2021 Week 14 Preview + Holiday Party Recap

kind of crazy? Football is family football. His family football was family and then they added another week to the season. They don't use that anymore. They were like, we had to give up something the family at the beginning of the season. But yeah, the eighteenth week is actually just like a neighbor that was just you invite him over, fight or over. But yeah, not family. Remember they announced the extra game added and they said this season is going to be the biggest season. Yeah. What came in

second is football was family? Well yeah, I mean they're like, what should we go, Let's let's keep positive. The first ad campaign just creates anxiety in me. I don't need everything with the NFL to always be bigger, more balloon like family. I mean, at this point, what I am trying to insist that during like my kids TV time, that Walker stopped rewatching the two thousand twelve NFL season,

and yet that's just what he's doing. He was. I was just like, oh, you just enjoyed that Bears Bengals Week two games from Yes, but directly you directly created that issue in your house. Uh. Today's Thursday Tuesday night was the holiday party. Um, that was a fun time. I came up with like a best of the holiday party before we get into all the game, uh four teen games. We're gonna obviously go through each game, break it down, but a good time was had. The holiday

party was held at Sophi Stadium, which was interesting. I've never been to a holiday party where I needed to go through a metal detector uh to enter the premises. But you know, it is what it is all right here. It is the best of It's kind of a countdown. Um, let's start with Erica number seven. Erica tam pose. She had a little side hustle going on at the open bar. Okay she Erica because we all got to drink tickets. Erica at a certain point ran out of her drink tickets.

You might be surprised to learn this very quickly. Uh, and Ricky, what did you do there? I really like this. This is yeah, I mean, you're you're putting it all on me. I think there was some other people were involved as well, the shadow elite figures that are listening. Um, you know, I think to drink tickets, but then you couldn't pay cash. They the bar was it so not only do you I mean, very nice party, but only

only two drinks and then you can't by the drinks. Now, I were trying to shut it down, right, So I went up and I said, hey, hey, Daisy, looked name. You got Vemo. She's venmoing the woman to give her a little side juice. And at one point, twenty dollar bills slip between two drink tickets. I was asked to handle that business. It was corrupt, is what I'm saying. But I'm not called tipping. I mean that makes that

makes all the sense in the world, smart thinking. All right, how about this, speaking of drink tickets number six, Greg Rosenthal's drink ticket debacle. Listen to this, Sessler. I just learned about this yesterday. Laying on me. So you get to drink tickets per person, it's a plus one event, Greg brings his wonderful wife, Emmica. Emmca is not a drinker or wasn't a drinker. On Tuesday Night, Greg declines

her drink tickets. That is what I heard from Assars. Now, when you could have easily handed out those two drink tickets, you decline them. No, no counterpoint. No one declined. We didn't even realize until she walked in, so they'd ever offered it to her because she would have taken them, and they didn't offer it to me. We were we were separating the line, but we didn't have him. I promise you that is so just weird, you know what

I mean? Does that make sense? You'd almost like the video, like the bank robbery video, to go back and look in the scene and just see what Actually he definitely would never have declined it because because I, like I only used one of my to drink tickets, immediately gave it away to something to say you're happy to give away, and you could have given away three though. You could have been like, hey, do you have your drink tickets?

I'll give them away. It's like it reminds me of the manscaping incident where Ricky brought in the Manscaper, and then Greg casually mentioned he has them piling up in his house and has never shared any of his manscaping equipment from the RJV. We're enthusiastic about the product, so I mean, I'm glad. I would not have thought it was be interested if we had the option, There's no way we would have turned in. How about this um jet your girlfriend, Ricky, she gotta kick out of me.

I had a couple of pops, you know, as I was leaving the party, screaming at the top of my lungs, the fugitive line, I didn't kill my wife. Definitely something you do around well, to the point where your wife Emily kept having a turnaround being like, I'm alive, I am well, but I didn't remember this. But I wake up in the morning and Jett is going, do you remember Dan? And then she was trying to do your

deep voice and screaming. It very funny. It's also it's kind of a take on a theme of Dan's I feel like when we go out, which it just often involves murdered murder. You were correct? Uh Number four Mark's annual Irish goodbye. You gotta enjoy that market. You could counter Mark to disappear at this event, and everybody looks around marksman gone for an hour and a half. Well whole. I think in the past I've stayed till the end at times. UM. That was not that. I don't know

what happens to me at this party. I got we had a great time at Dan's house, got to the place. UM, I left with one drink ticket in my in my jacket pocket, which is usual. I mean I used then I was going to try to give it to someone. It was like, just get me out of here, and so I went home. You didn't see one person when you were exiting that were like they were like, hey, well know when I didn't realize util the was the ticket and you're here was a large man with a

bald head. I felt it would be a weird thing for me to go to approach him. Hey, listen, I'm not looking across probably the mark. But that's worse than Greg, did you know. I will own it. I will own it as a as a terrible maneuver on my part. All right, how about this? This was after the after the party, there was an after party at the Cozy Throwback UM, and it was a smaller gathering. I wasn't there, but Colleen and Lakisha were a Devil's Perch mark, our

famous spot. We sat many a night with Chris Devil's Perch at the Cozy and Culver City and they put together a video and can we play some of that? Ricky all of it? I didn't think about that, and the life was sparkful. Santa. That was an earnest shout out to Santa Claus. I think she still believes um fully in the in that individual. I was like listening to that. It's it was pretty rare to catch, like

the moment that the gummy hits allegedly. Um. I wasn't there, by the way, because I had to get up early to do the Pat McAfee show. I like that number one and let's start ranking the mothers. He signed a pretty big deal. Did you see that in the news? He did? He did? That's interesting, well others did not. I'm very happy for him. Yeah, well it's something, you know, it's something to keep an eye on the business aspect of what we do. Um. All right, Uh, what was that?

By the way? Was that was that fun to do? That was great? McAfee and the and his guys there. It's very chill, laid back atmosphere, and we had a fun talk. Yeah, he asked, but no one had ever asked like the process of the power ranking. So I kind of explained how we did it. I mentioned our show, mentioned that we get together and watch the end of Sunday Night Football together, and that's when I start formulating it.

And it's what did you say our names? I don't know if Greg and Mark came up, but the Around the NFL podcast does that count? I don't think it works, but I appreciate it. Probably would have been too niche to get into that. I understand um number two and I feel like this should be number one. But they let everybody on the field and uh I kicked the twenty five yard field goal. That was impressive. There's video evidence. You told me that, and I have no like smartass

comment for it. I'm just like, good job. It wasn't wouldn't been able to do it. Kicks for you. It hit the net, though it didn't sneak over. The hit the bottom of the net, so it got over. If they were six, If Klais Campbell was in front of you, he might have been able to black it, but it did get over and he made your one for one from twenty five, which is better than the Jets kicker last week. Extremely impressive. Oh my god, that Jets kicker. And the number one moment of the holiday party, um

behind Ricky right now is the grave Digger. And we love the grave Digger because he's so hot right now, so hot right now. He's got so many things, because he's got such a bright future. I was told he was at the party again a plus one, uh, grave digger on the on his arm. Very beautiful woman, uh, I was told via a source. And now we're going to get the info that he had brought a married woman. Was not your and it was not his wife. Now we throw it to Justin. Justin on your arm, a

beautiful married woman. Yes, So what's that about? Well, you know, we've been just hanging out a little bit. It's nothing go on. It's like taking a while for her marriage to dissolve, or it's just open um. Yeah, you know, things are like fluid. Yeah, fluid, that's a great word for it. And she's not gonna listen. Do you do you know who she's married too? Or is it? Yes? Interesting you might want to know comment this. Yeah, you

mean you're you're. The way that you handle this is sort of part of the it's problematic the way you just handled this whole thing. I think I don't think so mean he handled it and I love it. I just think it answers no questions for anyone that knows him. That is sort of intentional. Yes, okay, so that's why I'm talking about great things, very juicy property. It is new playoff music there again here that was did you met?

You met the woman? Did? She's very nice? Absolutely, But again I'd like to see more surveillance footage of the whole you know, what is it in century? I would never do anything to violate a marriage. We're just hanging out friends for now, just friends. Very hazy. Hazy's fine. I'm just saying you've left it in the Hey, it's not my wife. I think it's it's a plus to you. Yeah, I'll keep you updated, please do Dad has never been

that's a number one. That's a number one. All right, we're gonna we're gonna keep tabs on that situation that could be central to our show. The NFL Network insider Dan Hands, I didn't know that. Um, alright, let's get into the games now without further Like, the audience just skipped the first ten minutes of the program and that's fine. We don't have an issue with that. But now we're gonna talk football. Let's get into it. We'll start with

the primetime games, then hit the draft. Um you know what added, No, I'm not giving Sunday Night Football the respect of being on the top of the show as a punishment to our league and the suits for keeping the Chicago Bears at four and eight without a pulse in prime time just because Aaron Rodgers is a COVID warrior. Um, I'm not doing it. They're going to the bottom of the show. Let's move to Monday Night Football, Rams at Cardinals from State Farm Stadium. Now it's a football game.

