2021 Divisional Round Preview

all right. I don't understand how you don't understand that he's not part of any sort of Labors laser saber scenario. But if you're watching this on YouTube, Greg has the Han Solo from the original Star Wars look with like the kind of crisp white shirt underneath the black vest. Leads us how it looks to me, and I um, I think he could he do well on Hallo like a Halloween night, as like a daddy going out as Han Solo. I don't know what's happening below what I

see on the screen. It I mean, yeah, I've got some sweatpants on. We're at home. I just know this is the highest compliment Mark's ever given me, and that Mark's never wanted me more physically than than right now

in this what's all accurate? Also, I don't know where Amica stands on that whole franchise, but you can like maybe take it back to the house after the show and be like, I'm not your father a zing zing zing you are your Your ability to capture the narrative of that franchise is appallingly low, seriously brand for you, Like, how many times did Simone have to say no, I'm not going to role play Star Wars until you just gave it up and just figured that's not going to

be my life. Well, why do you assume that she said no? Good answer? How do you know you really think Mark would marry a woman that didn't go down that road? All right, you know this is all very inappropriate, especially at the top of the show. Yes, is Pound for a Pound the greatest week of football of the calendar year, Divisional playoffs. We got rid of all that trash. Let's let's talk about the trash. We got rid of the Cardinals, Steelers, Are you kidding me? Eagles? Fu gazy?

Oh they're all gone. Patriots a sneaky bit of trash.

Didn't know they were trashed, but they were all boys come on, cowboys, They gone cowboys, flat track bullies as what's left studs like Greg Rosenthal in a brown jacket that reminds Mark of the Fantasy movie franchise is the sci fi sci fi and I think maybe you, instead of you know, taking minutes out of the show asking these questions, you could do eight minutes of research and be as up to snuff as possible for any comment I would make about I'm just going to tell you

and maybe maybe a little people are in the dark here. Mark is a Star Wars fanatic. Pretend that he's not, but he's the guy that's at the theater the night it opens. It doesn't matter which of the seven hundred sequels it is. I want to say this Mark is someone that is ignorant to it. Obviously, I have put it out there that you and your little Star Wars buddy Zumwalt, I was open to sitting down and watching the best one of them, whatever it was, and I

and you guys never took me up on it. So now I'm like a rebel fighter, like a Darth Maul figure now, so you definitely know more than than You're right. We we didn't do a good job on that invitation, because I think it happened not too far before a national pandemic struck the country, so we could we could reinvestigate. All Right, that's enough Star Wars for today. It is. We're gonna get to all the games. Bengals, Titans, Niners, Packers, Rams, Bucks, Bills, Chiefs.

Any of those teams can win the Super Bowl. And that's why this week has the potential to be a real special Divisional Round playoff. Let's start with the a f C. Let's start with the team boys, um, that everyone's gonna be rooting for unless you're in the Nashville Greater metro area. The Cincinnati Bengals, who come off that win at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. Huge field, goodwin for the entire region, for the fan base, and you got that you're handing out game balls throughout the city.

Is the head coach. But now you have to turn your attention and get ready for the number one seeded Titans. And Mark the Titans are well rested. They are a team that was playing much better down the stretch. Their team that probably will have Derrick Henry back. Although as we're taping this, we don't have a certainty on that, which perhaps is a little surprising. H And perhaps most importantly, on some level, Nashville is in their own building, their

own backyard. What are your thoughts about this game? Well, you know, I think for number one, like Derrick Henry smiled at reporters when they asked him, um on Thursday if he would be available, I tend to think that we're heading towards getting Derrick Henry. What version, what version of Derrick Henry we get? Uh? That's I guess that's

the mystery a little bit. I mean, they've run the ball real well without him, and I just think that they're a team that you look at their offensive line, um, it's like, no matter who's in there, they've been a good run blocking team. And I trust that to be the case against the Bengals, who are missing Larry Ogunjobi Um Mike Daniels. I know he's not played a huge role for them, but they're just they're a little low

on bodies right now. It sounds like Trey Hendrickson will be back um and on flip side for the Titans, It's like this Titans team, finally, this is the team we've waited for their back. They got here through I think valiant play with a lot of challenges, another team coach by someone other than Mike Rabel, and that situation, Um, I don't think that would have happened. That's who the Titans are. They've been real resilient, but they're gonna have to find a way to do to stop what Cincinnati

does best. I mean, they're just a big play operation on offense. We understand that Joe Burrow has morphed into a total star, and you look at Jamaar Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd. I think it puts a lot of pressure on Kevin Byrd, who has been awesome at safety, Jack Rabbit Jenkins, look at Christian Fulton. How do you stop these wide receivers. If you can do that, and you you get Cincinnati into what happened last week with the Raiders were no matter the field position, they were having

to kick field goals against the Raiders defense. Can this Titans defense with Jeffrey Simmons and the rest of those guys upfront put Joe Burrow into a tough situation and and and put a clamp on some of these whiteouts who have a chance to break the game wide open. Yeah, you do it. You do it by getting that pressure quickly. Paul Dayner talked about it, the weaknesses their interior offensive line. It's pretty bad offensive line in general, especially on the

right side. Who is at prints and um Billy Print and whoever's next to him at right guard? Like they were a mess last week. They've been a mess most of the season. And the Titans are so good at creating mismatches and doing the stunts and putting Audrey on the inside and just giving you a lot to look at.

And that's one big advantage I think the Titans have in this game is coaching, just because I think Mike Rabel has been in playoff games since their third straight season in the playoffs and even in the regular season. I think one of the strength of this team, especially this year under Shane Bowen, their new defensive coordinator, doesn't get a lot of love. They say he's the final play caller. Well, they improved a lot on defense this year, and one thing they do is they change their game

plan week to week. They are very much like the Patriots. The Titans have been waiting for this game, and I think they're gonna throw some things that Joe Burrow, much like UM, happened during the year at various points, and I think slowed down their passing. I don't think you're gonna stop them, but I think they're gonna have to adjust, and I trust Zach Taylor and that coaching staff to

adjust as much. Maybe not well that that is a narrative threat of this podcast, at least this week, UM Greg banging the drum that za Zach Taylor is maybe not cut out for this here. I think the Cook index that we talked about with Paul, the Mike Sando Cook index on the Athletic tells me that, yes, they have made changes to how they attack the opponents. They love to get out front quick. They're gonna try to jump down Tennessee's throat take control of the game that way.

And I know the idea that the Titans are being overlooked and marginalized is fair on some level, and maybe I played a small role in that as well. But at the same time, the way the Bengals have been able to kind of dictate the flow of all of these games throughout week a team, UM really tells me that they're the team to watch here that I think the Titans as the number one seed, are deserving of respect. But the Bengals are the team that feels like there's

an orange wave here right now. And that's why I feel good about them right now because I don't think their offense is gonna go there and get shut down. I just think that's one of those things where they're playing with such confidence and the quarterbacks playing at such a high level that I think Tennessee, as good as the defense is, is really gonna struggle to to get home and in a way that's going to wreck the game plan. So I think Cincinnati scores points. Now, does

that mean Cincinnati wins? No? Then it goes back to the offense of the Titans. Obviously. Uh, Derrick Henry is a huge part of this. He's gotta be out there that the video they showed on NFL Network. I assume that he'll play as well. We just have to say when we take this. It's not official, but he probably will be out there. How much should they use him?

I'm really curious what kind of workload he is. Do you He has a metal plate in his foot, hasn't played in nine weeks, so is there gonna be a situation where you're like, oh, yeah, take everything the Titans have, but now add Derrick Henry. Well, what version of Derrick Henry is it? Because they're gonna I think they're gonna need to score let's say, twenty eight points in this game to thirty points. I don't know if they have that in them, because we just haven't seen it enough

over the last two months. It's been very good Foreman and Hill you'd have been very good, but they haven't been home run guys the way Henry can be. I just I struggled to see them scoring points here. And it's a great point, but I wonder, I guess, like even if he's out there and and the Bengals don't know what version of Derrick Henry it's gonna be either, and so they're gonna have to take him real seriously.

