2021 Week 12 and Thanksgiving Games Preview

and Liberia fun facts. Celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada. So sorry, guys, we missed that fourth Thursday of November in the US. Now, Ricky Jump in annual preview show quiz Time. What is the And I don't want to, you know, get into any culture wars here, but I want to hear the traditional belief what was

the beginning of Thanksgiving? The beginning of Thanksgiving that people think is that when the Native Americans and the pilgrims came together, they finally shared all their food together, and they had a big feast together and friends and happy and everything was good and nice. All right, that's pretty good. That's like the you know, nineteen forties to nineteen nineties

school um version of it. But after doing some further research, it's it's kind of like a East coast West coast UH nineties hip hop feud going on here between Virginia and Massachusetts. Were you guys, Hail, Greg and Ricky and the Massachusetts people said, you know, it started in the sixteen hundreds. The Pilgrims came over from England, and then they gave their food to two Native American tribes in

exchange for protection from another, uh Native American tribe. The people in Virginia say it's a religious holiday, so that is the history of it. Well, how is that a religion or how did a religion spring up out of that? I mean people were undreds. I mean yeah, there's so few Jews in Massachusetts. I remember someone once asked me if we celebrated Thanksgiving and it was my favorite, I would say the number one on my Mark's favorite for sure. All the food, and I mean food, the last I

grew up, loving my family. My wife and kids go away to her parents house during this these stints where I covered you know, these games with you guys, so literally sits out Thanksgiving because he hates food so much. I mean, I will allow you to say whatever you wish. Um. I mean, it's it's not like I'm a magnetus. What do you eat? Where are you gonna eat tomorrow? I don't know, like an apple? I mean, I'm not I'm not sitting around creating like mincemeat pies in my house

or something. No one else is literally no one else's and by the way, everyone else seems to be meat pies. Well whatever, fill in the blank, whatever it is. You know, everyone's debating over like the worst side dish. It's like chill out. It's a nice holiday. I have nothing but opinions on food. Because he hasn't had an opinion on food since he has an opinion. It's just kind of that. It's terrible. That's the one that covers it all. That covers it all, and I should just say the whole

Massachusetts vir Gina debate. In sixty three, two weeks before he was assassinated, JFK made a statement striking a compromise between the of the Rivals Era era era over three centuries ago, off of fathers in Virginia and Massachusetts. Ra Ra Ra far from home in a lonely wilderness arra arra, set aside up Thanksgiving Arara. They will now be celebrated to gaba arra arra. Wait a minute, what was the era business? What was that? What was that all about? That?

That's JFK, that's what he sounded like. Um, all right, A lot to get to. We got three Thanksgiving games to preview. We have the rest of the week, holy god, twelve games to dig into. UM and yes, since Thanksgiving, Greg, by the way, is the traditional UM start of the holiday season, I do have a gift for you, Like the first gift of the holiday season comes from me, the old juser to Greggy and it's from uh was take And from the latest edition of The Power Rankings

television show, there's a segment called Player Pushback. Originally it was William mc ginnis and Derek Carr and they it's like a three minute segment where they pushed back on the rankings in one way or the other. Willie after like two episodes, is like he's gotten somebody's here and said I ain't doing this anymore, and they got They got. Mariyuchi involves Steve Mariuchi and we love Mooch and Mooch comes on in the segment and usually just uh talks about one of the teams in the top three and

why they're good. Uh. But you should know, uh that the Cardinals were his subject on the latest Power rankings, and he had this to say, all right, you know they should be on the top of the list because your record says you know who you are, right, But you know what. The most important position in football obviously is the quarterback, but I think the second most important position is your backup quarterback, and your third most important

position is your third string quarterback. He even said it with the little the little Chaz cast Relee pizzazz there. You think he was doing an impression. And the fourth most important person in your group as your quarterback coach, and your fifth most important player on your roster is your first thing quarterbacks mother. I mean, he's sneaky lifting up cult McCoy as he as he should be doing. So appreciate it, Culte McCoy. So that was for you, Greg, I hope you enjoyed. I did. I did, all right.

Let's hope our new listeners who are like, what are they talking about? Um? Just go back listen to all our episodes and find our Charlie Casserly references from season six. You're now probably four through eight, episode four hundred and thirteen. You dug into it, um with with a distinct, you know, exploratory vibe. All right, let's start with the Thanksgiving games and um, just a little program note, we will be

uh delivering a mini pod it goes. We'll go up late Thursday, Thanksgiving night, um recapping all three of the games are about to preview. So let's get into the first one. We don't need to dwell on it because it's almost become overdone. Now how terrible these teams are and how bad this game is. And I've already said my piece that the line shouldn't be on Thanksgiving, but

they are, and that's just the way it is. So you get the three and seven Browns on a five game losing streak, with the coach halfway out the door, going to Ford Field to face the O nine and one Lions. Uh so the Lions coming off a narrow loss to the Browns, they should have Jared goff back. Tim Boyle was wretched uh playing or you know, the blowhard nation was up in arms. I know that Mark because Boil was brutal and Jared Goff should be back

in the lineup. Unfortunately, the one thing that would have maybe made this game somewhat intriguing as a neutral fan would be Justin Fields in this spot. But he ain't playing. He's got bad ribs. So Andy Dalton is the starter. So digging on this on Turkey Day, I mean, the Bears have faced uh and Matt Naggy like the darkest of the darkest timelines he could possibly be in. There was literally a headline from the Associated Press Naggy denies report of his own firing. It's like, oh, we have that.

Let's listen to poor Matagi who had to h speak to that because of the Chicago press, Like the rest of the people in the Midwest right now are out for blood. You've been performed the year last game as person. That is not accurate. You know, I have not um You know, I have great communication with ownership with George and Ted and Ryan, but I have not had any discussions.

It makes me think, um, Greg because it usually this happens to one coach every year, and you really and I feel like Adam Gates was kind of the guy last year. But the guy think of the most is Chuck Pogano And it was one of Chris Wessling's favorite quotes. When I knew he was finished in Indie and the same situation was happening before the acts fell on him, he had a very kind of zen way of looking at it. He refused to get kind of caught up

in the misery of it all. And he said to the media, they can fire you, but they can't eat you, and they can't eat that Naggie, but they will fire him, and the rest of the city wants about as well. They're kind of eating him though, Just to put this into context. Number One, that report was from some non sports reporter on Patch dot com. Hey, how about like the rest of us, don't give the Patch dot com guy. Well, I'm a former Patch alone understand sports reporter, so it's weird.

Number Two, Matt Naggy was at a football game, his son's football game this week, and some kids there started a chance to fire Naggie. That was on money, like fire Naggi, and the the organization or the whoever runs the game's up, you know, sent out an apology without mentioning Naggie his name because they were trying to make it not into a bigger story. Then it came out later Tuesday. Naggie actually did meet with ownership on Tuesday.

This was after this report, and after the meeting with ownership, he canceled meetings for the rest of the day. So that is just leading me to the point that this is a mercy firing. It's time to go um. Matt. Patricia had faced these reports last year too, before Thanksgiving, and they proved to be right. I think the proper way for him to go out um is to lose and to give Dan Campbell and all of us a nice moment on the on Thanksgiving. Lose this game, and

that's why I'm locking up the Windlass Lions. Oh I like that a lot. By the way, you're not You're not the only person or a group of people locking up the early Thursday game hit it. Ricky. Oh my gosh, hello gentlemen, Nicky here again. I was out of commission for the last two weeks. Emboided my brothers blew it while I was gone. The Columbus Westlings are now oh and three on the year, which means the Cincy Westlings are a salad six and two. Speaking of the Cincy Westlings.

We've seen Andy Dalton on national TV enough to know he stinks the Lions. Keep fighting, get a legendary eight to five win on Thanksgiving over Dough Bears. Lock it up, Good day, Happy Thanksgiving to Nick and the entire Westling family. You guys are the best. Did this just happen? Do we have to t two groups locking up the windless

Lions in late November? I unn, I mean the whole point of locking that up is you know, that was like a special thing to lock up a do and nine d Even now now two of us are that's too bad. But I believe in this DeAndre Swift led Lions offense. Let's get it done. I mean, the Bears have been a disaster. They've lost five straight. Um, there's utter chaos unfolding. Yet it would be an even bigger disappointment with Andy Dalton to go into the Troit and

lose this game. I know that Detroit has been frisky in the sense of keeping it close, and you know, four games against opponents where you can look at the opponent and say, if you knew before the season, you think the lines will be better than they were. But I look at the Bears and say you still have Robert Quinn, you still have Roquan Smith, who was insane last week against Baltimore. I mean, if he had a career high seventeen tackles all over the place, and Andy

Dalton was not a disaster in that game. I it sounds like you're not gonna Allen Robinson, Darnell Mooney is making plays. But this is the better team. If you can't beat if you cannot beat the Tyler Huntley, read Lead Ravens, and that team is in all those players. They stink Chicago. I mean, yeah, I'm not. I think it's good to both sides of this. I I get you, Mark, and there are players that have been favorite. Yeah, they're certainly heavily the Bears in this game. They SAPs on defense.

