2022 Week 16 Recap: Merry Christmas (Eve)!

for no one and nothing, including baby Jesus. And so here we are to give you a recap of everything that happened on the Saturday of week six. This is what we went with grave there. It's called holiday beats. Yeah. This I don't know. I was looking for something a little more traditional. This is a Christmas and Hollis knockoff. This is like the in Sync Christmas album. This is pretty traditional. Here I can go with this anyway. Let's let's talk you guys as you enjoy the football. Alybreody.

Working from home today is where the big holiday approaches. I loved it. I think you know it's it got tiresome working from home during Corona obviously, and it's nice to be able to do both. But I just had a couple of nice cups of coffee, uh, you know, making some breakfast, walking around and less clothing than I would normally. It was fantastic. And I'll tell you something else. You can feel, um that a big chunk of these

teams are reaching the end. There's a very distinct feel to me, for like Christmas week football is really you're starting to say goodbye to some of these teams and it's about time, and others are rising up and I enjoy them too. And you don't have to talk about the Titans like that. Mark, Come on, that is rude, Eve, says the guy in the Jets sweater. Mark is not wrong. So Jets are alive. Jets are alive. And yeah, I mean it's it's a big night. Who knows if Santa

is gonna come. I was when I was at your house Dan last week. I liked how you wielded Santa's potential coming or not over your kids like a scepter. I like to out how to do the dad thing until you could weaponize Santa and have the children's behavior molded as a result. I mean, my boys want Nintendo Switch, you know what, they're probably getting Intendo Switch in reality, In fact, I know they are. It's in the house.

I hope they don't listen to this on YouTube. But however, uh, if they were too, I don't know, burned down the living room tonight, there will be no Nintendo Switch in the morning. So they need to take this thing across the goal line, as it were. I don't know if that's the goal with Santa as a parent, I see what you're doing, and I think it's very effective, but to tournament sort of a menacing, uh deal breaker eyes. Maybe it's a it's a new way too, it's a

new approach. Hey, listen, you take care of business in your homemark. I'll take care of mine. In my house. It's a house of fear. Okay, all right, all right, let's get into the games. We're gonna do ten games today. We're gonna leave the Sunday night game or the Saturday and it's annoying, the Saturday night Christmas Eve game. We're gonna hit that and the three Christmas games Monday morning,

so stay tuned for that. Right now, We're gonna hit all the early and late afternoon games starting with the game of the week. And dare I say, in the running for game of the year, let's head to Jerro World where the Dallas Cowboys look to keep their NFC East hopes alive against the Eagles. Fourth down and ten min shoe back for man rosh here they come. He hits it back into the end, the polls on the crowd and complete. The Cowboys defense was equal to the

task that time. The Cowboys are gonna take it over with fourteen seconds left and that what oh Bongo's to start a Christmas Eve gift for the Cowboys and their fans. And I endorse it. Because the Dallas Cowboys fell behind

ten points early. They fell behind ten points again, I believe it was twenty seven seventeen at one point in this game, but they turned multiple Philadelphia turnovers in two points uh and win forty four after getting yes that stopped on the final play, fourth down and long for Gardner Minshew, who played very well in the place of Jalen Hurts, who might not even be back next week. Keep an eye on that. But in the here and now means you move the ball against the Dallas defense.

But Greg when Mike McCarthy made the decision near the goal line in the other end to kick the field goal. He said to his own defense, don't let them score a touchdown. It got a little harry there, but they got to stop and they're eleven and for as a result, it got real harry. He trusted his defense, who did not play that well except for the turnovers, although that's a big except for and except for those last few plays,

although that's the big except for. Because a team that had a Gholston in this game, the Dallas Cowboys, that is no quarterback, hits, no sacks. Kind of crazy, I believe it is another one to look at. You could you could go with uh, they get the pressure, they're back to back place on third and fourth down. Third down, it was Parsons who helped force a fumble earlier in the fourth quarter, and then fourth down, the interior push

gets Minshew to let go to the ball. I hate when a team clocks it like Minshew did there with thirty seconds to go. I think if if Jalen Hurts was in there, they might have a play called then and not waste that down. But big up. So the Cowboys defense have been a defense team all year and they made the big place there. And I mean you mentioned the turnover sight in a game like this, We're both games were just sort of at different junctures, marching up and down the field. It felt insane to me.

It just became one of those games where it's like you just trusted it would come down to the end. But the turnovers. Um, they weren't getting a lot of pass rush, but Jron curse, Like that first interception he had leaping over a wide receiver led to a touchdown. Uh, the fumble of Minshew led to a touchdown. The durn Bland pick led to a field goal. So that's seventeen points.

