2021 Around the AFC in 48 Minutes

I think he would be the guy. But as as our capitalist class becomes more intrigued by the idea, I recognized that for fear of future consequences, maybe I should keep my mouth shut regarding mart Smart. Yes, this is the first post draft edition of our show. Thank you for everybody who was loyal to the brand last week when we rolled out with five apps and the biggest of all spots. Uh. And now uh we have Claibon back,

which is great because Claibon is Claibon um. But he's here for a specific reason because as per tradition, Greg Rosenthal, Uh, this week is a good week to do a check in on everybody, isn't it It is? We always do the around the a f C and NFC in forty eight minutes three minutes per team. At one point we changed it to two and a half minutes per team. I think we forgot about that. I don't know where

that stands about. Claibroon is a veteran of this. I didn't even have to tell him the rules because he's he's been, He's done it many times for whatever reason. Yeah, I look forward to the opportunity I got. I got the text late night uh me a comparative two from from Dan, and I was like, Okay, I'm ready for this. I mean, I know that when I'm hoping to get late night text surprise text, what I wanted to be is You're on a show tomorrow to requires a ton

of research. Get to bed, wake up early, and get your act together because we aired eleven. My favorite Mark texts are the one that comes the ones that come in like three am and it's a U R L two St. Vincent song or something, uh that's a real woozy banger. Three in the morning that's a little aggressive, or like four in the morning and it's like, why is this person tweeting this? Just me just be with the market that you know that you can save it.

I don't have um sleeping patterns that match up with a anyone in my house or most people that I know, but I try not to break code by hitting you with too many texts at four in the morning. If that's happening too often, I need to check myself at the door. Where are we with your your sleep cycle right now? Because as you're saying, that is an issue uh for you unfortunately? How many hours of sleep would you estimate you get on average for night? A four? Mm?

Not great, it's not great, but I kind of you kind of get used to it, you know. It's like if it's six or something, Um, you feel lucky. But about four, but mixed with periods of sitting alone in the house in total alone, but total silence for another four in between those four. It's not four in a row. So, oh my god? Could I be more productive during that time? Yes, I do nothing just sitting as a lot. Um. I'm actually concerned, pretty Mark. That sucks. Well that's just the

beginning of the issues. Um. Alright, so yes, I you know, I know we did drop down to two and a half, Greg, but that just doesn't it doesn't have the same pop is three nights. That was like a pre season one or something that. Forget that nonsense. And what happens is and it happens every year we come out of our two draft shows and people get a little snippy that their team didn't get the love. Well, these next two shows, every team in NFL gets there due And by the way,

one rule that Scott was an unofficial type rule. It's like how they changed the rule with the official being able to help out the guys on the field, the guy in the eye and the sky. Uh, we're gonna add three time outs if at any and and you have to be good with time management here, it's for the whole show. We all have to work together. If you have to stop the clock for any reason, whether you need to share something unrelated to a team or if there's something that you really just need to get

out there. Ricky, this involves you as well call time out and then um that stops the clock. I don't know if we have any Andy Reid time managers here, Like who's the best of time management in the NFL? By the way, who's the guy that's seen as the best? Is there somebody out there besides Greg Rosenthal? Yeah? I think certainly he is up there. I think it's Belichick because he's kind of free from criticism. It's like if Bill does mess something up, then everybody's like, oh he

did that for a reason. You know who's good? Good? Good? Right? Wait, we all we each have three time outs or like suddenly Greg's used burned two time outs as a team, So someone someone could just jack up three time outs in the first like two minutes. You're saying, I'm gonna be honest, I'm gonna be reluctant to use the time out one of you guys of it, because I would like it to be one of the other one's faults. If another person doesn't get a time out together, I

will not use one. I will say that, all right, Mark, if there were fifteen timeouts in the sexercise, that would be potentially an issue. So we're just three total for the five of us. Think about it, but be smart. All right. Now we're doing a f C today Thursday NFC with another special guest. But right now, the only guest that matters is the Great Patrick Clay, but not really a guest either, kind of an unofficial hero. Um, let's get to it, starting with the a f C

East Ricky, you know the rules. You got to hold us to the clock and nobody goes beyond the three minutes. There's an honor system here. Okay, it's about honor. Let's start at the Buffalo Bills. Start the clock, Ricky marks session. You know, I think the journey of the Bills is super fascinating. Like two years ago, we were wondering, when will they get past the New England Patriots Bill Belichick and vers Shawn McDermott, When will they get over that?

Last year at this time, it was like, yeah, we like the Bills, but half of us don't trust Josh Allen, like he's he can't get it all done. He's an incomplete quarterback. Yeah yeah, yeah, all right, Well he basically answered all those questions. Last year the Bills were thirteen and three, dominating everyone. Um. I thought they had a good draft. They left a few things out there maybe

to do. But for me, these are one of these teams where I say I would just ticket them for the a f C title game, barring an unforeseen disaster. Is it that easy or can you guys, I'm looking to you guys to pick out something about the Bills that still concerns you or are we just completely fine with the Bills at this point. I think the Bills are locked and loaded here. I mean they they did.

They did the move a similar mark to your Brownies, where they've built up such a strong roster that they were able to focus on a specific area need and for them it was the pass rush and they go and add Gregory Russo Russo excuse me, thirty overall Carlos Fashion Jr. At sixty one, which people really liked. They need those guys though, to step up because greg pass rush was an issue. Yeah, they didn't have that great

ufront seven. They need their recent draft picks at Oliver and trell Um, the Edmunds to show up and Tremaine Edmonds rather not his not his brother on the Steelers. They had to take those pastors because they haven't had any juice. It kind of made them look better when you watched in the Super Bowl what the Bucks did to the Chief's offensive line and thought, like in Sean mcdermot's dreams, if he had the Bills or the nineteen Bills.

Perhaps their defense wouldn't have gotten steam rolled and would have taken advantage. Yes, Eric Fisher was on the field for most of the game, but that's one guy. The Bucks defense dominated throughout upfront and the Bills just didn't have that. Right now, I'm not taking in them for the n c JAMI because the the NFL. It is the hardest thing to do in the NFL to back up elite seasons, and I think that's where Josh Allen has to um show that he's gonna maintain his games.

When you jump that high in one season, I do want to see him do it like at that level. Again, I don't think we can just assume that. And I think we believe so much in the offense because of the playmakers, right, Josh Allen is is a He's a play waiting to happen every time. In him and Stefan days we saw. We believe in all that, but as

you guys mentioned, it doesn't exist on the defense. And I think in Boogie basham right, you get a solid player, you get that Sean McDermott type, you know, hold over from Carolina type. He's going Buggie Basham officially. By the way, like on NFL dot com, that's the name that links up now is Boogy, So he's changed cars. I love it.