You want to start a show. You started the right way. I go on Pat McAfee once and now he talked like, Pat McAfee, get my persona back. You're Brian Kelly to Sun Degree. Let's get into it. The Rams are eating for the Rams. The Rams snapped a ugly losing streak, but it was against the Jaguars and a game, by the way, they didn't play that well in the first half. It was a close game, and then they pulled away, took care of business. They got they got to eight

and four. And now if they harbor any intentions of winning the NFC West, And how crazy is it, Greggy that on December, I'm about to say this, if they have any chance to catch the Cardinals in the NFC West, they need to beat the tenant two Cards on the road. How do you feel about this one? I feel like if the Cardinals team that showed up all season shows up, they're probably winning. Like this is the fork in the road game, as we sometimes like to the Rams at

some point, a little bit of a crossroads game. The Rams at some point, if they want to be the team that they say they want to be, like, they have to show it, and they haven't not since Week three, really against that Bucks game, and if you think about the very next week, the Cardinals come in and and handle them. That basically started this stretch for the Rams where they just don't look as complete and I think they have the pieces to do it, like it's it's possible.

You see it there. And yet when you watch the Cardinals week after week, and now that Kyler Murray's back and moving well. There's not like a lot of reason despite them only being a two and a half point favorite here to think like if each team just plays their average game that the Rams have a good chance. I don't. I think the Rams have to show us

something they haven't. I think it's a huge test for this Cardinal secondary, which has been badass all year Byron Murphy getting after Jalen Thompson, these guys who we don't really know about. It's a big test for their defensive backs because I just think Sean McVeigh is gonna try to attack that group in a way like they did in the first game. They threw the ball pretty well against the Cardinals the first time, but like that is the Cardinals area where you do wonder could have buckled

down the stretch. The Cardinals have been the most consistent team. They have one loss when Kyler Murray is the starter. That was a three point loss to the Packers on Thursday night. They have been to me, you could it's if when their offense is not leading the way it's been their defense. Last week they absolutely took Chicago apart early, and they they create turnovers. I don't love this game for Matthew Stafford. And it's not just what happened the

first time. I just think that the Rams have been vulnerable. Matthew Stafford is getting hit every week. Arizona can create a pass rush. This is the most over looked great team in sports right now, and I think it has to do with the fact that Arizona sports all of sports. I don't understand. I don't track any of the other sports. And I'm confidently telling you that I just about the Phoenix Suns. I mean the two options right now, playing

the same city. I feel like the Sun's got I mean they just won like eight team is a fair normally right there. I am locking up the Cardinals on Monday night because I believe in this team that much. I just do. I think that they like the version of Kyler Murray you got last week too. I know they haven't used them a lot on the ground. They did a week ago and it was in bad conditions. We'll have to see if that, you know, goes on another week or two. But James Connor is fit in

really well there. DeAndre Hopkins looked healthy to me last week. Why not? I love it? Mark it's uh. And it's like, you know, I gave you some grief and guff about locking up the Cowboys over the Saints last Thursday night. This is very predictable. Whenever that happened. It's Dan playing for the next week. He knows Marco get bowled the next And then and then you came at me and you said, how dare you you know, say that to me? You locked up against the Titans when they were all

banged up. And then it's like, well, it's no, it's no coincidence that we were doing that. Because in this strange ass season, the really only way to figure out the Locks game is find the team that's like crippled by injury and then you bang them. Everything else is a coin flip. Is Greg's standings? Canna a test? It's very hard to pick games on the Locks. Yeah, it's struggling.

I do have some breaking news right here. Um. The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. They were sold a decade ago and moved to Winnipeg, where they became the second incarnation of the Jets. So not underrated, not in existence for a decade. What's there in Winnipeg. That doesn't count. They're not the Thrashers anymore. Um, but they're twelve nine and four. Okay, well, guess what, Marquette, they haven't played any conference games yet, but they're eight

and two. Well, I gave you the Marquette point. The world is standing is that. I was like, where's Atlanta? They don't they don't exist. Um anyway, forget about the Locks. All right, good luck there, Mark I. Um, and it is over. The NFC West is over. If the Cardinals do their business at home here, because that would put them at eleven and two, the Rams would fall to eight and five the Niners or five hundred the Seahawks obviously,

or where they are. Uh So, this is such an important game for the Cardinals, and it's a statement game because if you go and you beat up on the mighty Rams, the we're all in Rams that this that that the NFL network loves the Rams. Guess what, Guess what? You are an absolute Super Bowl favorite, and I think we're all in an agreement that this is this team

is for real. And in reverse, the Rams would all the questions that kind of maybe went away as a focal point all week long about the Rams after beating up on a bad Jaguars team would come screaming back because this is a Rams the Rams once again on an island game. This started when they were stumped by the Niners. I think with the Rams they face a lot of the questions to me that the Bills faced in some way, which is that can you run the ball?

They got that was a big takeaway. I know it was against the Jaguars, but they ran block really well last week. They maybe get their Henderson back. If there's a weakness in in Arizona, they're a little softer against the run. Now Zavian Collins has been off and on J. J. Watts her, I think you gotta beat him by running. I'd love to see the Rams run the ball, and the Cardinals to me are the most complete team in the NFL because they can close out games running the

ball like they don't. That rain game, to me was a little worrisome if you're a Cardinals fan in terms of bad weather, which makes this game and the rest of the regular season even more important. You could tell Kyler Murray, who came into the league a little bit of that small hands rep like Jared goff Is he gonna be bad, good and bad weather. He could not grip the ball very well last week. I think that's why they only threw it fifteen times. It's why you

couldn't hold on to it. A couple had a couple of nice throws too. But you know what, you don't have to worry about that. You're at a dome five straight weeks the rest of the regular season, and you are the number one seed right now. So go get that by get the home games, and don't wear it with Super Bowls in Los Angeles? Do you, by the way, Mark, do you think that when Gregg makes a point it actually feels stronger because he's wearing a tie in glasses

right now? Oh yeah, but Greg knows my I think you look wonderful, Greg. But I don't believe in ties as a concept. But you were actually wear like a suit jacket all the time. Suit jack is cool. I mean the tie thing to me feels a little. It feels a little from like that to me too, Like he's like they got you. I answered with how I feels like I don't mind the tie. I would be fine if we had to wear the same uniform every day.

I want the decision taking out of my hands, like just tell I wish we had a wardrobe department and endless money. That just they just suited us up. And so I do think you look sharp. The NFL now they always wear ties. And the reason I put it on today is I was I was sitting and I saw a video of myself last week and it it looks sloppier next to those guys who aren't wearing it. And it's not like I look cool without it. I

look dorky either way. So I thought you love California casual before and then the glasses too, well, yeah, I like wearing the glasses when there's no sun. It's raining today, it's a rare day. You used to have the glasses that would turn into sunglasses with the sun, and I think that was you were a little young to be sported. Asked the Emma for some glasses, like maybe an array of them and maybe get them into the mix more. I love wearing some glasses. By the way, at NFL Network,

they outfit the women but not the men. What if you started a like they probably reverse times of movement. They could try to get us suited and booted. I feel like it would go, well, make it very public. I think they don't outfit us, some of these players. They're gonna say suits with top hats. I mean they don't. They don't. Well then there, but they someone they like.

If you're Michael Irvan, I want you to someone someone in Michael Irvan's life is telling him, I think it's a good week for you to wear the pink suit in the top hat with the fur coat. Like he's not coming up with all that on his own. All right, let's move on to the draft. I think he most certainly, I gotta think he is. He seems like a fashionable guy. I think what happens to everyone on these TV shows is clothing becomes the most one of the most important

things in their life. I it has not reached that point with me. We appear occasionally on unfair thing for you to say because they just because they have stylists and can afford it, doesn't mean that becomes more important to them than or that you like it, or it makes you like kind of get into it, you take all you want. It's just how I feel. I think clothing becomes a focal point for people that suddenly exist

in a different world. All right, And with that said, I mean that was not that did not that was not the jovial. That could have been more jovial. But let's take a break and then get to the draft. Please, that could have been word jovial. Right, all right, let's get into it. It's starting with the number one over I'll pick the old Zeuser has the number one pick, Dan Zeus, and I will go because that double third

person nothing. Uh, you know it is surprising though. Mark went out of his way to tell me that he doesn't want to watch the Browns on Sunday, so I will go and take the Ravens at Browns with the first overall pick. I love this game. I love how messy and sloppy and imperfect. The a f C North is no team really to me profiles as a Super

Bowl team. But that doesn't mean it's not fun to watch him roll around in the mud a little bit in December, and I think the Ravens coming up a very difficult uh loss to the Steelers where they gave up seventeen points to a big bend team and the fourth quarter get the big score at the end of the game. Greg, I did watch that two point conversion repeatedly, and I think you really could make a case for

both sides. I am not willing to say that that you're right and it was not Lamar's fault at all, But I'm also not gonna say he blew it and missed a wide open Mark Andrews. Either he did get the space, but he had to drop down at three quarters with a tricky throw, and it's in. There's been some argument that like Andrews flattened out the route and like slowed down a little board. When it comes down to like that minuscule of a thing, it's a little both.