It's a short turnaround. I kind of think Dalton gives them maybe a slightly better chance. Maybe that's heretical to say, um, but I'm in too deep now. They just wanted to faith in Jared Goff, who they also, by the way, had net seventy seven yards passing in that Steelers game too. It wasn't just Tim Boyle. When's the last time a team had seventy seven yards passing two games in a row. I mean this, this might shock you, but I don't really have that much faith in the Lions. I'm just

having some fun here. The middle game, the bank is giving up on the locks. That's what's happened. Well. The Las Vegas Raiders five and five, riding a three game losing streak out of there by good job Boys travel to Jaral World to face the Cowboys, who have lost two of three, including that disappointing nineteen to nine loss to the Chiefs at Arrow Head. Uh. This game sets up extremely well, uh for the Cowboys, given how poorly Vegas is playing and has played for the better part

of a month. However, Amari Cooper is not playing because he got COVID and did not get vaccinated, and Jerry Jones gave him some public grief for that UH this week, saying it's a team sport and that was not a team decision. Uh. And Amari Cooper as of this taping, UH is still working his way back from a concussion on a short week, so the Dallas offense could be shorthanded. Uh, Greg, do you have concerns about dak post cash strain at

all to two of his worst three games of the season. Certainly, I think Tyrone Smith being out was a huge part of that, but he also just missed throws and he he was like the opposite of poised and understanding what the defense was sending him in two of those games, which was surprising. Um. You know you mentioned Seedee Lamb might not play. He's trending towards playing, and so is Tyrone Smith. And that makes me think that they can cover this seven points spread here because the Raiders just

aren't pulling off any big plays over the last three weeks. Yeah. I mean the splits for Dak Prescott with and without Tyrone Smith, the lineup or noticed are are notable, um, and gets huge to have them back. Um. You know they were eating up by the past Rush a week ago. But I when I watched the Raiders, you know, I was gonna block up the Bengals, um or the the Steelers over the Bengals. And when I watched what Cincinnati did to Las Vegas, I changed my mind entirely because

that game was close at the end. Um, I just look at the Raiders team that I think beyond the off the field, Uh, you know, tragedy of it all. Losing Henry Ruggs in the offense has really allowed defenses to basically put everything on Darren Waller. And there was a terrible car pick against the Bengals late in the game. I think it was twenty two to thirteen where he floated it to Waller and it was just taken away. And it's like they just don't have a lot of

other weapons on that team. They're depleted. Their run game isn't very good. They've got three offensive lineman who ranked in the bottom ten percent of performance by PFF right now. I think they're missing Richie Incognito. They just, you know, it's like it isn't the same as the other Raiders collapses necessarily, but they're falling apart. And when you get Derek Carr mistakes um tacked onto the depleted roster, I

don't think they can survive. And this is you know, I don't I can't believe we're back in a Cowboys bounce back spot. But this is a great bounce back spot for Dallas. You know, I think this is a very important final six, seven game stretch here for Derek Carr. Also because I think we all saw how well he played Um in the first two months of the season, but he he's kind of gonna find himself back in

the same place if this season spirals and goes completely south. Um, because I think you're seeing with Ryan Tannehill and Nashville as well, where he's a quarterback. He was a very good quarterback, but he's lost pieces around him. And then you know, he threw four interceptions last week, and you wonder, oh, is he a type of guy that gets exposed a little bit when he doesn't have the right supporting cast

around him. Car is gonna have to answer that. I think, Um, if this offense doesn't get going again, if he truly is you know, a top twelve, uh, you know, back into the top ten quarterback quarterback, then he will get this offense going again. If he doesn't, I think it's very telling at the stage of his career. I mean, he's he's not transcendent. I don't think he's been the biggest problem over the last few weeks. He's thrown some bad plays once they were down a couple of scores late.

Other than that, he's kind of looked similar. I just think it's problem. It's some regression to the mean from his play. We've seen him enough that probably wasn't going to keep it that level. And I think it's a lot of regression from the offense just generally. I don't think you can put it all on rugs. We've seen other teams lose pieces, they don't collapse like this. I guess my point would be every quarterback is a function

of the players around him. Tom Brady Um was getting his grave was being danced on at the end of ten because the players around him were so bad. Like no one thought he was a top ten quarterback. We were like joking on this podcast of what a joke he was essentially Um And now he's back to being like the number one quarterback in the league because he's got a great surrounding situation. That's all. Oh, or is

this say Greg nothing really matters response? In general? I'm saying, maybe there's three or four quarterbacks who could survive, you know, and it's just kind of regression to the mean. I think he's having a very good season and actually hasn't

played that bad over the last couple of weeks. His problem is so then put it this way, because you were leading the charge about how great Derek Carr was earlier this season above anyone else really, uh in the national media, I kinda can state I think that is he just the same Derek Car Then ultimately this isn't a better version of the players. He's the same guy has always been and now that his players are gone, he's gone. Is like a real functional, high level quarterback.

I think he can't overcome what's around him now and that him playing at that level was was unsustainable for just anyone but for another contract with if he like I get that, you can say that's every quarterback, But I can't equate Derek Carr with Tom Brady. I hear you. I guess I'm just saying, like, who hasn't fallen victim to that this year to some degree, like Josh Allen is playing much worse, like I, I just haven't looked

He's not gonna overcome his surroundings. He did for five or six or seven weeks, and that that probably was not the real Derek Carr. That's a fair point. The three games out of the bye for the Raiders at Giants sixteen points, home against Kansas City fourteen points home against Cincinnati thirteen points. So uh, you know, they gotta show up against Alice and Michael Parsons, who's playing at

a level that's maybe even transcending defensive player there. He could be in the defense defensive Rookie of the Year, I should say it could be entering into defensive Player of the Year territory, especially with a big performance in an Island game on Thanksgiving, which takes us to the final game on Thursday. After this, the Buffalo Bills panic in the streets of Orchard Park after at fifteen thumping

at the hands of the Colts on Sunday. Now they head to the Superdome UH to face a Saints team that has not won UH since Halloween and Mark this is This is kind of a tough one because, you know, it makes sense that the Bills if you think the Bills are a team that is going through things, but ultimately it is very talented and well coached and understands the stakes of a game like this. They should go

to New Orleans and take care of business. But there's been so much evidence over the past month or so that there's something really wrong here. Where do you come down on this one? Well, I would say this that the Saints have been one of the feistiest, more enjoyably watchable, tough nosed teams around, but they are struggling right now. I like this spot for Buffalo just based on health alone. I mean, you've got it's Alvin Kamara's probably not happening,

mark Ingram's not practicing. Ryan Ramscheck is not around right now. Toron Armstead will see on him, but even his backup land and Young has has not missed practiced this week. So they are the season he broke his foot. They're about as banged up as possible. And we I think last the last couple of weeks. What we see with the Saints is they're pushing as hard as they can to stay in these games. But two weeks ago, um killer mistakes down the stretch. It happened this past week

the floor starts to fall out. Um. Yeah, Buffalo is back and forth, but but I think they're clearly the better team and it would be kind of stunning to see them fall in this situation. To Trevor Simeon that said, the only thing that I kind of feel, and this is has nothing to do with next gen stats or anything else. I just see visions of like a totally celebratory, um super Dome on fire, lathered up on Thanksgiving night, and maybe sometimes things like that can happen where the

Bills get lost to the moment a little bit. But that's not a logic base, that's just sort of a dream, right. I was ready to pick the Saints to win this game because of that, because I think I think they've been so mentally tough, and I think their defense has a chance to have a great game against Buffalo, who has been all over the place. The Bills have the highest variants of any team in the history of football outsiders,

so just they're putting a number on it. But basically they are literally the most inconsistent team they've ever recorded. That they're good, games are insanely good, and they're bad. Games are insanely bad, which which passes the eye tests. And the Saints could could win a game like that if they had their guys, But they went over the

cliff last week in terms of injuries. Like it was cute too, like Trevor Simeon and Sean Payton's cooking up plays and like, yeah, that all makes sense when you have to all pro tackles and Alvin Kamara with the worst collection of skill position talent on the outside of any team in the NFL. Now you just have the least talented offense in the NFL period. Maybe armsteads back, but it doesn't sound like Camara's ingram might be out that Marcus Davenport has been their best defensive line it

might be out too on. Even so, even if you get like a great defensive effort, this is this is it, I would I would rank them thirty two of thirty two teams in terms of offensive talent, Like where that's a lot to overcome. Yeah, without those three times, where would you have ranked up at the start of the year, Because I'd say start of the year they were still in the twins. Yeah, I would say they were in

the twenties. But you when you have to all tackles and a really good center and Alvin Kamara and a great coach, it's like they were finding ways to get it done. And now I just I don't think anyone could get to coach up for seventeen straight games. At some point, it's, you know, talent's got to take over. If the Saints, um, you know, can make it happen, because notoriously they never seemed to have a lot of salary cap space. Maybe that's changing. I haven't checked in

on there. I haven't checked there, like sixty overgoing into next yeah me, because I was gonna say, they make so much sense as a team that would have a really hyper aggressive offseason beefing up that offense, but perhaps financially that is not an option. But then they will use the draft obviously um to add pieces because yeah, with Kamara out there, ordinary if you take Ingram out, who's got a bad knee and he's he didn't practice