It's a good name. But Russo is right, the guy that you're looking forward, the upside guy to hopefully make a play, because it's a Greg mentioned like if you don't have defensive playmakers, eventually you're just like nothing's gonna happen. You just gonna lose the game three to build jump through the table. Patrick Clayvin the Miami Dolphins, All right, let's do it. Um the Mijaret Dolphins. I hope there's no trouble with using this particular audio. Have gone through

a far amount of question answering this offseason. I think we've seen what they prioritize. They they get Will Fuller earlier on in free agency, Jalen Waddle in the draft. Um, so they're prioritizing speed. Uh. We saw him trade down, so they believe in to Uh. We see their whole draft strategy. But but I think there's one thing that we haven't seen, um, and that's an answer to the question. In all this discussion about TOA and the weapons and

the offense protection. UH, we still don't know who's gonna be calling the plays on offense in Miami like Studsville and God see your co offensive coordinators floors and said they'll develop a plan during the week. But that kind of runs in con tryst to like the league where it seems like the entire plane is being built out of play callers and it like dictates, Uh, the entire direction of regimes around the league is being dictated by

one man calling the play. So I wanted to ask you, guys, do you think a team can without one firm voice ultimately and making the decisions in play calling. Do you think that can work? And do you think that's a solid strategy for a young quarterback? I would say this like, there's a reason that there's only one co offensive coordinator set up in the NFL right now. You're in a

division with Brian Dable, Josh McDaniels, Mike Lafleur. I mean, these are three premier play callers who have completely changed their teams in the quarterbacks around them, and you you have you have more hope in someone like Zach Wilson because he's attached to a Mike Lafloor offense. So Yeah, with the Dolphins, I think that's sort of a burning

question mark. I mean, I trust coaches to be able to like organize during the week, but really what separates some of these teams, Like why do we love a Kyle Shanahan Because they talked about by being one of the best in game play callers around. It's like, do the Dolphins have that right now? We don't know. I'deer towards no, right, I mean they It's been done before by Florence's boss. And you know that's partly why I think he's not worrying about the titles. There probably will

be a guy. I mean, Josh Boyer, who was with the Dolphins was a co offensive coordinator. One of the greatest offensives of all time. The Patriots in terms of production. They didn't have an offensive quarter but that's Belichick and that's Tom Brady. Like I have totally with you, Like this is a young quarterback who really is going to be asked to do a lot. Think about these receivers Waddle Parker Fuller, those are like bombs away receivers too. Was like a little hesitant to go down the field.

It's so many young players, the offensive lines young. The receivers are young, like everyone's young on this team. And you're right, that's that's a major question mark because Florence has not found a coordinator he believes and because he

changes it every year. I'm not feeling this brand. Jolina set up to the offensive coordinator in Miami, and yeah, I think you need to have real struture in place, and you got to know who's who's the bottom line guy who's in charge of this offense, especially with a young quarterback because this is not Tom Brady. But yeah, I do like overall, if the Dolphins did on offense, they really did put two in in position here to take a jump for He's got to be structure. M hm.

The New England Patriots with Greg Rosenbom. Oh, yeah, I'm glad I get to talk about the Patriots. You know, what would a podcast be without the Patriots, Jets and Browns. We guarantee they won't be on Thursday show. I it's true. I was, you know, taken by the aggressiveness of the

rest of the draft after Mac Jones. I think that got slept on nationally that they take Christian bar More, they trade up for him in the second round, a guy the PFF had an in their top fifteen but was kind of an inconsistent effort guy, yet absolutely took over in the playoffs, the National Collegiate playoffs and was probably the best player on the field defensively, you know,

in the championship. And then with their next pick, Ronnie Perkins, the guy who was suspended, DJ had him in the top fifty, but he falls to nineties six, maybe because of that suspension. And then in their next pick they take another guy who was suspended half the season, who was Ronnie perkins teammate, And it just gets me thinking, this is very much like a d G a F off season for Bill Belichick. He has taken swings. I

think they needed it on defense. They've made so many changes on defense, they needed some guys that could potentially, uh make a big difference. I think he he feels confident in Barmer because you know, he talks to Nick Saban about that and they're definitely like, it's the biggest boomer Bus draft to me in the league. And I think Mac Jones is boomer Bus too. I know, like some people think he's gonna be like a safe, safe guy.

I don't know, like either he's not gonna have the skill set to do it, or you could see him being the top ten quarterback. And to me that that's boomer Bus. It's a boomer Bus off season for Trevor Lawrence is the same for prospect is coming to the league in a decade and he's on to a certain degree of boom er bust guy. All these guys can bust out. That's just you look at the history of our league. I think the quarterback room is really interesting here.

Jared Stidham is obviously an afterthought now and what what what a lot of wasted breath last year talking about that guy. Um, best luck to him going forward. But Matt Joe mac Jones, best of luck to the guy I just assassinated. Hey, listen, they don't like him mac Jones. That those two minutes go fast. I'm sorry for Hankins so much. Mac Jones and Cam Newton. That feels like a great camp battle. I wonder if Jones is going to get a chance to win this thing in week one.

It's interesting I heard like Mike Lombardi say that Cam Newton is your Week one starter and less Matt Jones to the visible, to the eye of everyone on the Patriots roster completely blew him away in camp, and I think that's just the way you go. But you know, it's less boom or bust when you pick Matt Jones at fifteen versus trading up for him. I mean it took some of the heat off of that. And I don't agree with the d G A F aspect of Bill Belichick. I think he does quite a bit. Yeah,

I mean that's why they're doing all this. Yeah, if if you're not in this to win it, right, if you're not trying to win and making aggressive moves, then then what's the point. And we've seen them kind of be able to rest on the fact that they had the greatest and the best quarterback of all time for so long and they don't be more so they went from one of the worst rosters in the league to now an average one. I think I think that's what they did this album. I think Bill R. G. A

s he really gives up? Was that plural? The New York Jets. Okay, so everyone associated with the organization is super pumped up about Zach Wilson, the Mormon Mahomes, what have you, all that, and maybe he'll be great or maybe he'll be bad. We'll see, and there's no there's no sense really digging in whether you like or hate the pick or whatever. We're got to see. We'll see if you can play the guitar. But I do have one issue I'm concerned about. Now. Let's look at the

five first round picks quickly. Quarterbacks. Okay, Um, we just mentioned Mac Jones, Cam Newton's in the building there, um justin fields, Andy Dalton's in that building. Trevor Lawrence Meanshoe is in that building. Zack Wilson, James Morgan, and Mike White. Should the Jets have a little bit more uh thought too? Maybe we have a veteran guy in here and we could ease in Zack. Or are they so excited about this guy's potential just throw him out there and let

him learn on the fly. I kind of wouldn't mind if there was somebody with a little more experience on the depth chart. Yeah, I why I'd throw him out there because like number two overall, I think he's got a much better environment around him than I understand. Maybe your Jets fan um minor panic over the idea of that, um, but this is a different situation than previous Jets quarterbacks. He's got a lot more help around him. I trust

the coaching staff. I think it's one of these situations where you're you're you're gonna put him on the bench behind like a Joe Flacco three point oh. I mean, they're gonna want to see him by the end of the first game, Jets fans and be going crazy. Everything's changed. I roll with him from day one. I haven't seen any evidence to the number of years that I've I've felt this way that somebody can get better by not doing something like I I just don't think that it

works out. Perhaps right, Jet's faithful would lose faith in Zach Wilson if they see him play poorly. That doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the football player. I think if you want him to be good at football, then he needs to play. Let me give you an example. I'll give you an example. Last year to A was a little bit underwater, and the coaching staff said, we have this backup, Ryan Fitzpatrick that we like, we're gonna

let this kid sit. We're gonna keep Fitzpatrick in the mix, give him a chance to play, keep us in a season if they're contending and then too what can learn and maybe grow from it. That probably is not gonna be the case here. If Wilson struggles as a rookie and that can happen, those guys aren't out there now, so it's too late. They I'm with you, they could. They could upgrade their backup quarterback position, like it wouldn't

hurt to sign Matt Barkley. I was just at the free agent quarterck just like someone better than those two guys in case Zach Wilson gets injured and maybe can give him some pointers about you know which clubs to go to in New York or whatever. But that's about it. Yeah, I should mention also Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. So every one of these rookies coming in has an established guy. The Jets are an outlier. I don't like when the Jets are an outlier because usually that means they're doing

something wrong. I don't think that if we're using the two example that TOA is a better football player if he didn't play last I just might be better being around Fitzpatrick, though, I do think there's something there, like Minshew is not helping out Trevor Lawrence in the same way that having a guy that's been around for so loanda yea. The a f C North begins with Mark Sessler and the Cincinnati Bengals. All right, Look, so a lot of people talk about you need to know who