He was open. It wasn't a great play by anyone for the Steelers except for t. J. Watt. So anyway, so the Ravens now they go to Cleveland to face the Browns, and this feels like and I know it's wide open the a f C. And even if the Browns lost this game, blah blah blah, they could get back into things. But I think the Browns are cooked if they lose the Ravens in this game. I think they are a team that's hanging on by a thread.

This idea. They went into the season as a Super Bowl contender in the eyes of many, and it's been such a difficult season. There have been ups, there have been downs. But I feel like the Ravens come to your building and whip your butt and drop you to six and seven, and they go to nine and four. The walls come in on Cleveland. So maybe that motivates the Mark, maybe that they know that maybe their backs are against the wall and they deliver a big performance

which they are capable of. UM. But I think those are the stakes here. One of their traits under Kevin Stefanski has been bouncing back from darkness from bad losses. They've done a pretty good job of that, especially last season. UM. But I agree with your points so much, Dan that this is what I wrote in my notes, that the Browns lose this It's not unfair to call this season a total disaster. I don't care about the mathematical contingencies of them sneaking into some wild card spot. They've been

outshined by every team in the Amster North. And if we told you, if I said back in April, this is the situation, they'd be in six and six, UM, with the potential to have lost the stealer. Steelers have been swept by the Ravens. That is as ugly as a prediction as there would have been about the Browns back then, especially considering what Baltimore has had to go through to get here injury wise, and what they're facing now.

There's this feeling in Baltimore now that not only could you know the division be up for grabs, but that the playoffs aren't guaranteed. I feel like people are overreact seen to that miss two point conversion, because, as Dan's been pointing out, this kind of who the Ravens have been all season, like living, you know, trying hard despite all the injuries, making some thing's work, but like living on the edge. And yet they now look at Marlon Humphrey,

their best cornerback, being out for the season. They now look at Patrick McCarry maybe been their best offensive lineman at right tackle, kind of been a revelation, really helped that offensive line, replacing Orlando Brown out for a few weeks.

And they're feeling like, are we over the precipice of the injury situation, where now we don't do anything particularly well, Like the one thing they did well was throw the ball down the field and outside the numbers, and Lamar Jackson's in a slump that really goes back to Week six. That's a long slump. So as much as the Browns are looking at themselves with a lot of question marks,

they're a little healthier. I know they might be short, they're tight ends, but they're still healthier overall, and their defense is healthier maybe than it's been all season, and they have to be looking at this as an opportunity. There's five games left and if you're trying to pick one of these teams in the NFL that who can change their story down the stretch because some teams well for good and bad, some teams will think totally different about going into Week eight team than we do right now.

The Browns at least are a strong candidate to be one of those teams because it's all there, the divisions there in front of them, the players are there on the field for the most part. They gotta just show up. And today I want to throw something out because Mark you have you've coined the term years ago about the team that's struggled but then causes issues down the stretch

of the berserker. I think on the other side of that, the underperforming team that you keep an eye on because they can get hot and all of a sudden find their way right into the mix, the championship mix. I call them a disruptor. That's what I think the Browns could be. The Ravens have been that team in the past, very that's still disappointing if you're the Browns. I mean, I I don't know, you went three straight or something here.

You'll forget about all of this. But it's just I don't like to make up with the team right now. I mean, it's no small thing that you don't have your punter and and having Harrison Brian and David na Joko your two tight ends is huge. In the run game, they held the Browns to forty yards rushing last time, dominated them at the line, and Brown's had four interceptions and got three points out of it. This game is

the Ravens got to solve this blitzing thing. I mean, I love Lamar, I love this raven staff, but they don't have an answer right now for when teams are blitzing them. It's not like you don't have to be an expert to see what's going on here. And this is a game I think Cleveland get very aggressive, get creative, cause some problems, just like good pick. You know, I've been weirdly on on Aaron Donald's case the last couple

of weeks. Kind of fun, but really, go win a game in a big spot, and you could do that in Arizona. Miles Garrett Meles garts having a great year, but absolutely cause havoc and put your team on your back in this spot. He has that ability as well. One of the things you're not going to watch this one, Mark, I mean I will eventually, but you didn't want it to be your main game. I need, I need. I

know what teams fascinating me right now. Well, the Browns will always fascinate you the most I know, but it's like it's been a long term relationship that's bordered on abusive and I need a little bit of a breathing room, all right, Um, all right, Lamar hasn't had a rushing touchdown since week to either, Like, that's one thing I was jumping out to me last week. He that used to be a major part of their offense, you know, the chunk plays on the ground and it opened up

the passing game. That element of the game is missing as well. It's just been their offense is not easy to watch right now? All right? The second overall pick? Mark Sessler, all right, well, I am going to I talked about teams that fascinate me. This is a pet team verse pet team, you know, a kiddie clash like. I like these two teams so much that I can't wait to see what happens. The six and sixty Niners verse the seven and five Bengals. Greg, last week, you

felt that it was too much. I was too unrealistic and it just didn't fit for the Bengals to beat the Chargers and get to eight and four. Is eight and five palatable enough for you? This game, to me the one most if I were to if I were to pick, I think either of one of these, But no, to use that test, it makes more sense that both these teams would be seven and six if I was using that same particular game is not working out well for Cincinnati every time we play it, it's like, no,

they need another loss. Well, it's more because also the forty nine is definitely feel like better than a six and six team. To me, they do well. I think their season. I mean, if we're looking at the Rams and these other teams in the NFC West San Francisco that you know it was the hottest team in the conference outside of the Cardinals a week or two ago,

has to show up here. And the one lingering image um that concerns me because last week I thought the Bengals were killed and went down early because we finally had Justin Herbert dialing up big shots down field and one on one coverage, and the Bengals allowed them to do that, um to their error and climb back into that game. Because I think they are still a really good team. But the image that stuck with me on Sunday was Kyle Shanahan. It was a pretty mild mannered

on the sideline. He's not some screamer, but he lost his cool with Jimmy G after the antics of the end zone safety, a terrible interception getting stuffed on third and one, and it's like, we don't trust Jimmy G to go do what Justin Herbert just did to the Bengals on any level. I think if we get Deebo Samuel in this that will be massive practice Wednesday. But there worse. There was some optimism before that, and this typically doesn't mean anything but last week he was resolute

and like, oh, I'll be playing next week. I'm only missing one game. We'll see what that actually means. But something got Burrows districated. Finger I know it's being like, that's not a big deal. Well, I mean, did you see what it looked like. It seems like it would be a mild deal. It was very it was very swollen, but he came and played fantastic. I thought after that injury,

I think Joe Burrows having an underrated season. Somehow, he to me, he just is so much better this year than he was as a rookie, even though the mobility, especially early was down. So it's a game where you trust the Bengals quarterback more, but you trust at least I trust the forty Niners operation more, like why can't we have a George Kittle game like that more often? The Bengals are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of giving up plays up the seams.

That's where Jimmy g is usually good, although it's also where he throws interceptions quite often. But George Kittle, Deebo, hopefully he's back. I like plays up the seams, mashing the ball. I do think the Bengals defense is is a little vulnerable in that way. Who are you going to root for? Mark? That's what I love about it. I feel like I could ship back and totally enjoy it, But I don't know. I'm much more would want the Bengals to take a small minor I think Shanahan was

also annoyed. I'm I'm glad we can mention this here because I've forgotten the Cardinals that Kingsbury showed up after the bye week with a Shanahan like beard and a Shanahan flat brim hat, and I was like, like, he looked a lot like Shanahan, and I think he was. He was kind of saying, I'm the new Shanahan and that is hot. That's a hot take. I love that take.