So the fact that he's on the field, like it changes the way the defense for the Bengals can just approach this entire offense. I mean not the Donta Foreman hasn't also puncture defenses and run wild the last month or so. He's been awesome. So I don't think that it's like suddenly you have a running game. We all get that's not the case. But if it's Derrick Henry at his best, the Bengals have big issues I think

on their defense. But if it's Derrick Henry is more of a decoit type person, it's still creates problems because you can't just ignore them until you really find out later in the game. Maybe this guy is not the guy that we thought he was at this point. And I've also looked if you look at Titans games where they've stumbled and had an issue when they've ever caused like a big turnover from Derrick Henry that has termed

some games totally south for them. I'm not saying that you know that will happen or not, but I mean there is pressure on Ryan Tannehill in this game too. I think too, you know, probably step up and do to make some big plays because I don't love Julio Jones at this point, A j Brown is gonna be huge for them, and it puts pressure on the Bengals defense. See I I if I'm ranking the four sides in this game, the offenses and the defense, is the worst group in the game is the Bengals defense, and the

best group is the Bengals offense. So to me, they have the strengths, they have the weaknesses. They they sort of go as logan, Wilson goes logan. Wilson has had an awesome season, and Wilson and Pratt were great as a tandem a week ago. But the Titans, with their play action and certainly they're running game, they put a lot of stresses onlinebackers. To me, it feels like a Foxer game. It could be a Leo Jones game. I

was very encouraged by his Week eighteen performance. To me, that was as hopeful I feel like for Titans fans as Derrick Henry returning, because he looked healthy, because he moved well, because he was smoothed, he caught five passes. They made it a priority to get him involved against Houston, and you could just see he was moving well in that game. Now does that mean he's not gonna get injured in the first quarter, I don't know, but it actually it looked like the best that he looked since

Week two. And he's got a real quarterback because Tannehill, Like, maybe we don't give the Titans enough credit, but I give Tannehill a lot of credit. I've really enjoyed watching him play this year. If you look at his rankings in PFF over the last three seasons, this is where Tannehill finished ninth this year, seventh and third. This is a real deal dude in a great situation, and that

helps those rankings. Who's been in the playoffs, who's got weapons. Uh, he doesn't have a good offensive line, and I think that's where they could you know, they could have a problem in terms of getting pressure are on him and then he makes a mistake. But he's a real quarterback. It's not like it's Joe Burrow versus Joe blows the best reclamation project out there. Quarterback wise, right now, I think, you know, I think he's almost long since, like advanced

past even that characterization. I think he's now. I think he Yeah, he's obviously on the right side of the Dalton line. You could say he's like a top ten guy. I kind of tend him in the back end of the top ten and he wasn't. And a lot of this had to do with his supporting cast and injuries, of course, But if you look at things like his passer rating, for instance, he was over one hundred three times in the first four teen games, but he each of the last three games he finished over one hundred.

And that's completely tied to uh A J. Brown getting healthy, Julio Jones getting healthy, the running game continuing to deliver even without Derrick Henry. So yeah, I think also with Tannehill, which gets slept on maybe a little bit, is he's battle hardened at this point. This is not a guy. This isn't the lamb in Miami. This is a guy that's been through the battles now in January and is stepped up in the past. So I'm looking forward to

seeing the quarterback matchup for sure. I think Burrow obviously has the edge because the way he's playing Tannehill is I'm with you shouldn't be slept on here, well in Tannehill, like they would have lost that Week E team game, I think to Houston had Tannehill not make one of the key escapes and throws in that whole affair. I mean, he is beloved by his teammates because if you want to rank quarterbacks, that's fine, but quarterbacks by toughness, I

mean he has got to be top five. I think that he has done a couple of things over the last couple of years that sets him apart. I never saw that in Miami. He is just a totally different dude. And I mean this thing, I think the Titans have to look at this and say, everyone in the country either doesn't think we're gonna win or they're rooting for the Bengals, Well, maybe we take a hammer and stick

it in your head. Well, I mean, I'm rooting for the Bengals because because of West, because it's a fun story, because of all that. But I'm worried about this game, and I don't know if is everyone gonna be picking

the Bengals of anything. I feel like Titans minus three and a half it's going to be one of the more popular just betting picks of the weekend because on paper, it just really feels like the two lines are are an advantage for the Titans, and the coaching staffs in advantage and you're just counting on Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase to almost drag a team by themselves to the next round, which is totally possible at this point. Like the maturation, Chase is shown being able to take any route.

Last week, it wasn't about going deep like those two guys are enough in the skill position. Guys are enough for the Bengals to possibly win a game. It's not like the Titans are some unbeatable team, but logically I think they're the better team. I really do. I gotta throw something else out there, and it becomes very important the divisional playoffs kickers when these teams are closely matched, uh,

and it might be decided by field goal. Evan McPherson is having one of the better rookie seasons by a kicker that we've seen in recent years. Tennessee's got big bone. Randy Bullock could be a thing. Keep an eye on you. Listen, we we joke about it, but keep an eye on that. The weather looks pretty good. I checked the weather in Tennessee. It's supposed to be clear with a little bit of wind, but sunny, uh this weekend. So you've got that's calmed down.

But I think it's a field goal game ultimately. And I think if I had if it was like someone you know, put a gun to my head and said you better get this right, which sounds horrific. Can you not a good situation? You can imagine watching that game? Um, also, I'd just be like call, I'd call the police if it was possible, if you were able to stand being a basement somewhere in Yeah, I imagine a basement scenario. I'm really in a tough spot, tough stitch in a

big spot. Um. I know. I I was saying earlier that Tennessee could struggle to get to that magic twenty seven, but I can't rule it out like I would might I might say Tennessee, But at the same time, like you picked the Raiders last week, we saw that that loyalty to the A T N Bengals. Yeah, I guess, so, I guess that was a lack of loyalty and and maybe I'll root for them, but maybe Tennessee does win six, that would be my pick. I have to admit I

picked the Titans online. As much as I want to pretend I'm rooting for the Bengals and I and I, but I picked the Titan because I am rooting for them, and picking them on this show would be like it would be like me picking the Patriots last week. It's like, I'm gonna do it because that's what I want. But do I really believe it? Not? Not? Not? Particularly this They have a much better chance though than I believe the Patriots did a week ago. It feels like a field goal type of game to me too. I am

picking the Bengals to win twenty um. But I will note that last week, UM, I make these picks for these eight YouTube videos from the NFL, I picked one in almost every game. I picked Team A on that format. Teamb on this podcast, then on our network show went in totally different directions. So it's it's I don't know, are you acting like you're breaking news right now? You've been doing that, that's been there. I was thinking of

the Mark thing too. It's like, oh, I picked the Bengals on the podcast, but on the on the side, I'm gonna pick the Tits. But that's silly, that's just that's right, it's being dishonest. Ultimately, I believe the Titans are gonna win, and I want all the Westleying brothers and everyone to come after me when I'm wrong, because I truly will be rooting for them. I think we're gonna try to watch this game together with Keisha, that that's gonna be exciting, and I think we're gonna be

flying the Orange sorry, Graver, is graver around? Is Graver here to just say say hello? There is a how he's feeling. What do you think about this, Graver? Well, I just feel a little like weird and nervous because the Bengals are like the team of at L. It feels like and I'm over here as a Titans fans, the team is not you know, we we we also have enjoyed talking with you about the Titans each week.

There's no animosity necessarily, so what do you mean? You know who has the biggest Titans fan on this podcast over the years by far was Chris Westling. He bucked back uh Dan calling them the Titoons, big Mariotta guy, and he pretty much transitioned right into Tannehill. So you know he would have enjoyed this team. What do you think? I do feel? I feel good about the Titans chances. I mean, like Greg was saying, I think they're just the better team. But the Bengals playmakers on offense, like

in the playoffs, playmakers come and win games. That's where games are won and loss. So we'll see how Titans can handle out. Give us a score. I got Titans thirty three Bengals thirty, tangibly nervous. You seem tangibly. You don't even have them covering the spread. Not a lot of confidence here in Titans scring Now it's three and a halpen. Yeah, you know this is when you if you It's only happened to me twice in my life.

But like when your team gets to the divisional playoffs and you know, you understand, if you win this game, you're in the final four. You are you are this close to the super Bowl, so they can get over the hump here. Graver is gonna be feeling good. But there's been times a season where Graver has been just on fire with confidence, not sing. That's what I'm saying. Maybe it's a sign of things going on differently in

his private life. I know we're not supposed to. No, we can't talk about No, we can't talk about it. That could change. Although how is everything? Everything is very good vague terms, So that's not that wouldn't be the major factor. There's not been a change in the water there nothing uh negatively changed now, just vaguely in vague any like paperwork filed in any capacity. Lawyers are involved. Okay, okay, what a story you know all you have to do.