you are. We need to know who you are by year three of a program. And I'll just look at the inside the a f C North three years into his reign, like Tomlin had already won a Super Bowl, Okay, John Harbor was thirty two and sixteen as Baltimore's coach. Kevin Stefanski one year in takes the Browns to the playoffs for the first time in like a thousand eons. So, I mean, you want to see results, It's not it's not too much to ask. I look at Zach Taylor

in Cincinnati. He had a tough situation out of the gate. Um. I think the two years he's been there, they have been ravaged by injuries. You lost your quarterback. Everything goes south at that point. But right now, look at this offense, Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Jamaar, Chase te Higgins, Tyler Boyd right on defense, DJ Reader, They're gonna get a full season from him. Trey Hendrickson, this is a pretty interesting, good roster that's just ticketed for fourth place because they're

in the a f C North. UM. I look at this team and think if they were in the a f C South, you wonder if they could compete for a division title if Burrow is who you think he is, and I we saw evidence of that. So what is an appropriate um when you look at Zach Taylor? An appropriate asked for this year? It can they go like a soft five and twelve and no one says anything about it? I think the the it needs to be higher.

We need to see results because again we're three years into this experiment with someone who was ticketed as someone to come in and be kind of a Seawan McVeigh for the Bengals. Not happen yet. Yes, six or seven wins I think is fair. I think if Joe Burrow is bawling out and the offense is good, that's all Zach Taylor needs. The the defense they've been rolling out lou on a room, oh every year. No one even knows this guy that defends the coordinator. It hasn't played well.

They're okay, they've got right, they've got okay personnel. I wouldn't say they're average even personnel. So I think Burrow is the biggest question. I think people are just expecting him. It's like to make a leap when you're coming off a torn a c L. And he was a little up and down because the situation was tougher than I think people realize. Because he made a lot of splash plays and showed a lot of potential. That's not easy.

He's coming off a torn a c L. And if he struggles a little bit, then that the heat's gonna go on Taylor And I was one of the course of people that said take the offensive line and take the stul this or can study it and and protect Joe Burrow. But ultimately, how mad can you get if you end up with Jamaar Chase Um this l s U guy who could be a superstar and could put

up video game numbers for ten years. And by the way, to Greg's point, according to next Gens stats, Cincinnati had just fifteen completions of twenty or more air yards last year that ranked in the NFL. Burrow, of course, got hurt and missed the last five or so weeks. But they weren't lighting it up downfield with Burrow either, that's gonna help. So this is a team and I'm with you, Mark, You're big point, which is we need to see progress

for this from this coaching regime. And there's questions right about that deep passing, whether that's Joe Burrow's arm or whether that's the offense or the circumstances. But I think right Greg mitchen la Rumo, they couldn't find anybody to be in the defensive cordat or just wound up their seven choice. Yeah, and and they've they've been terrible for three That speaks to the idea of hiring a coach

that has actions, which the Bengals coach did not. All Right, grow out a beard called time out, grow out the beard made if you want to if you want to be, if you really want to establish yourself, if you feel like you're no name uh in the coordinator ranks, change your look and and do if if you kind of your name sounds like Captain Lou Albano, and most of America at this point is too young to know who

he was. Just steal Lou Albano's bit. Rest in peace, grow out the beard punch, put a bunch of rubber bands into it, and uh it, guess what the camera's gonna find you. I think that was an appropriate use of a time out because if lou on Aamo slash Albano is uh watching or listening to this, you've you've changed the course of his career. If you were to take your advice, it's the only way he moves out of total anonymity um into someone that becomes sort of

a cultural flash points. I thought I thought Dan had pre planned bits for the time out, so I wasn't gonna take him either, So of course out this is just just flying. I don't Greg, I don't do pre planned bits on ever. Um. Cindy Lauper, who was one of the biggest pop stars of the eighties, that's Captain lew got into her video for girls Just want to have Fun. We could get the Bengals d C into

like a Billie Eilish single video. If he plays his cards all right, just put some rubber bands natural between that coach and that performer. I just I see a lot of linkage alright, time in. I love the investment in the time out. That's incredible. Cleveland Browns, Patrick Clevan, Yes, uh, the Browns Spectacular. I was honored to, uh to actually voice the weather warning videos for the NFL experience this

year at the draft. So it was rewarding to know that the people of Cleveland, if they were to take shelter due to some sort of like lake effect calamity, it would be my voice leading them the way. There's other column voices. Yeah, we had hurricanes to meteors anyway, there's like other calming voices in Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski. Thanks in part large people like did did Obama just

tell us to seek shelter shelter? Um? But yeah, like thanks to some hold over picks from the previous regime, right, and these two men, like they weren't even picking until twenty last week, and the pickles were the picks were universally appreciated, right, And so there's so much faith in the brain trust. But they just picked up the fifth year option for Baker Mayfield. And we live in a world where people believe in this concept of quarterback wins.

And I wonder who's best for the long term livelihood if you had to choose of this Brown's rebirth Baker Mayfield or the brain trust in Cleveland. Oh wow, Mark, I mean, look at I think Baker Mayfield has been a good quarterback. But if you take away the brain trust and what Andrew Berry has done. UM and Kevin Stefanski, I mean, you know Jet, you bring up the Jets Stan and like concern about how to deal with a young quarterback. I mean, Brown's fans have watched terrible game

day coaching for twenty plus years. UM, And typically a coach that's like in fighting with the general manager, who also is not good at making picks on draft days. So you know, I I can see the tangible difference between what was and what is, and I would have to side with management. UM. I would just because like to find a good coach in general manager to get along.

That's your ticket, that's invaluable. It's not a knock on Baker Mayfield, but if you're asking me to pick between one or the other, you don't remove all that infrastructure. Can I throw something out just as random and dumb and fun? Uh? Packers asked for three first round picks and Baker for Aaron Rodgers d take it one note? Oh my gosh, I would you Aaron Rodgers is so much better. And you just said you trust the management.

The management's gonna know how to use those picks. I think Patrick right got to where we were where we are with with Paker Mayfield at this point in time. So it's a good way to get there, which is, you know, he maybe is more of a function of the offense in the management because most great quarterbacks you would never say management, you know, you just wouldn't. And for right now, because of what Stefanski did, I trust it because Baker in this team thought they were hot stuff.

The last time they finished strong, when they finished seven and eight, they did not handle that hype. Well, we'll see how they do it this time. I think because the the Andrew Berry's there, you have more faith in it. I mean, like maybe I would do that trade. It's just like I don't want it everything to be turned into this like Baker Mayfields the problem. He was actually quite good for them last year. And I'm with you. I think Browns are gonna be awesome. It's gonna be fun.

We'll see the Baltimore. The Ravens are so good at like working their rookies and slowly not needing them right away, and I don't I don't know if they can afford to do that. This year they draft for Shot Bateman, I feel like he has to play right away. Uh, they drafted Huda fee oh way Um whose name was Jason, So if any confusion, they're the number thirty one, and like they've been in the middle of the pack in terms of sacks and back to back years, they definitely

haven't had juice on the outside. I'm not counting on Sammy Watkins to give Lamar kind of what he needs, So I like, I feel like these guys got to play right away. They don't have any great looking pass rushers with Bateman. You're the biggest Lamar fan in the room, Clay, Like, do you think they give they gave Lamar enough this off season. Yeah, it's the fact that they get somebody who can track a ball in the air and make a play on it. I love that. I love that

that's Lamar. We were we ran uh during some discussion because Bucky Brooks are brought up this absurd idea that the Ravens would give up on Lamar and you know, go college plan for for quarterbacks and just keep rotating them. And I pointed out that during the highlights, he's throwing to Dez Bryant's corps as well as like Brandon Boykin's, Like if that's the if that's the receiver highlights, then then perhaps hey, good luck to whoever that that up

and coming quarterback is. But yeah, I mean I know that heard you to say because you were a dead guy back in the day too, that yeah, well now he's dead, um. But but yeah, it's uh. If I wouldn't say that if he didn't have some some horrible tweets here in the past few years. But but honestly, like it's uh, I believe in it because I believe in Lamar, and so give him somebody that can make a play on the football and run to it when it's in the air and also snapped Lamar of the ball.