And these guys definitely notice these things, Oh definitely, so the things like when I almost saw two head coaches fight at the Combine a few years ago, Like they notice everything. In Kingsbury. He cares about how he looks, and that's fine. Everyone does at some point, but I guess I'm not allowed to write that point to some degree. I'm just saying he waited for that bye week because

he didn't want to be in the in between. You know, while he was on the sideline, he timed it out for the bye week, grew that beard, wore that flapper. It seemed like you were making an insinuation mark that at a certain point, if you reach a level in this industry, it becomes more about how you look then Ball. That seemed to be what you were saying. Yeah, but I don't think I think I'm not. I think the same thing that cared about it on air, they cared

a lot before they were on air. And then there's the reverse. Some people kind of don't care in either. I don't doubt that. I just feel like maybe I want to be there. Give me that wardrobe and I'll start. But I can't. I can't handle, like, how do I go build a whole, like a huge wardrobe of my own without a money b I have, Like my we don't have any room in our house to store four thousand extra shirt. I'm just saying it's too much, it's beyond my It's something I'll deal with, something I'll deal

with next year. It's like how we get our own parking spaces right by the entrance, and I'm the only one that uses it because you guys are so working class. I guess same thing, Mark, we are. Let's not, you know, let's not hide from the fact that they give us our own lockers. Basically now in a dressing room like and yours is the only one that's completely empty. The parking space thing is only because from what I hear and I you and I actually I passed you today,

um and gave you an adult hands. You seem like you have a bigger We don't have a problem. I don't here at all. I just because we've never I don't. I've never more than two second one to have the inter like this, it's it's worth it to not have the social interaction of like making someone get up, which is fine, and everyone has their own. That's the thing making a man come over and take a cone away so that I can park. It's just that I don't even know how when I'm there's no one even to

talk to when I get to that level. That's part of that person's job, like theyre I'm saying, I don't see them when I get there, and it's just my parking spot is maybe forty yards away around the bend. I'm good to get a little, get those steps and get a little Anyways, that's what it's about, all right. He went way off topic. Oh I thought eron Glenn and Aaron Glenn got fired in our email, but he didn't not yet. All right, let's um, they're playing well lately,

those fighting lions. Let's move on and uh up next is Greg. I can't believe you left Bill's Bucks to the third pick. It's the game of the week. It might be the game of the year for me. I mean, okay, that's overstate. It's not it's not even the game of the week. Ram's Cardinals a little better. But this is Romo nance and I am just fascinated by this because of the matchup. First of all, Tom Brady said the minute he was off the field last week, next game

is our biggest game of the year. And he's like the last person whoever gets like that, And I was like, why why did he say that? First of all, he's got, you know, a thing with Buffalo blah blah blah, but he sees them as like a Super Bowl contender, as a real test and you almost get a sense with these Bucks and just the way that the schedule worked out that ay, they're not being tested, that they're almost having to rev themselves up, uh to get these you know,

wins taken care of. And they've done a good job of it against the Falcons, like Giants, games like that. And then you look at the rest of their schedule. Sure they're gonna be fired up for that game against the Saints, but they don't play a team with a winning record the rest of the season until the playoffs. And I think Tom Brady was fully aware that when he said it. I think he wants everyone healthy and

back for this game. I think he has questions, uh about his team and how they're gonna stand up in a big spot. And as as much as Buffalo has struggled lately, on paper, they up pretty well with Tampa in that they're a passing team and the Buccaneers defense is vulnerable to the past. Like if ever there is a week for Brian Dable to ignore Sean McDermott and just throw the ball forty five times, I think this is it. Can we see the old Bills passing attack

in perfect conditions against a banged up secondary. Even as the Bucks get some of their players back, they lose Mike Edwards to suspension. Jamal Diane as a concussion. White Head was out last week. Don't think he he might not be back, and so they're still vulnerable. This is a game where I think the Bills need to outscore Tampa. This stress opposed to every other week when you don't want to outscore the right like not outscoring would be

not opened. I just mean you're gonna have to put up thirty five or so this stretch, this Patriots Bucks. You got the Panthers in there, then the Patriots again. It's just the it's the acid test for Buffalo. It's

kind of um like. It reminds me. I don't know why this came into my head, but like when John Lennon had that lost year in Los Angeles where he was on the outs with um Yoko Ono and his life and off the rails, but you come out of it having learned something about yourself and maybe having grown. This is that, This to me is it for the Bills because what we think about them has changed so remarkably.

For me, the New England game, like we can't say all last week, it really matters what happens against the Patriots and then blame it on the weather that it doesn't matter. And I know I'm not greg, I'm not just pointing to you. I feel like there's a lot of like, well, actually, no, no, we still really believe in the Bills, and I believe in them a little bit less because of the way they love this team a year ago. I love the idea of the Bills

my whole life. I mean, there's I just feel like it's a hard it's hard to say like the Bills were exposed on Monday night, given how strange it was because of the weather. It doesn't mean that it wasn't disappointing, or that the fact that there's seven and five is a massive letdown from what expectations were. And that's why this game I'm really pumped to see, because this really

is this is gut check time. Do you see my points? Though, it's like we're we're deferring the now it matters for the Bills, were saying before that game started, and as a fan watching it, I kind of thought, I don't know what this game tells me at all, whether the Patriots win or lose. It's sort of a one off

in that it's so unique. I see what you're saying Mark, it's a playing in that weather too, But that's fine, you know, but the Patriots could have lost and I wouldn't have thought that they were away, because that's my point, that the weather made it so weird that you almost have to or at least I do, And I guess Greg agrees that just got a whole judgment. Still on the Bills, Let's get him against Tampa on the road.

And if the Bills really are messed up or doomed as you said on Tuesday, Um, then they will lose this game, and they will beat the Panthers the next week probably and then lose again to New England, and that will be their fate. Um. I'm just not ready

to go there. I think there is maybe something within this team and maybe a frustrating loss where not only did you get beat in a really tough game in prime time, after the game you rubbed the wrong way the way people try to spin the game, UM as some type of uh you know, addressing week this is that we're exposed in a big spot. I think they're mad about all that. I think the Bucks are and try. I think the Bills are gonna win this game. I

go that far I think they got this. I I don't want to go down like hot Take Avenue with this, like I did with like multiple teams in both conferences a week ago. It is a layer cake to me of displeasure for the Bills, because the first layer is the Titans loss. The second layers that Jaguars debacle. The third layer was getting totally thumped and outmanned by the Cults.

The fourth layer is the Patriots game. How many more layers on this cake do we need for me to lose a little bit of faith that this team is not last beyond McDermott. McDermott's own words and frustrations. Don't have any more faith, You're out. I don't have no faith, you said. I'm more. I'm in a different place than you like. If they beat the Bucks, I will allow some of those sins to float down the river. But I don't just ignore the game because it was in

poor weather or anything else that's happened. It's all part of the story that that's fair. And yet when I look at this matchup, it's not the things that everyone's talking about that I'm worried about the Bills. It is their path, same game it is Josh Allen, Stefon, dig Sanders, Knox, Gabe Davis. Because for this team to make sense, and I think that's why McDermott so frustrated. They need to

be like the Bills. They're having the same feelings, uh that the Chiefs are having right now, except when they're going up against good team. You know they're they're having a tougher schedule. Basically, you look at this match of Bill's Bucks. Can the Bills really get after Tom Brady? I don't know. I don't really and that was Atlanta, But even then, like Tristan Worse, hasn't given up a pressure since Week eight, Tom Brady is still the best

quarterback in football. I think when he's given time, like Josh Allen, isn't that close. So if you got that big of an edge at quarterback, I don't think that. To me. The coaching is a wash here and you give the Bucks a little bit of an edge. Great game. Can't wait to watch it. What a freaking pick at number maybe one of the best. I'm about to have, one of the best drafts anyone's had. I gave Dan a good draft. I feel like I helped make you happy. The reason why I didn't take it, Greg, is because

I knew. I knew my late afternoon is gonna be bills at Bucks and niners at Bengals. So all I needed was to take my Ravens and Browns and then hopefully they that those two games stay on mark by the time I come back around. Didn't work out that way for the old zeuser. Well, that that's doing a disservice to your other four pm game. I'm taking an early game now. And wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, before you go calm down, we have we have someone else that wants to talk about this game. It's a

Westling brother. Hello, heroes, Phil here Week four Keen and the west Lane Boys desperately need a win. I only have one recording this week, or maybe another one if things start going sideways. Made game. I had zero in my brother, So you know what that means. No Bengals and it's something Mackie and me. Sean McDermott, you got outcoached last week by the goat when the Pets only

through three passes and you couldn't even own it. This week, you're going against another goat who was guaranteed to threat more in three passes unless for Net runs all over you to pop off, bucks over bills, lock it up. Yeah, there is a delicious little irony that the people of Western New York aren't going to want to hear. But there's a chance that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick end your season and forces again. I hadn't even thought of that.

