2021 Week 4 Preview

and getting the business gift given to me. So a tip of the cap to Ricky Hollywood for playing the Uh, guys are really phoning it in. When I'm the guy that's sitting right, I appreciate it. Be nice to get a little live intro read appreciate Money, thank you for stepping in. Also the voice of the Chargers of course, So you're a very busy man. Big radio show here in l as well with Petro's but in the Mark Sessler chair for the week four preview show. This is

the first time we've done this with you. Excited for this maiden void. Well, I'm honored obviously. I am mom Gonna's used the word obviously twice. I am pointing out the obvious. Uh sass. If you're listening, love you, wish you the best to get better soon so I don't have to keep doing it because I had too much on my plate. Quaite too much on my plate. We're like Greg the way we are asking people for help. Now. We used to be once, by the time, the most

self contained organism in this entire media group. We never asked anybody on the show. We never had guests, we never had anything. Now we're like hitting up all our buddies. Uh. And I think they're starting to get a little annoyed. Right. We have Claibon and Weiss are on the A t N broadcast this week. People should check that out Saturday mornings or Saturday afternoons in the UK. But yeah, it is that balance of like, should we ask Claiban two or three times to help us this week? Let's let's

get money to take one of those Claiban spots. It's it's a delicate balance, right. It's it's a because I want to be invited, I want to be wanted. I want you to want me. But at the same time, I also don't really want to do it. But but it's but it truly is, you know, it's the scales of justice, and there's a there is a balance, like there is there is a time, let's say two weeks from now, if I hit up money again, it's gonna

be like zeuster. I wish you could do it. It's just at the time, my time is too valuable right now. I just can't listen help you out. All I'll say is always ask, because you know I don't care if I offend you by saying no, So feel free to always ask. Um. I know this from the hip. This is meaty. I know this is a Meadi show because I listen. I love the Around the NFL podcast, so

I know how how big this one is. It's going to take a little while to get through all this, and I don't like playing the grab bass to start the pod. That just seems like such a you know, BS pod cliche, like hey, we're fun, loving god, we've been doing it for eight years and you're you're gonna do it now. I'm just gonna get and you don't, with all due respect, before before you insult somebody, you you had to carry the last show because Dan's voice was blown out. Yet you guys never shared why his

voice was blown out. I didn't know. I didn't ask, to be honest, Why don't you tell everyone, Dan why your voice was blown out? All right? I will, and I do appreciate you putting me on the spot. I just figured it was the you know, vocal content. Wait do you hear this one? Wait? Do you hear this one? I blew out my voice on a Saturday afternoon. Come on, spit it out there because gian Carlos Stanton hit a grand slam over the Green Monster and down Streight. It

was I mean, it's a disgrace. It is a disgrace. I know something big must have happened, because Dan knows I don't really follow the baseball so much anymore, but he did send me what I suspect was like a half drunk text about like how my dad is feeling about it? And I was like, I don't know what are you even talking about my dad? Like I wasn't I didn't, I wasn't aware of the game at that point. But you know, it's a big moment. As I told that text, that was the first one all season act

like a professional. Yeah, well no, that was a learning, learning lesson. In fact, I woke up Sunday morning and I was like, usually it's just it's if I have a big screaming sports event, which is good because sometimes no it's not. How about we don't scream their exactly they're on TV. This is exactly first one. All right, choir boy. The one thing I don't like about working in sports is all the people like me that grew up loving sports all of a sudden are too cool

for sports, Like why would you ever cheer? Why would you ever get excited for a sporting event? I still love my teams. I love the Yankees, I love the Nicks, I love the Jets, obviously, and sometimes it gets away from me, and that was there's just a I will learn from it. But also it's just that's also why I've worked in this business, because I'm passionate about it.

Part of me is embarrassed for you, and part of me envies you because I am one of those too cool to cheer for teams guys, and I have I'm not too cool. I get into it. It's more at this point like him as tennis and basketball leavel not not football as much, but it's more you want to be an example for your kids. I was worried, like

my dad was visiting. I mentioned that, and I was praying the Patriots would stomp the Jets because which thank you for the context now if he had left at that point, but I didn't want him screaming and swearing during a bad Patriots game in front of my in front of my boy. That's bad. It's bad. That's bad. That's good for that for the boys. I definitely do watch the swearing. I don't do that, but it's hard not to get excited ed s. I knocked it off the rails, and I will. I do declare vengeance upon

you Money. We're bringing that up. It's only about the fiftieth time you've declared vengeance upon and guess what, this time it's coming. That's right. I declared vengeance on Money last week. That's right. When I'm in the makeup chair and it's hot down there, they haven't figured out the air conditions. A little vengeance. I had a little fan on me and then there was someone working on my hair and on my face. Was a moment, and then he's taken video and Greg, you know that's out of bounds.

You don't take video in the makeup room to try to them know you're right. Gregg doesn't, but I do. That's kin a guy. I am. Here we go, get to it all right, Here we go week four. You know how it goes. I think money. You know how it goes. I do. I listen. We'll go through every game to come Thursday night football of course, Bengals Jaguars. That's gonna be an old Zeuser joint with a secret guest.

And I'm just gonna this song. I'm gonna say who the guest is a little Dasha zest to the conversation when this particular person open up the cabinet, take something out of the cabinet, and then you little dash of it. Any particular spice likes at the Italian, just tell me and Ricky can beep it out. I just want to know you haven't pieced it together. He literally just said,

spice spice rack. We'll be joining me, Brad Spiceler, Cincinnati native Chris Westling, Buddy, there we go, and um the Chris Westling Desert Consigliari will be talking Bengals and number one draft pick Waterbacks that's coming up later tonight to look for that. Let's start first before we get into our draft, and Money will participate in the draft, and maybe that will be how we get Shooks games sorted out, and maybe Patrick will figure all that out without Mark here.

But before any of that, let's start with the primetime games. And where else to start but Sunday Night football and Greg, you've you've I know, I know how you are. Greg. You have been avoiding this conversation on the show as long as you can. And he did a good job, and I was distracted with other things too, so I didn't really get a chance to drill in on it. But this is it. This is what you've been fearing your whole life. Tom Brady is coming to Foxboro, and

not only coming to Foxborough. This is something I feel like you brought up last May. You're like and if you figure out, you see where his numbers are, it might line up that he could break Drew brees is passing record. They said it exactly for this purpose. They So you had mentioned that I remember a few maybe a couple of months back, and that's exactly where we are now. After Brady went over for for four hundred

last week against the Rams. So not only is Tom Brady coming back to Foxborrow with Gronk by the way, he has a chance to set the record and that's a stop down the game situation. I guess I think

it was for Drew Brees. I don't think so on the road and they're not gonna well, this isn't any road game, Greg, And that's what this is all about, because not only is Brady back, and you know he wants to deliver a whipping on his old coach, it's at a vulnerable time for the Patriots, like all of the fan stuff and the Brady returns and the relationship stuff.

I almost don't wanna dive into it much. And yet the Patriots are so boring right now as a football team, and the Bucks are sort of what they are right now. They're a one dimensional team that doesn't really run the ball. Well that's at this point overrated defensively, and you can move the ball against I think it might be Mac jones best chance to make some plays is this game, because they're so Boomer bust um that I and this Patriots team a little boring right now. It's a good

it's not a great defense. They're a totally disappointing offensive line. It's a station to station offense. But it gets kind of back to the Tom Brady of So it's crazy that he's returning to New England not just as a Super Bowl champion, but as arguably the best quarterback in the league. And it gets to where Brady was in I went to look at their rank, his ranking on the QB Index end of the year. It's a good it's a good field tenth and eighteen, fourteenth and nineteen.

And I think about those Patriots teams and I think how lame they were at the skill positions. And I look at this team again, and I watched them last weekendst the Saints, and I was like, this is another lame Patriots offense, especially at the skill positions. And it's almost like Brady always made those skill positions look better than they really are. And they tried to make some signings this offseason and they'll probably get better this year.

But it's it's very similar to me, except now you've got a rookie quarterback running instead of one of the greatest ever. Well, you know, I I don't know if it was you guys, but it seemed like consensus was, oh, just you know, think back to those early oots. That's the way this is gonna look. Dominant defense, dominant offensive line.

They're signing Hunter Henry and John hu Smith to be there, Rob Ronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and that's gonna help out Mac Jones with which throws to the middle of the field. I think we're still waiting for it, you know where I think you said it best. You know, look, Damian Harris look great in week one, right, I mean outside of that fumble, It's like, Okay, this is this is what we anticipated. Is their sizzle. Not really a lot,

but you can win games this way. And Bill Belichick, you know, and and his ability to coach and and to help on those margins, the inches that you have to account for. That that gets you twenty one to eighteen wins or twenty four to one wins. And I just don't know if Mac Jones and the offense is good at it's different, is different from two thousand five.

