2020 Week 8 Recap

know it's a good day. Game. It felt like an epically long day. And I don't mean that in a negative way, just there was just um a flock of games that to the very end, right And last night it was Halloween and we in our house, we tried very hard to give the boys a nice Halloween. And we have a you know, I think a lot of

people have this. They have a little cluster of people that are in the trust circle, the COVID Trust circle, and and we have two other families with kids, so they all came over the house and you know, Daddy's gonna get a little loose in that situation. It's been a long year. So when daddy gets loose, uh, and then you have an NFL Sunday. I'll put it this way. When we started this podcast in the bounce back was easier than it is in after marriage age progression, COVID

nineteen pandemic, two children. But I'm a warrior. You are right, but I and I normally don't like to bring this up. But I'm about six and a half seven years older than the two of you, and so, um, you know, I would just offer that it's seven years, seven years, Um, less fun to recover from things like that, and just even staying up late, you know. Um. We're here though, and we're all five and that's a beautiful thing. Um. And why is it always the same teams that the

heartbreak happens too? Why does it? We're gonna get to it. We're gonna get to all the games in week eight, as we reached the midway ish point of another regular season. We'll go through every game, but let's start with the Premier A f C matchup of the afternoon. And here's the snap. He's back steps out, fires for the goal line in the passage, broke it up at the goal line,

and that is terrific. Drop by the Steelers secondary to close in on Willie Snead the fourth the ball game is over Bill Hillgrove and touch Ilkin with the called w d v E Lamar Jackson and he has not

had the magic this year. The reigning m VPS final pass this time expired, fell incomplete, and the Pittsburgh Steelers escaped Baltimore within the Steelers moved to seven and oh and now hold a commanding lead in the a f C North greg This Dealers defense was too much for Lamar and they were They're a defense that has so many great players that on a day where they got steam rolled a little bit on the ground, you know, the Ravens put up two and sixty five yards on

the ground, uh you know, almost one eight in the first half. That they have enough good players that they can make enough game changing plays to escape of victory in a game that they really shouldn't. And and I hate starting with Lamar because he did make a number of spectacular plays in this game too, so that there were positives and the Ravens offense at times look better

than it did all year. But you can't get past the fact that his first throw of the game was a pick six his first throw of the second half. I believe it was the first throw was intercepted, and that was at a time of the game where the Ravens were absolutely dominant. And then he gets the ball twice in the last five minutes and the Steelers defense does a great job stopping them on fourth down, Uh, inside the ten yard line. You think that's gonna be it.

They forced a three and out and then we listened, you know to the final sequence where the Ravens almost pulled it out again getting into winning position, and you're right, they've just been a player too short on a day where they had a lot of positives if they had just made one more play. This is a devastating loss, not just to fall two games back, but to lose Ronnie Stanley, their left tackle for the season. That is a one two punch that I'm sure people in Baltimore

are pretty depressed about right now. I mean, if you this Ravens team, we've been waiting for them to appear as they did last year, and they just happened. If you told me that on the flip side, that the Steelers would have forty eight yards on the ground and no one, um other than Juju Smith Schuster crossing fifty yards through the air. I would look at that ahead of time and think that Baltimore took care of business. Um,

the Steelers just find a way. And I I don't, you know, I don't think this is a surprising result. Um it was my lock of the week, so you know, I went in thinking it could happen. Um. But suddenly you just start to look at the Ravens differently. And when we came into this season, it was so like crystallized to everyone watching football that the Chiefs and the Ravens were that upper exchechalant and we didn't really know what the Steelers were going to be. And I I

would flip those two teams. Now the Steelers are right up there. I mean, it's it's funny because I remember in the summer, people that follow the league very closely, people that travel on the road and and did a lot of the camp previews. You felt like there was a lot of the sentiment out there, watch out for

the Ravens. They're even better this year, which always struck me as a little bit odd because it's so hard to do what they did last year, which would just be so historically dominant, and that's what made that disappointment in January all the more difficult to handle because that was such a special year. When you have those special years, you want to be able to take advantage of it. So there's just some you know, pains this year obviously

that weren't in the picture, uh last year. And you know they were in for two d and sixty five yards in this game. I mean that is that's a huge number. They did that all the times against the Steelers and and to not do it. And yeah, you don't want to put everything on Lamar, but listen, when you're the defending m v P, much as expected of you. If he plays better, they win this game. And the a f C North is a lot different right now.

So I don't want to put all the focus on Lamar, but his play and his relative struggles this season are a big story around Baltimore. Yeah, and it's relative. I still think he's played like a top you know, twelve QB this year and including this game. I mean that I don't disappointment, No, No, it's a big absolutely and the passing game is is the bigger disappointment. Um, But I also wouldn't you know, look at the US is like, hey,

they're done. I mean they're five and two, and they just kind of dominated the Steelers, uh in this game. And you went into halftime with it being seventeen seven, thinking, oh, this is trouble for the Ravens because I mean they put one on them. I mean, they absolutely ran them up and down. The only seven points in the first half was that pick six. It was it was looking like varsity and JV to use a Tomlin expression, and it's not like even the Steelers comeback felt like they

were the ones dominated. The Steelers offense is the one that looked rather limited. The Ravens defense has played really well all year and they played well today. Um, but the Ravens aren't making plays in the big moments, at least in this game. They haven't had a lot of close games. It's been a strange season. They also have you know, some people getting upset. Hollywood Brown. I don't know if you saw his tweet that was deleted. He said,

what's the point of having soldias when you never use them? Parentheses, never double exclamation point? Yeah, the double slimmer is what got me. And of course soldiers s O you l j A s Um. Actually, since you brought it up, Greg, Hey, Ricky, I want to check Hollywood Brown's social media accounts to see if he is untagged all Ravens content. I'm moving to Instagram. Oh stop, all right, I have there. It

is Twitter. No, he has not removed Ravens related content from either of his feeds, so it appears at this time he intends to stay with the Ravens beyond the trade deadline. This was a classic though, thanks for the Ravens Steelers for delivering. I mean, Marcus Brown, he can be he can be upset though they'll they'll figure it out. But there was like there was five force humbles in this game. There were fourth down stops, there were pick six is um, it was kind of everything. They were

like huge hits. There was Ben Roethlisberger saying after the game, the one part of the game where their offense looked good, they were kind of in that muddle huddle where it's like they're not really the lane and they're going five wide and they're just playing hard up and he says he was just calling plays, like making up the plays in the huddle, like that was the only part of the game that worked. It was it was fun. That's what I do feel about the Steelers. And they seem

to be just in this wonderful groove. Uh and you know they're very dangerous when they get that way. I trust this team as much as I trust any team in the a f C. And I don't think that people have like figured out the Ravens. But to your point, Dan, asking for them to be tangibly more dangerous than they were when they were fourteen and two and people were watching Lamar Jackson every week with literally no antidote on how to stop him, Well, there's a whole lot more

Team four on the ground today. Was that that says a lot? All right? Let us move on. Snap looks good, holds down, kicks up, and it is through the uprights. In the New Orleans Saints are gonna win one and over time. Here in Chicago, that is the end of the game. The officials a little bit of a glory you boy there. We know it's overtime were there were multiple possessions in the field. Goal ends the game unnecessary.

What's the old word in journalism? You know what they're saying, like, don't say something in thirty words when you could say it in seven sure brevity, maybe the officials, And I'm gonna get I got some more issues with the officials later on, talking about your brownies. That game, all right, let's talk about it. Will Lutz went straight down the middle from thirty five yards out in overtime, the deciding points in the Saints three win over the Bears at

empty Soldier Field. These empty stadiums, and I know there's people and some of them now, I just hate it. I'm never gonna get used to it. The Bears wiped out a ten point deficit in the second half, a minor miracle considering the level of play. They're getting a quarterback right now, but the Saint's got to stop in ot Then that final drive in overtime to set up the game winning field goal. Uh, I don't know. An ugly, sloppy,

kind of strange game. I thought where it seemed at first The Bears got off to um a nice start, and then they gave up for the fifth straight game. The Saints have a touchdown in the final minute of the first half, which is a crazy thing, and uh, probably four of them have been inside twenty seconds or something. Insane.

They gave up an uncontested touchdown to Jared Cooke um to narrow the game, and then he got really sloppy in the third quarter, including one of the one of the worst um acts displays of behavior on the field. Did you see this? This was unbelievable. I I am still trying to process it. Who is the wide receiver's name,

Devon wims was who got kicked out of the game. Yeah, he, I guess the previous position he stuck his um A defender stuck his finger in in Vim's face, and then on the on the following drive, he went to grab the guy's chain, Gardner Johnson's chain missed that and then just two roundhouse punches like and Gardner Johnson's just like, what's happening? He never hit back or anything. So it was just like this. The game seems to be spiraling

and Folds couldn't move the offense. Uh So, I guess I give them credit, the Bears for getting off the mat, because the game once it got to a ten point deficit in the second half, it felt like it had gotten it had gotten away with from them. But uh they even the score, but they don't have any ability to um close out this game because it's the same old thing. And there's one point where Troy Aikman boys said, uh, this is where you miss Mitch Robinsky. That's where we're at.