on Tuesday after practicing Monday, which is not a great sign. Uh, then you really get into a dark place. So I think there's this situation here where I think Buffalo can not necessarily overcome their offensive issues but still win like a seventeen to ten type game. But I think uh Bills fans might be sweating this one out. And if you look at their schedule, man, you know, they had a great win way back in Week five on October t they beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead thirty and that

was the fourth straight win. They had beaten the Texans forties before that, blown out Washington Miami before that, and they were, you know, pretty much seen as the best team in the a f C. Since then, they lose the Tennessee By by a field goal thirty one, they hit their by, they beat Miami, and they beat the Jets Miami when they were at their lowest, and they've lost to Jacksonville in Indianapolis. Uh So there's just not been a lot of signature wins for this team in

quite a long time. So the concern, if you're his Bills fan, is real. But I'm also I'm not ready to jump off ship here. I think this is a team that it's all there, they just need to put it together. I think that in this game, even a week go, you know, they're being called the best team in the a f C. And well that's by default though that's because the a f C is so weird, right right, But default doesn't exist at this point in my mind. For me, I like, I'll I'm find crowning

no one with that title this moment. But they were like embarrassed by the Cults. They knew what the cults were gonna do with the Cults just went and did it to them. Um, yeah, we're you know. Their defense was was a non factor it was a negative factor. I just to me, I totally see what Greg is saying about the variance. When they're lad, they look completely unprepared for prime time on any level. Well, they're very lightweight team just in general. They are light fast defense.

And you do look at the a f C and you look at the other teams in it Tennessee, New England, Baltimore, Cleveland if they got there, these are power running teams, and I think that could be a problem for for the Bills and some matchups Colts. All right, let's start the draft. Let's get into it. Mark, you have the first overall pick. Well, I'm going to go with the game that just this is what I did last week and it it delivered one of my favorite um weeks

of the season. I'm just gonna go after simply what I enjoy the most, and it's Minnesota at San Francisco. I think it is arguably the game of the week to me. I mean this, by the way, this week is special Week twelve. It is the first time in NFL history were nine games feature one five plus team versus another five hundred plus team in Week twelve or beyond that, we've waited for a week like this, so let's see if it delivers or if it's history in

the making. Have history in the making, yes, but I think with the Vikings, you know at this point having to go to San Francisco, that would scare me in the past. What we are seeing right now is a Vikings team playing at the height of their powers. Watching that Green Bay Minnesota game was a total delight. And justin Jefferson, I don't know what else we can say

about what he's showing on tape. Who he is. He is one of the more fascinating athletes around today, and that they've used the past two games to focus on him to such a degree it changes who they are. It's changed Kirk Cousins, Greg, this is notable to you that Mike Zimmer. They asked, what is going on with Kirk Cousins. Are you happy with him being as aggressive as he is? And he said yes. He said, also, our relationship has changed. Greg has been tracking the Cousins

Zimmer relationship all season. It has obviously been fraught. They seem at times to be hugging slash punching each other at the same time. But Zimmer, I think is on board with what's happening, and they they can play this way, they can beat anyone in the league, and I'm willing to say they can probably lose to a lot of teams too, if you get the old version of the vikings.

But what I also find appealing is that you are getting the Niners right now at the height of their power, and their season is still hanging in the balance, around the fringe of the NFC playoff race, but very much alive if they took this game or next. The way they've been running the ball um eating up forty minutes of time of possession a week, They've been utterly dominant. And it wasn't just the Jaguars, it was over the ram.

And you've got Deebo Samuel, who's gonna want to go do what Davonte Adams did to Xavier Woods a week ago. But Deebo Samuel so versatile that he led the team in rushing a week ago, he led them in receiving two weeks ago. I think this, to me is the greatest game out through this week. I'm all board, I'm all about it. It makes sense to me you had to take this now because it's the team of zeus

til versus a team of Sestio. I think, yeah, this wasn't making it back around, kind of kind of like your your second teams that that you both enjoyed watching an impossible game to pick. I love it. I don't necessarily think it's a I see San Francisco's favorite, which surprised me just because I don't know. I know, but like they haven't been good at home. I know they were last week, and I just feel like Minnesota has

shown more this season than the Niners. But I guess you just gotta put a lot into what's happened the last couple of weeks. It's a great matchup, and I do I do want to see quietly Jimmy g has put together is his longest run of solid play. I know he had a terrible miss on that twenty play drive it should have been a touchdown, but in general, he's been better and he's staying on the field. Um. I love how they're using Deebo Samuel Um. That is

excellent usage of him. But yeah, I think the Vikings are just a team that you know, no matter what happens here, this isn't gonna be a blowout. They've now shown that this is who they are. They are going to score points. They're going to have stretches where perhaps the offense goes cold and the defense UH struggles that lets teams back in games. And I think that's what makes them so fun, that they always are involved in UH high scoring affairs and they always give the other

team a chance to win it. So I think this is not a game that I would lock as much as I like the Vikings, because they just haven't earned the trust of the lock. But at the same time, I do like their chances because I still think they are as good as anybody in the NFC UM right now. I have them number ten in the power rankings at five and five, which again speaks to what's going on in the league right now more than anything else. That there's the parody is so strong the season, but that

is my feeling. I'm all in on the Bikes. I like him, but I don't trust them. Well, I don't trust them this week too, because that's you know, an emotional division win, big game. You go on the road and you're gonna be missing two starters I assume on the defensive line, one Dalvin Tomlinson, who's probably their best

run stopper is out. And then Everson Griffin who was involved in a incident which required police, which is still unfolding as we're taping this, but he posted some messages on social media that we're disturbing and he was afraid that people were and shoot him. So he's had mental health scares before and this seems very serious and you obviously just hope he's okay. But just like in terms of the matchup, those two guys being gone versus a

San Francisco offensive line that's just killing it. Um p F noted, like Trent william says, the highest grade of any run blocker in history of them grading right now he is, I mean an epic season. They also are number one in e p A expected points um you know, per play. Since the moment that Kyle Shanahan was on the fence about starting Jimmy Garoppolo, the moment where I think he would have gone to Trey Lance actually was after that Colts game, but Tree Lance wasn't healthy enough

to play that week. Remember, he was like they asked him, and he was like, I would guess. So when they when he asked if Jimmy g would start but tree Lance wasn't ready that week, and since then their number one in E p A with these long, slow drives that gets Marco and and it is fun to watch. It is funny though, to think of this matchup as like, you know, it's Kyle versus the one that got away.

You know, he's watching this Kirk Cousins having his best season ever tape and being like, man, if we had that guy, we'd win the super Bowl. He was so fascinated with Husins for so long and he never got I mean, Cousins would do this in spurts, but right now you're getting like an unbridled bad boy version of Kirk Cousin that, uh, he's winning me over. I used to the Packers had like held onto either of those interceptions that he almost threw, and I thought he played

a really good game overall. But then just like the story is different coming out of that. And that was why Zimmer was asked about it, because Kirk Cousins said after the game, maybe I shouldn't have been so aggressive, and and Zimmer's whole thing was and now you're getting the sense maybe it's more about Kirk than the offense. Zimmer said, like We've been telling him to be aggressive all season, like we want him to keep taking those shots and throw it to Jefferson will be better off

that way. That sports. I know what you're saying. I saw other people saying, Oh, it wasn't a great game by Cousins. That was a good game. The way it works, it's the way it works. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. Um they're attacking downfield and that's made the offense so much better. All right, Greg, You're up next. I am, and I'm gonna take the the Homer pick. I'm taking Titans. I'm taking Patriots. I'm taking Vrabel versus the man who taught him how to set an edge,

Bill Belonship. H Uh. The Titans are so weird. It's someone noted in like their last eight games, the team that had left fewer yards you know, one six of those eight. They just have these bizarre games like they did a week ago, and a lot of times they were coming out on top of these games where they would look like they were outplayed and then they'd win the game. I just think they're in a similar situation right now. If A. J. Brown is out as we're

taping this we don't know. But not only do you lose a j Brown, Marcus Johnson, who had stepped up nicely in Julio jones absence, is out for the season. Um. This team is so injured that they're doing walkthroughs on Wednesdays, which is you know, some teams do that, but it's unconventional. But in Brabel doesn't want to do that. He just is saying, we're so injured right now, we really can't hold like a full practice. And I think what is helping to um come out now that Henry is not

there is that their past protection stinks. It's one thing for Tannehill to try to carry this team without the players, but this is one of the worst offensive lines in the entire league in terms of protection, and that's like a big change from previous years. And I think this is a Patriots team on defense with actual pass rushers that can take advantage of bad offensive lines more more than any Patriots team I've seen a while. This is a terrible spot for the Titans. I mean, it is

really bad. They you know, they're still in good shape and that division to keep an eye on the cults here surging Um. The fact that they are missing these players, the fact that they have a bit of an identity crisis post Derrick Henry, the fact that the Patriots get after you as a quarterback in Tannehill just came off that game where he's throwing the ball to the other team repeatedly when they had chances to get back in that game. I just think this is a bad, bad

timing for the Titans. I'm locking up the Patriots here. I think this is uh, this is a game that they are going to continue to roll. They will roll into Orchard Park at eight and four and in first place, because I think they're catching the Titans at the exact

right time. And the Titans, if they are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, which they taught probably will if they're healthy and they see New England again, maybe even up in Foxboro, I might feel differently about the game, but right now I think this is a really well set up situation for Belichick and friends. Yeah. I mean one of the biggest non stories of the season was