You've got to score points. I mean, they're better offensively than we're when Tom Brady right starter in oh one already, that's how bad that offense was one of the worst offenses. That's the thing is it's a different era. It's like they're trying to play to a different era and their defense is not that good. They've played three pretty poor quarterbacks in a row. I think up front they've been

dominated until last week. They were okay. On the defensive line, they're an average two maybe better than average offense defense, but that doesn't get you very far. There's a lot of those and I don't think it's gonna get you many stops against Tom Brady. So I do think it's interesting because at the end of the Brady era in New England, they their skill positions had dried up, and we were told it was you know, they had some

roster maneuvering that made it difficult to get better. This offseason, they went out of the way and spent, like we said, Hunter Henry Johns, remember all the hype about that when they came in Nelson Agilare, which was a signing that got and and you're not seeing this and Damien Harrison. You know, okay, they can run the football and Damien Harrison.

Then you read about Damien Harris can't pass protect. So that's why may he's not getting on the fields as much as again And now now James White is out of the lineup for the season, most likely with the hip injury. And I guess this is my kind of last point on this, Greg that um isn't a little bit ironic, Greg that just as above the treetops, now you know what? You know what's not rain on your wedding thing? No, that is not not Atlantas kind of blew that one world before. But um, I have bad luck.

I had some pie on my face for my hashtag gradual decline prediction of Brady and the late teens. Um, But guess what didn't It turned out it was the Patriots, Yes, that ultimately mis evaluated their own guy. And I think it's just telling that the best quarterback in the league, arguably two one, is back in New England now where this didn't have to be this way. I guess he could have been Derek Jeter with the Iggas, could have spent his whole career there. We're not relitigating this, but

it is. It is a part of the story that he remained great and the Patriots didn't have the foresight to see that or make the relationship what it needed to be, and there's no way around it. That's part of this game. They they've they've been handling this well, Belichick and Brady publicly very well. But the part where Belichick was like, well I didn't want him to leave, It's like come on, right, It's like, come on, I mean to be fair, no one wanted Tom Brady, including

the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He got paid about the same amount of money as Teddy Bridgewater as a free agent. The entire NFL could have come in and given him some money, and no one wanted to give him money. They gave him basically minimum salary, and even the Bucks were like, now we're not gonna go off that, We're not gonna go above that. Charges wanted him, wanted him, but no one wanted to No one believed that he was a difference making quarterback, or they wouldn't have offered

him a lower salary than Derek. But that's missing the point. That's my point Isntory. It should have known. These other teams didn't have access to Brady, so they're seeing from the outside it looks like he's getting old. New England wasn't able to see that This guy could still will be incredible if you just get things fixed around him and treat him like the legend that he is, not like just another guy that's in your life. If that

would get old, I don't. I don't mean that. I don't want this to be hot taking, but I know it's going to come out that way. To me. This this is so not a big deal, Like it really is not. The guy won the freaking Super Bowl, he was one of the he was the best quarterback in the playoffs. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. This is nothing. This game against Bill Belichick him. Yeah, I think just in general it's it is for this week.

But in the scheme of things, you know what I mean, Like it's I think it means a lot to him. But he's saying it's gonna be It's gonna mean a lot to Belcheck. It is fast, and he just says that someone who loves football to see what he tries to do to stop them, because they are traditionally like a man to man type of defense. I don't think they got you know, they've been played more zone this year.

I don't think they have. Um, the guys, they really missed Stephan Gilmour this week to to go man to man. They they you would think they would adopt what the Rams tried do and what teams try to do now, which is just like put two safeties back there, make them worked out up and down the field as slowly as possible, and hope he makes a mistake or someone else does, which happened last week. Gronk had a couple of key drops. There's a couple offensive wine issues, and

they ended up scoring that many touchdowns. I am fascinated to see from like a football angle, But I also I'm annoyed by the Patriots fans who have been so spoiled by the greatest run in NFL history, and all they can do is complain and wine about it. And I get it, like you, you wish you kept Tom Brady. I don't think that Tom Brady on these teams would have been the same time Brady, But just like, have some gratitude, I mean, just stop complaining about every let

me we gotta move on. But I do want to ask you one question, Greg, what is in your mind best case scenario for Sunday night in terms of how Brady plays with the score is you know, give it what I mean, they can win the game. It's the NFL and the Bucks. Of what would would you like it to be? Let's say it's not never gonna happen, but thirty five three and Belichick schemes up Brady and destroys him. Would you want there? Do you want Brady to play well, have a nice moment in Boro back

there and Patriots still win? Obviously? What would you rather? I'm just out of curiosity. No, I don't want Brady to be embarrassed. I don't want the crowd's not gonna boo him. But it would really bother me if if they did boo him, or if they went against him. I think it's the other way that this is. This is a game where you expect the Bucks to win big. I think there's been a mutiny building among a lot of Patriots fans who have kind of become Bucks fans

and Brady fans. And the NBC is showing these ads where it's saying it's like we're against it. It's like, I don't think that's really Boston. I think a lot of them are like our friends Burke, and they're very conflicted. They've been loving watching Brady so have I because how can you not live Tom Brady if you're Patriots fan? And uh, they're they're gonna kind of like jump ship when the Bucks drop a hammer on the Patriots. And that's why I'm locking it up for the buck. I

can't believe you doing that. I mean, if I've got to go oh at three and just be a total mess, I might as well make the pick that for the show. If the Patriots win, it's good for the show. You're coming year old buttocks there because you're oh and three and now you're saying you're doing the pick for the show, But you gotta do the pick for yourself. Greg. It's a good lock though. I mean, that's the Bucks coming off a disappointing loss. We gotta move Monday night football.

It would be faster on everything. Also, James, the offensive line is so terrible and James White being out for the season kills him. He was their best player, and as I said, Damian Harris reports that he's not. He's failing in his coverage, I mean, in his blocking assignments. That's why he was the best case scenario is it's a shootout and Mac Jones looks good and I think that's possible, all right, speaking of shootouts, Money, you will be on the call across the sidewalk. That's so far,

so far stadium for Raiders at Chargers. This is a great game, not a good game. A great game between a three and o Charger Chargers team and a two and one three and o Raiders team and a two and one Chargers team that everyone is excited about it. You know who's more excited than anyone, Money, Brandon Staley. I love the way Brandon Staley goes out of his way now back to back weeks, once after a loss, once after win. The best player on that football field

is our quarterback. And I know Mike Williams got loved this week too, But he's letting everyone know both and how he calls games and what he says to the media. I have something really special here and that's gonna take us far. And he backs it up, you know, I mean, I think that's the difference, right. You can, you can say it all you want, but he backs it up.

He wants the ball in justin Herbert's hands. He wants it with six and a half minutes left against the Washington Football team he wants it with forty six seconds and a fourth and nine against the Kansas City Chiefs. And so you don't think that was just about playing the Chiefs. You think this is sort of what they're gonna be letting justin her I wanted to ask you, Yeah, I think it's a message. I think it is a message because look and and I don't think he would

say this. This is my own interpretation. I think the last four years and I love I really, I really do. I loved having Anthony Lean as a head coach. He is as good a dude as you could be around and was always very forthcoming. But I just think he coached scared not the right word. He coached against the clock, and I think against situational. With situational football from ten years ago, it's like, hey, milk the clock bank him, used their time outs and we'll win by two. And man,

this team for four years, you know the numbers. Nobody lost more one score games, nobody lost more three point games. And I think it was deflating that that this team had an identity crisis of well, we're just waiting for the bad thing to happen. Because so so I think just saying, like the next you know he's special. He is. He is a very very special player. There are throws

that he has made through three games this year. Particularly one that I would point to is go back to the Dallas game and watch that freaking rope he threw to Keenan Allen thirty yards down the field. It was layered, it was a laser and I cannot believe it is completed um And I think that's just an indication. I think Brandon Staley knows one like a couple of plays before that got overturned that was forty five yards on the line. Never seen it. That's what I'm talking about.

One to Keenan it was forty five yards on the line. I got called back professionally, do you pinch us up? Because starting Lassie's and it was Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert, who was not a slam dunk prospect. A lot of people were talking down on him. To now be walking into it feels like a Dan Reno type talent here. I mean, you guys know, I'm a college football fan and I watched Justin Herbert and Oregon and this is not what we saw. This is this is not how

Mario Christo Ball plays football. He plays not to turn the ball over. He believes in his defense, his old line, in his run game, he should be taken. He he really absolutely should. He absolutely should. They should have won a champ national championship if he was able to cut him loose instead of the way he chose to use him. So I didn't know what the Chargers were getting when they drafted him at number six. I thought they were getting the guy that I saw at Oregon that would

you know if his guy wasn't wide open? He talked and ran and that doesn't work of the NFL. And man, it's turned out to be as special a quarterback as we have in the league. Right. Well, we'll get to the We've talked a lot of Raiders and this is still a Raiders the question. But we don't have money here, So I just want to ask because you have a good sense of this team facing this Raiders offense where four receivers have over two hundred yards receiving. Already, car

is playing I think even better than Herbert. They're they're both like top five level cours, playing the best ever played in his career. He's playing this well despite a pretty bad offensive line and no running game, which is which is wild. How do you feel about this Chargers defense after three weeks? And like how they match up here? Because I don't know what I think about the Chargers defense.