That a lot of on Twitter to where suddenly people were, you know, suggesting that maybe Trabinsky could be doing things that fools was not. I mean, I think if you're the Bears defense and the in the whole season rides in the Bears defense, and you know, this game was close. But Alvin Kamara, I mean, and it's it's not a surprise or a stunner. I mean, he is a legit

premier talent, probably the best back in the league. But he lit them up through the air, and I thought towards the end, I mean, he just gave them signs of life. There was that one huge play that sprung them in my My one question for you is like with uh, Sean Payton, it's tempting, you know, lining up to do the field goal with a minute forty left. Um. He said that that was just his gut feeling. I don't have a big problem with that, but that was

a lot of room and time left for the Bears potentially. Yeah, it was very dumb. Because I believe there's a minute forty if they missed the kick. Uh, you give the Bears a chance obviously to go down the field rather than hey, there, it can accomplish two things. As long as you're not terrified of fumbling the ball and having a turnover of some kind, you get closer for lots, and you effectively can only win or tie the game.

So they went for it, got away with it. But that that was just kind of the game in a nutshell, was just a little bit sloppy by all parties. This one of the dumbest decisions of the year. He should be killed for it, I mean just because just because he hits the kick like a Matt not killed. I mean like literally, I mean that would be a lot. But uh, like I I do think about that, like

you should. We should almost come with the same energy even if you hit the kick when you make a ridiculous decision, because just because these coaches all talk about doing everything possible to gain the slightest edge in like just like having a half a percent chance better chance to win the game, and like working in the off season doing all this stuff, and you're like literally like giving your team a chance to either tie or lose

that game just by not kneeling. Plus it's stupid, let's have missed the twenty seven yard or earlier that game, like you have camera, just run the ball three times. I mean, kneeling would have been fine there too, and running the clock out then I wouldn't I wouldn't be saying that he should, you know, be killed or anything but that, but run the ball. I mean, I I kind of felt like they deserved to blow that one

at that point. And and this was a game. I'm sure if Chris Wrestling was on on this show, and I know he was watching somewhat that uh that the Drew brees arm strength truths, which of which he's won. Uh, he's not. He's not built for outdoors, you know, in the cold, uh in the playoffs. I mean that it was rough many times in this game, and he got

away with a couple I agree with that. This was their first outdoor game of the season in fact, And um, those some of those throws, the outs when he had to push the ball downfield, it just hung up an extra second and that's all it takes. In the NFL, he got away with a few throws. Actually that could have led to total chaos. So it is with the Saints.

They're five and two now, like realistically, and they're gonna be hurt by the fact that the games are gonna be played in full in front of um sold out fan base. And I don't are they still trying to move out of the Superdome potentially to play home home games. I don't know that that was drama continues on. I don't know if they're gonna do it, but this team needs to have home games in the playoffs because I think we could see how it's gonna go if he

has to go on the road. But tomorrow, yeah, he's he had almost I think a hundred and sixty yards from scrimmage, and it's just it's so free and easy with him. He's been their m v P this year, and the Bears defense kept being put in tough spots, whether it was special teams or turnovers where they're getting three and outs and Saints are kicking field goals. Saints could have won this, you know, bigger, but they gotta be happy they win a game without Emmanuel Sanders, Marcus

Callaway and Michael Thomas. I mean, that is your it is your top three receivers um and just quickly a shout out to Alan Robinson, who I feel like it is maybe an All Pro and stuck on that team like he is. He is a top two or three receiver right now. And like I locked this game up, and when I did, I thought he was out for this game, and he almost was the difference. He kept them almost single handed in this game. That's that's funny you bring it up because I was gonna say my

Christmas wish because he's heading towards free agency. Uh is Trevor Lawrence as the Jets quarterback with Alan Robinson and Denzel Mims outside and Jameson Crowder in the slot. That sounds pretty good to me because this dude, it doesn't matter what crap quarterback he plays with. He puts up big numbers. His touchdown catches one of the highest degree of difficulty catches. It's the beautiful grab. I like Darryl Mooney too. I think that he's, you know, he fits

with Fulls. But there was this one play towards the ani where Fulls, you know, needed to make a throw and he's escaping the pocket and it just reminds you that Nick Foles. The kind of quarterback the Nick Foles is probably just won't exist exactly. And it's like he just got ransacked by an active New Orleans pass rush and you know that's the game, and his mechanics are clunky and he just he's not the same guy was a couple of years ago. All right, let's move on.

Lock rolls to he's right. Lock throws a ball and so catch touchdown Denver. No, No, what are they saying? kJ Hamler pocked the ball? Now one official? Yes, touchdown? Touchdown her Holy mackerel, I mean Dave Logan, good job, koa the officials again, kJ Hamler, he makes that catch. He gets two butt cheeks down. What he's calling incomplete for that's the catch. Drew Lock rolled it to his right, found kJ Hamler, who got his butt down as time expired,

tying the game with the charges. Brendan McManis then hit the p T and Denver had locked up a thrilling But I shouldn't say locked up because Ricky locked up the Chargers over the Chargers at Mile High. Greg. The Broncos have been your pet project all year, and that they kind of showed all sides of themselves in this one. They did. They locked out. They deserved, you know, to enjoy um a win. They've had some tough losses. But my god, this I'm still recovering from watching this game.

I'm just thinking of at just like no, no, what are you? What are you doing? Chargers? It was more about the Chargers blowing it. I really feel that. Um. It was as dominant a game as I've seen. At one point it was about three hundred something yards to fifty twenty something first downs to two. Uh, the score is twenty four to three. It's midway through the third quarter. You know. When they booed the most, I think was after a Drew Lock interception at the end of the

third quarter. So Lock, who had been terrible through three quarters. To be clear, there one touchdown was off a fifty five yard you know, lindsay, uh run, that's where the that's where it started, and so that's the Chargers defense. And after that Lock throws an interception. So it's not even like Lock played well consistently until the fourth quarter where they go touchdown, uh, touchdown, touchdown, and one was

a blown coverage. You know, Herbert has an interception where it's a jump ball and it ends up being a helmet catch interception. That's some Chargers stuff right there. But there's no rule that you have to give up this long drive at the end of the game to blow it either with a bunch of penalties, and it's just like even the offense was moving it throughout. I'm like exasperated, even though I, you know, the Broncos in theory where this team I was behind, they did not deserve to

win this game. It's it's something special what the Chargers are doing. It's crazy. Three straight games where they've blown sixteen point leads, the Chargers, and it's like, we talked about this every week because this is who they've been for under Anthony Lynn, and it's it's hard because they're fun and they're doubly fun with Justin Herbert. I viewed them as like one of these teams that forget the

first two months of the season. If they get hot, they could maybe beat anyone, and yet they beat themselves. That's who they be. Three straight games. It's four, it's actually four, although it's a little bit of a weird stat because one of those they won against the Jaguars. But it's four straight games. And they also blew an eleven point leading the loss to the Chiefs too. That

doesn't even count that one. So it's outrageous. That's their nature, I mean, and it's been Yes, Anthony Lynn has been a part of his regime, but like this is Chargers football. This has been going on for years and years and years. They just they just find a way to do it. They you know, they lost lead of eleven points to the Chiefs in week two, seventeen points to both the Bucks and the Saints, and weeks four and five they lost the six point lead to the Jaguars. They won

that game. And now this, I mean, it just it can't happen and they have to find out. I know they've been hit hard by injuries on the defensive side of the ball, especially, but at the same time, there's just no excuse. This cannot be happening. It is a reflection on some level of the coaching, for sure, it has to be. It's i the look on Anthony Lynn's face, you know, just to set up um that game in touchdown and they kicked the extra point when no time left.

The only reason that happened is because there was a penalty on the play before that, the Broncos ran for about the seven yard like the Broncos mismanaged the two minute drill horribly to their like Colin runs in the middle of this, and then they ran out of time and there's a penalty on that play and Anthony Lynn comes running kind of looking down looking at the official going no, no, no, And the look on his face was like it's like a little child and telling him

that there wasn't Christmas happening this year. It felt like every Chargers fan I don't know. And they ran the ball for two hundred plus yards. I mean, so doing what Anthony Lynn wants. And if you're running the ball that well was like five point five yards per carry, you should be able to close out a game with a huge lead, right. The thing that's crazy is it's

not like the offense collapse. There was that helmet catch interception, which was you know, a little lucky, but a nice played by Bryce Collen, and then Um Herbert went field goal field goal and took some time off the clock. The only reason why the Chargers won is because these drives partly were so quick. They had a who plays sixty yard drive that took twenties seven seconds with like a blown coverage in the secondary. The Charges look so awesome.