Adrian Peterson, who was let go by the team. And I hear you that the Saints on paper right now look like the worst offense, But the Titans are getting close with the bodies they're putting out there, and I like, who do you trust the most in this contest? I'm looking at the Patriots defense that week to week is throttling people left and right, and on offense, just keep running the ball and get you know, lower mistakes from Matt from Matt Jones than what the Titans offer. And

we're good here. I mean this this really there's no excuse for New England not to win this thing. Great. I don't totally dismiss the Titans in this game because their defense and Rabel's coaching has earned such a great benefit of the doubt. I'm surprised the Patriots are almost a touchdown favored in this game. It's keeps going up. It's up to six and a half, which I you know, I I think I think it would be, but now it wasn't earlier. And it's just people. People see these

injuries and they're and they're worried about. And yet I don't feel entirely comfortable because I do think the Titans

have something you can't measure. They're also the team I think that helped rebuild this entire Patriots organization when they beat up on the Patriots in that game, not that Tom Brady was necessarily coming back, but in that playoff game a year and a half ago, I think Bill Belichick left and hated the fact that the Titans were like the bigger, stronger, more physical team, better looking team coming off a bus. Not that Tom Brady would be there now. But you look at the way the Patriots

are built now, big dudes. I think they're so different with Trent Brown in the lineup to they're just a mawelling group upfront, but on both sides, it's like they're they're trying to be like the Titans, and I think right now they're a little better version of what One little thing on Trent Brown and is it just me? Um, he looks like an adult baby to me, Like he looks like he has a baby's head on an adult body. I'll leave the comment right there, but I whenever he

is unhelmeted, is my takeaway on his appearance. I see where you're going quote. Can we get that quote to Trent Brown? Well, it's, by the way, that's not to suggest that he's not a good looking man. It's just that he he has sort of a baby is face. That's not I mean, there's a difference between saying somebody has a baby face, like a Zach Wilson type and saying he actually looks like he has a baby's head. Well, i can't win on this show today, but I'm not

trying to kill the guy just said. It is an observation that I've made, and you know, it is not an attack on anyone. I wouldn't argue. And yet I also would never say that if I knew Trent Brown could possibly hear it. He is six eight, he is three hundred and seventy five pounds, and yet he is faster than all of us. That that is quite a combination. It's stunning to me, though, that I see a baby's

head on top of a six ft eight body. So, you know, every day, just that the streets are rumbling with my you know, insanely, which powers about whichever team I lock, other one wins. And I feel like I should, you know, use this time to lock the Titans. But I am actually so afraid of this game that I'm I'm actually afraid, okay, but it's working every week when you lock against True and but I just feel so bad for Justin and you know, but Dan, I love you.

You you picked the Patriots, So I just feel like it's fair if I locked the Titans. You know that that always that leads to good things for the person on the other side of the ledger. Another lockoff between Ricky and I. All right, let's hit pause here, we'll be right back. All right, let's move on. I will grab a eight game the Rams at the Packers. Yeah, I want to see this all, you know, after the Rams hit the bye week, and the whole thing about

the Rams is they can't even tackle anybody. They're so soft. There's a week and I wonder if Sean McVeigh is a great head coach. Uh didn't clip off a few of those conversations that have been had in the mainstream media about how the Rams aren't a real rugged team, They're not a real football team. They're not gonna be able to handle it uh in the crucible of the playoffs and all that stuff. I mean, I feel like that's pretty good motivation. UH. And now you get a

test right off the bat. You go to lambeau Field to face the Packers. UM, and I just think, this is, this is a great game, and this is and I know, right now, uh, you look at the NFC and the Cardinals are deservedly so seen as the best team in that conference. But I wonder if at top gear, if the two best teams still ultimately are the Rams and Packers, and whether it will play out that way in January.

And I'm just throwing it out there as a possibility that that these teams have that ceiling to be playing in the NFC title game. So I kind of see that as potential preview of that. I think this is another coin flip game. It's gonna be a lot of fun to see it. And if you're a Rams fan, you want to see Matthew Stafford rise to the challenge here after a couple of down weeks and go toe to toe with Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers with a bad toe, by the way, so you got two healthy toes against

one healthy toe advantage Los Angeles. I just I'd also think toe or not. Aaron Rodgers last week looked insane. I thought one of the best games I've seen him playing a long time. I mean some of the throws he was making, the one across his body to Josiah Degra for his first touchdown ever was wild. I mean just that he was all over the place. But if you're Matthew Stafford, if you're Cooper Cup, if you're Sean McVeigh, you have to also like what the Vikings did to

that defense, You've got to think there's opportunities there. I thought, Sean McVeigh, who is you know? I thought after that Super Bowl loss, we were at the combine, Sean McVeigh was up on the Good Morning Football Risers doing an interview with Peter Schraeger and friends, and like, to me, it just seemed like it's still haunted him. There was something gone in his swagger, and you know he's gotten

it back here and there. But after that loss to the Niners and going to to the bye week, his comments, where I thought, is telling and desperate and humbled as i've heard a coach at least from him at all. And I mean, I think that they probably are coming out, to your point, Dan, hyper determined to reverse the narrative that they are that they're a soft team inside this NFC playoff race. I don't buy that. I don't think any of us truly do. We're talking about guys like

Aaron Donald, but they were pushed around. Legitimately, this is not this kind of The Packers aren't going to do it to you the same way as those teams might have. But this is a dangerous scenario because if they suddenly dropped this game the Rams, a lot of questions are raised. I think the Packers like have something about them that you can't quite measure this season, you know, whether you wanta called mojo or camaraderie, I don't know what it is.

Like They've won in such tough situations, and I think that does build up over the course of the season. I don't know if the Rams have had that. Like the Rams seem worse than their numbers, the Packers seemed better than their numbers. And yet this week, even if I like the Packers better long term, is a nice week to catch Green Bay, who's kind of limping to their bye week. They have one of these late buys, Jenkins.

Elton Jenkins is out for the season. We know Bactr had a setback in his knee recovery and he had another surgery, and they still hope he's going to come back this season, but it's not for this game. So the offensive line is very thin, and yet I'm with you, Mark, like that that Rogers performance was at like a warning to the rest of the NFC, because I thought that

was the best game he had all the season. It's been like Aaron Rodgers game manager all year, and that was just like Aaron Rodgers v I don't give an the last the last four possessions, he threw four touchdowns and like it was one of those things where the Vikings only chance was that the clock played out the way it did and they had the ball last and they kept Rogers off the field. So yeah, I think that's that's gonna be a fun to watch. I mean

he did. He did pump it up um the serious nature of the toe issue um after the game, so I guess it is worth watching. But it certainly didn't seem to bother him in that game. It seems like Mason Crosby has ten injured toes to me, But no, that's a whole different conversation. Know, he's only on that team.

Let's face it, he's been so bad. He's only on a team because of the relationships he's established there with Aaron Rodgers and the trust he's earned over being as good as he's been overall in his career, but he's become a major liability for them. You wonder if it's at this point the auditioning for kickers has to be one bad game away at this point. Um, all right, this draft really set up well here, UM, I will grab and I will run to Tampa Bay at Indianapolis.

Um in the early window. Great, great game the Bucks on Monday night. Uh, really it was clinical. It was exactly the type of win that you want. They started six and one, they hit that bump in the road with back to back losses. They hit the by and then come back and just take care of a Giant's team that was totally lost. And we'll get to the Giants and the Jason Garrett news when we get to their game. But Tampa was just more of the same. I thought that they're just taking care of business, biding

their time. They're gonna get there, you know, eleven, twelve, thirteen wins, and then we'll be see you in January and they're gonna they'll be ready to roll barring any serious injury. I feel so good about them on a

week to week basis, even with the somewhat recent struggles. However, they go to Indianapolis and face a Cults team that fears nothing, fears no God right now because they have the most unstoppable player in the league at this time unless you, you know, want to go on Justin Jefferson corner um. Jonathan Taylor is such a beast and it will be a great challenge. I don't know where Vidavea is. It sounds like he he sounds like he's gonna play. He's such an important part of their run defense and

really everything that Tampa does. But Taylor has I believe, eight straight games now with over one yards from scrimmage. He was completely unstoppable in Buffalo. So you have a great Bucks team, a champion on the road against the Colts team that's feeling itself pumping in my veins with the fourth over. Yeah, that's a great one. It's it's too really good run defenses. The Colts are top two I think right now in the in the Bucks are always great, but doesn't feel like one matters more than

the other. It's like, yeah, if if you stop the Bucks riding so hot, you know, if if if the Bucks doesn't matter, if you can slow down Jonathan Taylor running, then then they're in big trouble, even a guy as good as Jonathan Taylor. To me, it's football. It's like he's partly a function of his surroundings. Early in the season, the offensive lines totally banged up. He's pretty much held

in check the first month of the year. Now that like the numbers show that he's not getting touched before contact sometimes until four yards per carry per play, which is insane. It's like two yards more than any other team. It's because that offensive line is playing so well, and and he's the most talented, i think, best pure runner that there is in terms of making people missbreaking tackles,