You're joining forces. And by the way, Nick Westling did he sent two files last week, and one I guess was I don't listen he sends the Western Brothers sent me a file. I never listened until the show I and he said he sent one and then said, actually, don't use that one, use this one. So I was like, okay, and I sent that one on to Ricky. I need to just get out of this business. They just need to send it straight to Ricky. But I just it's

amazing to me. So Nick was telling the truth. He did have two files, one locking up the Bengals, one locking up the Chargers. But who does that? Well? I also did you dirty? I thought on Twitter? And we don't need to go down that road. But how about this um? Being a middleman is never a good role. You don't need to keep be a middleman at this point, it's not it's not a smart for you. I think I gotta get out of the middle, net Ricky going forward. Can we just get the Westling Brothers to send it

to you? Yeah, all right, here we go. Let's move on. Greg. Sorry, without further adode Greggy with the Cowboys. It's the Washington football team. It's early. It's important if Washington wins this game. I'm excited about this game. I really am, because I have somewhat openly thought this Washington run a little phony, not quite buying it. Like it's fine, like they it makes sense. They deserve credit. They've they've beaten some bad offenses with some well coached defense. Like give Ron Rivera

a lot of credit. Taylor Heineke playing better for a month overall, uh than I expected. But to me, there's still a seven or eight type of win team. And now you're going up again Dallas in a game where okay, it's de Marcus Lawrence's second game back. Cooper was just coming off COVID wasn't totally right in terms of the snap count a week ago. Now they've got a little extra rest coming off that Thursday game. It's you know,

it's Lamb, Cooper, Martin, Tyron Smith, Gallop Zeke. All of those guys had actually never played together with Lyle Collins until a week ago, and now here we're back again. And oh, by the way, you add Randy Gregory, who looked like a pro bowler earlier in the season, is back. Neville Gallimore, who's their best interior lineman from a year ago,

is gonna play for the first time all season. I think this Washington offensive line has been well coached up, but it's like, I don't think Taylor Heineke can go up and down the field on this defense. And if you can't do that, I think this game ends up being a little sideways. And that's why I'm locking up the Cowboys. That's right. Dramatic pause. Well we'll let it. And I was trying to fit no, I love that gap. Um. I was trying to figure out, like, who do I

lock up this week? And then I heard Mike McCarthy. You know we're gonna win this game. I'm confident that. Yeah, baby, I'm locking up the voice too. Oh, I thought you right back. It's Mike McCarthy, Yes, the mastermind behind it all. Yeah, Marky, Well, so what we often frown on Cowboys Cowboys Hubris. In this case, I kind of love what he did. I with you. I think this is maybe where the rainbow ends for Washington. Uh, it's just I don't like the matchup on any level. A lot of things have gone

right for them. That said, if Dallas lost this, utter chaos would be unleashed on that Organisa, you here, play Mike, Mike McCarthy again, Ricky, please, you know we're gonna win this game. I'm confident in that. It sounds let spoke. It sounds a little bit like he's does he sound that confident? It looks like he's like, I'm looking past this game. We're gonna win this game, and then we're gonna move on and continue to win football games. It would the NFC East is there's if they win this game.

And yeah, I'm with you, Greg. Everything you said is the reason why I locked the game up. I think Washington deserves credit for making the season interesting, especially especially with Chase Young going down Mantes sweat. By the way, we talked about his broken jaw. Uh and uh, he is supposed to come back, but then he got COVID and he's not vaccinated. Yeah, he is out now for at least ten days. I think it is what it is, and then he has to not test positive and all

that stuff. So it's been a nice story that the defense has gotten off the mat, even though they're underman uh. Tellor Heineke has been obviously a nice story. Antonio Gibson is a really good player. Um. But they shouldn't have one last week, all right? They did win the Raiders blew that game, uh in three different ways. I didn't think the Washington football team played that well in that guy game and got away with some things. I think

the I think it ends here. The buckstops here is the Cowboys take control of the unbseased question for you, and I hate to keep doing this, but was it a nice story that they waxed the Buccaneers the team that we now call the team that will decide what we think of the Buffalo Bills. I'm just saying Washington is not something. This is not a flukey scenario. They they have shored things up. We've seen this under Ron Rivera before. The offense I think has gotten has grown

as much as the up. No, I'm good with my I mean, you know, I'm with you like, that's why it's it's like, well in the lock zone, Like it wouldn't stun me that Washington won this game because I think they've shown us who they are, which is a pretty close to average competitive team. I believe the Cowboys are better than that. They to be fair, and we talked about it on Tuesday with Jane, they just haven't.

They haven't shown it, not offensively. I think their defense has been pretty consistent in who they are that they're there's they're spunky, they're sparky, they're they're overachievers, they're they're fine. It's the it's the offense. It's Dak and in all the weapons actually that haven't been able to get into full flow, and that included in that Sades game that they couldn't. They had seven possessions, you know, Taysom Hill

kept turning it back over. But I just believe in talent over the long run that it will come around there too. Towns well, and it's one of these things whenever they say like this this offense versus this surging defense, they match up really well. And the Cowboys have the second point most points per game in the league, the first in yardage and a lot of that is waited from earlier in the year when they weren't in this post Broncos slump. But it always favors the offense when

that stuff happens. I don't love the matchup for Washington, um, and I will say that the Cowboys, And we talked about this with Jane, and I thought it was an interesting theory. Well, I don't know if it what it means ultimately, but um, he hasn't played that well since he came back from the calf. Jane said she wonders if there's some type of mental component to it, the calf injury, the leg injury last year, that he's not trusting his body in the same way and that might

be affecting his play. I don't know, but he has not been as good. They need Dak to really uh light him up. He's been so different too. He he's at Sally, I think made more big time throws in the last two games than any two games stretch off season, like more like, oh my god throws. But he hasn't been doing this stuff where he like reads everything and knows what's going on, and he hasn't looked like poise they're comfortable. It's like the total opposite of how he started.

Left the Saints hanging around of that game and a lot of it. Alright, let's take a break and then we will move up. All right, we're back Mark, It is back to you, buddy. Well, I'm gonna pick a late afternoon game here. I'm gonna go Giants at Chargers. Um, based entirely on my interest in the Chargers, based not on any level in my interests of the Giants. I mean, look, we're back here again, though with Corona. Because Keenan Allen, who is vaccinated has COVID, has a chance to play.

It sounds like that he that he probably will because the five day window started on Monday. Mike Williams was he has though, well he's been. He's in that COVID world where we don't know, I don't know. Like Williams was a close contact, he's not vaccinated. They still say he has a chance to play based on when it all occurred. Chris Harris on the defense also was a

close contact. So if you lose, if you ever weren't with Williams or Keenan Allen, which I think they will be, UM, it would kind of unspool everything that we saw Herbert and Mike Williams achieved last week, which was a long awaited deep shots down field that took some of this heat off of Joe Lombardi. Um. On the giant side, it sounds like Daniel Jones has a chance to play on where we are here on Thursday. Um, Mike Glennan has a concussion at this point if he couldn't go.

Jake from State Farm, I guess is like the third guy mix. I mean, I'm with you the dream and

are a conversation for the offseason at this point. I think with the with the Chargers, it's like, okay, guys, let us know, like handle your business back to us, uh, you know, after this Sunday of games and let us know if we should take you seriously because they could be a disruptor in the a f C. They could be a team it comes up, goes from being an inconsistent up and down entity to bang, all of a sudden,

they're playing the a f C title game. They have that type of ceiling, but you need to see that consistency, you got it. They need to do with the Cults of Mastered, which is oh you're giving us a layup on the schedule. We're gonna slam that mother down, gonna handle it. We are gonna take care of business. I loved what I saw out of their defensive line last week. It was by far their best defensive line performance of the year. It kind of came out of nowhere. Bosta

wasn't even on the field. Uh. They've also been a good run defense since thereby, like that idea that that's their huge weakness isn't borne out by stats or the eye tests. For about five weeks now, they've kind of solved that, so you see some things coming around. Mike Williams is loosely expected to play because he's the close contact Keenan Allen. Yeah, would have to pass the test as much as people got on Rogers for being unvaccinated. Like, I haven't seen anyone get COVID on a Monday and

play on a Sunday. I've been watching this, so it's unlikely it's possible. But the timing, because everyone makes this huge deal, it's like, well, then you're gonna at least be out a week if you're show me the vaccinated guys that are testing negative just five days later, it's hard to do. Like it's the optimism on the on these reports through me because right it's it's so a typical Mike Williams should be back because he's a close

content and Chris Harris. I know we don't want to talk about the Giants, but this no Giants running back or wide receivers scored a touchdown since October. It does not speak to the talent. It speaks that they have had zero availability of the roster. It costs their offensive coordinator getting fired. It's just like this Giant's team needs to go to sleep, and they got a joe. They got a coach afraid of his own shadow, calling punts

while he's down four in the opposing territory. Mike Glennon on your quarterback, Jake from give me a promote this all right, let's move on. I am up a spot here, you guys, bang me in the biggest of all spots. Um, I will grab the Raiders at Chiefs in the early window. Puts me in a tough situation with the Jets, but I'll live with it. Um, all right, same thing with Raiders. You know, I think the Raiders are. I think the