They're healthier on defense. They have Melvin Inger back, they're different within him. They have Justin Jones back. They were dominant and I'm thinking, Wow, this Charger's team could be something. Uh. And then when this happens, Dan, I did ask for the money. Uh in DJ call of the handler touch I have not heard it yet, so well, let's see if it's good. But let's let's hear it, Ricky and well, here it is. This is the game. One second left, get in and it will be tied. Lock in the

shotgun board in the backfield. Fakes the handoff, rolling to his right, lock still looking throze caught incomplete, incomplete. He was out of bones. And now the referees discussing it. Signal on the field is incomplete. Now they say touchdown. After a discussion they say touchdown. J J Hamdler, Boy, the Chargers have found ways to lose games this season, but this is gonna be the most painful of them all. In more ways? Can money you know, have to describe

these This was it though, this was another level. They at least the other ones were against good teams and they blew the leads earlier. This was next level, a division opponent of everything. I've gotten to know Money over the past couple of years doing the Power Ranking Show with him, and he's like other guys that work in the broadcast boost of these teams. They're not homers. But also it's just a better gig when the team's winning because you're around the team so much, and you know,

you're kind of part of the whole adventure. Uh So, you know, Money and DJ they're going through that loss too, and the and the wreckage that comes from it. It is just a tough situation. We'll give the final word to linebacker Drew Trankle, who didn't play in this game with an injury, but he tweeted, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Stick with us. We will turn the tide. M charges. Fans have been hearing that for about fifty years. Let's

move on and take the shotgun. Shamp takes it, gonna keep it in, run with it. Left side gets good yardage inside the fifth ball comes out, loose ball. Who's got it? The Bills may have it. It is Buffalo ball Cam Newton fumble that the twelve yard line and the Bills recovered. Mckmarlow on the bottom of the pile comes up of the football. That is the game. Got the strip, I believe, and the Bills come up with

the football with thirty one seconds left. Oh my goodness, John Murphy and Steve Tasker with the call from w g R. And yes, Ricky being the intrepid producer that she has also did pull the Zolac call. But again, Zolac is basically incapacitated now during Patriots games. He was silent on that Cam Newton play squeeze it cam. The Patriots were driving for the go ahead score in the final minutes against the Bills, but Buffalo separated Newton from

the football and fell on the fumble to clinch. At Orchard Park, Buffalo snapped a seven game losing streak to the Patriots, just barely locking enough for the old Juson Bubbley. Nice Mark, How are we feeling about the Bills after this one? They're kind of a tough team to peg right now. I don't feel a whole lot better about them. Um. I think if there, if you want to shine a positive light on their offense. Uh, their running game came to life with Zack Moss and Devin Singletary Josh Allen.

The three of them combined for other over two hundred yards on the ground. Weather was a little bit of a factor in this one. But I look at these two teams is sort of uh, which I wouldn't have said this a month ago. Is almost mirrors on offense, save for the fact that New England lacks uh wide receivers that anyone's heard of or who are reliable. I mean you you you've got a little more star power and Buffalo. But Cam Newton and the Patriots fought so

hard in this game. They came into it with one tight end, Ryan Izzo one and this is a team that would probably like to use three if they had them half the time. And they in the second half they really imposed their well on bum Buffalo. It's their defense.

Buffalo's defense has me a little more concerned. Uh. Demir Bird made a couple of plays with Cam Damien Harris was ripping through them, and I really thought that they were heading to win this game, and then the Cam fumble happened, and it's just like it's an excruciating um club to watch because there are no namers on offense, which makes me kind of enjoy them more or or root for them more from an underdog nature. But Buffalo took care of business. But I come out of it, um,

you know, I'm just I'm I'm suspicious of Buffalo. I I don't trust them to really be the offense they were earlier in the year. They just looked very different to me. But they're a classic team to me that's six and two and just has to be happy they're six and two, that they have the components to be better because we've seen it to be the offense. They were closer in September than October. If they play like this, you know they're gonna lose early in the playoffs. If

if they make it. I mean, Sean McDermot had a quote after the game that said, you know, this win made him emotional that he tries to go through it one day, one day at a time, process process. But we know what this means to our franchise. We wish they could have, you know, in our fan base like what that we we've been building to this. You know,

for myself, it's like a validation. It's emotional win for the entire city, and it's like, okay, but you got But they need to be a lot better than they are right now because you're just gonna be a first round loser in the places I think they can be, Like they have the pieces to be better on defense and offense, and they've played. But it's been about a month now for the Bills. Yeah, they lost their starting center. I don't like that for them. Mitch Morse, well to

see what goes on with that. But I don't know, I like it's in terms of a transformative victory. Uh, it was just sort of like they hung on and got out of here with a win. Well as some of that's had a front row seat for the a f C East and the worst way for the last couple of decades, I think it is a very notable win. Um and the fact that the Bills, according to what you're saying, Mark, did not play very well and still

beat the Patriots. Things. Things have changed in this division, and it was something that people that despise the Patriots or were just sick of the page Riots waited for for years and years and years, but it has happened. It's the changing of the guard. And I don't know.

The only thing that I don't know, and I think it's unclear, is like, is this now the Bills Division where it's gonna be their realm for a couple of years or do they have enough problems where And I don't think we should be crowning anybody, uh in that division right now, but they have surpassed the Patriots as the as the better better team in this division, and they have things to work out. But the fact that New England is basically now just faded from the picture

on a four game losing streak is notable. And I think that's what I take out of this game that once again when the Patriots lose and they're now in an extended losing streak in the head coach, the legendary head coach Bill Belichick, when he's at the zoom podium, he's answering questions week after week about who's starting quarterback? Is gonna be like this is all stuff that just wasn't happening for decades, And I think it's just notable

that's where we are now. Well, that's why I think if you know your Belichick or Cam Newton, that's why that fumbles such a killer because this really was their chance. They're they're in field goal range. They have the Jets next week. In theory, there's a route to go for and for. There's a lot of tough games at the schedter. This team does not in any way look like um a contender. But if they win this game, it's like, well, it's just the Bills, the Dolphins and them, and someone's

got to get in and so that's devastating. They've had these moral victories like, well, if Cam was healthy against Kansas City, what a defensive performance. If Cam, you know, gets one extra yard in Seattle, they get a win. If this is another game where they had But it's not happening for them, and there's not really a big reason to think talent wise, they're going to recover. Gilmore was out for this game. Julian Edelman is on injured reserve,

Umickson got hurt. It's not like there's people coming that's that's coming to save them. I think the difference between the two teams is the front office right now, Frank, I mean Buffalo, you know, they're their front office and they're coaching staff in Unison, and I know, you know, Belichick I'm a career wise is up there with Asie Knew some but you'd have to look at the way this team is constructed around Cam Newton and say, how is any quarterback going to come out of this season

with five wins? M hm. You wonder if Gilmore was sat as a precaution if they are planning to make a trade as well with the deadline coming up in a couple of days. Uh And one last note and we'll you know, study the Bills more um in the weeks ahead. But Josh Allen, the first four games, he was a leader in the m v P race. He had completion percentage averaging three thirty yards per game through the air, twelve touchdowns, one pick, passer rating of one.

The last four games, the completion percentages down almost ten points. He's down to two d eleven point five yards per game, four touchdowns in four games passing and a passerrating a sub eighties. So he has kind of regressed in the last four weeks. Back to this being this enigmatic guy that nobody really knows, um what to make of him. So that is to me one of the big storylines in the second half of the season. In the A f C is like, how does Josh Allen close this season?

Where are we going to finish up? How are we going to see him when the dust settles. Let's move on. Car takes a snap, looks in that direction, fires the Rentfro. Rend Fro's got out of the end. So Rentfro with a touchdown that puts the Writers ahead here in the fourth quarter. Playing in miserable weather condition, says Brent Musburger. Of course do I even have to say k r l v uh playing miserable weather conditions? Derek Carr through just one touchdown pass well won the counter anyway, but

it was enough. In the sixteen six win over the Browns in Cleveland, rain, sleet, howling wind, uh whipping round at thirty five miles per hour joke, Um, And obviously that's gonna inform the pace of play. The brown said five drops in this game, the weather played a role. I'm sure with that. Not to take any any excuses, um and the Raiders used they were just more physical than the Browns in this game. This was like a

it should have been playing to the Browns favor. They're the they're at home, they're the the rugged A f C North team, but it was the Raiders who ran the ball with authority, um, including Josh Jacobs who had a hundred yards and thirty one carries. That's the most

rushes for Raiders running back since two thousand seven. And they they just hit harder to play the game was slot cornerback LaMarcus Joyner, who laid a clean, punishing hit right into the back of Jarvis Landry, was already playing with bad ribs to save a touchdown in the final minutes and essentially take the drama out of the game after a missed field goal shortly thereafter. Um. So good

on the Raiders for another nice road win. And I was texting with Mark Um and we're both on the same page here at the the Browns are just okay. It seems like they're some They're capable of having good weeks like we saw last week, and they're capable of having weeks like this, So you don't really know what you're gonna get week to week, and this was a

bad week. Yeah. I mean, I was watching this on the side and I think this is a Cleveland team that you can kind of tell pretty early into the game whether they're not they're in their flow because when they have been they've been pretty dynamic on offense. Um, this was I can't remember too many Browns games where Mother Nature wreaked as much havoc to your point, and it was like, look at you. You don't have a leading receiver for Las Vegas with more than twenty eight yards.