going long, so that combination is unstoppable. I don't think the Cults will be one of those teams like the Patriots are and other teams that that look at the Bucks and they're like, oh, we're not gonna run. They're still going to try to run. It's just like, who's going to be better. Well, it was a week ago we were talking about Buffalo's defense and how you know

the railroad probably stopped at that point for Indy. Andy went and said, we're just gonna continue to do it more and more, and they blew the doors off of Buffalo. You know, on the blocking front, Nate Tice had to I thought he was pointed out very in good fashion. How Jack Doyle has been a huge part of that as well for Jonathan Taylor. They they are suddenly this team that I think could beat anyone in the A

f C. I mean, they look phenomenal. I don't know if it's a Hard Knox HBO type of spiritual metaphysical bump they're receiving, but it's real, and it's the rare game where I feel like Tom Brady, this doesn't happen. It's not really the A storyline. It is Jonathan Taylor and the one thing I knowed about the Bucks, and when they get hot, they get hot, so who cares. But they have been huge variance wise in home and

away splits. They're scoring fifteen fewer points per game on the road and allowing eleven more points per game away from Raymond James Stadium. It's been happening all year long. So from that angle, I kind of like the idea that the Colts just can keep doing what they're doing and say, come bring it, Tom Brady, but we're gonna bring something back your way too. You got a disguise stuff though defensively, and they can do it more than

the Giants did Monday night. I know we didn't get a chance to recap that game, but it's crazy just how well Brady is moving right now. And I swear, and maybe it's just like memory, I'm maybe I'm wrong. I swear I've watched every Brady started his career right and like he moves better now than he did in

two thousand one. There's just no question. People joke about that twelve yard game head which was all fired up about like he is faster now I think than he was in O one oh three oh four, and he's absolutely as good in terms of moving around in the pocket. It's it's insane. He's the m D p F. Jonathan Taylor him. Wow, that's strong. Um, I guess I would. I'm dubious. I would like this take the stop Watch

out one or twenty four verse forty four. But at the same time, like man who knows he's he's obviously put in a lot of work. Um, I think maybe what makes him seem more nimble is just how much he uh you know, dominates in terms of the mental side of things and his ability to quickly react more quickly than most quarterbacks, knowing when to now flee the pocket or when to step up. He just everything is in slow motion for Brady obviously, um and he just

seems more nimble as a result. I don't know, it's it's it's obviously one of the great uh medical marvels in the history of professional sports in our country. About that taking it up a notch? All right, great game, we love it. Let's pick that game. What the hell I took the bucks on? No old the NFL dot com slash game picks do it? By the way? In that in general, are you're having as it has to be a very difficult season to pick games obviously, I

mean it's hard to not great against the spread? Is like six or seven over, which is which is not great but not terrible either. What's like industry average? Are you in that in the I have no idea. I'm sure my my straight up picks are probably badly against the spread. I would think average would be close to five. I'm slightly above that. Nothing. Who's killing you? Who's killing you week after week? The team that every time you

pick them to cover, they don't? I think that I like gave up on the Eagles right when they became good, after having way too much faith in them for a while. I mean, if you finished without a troubling record at the end of the season, what happens in house? Does you know? Ali bun Pori? Yeah, you're taking you on the hand or something. You're taking over. You've got it next time? Why you get two columns instead of on? Um? All right, let's move on, Gregg. It has worked its

way back to you after the snake slithers away. All right, I'll take the remaining late game on the docket. That's Chargers Broncos and what are you gonna do? You know? Two teams I don't have any feel for whatsoever, like to total old disappointments, Um. Two defenses that are very similar in their strengths in which they don't really have right now, in their weaknesses which are built in Brandon's Daley got to where he is because of Vick Fongio.

Came from a small college school to work for him in Chicago, uh, and then in Denver too, So he's been on this Bronco staff. Brandon's Dalely, it's amazing how quickly like his career rose he was like a linebackers coach a couple of years ago, and their defenses are both terrible. And I trust Justin Herbert more in this game than I do Uh Teddy, of course, but I kind of just expect both offenses to win. I expect it to be a high scoring game. You can't fall

here if you're if you're l A, you can't. You can't. This is your six and four. You'd be seven and forward put you in a great spot. You've got the Bengals and Giants after that, and then you're often running. And like Justin Herbert, which we we we watched with our eyes live on Sunday night. I mean, I think it's not just his arm, it's what he did with his legs in that game. He he is someone that's

going to challenge Denver in every possible way. And I kind of love these coaches when they know each other this well, and it is mentor verse, you know, pupil versus teacher. Um. You know that these things don't always amount to much, but it's kind of spicy going in. I think it's you might be trying to project that into the world. The Broncos can engage in a shootout, Greg, I don't know. I know l A wasn't overly impressive

on defense. I mean, the Steelers just engaged in a shootout. Yeah, but Broncos are an above average offense or an average offense just by the numbers they put thirty on the Cowboys a few weeks ago. I just mean, like anyone can get in a shoot out with this Chargers defense right now. I know that. But if you look at even the game last week against Pittsburgh, Um, some of those drives weren't exactly marathon marches down the field for Pittsburgh.

I know they were able to tally up points. Um. I understand that you may not trust l A, but I don't think Teddy and the Broncos really have shown that they can go toe to toe. If it's one of those good days for the Chargers offense, I guess I want to see consistency from the Los Angeles attack. We saw it obviously against a deeply underman Pittsburgh defense. That's a totally different game of t J. Watts playing. It's a totally different game of of making Fitzpatrick's playing

and Joe Hayden's on the field. So show it to me, show me that you can do it back to back weeks and and really start gaining some momentum in the season. I think it's a really important game for the Chargers if they want us to kind of take them seriously as a credible a f C contender. I think it's fair because, like they rolled against Pittsburgh five and thirty three yards, but that came a week after they put up to fifty against the Vikings. They had two hundred

against the Ravens, and this was what we thought. I mean, defense, we'll see, but we thought this offense had a chance with Herbert to to shine and it's been somewhat disappointing. But if they look like they did last week, that Steelers defense was seen a lot of guys too, so I don't put everything on that game, but they're starting to warm up. We should point out since we last talked Broncos, they've signed Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick, both two big long term deals. Love Tim Patrick. What a

story to bounced around the league. Undrafted guy gets a nice contract. I think a nice deal for Denver. Frankly was almost underpaid, but I get taken the guarantee and Sutton stay in long term too. And you got Jerry Judy obviously under that rookie contract for another uh three years after this season if you picked up his option.

It's almost like really well set up for them to go, whether you know it's a draft or free agency or trade to say, hey, we have pieces here, come here and be our Matt stafford um that they're kind of setting things up that way, it seems. Unless Teddy can go on a heater or here and keep himself in the mix, we shall see. Still a lot of football to play in the season. By the way, I asked Ricky to look it up for me, and she, uh, she did it. She did a nice job with it.

We talked about it last week, get length about how home teams were actually under five hundred through ten weeks of the season. Things did not get better in week or leve. Then the home teams won six games uh and lost nine. So six and nine they went last week. So they're now four games under five hundred as we hit Thanksgiving. So keep an eye on that. Doesn't matter if the Broncos are home, doesn't matter that anybody's home in this strange What about what about the air? People

like to talk a lot about they get tired. That's the advantage, all right, Mark, that's have you ever gone skiing or something like that in Denver as a kid like I didn't like you are hideously sick for about twenty four hours. I'm just telling you it's real, the real phenomenon. I know. I just feel like, um, you don't hear as much about it when like the Broncos are getting drilled by the Eagles left, No, it seems to not play as much then, Um, all right, you want me to pick a game, I'll do it. I

would like to. I'm going Pittsburgh at Cincinnati in the early time slot. There good old a f C North between two teams, and I think it's at a major turning point for both. I mean, the loser of this is in a little bit of trouble. I they thought Cincinnati like they you know, that game was close against the Raiders last week at the end. But Joe Mixon

is not getting talked about enough. I don't know if just because there's so many other running backs that are having good seasons, but he's quietly you know, fourth in the league and rushing you had a monster has had a couple of my Monster game last week, and I thought they just ran really hard and that you know, they didn't have him for ten games last year and they didn't have Burrows, So that this all leads to why the transformations happened a little bit on offense and Chase,

you know, Jamar Chase. I want to see what happens against Pittsburgh because he's had three games in a row where he's been under fifty yards and you know, Mike Tomlin basically said yeah, because it's the product of a rookie showing that he's earned the respect of game planners and like they are. There was there was a play last week where they threw him like a slant and like he had three guys on him. So it's gonna

be a different journey for him. But Pittsburgh, you know, we just talked about that Chargers game and how they rolled over this defense. T J. Watt coming back, make it Fitzpatrick sounds like he's coming back. Joe Hayden. That helps a lot. I thought last week what they were able to do was basically put a ton of attention on Cam Hayward, and it mostly worked when he wasn't batting a past that was intercepted, or punching Justin Herbert in the chest while he was on the ground. Obscene.