Raiders are and also ran. Ultimately, I'm not um. I've gotten to the point where I've seen enough of them, uh to know that how this is gonna end, It's gonna end in a little bit of disappointment. Eight nine, nine and eight. So what what interests me more? And I could be wrong because everyone's been wrong all season one? Maybe the Raiders rise up, maybe the starting here, they beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead, then they go to Cleveland and win, and then they win at Denver in their

nine and six or two weeks ago. Maybe that happens. Probably not, though I think the Chiefs again, with their defense playing as well as it has and with the Raiders accepting the one game on Thanksgiving Night, that offense has been as bad as it's been, We're gonna get another one of these twenty two to nine wins for the Chiefs because I am out and I am out of the business finally, effectively, uh, Sunday night of saying I think the Chiefs are gonna come around on offense,

I just don't see it. It's not. But when they play the Raiders. That was the one game that was the forty bomber, uh that everyone was like everything solved, but No, it's like, actually, you just for playing the Raiders and that matchup work for you. But maybe it'll work again. Maybe, But it just there's it's not a slump anymore. It's something systemically wrong with what they're doing, or it's a personnel or whatever it is. I think it's more likely at this point that this is something

they could fix in the off season. That's something they could fix in December and January. That's just that's where I'm at. But and that's why the defense, as good as it's been, they strike me as a team that is going to get picked off in January and it's gonna be seen as a big upset. But at the same time, now now it's come down to Steve Spags having a bad day at the office to save the Chiefs. I think that's the more likely destination. So yes, I

like the Chiefs this week. I like them in another low scoring win where the defense carries the day and Mahomes does just enough. But I think the Chiefs have major issues. Do you like them by nine and a half points? This was one of the toughest games I thought to pick against the Spirit. It's gonna be right there. It's gonna be that's how they get you. I think they can solve their problems this season because I think

a lot of it is on Patrick Mahomes. It's he's just not as accurate, Like I think there are plays there to be made. He's a lot of the interceptions have been bad luck and everything. But he also just is missing a lot of throws. Like if you look at him and Stafford, I think are very similar in that if you look at their like on target throw rate that like PFF does in terms of putting the ball in the right spot, there was a ball location like they just they've just been missing a lot of

throws and that's hasn't been the case with Mahomes. I don't know why that is, and I think it can change. I would. I just I've seen too much good play out of him. I can't imagine that Andy Reid just doesn't know how to coach offensive football and they don't have the right player. It's not that Andy is no longer a good coaching and Mahomes is no longer the

most talented quarterback of his generation. There's something that's just something in the mix here that's beyond like a body switch comedy and now it's rich co type coaching and Ken O'Brien a quarterback, Like something else is going on. I mean, before I knew you, guys, I was stuck in these like laundry list of terrible corporate jobs. And one Christmas they gave us as a gift. You're welcome by this. We saved from that. That's true. I was hired before you and taught you how to use the

you know, the theater system. But I will, I'll look at it that way. But it's just Jim Ryan and a good day in New York YouTube video. Well I'm not your boss anymore. That's more. But that they gave us this book, that hideous corporate book, Good Too Great, which I threw right in a trash can. But I think the chiefs are more authoring, like a sequel that I think more people can relate to, which is like great too Good, Like they that's what they are this year.

It's fine. And like if you look at even some of the best quarterbacks, and I think Mahomes came out like such a fireball. And it's the way he plays, uh you know that, you know it's not the same throw every time he does things that are special, that are, you know, visually off the charts. But every quarterback has these seasons where after a couple of great years, they regress a little bit. And I think that the function

of the whole offense is part of it. And you look at Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelsey's numbers, it's just we just assume that they're off too, Like they're still Tyreek Hill's numbers are still incredible compared to other wideouts in the league and stuff. They just don't seem to have that special sauce this year. And I think it's just who I mean, well, I guess, like I'm wondering.

I think it's just not very much physically, I think slightly. Yeah, I just think that we're like and Dan, I'm happy to hear you say that you've gotten off this train because we could all be wrong, like that's pretty much of what we do. But like, I'm not waiting around for them to be the Chief's offense from two years ago.

And I don't see it. I think the Chiefs fans who are trying to make the point, like if the Patriots have this run or the Ravens have this run with these scores like no one's complaining about the style points that there is something too everyone's complaining. That's what I mean. Like, if it was those teams winning with those scores, no one would be plaining about the Patriots or the Ravens. And yet because it's the Chiefs, everyone's complaining.

They do get some credit for the institutional value of like we know how to win games, like we win more than everyone else. For for the Bills and the Browns and these teams that don't know how to stack year after year, Well here we are the Chiefs, you know, tied for the best record one half game behind in

the A f C for the fourth straight year. Now they're doing it in a different way, but they do get a little credit here where it's it's all the same people running the ship that have gotten them to eight and four problem in a in a really blase Um low grade a f C. Yes, right, but they beat They beat the Packers and granted Jordan left that one didn't kind of count, but they beat the Cowboys.

They've had And a point that you made Tuesday, or I guess the Monday Night Football Crew made Tuesday about the Patriots was like, oh, the only difference between this year and last year is they have better players now. It's also the a f C is worse this year than it was last year, right, so that really has helped the team like the Patriots and a team like the Chiefs, who I think because the a f C has been what it is, have been able to win

eight of twelve despite having major offensive issues. And by the way, there's one thing some chaos. One thing that I want to be wrong about is the Chief's offense and and then turning it on because the league is just more fun when mahomes greatness is on display, uh in a really um profound way. So maybe it happens, but there's just so much evidence now that it won't. All Right, I feel like an anarchists, but I kind of like, what's I kind of like him not being

like the centerpiece every week? How about when we were watching Sunday Night football and we're board to tears, Yeah, but I was more it was much more boyd with the team they were playing, which we'll get to at some point in this show, I know, but the fact

that we're board watching the Chiefs side come home. So what I hear when I hear like the league is just so much better when like the Cowboys are good, or the league so much better when fill in the blankets like I t I typically agree with like thirty of those, and I don't need the Chiefs to like go blow everyone out week after week and being hearing about Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelsey it's a little personal. I get it because you know it happened against the Browns,

but beyond that, I simply don't. It doesn't make my life so much better. I, like other teams, was slow on the uptake on that one. I didn't really did. That is like, that is a piece of it. It is not the entire thing. All right, let's snake it and it's a little it's got now it's getting sloppy, so let's let's pick up the pace here. I will grab the Saints at Jets. Um. The Saints is for them,

lose and see you next year. You could say it's already that place for them because they yeah, they've been so bad for a long stretch now, but yeah, one game out of five and seven and they're at the mental ends. But no one's scared to go and play the Jets and Jersey, so uh, this This profiles against the Jets defense that has been unbelievably poor. Like that's to me. People could say, what's the biggest disappointment about this latest poor Jet season? Is it Zach Wilson not

really fulfilling promise early on? No, because I'm not totally surprised by that he considering where he came out of college and the fact that he's so raw. We'll see what happens down the line. The Jets defense being the worst in football by a long shot, that was not expected, even after Carl Lawson went out with the injury and then eventually Marcus May. The fact that they are they would give up seven consecutive touchdown draw or scoring drives.

To Gardner, means you that they would just get embarrassed on Thursday Night Football by the Colts in a way that was ungodly. Like, So, if Taysom Hills healthy enough to play at a strong level compared to what a skill set is, the Saints are gonna score a lot of points in this game. And it's going to be a Saint's romp because the Jets defense has reached the point where they do not compete, and you get Alvin are back expected to play. UH, mark Ingram is in

Cam Jordan run the COVID list. Give me a break, This is like worse than last year, but the Jets third worst run defense dv o A wise, they've allowed a hundred yards on the ground twice all year, and hey, they have been utterly thrashed another weeks. So it's just with who the Saints have in the way they're built.

It sets up well for New Orleans. Well, they're getting healthier, except for those COVID issues that would end UH consecutive start streak or game streak by Cam Jordan that I believe goes his entire career dates back to the late eighteen hundreds. Pretty pretty amazing for a defense eve end. I don't don't think he's ever missed a game. Taysom Hills practicing is expected to start. They're gonna get one of their two tackles back. It sounds like torn armstead.