Like the old journalistic h inverted pyramid. Sometimes it's grave. We just get asked that second question and then you get yourself your lead. Well, because he wants to share, if you really get down to it, he wants to share. He wants to tell you. So he's proud. He is proud. He's the man that's got these lawyers scrambling like her jets over Baghdad. All right, that's enough, sorry, Graeb. Good luck to your Titans, and notice that I did pick them to win by one point. You know who else

is picking this game with confidence? The Westling Brothers. Hello, heroes, it's the boring brother Phil again this week. Before we get to the lock, this week, we're gonna talk about why Nick took the whole month of December off from doing the locks. The first week he forgot. What the hell? Nick, who could forget about the locks? Do better? The next week he had a cold. The last time I did the lock, I had COVID, And finally he's busy at work to do lots. Come on, Nick, I thought you

were the boss. I did two from one. Let's now talk about another reason why I had to do four in a row. When the text goes out about who's going to do a recording, the other brothers phones go silent and no one can answer a text. Come on, boys, step it up. Also, who asked for recompense when giving

him an international platform? Cool boys? Not cool? Now onto the lock this week, since West of Thiss was so good to us, we were going with the Bengals again, Joey Burrow and company or on a role and aren't gonna be satisfied with just one playoff wind Jamaar Chase would be during the gritty and Nashville get Lincoln is Bengals gear again, Kisha Sorry Grave digger Bengals in a big spot. Lock it up? Yeah, not board anymore, not for it anymore. They'll go into the front of the line.

You know, greg mentioned that you know he would be he'd accept the idea that the Westley brothers come after him in his little Han solo outfit. Uh if, because he picked the Titans. But I don't think they'd even get to Gregor's. They'd start in fighting and probably punching each other out and pulling each other's hair. This has

been this is succeeded beyond even my wildest imagination. Uh, this bit of having the West Brothers on every week, because it's now just h degenerated into just a settling of scores every week between the brothers. The the actual picking of the games is set and dary like, even in the order in which they discuss certain topics when they come on the show. It's it's just a it's civil war and here we are sitting in the Roman colisee and watching them do battle beneath us. It's it's

pretty great, it's amazing. And yes, the picks at points seem to just be made to settle scores with each other. They didn't seem to care whether they got it right or or not at all. All right, So there is the early game West of his two point. Oh, if you want to call it that. Before we move on to the great Bills Chiefs game and get Tim Graham on the line, might as well do it. I mentioned it. Ricky opened up the Kicker Club. You want to hear

some kicker power rankings remaining kickers again. I don't want to be the guy that's dwelling too much on kickers, but it's gonna matter. Step aside, step behind the velvet Ropes. Number eight is big bone Randy. I don't trust him in a big spot. Uh. He's not a bad he's hung around. But do you trust Randy Bullock in a big spot? Like and I know he's slimmed down, but he those bones are still big underneath. He's less spefy,

he's definitely left less spefy, but the name sticks. He's a little more like you know, thick Now he's t h I c c Yes. Seven Mason Crosby. There, we've seen enough struggles to know that he could have a bad day. I mean it's certainly within the range of outcomes. They're very loyal to Mason. Somehow he's made it through another season. But watch out. Six Ryan suck Up bucking ears. You guys stunned by that one. It's a strong it's a strong kicker field. If suck Up is six because

he's a good kicker. Is Mason Crosby his hair his hair alone, I think puts the number eighty. It is, by the way, a very strong field. Number five Matt Gay, Los Angeles Rams Bowler. Yeah, Pro Bowl are very good kicker, but almost the victim of just being in a really good company here. Number four I'm a big fan. As I said of this kid, Evan McPherson, I think he's got um ice in his veins. He's scared to nothing and he's really thrived. Uh this season. Eight thirty three

does not miss from in close. He's kind of automatic. I really like him. Number three Tyler Bass Buffalo Bills. What do you think about that? No complaints? I mean with Evan McPherson. When you find one of those guys you got him for a decade plus, it changes your friends called cold weather guy. You know, I'd have to I'd have to really examine the stats here, but I feel like the championship might have Ryan suck up a

little underrated compared to some of these guys. Well, he wasn't quite tested in the last year's he did, he got the job done, certainly. I like Robbie Gold I got him at number two. Remember what our friends said in his invaluable analysis of last week's wild Card game, Jay Field and number one, gimme Harrison. If I have

to pick one guy, gimme Harrison. Not just because or mostly because my son's name is Harrison, but that is a good kicker in Kansas City who handles the elements that is kicked in big spots and is a guy that you can count on. Where do you got you don't like it. I'm just saying Matt Gay is a pro bowler this year. You know, I don't know. It's tough to separate these guys. Gold feels a little high.

Weren't they annoyed about Gold earlier in the season. He had some some moments maybe early in the year, but he's he's been brilliant. Put it this way, He's he's postseason guy. I don't think he's ever missed the postseason field goal and he hasn't, which they kept trying to jink him with in the whole that whole broadcast scenario. All Right, you guys, you guys have to leave the club now unless you're boosted. Are you guys boosted? Yes, Okay, get loose in the club. It gets crazy in here,

like you would be stunt. It's like when the when you hear about like the kids at m I t um all the math kids, the whiz kids all end up in the same place and it's it's basically just like Caligula behind the scenes. That's the right. Yeah, I don't know if I mean I'm saying, it's something that's kept under the radar a little bit. People think, oh yeah, the math nerds, they don't know how to get down,

they go nuts. But when everyone around you was a math nerd, like, there are no nerds and suddenly you're all extremely smart, powerful, have shared values, and you just like, let's explore other parts of our experience and being. I would ask you this, damn like, what is um like or is it just kickers in the club and us are there? Is there a tangible weight staff of high value. I know what you're asking. I know exactly what you're asking. And we've already had the Princess lay discussion today. We

don't need to get in any further. But just playing beer and drinks or does someone do it for me? Is that not a fair question about a place that serves a club? What do you want? I would want I would want a like a robust um uh wait stuff to be you know, helping the experience along. He wants a lot of young men dressed as Harrison Ford serving him drinks. Well, we've got you, Greg, so that they might confuse you for them. But it's fine, all right, let's take a break and then welcome in Tim Graham.

All right, welcome back. As promised, it's time to talk Bills, Chiefs, the game of the week, and we're bringing in the big guns here, uh from the athletic It is the great Tim Graham who covers the Bills and Tim, welcome to the Around the NFL podcast. And I am sure you are quite excited as well as someone who covers the sport. You're at the center of the football universe this week. The big guns, he says, I forgot I forgot my ammo. So we'll see what happens here. I

don't know. That was a hell of an introduction and uh, quite absurd, but well we do. We do our best. You know. It's kind of like setting the table, and but I don't I don't want to build the expectations. And now you even making me feel like it might be a letdown. But we're just gonna power through it and see what happens. You know, you need a big clock around your neck because you're like a hype man to go here. All right, I'm ready to deliver some

some knowledge and and takes. All right, I love it. Let's start this way because, um, obviously, last year, when the Bills kind of rose and and became this superpower, sometimes it seemed easy for this team. This year there was more winding the road to get where they are now. And then, of course the masterpiece that was last Saturday Night. How surprised were you that that version of the Bills showed up because I know during the tail end of the regular season and you started to see the offense

especially really coming out of its shell. But to see the dominance at that level, how much did it surprise you? Well, I think you're surprised anytime you see perfection, especially against the Bill Belichick coach team. This is the playoffs. This isn't the Jets in the regular season finale or the Atlanta Falcons the week before that. So too, take an opponent's best punch, um, whatever Bill Belichick had at his disposal he was using in that game, and the Bills

didn't blink. It was, as you mentioned, all the great stats and historical and never been done before in the in the NFL regular season or playoffs for them to have those seven drive, seven touchdowns, no punts, no kicks, no turnovers, the whole thing. Josh Allen's stat line. Yeah, it's a surprise, but to see the Bills command the Patriots in general was not a surprise. They've just done it a few weeks or earlier. Uh. They're now on a five game win streak, with two of those victories

over the Patriots, one in Foxboro. Then of course just last week. But you mentioned that that winding road, and you have to go back to October ten when they beat the Chiefs for the well, I don't want to say the first time because that's that's me indicating that I think they're gonna do it a second time, and we can get to that. But um, when they beat the Chiefs in the regular season at Darrowhead Stadium, that was the last time the Bills had beaten a meaningful

opponent until the second game against the Patriots. They were in against Uh, a series of backup quarterbacks, rookie quarterbacks

Trevor Lawrence beat him. Uh. They couldn't win consecutive games. Uh. And there was a stretch there in November and into December, even when you couldn't really envisioned the Bills winning the four games necessary to hoist that Lombardi Trophy because it was clear they weren't going to get the first round by and you were just wondering if they could win two in a row during the regular season, and they've

They've flipped the switch at the right time. And that's not to say that they looked perfect in beating teams like Carolina, the Jets, and the Falcons, you know, heading into the playoffs, they didn't. They even had some some struggles there. Matt Ryan looked really good against the Bills and bad weather um in the second to last game.