I don't know what even know why he's eligible this week? How are we getting away with that? But anyways, this this is gonna be a blood bath right down to the end. I almost locked up the Steelers, but I'm a little too freaked out by they're like five point underdogs to know that. I think this is how I see the a f C North right now. Um So in the power rings, I have Ravens at thirteen, Browns of fourteen Angles of fifteen, Steelers at nineteen. I think

there is a difference. I think that the Steelers are just a tick below these teams, certainly when they're compromised as they were on Sunday. Um now, we'll see where are we at physically on their defense, or we can have these guys back in the field, because that makes obviously a big difference. But I just I don't like their chances. Uh. If Cincinnati's moving the ball well and they need big Ben in this offense to score points,

I just don't see it on a week to week basis. Uh, it just seems like an old team and It really stood out to me. And this is you know, we're just talking about Tom Brady at age forty four appearing to be, by some eyes to be faster than he was when he was twenty four. Uh, Big Ben. That is nobody saying that about him. And I think it really stood out to me in that game against the Chargers that when a play broke down for l A, they had a young quarterback who was able to escape

the pocket. He ran for ninety yards. That was the most yard ast you've ever seen in from a Charger's quarterback. Actually, And when a play breaks down for the Steelers, when things aren't set up perfectly right and the protection isn't there, it's over. It's a rap. Because Ben is maybe the greatest and the most obvious stone age pony marks since

late period Dan Dan Marino at the stage. So I think that's a problem for Pittsburgh's offense that the quarterback is so immobile that it takes away just any element of surprise and getting plus plays out of negative situations. Well, and he doesn't have the big arm to make up for it. Now to you mentioned that play to Claypool last week, Greet kind of under threw him deep. That's that said, right, that said, I think their best to bend games of the year are the last two, and

I think the offense is at least trending up. You know, you said like they didn't exactly light it up. Every drive they had was successful until the last two. I mean they got they got stuck at the two yard line, but there's only three drives they had in the first half. They marched right down the field against the Chargers. Then they put up a lot of points in short fields, which is lucky, and they couldn't come through in the end,

but they did move the ball pretty well. And I think they there's just something beyond like who's playing who's not that when I see Mike Tomlins speaking on Tuesday and I think about like the fact he's never had a losing record, and I I disagree with you in terms of your power agains. Where I put this division. I put the Ravens ahead of the pack and probably have them as about a top ten type of team eight, eight or nine, and put the other three in a jumble,

all very equal. And there's something about this Steelers organization that there it's not about like XS and knows that. Like, I just look at this and I just feel like there's something with this Steelers team and Tomlin that I just I think they're gonna overachieve in the end. I just in and overachieving is ten and seven and probably losing in the wild card round. But that that's the type of team I see with this, with this group, you know what, you convinced me. I'm gonna go stick

with my initial instinct. I'm locking up Pittsburgh is the kind of game they win. It's just the kind of game they win. That's a good one. That's That's an onion hanger right there, Mary, that is I like it. We were going out underdogs across the board here on on lock so far with Dan to go, West took on the Westley, I got, I got a favorite, a heavy favorite. As it turns out, I have Erica. Oh that's right. Dan took the Patriots, Erica took one. I

got the Lions. What a week and watch I'll be the only one who loses, especially favorites, not only our home teams losing favorites. I think have a losing record over the last three weeks to combine. So that's pretty crazy. Alright, Mark, you have the snake here. After this, I do have the snake. I'm gonna go Carolina at Miami. Um. You know, I I typically try to take a game that is like an ultra trash bag is my second early game. But I'm intrigued by the Panthers as much as any

team around right now. And I don't think it's just Cam Newton's um arrival. I get that. So it's like an ultra trash bag? Is that like the quality? Is it like a trash bag that it's on the top shelf in the trash bag aisle of the grocery store and it's really made of the type of materials that it will not break, will never rip, will never let you down. Or is an ultra trash bag at the bottom shelf and it's the one that's sold by the company.

It's like the supermarket version of it, and you put more than a certain amount of weight in it, it will just come crashing through the body. Because the top of the shelf scenario sounds like a compliment. Um, I'm thinking more like, you know, if you get your trash picked up and it's the first like smelly bag of trash you put in the trash can and it's still there at the bottom. Um a week later when the trash trucks come back again and it's probably worse than ever.

That's well, that's it. And you know what, that's a different take on it. I didn't even consider looking it from that. So you're saying, like the physical placement of the trash within the bin, Okay, yeah, the stench, I mean the stench coming off a bad team. The first of all, it wouldn't be you know, rolled up in a nice little box. It would be it would it would be hideous to the nose. Um. So I almost you know, but then I almost went jets Houston. But

that's just too bad. I can't deal with that. But I want to. I want to be interested in these teams. It is Carolina to me. It's like I get that it's Cam Newton is back, but it's Christian McCaffrey is the real transformation on this offense. Like the idea that like, you know, Donald went for weeks and weeks without him. He's got his own issues, but it's the perfect timing to have him and Cam together them exactly. Um, they ran a couple of trick plays last week. I think

they're feeling themselves. But Matt Rule came out of that game pretty furious actually, with the fact they give a hundred and ninety yards rushing, saying that if you're in the race, good teams don't do that. They lead the league in penalties as well, So they're not a perfect team on any spy any stretch. But I think that they the Panthers at this point are warming up a little bit um, as has the Dolphins defense to some degree.

So I'm kind of intrigued by that matchup. Um I'm on the fringe of not buying into the Dolphins at all, but these were two teams I picked for the playoffs, So it's my which one will I'd be more right on by Sunday night. The Dolphins, You're not going to be right on either way, because I know that we keep making this case. They're like playing all these bad teams. There's still three games back right now in the lost column with well, you never know you're going against type

there by counting them out. At this point, they're still you know, seven six seven games together. You're right, they they gotta win this one. In theory, they might have an offense that could do okay against Carolina because I think to beat them in their pastors, either got to run the ball, and teams have done that pretty well

a handful of times. Or you gotta just have that quick passing game, which is what the Patriots were so afraid of, this pass rush that they everything was like a three step drop, and no one loves a three step drop more than two h two is very predictable at this point. He is a He's really good at the quick game. He makes the worst offensive line in the league look better, which is not nothing. That's something. Uh. And he can't do much down the field. It's just

like not gonna happen. But I think you could probably beat the Panthers that way. Thinking I would say now that we're starting to get a better look at to uh and you know, I'm keeping the door open that he could really play well over the last month and a half and and change some minds maybe in that building. But he doesn't necessarily strike you as a special player. I mean, is it too soon to make a comment

like that. He doesn't have in the best case scenario, He's like a poor man's Drew Brees, which never struck you with physical to us, that was always his path. I don't know if you can get there, but that's his path, all right. Market was that your second? That was my second? That was a snake. Okay, Gregg, it comes back to you. I'm trying to leave a game open for Shook, you know, just to make it all work. So I'm taking Falcons Jaguars as my second game. I

said it, Uh not because I want to. It's sad that when Jamal Agnew got hurt last week, he's out for the season for the Jaguars, it was like, Oh, their offense is really in trouble now. It's like this guy was getting cut and was a sixth receiver on other teams, and he's a special teamer and he was a really key part of their passing attack. It's been it's been tough to watch them. And they look at the Falcons this week and I'm sure they think, well, this is a team we can at least move the

ball against. We should be able to protect Trevor Lawrence, we should have a game. We have not seen much progress out of this Jaguars offense, but this Falcons team, if they win this game, which they obviously can they got to be one of the worst five and six teams we've had in a while. They are thirty second in d v O A, by the way, right now they are They're the worst team in the NFL according to d v A, and yet they could be five

and six very realistically after that. I'd ask you this because I've been up and down on the Falcons and I was proven decisively well, but my battle is over on the ups for the Pros to this point. Let's put that way, But which program under first year head coaches do you have more faith in going forward? The

Falcons just because they're not the Jaguars. I mean, if if Ridley Hurst and Patterson were out there, I think you had and then you you pick some holes on the offensive line, you've got an offense at least you can cook with a little bit. But they're not out there. They're not Trevor Lawrence versus probably having to replaced Matt Ryan down right with program, And to me, I'm already looking forward to the next Trevor Lawrence program. This is

it's a tough year for him. This has not been what he expected his rookie seat him to look like. I think he has eight touchdowns and three attempts uh this season, but he needs help and he needs things to get calmed down there. And there was too much of a circus this season as a rookie. Um. And we're not even to Thanksgiving yet. But he was for three for thirteen yards last week and the score was

seventeen nothing. He had literally done nothing wrong. It's like it's it's tough to watch him because you know there's really promising, potential superstar there and he's just trapped in a bad situation. I think the Falcons and Arthur Smith are in a very tough spot here because Matt Ryan looks shot to me. I know he can do it when you protect him, but he is right, he's in

that big Ben mold now as well. He's just too old and he's aging like the quarterbacks used to age, where he's in his mid thirties now, and he's just if you get to him with a pass rush, he will just get absolutely she lacked and the team will

get blown out of the building. Um. I know he can put together stretches and he still has the accuracy and enough arm, but they own so much money still, but they also need to move on and get younger and more dynamic and get with the times that I think being the head coach of the Falcons at the end of Matt Ryan's career is not a great safe place to be because it's if he's the quarterback next year. Um, I'm sorry, Like, I don't care what you build up around him. I think the season is gonna have a

similar look because he's just the player and decline. It reminds me a little bit. The situations are not exact, but the tough nature of it. When Jimmy Johnson took over the Dolphins, like Jimmy Johnson and Dan Marino are gonna take over the NFC, and like Dan Marino, you know, like two years later lost his final game, like but here's the difference. This is why this is a different situation.