I think that would help a lot. I think it's It's notable that Greg Roman was on record saying that with Bateman there and the other wide out they took like we can expand our passing game like that. And I don't think you're gonna get this Ravens team that changes drastically on offense. If you looked at who they drafted I mean, it's more power, it's more run, it's all that stuff. But I mean Roman at least understands that you can't do what happened last year over and over.

They've got to expand the air attack. And I think Bateman was a perfect pick for them. And they were repeatedly rebuffed in free agency and their attempts to upgrade at wide receivers. So I like that they said, Okay, we're gonna take control of this process using the draft to do that. And we had an eight types on on our show a couple of weeks back. He was

singing rashod Bateman's praises. Um, even though a lot of moks didn't have him in the first round, Um, the Ravens saw value there, and then Thyland Wallace at in round four. Uh, he's in the mix there as well. It's unbelievable, um that they had one thousand, seven twenty nine yards on passes to wide receiver in that just

gotta be better. I mean, I don't know, if you you can't win the Super Bowl unless Sammy could happens, maybe, but it's a Bateman is such an important pick for them, and it was such a no brainer because you just can't trust Sammy Watkins. He just can't stand the field. And Greg Rome embarrasson him in this as well. Sure, I think he gives a universal credit for his other talented quarterback, but at some point maybe it's you, Yeah, reminder,

we have two timeouts remaining. I think there's distinct pressure on the three of us now who are not dan to know when and how to use the time out. But well, we're all working together, all right. Next Greg Rosenthal. Next the old Zeuser Pittsburgh Steelers. Okay um, a bit of a high wire act here in Pittsburgh. Huh. I was saying that they should seriously consider getting that quarterback mix, which is not a quote unquote Steelers thing to do,

and two type they didn't do that. They go and get Naji Harris at running back and maybe he's a star and that would be good for the offense. But this just feels like the Steelers are a circus act on a high wire with a old quarterback that showed signs of slippage slash falling off a cliff late last season, and then an offensive line that continues to loom as

a question marks. They didn't hit that hard either are the Steelers the biggest boom or bust property in the a f C. I'll buy that because they're so thin that the like the premium positions. They are not an analyt type of team. You look at their tackles, it's a Coora for right now, k core for and and Zach Banner. Are there two tackles their cornerbacks, I would say, are the next thinnest position on their team, and like

those are the premium positions. Those are the ones that's like, use your draft capital on that, and they don't have it right now. They're and they're putting a lot of faith in those two tackles and probably a starting rookie center for a team that has not coached up the offensive line well since Mike Munchak left a couple of years ago. I mean, like an ali Jandro Villaneuvas signed with the Ravens and it's like their old tackle is going and filling holes for their biggest rivals. So it's

you know, that's problematic. I think the boom or bust aspect too, is like was the Big Bend fall off a cliff act? Like something that was a bit of an admiration. You can still play and we're gonna get a fresh version of him or not? Or does that decline continue? Um, which means by week eight you're in hot water. I mean, the one thing I would say that Naji Harris their scouts saying he is the most complete back they've had under Mike Tomlin, and they said

more than Levian Bell. So I get that you'd want to have the offensive line stronger, but like, does any remember Levian Bell at his peak? Was there a more complete back that I would put him in the top three running back to the last twenty years in terms of at his peak, just seeing it's difficult to to get that camp for Nagy right because at six two six three, at that size is moving with his feet right. Levian is the closest thing you can get to right in terms of a guy catching passes out of the

backfield that can run in between the tackles. Um. I think like maybe maybe we're looking at this as the the end of last season is heavily influencing the way we feel about Pittsburgh and not necessarily the start. But for me, as much as I believe in guys coming back from injury and and getting a full chance to be healthy. It's hard to do that thirty eight and thirty nine years old, and I can't see things getting

any better. Uh. I mean this, but imagine if Joe Burrow had the weapon and Ratsburg had We've been talking up like how talented this group is. They have so many good players. Bengals are getting close, but yeah, Steelers feel like they're either gonna be eleven and six or six and eleven. Fair, all right, we are rolling bulls. Halfway through. Mark gets going with the Indianapolis Cults as when we begin the a f C s all right, you know, I know, like the Broncos are getting killed

for not um picking a quarterback. And we can get into that down the road. But I look at the Cults and I asked myself coming out of the draft, like is this team better than they were a year ago? And like, are the cults being treated a little too lightly for a ignoring tackle in the draft. We're killing Pittsburgh for that. Um, the Colts didn't feel that they have a huge issue there a burnie need and also

showing um immense faith in Carson Wentz. I have to ask if this is quietly the riskiest maneuver of any by any team in the a f C this offseason. After what we saw from Carson Wentz last year. It's, oh, you know, Frank Reich knows him. There's a good relationship. That's all nice in theory, But there's a lot of tape that suggests Carson Wentz was a disturbed quarterback last year in a lot of ways. But do we have any Wentz heads here that are saying, you shut up?

I totally have faith in this. We're gonna get the old version of Wentz back in Indy. First of all, call Carson Wentz disturbed last year. I love that. Uh. Second of all, oh, there's always been a little heat with Cessler and Carson Wentz because the way back when with the Draft and the Browns, I've always enjoyed that. Um. Third of all, all right, I'll be a little bit of a Wentz head here. We we have said for a couple of years now that Frank Reich was this

this magical figure in Philadelphia and once he left things changed. Uh. Well, now he's reunited with Frank Reich in Indianapolis, and Chris Ballard, the general manager, to me, has earned the benefit of the doubt. Um, these two guys, Reich and Ballard there. They've had this organization going in the right direction for years now, and that's why I don't see this going terribly. I think they're just too smart, uh and they're just too locked in place as a football men for this

thing to really go south. Does that mean it won't know? But to me, they get the benefit of the doubt. You guys agree, I think Mark you you hit it when you mentioned the risk. But my question is who's taking the risk because in this quarterback centric world, I don't think Ballard suffers consequences if there's this Winds explosion. I don't think it's right. Because Dan said, like people believe in Frank Rock and they think it was the reasons they won the Super Bowl. They kind of get

a free experiment here. The only person taking any risk is Carson Wentz because if it doesn't work out, then it's like, oh, well, I guess he's he's done. So like you could, yeah, you could also argue that Andrew Luck put them in all in this situation to some degree to but you're I agree, but you're also potentially wasting a good roster. I think it is the biggest risk any team took. I think it's the most confounding decision of the off season. Maybe they bring in Charles Leno,

who just got cut by the Bears. You know, their tackles might become available. You would think they're not going to go into the season with Sam Dewie. I'm much more concerned about Carson Wentz than I am about their left tackles. Man, is that nobody Wentz was so good in twenty nineteen. Is that that's just that's not even a factory. Just one bad year. It's been a minute and four. You didn't think I think? Am? I? Am? I getting my years confused there? Now you did? He's fine,

He's fine. All right, I'm the wein said let's move on. Yeah, the Tennessee Titans, Patrick Laybyn. They get arguably the best corner in the in the draft per Charlie Cast release polling UH from last fall, right before Caleb Farley had the back surgery and the COVID and everything went bad for the draft. Um, and I think you see why that they went corner. The defense was really bad. They

had some departures as well. But Derrick Henry that transcendent season, He's he's averaging almost five and a half yards per carry lash year. Tannehill was good. A J. Brown was good. Right, So Art Smith goes to Atlanta. They don't take an offensive skill position into the fourth round. But on the defensive side of the ball, you know, Bud Dupree comes over.