But then to do what they did against the Patriots again, like I said, that's a surprise and it really makes you think that this is the This looks like the Bills team that we did see in Arrowhead Stadium in October. Do you you know one one thing that's happened for Buffalo is the offensive line really in the last you know, over these couple of months have jailed so well. I'm wondering how that's happened in your in your opinion, I know, I saw Dion Dawkins had a I thought a great quote.

He basically said, the world dropped us, the world dropped us on our head, and it was only us that could pick us up, no disrespect, but f everybody. I mean I I get a little bit of edge. I get a little bit of like, maybe they're annoyed how they were perceived. I mean, what's happened on that phone?

Because the run game is taking off too. They have balanced and I think that's such a big turning point for them because that was a weakness a couple of months ago they had and I wish I had it here handy, but the line that they currently have that they've gone with for the past few games zero sacks allowed by the way, four straight games. But it wasn't that long ago that it has was changing on a

weekly or other weekly basis because of COVID, because of injuries. Uh. And this iteration of the offensive line I think is the nine or maybe might be the eleventh. Actually I've lost track, but the you know that old football adage about chemistry on the offensive line and you need continuity and all those things. And granted, these guys were together all season, and they were the same unit pretty much

last season in terms of the group of players. I'm not talking about necessarily where they were starting along that offensive line, but these guys have been together practicing and in meeting rooms together for for a couple of years. But yeah, it was again we're talking I'll use the word surprise on that because it looked like they were

falling apart. And this goes back to a time when the Bills were struggling the times I was just mentioning when this line was being slapped together and it looked like one more brick crumbling from a really promising team that was favored to win the Super Bowl at one point during the season, and now all of a sudden was trying to find its way behind a group of

guys who were sustaining serious injuries or not available. And Ryan Bates, uh, the guard who was you know, he's he's also the backup at center really wasn't used throughout the season. And we haven't gotten a really good reason why that is because he's played really well since coming in. Um and uh and that's just been here in the last month or so. But Dion Dawkins, of course, UH Pro Bowl left tackle who has been playing really well. UM.

Mitch Morris, the veteran center. It's you know, it's been really impressive to watch, uh, this offensive line come together and kind of out of nowhere. You could not have seen that coming. Uh, with all the different versions of this starting lineup that we're that we're being assembled, and then all of a sudden they just had one and it worked, and here we are, all right. It's like Doc Dawkins lost all that weight with COVID and so it took him a while to get back into form.

But you mentioned the interior line that's so huge this week because that's how the Chief's defense. To me, roles is Chris Jones and Jarren Read and if they can, if they can do their job against those two guys, I just can't imagine the Chiefs getting a lot of stuffs. I want to ask you, though, as someone who's been covering this Buffalo sports scene for a long time, I feel like you were there at least twenty years ago. I am I wrong about that. I moved to Buffalo

in January of two thousand. My first day at the Buffalo News was the Monday after the Music City Miracle.

Everyone was in a fine mood, and then I went seventeen years without covering a playoff game, although I did get to cover the National Hockey League for seven of those years, and the Sabers had some good runs, so at least I I didn't get to experience some joy I remember, Yeah, you were on that list of like the good beat writers to to track on the RSS feeds for Rhoda World back in two thousand three, two thousand and four. So yeah, I mean it's big time

to get there. It's like, hey, these are the good ones. Uh. You know, to someone who's been there that long and like knows this sports culture, I guess I'm curious you've seen this team up close what it means to the city, and especially this version of of the team, the one season Buffalo Bills, Like how do you how do you

think they're ready for this moment? Because I have a hard time picking this game And one of the dumbest reasons possible is what's convincing me that the Bills could do this, which is just that it like feels it's their time, like they've been together for a while there they seem extremely confident they got back to this point. What is your feel uh? And what is the feeling

also of the city? Uh? Leading into this rematch with the and as a follow up to that, Who's better Josh Allen or Dominic kashak Alright, okay, so I'll get a little philosophical with my answer, uh in that I won't make any proclamations about the Bill's greatness right now.

But in fact, and I've used this adage before, this anecdote before, with her permission, because we were having a conversation shortly after Brandon being the general manager was hired, and also uh with uh with Sean McDermott's father right after he was hired. So Brandon Bean's mother asked me after I got done interviewing her for a profile about her son, She said, do you think he do you think he'll be successful? And you know, what do you

say to mom? Right? Um, But I'm trying to be you know, she's gonna be following the coverage of her son. I guess I'll go ahead and make it known. What what type of practical thinker I am? I said, I told Mrs Bean, I don't know, but when you look back on this, at some point, the Bills are going to become winners law of average, whether even if it's a hundred years from now, some at some point, the Bills,

maybe like the Chicago Cubs, will win something. Um, but whenever that time is, we will have looked back on it and said, this is what it's supposed to look like. This is what it was supposed to look like. That a coach in general manager came in at the same time with the same vision. It wasn't somebody's leftover coaching candidate. It wasn't some lame duck general manager. Similar to what we're seeing with the New York Giants and what they've keep continue to go through or in Chicago. Uh this,

I said, this is what it will look like. I think that when you look at a window being open, I'm not going to say a dynasty, but a window being open for a team's success a few years ago, we will look back on it and say, well, it was pretty obvious what we saw there. What the what the Bills were doing to the Patriots at that time. It wasn't just that Tom Brady left the division. The Bills were on an ascendancy, and here they are. It does feel like it is their time. Um, but the

fans are are more cynical than that. They've been sneaked bit a bunch of times. And I'll use this, uh, this example for you. I need to double check so. Heading into the it was the Saints game on Thanksgiving. UM I do some work for the local CBS affiliate here in Buffalo, and they do for their weekly pregame show a pole and the poll heading into that game was what do you think is ahead for the Bills? There were four options. Number one was first round by

in the playoffs. Number two was when the a f C East without the first round by. Number three was wild card team. Number four was the playoffs. The most votes at or so was missed the playoffs. Number that job I'm bringing you this up, but when you hit me in the mentions, Josh Allen's too low. Number Number two was wild card. So a majority of the fans were saying we were not winning the division, and most of those people said we're not gonna make the playoffs

at all. Well, that's that's that's that's what's built into the d n A here, that's what's in this fan base. They had, They had hit a rough patch. Josh Allen wasn't playing particularly well or when he was winning games, they weren't complete sixty minute games. Uh, And the fans were just like, well, there it goes. Patriots are good again. What are we gonna do. There's nothing we can do

here come the Patriots. Um, we don't deserve nice things. Uh. That being said, and I know I'm on a long winded response here, I do want to say that just because you went seventeen or eighteen years without the playoffs, so how many years that you've been underneath the thumb of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, that suffering does not mean you've earned your window or that it's And I think that there is a segment of the Bills fans that think, Okay, now is our time. We deserve this. No,

you don't deserve anything. Um, this could be a clawed out division for some time. And in the Patriots shown they have some fight. There are a double digit win team and you know who knows what happens with all the Jets in But anyways, Uh, you aren't owed anything in the NFL. But this team is damn good. And I think that you do look back on times like this and say this is what it's this is what it's supposed to look like. That's a great response there.

And this is a podcast that has a Jet span on it and a Browns fan, and I think there is scar tissue with certain fan bases. So I can give you there you go. You get the scar tissue that comes with years and decades of failure here. And I think Bills fans, and as someone who took Sam Donald before Josh Allen came off the board, you kind of say, but that's the guy, just like the fans and Cincinnati who might be a little different. Which is funny. The way you're there doesn't seem to be that same

level of cynicism with Joe Burrow. They're all in. But maybe it changes this year for Bills fans when they see what this guy does. Maybe he drops a bomb on Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs this weekend. We shall see. I thought, listen, Tim, I thought the set up maybe a little grandiose, but then you delivered on multiple levels and including that philosophical closer. So that's what is that an emmy in your background? I mean that's a I think that's like a it's a lifetime achievement award. This

is my hat holder. It's a fantasy football trophy. It is about about I don't know if you're here. This is steel that looks nice. That's something. No, it is set that it is there because it takes up a good bit of space. For when I do things like this, it seems like I have something impressive back there. It

almost looks like something like a humanitarian award. So I would say fantasy, just like, oh yeah, that was when I work with Mother Teresa and the alums in the hands of you know whatever, greater good I don't know, alright, Thank you, people know that. Thank you Tim Graham. He has Dominic ash it by a lot. Josh Allen's going to have to do what he's been doing for seven or eight more years before Dominic conversation with Dominic Ashing. Mark, that's a goaltender in the NHL. Let's say thank you.