So here's what my Here's the way I described the Chargers defense is they are operating exactly how they want to and people are saying, you can't stop the run and four hundred yards and four hundred and fifty yards here they figured it out, Like I think, this is exactly what they want to do. You've got explosive offenses in the Chiefs and the Cowboys. Cowboys just put up a forty burger and they dropped twenty nine on the Bucks.

What do they do against the Chargers? They needed a fifty six yard field goal at zero's to get to twenty. The Chief's ravage in thirty five a game, what do they do? They scored twenty four and they turn the ball over four times. This is what they want to do. It's you are not this has become a league of explosive place you are not going to get your explosive. The Raiders are like pretty much the number one team.

They're almost making me regret picking the Raiders in this game. Yeah, So that's what I think you're gonna see is you're gonna see a bunch of yards and people are gonna be like, man, I don't know, is this defense for real? And then you're not going to see a lot of points and that's what they want. That's how they're going to play the game. We have an inner office raffle for these games at so far Greg one last week, by the way, is that right? Yeah, let's uh connect

some dots about that. You're going to the game on It was the butts game, but I gave him to Lakisa, so Lakisa got to go with Beautiful. So I figured there might be you know, the fix might be in. So come at me now for that money. Now, I'm sorry. Um I put in the raffle for tomorrow's Chargers game. I would love to see. It's gonna be a foot out. The Raiders were talking about their offense eight straight games with four total yards. That was the longest active streak.

The Vikings are the next closest with four. They are flirting with history if they if they do it again, they tie the two thousand seven Patriots nine So and now Josh Jacobs, but I think there's a great chance they will. I think they'll get their yards. It's just back um potentially for this game as well. Whatever that means. I don't know what Josh. What is Josh Jacob. Well, he's supposed to be their lead back and he returned to practice on Thursday, so that can only give them

a little more balance. This is a great game, Picket. You said you you picked the Raiders the Raiders on the website com because you know I'll take the Chargers. But I do think the Chargers win this game. To me, it's it's Max Crosby versus Storm Norton. I mean every it's so funny every team the three weeks that the Chargers have played them, they start with Chase Young on Rashawn Slater. After one series, they're like, no other side,

and they dart with Chris Jones on Reshawns. Later two snaps and they're like, nope, other side, and they're gonna start with Max crosbyond Reshaws later. I'm sure to see if he can get the advantage there and they can try to crack that code and they're gonna move to the other side. So it's gonna be Max Crosby versus Storm Norton, and it's gonna be Joey Boss against Alex Favorites. The Chargers a little surprised, so that felt like a

little too rich for me. And then I just went the whole the whole month, all right, So get ready, this is a fun one. I know. We got to speed it up. Let's now the primetime games right before we get to the draft. Let's take a break. Right here we go, we're back draft time. I got the first overall pick, and here we're gonna start. You gotta let's be obvious. Here Chardins at Rams. Love it. Great a f C West game on Monday night. Great NFC

West game here. Um, the Rams to me seem like a team that's just in a really, really good place on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals, I can't. I'm not sure what to make sense of the Cardinals right now. Greg, I see them. Obviously, they're playing winning football. Um, but do you see them at the level of these other top teams in the NFC right now or do

they still step beneath that. No, they need to prove that, especially on both sides of the all, they've been run over too easily the last few weeks, dominated by Minnesota, sort of not embarrassing, but just shocking that J. J. Watt and this group could steam roll. And then when the Jaguars were running on them really well last week, I was like, Okay, maybe this is a problem. So normally you would expect Sean McVeigh the outside zone. Hey,

let's attack that. And so I'm kind of curious if that's still part of the Rams arsenal, because the the craziest thing about the Rams so far is that they don't look anything like the Rams used to. They called three play action as last week that used to be like the basis of their offense. There's no outside zone. They don't even try to run the ball there. We

are a dropped back shotgun. Let Matthew Stafford throw outside the numbers team and it's almost like Sean mcveigh's like flex in a little bit, being like, see, I just did that because I had to, and we don't have to anyone. And remember, you know, it wasn't even was I think it was the Bears right that did it before the Patriots, or was it the Lions Bears initially and so came up with the recipe to stop them. And and now it's like, well, here we go again.

You don't have the code anymore because I got Matthew Stafford, and they may be taking some teams, especially Tampa by surprise that it was just like totally gone. Their old lines playing great, you know, And that's always been a big question because they have no depth there, and there is there. The margins are so slim at that at that position group and it's held up Matthew Stafford looks fantastic. They've got three, i mean four, three unique pass catching options.

Cooper Cups playing the best of any wide ever in football. Robert Woods is such a great blocking wide receiver and just does everything well. And obviously you saw last week with the Sean Jackson. I think Jefferson, Jefferson, jack Jefferson and Higbee are perfect role. And I just think Sean McVeigh is, like, It's why so many people like him. He's just a kid. He's like, man, I call this stuff, Let's go play with it. I got a new toy.

Let's go play with the toys. You don't sounds like you don't think the Cardinals are Uh No, I don't like them in this game though. And I'll tell you one matchup that really jumps out to me is and I know that the Cardinals are getting a real impact from Ron del Moore, their second round pick, and Christian Kirk made some plays last week. But DeAndre Hopkins is not right now. He's got that rib issue. He wasn't

a dynamic player last week. I know he had one big play called back, but um, he's gonna be up against Dalen Ramsey. So if Hopkins is erased by Ramsey, well, I don't know. I think we're gonna see a lot of Christian Kirk Jalen Ramsey because they think so. Yeah. I mean, he's been playing slot more than anything through three games, mes and Kirk has been lethal. I mean that's kind of been the You're gonna be agree and had a little juice last week. They are they are

dangerous offensively, I mean they are good. I just don't think they're gonna be able to keep up. And you're you're gonna be asking a lot a lot of Kyler Murray here and and perhaps you can deliver it. But I like the Rams I did too. I Again, I'm confused by they drafted Isaiah Simmons in the top ten and then Zaven Collins in the top fifteen, and they can't play those two guys together. They're kind of getting They tried to trade Jordan Hicks in the off season,

and he actually is playing more. I just think they have some issues up front, and you have to have your defense really on its ps and queues against the Rams or else. I don't think you're just gonna get in a shootout, and that's hard to money. You were up next, al Right, I am going to take. It's tough. It is because there's so many good games. We just I'm gonna take Browns and Vikings. Okay, okay, this is

a good one. But okay, Stefanski back in Minnesota. And part of this is for me to pat myself on the back because on our Power Ranking show, we had to do a you watch every Tuesday, every Tuesday noon. Specific favorite moment of the week is when we get I get lunch with like Dan on Tuesday, and there's Dan and the huge screen in our in our cafeteria, and sometimes like I'll look at that guy up there.

I'll be talking to Greg and the TV be behind me, and then and Greg's just lost, like just like a grimace, like what like are always his broadcast husband is chooting on him, more like you are staring and you're just getting lost in your own eyes. I just like, Wow, that guy, that guy man, look at that TV magic up there, go ahead. You know when everybody was freaking out about the Vikings, Oh, Kyle Rudolph taking a shot at at Mike Zimmer, Hey Rudolph, shut up, shut there.

You take a shot at Zim when the Vikings were nothing before he got he drafts a bunch of defensive backs. I can back he was doing it before anybody else, saying, look, this league is all about corners now, and he was just loading up on him. You know. Good for Zim for figuring that out. I don't like hearing that kind of stuff from you, Rudolf. You got it where the Giants had now though you know they're scattered throughout the league, but you know what, you gotta take your swings and

figure out which one of them. I'm so listen. I love I want to get to the Vikings a little bit, but I love that the Browns have a real challenge here. I want to figure out, like we mentioned, the power rankings. I've I've stuck them at number eight and just left them there where I think four or five straight weeks now because they're kind of doing exactly what you expect. Um. They hung really tight with the Chiefs and and Casey got beat took care of business against Houston and Chicago.