That's the difference right there. And I mean Minshew otherwise, and I you know, not to overrate who he is, but if you if you take away the the take the turnovers, like his box score looked a lot like a lot of Jalen Hurts box scores three dred and fifty something plus yards. Both wide receivers went for a hundred plus. He just didn't operate on the ground that way.

But they did have that big you know, fourth and one push as well, I thought, Minshew, I mean, I know that they're not in must win territory, but he can sneak him a win next week, no problem. I mean,

they came very close to taking this. I thought, yeah, I thought it was you know, I thought Dallas really left the door open on each of their last two s sessions with some suspect play calling and decision making by Dac on their final possession where he went out of bounds on a scramble on a first down scramble UH at two oh one on the clock, which stopped

the clock. And then with a essentially one more snap before the two minute warning, instead of throwing it under the back of the end zone, he takes a nine yard sack, which allows not only UH the Eagles to get that stop and give them one more chance after the field goal, it also left Philadelphia to preserve a time out and put them in much better position. Um. I thought it was interesting the quarterbacks in this game. Like you said, Minhi was very good. He wasn't perfect, UH,

and they made him pay for it. When he wasn't perfect. He threw two interceptions he could have thrown a third, but he also made a lot of big throws in this game, and right before the crucial Miles Sanders fumble on the penultimate drive for Philadelphia. Um I was saying to my dad, Keith, who we were watching the game together, It's like, I don't know if min she is gonna lead them down the field here, but this guy is

not scared. And it was kind of a bummer to see the situation get taken out of his hands there. But he did get one more chance. And Greg on the deck side of things that early on the first possession of pick six and you're thinking, oh my god, are they really gonna, you know, blow this game with Hurts on the sideline. But he played really well. Some of those mental blunders at the end of the game, but in general, I thought he really played excellent football.

He was twenty four for twenty four when the Eagles played zone defense for three yards and three touchdowns. To me, the biggest play of the game was the fifty two yard or to t Y Hilton third and thirty. It had been two years since any team had hit a third down when it was third and thirty. T Y Hilton is back in our life, and Dac when he throws a pretty ball to me, it's for some reason, it's just prettier than other people. Like the Ceedee Lamb pass over the middle two Uh, that was big in

the game. Like, but that throw a Hilton on third and thirty which led to points was part of an awesome performance. And other than the pick six, he was incredible. They got a little lucky falling on the three uh fumbles. They were covered all three fumbles in this game, but Dac deserved it. It just shows you though defenses are a little overrated. It's like neither one of these defenses could get a stopped. There was one punt in this game. Yeah, I do. I am concerned. I want to see what's

going on with Lane Johnson. He left the game, went to the tent, and you know he was a little banged up last week too, so that's a major development for the Eagles. But I'm with you on dec I mean, I think he hit what sixteen straight throws after that pick six? I mean, and when he's on, and this offense functions with him completely flipped on, like the Cowboys are pretty unstoppable. So it's like, I guess for me, the hope is that like if they meet again, you

get this version of Dallas. Because this was sort of Dallas. I mean, they weren't perfect, but they were operating. I thought that they were not scared of the moment. The run game wasn't even as good as it's been in other games today, and they still they put up a ton of points. And so it's it makes me hopeful that Dallas doesn't melt away in the playoffs, as I feel like I've seen thirty seven times in my life. He still they still give me that feeling of a

team that that could do that. And like I'm saying, some of the mental mistakes and some of the play callings like it was, are the cowboys and the rubber meets the road and the crucible of the playoffs gonna do the right things to win big games against top teams. We shall see. But one thing we do know on Thursday when we're previewing this game, if they got got beat by Minshew, um, they're gonna they feel really fraudulent. Um. And the fact that they took care of business here.

They are coasting now of the playoffs and still in the mix here and we wait to see where Jalen Hurts is physically and how the Eagles proceed there. But they still need one win in two games or Dallas loss and they will take the one seed. Philadelphia will Should we keep moving? Boys? I mean it is Christmas Eve. Oh who locked it up? Who locked it up? I'm sorry everybody? In a surprise move and a late Twitter

Twitter lock, the Westling grows locked the Cowboys. Okay, did they not get their initial lock in under the ahead of the Thursday preview? You seem to have deadlines in place at this point. Nick was a little busy, so you never know what's going on in the zoo. Yeah, you know, it could have been a grill on the loose. You know. Hopefully they're they're listening. They are hosting Lakisha and Link in Cincinnati, so that's I hope they're not listening.