Cleveland wasn't far from that themselves. There were hideous drops Dave and Joe who had one of the I mean, you know this is trade bait and you're not helping yourself get traded or helping yourself acclimate to a new coaching staff in Cleveland with some of his play. Um, I think they really miss Wyatt Teller. I think they really miss Nick Chubb, who would have been This would have been a perfect Nick Chubb kind of even. I love Kareem Hunt is a wonderful back, but Nick Chubb

brings something a little bit different than Kareem Hunt. And you know you're missing Austin Hooper. Myles Garrett was out for part of this, but no excuses because both teams were dealing with totally chaotic weather and the Raiders were tougher right. They Raiders found out Sunday that Trent Brown couldn't play. They're right, they're great right tackle because of a mistake in what was it an injection that Tyrade this is crazy situation and he had to go to

the hospital. He's kind of air in his I V. Which is a very dangerous situation. So I I think, and this is I guess even more true because Brown wasn't there that it has to be disappointed for the Browns because of what Dan said that kind of like their identity is their offensive line and um kind of being a tough, hard nosed running team, and the Raiders were better at that. And that's that's to me, that's the Raiders identity to I don't think people think about

them that ways how I think about them. And it was a game at seventy in terms of plays, so the Raiders kind of controlled that. And I give the Raiders a lot of credit at four and three because they have had the hardest schedule in the NFL. Um according to their opponents like winning percentage and their four and three they really are a good four and three team. And you know they obviously they didn't play very well last week against the Bucks, but everybody that catches the

Bucks right now is catching hell. But they've sandwiched that loss with the win and Arrowhead and then this nice win in a tough situation in Cleveland. UM, so good on them and bad job by the refs that was. This game had three touchdowns that were um led to reviews and two of the three were overcalled overturned. Henry Ruggs had a touchdown catch where they had a freeze frame on the telecast showing probably about it two inches.

You see blades of grass between the end zone green and then the white out of bounds uh boundary, and they kept a call in the field ruling it that it was not a touchdown like that cannot it cannot happen with the technology that we have in the league. But the what's at stake on a week to week basis in our league. I I just was blown away that that call didn't result in a touchdown, absolutely, And

I didn't love the Landry one either. I I can there's a reason you can make a case for the Landry one not being a catch, and and that's fine, but that's that's different because they didn't have the angle on it. You could see the ball starting to move, but there was no Zapruder film angle to say, okay, it definitely was incomplete. The rugs one was, I don't know what somebody's got to answer questions in the New York office after that. I don't know what else to

be said. Myles Garrett was limited in this game. He was hell, he was basically a specialist pass rushing specialist, and he's getting an m R I on his knee. So that is the last thing you want to hear because he's obviously the heart and soul of that Brown's defense. And yeah, the Cream Hunt thing, I was my last thought in the game when Chubb was there and Hunt was there. That was because make one of the big stories in the NFL, like they have an identity. I

have a two headed monster. And then even when Chub got hurt, it's like you still have a former rushing champion. And Hunt hasn't quite played out the way I think a lot of people expected. And I know there are some challenges with the offensive line injuries and and Baker and the Odell injury, but he Hunt has not really taken the ball and run with it, uh to use. I mean, he's attempted to run with it to take the ball and run with it. It's not always work

to perfection. Yes, all right, let's move on. Grows back inside, Paul is caught. It's bed Cap who makes one man? Now? Two man miss? Twenty turk up failed, They don't touch him? Touchdown, Shayhawks. How in the world did he tiptoe up the sidelines, two defenders breaking on him and nobody touched him? All Yeah,

k deserves the cong music this week. Oh man. Dk Meca has that career highs with twelve catches, hundred and sixty one yards, two touchdowns, including that unbelievable touchdown uh at the end of the first quarter that only a few guys in the league can do. When you can turn the corner, you know, evades and tacklers, and then when everyone else goes out of bounds, he just has these afterburners and he just gets the final twenty yards

for a touchdown. He's unbelievable. Anyway. He led the way for the Seahawks in the thirty seven seven romp of the Niners at the clink Mark San Francisco. Had some did some cosmetic work here to make it look better, but this game is all Seahawks. Yeah, and it's it's it's tough when you're covering like games with DK Metcalf because he does something and you're like, how can I continue to describe what this player is doing in a tweet? UM to do him justice. I am so impressed with

he has. He had his six and seven touchdowns touchdowns of the season, and the second one was this incredible show of fire in might where he ripped the ball away from in a one on one match up with Emmanuel Moseley and he's just strung. He's just like a physical being UM that is gonna kill people in matchups. You just can't deal with him and he speed. The first touchdown was this incredible dance down the sideline, which we listened to UM at the top of this segment.

I think he's a fascinating player. And it's like, whether it's him or Tyler Lockett week to week, UM, you can't really double. You can't spend all along doubling either one of them because the other will fry you. And

so it's a pick your poison. And I think that probably the Seahawks listened to UM people like me that if they're I'm not claiming that they're listening to me, but statements, you know, probably they have it hardwired into their complex, but you know, saying that, you know that Kyle Shanahan is going to do a better job than any coach in the league around injuries and um my whole kylhand Shanahan thing, but the bow, this whole mark

don't don't put it on yourself. This whole podcast was drinking the Niners kool aid on Thursday afternoon when we recorded our preview show and the Seahawks made a little bit of a statement. Yeah, I think they did, and it's it was an anti um Shanahan game because there's just two they're two banged up on some level, and it's they're not the only team in that situation. But just uh, this was the game where they ran for

two point four yards per carry, fifty two yards. Jimmy G who you know, and there's there there is gonna be a lot of Nick Mullins versus Jimmy G were

back in that world because of what. I don't take that seriously at the end of the game, but Nick Mullins just sort of does seem to see the field a little bit better and Jimmy G through a terrible interception on a on an attempted pass to George Kittle in this that caused things to get out of hand early on, and I feel like they just have to play around him and and organize the offense in a way where he's given such safe throws and it's just

not the Jimmy g that I know from before. And the other thing that you know, we all like Fred Warner, and I think Gregg it was you saying that this might be the game where Bobby Wagner maybe takes, uh just a little bit of a step down. Bobby Wagner was a picture of utter dominance. He was, Yeah, I think he was. I mean he was just All the Seahawks pieces that we trust came came today and they totally they shined as a group. Um. The defense too, I think they kind of said, look at we can

we can handle our business. I mean, this was not this is not go the way that I expected on any level. Robably had a big game on defense that they've been waiting all and again what happened in the fourth quarter when the game was already well decided might cloud this for some people, but this is to me the first game where the defense played an active role in them winning. So this is and you have Jamal Adams actually returned to practice this week, so that's a

big guy that could re rented. Re entering the picture, Carlos dunlops in the fold. Now like there, I think this is a highly encouraging win for Seattle. Right. There's that Kevin Clark tweet that always gets retweeted that the Seahawks never play a normal This was a normal game. They went out there and they they took care of business and they put one on them. And yeah, a lot of Seahawks fans I I did not watch this game, but a lot of Seahawks fans in my mentions bringing

up that whole Wagner Warner thing. Warner's that giving up that Wagoners not given up that belt. I mean, there's no argument to me that Warner has been the best middle linebacker in the league the first seven weeks of the season. Um, but Wagner's line today, I think he's got four QB hits, like three tackles for the last couple of seconds. I mean he uh, he put one on him and and that's right there, and that them having the defensive type of game and It reminds me.