There are moments in both those wins are like or performances like yes, this team could be dominant in the right spot. But also moments in both of those games are it's like, all right, guys, let's your elite right, let's see you play that way. So now you go to Minnesota to face the Vikings team that could easily be three and oh and have an offense very difficult to stop. This Greg is a Brown's test that I've

been waiting for um since Week one. Great game. Uh, there's sort of two teams that look in the mirror at each other. I think right now, Kirk Cousins is the slightly better version of Baker Mayfield. We put that comp on him last year on this show. I think that right now they're similar type players. Cousins is just playing at a really high level, and to me, there's a it may sound crazy because but I don't know it doesn't. I mean, I think there's a pretty sizeable

gap in receiver groups. You know, for for what Kirk has thrown to and what Baker is thrown. You'll just see Jarvis disappear in games. I don't know if Odell Beckham's back yet. He looks good. Jarvis is out this week. But you're right, so get your county on Donovan, people's exact county on Hooper. But you have that running game and that's where like the mirror thing really matches up. I mean, Madison did last week, and and I the

Seahawks were the Sehawks were just terrible last week. But like again, it's you said, you're looking in the mirror. The schemes the same. You know what they want to do, minimize mistakes? Can the quarterback capitalize on all the attention we're playing, we're paying to slowing down the world. Difference is I kind of talked about how you know the Rams aren't doing as much play action. The Vikings aren't as much either, and they're definitely going three receivers instead

of two tight ends. I think losing Rudolph, you're getting rid of him, and then IRV Smith got her as kind of helped him outr Kyle Rudolf. That's what I'm saying, Like, I think you put J. J Osborne out there and they're a little more dynamic with three receivers on the field instead of the two tight ends. But I do love that this game. If the Vikings lose, you thought Mike Zimmer was cranky before, you don't think that ownership

loved Kevin Stefanski. He was there for a decade. This wasn't just like, oh, I came back a little bit. And in two thousand and nineteen, if the Vikings had a losing record or a bad season, they were absolutely gonna get rid of Mike Zimmer. They were absolutely gonna elevate Kevin Stefanski. The Wolves love him. It's an open secret. But you know what. The Vikings made the playoffs that year and Stefanski said, bye. Everyone likes each other, they

respect and it's got it's got levels to it. Because I think Gary Kubiak getting there gave Stefanski basis that he has taken with them to Cleveland. And who's Minnesota's offensive coordinator, Clint que Kubiak, Gary's sun forever, Mike Zimmer. Mike Zimmer is a very good coach, and I like the guy. Like what he doesn't want to lose to the little guy that was his buddy. Though. I know, but I thought you were intimating that they made a mistake, and maybe they did. I think Zimmer's very he doesn't

want to lose that guy. And I think Clint Kubiak nepotism or not, is off to a good start. And I'll tell you what about these Vikings. Oh this is dance thing this week, But I love the Vikings. Wow. I love him so much that I'm gonna can't. Yeah, dude, I can't lock up against the Browns almost claim On told Ricky earlier this week I would, but no, another team caught my eye and I had to go in

another direction. But I liked the part of me. One of the reasons why I wanted to take with my number one draft pick is part of me thinks that this could be a total Kirk Cousins meltdown game, like already hit some a couple of I don't think then are that hard to figure out. I'm curious what their defense will be like, but I just think they are a elite offense and so I'm giving them a slight edge because I've just seen them be elite for longer

than I've seen the Vikings being elite. Office They've been great. I'm so glad you guys didn't take Panthers. Cowboys Are is the one game I really wanted more than any on this entire slate early Christian ms healthy, I would doesn't matter because if the Cowboys stomp on him, to me, that's telling. It's a great um story of what the Cowboys are doing. And these are just two teams that I think are like new Ish because the Cowboys were away.

This Cowboys defense is different, and the Panthers are different, and so I'm fascinated by the teams that are different. The Chiefs I know who they are. I think I kind of know who the Browns are. These are two really interesting stories. I think that Dak right now is so good that he's making everyone look better, even like future Hall of famers like Tyrone Smith. Tyron Smith is over the hill. It's like, now he's great again. Well you know why Dak gotten back. You know, Zeke legitimately

looks better. I think I've thought that since week one. But the receivers, everyone. Even the defense looks better with Dak Prescott going up and down the field, and I just think he's playing at such a high level. I want to see him challenge, and I think this Panthers defense is an incredible challenge. Great offense beats great defense. So I like the Cowboys, but I'm really excited to watch it. I'm bummed that the secondary is banged up. I would have loved to have seen J. C. Horne healthy.

It just seems like that they got C. J. Henderson. I don't know if that's a huge down. Yeah, he's gonnay. I mean, I get why you make that trade for, you know, and I just think back to the Combine and that draft and how people liked C. J. Anderson more than Jeff of Couda. You know, they were a handful of those people. So he he's a supposedly he's a super athlete, a little bit of a headache according

to some of his teammates. So I'm not putting that out there on my own, but I would say good player, you know, I would say that rule is Matt rule is uh is someone who can who can I think crack sort of that that code if that's what you have to do. If he's got all the talent, you just got to get the head right. I do have faith and Matt Rule. I love the past Rushman, I love watching Burns. I think Reddick was a perfect, you know,

free agent acquisition for him. Shack Thompson slowed down a little bit from his his tour and start there early. But I'm with you. I think it's just a great defense versus offense matchup for those two units. The Panthers keep comply, keep up in a high scoring Let me ask you a question, greg As, I was going to go into that direction. Where Sam Donald on the QB and Index this week he comes in at number ulule twenties. I guess I'm gonna guess not say oh damn it

all right um for me? And again it's naughty, it's a little, it's too raw. A Jet fan and a passionate one blew out his voice rooting for his New York sports team this past week. Is it's hard to kind of figure out Sam Donald right now. But if he goes to Dallas and gets in a shootout with DAC and he's able to move the ball without Christian McCaffrey. I mean, what else do you need to see to say, oh,

he's fixed now. He is. Maybe not a great quarterback, but fun that Matt Rule is going to have success with and they're going to continue to be He's played well. I think he's been highly managed, and so I don't give him as much credit as quarterbacks that have to do more. I think now we have to do more because I think I'm keeping an eye on the Caroline offensive line in this game. I think the Cowboys win. You know, they're they're a four and a half point favorite.

I think they win comfortably in the end because their offensive line, which I thought was a problem coming into the year, and it wasn't the kind of schemed around him the first two games. Houston got after them and hit Darneld a lot, and so I'm keeping an eye on that because I think if you gotta if you have bad pass protection, it's gonna be hard to keep up. I would say, whatever you do, Sam, and I know you're listening to the Around the NFL podcast, Stay away

from Trevon Diggs. Just yeah, that caught the field in half. He's so good. Stay away from it. How many more people in the country. Now know who's Trevon Diggs is then like two months ago and between hard knocks and the big games that he's every week coacious little boy, his son um just like kind of in broad strokes. The Cowboys playing with a ton of confidence right now, looking really good at home, the Panthers three and oh

could lose and still be okay. It all kind of is to me looking like, I don't think I'm gonna I disagree with you, Greg, I just don't said. I just like I like it more than four and a half. Put it that way. Caroline is number one almost across the board in many defensive metrics. But again, you gotta look at who they played, and I'm still not sold on the Dallas defense. You know, I I think they took advantage of of Storm Norton in that Charger game. And I think they took advantage of a beat to

hell Eagles offensive line in that game as well. But the Sam Donald of that CMC going to be and by thely, get Robby Anderson involved. Let's take a break, all right, let's go, Greg snaked. Oh great, I can take my number one. Late game, I had a feeling you guys wouldn't Ravens Bronco that was gonna be my pick yet, jerk, I mean, you're not even it's the a f C West. I gotta pay attention to the a f C West. It's a great game. It is because we wanted to. Now you're not allowed to watch it.

Money that is, you're allowed to watch this terrible that's fine, what a terrible development. Lamar Jackson's miss don't I agree to come over there? So I took the Browns by the way, because they're the Charger's opponent next week, so it works out perfectly. I am curious to see Lamar Jackson after he MRS practice twice this week with a back injury. They're saying it's not serious, so I'm assuming he's playing, but that's a little bit of a concern.

He also missed some practice last week with an illness, which you now wonder was it actually a back injury. Who knows with NFL teams the back injury from the flip s football don't do flips into the ends. They said, yeah, they said that bother hip at the time. Now it's back. I don't know. Can the Ravens defense like come and go get after Denver, who's missing too starting guards in practice this week, who hasn't had a great offensive line.