Jimmy Johnson was one of the most heralded gets for any owner as a head coach in the last thirty years when he left the Cowboys and then ended up with the Dolphins. So he had that that that job security to be able to withstand the end of that era and then try to start a new one. It didn't work out, obviously, Jimmy Johnson in Miami, but Arthur

Smith does not have the pelts on the wall. So I just wonder if if this season goes the way it's going and then he has another season where it doesn't go well because you have an old quarterback you can't move. Now, he's gonna be two years in. That's what I mean by I think Arthur Smith's in a little bit of danger based on the timing of Ryan's career. They have a big They're gonna have a big offseason.

They're they're one team we could fork, even though I know they're right in this all that said about Matt Ryan, and I don't totally just I don't disagree with what you said, Dan, Like you put him on the Saints and they actually have their tackles in and stuff. It's like that team might go to the super Bowl. So it's like, I think Matt Ryan still something to give.

I really do. Now. I think he's better now than Big Bend, for instance, So he's not at that level, but he's also it's a problem and you saw it against against New England for sure. All right, let's take a time bomb sitting on deep deep down the train tracks and the trains not they can't go left to right. It just has to go over the bomb and he s, yeah, exactly. He just stresses me out when he's rips off that helmet and he's got that red face made. It's just like, God,

this is not gonna get better. Um, let's close it out. You guys left me with the two New York teams. Who are they post fifteen straight prime time games? Uh? New York Sports is in a really bad place, big picture wise, but specifically in the NFL. Of course, I'll grab the Jets at Houston. I'll be quick on this because we don't need to dwell on the game because who cares about the Texans. Good job getting that win last week, but you also potentially cost yourself the number

one overall pick. So bad job the Jets. It only the only thing that matters is Zach Wilson's playing again. And it is notable that since Michael Lefloor the Brother the Bearded Boy um had other quarterbacks with more experience

and had their heads on their shoulders more. Uh. Excluding the Buffalo game when Mike White completely bombed out, the offense has been better since Zack Wilson left and There are a lot of different factors in there that led to it, but the play of Zack Wilson, obviously and how poor it was was at the top of the list. Does he come back, is he a better quarterback upon his return? Does he grow and build uh down the stretch here, or does he have a really bad season

all the way through? And then if you're a Jets fan, you're asking questions about, oh God, is it happening again at quarterback? It's too early to make any decisions, But I will throw one thing out there, hypothetical. Me and Claybourne were talking in the news room yesterday. Would you we see what's happening in Seattle this day? You know this is all nonsense, but fun Russell Wilson to the Jets for Zack Wilson, and they also send back that Seattle number one pick that they lost to Jamal Adams.

So Zach Wilson in a one to Seattle for Russell Wilson, Who says yes? Who says no? I'm saying yes if if I'm the Jets, say no. If I was Seattle, I think but um, because we have to see what happens there. If I was the Jets I would say yes to the second because I think there's no more precious commodity in the league than a functional franchise also all pro type quarterback that you can build around immediately. I mean, Zack Wilson remains an unknown project at this point,

like the idea of them. But but that's that's that gets people fired if it goes south, a little bit, a little bit of feisty that trade, right, I like it also like a lot of how what he has seven starts to go, so that's just as many as we've seen. There's a lot of runway to evaluate him. They were dead last in e p A when he was the starter. They were ninth in offensive e p A in the starts that he missed missed overall. So

but there was a lot of other factors. I don't think that's all on him, but you you do want to see him keep keep it rolling that they're at least competent, and it's good, good start for him to start off with Houston. YEP. I agree, all right, we have to u let's we got one more game and then the primetime games. All right, the other Giants, the other New York team, the Eagles at the meadow ends against the Giants. Uh quick post mortem for the Giants

after Monday night. The offense a total mess against the Bucks. They have multiple opportunities to make that a game, to maybe even steal that game, and they kept on getting

bogged down. And people like Brian Baldinger. Baldy called out a specific play And I'm not saying this is what got Jason Garrett fired, but I thought it was interesting that the internet seized on that one particular play when the Giants against a three man rush um had three players all converging in the same spot eight yards down field. Uh and they're basically ping ponging off each other and Daniel Jones has nowhere to go with the ball. And

Jason Garrett gets fired twenty four hours later. Uh so the Giants they're starting over on offense. And I wonder, Mark, if do you think that is gonna help Joe Judge now that Jason Garrett has been sacrificed to the fans. I mean, it's a terrible spot for a coach when you're in no, it's November and you have to start producing scapegoats. Not that Jason Garrett, uh, you know, didn't deserve to be demoted slash let go. I think that's been you know, in the in the soup for a

long time. They've been talking about that happening. But I don't think it saves Joe Judge or is a good thing for Joe Judge, because the overall makeup of this offense, looking at who they have personnel wise, it's inexcusable what they produced. Um A lot of them have been injured though too. I think a week ago we're saying we can't judge Jason Garrett, we can't judge Joe Judge, we can't judge Daniel Jones because who's not on the field.

And it's just like, look at at this point, like Joe Judge is saving his own job by getting rid of other people that usually now maybe not in the Giants organization, that usually is a stepping stone. Did weaving goodbye to him come January? Right? I think you know it only helps him if the offense improves under Freddie Kitchens. I mean, is that's the real big story here. It's

the return of Freddie Kitchens to our life. Um. I I think you could look at Calarious Tony's usage alone and be like that's a fire able offense just because you see him and I just see a super duperstar. It was just his movement is exactly what every team in this sort of open nfls and they just haven't

figured out how to use it. There was another play fourth and one where Tony Slayton and Gola Day weren't even on the field and they just throw the most predictable like passed to their backup tight end and everyone was covered and Jones had no chance at that place. So I think it made sense absolutely to change offenses because it wasn't working and just try something different, because I think everyone's getting swept out, including Judge if this continues.

They are eighteen and forty under Gettleman and Ali talked about which made everyone mad, was we want to run the ball and we want to stop the run. They are thirtieth in stopping the run this year. They're terrible at running the ball. So even that idea, which didn't seem like a great idea, has not played out at all, and I think they're all gone if if they don't

turn it around in some fashion. I think you're right, and I think they've made se Kwan Barkley boring, and you know he's struggled to stay on the field, but even when he plays, he just he doesn't pop anymore like he did initially. And Candarius Tony, we all see the same thing. When the balls in his hands, he's so much fun. And Kenny Golladay has been, uh previously in recent seasons one of the best downfield playmakers in the NFL when healthy, and neither of those guys have

a single touchdown this year. So the Giants obviously, uh, this was in a lot of ways overdue, even though it happened in the middle of November. Right compared the development of Candarius Tony to to Vonta Smith and Philly who who they will see this week. I mean, it's just like you've got a general manager in New York who feels full of old ideas. They had a no ce who was full of old ideas, and we're not sure what Joe Judges ideas are. That's not a good mix.

On the Philadelphia I don't trust any defense stopping this Eagles rushing attack right now unless they got something specially going on, and the Giants do not. It does feel like the Eagles, who are playing with a lot of confidence right now, and they have they have a personality, they have a mindset that they're gonna run run you over. I like their chances here. All right, let's say pause here, we'll be right back prime Time. Start with Sunday Night football.

The Cleveland Browns head to Baltimore against the Ravens. All right, Mark, Well just tee it up for you, buddy. How you feeling on this one. I like the idea that they will have Kareem Hunt back, likely Jack Conklin back. I mean, you get back to being who they were. Maybe that can help Baker Mayfield coming off the worst game of his career. But I put a lot of what's happened on Baker Mayfield on Baker Mayfield, and this team is

in chaos. To me, I don't trust them right now. Um, you asked who they were on our network show with the real Cleveland Browns. Please stand up. Uh. I think they are who they are. They're just a middling team right now that feels compared to a year ago. UM, discombobulated, disorganized. I don't like watching them. They make me nervous, they make me agitated. UM, I don't like the idea of them going up against the Ravens team that you know, when put with their backs up against the wall, losing

the game, Tyler Huntley leads them to victory. That's who the Ravens are and the Browns right now. I mean that, Yes, they've been extremely banged up. They produced six pressures last week against the Detroit Lions. On defense, you just even even the defense it feels like is so hot and cold. There were a couple of weeks We're thinking this could be one of the best defenses in the league. Then they get utterly torched the next week. So I don't

see anything consistent from week to week. Their unpredictable. I don't like them in this game. I don't like that they have this that a bye week than another Ravens game. I see. It's very possible they lose both and their season I don't care about mathematically, their seasons spiritually and emotionally would be over at that point. Can they surprise us? Can they pull it out? I'm very close to switching my lock to the Ravens because I'm very annoyed with

what's happen. Really, because I was gonna locked the Ravens the only reason I didn't was just out of like, that's mean to Mark. I am locking him up forget to steal, un locking up the Ravens because you know what they put They have put me in the They've put me in this position at this point. Are you punishing the Browns right now? Well, remember what I said to them on our show, obey me, do not get whacked a couple of weeks ago against that opponent. They

got destroyed. And it's like they don't answer the call of the fans. Um. I look at I love Kevin Stefancy, and I like the I don't answer the call of the fans. I mean, what do you want him to do? And I were just an interviewer. He said, I don't care about what the fans say. So I guess that checks. Well, that's the other thing I hear. Now, it's where at the point where everyone is suggesting, and I'm not saying

it's a looney suggestion that you ride case Keenum. Now, the question I'd have is that is because you want to get Baker Mayfield healthy. If you want to try to get him healthy, he's got one injury that's not going away the season no matter what I think the case Keenum fetish would would quell once you get a couple of games of case Keenum. That I have a not an especially healthy comp here um in terms of

mental health. But when I was watching Baker play this past Sunday, he reminded me of like Mark Sanchez when things really turned sour for the Jets. I mean, missing throws, just the offense being stuck in mud, no energy to the drives, no rhythm. I don't think it's crazy. I don't know what do we really think that Baker if he really is as bad as he's been. Uh, and a lot of it comes back to injuries. Case Keendom is one of the highest paid backups in the league.