They've got all these guys they've drafted, and I've started to wonder again as I looked through year after year in the Verbel era, the defense is worse than it was the previous year. When do we start to wonder if Mike Vrabel is the problem well with regards to the defense in Tennessee, Well, I don't. I don't think he's shown to be a very good defensive coach. The Texans also had one of the worst defenses in the NFL when he was their coordinator before he got the

head coaching job. Like yet, it's not about if it's not his scheme isn't gonna save you. We've we've seen that maybe the talent hasn't been great either. There there the team, I hate to say it, Titans fans like if I had to pick up playoff team from a year ago, that would fall off a cliff Here it is because I just don't see the position group on this team where I look at it and say, there's our edge, there's where we're good. Where is where is

that for Tennessee? Other than Henry, I think you're if you're Todd downing the new play call or you're you're in a tough spot because you don't have the tools that Art Smith had. And you know, I look at the wide receiver position. The tight end position is a total mess right now. Um, I would pig the peg them as a team that maybe would go look at O. J. Howard and say, we need to find a more game changing tight end in this. But I like Frabel um

overall as head coach. I think he's given We used to kill the Titans for having no identity, the Titoons, we called them. They haven't been that under Rabel. There's something about his presence. Well, okay, except for Greg, who please the ultra classy Greg refused to to put that moniker on. Then Frabel has given them an article about that Greg one who was legitimized. They did USA today ahead Mark. Sorry, no, I'm I I just thumbs up on Rabel because they've been a good team. But you know,

in terms of defensive difference maker. It's a fair point. That's fair and and I think what you're saying to Greg is fair about the offense doesn't take a step back, do we if it's still a team with Derrick Henry and A. J. Brown and Ryan Tannehill unless we buy into the theory, well, it's still not trust Tannehill because Arthur Smith's gun. Maybe he takes a step back. Because if he doesn't, I still feel like this team's gonna

score a lot of points. And if the defense gets even a tick better, I still see it as a double digit win team. I don't. And yeah, that's a fair point on Tannhell. Maybe that's where the edges. But he almost has to take a step back. Numbers. You just look at the numbers. He's been a top five quarterback the last two years. Unless he actually was all along and he got gaged. Adam Gaze, where are you? Adam? Game? Time out? Time out? Where's that in there? We go?

Do you think do you think Adam Gaze is even trying to get work right now or do you think he's just like I'm just well, he's getting he's getting Jets money still and it's it's significant. Why would he try to get work? Like, what about Adam Gates's recent career suggest he he has to try to do anything. You think, Yeah, he's just gonna have to wait, sit around, and then eventually Adam Gates will be back in this

league and probably head coach of a football team. WHOA, now that I've been I've been watching this this planet for too long. As certain as the tides in the moment is right in this in this area. And it's unfortunate and it's it's an issue for the NFL that some guys get chances over and over while other people

don't get the opportunities they deserve. But I would think a two time and this is a little harsh, but two time loser in Miami and New York at a high level, I mean in plouting imploading at a high level in his most recent stop stop. I don't think he gets another head coaching job, but he'll probably show up as like a offensive quality control guy in Jacksonville or something actually into the head coach after after he spends the off season, you know, reading PFF and you know,

hanging out with other former fired coaches. I mean, my one. My one concern would be conra or once painted very meticulously. The concept um, you know, it's a bit of a conspiracy theory, but it starts to have legs that the Manning family is essentially run Pro football for decades, and

so who's Adam Gates is like best pal. Peyton Manning gets on the phone with some sort of New Week is shown or just says you're gonna hi my frand and then like suddenly Adam Gates says another head coaching that my voice over time, you're gonna hire on my frand like that's a Peyton Manning voice. Doesn't sound like him at all. It's like it's very sassy Peyton man Well, he's very agitated and annoyed. He doesn't like being attached to someone who's pr you know, Q rating is not

nos dives. So he's Peyton Manning needs to get him a job to help. This whole thing was that Peyton Manning or Delta Burke. I think I think a little bit of Delta are gonna the ESPN original film Junction Boys, where they took they made the Bear Bryant a Kentucky movie, and they hired a bunch of Australians to play football players and they did Southern accellence. That's what that's what I heard, that capabilities. And before we come back from our time out here, remember i'm out of the time.

I've used two time outs. I won't use the third. But if you go into the tunnel without using all your time outs, you're a joke. Okay, just keep that in mind. What they've ever complained about coaches not using their time outs, it's always a delight. I'm always like, I'm always at the when they get to an NBA game at the end and there's like three timeouts left for each team, which never happens, but every once in a while, I'm like, thank you. And also my family,

who are you pegging it on? There's four of us to could call time out outside of dance, so if if one doesn't get called, I'll just deflect the critics criticism towards Greg towards Claybourne, probably towards Ricky. Very fact, how many times have you heard Chris Collins where there's someone come after a coach, oh man and they and they're unable to stop the clock and they go into the tunnel with timeouts in their pocket. This is Delta Burke. All right, let's let's time back in here and uh

up next the Houston Texans. I just want to point out how strange this team is. There's been, you know, an understandable amount of focus on Deshaun Watson situation in the front office, and I'm not having a draft pick till Davis Mills. Uh. I don't know if people know this. Philip Lindsay is on this team. Their backfield right now is David Johnson, mark Ingram and Philip Lindsay. That's weird. Uh.

The receivers, Brandon Cooks, Randall Cobb, Andre Roberts. Did you guys know Lovey Smith is back in the NFL and he is the defensive coordinator of the Texans. I know this room knows this, but I feel like the fans out there they don't know all these facts. This is just a very strange theme we're gonna be watching here. Yeah. You know what's interesting. They they're they're famous for, you know, being asset poor, um and now talent deficient and the

Deshaun Watson mess which changes changes everything. Um. I guess this makes sense if Watson doesn't end up playing for them. One way, or the other to just go in the tank right and and get back into uh positive draft standing, Like I think they start getting first round picks back again next year, right that the Tunsil deal finally tolls there. Um, this feels like a team that is ready to tear

it all down. And that's tough for Houston fans because you thought you were going in a certain direction with the Shaun Watson. But it feels like it makes more sense now to strip the whole thing down. I mean the unintentional tank, which is the normal way teams quote unquote tank. They didn't mean to be the worst team in league. They're just that's how they got. That's how they got. Even when they had Watson and J. J. Watton,

you know, they always felt a little top heavy. I mean, how many years did we talk about them as a team that, you know, before the seventeen games could have gone five and eleven or eleven and five, and Watson made such a difference. But it is an unintentional tank can like this. You know, this team looks absurd to me on paper, but it's I just wonder, if you're the GM or the coach, are you really glad you

took this job. That would be my question because I don't know from ownership on down where the support is here or the vision. It depends ownership. And we know there's some murky stuff going on with the preacher, But if they let him, um truly Cali build this team, then that's that's good. But think about it, if you do trade Deshaun Watson, if that's how this ends, um, And again, it could go in a lot of different directions. Let's say you get a couple of first round picks.