Division games are just different. You know. It's like, I think the Patriots match up well with the Bills, and they know the Bills, they know how to beat Like that's why they partly even a beat up Patriots team are in that game. Uh, division games are different. These teams know each other well. The Steelers Ravens like what we've seen that. I think it can sometimes. Um, some matchups just are closer than you would expect. And right now,

I think Seattle does. I know they had their troubles at points last year with San Francisco, but they know how to handle a Kyle Shanahan offense right. And this is a rough road ahead for San Francisco because they're fourmed for they have to play the Packers on Thursday night. George Kittle was hurting this and obviously Jimmy g was hurt. Tevin Coleman went out. Um, Fred Warner was banged up at one point but came back in. I mean, they have thirteen players on i R. So it's uh, it's

not an easy job. The forty Niners are a power rankings nightmare. It is so hard to figure out where they belong in the NFL landscape because every time you think they've turned a corner, something like this happens, and every time you write them off, they deliver a big performance. But I think it is Yeah, George Kittle had X rays on his ankle after the game. It came back negative, but obviously he's hobbled. That's not good. And the Jimmy G thing is terrible. That is this. He has a

high ankle sprain and he's trying to play through it. It It might be one of those things where he's not right again until March. And if that's the situation, like this is just gonna be an issue that's gonna lead to struggles for him and problems for the Niners. Because we again we were drinking that kool aid and we were saying that Shanahan is brilliant at the level that

almost doesn't matter the players. His scheme is so strong. Well, when you take away Jimmy G though that that's the quarterback, it's it's anything, and it changes things. And he needed to win this game to get to five hundred as a head coach. And I totally believe in Kyle Shanahan, but that his run in San Francisco has injuries have been a big storyline there, and it's you know, it gets to the point where he can't overcome it, and I and I thought that he would and he didn't.

I think the big takeaway here, though, gentleman, is that our words can control outcomes. And that's what I took out of it. Intoxicating put me on the locker room on you know what is it? What is it? Bulleboard? I can't think of It's like nobody still uses bulletin boards. But that like the room Halloween drinking, but I have not had a drink in many weeks at this point, sadly humble brag. All right, let's move on. My body is a temple. Greg Burrow fakes Barnards into the ends.

Touchdown down Tyler Boy, the Bengals score in the red zone and late at three to seven red zone touchdowns on third down, third down touchdowns in the red zone or killer show, you know what? Charlie Weis called him four point place? Where was it? Michael Lombardy one of those jokers? Dan Hord? What's that nothing? Dan Hord? What did you really say? What I think he said? Dan Horde?

Dave Lapham w C k Y with the caller Choberow three yards two touchdowns, including that seven yard connection the Tyler board in the fourth quarter of a over the Titans. How about that Greg We've talked about how since he has been competitive with just about everyone this season. On Sunday, they were dominant against the good we think they're good Titans team. Yeah, they were so good and off offensively, Joe Burrow right now is one of the one of the better qbs in the league. I think at extending

plays and making plays on his own. Uh. I see this game as like a two part um like takeaway in that the Bengals offense really is getting better each and every week. If you if you, if you watch him, you see it. Tee Higgins is so good and he made awesome plays for Burrow. Audent tap made him awesome plays for Burrow. But he is getting better. The confidence is getting there every week, he said after the game. I heard his postgame interview, just like, the game's getting

real slow for me right now. I mean he's feeling himself. But I also think in a game where he would you know, drop back, I think over thirty five times. The fact that the Titans hit him twice with no sacks, and they there was a fourth down play where he had about fifteen seconds back there. They had four new offensive lineman this week the Bengals that got hurt last week, and actually I would say he was protected about as

well as he has been in any game. So that's an indictment on the Titans and a great credit to Burrow. Well and Zach Taylor said that the offensive line this week brought great energy to the overall effort, which is

just simply not been the case. There were a couple of weeks early on where they looked like the worst line in football, and they've been injured and all this stuff, and it's almost just um been added to the credit to Burrow because there was a play today where I saw him zig zagging in between like fifteen would be tacklers and he's still he escaped it and he and

he got away for positive yardage on a run. And it's like he sees pressure and he sees behind, you know, you know, in dark spots where other people cannot and that is just gonna make you You're gonna advance as a quarterback at double triple to speed. You know what. This game looked like it looked like a game between two great offenses, and Tannehill throw his worst play of the year in the red zone to start the game started them off on a bad note, and the Bengals

just kept scoring. They had eight drives, they scored uh thirty one point on five of them, on five of the seven drives, and then they put together a five and a half minute drive to end the game. Essentially to end it. They got a little break on a penalty that overturned to pick, but like they dominated that the Titans on the other and ran for two seventeen after the first quarter. The Bengals could not stop Derrick Henry.

They averaged seven point five yards of play. They just didn't make as many big plays on like third down and third and long, and there was that one Tannehill pick and the Bengals never let him back in it because their offense was just too good. The Titans had two QB hits on Burrow bro Sacks, Clowney and Clowney had played forty six snaps and had one tackle. Beasilely. I don't know where he was. They showed him on

the sideline at one point. I don't know if he was hurt or what he was just kind of looking goofy over there. But man, that those their pass rush just killing them more like Dave Clown. We don't need the e I do think it's a problem. This This this defense moving on fest This defense is a would be a fatal flaw for them. Their their pass rush. They can get a little healthier in the back end. That will help. But but the pass rush, I'm not sure. I pray I never see him in person. I haven't

seen him in person. I don't need that to happen. It seems like a bad idea. You probably get injured as he's coming to get you. Um offensive Rookie of the Year race, This is gonna be the best one since two thousand twelve Andrew luck Firs r G three, Burrow, the Herbert who you got right now, right now. I'd give it to Herbert because he played great today too, just because he's only played six games and he's just he's been on fire. He's been as good. I know

they've lost games, but it's it's pretty close. How about a co winner, you can you can have them both stop it, get off the fence. Sessler. No, I would go Herbert. I mean, but Burrow, I think is could you're coming out he's coming out hard. I think we could say he's the best quarterback in the a f C North the year from now. I wouldn't say that timeline that that journey would not be shocking to me.

I mean, you think he's already the second best. You know what would happen Mark Clowney, who would come after you with a full head of steam and then you do you know, you're you're a quick guy. You'd make a little move, a little juke just to buy enough time and you'd escape and then you'd be fine. But then everybody would be like, oh yeah, but you know David Clowney, he really does put pressure on Like he didn't get to Mark, but then just he disrupt He's

a big time disruptor. And anybody that actually watches football and understands knows he did a great job chasing Mark there. Yeah, he affected Mark's planning and game planning, you know, with the with the unseen pressure their only true analytics heads. Notice this is more disrespectful than you confusing wife and Lombardi earlier. Let's move on, Let's frock. That's it. It's a funckle footballs on the round. It's fat giggle going to end. So if nobody's gonna catch him up, Dolphins

take the lead. What he fits a play? I mean, let's be honest. If if I'm trying to figure out if it was Charlie Ice where Mike Lombardi bed said it, it was probably built ourselves. That that's fair anyway. The debut of to a Tongue of Bloa was a big story going at the Sunday, but it was Miami's defense and special teams that guided the Dolphins to a comfortable

win over the mistake prone rams Mark. The t A show has somewhat obscured the fact here that the Dolphins are playing as well as anyone over their last three games. I think they're playing with incredible confidence, and I think that they really are a team that um kind of shows you that when your coaches that way. When Brian Flores is gonna he's one of these Patriots offshoots that seem to have learned the Patriots thing, which is winning games in all three phases. And it was the special

teams today. I this Jeachem Grant had an eighty eight yard punt return the longest and franchise history that made this thing seven and he had another forty five yard kick return. Their defense caused all sorts of problems and we can get to we can get to uh to on a second, but they really I think remember Brian Flores and this was pointed out by by Henry and there was a good note that Flora's big guy old Sean McVeigh and and and uh folds in the Super

Bowl and it it looked the same way today. They made life very uncomfortable for Jared Goff. Jared Goff needs to be getting out of the pocket, rollouts, play action, safe, open reads, and he was forced to just drop back over and over today and they punished him and he

looked very uncomfortable. And they climbed back into this later on and you know, the score doesn't look as awful as it was, but they caused big mistakes from the rams and the kind of stuff that we've sort of seen happen here and there with Golf over the last couple weeks where he's just not right on the same page as people, and the line maybe if it's not um, you know, pristinely protecting him golf is not looking like

the first overall pick. I mean neither did uh to A look like that either, I mean to A really I thought it's it's of an incomplete grade because I think they wanted to set him up with first read throws and run the ball, but they ran the ball terribly. There was a crazy stat in this. There are the total plays run, and I gotta just check my sheet here. The Rams had ninety two plays, the Dolphins had forty eight.

The Rams had four hundred and seventy one yards. The Dolphins didn't cross a hundred yards of offense until like six minutes to go in the fourth quarter of the Rams. The Dolphins didn't have more more than one drive over fifteen yards, So the offense has a long way to go. And they wanted to give t two of these sort of first read quick strikes, but it never really got together. And you know, it's not like he played terribly. He just didn't really wasn't a factor, and it was it

was not an impressive debut. I'd like to see. I'd be concerned about that offense and that whole team with two if he plays like this, If they don't get all these special plays from their defense and special teams. This would have been a Rams win otherwise and pretty convincingly. Well, it's it seems like a bit of a flukey game. It was, um, you know, you'll you'll almost never see a team out gain another four seventy one to one forty five, and and the team with eight first downs.