Teddy got a lot of hits um and they kind of be the group that blitz and they should feel better about it now because there's no kJ hammler Uh in this game or for the rest of the season. Gonna be a while. And those are the guys who like one quickly. But the Ravens secondary like they're not as talented as they were either. And you gotta match up with the Obui com and fan the tight ends, and you still got Sutton and Patrick out there. I just think it's a great matchup to see where these

two teams are at. I think it's about as even as it possibly gets. I had a hard time picking this one. Yeah, I love that that Courtland Sutton ended everybody how good he is. You know, so much attention on Jerry Judy an understandable. You know this guy like the West Side play. I'm just like West New West New right away. The old lines in issue. It's going

to be an issue this week. I know the Baltimore Blitz stats are a little down, but that's because of the way they were playing The Chiefs they are still going to blitz the living hell out of you, and I cannot wait to see how Teddy manages that after the three defenses that he faced leading up to this point. To me, this is a reminder. And I'm sorry, Greg, because I know how much you love Teddy b Old, Teddy too Gloves, But to me, this is gonna be

a reminder of why this guy is on his fourth team. Well, the situation is not nearly as good as it looked three weeks ago because of the missing personnel. That's what I mean. There's that seven starters between offense and defense, including four on offense, and to me, this is this is the perfect offense to go against that defense. Right. The strength is in the secondary. You can you can scheme against Bond Miller just run right at them. That's all they want to do is run the hell out

of the ball. Mhm. Him not being healthy here is the biggest thing jumping out to me. If Lamar is not Lamar, they're obviously very vulnerable here. And Denver he finished that game though, and look, yeah that's true for the most part. In that game, I think, and you know, Drops will probably take a shot or something and he'll be okay. But uh yeah, Denver after that historically soft scheduled get a home game here too. So I think

it's gonna be a close game. And Vic Fausio, it's so it's so good too, he's gonna scheme it up. I think the bronc Wis have a shot here. Do you think they get a shot? I think they took him to win. I think they got more than a shot.

What no, you was shot to lose. Because when the Ravens come to top wait a second, when the Ravens roll into the mile I City Black, when Lamar Jackson and Tyson Williams, Hey, you want to take the top three runners away from us going into a season where we want to run and we want to run him, and we want to put a seal here. We want to put a seal here. Von Miller, We're coming at you. We're coming at you with some zone read. What are you gonna do? You guess right, You're gonna guess wrong.

Ravens get one. Oh and this guy right here sitting in Cessler's chair, it's gonna lock it all. Well, this is big for you because you might go like one to know or oh and one on the seat. You're either gonna win the compet this center being last. Well, you said you didn't want to say that. I said, I want you to invite that. I want to be the decider. Yeah that was Jack Palants, Jack Palance, Jack Palance, A little Palants in you there. You gotta do some

push ups now, number one guy. I I do wonder if the BRONC so you you mentioned Brandon Staley just quickly on this. You know it's inviting all the teams to right. I mean he learned it from the godfather, Vic Fonsio. Again, they want you to run the ball. They're begging you to run the ball. Normally, the Ravens would be the one team that would be like, sure, well we'll oblige. Are they that team right now? I don't know. I think they are. I don't know if

they are that team right now. They weren't last week against Denver, who's a good run I mean Detroit against who's a good run defense, and they threw it, and they threw it effectively. Lamar is leading the league and yards per completion and large per yards per carry, which is just the crazy stat that like anyone can do that to me. This is a that defense is really good. Let's play it safe. Let's do what we do best and force them to beat us. All right, that was fun. Really,

I could trust Jack, my number one guy money. Oh, I'm up, you're up. I will take Seahawks forty good value here. Yeah for people that um, because you know, and I feel like we're doing a lot of West here, so our apologies to the people about um. The the NFC West is weird if you look at the history of it. Kyle Shanahan always beats Sean McVeigh. Sean McVeigh always beats Pete Carroll, and Pete Carroll always beats Kyle Shanahan.

It's crazy when you look at the records. I think the Seahawks are five and one the last three years against the forty Ninersts are like five and one against the Rams, and the Rams are like five and one against the Seahawks. It's the although he mostly loses, has beaten the forty regular I think is it's strangest thing. And um, the idea that Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson and the reigning NFC West champions could start out one in three, it just seems crazy to me, and that's

not the way to analyze a football game. Like you know what, Russell Wilson will do something special and it'll be a get right game because Jimmy Garoppolo is not

as good as people are saying they are. And Kyle Shanahan's acting like a weirdo with not playing Trey Lance as much as he should because he doesn't have a running game working right now to me, like, I'm anxious to see how these two guys play each other considering the issues that they have right now with what they want to do and what's not happening out there through

three weeks. They're both a little thin in terms of their offense, which is surprising, Like you think of Kyle Shannon and you think of that Falcons offense and another another guy ahead of the times really including five guys catching the ball at all time times, so you have to defend them all. Seahawks have two guys, forty Niners have two guys. They're not getting more help, Like the San Francisco running game isn't the same as it was,

and I don't know who they are. You know, they're best runner, as you mentioned kind of on the sideline. The Seahawks said that they wanted to play up tempo and it just went away after the first week. But I'm with you kind of just like in Rest Sweet Trust, in this game when it comes down to it, Seahawks are so strange right now there. The way they're set up, the defense was beyond hard. And I know Minnesota has a good offense, but to not even be competitive last

week is very trump troubling. Six straight quarters. Really, I mean, they across the board, they couldn't do anything right. They couldn't get off the field, and third, third down, they couldn't rush the quarterback, they couldn't stop the run. And I would say it's a really bad situation now because you've got the forty Niners and Kyle Shannon's gonna exploit

all that. But I just don't know what to make sense of the forty niners on offense and the and the other thing is we're saying, we're saying, now, what is going on with Kyle jann and just play Tray Lance Jimmy Garoppol. He's annoying to watch, and he is He's super annoying to watch with all the indecision and the padding of the ball, and you just want to squeeze him just like throw the ball, make a read, get rid of keep going, get rid of the ball. Jimmy,

I've said my piece, but keep rolling. But maybe if we all agree that Kyle Shanahan's a genius, maybe there is a reason we haven't seen Trey Lance yet. One of the things we talked about in Money you did it. I'm short a ton and the lead up to the draft was how little reps he actually had in college. Maybe they're in a tough spot because Jimmy g is not the answer, but Trey Lance isn't ready to be

the answer. I think that's fair. And you look at Justin Fields is first starting that kind of supports that the notion that maybe see But I think Trey Lance is way ahead of Justin. But just use him in the running game? Is all ones running around? Your team used to pack them in? Yeah, mix him in. It's like, okay, we uh, we strike out eight straight players near the goal line, then we bring in lands and we score score. It's like, why don't just bring in Lands on the

first place? Skip the first thing? Well, I mean Jimmy's h defense. There was an end zone drop. That was pretty bad there. I agree with you overall um and Seattle's defense, I don't just don't know. How does it get better? I do? I want to say, is going to go one and three lines? Pretty bad? Pretty bad? And that there's that weird stat I think I mentioned

on the pod or maybe the power ranks. You never know that they are first in UM expected points per drive in the first half of the season and thirty second in the second half. What is that about? Is that Shane Waldron's fault? Is that Russell Wilson's fault? Is that a game script thing? I don't know. Is it just an anomaly because it's a guy who never called place before. You can script it out and that's fine, and then when you got to make your adjustments in

free lance. This is a big game fan bases. Even though the Forts would be two and two if they lost, if they lost two straight home game, they would also be their sixth straight loss. In Levi's I mean that place just does not seem like a home field advantage. Whichever team loses this game like their fans are gonna be panicky. They put down the wine and cheese and pick up the pump bombs. Let's go with my right Fort haven't underrated brutal fan base like violent, great great fans,

but there's something about that stadium. They don't win about it. They don't win there. Let's the Raiders took all the heat, but I would put ms of like parking lot violence up with anyone in the league having called a ton of their games. Maybe it's different or now no, well let me say this money still an aggressive fan base. Mr Chargers. Back in two thousand eight, week four right far Its signed with the Jets or was traded to

the Jets. So me and my buddy Circling took the ride down from l A to San Diego and uh we sat in the upper deck at the old Wall com what it dump? That was, Oh yeah, falling apart um, but we're excited. We went up to our seats and it was constant harassment and just jerks. Everyone's right. Yeah. There was one guy that just stood in the aisle when we were trying to go up the steps, and

he's probably about four hundred pounds. It looked like he'd been in prison maybe six times for various offenses, and it just made me think I didn't know. Chargers fans were like that is this a California fan? I don't know why. But here's my My push back to that islet we just wear a polo to the game. Oh, here we go again. Sports. You're a jaded sports guy. I know, like I think if it's one thing I've

never understood why you got. I actually to think with NFL games, if you're on the road, it's a thought that you are going. It's gonna happen in a lot of stadiums, So it's a it's a thought like you guys sound so ridiculous. Both of you have you guys haven't been to a lot of NFL games, Then that's what happened. What do you mean NFL games? Of course I've been. I was in Broncos like Mile High. We lost. Here's all I'm saying. I's like, you gotta get harrassed.