I would also I would I'd say I appreciate that that information. I would also note that if you're not following um Tim Graham on Twitter, he is a very enjoyable follower because I understand that some of these bills fans and beyond are annoying. He is not afraid to drop a nuclear bomb on their concepts and ideas at any time of the day. It's quite a read. He suffers no fools. People ask me why I do it? They say, why do you waste your time, and I say,

because I enjoy it very good. All Right, there you go, Kim Grant, thank you, buddy. Best of the luck, rest of the way. Maybe we'll see at the super Bowl. All right. So that's the Bill side of this story. And it's interesting before we kind of transition to the Chief side of this game. Uh, and thank you to

Tim Graham, he was excellent. Uh, is that there's so much talk about the Bengals and we're guilty of this if you want to call it that, as well as this like fun story about this underdog franchise that here are the Bills in that same spot and they have a chance now to do something special. Uh. If you're old enough, you remember when they went to four straight Super Bowls and lost them all in the early nineties

and it's been pretty much a desert since. So this Josh Allen situation now and the rising of this great team building and something we've definitely hit on on this podcast a lot, the importance of having that functional front office coach combo and just getting on the same page together on the ground floor all that stuff. Now here

come the Chief Chives and Mark. The Chiefs are an interesting team obviously because as much as we pumped up and right rightfully so that brilliant effort offensively by Buffalo when they went seven for seven against Bill Belichick with seven touchdowns. The Chiefs scored six consecutive touchdowns a day later against the Steelers, which are you know, not not a great defense, but a pretty good defense with some big players. So it's a great matchup of two offensively

gifted teams. Yeah, I mean, this is why this round of play of the playoffs tickles the loins, because it's just like, this is an insane There had to be a better way to put that. Well, there probably was.

This is an insane matchup where it's just like I just want to sit down and like let it unfold over me because you know, you are looking at the heights and we spent you know, the Chiefs were frustrating if the Bills were the Chiefs have been a frustrating team to discuss all year because the question, I mean, on our television show on Friday week after we get seem to be do we believe in his team? Will they ever break out of their funk? Who are they are? Have they hit the end of the road? Is it

just not their year. And then suddenly, now like the Bills, they look extremely explosive. And a whole huge thing was the turnovers with Mahomes. It was like, is this guy has he been figured out? Have the Chiefs figured out? Well, it's all seems like a little bit like nonsense to me. He did have twenty two turnover worthy plays. That said they have eight turnovers since Week nine. That narrative, now they had two of those came against Pittsburgh, so I get that. But they found a way out of that

darkness real quick and real fast. Pittsburgh just did it was their last gasp. Everything we said had to happen. T J. Watt gets a touchdown, it happened. That was real nice for all of us analysts. But then the Chiefs dropped a massive, I mean just a dark cloud over Pittsburgh. They ended them, And I know that's a lesser opponent, but I suddenly deeply trust and I really love the emergence of Jerick McKinnon, who you know, out of football for so long, came back and looked explosive

last week. There was a twenty yard uh screen to him early on in that game that I thought he got on my radar right away. They used the screen game really well against Pittsburgh, and I wonder how they'll attack this defense. There is no Aus White. I think this could be the game where that cost Buffalo quite a bit. We'll even better without him, which is very strange because White is one of the best corners in the league. But and that's a credit to the Bill's

defense that things not missed a beat. But things are different now with Tyree Cole, so I you know, for me, it's just like, let's just hang on and see what happens here, right. I don't trust either defense to get a ton of stops. I think the game will be in the thirties. If it's not, I think it'll just be because the possessions take too long. You know, when we think about the Chiefs being more patient this year, and they they're really diverse. Both offenses are diverse now.

They both can run. I think the Chiefs can run block really well, and you saw that with Derrick McKinnon. Will probably see Edwards a layer back. I think the Bills have gotten better that way too. Uh. It's been to combat these defenses which are typified I Buffalo, that are just trying to prevent big plays. They have those two safeties back there. That's why they've survived without White, you know, Hide and Poyer. I think they're they're starting to get kind of their national shine now. I think

Payer got all Pro. And those are the guys that are gonna try to prevent Tyreek Hill from getting over the top. Hill look totally healthy, he's back, he's fine. Or prevent Travis Kelsey from getting all those yards after the catch. They did a pretty good job of that in the first matchup. I know a lot of things have changed, but they did a good job about preventing big plays for the most part. And uh, it's just like they've they are built in some ways to play

this Chiefs team. You know this, this this matchup is not surprising. It's just a week early. I kind of think the winner of this game wins the Super Bowl in general, or at least is my favorite to win the Super Bowl. Well, I think would be the best pick. And and and it's almost like they wrote it too much. For like, these are the a f C teams that just got rid of the old a f C powers of yesteryear. It's like bye ben by Patriots, we just

dropped forty burgers. Let's make it as obvious as possible that, like we are the fire Show, and yeah, I don't care what happened like before December. Like Mahomes and Island are playing their best right now, and that to me is almost all that matters in the playoffs. Yeah, I throw out the Week five results entirely because it doesn't teach me anything, because I know as good as Kansas City's defense has been in stretches this season, they're just

like many other defenses. You might even argue all defenses in the NFL right now, where they can be figured out and scored upon repeatedly. It was a Daniel Sorenson game. He had a nightmare in that in that matchup, and he's not being used much anyway right the So you know the Bills, especially where they are they're at right now, they can score thirty eight points on you. And now you look at Kansas City, they were in that weird funk period during that stretch of the season. It lasted

longer than any of us, any of us imagined. Uh So I don't look at the game and be like, well they figured out Patrick Mahomes and company. Once they can do it again. No, I think the Bills are gonna really struggle to contain Mahomes and all the weapons he has. So it does feel like I feel like we're gonna be cheated. Uh. Boys, if this game is anything other than thirty five, this is this is the I know what Tim said was great. Uh, you don't

deserve anything. Nothing is is given to you. But we the fans, especially after all that malarkey we had to watch last weekend, deserve fifty two to bring it. Give us the juice, give us the points, Let's fly. And

I also love Hide and Poyer too. I remember that press conference after the first Patriots game and they were so annoyed with the media trying to frame a narrative their season away and and the way they kind of as a as a tandem helped to find that defense and the attitude and the spirit of the Bills defense. I love this Bills team and like sometimes on Twitter, people like, why are you like positive about the Bills all the time. You're a Jets fan because Jets fans

and Bills fans have a kinship in that division. I'm okay with the Bills rising here that that would be a really nice story to see them get to l A. I don't know. I I look at this team and when I when I say that it's like time, to me, it's not. It's not time like they've waited seventeen years so they deserve anything. It's time that it's all coming together perfectly right now. This is the third straight year they made the playoffs. Alan's had his downs in the playoffs.

I think he's more mature now. It's fourth out of five year from McDermott. They've had different defenses ups and downs over the last couple of years. So how are you combining the great Alan play with your great Bills defense? Right now? It's not great, but it's about as good as we as we have in the NFL. It's one of the better groups. It's certainly better than the group that got uh crushed by the Chiefs a year ago. And then you have Alan running the ball, and that

to me is like the X factor. He is number one by far now in rushing value on the season. According to QBR, he leads the league in yards per carry. He almost led all quarterbacks in rushing yards, and that was almost all after that Bucks game. Like design runs. He's running scrambles against man coverage with the Chiefs off and have and he took advantage in the first time he's running. It's time and they've been knocking on this door for years. And that's why I'm locking up the

Chiefs on the road. Very very spicy wit, you're locking up the Chiefs on the road. Well, I've messed it up. No. I had the best set up the eighteen yard field goal to go to the Super Bowl, and then I kicked it into the pass of the center. Yeah, you have the Bills. Okay, well you you blew that and there's no coming back. Um, I believe I had. I had the Packers over the Chiefs in the Super Bowl back in September. So I can't turn back now. I can't now pick against the Chiefs so at home. God,

their pedigree is so great. Um, this again, this is going to be a cop out, because it's gonna be I don't know if I even believe it, but I will say Chiefs forty one thirty eight Heartbreak City in Buffalo. But that is not there's no strong conviction there. This is absolutely a coin flip game. How about you, Mark? I I admire Gregg for locking either team because about how he closed that though, well I know that was that was a bit of a box job, but I like the heart and fire behind it. I get I've

got this lock trophy here. I'm bringing it in game. You gotta try to bring it home. My reign is officially over. I'll bring it into the office this week. It can no longer, you know, be in my background about ten weeks ago, it's been city. It's waiting. I get concerned when I get it because part of me is just thinks the same thing thirty five, thirty two, thirty five. It's when when everyone is saying that it's gonna go totally south and it's not gonna be the case.