The whole game was wait ahead. But that also means that the Dolphins, you know, could survive being in the shell because of those big plays somewhat no matter what though. Averaging three yards per play as a disaster for the Dolphins offense, but you're not worried about that if your Dolphins spanned too much, because you're just thinking about how resourceful this team is, how they're winning different types of ways, and that is a reflection of coaching, and that is defense,

special teams. I mean, that is like the old Patriots playbooks sort of you don't know which way you're gonna win. You're gonna win all sorts of different ways, and and smart teams can do that. Yeah, forty five yards for the Miami is the third fewest by any team in so having relatively easy win with that level of offensive production is that's not gonna happen often. Also, you're the opposed team committing four turnovers in the first two quarters.

That's not gonna usually happen. So yeah, a weird, a weird game. Uh. The Rams man that that's they're another team. They're not at the level of the Niners. But where do you place the Rams when you realize that they whipped up on the NFC East, which is one of the worst collective divisions in modern football history. Uh, and

have struggled against teams that are more competitive. I mean that it's it's continues to be a narrative that's formed around it's a wait and see because I do think they've had other quarters or quarters in a row where you you look at them with total promise. I love Darrell Henderson. He went out with an injury today. UM, I don't know how serious that is. Jalen Ramsey did not they the Dolphins were squelched on offense and Jalen Ramsey didn't miss the game because of an illness, So

that should tell you something. UM. I just think there are maybe one of these teams in the middle world where you're a wild because there's seven playoff teams, they could be a wild card team. But do I take them that seriously? It's me they're right there. To me, they're right there with thet sure and them. Sorry, you got to ask in November, what kind of illness does

Jalen Ramsey have? Well, no, they so they checked. Um. I think they went through all the intense protocols to make sure it wasn't Corona from what I read on, And it wasn't. But he was not. He was not well enough to play. It wasn't. It wasn't today. I like them being safe on that because you know, when guys are getting sick now they're they're playing it pretty safe, which makes sense. Like, let's not be the Los Angeles Dodgers, Let's be the Los Angeles Rams. Right that that is true?

Poor Justin Turner, All right, let's move on. I thought it was sad for Justin Turner. Also, bad job here comes to Middle Cliffs, confusing pattern near sight to fall up the five touchdown Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes was casually dominant on Sunday at Arrowhead, throwing from four hundred and sixteen yards and five touchdowns and a thirty five nine she LACKYI of the Zombified New York Jets. You would think that these games hurt me. These games do not

hurt me. I feel nothing, get that. It's just something I expect every Sunday that Jets to lose handily, and it happens, and ultimately it's not changing my life one way or the other right now. So I've kind of gone into cruise control and I'm just waiting for January at this point. Um As for Kansas City, this always profiled as an ideal get right game for mahomes stat sheet because the last two weeks he's been kind of held at bay, and a lot of that had to

do with weather conditions more than anything else. But in this game, it was just too easy for him. I mean, the the idea that sometimes you don't overthink it. It's like, if you have the best quarterback in the world and you're against a team that is poor in all areas, just let the quarterback absolutely savage the opponent and that's how you win that week. Don't don't need to get your running games too involved. Just let Mahomes do his thing.

That's what he did. And I think what I'll remember about this game, especially if the Chief's offense starts to take off like we're it used to, and I imagine that could happen here because all the pieces are in place. We'll remember this game is Mahomes in the role of mad Bomber returning. He completed five passes of at least twenty five yards to four different receivers. Four of those completions resulted in touchdowns to to Tyreek Kills, so they

got that connection going again. And um, I know, a big storyline and perhaps the only positive for the Jets is that they didn't get humiliated by Levyan Bell, who didn't do much at all in this game, but neither did Clyde Edwards Hilaire. Like I said, this was really all Mahomes thirty five points, five touchdown passes and obviously never really in doubt. The Jets actually moved the ball a little bit in the first half, didn't even they didn't put in the first half. They had three field

goals in a blocked field goal. But the same old story with with Gaze as a head coach. Once the two teams go in the locker room, one team adjusts and then the Jets get adjusted upon and they just do nothing for the final two quarters. Of the game. Yeah, I saw they had like what to two first downs in the second half or something. The Jets. It's a joke. It's um, you know. And and I didn't watch a lot of this, but Dan, I I haven't gone through a one in thirty one streak with the Browns UM

couple of years ago. I think it's perfectly acceptable to not um apply your passion to a team that's that probably just needs to be broken to be rebuilt. I mean, and they're getting there, and so you have to almost just root for the worst possible UM finish to the season, for what it could for the opportunities that could create. We know the same thing every week with the Jets. Now there's nothing left to say with them on some I mean, there's stuff to talk about the Chiefs, but

it's crazy. Yeah, you know, things are terrible when the opposing quarterback throws for four and five touches and you come out of the game as a fan thinking it could have gone worse. That's where the Jets are and um. Sam Donald is undeniably regressing, and he injured his shoulder again in this game. We'll see how he wakes up tomorrow. UM, So just everything going wrong, the Chiefs take care of business and they will have more competitive games in the future.

Seven and one looking good for that. I know that Steelers are undefeated, but if you look at the chief schedule, you know they have a two game stretch in a couple of weeks at Raiders at bucks Um. But other than that, it looks pretty manageable, and so that's gonna you know, they would still be my pick to get the one seed right now. And remember remember there is only one team that gets a buy effective season, so getting the number one seed means everything in terms of

setting yourself up for the playoffs. Let's now welcome in the yoked, the eternally yoked, Nick Shook and the body they call him, uh, they call him the the enforcer, the protector and still not technically in a union with his living girlfriend, and we're going to continue to track that as the season goes along. You're just roommates right now. There's no there's nothing holding you together beyond rent um, and maybe that should change at some point. But beautiful background, Shook,

I see downtown Cleveland behind you. How are you? I'm good? Are there other laws about that? I feel like after you're you're together in a place for a certain amount of time. There's like there's like a common law marriage state by state. Yeah, it look sounds like you're looking to find out. You're like, it's like what state, state by state? But I mean it's not like, hey, we were hanging out for five months and now we're like legally married. No, no, no, it's not gonna be that long.

Like I said, there's a plan, we're just not at that point of the plan yet. Everything takes time. We're following the playbook, the game plan said. We've done are scouting, we know about there, and we're ready to proceed forward. We're onto two or three years from now. It is awkward though, when you do you have to like split, like ask her to split the rent, like it's split.

That just seems strange too. That yeah, I mean, I mean we've been doing this for like two years now, so it's it's very in fact, today is November one, today is right? Yeah, Yeah, you better bugger, you better bugger to send you know, her half and sorry Nick. When I was an aspiring um sportswriter marginally employed from time to time in the late auts, I found the good way to handle rent with your living girlfriend. Just have her pay rent and yeah, that that's clear. That's more.

There's a client. There's a clear delineation of how that that's handled, all right. So if you can get it, it's good work. If you can get it all right, let's get to it. Chock starting with a surprising outcome at Lambeau Field Cousins with a screen left to Dalvin gets the fifty, angles right, ambles to the first down, cuts right, thirty five, but it's a Packer missdown. Four touchdowns today for Dalvin Cook. That's a fifty yard run in Minnesota leads. That is one of the best in

the business. Paul Allen k f A n with the call, Yes, Dalvin Cook, he is an NFL superstar. The Vikings running back went nuts against the Packers, putting up two hundred putting up over two hundred yards from scrimmage with four touchdowns including that catch and run score to eight. His buddies, his buddy Kirk Cousins. A stat line there two the win at Lambeau shook. Cook really is a special talent, yeah,

very special. In today's game, I think demonstrated the difference between the Vikings with Dalvin Cook and the Vikings without Dalvin Cook. And it's a good thing that they got him signed before the season, which we knew was going to be kind of a looming issue because obviously he's a massive part of this team's future and their success. I mean, when they didn't have him Ryer, they had no rushing game to speak of and no offensive momentum

to speak of. Everything was on the shoulders of Kirk Cousins, and we saw how that went today. He carries the load and then when he carries the load, Kirk Cousins looks better, and like you said, he gets his stats inflated by a fifty yard screen pass that effectively won the game for them. I know he kind of came down to a force follower in the last play and potentially other Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary. But for the most part, it was the Dalvin Cook Show. It was dal Within Today.