That's what happened. It's not baseball, it's not basketball. You're gonna get harassed. Dudes. Home home field fans put on a jersey and they think they're supposed to play football leveled of rush and that makes no sense. It's like, dude, I'm just here to watch a game with you though, it just be be proud, It's just it's fun. Call me jaded, I say, I say where the polo enjoy the game. And not even a T shirt you gotta

put on polo whatever where shirt? Just saying like like I brought in your jersey with your name on the back. It's like, well do you have to wear a jersey? Right? Let's go? Uh, you really got to pick it up? Yes here comes I'm the worst my pick and I will I got a late game, so you got this is strategy money. Keep this in mind. Okay, you don't want to load up um on one side or the other. So I'm gonna get an early game. Chiefs at Eagles,

Let's see what's going up? Two teams where the Chiefs had money was just like off his rocker and the a block of power rankings. Thinking that the Chiefs are gonna win like four games this year, Chiefs. That's not sure. I think the Chiefs are gonna be fine. They are not well. They are not executing uh in ways that

you expect them to um. And if you're Chiefs fan, you're a little bit nervous now because you're thinking, wait a second, we always win these games when it's late and close, and then it happens twice in a row. And then you look around and you're watching the highlights around the league and you look at the standings, like, wait a second, my division is now loaded. Maybe and we may be lost a little of our magic. Pixie Dust and Andy Reid went to the hospital on Sunday.

Look on, is our season a little bit off? Through our first round pick running back that we all summer? Oh Clyde Edwards Hilaire. He is unbelievably hot this summer. He's working in the passing game. He's gonna be the guy they thought last year. Well now he's fumbled two weeks ago in a row. All issues. Uh. And then on the other side of the ball, you got the Eagles who just no showed on Monday Night football and

made everybody that believes in the Eagles look bad. Um, including Greg So while I and Ricky, Ricky has followed me down the Eagles, Yeah, I have to is a bad take to so join me with the Chiefs. Have to get some things straightened out. Money. I believe in them to do that. Um, But the fact that they've struggled the way they have. You don't just assume it happens on the road in Philly. They you know, I just they just need Frank clarkback, you know, they need

they need more pass rush. Like they've got nothing going justin Herbert had all day to pick them apart. Their secondary's always been a big question mark. Tyran Matthews great, but there's not much else back there, and he just carved them up. Yeah, I think you can panic about the defense. I have zero concerned the offense. Oh no, Like you lost a last play game where you lost the turnover margin four to nothing. I mean, you can't keep losing the turnover margin like that. But there's a

little bit of flukey. If I'm the Chargers, you almost want to win by more than that. If you win where the one thing I'll say though, that I think does come out of that. I don't know if you noticed after he fumbled, Clyde Edwards a layer was running like this the rest of the game. So it's clearly in his head. And everybody's gonna start punching at that thing.

And if they get a couple more out, even if they recover them, I think that could get Sidewayster in that backfield, and like, offensively, the Chiefs are missing a little bit of the flash play, like the splat. Like the numbers look good, but my homes hasn't had the big time throws. They kind of came into the league talking about that they want to go on these long drives because that's how defenses are playing them. But it's like, why play into what the defenses are trying to do?

And and again against the charges eleven play drive, twelve play drive, ten play drive, twelve played drive, And it's that part of it I don't like. But I also think they're gonna be one of the best five offenses in the league. So I'm not that concerned unless their defense is the very worst or one of the three or four worst in the league, and that's on the table. I will look. I think that's on the table right

right now. And but I'm not worried about them in Philly and those and those spla as plays that they're famous for, whether it's Kelsey going for fifty five in this down the seam or of course Tyreek Hill. Not only do those, you know, lead to points, it also kind of flips momentum of games. It changes the vibe of a game when the Chiefs of the Chiefs defense is asleep at the switch early in the game, which happens all the time, all of a sudden they go

bang bang, and the whole games different. They need to get back to that explosive element. But I'm okay, I'm open with the Chiefs right now. Are you gonna lock Eagle Eagles for the third straight week, Ricky or Ricky? What's your record? By the way, I believe I am owen two, So you should thank me for not letting you count last week double. Because now that's that's here comes the patriarchy. I'm saying that now it's fair. It was a more fair solution. And now you're not owing three.

You know you're just look at it this way, Greg, you're pulling every wrong lever possible in the locks. If you just went on one along along with that, Ricky would be owing three right now, and she would get it. No, I wouldn't want her to. I want a fair, equitable game. It wouldn't make sense for it. She's only made two off picks. She doesn't deserve to be behind me. I should be in last. The patriarchy is here with the Lockley's Chief's Chiefs romp. All right, they should the Eagles

on a short week. By the way, too, there's a lot cooking on a short week. Down three offensive lineman, now, I mean the whole thing with them was like, well the offensive line stays healthy. They're one of the best in leak. All Right, you're week four, you've lost three of your starters. If the Chiefs. If the Chiefs pass rush isn't getting home against the Eagles. We even trust Jalen Hurts at the stage to pick him apart. We're all gonna find out. Let's take a break before we

snake it. Oh, time for Underdog of the week. So you get to go again, Dannis, I do sort snakes to me. No, not the pit vipers. Hit vipers are snakes. I got the Power rankings every Tuesday, three pm Eastern. That's like the eighth mention of it. Yeah, take us. Take a slip of your drink. Every time they bring up it's like, hey, remember back in the B block, Join the evolution A time for Underdog of the Week. The segment is rough to you by Draft Kings and

official sports betting partner of the NFL. I'll tell you it's an underdog this week, it's uh, my New York Jets. I will grab this with my next pick, Titans at Jets at the Meadow Ends. Now. Um, the Titans very nice, very nice performance back to back weeks here getting victories, um and leaning on their stars to do it. But they have issues here and UM, I have to see

where they are at with the practice report. But Julio Jones and A. J. Brown are both banged up right now and there's a chance neither of them plays, so they're they're top wide receivers. Luckily, you still have Ryan Tannehill, you still have Derrick Henry, two guys who carried you to win last week. Uh, and obviously they are heavy

favorites to take care business at the Meadow Ends. However, the thing that disappoints me the most Greg about the Jets so far, and they're off to an OH and three star for the third straight year, that even the ship we don't need that right, it is not on in New York City for either team. The thing that really sticks in my craw Greg about this OH and three start is that it's a boring oh and three. They have twenty points in three games half those points

came in garbage time. And this whole idea, we're gonna get rid of Adam Gates, We're gonna bring in Michael Floor, We're gonna bring in all these different schemes that we haven't heard that Sally Luja. No not, We're not getting that till we'll get a w um. We're gonna have a QB friendly system for this kid. Uh And none of that's Elijah Moore was gonna be this breakout star. All that has just disappeared, Greg And that's what annoys me. It's the offense flat lining out of the gates. And

I know, and it's only the Jets. They get like arguably the best three defenses in the league back to back to back to start the season, or just top defenses. It softens up now against Tennessee. But I have no reason to be confident softens way up. This is a big week. It's a winnable game. Even if Julio plays. My guests would be he did does just because he finished last week's game and Julio missing practices. But Julio spent most of the fourth fourth quarter on the bench.

That's fair, that's fair. But he did play, so just based on his history, he is a guy who never practices. A j Brown is fully expected to miss this game. But you're I think their star heavy system is faulty. Ryan Dano is working really hard for yards this year. He's having to run. That their receivers after those two guys are not impressive. That their defense is easily the easiest that Zack Wilson has played. I want to see some progress out of Zack Wilson. I want to see

some layups. I want to see some drives. I think it's doable against Tennessee. Like show us something, because if you just looked at these stats the Jets have, imagine if Adam Gates was coaching this team. I mean people would be That's what I mean. We're supposed to be. We were supposed to be clear that Adam. But here's the thing here, we are. It's not a panic thing. Teams changed. But this is the week start showing me something.

Football Outsiders showed that the Tennessee Titans have one of the worst dev o ways of any two and one team in history, which isn't a surprise because it got blown out Week one. But when you watch them that last week was about as as unimpressive of two score victory as you could conceivably had. That Titans team has a whole lot of issues that Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry and in theory these receivers make up for because the rest of the thirty fifty three man roster. I'm like,

that's not great team. I mean, all I got is the Jets are terrible. Like it's hard to watch that team play football. And I was defense has been average. Actually I think I'm talking to I got'm talking offensively, and that I get it. You lose a lot of your offensive line, and Beckton's a great left houckle, you lose him. And the running games not what we had hoped.