Ryan ramchucks still out of practice. The Jets are very banged up, actually missing UH quite a number of starters in practice, including both their top running backs have concussions and Elijah bore As a quad injury and as in practice. So it's a mess I was thinking, I was thinking right, I was thinking of Marcus Davenport's also back for the Saints. It's like with the Saints, it's often just like who's playing for this team. If enough people are playing, they're

pretty darn competitive. And I think it's a very difficult matchup for um, your boy Zack Wilson. If he doesn't have his running game, it's very hard to run against the Saints, and he doesn't have Elijah More and Dennis Allen I think has done a great job this year, and I think is a particularly difficult guy to go up against for these young quarterbacks. Is they're just gonna send a lot at him. I don't know if you mentioned Corey Davis. He's out for them. Didn't He just

had core surgery. Uh, he had a groin issue that got worse last week. And that is just like the Jets curse with these free agents. Every free agent they sign either plays well well below what they expected or they get hurt. It's just like a point where they're not having to make you know, splash free agency moves every year to like Corey Davis, isn't It was just like there are multiple splash people that have not worked out. Listening to this though, think like, no team is scoring

a ton of points. I mean, we're not scoring a ton on any defense. I don't care how bad the Jets defense is. That's have you watched have you watched the Saints offense the last three weeks? It has been It's been a tough slog. Alright. I will say this, Um, the Saints struggle in the screen game within the post Drew Brees era uh with Tayson Milk. Just throw some screen passes down Camar and see what happens. This game is lockable. I thought about locking this up, but there's

so many injuries. Yeah, I saw it too. I just don't. That's a gross move. I don't. Um. All right, let's now move on quickly. Mark, all right, I'm gonna go. I need a nice early game to pair with that Bengals Niners dreamy affair. That is gonna be a romp, I hope, and it's going to be the Titans verse the Jaguars. Um. This got on my radar. Jaguars wise number one to Julio Jones for the Titans. Sounds like he's back at practice. They'll get him back. That helps

a little bit um for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence had to come out and say, we have that, actually, do you want to tee it up? And then well you've just teed it up. Trevor Lawrence that the number one overall pick who has struggled, uh to lead this offense two points this year. Um came out in the media. James Robinson, their best offensive player at running back, has been getting benched a ton this year for fumble issues. Although Carlos Hyde when he fumbles, he doesn't get better.

It's a whole thing and it speaks to maybe a bigger issue behind the scenes. This is what Trevor Lawrence said to the media this week. Um, I honestly don't even know everything that went into it. You know, I'm playing the game and stuff happens in the sideline with coaching decisions. I don't really get into that, but I know and I voiced my opinion. James is one of our best players and he's gonna be in the game, and I think we're all on the same page, so

there's no confusion there. Um, So we're just gonna We're gonna move forward. But I know James is the hell of a player, So I want him, I want him out there. And now there's a sparrow I talked to a sparrow said there might be some heat going on behind the scenes. Well, um, there is some heat between

Lawrence Anders coaching. Yes, yeah, and I think I think this is now coming and I and and also urban Meyer had to sit down and meet with James Robinson, and urban Meyer came out saying it was just such a fantastic meeting. Oh wow, like what a connection we made. I don't buy a word he says, like I'm gonna start doing that now all the time. It's like what

he is. So it took. It took James Robinson very politely answering questions, going out of his way to try to not make it an issue during some radio appearance, uh where the guys were kind of peppering them on

it and asking him about Erban Myke. It took that happening and then becoming a local story for urban Meyer then to set this meeting with his running back and then afterwards like I'm gonna change how I do everything and I'm gonna start meeting with all my players weekly on the regular because this was so good, Like what is going on here. Um, it's a mess, that's what it is. And the Jaguars have a tricky situation on their hair hands financially there to say the least, the Titans,

go win a game, Go win a football game. Go do it, Mike Frabel, your defense shut down the Jaguars who just want to go home during what's been a miserable year. And then if you do, it's five more games. You're nine and four and then you're in the mix in the a f C. The for the top seed

is crazy as that sounds. And like one thing, when I was watching Monday Night Football and you're watching the Patriots bully the the Bills and the trenches, It's like, what's the team in the a f C that would be able to go punch for punch to the mouth with with the Patriots in January? It's the Titans. But they gotta get healthy and they got to survive this stretch of their schedule. Maybe the Colts. Maybe, maybe it's

another one. Any other thoughts on this one, Mark, I know you've said it all, all right, Let's move on then to Greg closing out the draft. I am closing out the draft with a pick of a game this week. Let's go back up. Falcons Panthers is my last game. I know it's a sad state of affairs. Has there ever been a worse game just in terms of, like

the the actual quality of the teams? That's on December twelve or later between two teams that are very much in the playoff hunt because I know we don't believe in these teams, but I mean, outside of like five other games this week, but now, but not two teams this like this, The Falcons and the Panthers are seven and thirty second in overall d v o A, so that paints them as two of the worst five or

six teams in the league. And the record still isn't that good, Like they don't deserve to be five and seven, but it's not a good record. But in the NFC this year, that's only one game out, So one of these teams is gonna have at least another week of a stay of execution. And I can't decide if I think like Cam Newton is just a little cooked or whether he's gonna have a chance in this game where the Panthers played bullyball the first time around, is a

very memorable game. Uh to me, at least just they did the Patriots Bill's plan a little quieter. They ran at about forties seven times and let Sam Donald throw it uh in the teens uh and won that game in Atlanta and dominated the Falcons offensive line because when the Falcons play a team that has any pass rush, usually they think there are differences. Though, I mean the

Panthers right now are like a bad psilocybin voyage. They just fired Joe Brady, who we went into this season calling one of the best play callers in the league, potentially a head coach candidate. I think Matt Rules. I thought Joe Brady what like what he He came in with as much acclaim from the college game as anyone in years, and there were sparks last year, but there were also Teddy Bridgewater issues saying that the you know,

the red zone stuff. I mean Matt Rule basically said he wanted to get creative and do things differently, and he fires Joe Brady right now it's not working out. This has got to be one of the more disappointing teams around. To your point, Greg that like their record, the three and oh start feels like a thousand years ago at this point because the defense has been okay. I mean, the defense has let them down in spots, but they've been okay. Fire and Joe Brady on the

Sunday during a bye week is a wild move. It really is Matt rule. I believe thinking if I'm gonna go down, I'm gonna go down doing it my way. And ultimately I hired this guy didn't really know that well and he said that was the first time he did that, that he didn't regret it. It was like, actually, yes, you do regret it. That's that's what you do when you fire something like it. And yeah, to Mark's point, like the Broncos for instance, and I brought this up

a couple times of the season. It feels like Broncos aren't having a great season. But when you start out three and oh, it allows you to stay afloat as long as you don't become pitiful. Immediately after the Panthers became pitiful. They've lost seven of nine since starting three and oh, hence their record five and seven. That's math nailed it. And they are now in a position where like, yeah, I think I might have to flip my pick for

this game. I took the Panthers. But I think there's something about this Falcons team that they're like, they're gonna be like seven and ten at the end, and they when they should have been too, and they've actually been an overachieving seven and ten. I wonder in the end rule to make kind of I don't know, some type of bold declaration here gives it to Chuba Hubbard thirty seven times in this game. Well, that's what they were starting to do, and then you lose Christian McCaffrey in

the middle of it. By the way, Joe Brady put into a bit of a tough situation with the quarterback team building scenario. It's like you you, and Rule was like publicly saying it after certain games when their season started to spiral. It's like, we need to run the ball, and we're going to run the ball. Trust me, we're running the ball, which is basically, hey, offensive coordinator, listen

to me. We need to run the ball. But it's like you're not mentioning that Christian McCaffrey's now missed two straight years, and it's like Cuba Hubbard and whoever the hell else is back there. It's like that's a tough situation to put an offensive coordinator. Absolutely, and yet the success of Jamaar Chase, Justin Jefferson and Joe Burrow in the pros should absolutely redistribute all the credit that Joe

Brady was getting for historic LSU team for summer. We we love giving the coaches so much credit when it's mostly about the players. Those are two incredible players at wide receiver on the same college team at the height of their powers, quarterbacked by a number one overall draft pick who's gonna become a top ten NFL quarterback. Like I could have offensive coordinated that team to a pretty good record. Well, you could have gotten fired too. I

think you know we all could have. I don't think we quite understand what I don't mean literally, but I'm saying if you just throw in your average college coaching Sam Donald for six weeks and see where we are pressing, I would I would delegate. I would delegate quite a bit. I think your average college coach at any level would have had great success with those three players. That is not a controver, just like slightly dismiss it, but it's players matter, Like what else you would matter is not

a controversial, right concept. But like you've just taken the man's like resume and said he's a straw man. He was saying he got he got way be rated for that. And I refuse to defend the Jets on any level. Um how they've made organizational decisions. But the reason Matt Rule didn't take the Jet shop is because they didn't let him pick his own staff. And that's a ridiculous

way to treat any candidates. Dan Is coming back and scoring a point in an argument a year ago where the Jets got a lot of grief for keeping Gayson going because of his lack of NFL experience. That was why they were that way. Joe Joe Brady led one of the great passing attacks ever and then Rule hired him to run a run based offense. It's it's an interesting decision. All right, we keep moving, but first a break. All right, we're back Seahawks of Texans. I'm I'm not

messing around. I'm telling you Bears and Packers will be the last game we talked about. Seahawks at Texans. Jamal Adams out for the year. Um, so you lose him, but you get the Texans their worst team in football any thoughts on this game. The only thing I had that caught my eye Texans wise this week was Nickissario, their general manager, at being asked about David Culley coming back,