I'm not rooting for that. I wanted to be that, but I keep seeing in my head although it's probably totally different than the pick I said on Tuesday to uh these other guys, but I'm going thirty eight Um to twenty Buffalo in a game where has a lot of problems, but you're not locking them up there. You have the winning by eighteen. I'm not pick a different team.

You have a bigger score than an eighteen. You're picking this to be an eighteen point difference, and yet there might be another place on NFL media where you have the other team winning. No, No, I picked the Bills in that one too. Okay, well that's you're not locking it up. I'm not locking up because I'm not touching this game. This is not a I don't need. I'm still alive in the lock thing, and I don't like then your score just logically it would be closer than eight.

That's a score of conviction. Greg, Can I do my own Am I allowed to make my own choice or much to critique every single thing that I do when it comes to locks? Who cares? You're like eight eight games behind you go? You go deal with your own luck. That's how you do it. I'm telling you back to back trophies, you know. I just that this is not going to be close. This is not going to be closed. The Bills are gonna drop, They're gonna they're gonna do

something to the Chiefs early on. The changes the tone of this game. There may be injuries. I don't know what it will be, but I don't think this will be close at all. I think it's gonna be a real rough ending of the season. Too for Kansas City for this game to get away from the Chiefs quickly. It's going to be another one of those killer turnovers. And then in in Marriage with the Bills picking up

right where they left up. I get a little nervous if I'm a Bills fan that you were so perfect last week that following up something like that, are you gonna still be? I mean, that's gonna be too many people. The Bills are kind of the trendy pick this week. The line has moved toward them. It's only one and a half. They're they're they're the pretty common pick out there. But that was true the forty Niners last week. Sometimes the public nails it. All right, let's uh take a

break and then hit the NFC. All right, let's move to the NFC side of things, starting with Saturday night the Game five on Fox. I guess that means Troy Aikman gets this game, but who knows. It would be kind of funny if Tony Romo got this game. You know, if somehow Troy Aikman gets banged again and it's we actually maybe they cut to a Troy cam and we see Trey Kman's head explode. I mean, I feel like that would be pretty good TV. People would like to

be that game. The forty Niners, Oh Dog coming off that uh big win in the wild Card round over the Cowboys, wasn't an upset. I don't think it was an upset. Maybe Vega said it was an upset, but they were the better team and they played like it. But now it jumps up a notch. The Green Bay Packers thirteen and four, coming off thereby undefeated at home. Greg, it's been, uh, it's been talked about incessant because that's how it works when the team's on buys. Some of

the storylines just stay where they are. That the Packers are getting a healthy especially along their offensive line. I'll start you off this way, Greggy, do you have any concerns like they went through the entire season, had a dominant regular season with the line they had, and now you're gonna introduce all these pieces over make three fifths of the line, that they might have some hiccups offensively because the line hasn't played together and missed a lot

of time. I'm not worried about that because Rogers manages his line so well. If Box is healthy enough to play, he's a huge upgrade. Josh Wells. You know we've seen him at center. He's been good. They did play about a half together in Week eighteen against the lines. I'm more concerned that they're playing a team in the forty Niners that have just one two playoff games, and we always get into disgusting this time of year, like is it better to be the team on the roll or

or you have the rest. It's not so much that the Packers rested. It's that the last two weeks that the forty Niners pulled off in the way they did it in Los Angeles in Dallas, two playoff teams, two very good offensive lines that they just destroyed there their front. One those games and you can say, Okay, the Packers have this great resume, Well have they had two weeks as good as the forty Niners just had? Like to me, the resume is a little irrelevant because the Packers haven't

played a real opponent since November. This is the Rams. The last meetingful game was three weeks ago against Seawan Mannion. They were trailing at halftime against the Lions. I don't want to get too carried away that, like the Bears, game, and the Browns game and the Lions game. We're all close or whatever, but this wasn't a dominant team. And yes,

they're getting team, you know, they're getting pieces back. But I think just when you look at the matchup in terms of being able to get pressure on Rogers and then a team that can run the ball against the thirty ranked rush defense according to E p A like, that's a tough matchup and it's about a toss up. I'm I'm really surprised at the six point spread. Six point spread. When I look at the Niners, I feel like you can tell who they're going to be um

early on. It doesn't always carry out, but they are one of the best teams in the league. Early drives, dominant long you know, ten plus minute drives, and it kind of shows you how the game might go in situations. I think that was very true against the Rams. It fell off a little bit against Dallas obviously, but that's a Shanahan special and I really want to see how the run game operates. You really can't take much from the first time these two played on the run game

scenario because there was no Elijah Mitchell. They had traced sermon in there. I think they ran for about sixty seven yards. And this Packers defense has been good against the run the last two weeks, but in general they have not been And it's not just the run game, but what you have to do to guard the run

game and protect against it. Because I look at that Travis Benjamin catch early against Dallas, which essentially looked to the defense like an overt running situation that turned into a big game through the air, and that's where I think Jimmy G is at his best. He he can he can deal him out, and I love him in that situation. I think this is I hate that it's the same narrative as a week ago because it's just who Jimmy G is. But it's gonna be four degrees

in Green Bay. I think if you get into a situation where Jimmy J creates the mistakes, that could be the end factor here. I mean that happened with Dallas last week. As much as you don't want it to play the script, they were in control and that Jimmy G interception absolutely killed him. He has twenty five turnover worthy plays this year. Uh, He's He's had his problems and it's just like I, I, do you trust him enough to carry this? And it's right, that's that's that's

it's that's that's the game. I mean, that's that that It's gonna be oversimplified on some level. But one side is gonna have Aaron Rodgers playing out of his mind and the other side's gonna have Jimmy g Who. It's not like if he makes mistakes, he's going to he does it, and now you're gonna put him on the road and very uh probably adverse conditions and going against the offense that's not gonna be stopped. I mean, this is Aaron Rodgers last seven games, one thousand passing yards,

twenty touchdowns, zero interceptions. He is completely locked in right now. I think he's not a guy I worry about with rust. So we took a week off that if anything, that's good because of that toe injury, which he said in practice that whole stretch you're talking about practically because of the toe. But I guess I don't worry about it. Oh, I see what you're saying. Yes, and then Davante Adams, we know what he's all about. We know that he's going to show up in this game. But here's the

other guy to keep an eye on. Alan Lazard has turned into a real number two receiver. If you look at the last six weeks of the season, Uh, Davante Adams has six touchdowns. That's best in football. Number two Alan Lazard five touchdowns. So your MVS looks like he's not going to be in this game. But Rogers is going to have his pick of weapons. He's got the great backfield tandem behind him, He's got the improved sucking up front with back tr back. Are you kidding me?

If he's healthy, that's a huge upgrade. And yeah, I don't think six seems high. But I think this is gonna be a win for the Packers and I'm gonna ride with them. I'm locking them up. Well, that forces me. I think it's obviously a logical pick. It forces me because we're right at the end here, Like am I looking to tides in that has there's zero nobility in that. I don't care. I want to find out if I can win this thing. I'm gonna have to go reverse lock off with the Niners. I feel good about the

team in general. Uh. To Greg's point, they've basically been in a postseason and they've delivered, and I think this is a real tough place for them. It could go real south. But I mean, they're not a team that just go gets goes gets blown out either. I mean, they're gonna hang around and if something magical happens. Dan and Mark are one game apart. I love that. I feel I feel like confident, But at the same time,

it wouldn't shock me. That said, if the if the Packers, after all this build up this year, went one and done and it's happened in the past, we all know that with the Packers, they're not Their playoff resume is spotty despite a lot of regular season dominance that would qualify as huge failure. I just I don't see it, Greg, I don't. I don't see this as a one and done team. I think especially Uh And I know you said that you think the winner of the Bills Chiefs

team is the champion. I think until they're my favorite. Yeah, I think the Packers are my favorite to win this whole thing. Still, Um, I think it will be Packers against Chiefs or the Bills. Uh. First step is knocking off a very game UH San Francisco team, but a compromised one in the sense that Garoppolo was gonna make mistakes that Rogers won't. Yeah, Jimmy G is a tough thing to get over when you're thinking about this game. But I I I think when La Fleur saw this