Let's say you go one in sixteen, you get the first round pick. Maybe you come into next year with three first round picks or something like that, and then you can begin like, all right, let's try this again. But I mean, what do you do with with the hope and the promise that those picks bring. Like we saw, and this is before we knew about the circumstances surrounding Deshaun Watson and all of the accusers and hopefully like somebody finds out what actually happens and we get some

form of justice uh through through all of this. But it's what reason do we have to believe that that's just not gonna happen? Again, even if thisy do a symbol promising team, but the executive vice president of football Operations doesn't like slink in there and say, yeah, get the execute order sixty six. Yeah, that's rough. You can do a total reset. Yeah, I'm total reset, and then this brain trust can foul at all scary times, this

Texans fence. All right, let's move on to the Jacksonville Jaguars. UM. All right. The great late Chris Westling said it often history is instructive. Everyone says, Trevor Lawrence is Andrew luck level good? All right, So then you go back in the history books. Colts went two and fourteen with Curtis Painter and company. UM. In two thousand eleven, luck comes in. They go eleven and five during the playoffs. The next

year they win double digits. Again, they win a playoff game, and they're often running as a a f C contender. Is root? Is Is this a situation you see as as the possibility for the Jaguars this year? Because I was looking at it. They had six games last year that they lost by one score or less, and they went in the tank totally in the last month of the season. But before that happened Uh, this team hung

around in games. So if you add a high level quarterback, Um, could they actually be a team playing for the postseason in December? I guess since uh, since Penny tried to answer your question prematurely, Dan, I'm gonna say if I do believe it, uh, and I'm probably that that I do believe it. It's gonna be because of the rest of the division. As we mentioned, the Texans could potentially

be consolutely in the trough. The Titans defense couldn't stop anybody last year, and if there is right that that little bit of boost that comes from a coach knowing what he wants to do and bringing in new people that he gets to choose with somebody else's holdovers, that that they had some form of consistency we saw in Robinson right and the running game, in some aspects of the defense, uh last year. Yeah, I think it could happen.

I think Trevor Lawrence does bring some some unique skills that that nobody else could bring in terms of the total package, right, the arm uh, the ability to you know, to to make plays with his feet as well. So why not? I guess I'd like to see because you know, when's the last time Urban Meyer had a season where everything went wrong. I mean it's just like you know, twelve thirteen win seasons and bowl games all left and

right for like a thousand years in a row. I mean, if they get out to a really rough start for some reason, Um, I just would like to observe how he handles that. It's a totally different situation than he's been in. And you know, the no matter who you are, is a college coach. I mean, Nick Saban learned this that the pro game is totally different and and you know, the Urban Meyers talked about having to um retrain himself

to even think about something like the NFL Draft. But point being, I think that they've got if he works, um an interesting coach, a great quarterback, and you're right then, like they were off out in games last year, they were not getting handled week after week. They were still a bad team. But they've transformed this roster at least with a ton of bodies. There was a ton of new people here, and Trevor Lawrence is Trevor Lawrence. Good Night.

Like they can easily win nine games. I'll tell you what, I'll set the over under here for wins for the Jaguars at eight and a half. I'm banging the over what I'm banging it? Greg? Why not? I love Claybounds point about the division they played in two Yeah, that's fine, but then win the division with a eight wins once. I get it. But they also took a lot of risk in this draft. For instance, they take a guy in et N's like they say is going to be

their third round pick. They take my son's new favorite player, Walker Little. He says he's rooting for the Jaguars now he hasn't played in two years. Uh. They they're moving Tyson Campbell at the top of the second round to slack corner. Never play that position. Took a guy who missed all the last season in the third round, Like, I gotta see it, man, expect Greg. You also say it's not hard for the teams to go seven and nine, so it's like you can have six games. Everyone should

be happy if they win six or seven games. We don't know who the team of a ten will be, but we know who the team of Antien is, the Jagulins, that Joke Division, the Denver Broncos. Mark selick I find this is one of the tougher teams to evaluate right now because we just don't know, um, where we're gonna be down the road. Are they going to go get a quarterback if they don't, If they don't get Aaron Rodgers, like, then they're the team that is gonna be tough. It's

gonna be tough. Press Um Broncos fans I lived in Denver are super passionate and they are on fire about the fact that you passed up the chance to put Justin Fields into a really awesome looking offense that right now your front office that's basically saying, are are like vision to battle Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert inside of R O Division is to roll out Drew lock or Teddy Bridgewater patches middle of the road guys. Um one

of them who's proven nothing. So I just can't believe that that's how a front office actually thinks, in especially with one attached to John Elway always looking for quarterbacks. Um, the way that they organized their draft, I think Patrick's certain, um, but the way they organized their draft makes me think that they think they can get Aaron Rodgers. And I don't think this story is over. I would just wonder,

is this a bunch of hogwash. I know it's the most obvious question for the Broncos, but come September, is Rogers in orange or is that a pipe dream and they're stuck with Drew or Teddy. I think it's a pipe dream because they think it's a pipe dream. I read that Mike Silver article about their you know, draft, and the second the Packers were like, we're not even

gonna listen, you know, they have to move on. What motivation to the Packers have to take anything before the start of this season when the primary thing they can get his draft picks we didn't get next year. Like, unless you're sending me Bradley Chubb and Courtland Sutton, what what is going to help the Packers this year? And then that would ruin you know that that would hurt

the Broncos team. The most interesting thing in that article I thought was one line where it said Teddy Bridgewater is the presumptive starter and Silver doesn't write that for nothing. That's what the front office thinks. That That told me a lot. I'm surprised. Uh, it's a great opportunity for Teddy Bridgewater. Certainly, I know we've been through this before, but wow, that these these weapons around him are incredible. I think they're thinking he can be our Alex Smith

in Kansas City. Whether they're right or not. You know, the Panthers weren't right about it. But it's I think it's not Drew Lock. I think it's Teddy Bridgewater. Based on that one line. I think like we heard from George Peyton leading up to the draft just about how much they were looking at quarterbacks and how invested they were in the quarterback starts, and like, oh yeah, we believe in Drew Lock too, and it's like those things

can't be true now. And so like Mark, to answer your question about like a rog, like if if they were in pursuit of Aaron Rodgers, would taking Justin Fields could only help in that? Right, they would have because we saw it with Chicago, right, they would have had Russell Wilson if they had a quarterback to give to Seattle, to say okay, this is your future. But they didn't up one um. So I think they're out. Honestly, I think if if the move was to be made, then

they would have made it. So it'll be next year. Maybe they're in next year, but I don't see anyone that makes a lot of sense this year. I just they have no idea what to do with the quarterback position. How do you come out of this with all the trade movement and the rookie prospects and you realize Drew Locks not the quarterback. Congratulations of that, that's easy. And then you come out and say Teddy Bridgewaters are back up, like it's it's unbelievable to me, Teddy comeback season. Yeah,

it's over. Get the better. It's literally the most annoying thing on our podcast, know that you and ted the You and Teddy thing, and like he's proving he's proving your argument wrong year after year. He really had. Last year he made major mistakes in crucial situations, which was red zone and fourth quarter, which is which is important. He was a pretty productive like lower to middle field. He's not been liked. I like players totally, and the way Dan overrates the Jets every year, Like I like

certain players that I root for them. That why am I catching sniper fire on this? Why don't you, if you're fighting with Mark Yah, say something nasty about Mark Rights. Not nasty, I'm saying, like, of course there's players I root for. He's a likable person who to me had had a has a more fun style than people think that I thought had a chance. He's obviously a middle smarter to factor in that he's a nice guy. We all know Teddy's a great teammate and nice, but it

doesn't matter. That doesn't affect how I root for him, and he has been like significantly better than Drew Lock has ever been at multiple points in his career, including when he was with George Peyton. Almost every starter in the league, though, that isn't an argument for Teddy Bridgewater, is your answer? That's all. If they had an argument for sitting in their lap and they said we'd rather have Teddy Bridgewater and or Drew Lock, I killed them