We we really don't think case Keendom can run this offense better than Baker in this current state. I mean, it's it's crazy to bench Baker because I know he's hurt. He moved pretty well last week at points. He had some dimes in that game. And so that's where I have at struggle with, like, well, he's hurt, so he's missing throws, or like the that's not why he's necessarily making bad decisions. Maybe it is. I don't know. Maybe he is to her and that's the reason to bench,

but that that would be it. Like he had a couple of throws in that game that were awesome, he just had about fifteen more that were head scratchers. Like he's leaving the pocket at the first sign of trouble. That goes back to his his rookie year. That's not an injury thing. I I do think that the Patriots game might have exposed a couple of things too, and how to attack this defense up the middle. In terms of the running game that the Lions had some success,

They're they're letting clown like um Garrett fly by. Clowney's turned totally silent. He had six games in a row with at least four pressures. He has three total in the last four, so that's been a big decline. The Malik's up front, Mcdoalen Jackson are kind of getting pushed around. I I hate this game for the Browns. I was like, I said, I was gonna lock it up Mark, but I just thought that'd be mean spirited. But now you

just locked it upside. I was just like, well, I'm not like I'm not at the point where if you go anti Browns with a take or something else that I can't have disorbit, I get it, but I see I'm done this, you know, I'm I'm I'm so buried in last place that at this point I just wanted to like keep you, you know, stay on your good side seems more important Lions express if you'd like him right well, plus me locking is putting the stink on them,

so maybe that's good. I don't even know the final games Monday Night football the Seattle Seahawks at Washington Football Team. All right, I mean the Seahawks basically need to We're getting into win out territory if they flex this. They did flex the Seahawks out of next week next Sunday Nights game. First flex of the year. But yes, that's good. What what got flex then? Not even a particularly great game,

just not the Seahawks Chiefs. Not a great game, but it involves the Chiefs that the Seattle Seahawks travel to FedEx Field. Taylor Heineke coming off a excellent performance in that win over the Panthers, and uh, he's fun to watch.

I that might take away watching that game was Heineke is just like you know, he knows his whole career he's been you know, look down upon and seeing as somebody that is not to be taken seriously, and you see it, and just the way he carries himself, the way he bounces up when he gets hit, the way he celebrates a big play. The guy plays as cliche as it sounds, with a chip on his shoulder, and uh, I think the team thrives off that. I think he's a really passionate player. I like those type of guys.

Uh so Team Heinek, even if he is ultimately limited in that Ryan Fitzpatrick mold it's not all there physically, but I think he makes up with it, makes for up with it, up for it with the way he carries himself. But that's what I'll be watching the game because there's no passion coming out of the Seahawks operation. No, they're they're incredibly tough on the eyes. Um they're an eyebleader. But I could not side and agree with you more

on Taylor Heineke. You know, we want like we watched these games during the week and a lot of times just like sitting on a couch, you know, watching in silence taking No, it's Taylor Heineke is like the one guy that got me kind of I needed to take a break after the game and get up and walk around. Um, he fired me up. I love his demeanor. I think that he's also fearless. He made a couple of throws. There was one through dense traffic to Cam Sims, uh

touchdown pass that just showed his arm strength. Um, he saw the field really well on a throw to John Bates where he looked like he was gonna get knocked around. He's scrambling, he's running as he's gonna take off, and he saw the second third option and it's just like he's doing things that show growth and progression. And I think it's you know, they're in a place to where And I don't mean to always bring up Scott Turner, It's not a joke. I think that they found a

way to answer drives over and over. They got more from the ground game. Uh, Antonio Gibson outside of the fumble, looked good to me. They at this point sounds like Curtis Samuel might finally play this week part exactly like he he is. He has done a nice job of getting paid a lot of money and not doing a lot for it. But getting him back would be great. This team is on the rise. I understand like that. You know they think they can start every season two

and six. Well, it's working, and I want DeAndre Carter. One last guy I wanted to mention. I looked up because he looks so small to me. He is my height. He has five eight and weighs forty five more pounds in me, and that is not fatty tissue. So I that tells you how these football players are built breaking. I'm just saying, such a little jitterbug. And I was like, how tall is that guy? And it was like super excited that he was my height? But did he have

a baby head? No, he did not know. It is crazy. I mean I remember interviewing m J D when he was like a Pro Bowl running back and he's he's five six or seven and he's like two fifteen and and that that was like his legs were bigger than in my entire body. It's wild. This is this is the low moment of the Pete Carroll era by far that almost goes without saying their their defense, Uh, just has so many guys you can pick on in coverage.

Wagner is getting picked on sometimes two even Brooks certainly at your boy Adams with a huge penalty last week, Dan, like he you know, they have they play this old school defense where they keep the linebackers on the field and they kind of have a strong safety that you know, it's not great in coverage and it's like you can find mismatches and yet I don't know, there's something about I can't imagine them going three and eight and I

don't know. I was not in on them last week bouncing back, but this, like losing this game with everyone watching and Russell Wilson going to three and a it's like a bridge too far for me. Yeah, you know, this is not dancing on the Jamal adams grave situation, but it is. It is a bit of a cautionary tale that because Seattle is in such a tough spot and obviously the Jets have only gotten worse since he left. But you know when you kind of say, I can't take the losing. I gotta get out of here. I

don't want to be part of this operation. I want to go play for a winner. Well that doesn't always work out. I mean, we'll see if Jamal Adams is playing for a winner now. He just signed a huge contract. I think ultimately that's what it was all about. He wanted to get he wanted to maximize his potential as earning potential, and you can't sagren him for that. But the other part of it was I'm sick of losing. Get me out of here. I want to go to

a proven winner. I don't know what Seattle looks like over the next five years, especially given the quarterback situation. But that was also a we're one player away self evaluation of the roster um, a very expensive move, and they are about twelve players fifteen players away, because that was the whole the whole hook of that trade was exactly that that we are a very good team. We are a playoff team, but we are one big time defender away from being a super Bowl team. And they

have just went down since then. It's not adams fault, per se, but it is notable that they kind of misread the whole situation and put themselves put themselves in a very difficult situation. Going symbolizes it. It's after all that happen. I did think Russ looked better in that game. They put him in such tough spots. I just it's still funny to me in year thirteen or what. Every reason that like they refused to throw it when it's third and twenty or third and fifteen. It's just like,

let him let him throw. So boring, they're so boring. DK Metcalf did not come down with a couple contested catches that were pretty well placed that could have helped out of us. I think I think he'll come around, is what I'm saying with Russell Wilson. I don't think he's gonna be suddenly terrible. If I had to pick one wide receiver on the field in this game to start a team with, it would be your boy, Terry McLarin It, no doubt not Metcalf. He is excellent. All Right,

there you go, Week twelve. That's the preview show. We hope everybody has a great Thanksgiving if you celebrate it. Uh, and we'll be back on Sunday night when we recap all these games. Well that's actually not true. Thursday night, we will have our recap of the three Thanksgiving games, so make sure you check that out, and then Sunday we will complete the recaps with our flagship show. Alright, boys, thankful for you. You know, we got our TV show too on on Saturday on NFL. We're not going to

do that that week right weekend? Tune in you DVR it. Um. It's on early in the morning on the East Coast late night. I know, I know some people that watch it on the Saturday night. I don't think I'm gonna go. Okay, okay, so are you okay, You're just not gonna show up at all? But that just be Greg and I have to do a lot more though. Yeah. I think I'm just gonna enjoy the holiday weekend like everybody else, like you know, so good luck, guys. And I'm totally bailing

if you're not, Like, there's no way I'm going. If you're not going, Greg, it is your show. It's got me. Ricky and the Grave Digger. Actually, Ricky are you yeah? You available you around Friday Friday? Yeah, I'm here, Yeah, okay, all right. I would never miss something in football seats and have heard all right? Good again, Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Uh Dan had to starting off a quiet storm the old Boss Ronicky Hollywood behind the Virtual Glass sun Still Thursday night, He's the call eight