matchup that there are concerns. I mean that the run defense with Diebo Samuel in the background in the backfield rather, it's just so dynamic being able to tackle those guys in the open field the way they're lane. And then the boom box. Yeah, I don't know if you did you see the boom box highlights throughout the week of them walking out of the locker room with the boom

box on the way in the field in Dallas. When I saw that boom box, I thought, oh, this team is going to Green Bay and the forecast may say it's twelve degrees maybe like feels like three at kickoff dry, but it's gonna be raining there in Green Bay because there's no way they're not covering this six point much. Kyle Sayahan runs the ball sixty of the time in the playoffs. With Jimmy G has this quarterback, this is the perfect day to go do that. Nick Bosa, he's

out of that concussion protocol. I like their defensive front. I am worried that, you know, Rogers mitigates all that by you know, picking on the mismatches that Troy Aitman was talking about this week. Remember you know he he got a lot of notice for saying, how come they're not just you know, Dak Prescott's gotta over come with the scheme, mask for it and just go to the mismatches. I mean, that's what Aaron Rodgers does better than anyone that's a concern with the secondary. But I at least

think they cover those six points. And if you're gonna feel that good about covering and dropping some rein I picked them to win, just goes straight in there and blast them. Gregg picked, and I'm feeling good based on some certain standings this year. Well I'm not locking them up. You know, my other my over my uh my picks against the spread have been great. I've been great. I mean, maybe not great, but good, gonna be great? Good? Right,

that's good. That's good. Hey, speaking of um stuff going on at home, did you guys happen to see the new ad that hit Twitter of the Russell Wilson and Sira, Yeah? I did, Yeah, that's good. That's pretty I mean, I guess it's the only thing that's the pointing is that it didn't show up before Christmas, because that would have been a slam dunk gift for the s O. Yeah,

well you could still. You know. The great thing about um, you know, Christmas ending, is that if you surprise her with that gift, now, it really says that you know, you're not just give me a gift at holiday type of guy. You're thinking about her all the time. What's the name of the perfume, Ricky. I believe it's also like a candle. I think it's a candle on the shape is too. It's interwined bottles and you know, it

kind of passes other things. And then in the commercial it shows her hand and his hand pulling the bottles away. It would have been cool if they did it when his finger was all jacked up in October and he just had this nasty beat up like finger pointing in the wrong direction. That would have been I mean, I would have liked it, but I but yeah, like, give give your significant other some perfume might be a candle, my look like a sex toy. And then just on

re on repeat. Just play that Russell Wilson sultrarely looking at you know, why is Erica? Why am I asking too many questions? And you're answering me on Slack? Where are you not allowed to talk on mike anymore? What happened? Did Greg say something to you? Yeah? Actually I'm not allowed to No, No, I was looking. I was looking it up and wanted to get it to you as fast as I could. It's it's a fragrance duo's harmony and intense by Rand who's harmony and will probably Russell.

Then they called them apart. Yeah, it's it is. It's so, it's it's fragrance. You know, it's it's not a candle, but it is a product that looks like it can it can pass for other things. Yeah, definitely. I was confused at first watching what Hey, what we need to do, Ricky? We need to be all over this intense ad campaign.

Uh the second it drops when they have the ponderous like Calvin Klein ad where Russ is intoning things in a grave manner and she's like crawling all over his nude body, or we need to be kind of all over this story. So just like keep an eye on the Okay, all r, let's take a break of beer right back, all right, before we get to the last game, Mark, I have some big news for you, your Giorgio Giorgio Gio Giorgi hit me. Does the name Jeff Franklin ring about? Uh?

I don't think so. Full House creator Jeff Franklin selling Beverly Hills mansion for eight five million sight of the Sharon Tate murders. Well, okay, Um, I've walked up that street many times and I would just let you know that. Um, the last time it looked like that house. Um, the owner was Trent Resiner. That's that. That was the red sort of up on a hill right. Um it looks today. I don't know if it's Greek or just Mediterranean. Um, it is an eyesore. It looks so much to me, right,

so you know it's place. They also have pictures all over the street. I'm saying. You know, if you see this man, call the authorities and it's a picture of Mark, you know it's little flyers everywhere. Well, tons of people walk up there. I wouldn't be alone. So twenty one thousand square feet, nine bedrooms, nineteen bathroom sits on three acres with a jet liner view of the city. Now, Mark, remember when, and that's not what it was then, it's

what the place is now. It was nine is when it was raised and turned into this full house monstrosity. They actually had Bob Saggett from full House. The dad Danny Tanner passed away suddenly and they just had the uh post funeral gathering there. And now it's up for sale. And remember back in December where we gave each other Christmas gifts, Mark, and I gave you the Baker Mayfield extension that had a lot of guaranteed money, and it maybe it wasn't the nicest gift, a lot of snark

attached to it. I'm gonna take two. I'm buying this state. I'm raising this goodbye Gnarly mcmanchin from Hell. And then I'm going to connect with all the greatest UH set designers in the business Los Angeles historians. I'm gonna restore it to the Sharon Tate Home with a Roman Plansky and then give it to you. How about that for a gift? Well, I like this more than the the

previous gift. Um. I wonder about my own mental state where I had to uh suddenly start living inside a duplicate um of a Hollywood home that you know, where one of the most grizzly events of human history occurred, and what and also while I was living there, what sort of copycat artists it might attract from you know, who knows where up in the canyons. I just a bit concerned. But I would take on the adventure and just say, let's go for but maybe not allow my

children um to be on that ground. I don't know if that would, you know, just let's keep everyone safe. Is that okay? Y take it to leave a situation got right now? It sounds like he's asking for two houses, like you need to send for the family. That's a little much, I know. But if I own that house, then I'm we're flying. So all right, let's get to so that could be yours. Though if I can't make it happen, maybe you Ken Mark, I don't know what we're your salaries out these days, but it's not there.

It's not I couldn't. I probably couldn't buy um an eight ft a patch of the lawn at this point. So all right, let's get into the final uh NFC game. It involves the defending Super Bowl champions. So let's get into it. Uh. It is the Tampa Bay Bucks playing host to the Los Angeles Rams, and we were obviously if you listen to the show on Tuesday, you know we were at the game on Monday between the Rams and the Cardinals. And the Rams look great. They absolutely did.

You could say they look better than the Bucks looked against the Eagles. But it was almost like the Eagles cut both these teams in a way. If you really think about it, the Eagles and Cardinals were not playoff ready, so these two teams just took care of business against teams that were ready to go home. And now we see them against top flight competition. It feels like a Bucks game. But how do you guys see it? Greg will start with you, and this is the toughest game

for me to separate the two. I think they're very similar. I think their defensive fronts are primed and ready to play their best that they've played all season, that they're peaking right now. Obviously, one side is Brady and the other as Stafford, and that's a mismatch. But if you just stack up pure talent, I think the Rams are are right there with them, and uh, for the Rams, it gotta feel like I'm not to get over the hill type of game because if you can win this,

you get to the NFC Championship. You've got a long way to go. But there's been a lot building with this season and to have to come up against Tom Brady, who ripped your heart out with the best Rams team of all time in two thousand one, uh and who finished the job in ten in the Super Bowl, and now you get him again here as a member of the Bucks. Uh. Not who you want to lose to, but a team that you should have some confidence that

you've beaten twice. I think that matters. Uh. I know it was back in Week three and last season was back with Jared Goff, but the similarities in those two games, um, where that the Rams offense got the job done, the defense made made enough plays. It doesn't mean that they they're gonna win this game because of it, but it's a much better defense. And I hate to focus on

what the last thing that happens. The easiest thing to talk about, but the tristan worst injuries like massive because because Tom Brady is gonna have to get rid of the ball quickly, and it's one thing to do it against the Eagles, and it's another thing to have to rely on Really just Mike Evans and Gronk. I think that's enough. But if you don't have a great offensive line, then maybe it's not enough. I'm with you. I mean, because it's Tom Brady. You know, fine, there's no way

to count any team out. And the Bucks have just got it done week after week. But what version, even if he plays, what version of Tristan works? What version of Ryan Jensen? I mean kind of last week, by the way, watching that, it's like the Eagles crush Jensen. And really the interior line there all right. I mean Tom Brady was under Durest, took four sacks, a lot of that, all of it happened after those guys were out.