And I was kind of excited about that running. I was sort of excited about this offense, like you said it, Dan, and it's just, man, we end up watching it in the booth a lot um just because it Edj's relationship with with Joe Douglass. So we tend to watch some Jets and and I want to see Zach Wilson succeed. He was blast to watch it at b y U And man, it just he's not making his line. No, it is not good and his receiver has had some

drops last I think it's been a total meltdown. But if you're Jets fan listening right now, this is the way we need to look at this. Go win this game at least well, I don't even need to win it. Touchdowns week one to three nightmares. Hit reset and start playing a brand of competitive football and score some points even if you end up getting beat late. Because I love the Jets, says, and they're a touchdown underdog. I love them to keep it close. That's why they're the

underdog of the week. Brought to you by Draft Kings, an officials betting partner in the NFL. Alright, money, your last pick. My last pick is going to be Lions Bears. Thanks. Just from getting that out of the way that we don't have to watch it. I just like the drama. Bad news. We still have to watch it, Yes I do. The Lions are not going to go zero and eleventeen oh, Money says zero, not oh, which drives me, not kills me, it stops me. Like remember back in the d block

when you said zero and Tuesday's specific. Um, I just I like the drama in this game. I and I don't. I don't know if it's gonna be Andy Dualt, if it's gonna be Justin fields. That offensive line is terrible. It's not like the Lions had a great game against the Ravens, so much of that score was predicated on self inflicted wounds and drops by Hollywood Um. At the same time, I have been on record, even after their victory over the Bengals, I think the Bears are one

of the worst teams in football this year. I just ill offensively, there's no question, and I just think defensively, it's too much for them to overcome. Do they The defense seems good, but not great or maybe even average.

And then when you you put this together with the offense of what you saw last week, which was not just uncompetitive and embarrassing, frankly, with a rookie getting sacked nine times, You're get in a situation here, money, where you put this kid out there and then you give such a poor performance in coaching and offensive line play that you worry about were jacking this kid up? Are we gonna make him see ghosts? Or some of it was his fault? Nasty watching him back. Probably five of

them were on Justin field. If you put him in a situation where that he's not ready, then you're just down the line. Did you starting after what happened last week? They said Andy Dalton is down and then he was limited in practice on Wednesday, And unless they're going out of their way to confuse the Lions, when you gotta go out of your way to confuse the Lions, and then Andy Dalton starting, because if Andy Dalton's healthy. Last week's justin fields game was the reason why Naggie said it.

And you can bang on Naggie all you want, and you should, but he's running in Andy Dalton offense, which is like quick gay team and get the ball out, and that's not really justin fields game. And the Lions are built pretty well to stop the run. They stopped Baltimore. That's like, it's not a good strategy, but that was like what Dan Campbell wanted to do. Draft guys who can stop the run, and they do have guys, and they got Brockerts like and so I think they'll be

able to stop Montgomery. And it was in Detroit, I wouldn't touch it. But the fact that it's a soldier field, all those fans are hot and they're hot at you know, whether it's fair or not, I do want to watch this game. Might take it bad. This spy their their comeback was impressive. Uh, it took a lot of a lot of hoodspa moxie. They could certainly win this game. But I think the Bears defense has been better than you guys give him credit for it. They did a

good job against Baltimore. They did a great job against Cincinnati, who only and they got and really swallowed them up. And and so I I think their defense might be enough to win. You know, Greg, you brought it up last week, Um that Lions fans are sneaky, great fans and loyal fans and they'll leave him be cheering after a would play when it's thirty seventeen against the Packers.

All true, And it's the first thing that popped in my mind when you know, sixty thousand fans went into the building last week and watched a sixty six yard field goal go off the crossbar and over it after a missed delay of game penalty, Like what do we know? The ball went to the middle of the field to hey, football gods, and you can't smite me. You can't curse me because I'm a Jets fan. Do your best? What are you doing here? Can we clean it up a

little bit? Football? Gods? Uh, Greg, we gotta move. Wait the Lions they're gonna do it? This what No, Ricky, don't do it? Do it. I just have a good feeling. How good is the feeling? I love it? You know what? I love it? It just like starts tingling, and it's oh, wait a second, it starts. I never had that. And all of a sudden, you look at Dan Campbell and all the caffeine he drinks, and you look at them biting knee clocks, knee clocks. I just saw that Caps.

I just saw that Dan Campbell has an in game clock manager. Why don't other teams do this? Okay, well you guys, my time, tell us more about the knee clocks. So my knee clocks are tingling. Guys, I'm going to lock up the Lions. I like it, and you need a w not as bad as Greg because locking up the Bucks over the Patriots, right, He's desperate. It means a lot to him. It means a lot to him. He needs to win this one. No, I'm done, get to that one in three done, get back to respectability.

He loves me. I'm her best friend for showing her how to go. Oh and three like I'm our leader right right close out the draft. Okay, then we'll speed through the rest of the games, will we there? We'll do our better try um Money's like Petro's has been doing an hour so far in his own He's like ham At, I'll get the Saints game into this early block Saints Giants a little more than fifteen years after

Steve Glee Sin became a household name. This feels like the t the game you don't want to draw if you're the Giants lay being, there's just gonna be something extra. And if you don't think there's gonna be just something extra, hey, watch these first three saintschemes. I know they got they got blown out eventually against the Panthers, missing seven coaches

and six players. But if you watch the defense in that game, that same Donald team, despite the great field position they had, we're stuck on seventeen again and again and again. And there's something going on with this Saints defense where a little greater than the some of their parts. I think this Saints team is a little greater than the some of their parts. No, I already locked up the bucks. Um, I wouldn't even be allowed to respectable. This is actually over the number the Patriots are not,

so I would happily um. Their coverage in one is what is making this defense special. Seed Deuce Marshawn Lattimore, Marcus Williams, one of the most underrated safeties in the league. Malcolm Jenkins is still playing well to Mario Davis. Those guys have been together. They passed the receivers off, they know how to play zone, they know how to play man. I just think they are now. They're just a really underrated group right now that I think knows how to

swallow up mediocre passing games. And that's what the Giants are, ultimately mediocre zero and four. Judge Kyle Rudolph, my head coach coaches, though he's like one of the most well liked playing the graduate Elder High School, the same high school where Nick Wesselen being interviewed at in a feature. Um, is that right? How do you feel fun about it? Once again? Yeah, Wis Westlings. Kyle Rudolph didn't have to say that, he could just say I love Joe judge.

He's a great coach. That's all I gotta do. Instead, he's gotta take the shot, and he needs to step up because they might not have Shepherd in this game. That's a hun might have Slate in their offensive line. Um troubling Jamis, I'm gonna make here's my bold predicting Jamis goes over a hundred and fifty yards for the first time this season. Let's go three hundred and three. Let's wipe the floor with them. Let's give him something to cheer about. The Giants getting beat by the Falcons

last week, that that that's curtains for them. I think. Speaking of the Falcons, let's go there next Washington football team at UM. That's amazed Atlanta. I took the Lions Bears. He takes his officially over and the Steelers and Packers are still on the board. Ye're boring, I know, but I'm saying it's the Steelers and the Packers. We're going

Lions Bears. Were there watching football team at Falcons. Yes, the Falcons beat the Giants, but I didn't watch a game and think to myself, oh okay, maybe the turn in the corner here. I do not think they're very good team. I don't think Washington is a good team, or they could be. I'm not writing off the football team, and I think, in fact, I know they're gonna get healthy here. And we've been talking about where's young and sweaty? You know, where is this defense? What is going on

with what we thought this team was gonna be. Well, guess what, Matt Ryan's a statue back there. This line is not going to be able to block the Washington front. And guess what, I am locking up the football team. Forget about this West Coast bias. That's on East Coast bias for you. The football team will get the w young and sweaty. Mark my words. You're gonna see Matt Ryan eaton fake turf all game long. And anybody have

a thought in this game, I do. I mean, I think those are two of the worst teams in the league. One of them. Put down that low. You think they're one of the very worst teams. Yeah, I think they were one of the worst. Uh, they have one of the worst defenses, and that's what they're supposed to be based on. So until they stopped playing like one of the worst defenses, you have Tyler Heineke's like a little

better than their quarterbacks last year, but not enough better. Uh, they just had And yeah, you're right the falcon, Like, what are you doing here out there? Smith? You're turning Calvin Ridney into a guy who was averaging eight yards per catch, driving me crazy. Pitts is not going not been a huge factor. No attempts last week, over twenty yards. It's two bad teams, but one of them is gonna be two and two, and teams can change, so Washington has a much better chance to change. That's what I'm

with you there. I'm with Bill scored twenty seven points in the first half against Washington last week. Josh Allen was over three hundred yards passing with nine minutes playing the third quarter. That's all bad, but it has to turn somewhere. Sometimes just beating up on a bad team is what you need to get your confidence going again and get the scheme work in the way it should. That's what I think up next, Why don't we hit it? Since Money mentioned it's Steelers at Packers and you know CBS,

they said, let's send nance and Romo there. That's we got Lambo and the Steelers are going to be a powerhouse at the end of it. Well, I don't think they are money. I don't think the Steelers are at all. And I don't think they have a chance here. Dude, terrible, The old line is terrible. Nagy Harris is not explosive right now, even though he's getting fifteen targets like of receptions per game. There's just not enough juice there, Um,

big bend. Look it, father time is not friendly man, and and typically it does not end how anybody wants it to. In this sport, very rarely do you get the Tom Brady story or the Jerome Bettist story. It typically ends like this, and it feels like this is sort of your your standard end to a superstar story in an NFL career. Plus, like people are saying, like, you know, he's not the type of guy who's gonna age. Well, it's like he has aged. Well, he's past that point.