for that. I killed them for that. All I'm saying is I'm recognizing the situation where they are right now, and Teddy is their best chance to start games, and he is their best chance. Like, whether you like it or not, he's gonna be starting games this year. I guess my point is there were better options than Teddy to upgrade from Drew Lock. Maybe he's an upgrade Overlock, but from what we've seen, is he going to be

a huge upgrade they didn't prioritize it. They didn't because even then they're paying him, were the better options right now? Well now the horses, I think I think that's ultimately Gregg's point, right, it's it's gotta be Teddy. And we saw a new offense right in the first team, a first year for that offense, and Teddy Bridgewater in his first year in that offense. Um, he's not gonna get like a sustained chance to be somewhere for for long. But I would like to see Teddy bridge Road to

have an opportunity to grow in an offense. Right the Packers were bailing on Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers going to the Hall of Fame, right, well on Aaron Rodgers up here, first year the here's the timing of it. Okay, look at you could have traded for Teddy Bridgewater after you

didn't get the quarterback in the draft. If you're trying, if you're trying to tell me that the way to galvanize your fan base and your own offense is to say that it's smarter to trade for Teddy Bridgewater days before the draft and then pass on Justin Fields, who lands in our lap, who is undoubtedly. I think to the common eye or analytical eye, more excited that we all I wanted that. How there's no defending they totally to your point. The Panthers wanted Teddy Bridgewater to have

an extended stay in Carolina. Look at the contract they gave him. They set him up with a great offensive head coach, and Matt Rule. They didn't like. They didn't like what he brought to the table, and they said, we got we're getting rid of them. He chance there. He moved the ball very well and was a disaster in high leverage situations in the red zone in the fourth quarter. Say that it's a positive when you're not. Don't.

But like, if if let's put it this, if Teddy Bridgewater even gave them the offense passing wise that the Panthers had last year last year's but Broncos would have gone to the playoffs. They were They were like eighteenth nineteenth in dv o A in terms of passing. The Broncos were. And that's that's sort of the thing they're hoping for is to be middle of the road good theater. On this podcast, Panthers chose Sam right. Matt Rule has had like big jeweled eyes for Sam, like floating in

the air wafting after Sam. Since the the initial flirtation with the Jets, I think that was they were done with Teddy regardless, though to be fair, they they the way this season ended with him playing his worst in December, they decided. Uh. And I think they're making a mistake by the way picking up Donald's contract, Uh, you know, for two Like, why make a two year commitment when

you just made a huge unforced there. No one was giving Teddy Bridgewater two years, big money guaranteed, no one, And they just gave the second year for no reason. And they're doing the exact same thing with Donald. No one was giving Donald this kind of contract with two years is guaranteed, and they're doing it again. By the way, watch out, Greg, you got the cessler E's came out there for you at one point when you were waxing poetic. But I get it. He doesn't like Teddy. I enjoy

enough with inflating Teddy. No one, no one, no one was saying anything, no one. Just make you feel better. Greg was proven wrong once about Teddy Bridgewater. It will happen once again. Let's see. Now, I gotta have to rally the troops. Teddy Nation comes all right time in the Los Angeles Superchargers. Patrick Lava Alright, So hope always seems to come back with regards to fan bases and beliefs to this quarterback thing. And from what we saw in there's a lot of reason to feel great about it.

Like we had people describing Trevor Lawrence as as Justin Herbert plus and I think, you know, as much as that could be a slight to Justin Herbert, seeing as he did it at a professional level, I think it speaks to help people feel about him. And you know, if avertising continuity for an offense and a quarterback that seemed promising is a way to go, it seems weird that the people behind that progress are now elsewhere in Los Angeles or not in Los Angeles, they're just elsewhere

in general. But um, anyway, Mike, my question surrounds the head coach, right and the man that that its own players have classified as a as a genius. UM. So he's got two players in Los Angeles who I would argue or singularly talented with regards to the rest of the league, that was the foundation of a defense. UM.

In In in one of them. I think it's going to the Hall of Fame and Aaron Donald, right, and then there's Jalen Ramsey, So now, uh, can he do similar things on this defense using Derwin James perhaps and Joey Bosa or does he need that high level talent to be successful? Well, those are two potential Hall of famers too. I know it's a long, long long way to go, and Derwin James has to stay healthy. That's like the key to this team to me. But those are two of the very best at what they do.

The hype is back. I'm buying in the first two picks, the Chargers had felt huge needs with their tackle and then Assante Samuel in the second round, Like I'm I'm buying in because I would take Justin Herbert over Trevor Lawrence in a second, I would take Justin Herbert over every single young quarterback in the league not named Patrick Mahomes. I mean, that's to me, that's where Justin Herbert is its and it's not a hard decision for me, alight,

So the hype should be huge. Everything that I've read about Brandon Staley, everything I've seen, I mean, this is my version of Greg's Teddy Bridgewater. This happens to me with coaches where he's not coached a game, and I couldn't be more excited about um the head coach there. I think it changes a lot. And a lot of the issues with the Chargers have been these bizarre sort of like antimistical end of game meltdowns with time and

kickers missing field goals, all this stuff. I think Brandon Staley is the kind of guy who is like bathed in details. I think that stuff is gonna go away. I just do. And I think you're gonna see him be able to coach up that defense and the way he did with the Rams. And I think Derwin James, if he had been healthy this whole time, would be viewed as like a top five player in the league.

But he's just his career's gone south. It's it's fortunate, and it's you know, Gregg, you mentioned Hall of Fame, yes, that that was a rookie season at all Hall of Fame level. But he hasn't He hasn't played in what two years basically now. Um, so they need him to come back and you just have to hope with the injuries that he suffered that he doesn't come back, and he's a compromised version of what we saw back in ten. But he does seem like a Lynch print. Mark I

know is Brennan Staley. Has he toppled Matt Rule in your head? Coach Crush power Ranks. I feel like MAT's gonna start getting jealous a little bit here. No, I've got a lot of crushes. I mean, it's Shanahan, it's Rule, it's Stale, and they're vying for my affections. It's their job, not mine. Three. I like the idea of the image of them all standing in line to talk to you with Flowers. Well, the one time we spoke with Matt Rule Greg Barry out of time out, that was a

good story. But I'll stay that it's been taught on the podcast like five times. I'll tell it's five more the Las Vegas see, that's where I'm using my time. That's where the animosity might come from. With Teddy. It was a sore spot here because um, you know, I Mark look back. This is a little bit of cheating. I'm worried about the Raiders because I think a strong case could be made that the two most important people in their organization this year are Gus Bradley and Tom Cable.

They're putting a lot of faith in those two guys because otherwise I don't see it, like you're counting on Tom Cable to coach up this offensive line. There's only one new starter, I mean, the two guys that are elevating, Like they know those two Denzel Good and I forgot the other one off top of my head. But like they've been there. There's only one guy that wasn't with the team. And then they've poured all these draft picks

and all this free agent money into the defense. But ultimately it's like Gus Bradley just has to be way better than what they were doing before or else there's not much reason to think this team will be any better. I mean, Gus Bradley needs to be better than Gus Bradley. That's that's sort of the problem. He's not. You know, he keeps getting to keep getting jobs, but like his defenses have not been marvelous by any stretch. I mean, the players, and there's a he's a d C. There's

only so much you could do. Like sometimes I wonder what these dcs and even the coordinators most of them anyway. It's like they if you don't give them the guys to play with, if you don't give them the chess pieces, there's only so much you could do. And a lot of that I think goes back to this front office and and the draft stuff gets a little annoying to me. And I did Power rankings this week, so I do a lot of reading and trying to learn about some

different things. And you see all these grades and they're all over the map. But there's certain teams that every analyst feels safe just banging with an f And that's where the Raiders are right now, that everything they do is viewed as bad. But until some of these like unorthodox picks hits uh, you understand why they're not being