I mean, they're built around that offensive line, and I just wonder in that situation, if the line is having any issues, and let's say Jalen Ramsey uh reduces or takes away Mike Evans for large portions of the game, then you are looking at a Rams defense that to me, you've got Aaron Donald. You really could cause a lot of problems in this game. For the Bucks. I know that it's like you've got von Miller coming off one of his most impressive performances. Leonard Floyd, you know, a

Sean Robinson. There is a lot to like about this Rams defense right now. I think they do match up pretty well, just because the Bucks are the one team in this remaining landscape where there are guys missing all over the place, and it's you know, they covered all covered that all over against the terrible Eagles team they just did not show up last week. But I don't know if that's gonna be so easy against Stafford has

also thrived really well against the Blitz. You guys make a good point, um, good points about this, Like there are ways to look at this game and see it as setting up very well for Los Angeles. Like Tristan Worse, for instance, as of Thursday was not practicing. Um, and you know that's not a good sign. I mean, we still have some time to go here. But even if he does return, I mean the fact that he tried to go back in the game on Sunday and how to exit. Uh, it's very likely or possible I should

say that he will not be playing in this game. Uh. If the offensive line is compromised. That's playing right into the hands of the strength of Los Angeles would not only have Aaron Donald, the best defensive player in the league, but Von Miller, who has really come to life here uh in recent weeks. Here's the thing, though, and this is what I can't get past, and not even being in person at that game on Monday night really changes for me the feeling that are the Rams hardcore? Are there?

Are there? Are the Rams for real? Are in a big spot when the stakes are highest and the competition is big time? Do they have the guts to stand up and go win a game? I'm not there yet because I don't think the Cardinals were worthy to be in the playoffs. Uh quite frankly, how bad they were by the end of that season, and then the way they know showed so I didn't learn a lot about them.

And then if you go back through the season as recently as Week eighteen, when they got up seventeen nothing and then laid down against the Niners and lose that game, and they didn't just start going through their schedule and any time they were supposed to win, for the most part, they won and took care of business. But anytime someone punched them in the mouth, they didn't know how to handle it, and that's where you'll find all their losses

and speed bumps in the season. So the reason ultimately is it's Brady what he brings the things that the fact that the Bucks play so well at home, and I just do I just see the Rams going on rust the country and becoming that team that they haven't been yet. I don't I think this is a ten

point game. They did go up seventeen on the Forts, which is it's kind of maybe a silly way to look at it, but they they've sort of been in playoff atmospheres, uh, back to back weeks, and I just think matching up against the Bucks offense, you have Jalen Ramsey, you figure he's gonna play a lot more man coverage this week on Mike Evans. You know, you give Gronk

as much attention as you can. Tom Brady is gonna make those safeties that came in last week's Nick Scott played great and Eric Weddle was fine when when he was out there, but you would think he's gonna make them look more vulnerable. I just look at both of these defenses and I have. I am just as worried about the Rams offense and think that they are primed and playing really well, and that even though I'm always an offense first guy, like I like the under in

this game. I think it's gonna be tough for both of these teams to run the ball. I think it's gonna be tough for both of these teams to get

consistent long drives. And I think it might be a game that's more more suited to it to a Tom Brady gets a chance to go win the game with with a touchdown at the end, but it's more like a twenty to seventeen type of game or twenty that it does feel like maybe a Brady finds a way type win where it's not necessarily gonna be pretty, but at the end of the day he makes enough plays. One other big injury update here, so Leonard ford Nette, who went on i R in December with a hamstring injury.

He practiced on Thursday and he practiced on Wednesday, so he's trending toward a return. Ronald Jones heard his ankle in week seventeen. Doesn't look like he's playing, So for Nett is a big piece too, because I mean, he's playoff Lenny for a reason. He was a major reason why they won the Super Bowl last year, and he was having a great year this year before he went down. If he comes back and is functional and can stay healthy, that adds a much needed dimension to their offense. Yeah,

I mean, flip side. I I'm encouraged by what cam Akers did again to Cardinals m paired with Sony Michelle. I know it's like you can't run against the Bucks, but we'll see. I mean they're more balanced. I don't want to double the Jimmy g scenario, but I mean some of those games where the Rams were punched in the mouth, as you say, I mean, and they were on defense by the Niners especially, And you know they've had a couple of bad losses, but some of those

tied of Matthew Stafford mistakes as well. I mean, ken Matthew Stafford be as clean as Tom Brady or is this one of those games where Tom Brady throws a couple of picks that's happened too. I mean, I think those mistakes will matter a lot, but I do think the Rams are a little more balanced. I would ask you this, which coach. Do you think, um, who do you trust more of these two coaches, Sean McVeigh or

Bruce Arians. I guess I trust the Bucks coaching staff. Yes, staff I would say, you know, they're both a little wonky sometimes in game management. And McVeigh gets so considerative. We saw it and that came like no one loves to blow time outs with like eleven minutes left in the third quarter more than Sean McVeigh. And he's like in currently conservative and I get at Stafford's made made issues. So I like left which and more than anything, I like I like the idea of what Bowls could do

in this game. Because the thing that worries me as as a rams uh father here, you know, a father of a rams fan, you know what I mean. What what worries me is what's gonna make my daughter unhappy is father, is his balls cooking this group up? Because last week when he put Jordan white Head out there and they're kind of playing three linebackers, but one of them is a safety, it's white Head and Lavante David's back and Devin white is just flying all over the place.

In the secondary, which has been a problem all year is healthier than it's been all year. They weren't with it. They didn't have Murphy Bunting in that game, but he could be back this week too, and it it sort of looked like a veteran defensive group that it was almost waiting to get to this point. They all came back. They've all they're all super Bowl champions. They handled being defending champions as well as any you know team In all that, The twenties sixteen Patriots did a good job.

They almost wanted again, you know, they went back, but they did a great job. And like now they're back and they're just what whatever the best is that you're gonna get out of this veteran group. I think you're gonna get it. They're healthy, and it worries me that they could they could create some just mistakes by Stafford. And to underline the rams point I made, these are

the losses, just for the record. Week four Arizona thirty seven twenty when Arizona mattered, Week nine, Tennessee sixteen, loss Week ten, nine, Ers thirty one, ten loss Week twelve, Packers loss Week eighteen nine or four loss. Every time they've had that chance to say we're we're a real deal. They've how about weeks three against the Box, you know, I mean they gotta give them a little credit for that. If you've got to go back, I'll give him that.

I'll give him that, but it doesn't change my feeling about this team overall. I think I don't see them stepping up here. Uh did you guys pick this game? Well, um, I'm gonna go. I just I trust the Bucks to win it, like or something like that. I think it's gonna be close. I really like what I saw. The Rams team against the Cardinals gave me super Bowl vibes. I understand the opponent, but um, I think they're gonna give Tampa Bay the test of their lives. Yeah, I

took the Rams. It's partly because Ellis does watch game debut on Friday evenings and she's very disappointed. I don't pick them. But the only reason, you know, I did that for partly you're trying to make it as an analyst in this business. All right here, here's a news flash. None of us has any idea what's actually going to happen. So in a coin flip situation, nobody does you know. I mean, you picked the Raiders. None of us knows it's gonna happen in the future. I think it's a

coin flip game. I think this Rams team is so talented. I think it's a top five team in the NFL. You have them well eighth in your power ringings. I would have these two teams four and five. I think I'd go like Bill's Chiefs Packer Box. Rams would be my top five, and so to me, it's a coin flip, so you might as well go with Go with your heart, although my heart also is rooting for Tom Brady, so I don't know. I'm gonna be a mess. This guy has not lost the year's a great crazy staff for

Tom Brady. He's won nine street divisional round games. That's for posterous. He's almost played an entire season's worth of football in conference championship games. That fourteen this would be. He's had a really nice career. Regga's issues. He's divided here on this game. I really, I really am. I'm not going to really be rude. I'll be happy for either team, you know, alright, that's it. That is the

preview of the divisional playoffs. Man, The way we set it up every game is going to be decided by three points or less, it seems like, so hopefully we're right. Chiefs game which you did it lock, Well that doesn't what what? So then the other three games that you did not lock are also invalid in terms of your prediction. The most come to make sense. I am locking. I had to lock against you for obvious reasons, so that

you know it's true. Because you know, Dan was up up um three games and now it's too and so if the forty Niners have a lead late, it could be it could It's the right move. It's the right move. Good luck to you. Mark, Not really, I want that trophy right here, right here. Now you've got too much stuff over there. I'm gonna move all that stuff make room for it. All right, Thank you everybody for listening.

You'll hear from us again on the podcast side Sunday night, wrapping up all these great games, and you can see us on NFL Network on Saturday morning. We'll we'll have we will have our special divisional around uh one hour around the NFL program, So check that out as well. All right, until then, remember what you gotta do. Always beat the call.