Now he's aged. It's over. He's like thirty thirty nine. He was playing at a very high level at thirty five. But that was kind of like the old even as recently is the Peyton Manning eras like once you hit thirty seven, thirty eight, you were cooked. Now there's more thought. Maybe you can get the thirty ninety's not that guy that guy, And yeah, I like the Packers to win because as much as everyone's enjoying piling on Ben Roethlisberg, probably because he hasn't been like that nice of them

over the years. Like this team has other problems. I just mean, nationally beat reporters everyone, um because he blocked us on Twitter, Right, that's sort of stuff. It's like, I mean, you know, he was credibly accused of sexual assault multiple times. I think it's okay to mention that that he's not like America's favorite bad guy bad guy. I'm not covering for Big Ben, but right, that's all I'm saying. He's not the only problem. Can we get, ah,

I know everyone loves Minca Fitzpatrick. Can we get like through one game where multiple touchdowns don't go over his head for like sixty yards, because like, I know, I'm not like, I'm not like XS and knows I know all the safety's assignment. But every Steelers game you watch, there are literally multiple touchdowns Patrick is running after the receiver as they score a touchdown. So whether that's the rest of the secondaries fault or his fault. I'm not

saying I know that, but it's a problem. And their offensive lines things too, Like it's not just Ben Route this bigger. That's all I'm saying. Darren moving on Texans at Bills as we all like, I mean, the Texas trying. Texans are trying their best, and they they like Smith back in the league. Lovey Smith is doing a nice job. That's what I mean. It's good to happen back defense. Oh that's great. But if Josh Allen and I was actually surprised as PF grade and that's obviously subjective, but

was not as high. And I watched a game and like that guy, did you factor in PF that he was cutting through swirling winds in that building and basically doing whatever he wanted. There are things that PF does that I probably not probably probably not, probably nicked them for a couple of those deep misses. But that doesn't seem happening anyway. The Bills, if they get that Josh Allen again, which is no reason to think they won't against this Texans defense, even though it's been better than

expected under Lovely Smith, this feels like a blowout. Tell me why it won't be money. They will be Yeah, Greg, you wanna you want to know what I'm gonna acknowledge here when talking about the Bills. The seventeen and a half point spread in this game, how that for a seventeen too? That for a week four game. And I'm and I still would not take them if I got to choose, and I do, I'm taking the Bills. Yeah, I mean we have to do it. On game picks.

They put it right above the pick. Now they're keeping scoring. I think I'm still taking the Bills. I'm a sucker. I am a sucker for the Big ten. And I'm very happy to see a j Epanessa rebound from a disappointing rookie year to look pretty darn good in his sophomore campaign and continuing the wave of pass rushers and pressure guys that they have on that front. For Sean McDermott, I think that's gonna be a big problem for the a f C the whole season. Davis. I mean, if

Tyrod's in this game, I'd put it under ten. That's how Tyrode might win the m v P just for not playing like you. Just this team is unplayable. I think with Davis Mills. I mean, he like, look how much Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence are struggling. Put them on the Texans um and then turn them into Davis Mills. But because they're much better than Davis Mills. Over under, I'll set it at three and a half how much the second place team in the a f C finishes

behind the Bills the a f C a C East. Sorry, I was gonna say, I don't think that was bold, although I'm kind of with you that I would take the Bills as the number one seed right now. If I had to choose, Uh, what should the over underbe? Three and a half? I said it, Oh, under them? Three? Three is a lot. I think they're gonna go thirteen and four, and I'm not feeling too hot about the rest of the division anymore. That's true, but I'm not

trusting my prognostication skills. And three is just to get four games ahead. That's like a lot. I mean, the Pats did it probably. I think the Pats seven or eight. You know, is it toxic in Miami? You know it is? Is it weird as it feels like it's getting Let's go to that game, then, all right, is our last game.

It is the Colts at the Dolphins. The Colts obviously you needed them, In fact, many of us expected them to get off the mat and what felt like a must win against a Titans team that still feels vulnerable, and they couldn't do it. They just couldn't figure it out. So then you're like, Okay, maybe the Colts just aren't any good. We talked about on Tuesday, Greg extreme starts that I think you and I are in the same boat that they could come back. Well, if they're going to,

they gotta beat the Dolphins. And by the way, what makes this an interesting game is that Dolphins absolutely need this game too, because if you look where they are schedule wise, if they don't win this game, I believe they have the Bucks next week and more trouble after that. So their season could be in deep, deep ruin if they don't find to win a way to win this game. Sneaky high stakes here, Yeah, there. I trust in the Dolphins. I think they're better than the some of their parts.

I think they'll win this game. These are the two worst past blocking offensive lines according to PFF. Not a huge shock if you've watched the Dolphins game, but man, that's the opposite of what we expected out of the Colts. And they've had injuries and Eric Fisher is just coming back. But what are we talking about here if we've got one of the worst path stocking offensive lines and Carson Wentz can't move. And then the thing that stuck out to me and that Titans game is the Colts defensive

stars aren't the same. Darius Leonard is banged up right now and kind of playing through it. Buckner has been quiet. Kenny Moore and and is Zavier Rhodes who were playing well like they're giving a big play, like there's not a lot They have their what is it your hat to hang on? They they have not gonna put They're

just wearing their hat. They're not gonna hang it. They just gotta wear it because they got nothing they do well right now, the you know, and it it just goes back to, hey, we're gonna reunite Jalen Waddle with TWA and it's gonna it's gonna unlock him and you're gonna see why he's special. Just draft the tackle man, Just draft later, draft seol, get the guy protection up front and I get it. You already invested in Austin Jackson and it got Eichenberg that a lot of teams liked.

Uh later they the whole line is struggling. It's you know. And look, it's worked out to some degree for Burrow, he's still getting hit a little too much, a cringe every time he takes a shot. But Jamar Chase has worked out really well instead of one of the tackles. Right, it sounds good until you get to week three and you have to Kobe Brissett not having time to get the ball to I mean it is terrible. Um, they are Dolphins, Let's be honest. There one Damian Harris fumble

away from being old and through that. And but you love the Raiders. They pushed them to overdime. I know it took I just got I love having to I know it's a short game. We're not talking to lot, but I love having Jacobe back. He's great. He's talking about a gamer. Talk about a guy who puts his lunch pale on. I mean he puts don't know, he's like his put hard hat brings this lunch pale. There's

something about him. Fourth and nine game on the line, hits it fourth and one on the goal line, game on the line, puts his foot in the dirt and makes a guy miss, hits the two point conversion with the game online, fourth and twenty on overtime, he hits it.

There is something about it was almost like having a good backup quarterback, as as you don't want him be your starter, but he's like he's got like a Frank vich Reich vibe, where if you put him in the playoff game, I somehow believe that he'll make the keep playing. Here's here's what I was saying. By the way, at the top of this, the Colts obviously owned three. They don't beat Miami this week, they're own four and going to Baltimore, have a nice season, and enjoy golf in January.

The Dolphins, if they don't take care of business here, if they lose and go to one in three, then they're at Tampa and they're one and four. But if they win this game, you get beaten Tampa. Okay, you're fine, You're right, you're two and three because then you got at Jacksonville home Atlanta the next two weeks and you're gonna be okay. But don't lose this game, I'll lose it. I believe of the four units. Um, Sorry, special teams.

I know you're an important part, but the Dolphins defense is the best of the four units, and that should be that. Yeah, that should still be the difference in this game. Money, you've said it all. I have. I've said too much. It's why this pot is an hour. Now. This is actually where we're trending in the right direction, where this is our shortest Thursday show a couple of minutes. So we're doing thank you money, um. And in case we haven't mentioned it, we have a television show together.

It's called Power Rankings US on NFL Network Tuesdays at three o'clock. Remember in the Blackman, I said the same point I'm gonna say now, you could have heard that two days earlier. That was all your friends. And if you want to hear everything Greg just said on this show, watch his what is it the Pick show? Friday afternoon. You're the same exact thing he said here, try to mix it up. Yeah, Friday evenings, what's the replayed Sunday mornings? So like on a balcony? Is that why it's called

game debut? Because check out this view wanted to change the title. We're okay, alright, Well you've said it all, You've said it all, Greg, all right, good stuff. Um hey little uh go check out the subreddit this weekend, everybody around the NFL. That's all we're gonna say. Go check it out at least right. Dan Answers signing for the old Boss, Ricky Hollywood and money. He's the car