Last week was National tight Ends Day. Today was Dalvin Cook Day. So I mean, there's there are a lot of good running backs in the NFL, but I think games like today really put Dalvin Cook in that upper tier where you're like, our team depends on this guy being on the team being available and utilizing him all of his talents as much as he candidated today, I think it's him and Kamara. This year and missed a couple of games, but this season, I think I think

those are the two. I mean, it's Mike Zimmer's dream. They threw fourteen passes in this game. That's how you dial it up if you're Mike Zimmer. Yea because a uh touchdowns from scrimmage, which would be the third most in a single season in NFL history. And he's missed games. I mean he's been this He's having a historically great season running back. Yeah, you know it helps them out too, because their defense has been pretty bad, especially for a Mike Zimmer defense has been bad. They dealt with a

lot of personnel changes. They've got young guys in the back end. Today Cam Danceler went out with kind of a scary injury. He left on a on a backboard and on a stretcher. Um. But they've got they had him, and they have Jeff Gladdeney, both very young guys. And Jeff Gladney got played a couple of times by Davante Adams for touchdowns. So being able to control possession and really rely on Dalvin Cook. Gives you a better chance to win games because the strength of their team, unlike

past years, is not the defense. I mean, it leaves me, you know, we I looked at the Bucks Packers game. Is not an aberration, but you just ran into a legit awesome defense. And Green Bay bounced back last week and they have nineteen guys on the injury report. They're not themselves. I mean they're they're they're banged up. I

think they miss Aaron Jones a little bit. But that hit that Aaron Rodgers took it the end was a reminder of how glad I am that I don't play sports right now at all, because it's just like I don't want my body feeling what he probably was feeling as he was bent into two pieces his body separated. It looked like it did still the skin was You

can't you get that? That's news As they say there, there was a super slow as he got hit and the ball came out where he's got his he's like got his chest out because he hit from behind, his heads back and he's got this look of like despair and it looks like one of those old like Greek sculptures where the guy is like, you know, like one of the arms is in some artsy like a line, that kind of thing. That's basically was Aaron Rodgers in

the final play today. And the thing is as they're right, like they didn't have Aaron Jones, and it really showed he tried to carry them to a victory. The Packers have this issue where when they play good teams and I don't even think the Vikings aren't necessarily a good team, even though they played like one today, But when they play teams that are competitive, that are expected to be up at that level that we consider the Packers to

be at, they all always will. I mean going back to last year when they got rolled in the NFC title game. They did it against Tampa Bay two weeks ago, and they did it again today. And the big issue is is when they have the ball and they get into a little bit of a run, they can't get themselves out of it until they look up and it's, oh my god, we gotta get going. And they woke up too late today and that's why they end up losing by six points. It's a beautiful setup for Thursday Night.

I mean a remap to that NFC championship game. Usually in a prime time game, it's like you want the team's winning coming in, not not this one. I think this is one of the more the bigger games in the NFC so far this year. That's a good TNF. You know, Jimmy G's a little banged up that Packers. There's doubts two out of three, Like this is a huge It's a huge game for both teams. Packers Twitter is spoiled when when I see them complaining, I tend to roll my eyes a little bit for obvious reasons.

They've had so many wonderful things gifted to them over the past twenty five years. Uh. Today, a lot of Mike Pett and heat out there. People very upset about Pett and building in the second year as the defensive coordinator there, third year, Sorry and uh, I guess this

game seemed to rile people up again. Pett and he existed last year to going into the off season, there was some concerned or not concerned, but there were some people wondering whether, Hey, is this guy gonna get fired and you know you had to get the whole vote of confidence, or no, he's gonna stay on our staff and everything else. But I thought we were somewhat close after that NFC title game to Mike Petton going somewhere and building himself a second cabin like he did. You

got brown. Maybe after games like today he might not be that far away. He's a run funnel. And that's again why Thursday nights and drigging like he begs the other I'm just saying though, it's playing the team that ran all over He begs from the side of the screen handed to Greg. He begs the other teams to run, and then they do it, and they run all over him, and it drives you crazy because it's it's a little

too extreme. All right, Let's head to Ford Field. It's picked off by the Colts nall Rich into the end for a touchdown. How about that? What pick six for the Colts. Matthew Stafford was trying to go left side of the near flatted Taymore stepped right in bard of the past and cruises down the nearest sideline for a touchdown. Kenny Moore's pick six was the nail in the coffin by the Colts, who overwhelmed the lines down the road.

Phil Rivers had another efficient performance thrown for two seventy nine yards three touchdowns, shook the Colts seemed to be finding themselves a little bit here, a little bit, but she kind of wonder. I mean, the Colts are. I think it's a tale of two teams defensively, because earlier in the season we thought about, hey, uh, this is a team of statistically, he is one of the best in the NFL. And they met the Browns and they met him without Darius Leonard and they didn't look like

that team on defense. Darius Leonard is the key to them because he was on the field today. He made massive place he forced to fumble that led to a touchdown, and then before he knew it that Kennymore pick six took a game that was a four point gear or six point games fourteen to a three score game, and it was like that. I mean, that's how quick it was. And that's the impact that he has on that team. And as long as he's healthy, I think they're, you know,

they're they're a formidable team. But you also can't always expect Philip Rivers to play like he did today. It's twenty three of thirty three for two and two yards. Three touchdowns that are passerading one point five. I mean, this is like vintage River stuff from five seven years ago, not not two thousand twenty. This is not the straight that's too straight. That's great, and that coincides with various Leonard I mean, I think it really does go back

to their defense. Their defense gives them chances. They do capitalize. But if you need your offense go in win a game, this offense isn't gonna do it. So they're very reliant on that guy and on that defense being able to be there and help them win games. This core touchdowns on five of their last seven drives. It gives me a little bit of hope because to me, I thought this offense looked like it was heading in completely the long direction. A great quote by Rivers afterwards are just

a very Philip Rivers. Rivers the type quote he said, you have moments where you go, dad, gum it, we should be seven and oh well there's reasons you shouldn't be seven and know also, but uh, you know this was a nice move. I am a little Downip Rivers. Yeah, I'm saying it's like I can't think of another human being that still says dad gum it, but he he does. Um. Jonathan Taylor and DeAndre Swift combined for twenty three yards

off seventeen attempts. I was like as excited for these two rookie backs as running backs as any anyone out there, and not happening. Jonathan Taylor, to me, has been underwhelming. The key detail mark of those twenty three yards twenty two were gained by Jonathan Taylor Deander one yard attempts. I was trying to help Swift out there a little bit, but uh, you unmasked it. That's rough. Uh. This this felt like a doomed day day for Patricia to have

that sort of defensive game. And Golladay, who to me is kind of the their edition of Darius Leonard is Kenny Golladay on that offense. They are just not the same without Kenny Golladay. And he got her Another quote from Philip Rivers after this game. I guess he just was very quotable. He said, he said, I can't tell you how dead it was in there. And in terms of the stadium and you're talking about the crowd, dan Um, like I talked to uh, to Chris, you know West

and Keisha's neighbor JB. Long yesterday saw him and you know, we walked around a little. He was saying, how unnerving he's the voice of the Rams. Yeah, thank you for pointing out he said, how unnerving it is. You have to keep reminding yourself that this is a big deal, because it feels sometimes like a high school game. And I think I guess that's what Philip Rivers was talking about.

That anecdote would have actually been so much better if Greig never qualified who he was, that it was just Wes's neighbor talking about football, just like Ned who's mowing his lawn. And then he takes Ned had a really hot take about this stadium environment. Yeah, we talked about it on Thursday show. That was a big spot for

the Lions. And what do they do whenever there's a big spot, They let their fan base down because if you find a way to win that game at home, the schedule lightens up, and that means the three and four. So they're still kind of in the mix obviously, and I wouldn't be stunned if a month from now they're still on the periphery playoff race. But at the same time, it's like, man, go you know, win a third game in a row in your building, get hot, actually give

your fans something to get excited about. They can't do it because some teams just don't know how to do these things. Yeah, but you know what, Dan, here's the thing in sports, and not necessarily the NFL as much as other sports, but you don't want to languish in that middle area. And they're kind of in the bottom

of that middle area. So as as a football fan, you almost want them to just prove who they are with games like today, is that they can accelerate moving on to the next stage and actually working towards being something. Because last year the excuse for them was, well, Matt Stafford was out for half a year and they were really playing good ball before Matt Stafford got hurt. Well he's not hurt, and you're still not playing good football.

Maybe we should make a change. Well, the problem is they made about a million changes and that never works either. A lot of confis which takes us to thank you Mike Chew. Sunday night, what appears to be a live bull. Mcclowd's gonna take it all the way to the end zone. Wow. When Al Michael's retires whenever that is, that will not be the call that he's remembered. But you know, it was a weird play. Rodney McLeod scooped up a loose ball after after a sack of the great Ben the Lucci.

He ran it into the end zone. It was essentially the game ceiling score for the Eagles and a three to nine win over the moribund Dallas Cowboys. Boys this we're worried that this was gonna be a terrible game. The market was, Yeah, I mean it's it's suddenly we're in that zone where we're watching quarterbacks um that we simply didn't even know where human beings uh, you know a month ago, and Ben d Nuci falls into that category.