given the benefit of the doubt. And I think I remember back to there was an old clip of the Seahawks drafting James Carpenter in the first round, and there was a shot of Nick Saban in the crowd going James Carpenter got drafted in the first round. And that's kind of everybody's reaction to Alex Leatherwood. It who can be a solid player? Right? He started a lot of games for for a team that when he was there

a couple of national championships. But um, it's a question of value and at some point right um, as Dan, you mentioned the personnel and whether it's a coordinator, whether it's personnel. Um, it's it's just not working. Um, And

so they're gonna need to stop somebody. Um. But they took one of the greatest strengths in their offensive line and decimated it to the point where they needed to to draft an offensive lineman in the first round, and then they reached It feels like they got worse this offseason. Does Yeah, they were the seventh the best passing attack a year ago, but that also requires, you know, Car to be protected. When we've seen Car when he's not protected. Well,

it's a whole different situation. And I don't know what. You look at that team and say the strength is they're they're out of the box thinkers, But there's two month too many out of the box picks that have not worked. That's why people attack it. If you have a track record of thinking differently and it works, everyone's like, well, these guys are just smarter. That's not how they're viewed right now. So the pr fight this legit three. We

closed with the defending NFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs couldn't protect Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl and they got there. Heine's whipped as a result. Um, and I just have so much respect for Brett Beach and that organization, a little bit jealous that they they said, this is a need and we could have waited because part of the reason they got destroyed in the Super Bowls they weren't healthy on the offensive line. It wasn't

just that these guys couldn't play. They're missing their tackles and it was just everything was they were missing some material guys. It was just kind of patchwork. So they could have said, let's get healthy, Let's bring back our guys, get healthy and go for it again. So I respect that they just said, no, we want to make this a team strength again. Orlando Brown, Joe Tuney, you bring Kyle Long out of retire and we'll see how that goes. But in theory, Um, it makes sense. Creed Humphrey, they

took with the sixty three overall pick. Everybody's saying he's gonna be awesome in the pivot. Um, So I look at this team they took this week. This turned it into a strength. Uh and I look at a seventeen game season, how are they not a thirteen plus win team? And how is anyone else gonna contend for that top seed in the a f C. I just think they're the heavy favorite in the a f C after what they've done. I mean, let's not forget they put up

thirty eight points weeks earlier against the Bills. It was that the Super Bowl was it couldn't have gone better for the Bucks, who were a worthy super Bowl champion, but there was an obvious achilles heel to what Kansas City wanted to do with, you know, their protection, not they're not on the field. You know. It's kind of funny because I look back on all the Super Bowl preview coverage, not just our show, but everyone show, and

it's just like not enough. I don't remember anyone being like the Chiefs are screwed because they have both of the tackles out. It was just like Tyree Kale, you know, Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes, and it's like it doesn't work with three lineman and they totally patch. Think Orlando Brown was an some signing by an awesome trade by them. I mean it just again, it turned it into a strength.

Like you said, remember the their off season began being rebuffed to get Trent Williams, so it wasn't like everything fell into place. They had to regroup after that, and they still managed to get the job done. I think I'm with you that they're the favorite. To me, they're always going to be the favorites unless things go really poorly building their roster. But they didn't have their right tackle all last season and they were still the best or one of the best offenses in the league. To

that that position is kind of the same. The offensive line has to come together. I always say this, but they're like it's like a bullpen. It's really hard to predict what's going to be good or not, especially if the guys have not played together. They put every amounce of investment. They're a little thinner at the skill groups now, like they they rely on Kelsey and Tyrie Hill so much. They're a little thinner now than they are in years past, So that that's just something to watch. If either one

of those guys got hurt, I think they're banked. And obviously on Mahomes greatness covering up that well, and they should because he's because he's great. But I think back to a Panther's team, right the star to Mike Rimmers in the Super Bowl, and then he just got undressed by von Miller, which Von Miller undresses a lot of people. But then Mike Remmers started sixteen games the next year. It's just like you address right well, you know who they're right, you know who the chief's right tackle is

right now, doesn't put it out together. It's Mike Remmer. My thinking is it's not going to be season. They saw a problem and I think they addressed it, and that's what you want for a team that hasn't you know, a really good ported. We just went around the a f C and exactly forty eight minutes and don't don't even bother doing a math yourself. Just assume that's what happened. Just trust us with the clock. We know we we've nailed that. I feel like we made our listeners smarter today.

I think they're going to really take this information and uh, sitting around a fire pit or socially distanced at their favorite pub, They're gonna hit their friends with a little bit of knowledge on some of these team tames, and the friends are gonna be like, Wow, this guy is cool, and then a girl's gonna hear it be like whoa, I want to bed that man for his knowledge. I feel like that's what's happening here coming out of Today's What a service that we're offering the listener. If all

those things do happen. Yeah, we've created humans today just in that in linking up those two people. And we also used the time out as well. I gotta say, you know that the Teddy time out, Um, well you know, well learned, uh and well used definitely better than the Panthers who are in the fourth quarters last year. Just close strong, Mark, I'll give you a final thought on the Teddy situation. Well, that's the great thing about football is that you know, if I always I just assumed

Teddy Bridgewater is listening to this episode, just assumed that. Um, And he's gonna say the one guy always seems to be sticking up for me, um, partly because I'm nice and the other guys seems to always begetting on my case. It's like I have a chip on my shoulder. As they say, now to like go to prove to that that one mouthie negative guy that I'm can play. So you know we've done a service for him too. Now you are like the Brian, You're the Brian good kunt

to uh Teddy's Aaron Rodgers this year. And there is and there is the background. There is that Matt rules on our show at the height of Mark's crush for Rule and then he believes that Greg kind of threw him under the bus a little bit about Teddy Bridgewater. Uh, And I think that there's a lot of that is space there. It's not that I believe that that's exactly what that's factually what happened Greg. So so that has that made you concerned about your boys, you know, talent evaluation,

because otherwise you have like sort of beliefs that are clashing. Here. They were stuck, I think that, you know, like they showed us, they showed us they were stuck. They were just stuck. But Matt Rule, Um it started. The crushed started because he came up to me Dan that wonderful night at the Combine in the snow and we walked into a wonderful you know, hotel Tavern and he walked right up and just said good to meet you on Matt Rule, and I was like, that's all it takes.

I am absolutely in love with this person from now until the end of time, so his decisions are honorable and correct every time. To anybody who's a fan of verbal discussions, I hope they noticed the way that Greg took that criticism and then turned it into a mirror and tried to redirect it at Mark as if you have absolve himself of any particular wrongdoing it. Well, welcome to every episode. It's artful. All right, we'll be back. There's that Patrick, thank you as if you've said it

all and you've done it all and we appreciate your help. Um. On Thursday, Steve Weisch will join us to break down the NFC in forty eight minutes and um we thank you. Ricky, have anything you wanted to add for Yeah, just before we go to the listeners, especially the males, it's not going to get a girl in bed with you if you're just like man splaining football at her. That's like the worst thing. No, no, no, no, time out, time out, Because I know where you're trying to go at this.

I wasn't saying that he was man's landing to the woman and then she was so taken aback. She's like, where's your apartment? We gotta go. I was saying, he was in conversation with his buddies, and then she was at the next table over and she was so impressed by this. Information's like she knew a lot too. She's like, he knows his stuff exactly, thinking women can know just as much about football as men. Got to turn that

mirror around, baby, I learned. Yeah, like displaying sports knowledge, nothing gets the opposite sex more excited about than that. All Right, Fregg needs to get out more. It does work. Yeah, all right, we'll be back Thursday. As I said with Steve which breaking down the NFC until then, the Dan hands of signing off for Patrick Laivan, the Quiet Storm, the old ball Rickey Hollywood, until then he'd the call s