with the trade deadline coming up UH Tuesday show, we'll have our preview for a week eight of course, and then the NFL Network program, which you should DVR or watch live Saturday mornings UH every week, so check that out. Shook Thank you as always, and now we're all going including show who's it's very late in downtown Cleveland. But he's gonna hop on a red eye and we're all gonna

go straight to Ricky Hollywood's apartment to protect her. So we are. We're just getting started tonight, Nicky. We're coming for you baby. Yeah. For a little update, Um, the person does not live there. Tech text of the Landlord. The cops have been here. It's been quite the quite the Sunday Night Escapade. We're gonna form a human wall. That's why I'm coming out. I'm gonna be in the middle or on the edge, and me and Dan will

be in the edge. Greg and Mark in the middle. Yeah, and I'm just gonna yell at them, like annoy them until our shields will be frozen. Our shields will be frozen. Pizzas nice alright, Ricky, stay safe and all seriousness. Um, all right, this is Dan Hands is signing off for oh we I asked the listeners to come up with a nickname for Nick Shook. I'm gonna debut it next

Sunday Night, so on that one. So Stan Hands is signing off four the Unshakable Nick Shook, the Quiet Storm, the Old Boss, and Ricky Hollywood in West Hollywood, Stay safe until Tuesday. Don't safe, don't spit the stoy S