I found it kind of deliciously amazing when they at one point they were hanging around and they had that one drive where they ran the ball like seven straight times. I think denuche has got some you know, I wouldn't call them wheels, but he can move a little bit. Um. So I kind of enjoyed that. But then then it's just place. It's not sustainable. I mean it's totally unsustainable. And you know, Whence I think he was what over for three on passes of twenty plus eight yards, two

of them for interceptions. I mean, I'm not convinced of either one of these teams, but no one was asking me to be to be convinced of them, and I remain unconvinced. Right, But you thought that maybe the Eagles, or I thought, like the end of that Giants game, you started putting things together. The craziest, my craziest takeaway here is these teams look pretty even, like their quarterbacks looked pretty even in terms of how they played. And the two teams look pretty even like they got so lucky.

The Eagles averaged three point eight yards per play tonight. So so yes, you turned it over four times and Carson Wentz that was a disaster. The only way they could have possibly lost this game was Wentz turning the ball over and he did it four four times. But like with five minutes left to the game, the Cowboys were out gaining the Eagles and had the ball in the red zone with the chance to go ahead. It was It was the worst game anyone's had against this

Cowboys defense by far. Yeah, it's hard to make sense of how poor Carson Wentz played in the first half of this game. Considering like we've talked about, he's shown flashes of snapping out of it, and he's had really good stretches the last couple of weeks, and the Cowboys have been historically bad, and they were running the ball well the Eagles initially, so it seemed to be well set up for Wentz to carve up uh carve up

d Alice, but he couldn't do it. I mean there, I don't think the quarterback play was at the same level because the news God blessed he can't make that throw the Travis and being the same, which is a pretty bad but once played a terrible game here. I mean, you cannot. You cannot throw two interceptions and lose two fumbles in the first half of a game like that.

That's just that's just that's just sloppy as hell. And they're very lucky the Eagles to come out of this game with the win, because this would have been a humiliating loss considering that the Cowboys are just such a train wreck. Uh So the Eagles should consider themselves lucky that their defense was able to step in. What are two things I really liked the Greg's ourline kick right before the half that looked like, um, like an insane like a you know, sinker or something as it's it

rocketed through the skies. What was that fifty nine yards? I thought Mike McCarthy a couple of times was gonna completely um, his head was going to explode on some of the stuff that was happening to him, you know, flipping his hat around and looking like a madman on the sideline. And then they mathematically showed that it really wouldn't be that impossible for an Eagles team to finish for eleven and one and host um a playoff game. And I know that's that won't happen. They'll probably get

to seven wins or something. But uh, it's not that crazy of an idea with the team that we saw this evening, right they I mean, they're getting healthier, getting Jalen Reagor back. Okay, he made a couple of plays fulghum is a guy got it was out there, didn't didn't do much. Maddox was back. Like you would think they would get better, but they haven't shown it. I they are the most the luckiest and unluckiest team somehow at the exact same time because you know they're unlucky

with with these injuries. You know, it happens year after year. It started during the Super Bowl year and it keeps happening. They they're unlucky, but they've pulled these games out of their ass. They could be oh and eight very easily.

I mean, they really have this schedules rough and the fact that they're in the NFC East, to me, that's lucky too, Like all of this shouldn't really be so meaningful, but they're a likely playoff team now, so they're they're lucky that they've they've somehow skated by and might survive all of this. I love what Patrick Doherty over it wrote a world following at roto Pat, he writes a great fantasy column, writes a lot of great fantasy stuff.

But some of you wrote a couple of weeks ago really resonated with me, and then it popped in my head again. Uh tonight. He said that right now, Carson Wentz operates as an even more demented version of Ryan Fitzpatrick, which I just like. I was jealous when I read it because it was so perfectly stated. That's where Wentz is ines having a really strange season. I don't know where it can go. Could get a lot worse. I feel like I could get a lot better. Um, But

Eagles fans are are along for the ride. And he's up to twelve interceptions now wild and he leads the league in fumble It's this kind of who he is, at least with the fumbles. He leads the NFL and fumbles since he entered the league. Some of those, that's part of the Yeah, that's part of the drill. Holding the ball too long, his body caught an awkward position, getting smoked like, these are things that rookies, mistakes, rookies make.

And this guy's played in the league for half a decade. Anyway, we never have to watch that game ever. Again, let's not even think about it ever. Again, Let's bring in Ricky Hollywood, because that's more important. Hey, Ricky, Um, amazing development.

You know, this has been quite frankly, um, not just in the world, but also for this podcast because of what Chris is dealing with, uh with cancer for a second time, and he's battling and it's an unreal fight that he's up against, and so it was really nice to have some good news some joy sprinkled into the A T and podcast Realm when you did your Beyonce like surprise album drop, the great story article that came out in NFL dot com where you spoke about kind

of the journey you've made um as a gay woman and kind of now it's out there to everybody. We obviously knew this as long as we've known you just about but well not from the first minute. I mean when you took us, when you took us to the nightclub in London called Gay, I was like, Okay, I think something's going on here. Um, but anyway, we're all so proud of you, and Greg wouldn't go that night. Well, I was watching the US Open final Osaka, one of

the most memorable sporting nights. Maybe maybe not so open Greg when you think about it, but anyway, Erica, the floor is yours. Were so proud of you, and it was an awesome read and everybody should check it out. Um. I imagine there was a lot of people that got in touch with you after you dropped. Yeah, it was

absolutely insane, like overwhelming. I really didn't expect it to I figured it would it would be shared and kind of that stuff, but on that that scale that it was and like I like am getting nervous even like

talking about it, like it just feels weird. And it was also like I feel really good and happy, um, but also like just the exposure and like the messages from people I've been getting from across the league and league offices emailing me, like in our NFL database we can have each other's emails and stuff, and I'm hearing from people that I didn't know existed, some that I did, and it's just a really really flattering it's maybe the word humble, Like I don't even really know because I

don't really feel like I did anything that was like this huge thing. But I have like middle school teachers reaching out to me that I haven't heard, Like it's just it's just it's been really really overwhelming, but but beautiful. And I can't thank you guys enough because as you read the article, like, you guys have been my backbone since the day that we met, and I really love and cherish you guys, and you're always championing me and I appreciate it. We love you, Ricky. Thank you, Ricky.

I mean it is it is so exciting, and I think you added yourself too as a good writer. Now you're gonna have to, uh, like a really good writer. You're gonna have to start doing bylines a little more regularly. Yeah. Well that's secondly, a big thank you to Mark because I he saw the first draft and it came a long way. It didn't it didn't start off that way. I think that it was great. You tapped into like

your your heart and your real feelings. I had an idea though, I thought that you should make this announcement. It would cause such a story. You should make this announcement like every Friday, just to like get that that that weekend vibe going, because it seems to be quite an event. So it was. It was crazy. Yeah, I mean to get the most of the this new found writing skill newly discovered. I should say, maybe a little Eagles Cowboys what we learned. Yeah, yeah, that sounds awesome.

You guys, that sounds so much fun. We're proud of you. Great job. Rick. Yeah, it's it's I don't know if it braves the word, but I don't. I I can't imagine, you know, putting yourself out there and they're being obviously knowing that you could get positive negative. So well, it really hasn't been a lot of negative feedback, which I was sort of bracing myself for, um, and it's really

it's really awesome. A couple of like, oh, so does that mean I don't have a chance, like tweets and stuff which I'd laughed, but like, come on, be funnier exactly. What about the opening line of the piece? And again check it out NFL dot com. Uh, and Ricky has it posted on her feed and we've all posted it. You start with a quote that you, um, someone said to you in the break room at NFL Media, Which, lucky guy are you bringing to the holiday party? Why

do you think Mark said that to you? Because that sounds like a little out of bounds. Yeah, it was weird. It was. It was weird, you know that just just for like the more dim um sided listeners. I actually did not say that, just so it was not Mark. Yeah, no, it was. That was a very warm, warm The whole thing is just like a warm hug because everyone we work with, you know, a lot of people reached out to you and um, knowing you as well as we know you. Obviously, this is special to be able to

share this with this many people. So good stuff Ricky. Uh, and how about more good news to keep on coming in? Close this thing out. Uh. Speaking of closing things out, it's time to close out today's show. We'll be back and is but speaking it back? Does anyone back at your apartment? Erica? No no, no, no, no, no no no no good good good. You can see the shades are closed. Smart. Yeah, so no update on that front.

That's also good news. See the good news is flowing now. Um. All right, We'll be back on Tuesday with another week of the Run the NFL podcast as we roll into the second half of the season. This is Dan Hansons signing off for the Great Ricky Hollywood, the Old Boss, and the Quiet Storm. Of course, I still don't know his nickname, Nick Shuck until Tuesday.