and he was like about as noncommittal as you can get. Yeah, and like Seattle, I mean you're gonna get Davis Mills for the for the Texans again. I mean, if you're Seattle, your season is over. In my book, that Jamal Adams thing is an exclamation point on a trade that went totally south for them as the organization starts to fade into the later years of an organization under Pete Carroll. Wins for the Jets who have like a you know, winning percentage the last two years, but that ended up

being the right move as well. Uh Joe Douglas from President it is a big day for you actually screen A lot of the Seahawks get another week of um like the slightest life if they win this game, because the second they won that game against the forty nine is not only did Pete Carroll give like an impassioned, like we're still live speech in the locker room where he looked like they had won the Super Bowl, all of Seahawks Twitter that I followed immediately made the corner

too from the like, well, you never know, maybe we can go on this run here because eight and nine might for a decade. So for if you win this game, you get one more week of that before the Rams game, where you feel like, maybe we can make a run. What if the Rams get wiped out by the Cardinals and they're in a free fall. They didn't really look The Seahawks looked weird last week. I did not get the feeling that they solved their offensive problems, even though

they did look good when they were up tempo. I kind of don't even trust them to like cover eight points against a sneaky first sexans the conversation over. That's right, So let's move on the Lions at Broncos. Greg, give me something another one where it's very tough. Do you really trust the Broncos to cover eight against an NFL team? I don't. They've done it how many times this year? Twice? Notice how Greg defaults to a betting program whenever you

just throw it to them open ended. Well, because that's I gotta make the picks on NFL dot Com slash game picks, and I really only care about the A T. S. And so that's that's what keeps me up at night. It's not the I mean, I'm gonna pick the Broncos to win this game. I don't trust them to make it a blow out necessarily. They've won four or five blow out games weirdly, actually, if the first three weeks of the season, like the Cowboys, the Chargers very recently,

so like that. Those are teams with winning records, so it happens. Uh And yet the Lions actually, if you look at since the bye week, they I don't think they've given up more than twenty points. They've been in every single game until the final play, so they could be better than one ten and one. Uh. Here lately Jared goff mc miss practice with an illness. That would

change things obviously if he was at all right. They beat the Giants, Jaguars and Jets and those blowouts so and Cowboys and the Chargers two of the last four weeks. I think we effectively unless they want to really do like the you know, the villain and a horror movie thing and come back to life. The Broncos essentially were put under on Sunday, right, But I get it all

I was saying is they're capable of blots. They have blown out more good team then many teams with winning records this year, right, I mean, it's a weird thing. We do not want the Denver Broncos in the playoffs. They're gonna be seven and six if they win this game. We don't any they could lose. We don't want to waste the Saturday playoff game the Lions. I wonder if

Vick Fongio you could be saying goodbye sooner than expected. Finally, last, but least, the Chicago Bears are playing Sunday night football against the Green Bay Packers. Not flexed. Aaron Rodgers is a big ticket item. The Packers are a big ticket item. They have a major um pop obviously nationally as well as regionally, and they have a chance now to move to ten and three and really put the pressure. Uh So they play Sunday night. The Cards play Monday night.

So they're gonna destroy the Bears. Let's be honest here, They'll win about thirty seven to ten. We'll have to sit through the game for three and a half hours. Fields is returning great, and then the Cardinals will go play the Ams. A feisty uh Rams team that needs a win, knowing that the Packers will be not just tied with them for the number one seed, but if the Cardinals lost, it is the Packers that are the number one seed because they have the head to head

tiebreaker with four games to play, so the stakes are high. Packers, of course, have to take care business first. I see our fandom, um a four in a road there in our fandom. I am very excited about the Cardinals. You have a Packers fetish that is raging not too far below the surface. I like, I like watch see the difference. Like the Packers are what the Chiefs used to be, Like a fun offensive attack playing for an old school franchise with a lot of history and then a historic

quarterback Like I like that stuff. Like as a Jets van, I don't get any of that stuff, so if I could find it elsewhere, I'll take it, put it into my vein. And like Arizona, I think a very balanced team and I find them much more likable because the defense isn't hanging them out to dry week to week mvs. Last couple of games, nineteen targets. I mean there, I trust them to take care of business. I don't even

to think about it. They're gonna watch I'm with you, And yet I was thinking, Okay, they're gonna come back from the by and it's like, when are we gonna start getting this mythical Packers team with bak tr and Alexander at cornerback and then Zadarius Smith. It's like they're still not back. Uh. Aaron Rodgers still not practicing and says he feels a lot better. That's good, but still not practicing. Randall Cobb actually has a new injury and he is officially out for this game. Uh. Not that

not that he's like, but he is. He's not the biggest baron Aaron Rodgers. But when you look at like the receivers with the most red zone targets, there's some type of stat where he is with like five of the best receivers in the league, and then Randall Cobb. I wish I had the staff, but just to paint a picture that Aaron Rodgers makes it a point to make sure Randall that's his you know, executive of the year. He Aaron Rodgers. But but Cobb had a great game

when he got before I got injured. I believe in this running game though, and I the reason I am with Dan like I love watching this team every week now is because of the Aaron Rodgers thing. He played his best two games of the season. I thought, by far in a row before that, by so I want to see if that keeps going. I am happy that Alan Robinson is back, Justin Fields is back, an achiem Hicks is back. There's been so many of these Sunday night Bears Packers games, and none of them I feel

like they have been good. Give me a good one. And you were in London when I was. As much as I like the Packers, I want to see Justin Fields put thirty up on them, just to haven't I get it? Like the Midwest deserves these, like old school rivalries in a big spot. I just wish the Bears would and I could have flexed this. That's I think why there was anything. It was fair that it's a good it's a good ratings game. We love the Midwest. We love you guys, great people, very nice, very nice.

Um spot. I have a lot of family in Chicago. Do you know the interesting mom said um before? Because Greg, I know you got you were itching a little bit there. What does the Rainmaker lock of the week this week the rain Maker. But you can't just call for that, you know, if I'm not you know, throwing it out there so it's not official, doesn't look better glasses. This is ridiculous. Well what is it? What's the game? You

feel the most confident? Yeah? No, I was trying to look to see it and it wasn't popping off the top of my head. You know, Greg, I listened to these gambling shows on Saturday on AM Radio. Well they're coming with changing some fires. You have a little more to build confidence in the potential. If I had, I would have thrown it out as a thing there was. It might be Cowboys. I think it might be. I think I might be covering the Cowboys. That's the Rainmaker

lock of the Week. No, I don't feel that strong. That's not that's not selling the brand I do. Like. I mean, if that Jake from Game gets to uh Sunday here nine and a half, I don't think you could make that line big enough. They're the giants. There you go, there's another one. I think we need to. I think we're gonna workshop this and it would be good to end every Thursday show with the Rainmaker Lock of the Week, right, catching you off guard might not

have been. We get a sponsor for it, you know, we see like the McAfee thing, like he just pulled that deal. If we can get the sponsorship, you know, Draft Kings presents the Rainmaker Lock of the Week, like we're rolling in it. They'd give us three uncertain um all right, Like Adam Shine by the way, I was listening to Serious yesterday, uh waiting for that to do that appearance thing, and Adam Shine they throw it to him and it's like a nice sixty second nugget. I'm

Adam Shine. I've been doing this for seventeen years. I've been picking a lock and it never goes wrong. And this week I'm banging and needed like a college game. I think, like that's what we need. I'm telling you you were caught off guard. I defend you on that because I'm ranking. Um, I don't know. I don't do like Marx Lock of the Cardinals. By the way, quite a bit too, that come off as me being critical,

I'm not. I'm just saying I smell a hit here and maybe next week next I mean, or you could look at it the other way, which is that rate. The rainmaker bit has been gone for a couple of years now. Basically, I'm making the choice each and every week to not do it. So that's a conscious choice. Just threw her hands up behind the glass. That's that's a tough setch. I thought it was good, but all right, Gregg decided it should be over. That's you love it, you do it. You do it when you feel it,

when you feel it in your bones. Welcome to life. Here we go. That is the week fourteen slate. Uh tonight Thursday Night, Steelers Vikings, Me and the Quiet Story. I'm looking forward to that one on Friday mornings. I always try to listen to that TNF recap on my drive in Marker. Not every week, but I do a lot of times. Me Mark Seessler Pete Jorn will be on the mic to talk Thursday night football recap Steelers Vikings.

Get get excited. You're you're looking at me. I am mildly excited to be It's kind of a fun one. I suspect you guys are gonna get a lot to talk about. That's my prediction. I'm in all right, Ricky, let's go. H It really does look like an accounting the rain Lager bid is such a great way to close this Thursday show, Just think about it. Sure, but you could have done this off the air. The call