I hope they're having a wonderful time together sitting around the heart. Uh. Merry Christmas to the Westlings and the uh Lakeisha Link everybody and all the brothers and everybody. All right, let's keep moving now, let's head to the I was gonna say the Metrodome is no longer the Metrodome. It's a beautiful, gleaming temple to football US Bank Stadium, where the Vikings look to continue their insane winning ways and one score games, of course against the Giants that

had to come down to the last play. Sixty one yard try Wright hash Ye show ship with the Big Lake's plus this cook jeans Pep the Giants plentiest twenty four jose I mean, we live in a world now, and that's Paul Allen, by the way, k f A. And you heard Brad Sham the Sham God before. Where a kicker that's not even known as necessarily you know, a big time kicker, Greg Joseph can just smoke a

sixty one yard field little it's a gun. I think that's one of the most underappreciated aspects of how pro football has changed, Mark Sessler, even since you and I joined the company way back in two thousand ten. The kicking game is outrageous, and that's why it's celebrated on this show. Greg Joseph, sixty one bang right down the middle, and the Vikings beat the Giants Province New York and

clinching a playoff spot. Vikings already locked up the North and this was another field would win for a team. Mark that is eleven and oh in one score games, and they could thank the kicker for that. I mean it was just days ago on the Thursday Show where we were kind of challenging the vikings for you know, maybe once this season, just win a big game, but make it, you know, take the drama out of it.

How about the zero drama element and just go do it and become a playoff team and instead, uh, you know, this is naturally how they are. This is their DNA, this is woven into their bloodstream. And I thought it was just incredible to watch once again the idea that they they didn't top last week, but it's just like another version of the madness that unfolded last week and every other week their historically, this team, no, no other

team has done this. And I do think the thing is that I believe and it is like justin Jefferson setting the single game, single season record today, t J. Hockinson, who they traded for, like that's totally completely worked, Like he had got thirteen catches for a hundred plus today and two touchdowns. I just think it's a it's a nod to the entire coaching stuff that he melded right into the offense and has been a big difference maker. And some of these huge games that have come down

the last second. Yeah, but two minutes left in the game. This Vikings team is the best team ever. They're as focused as Mark Sessler, you know, reading the highlights while cats are climbing all over him. And in the background, if you check it out on YouTube, he is locked in. And that's a professional. He's not a cat lady, He's a cat man. I wouldn't say that they have one more games in the final minute than any team in

the history of the NFL. Six they have one more one possession games than any hit team in the history of the NFL. Eleven. Uh, it's crazy and and people can just keep on pounding the table. Myself included for regression. But maybe the regression comes next year. Maybe regression isn't even a thing. I don't know, but eleven and oh

and one score games is crazy. The only reason it got to this point, Um, I thought, when when the Vikings, because you know the way these coaches are now with the analytics, I thought, when the Vikings had a chance, uh, when they scored the touchdown to go up seven, I out they were gonna go for two and win the game. If they get to their up nine Instead, they kicked

the extra point. There are up eight points and that left the door open for Daniel Jones, s Kwon Barkley and the Giants and a drive that ends with a twenty seven yard touchdown run right up the gut on fourth and two with two oh one to play. Jones follows with a two point conversion. It's the Minnesota defense is not good and we could, we could, we could apologize for doubting Minnesota. We can, we could pump Viking stands of puff out their chest and say you can't

argue with results. I mean, we're gonna make a deep run of the playoffs, but you see a week after week that you can move the ball on the Vikings and Daniel Jones looking like Phil Simms and super Bowl twenty one here was just the latest example of it. Um So that's not ever gonna get better for the Vikings, but their ability to make big plays. And I was saying it a Keith today. T J. Hopkinson, great edition there. He's been a perfect uh. His role is perfect and

filled a void for them. But justin Jefferson, every time this team needs a play down the stretch, that guy is there. And I know he's not gonna win m VP. But take a look at every big drive when they've had all these dramatic wins. How many times has Jefferson made one of the big plays or the big play, and that's been a major difference. It's him, He is him, and I'm on the list. I believe he should be there. He absolutely is m v P worthy. I know it.

He won't get it, probably because I think he's already liked the the top five. I think to me, he would be three or four on my personal Listen, you can maybe this year is a little different too, because nobody you're not gonna give it to Cousins because usually when the wide receiver as a massive year, you give it to his quarterback. But Cousins doesn't fall into that category. Maybe this is the year where a white owl could sneak in and take that trophy. But he certainly deserves it.

I just see I could see voters splitting their votes to some degree where m VP goes Mahomes, but Offensive Player of the Year heat that Jefferson dominates that vote. I just I just wonder if that's how that could play out. Um, I mean, I one giants thing about this because I don't know what they're gonna do with Daniel Jones. I think he's been better than advertised in

a lot of these games. He's he's had high profile gaffs, but really for the most part, like I think he threw his first pick in weeks and weeks this this this week, and like he's playing, he's throwing to Isaiah Hodgens, Richie James and Darius Slayton. There's just very little around him and to you even see the Giants in some of these games. I mean, it helped to see Barkley play better today than he that slump he was in. But um, I feel like this is a sinking balloon

and we're just catching on the way down. Yeah, I think Jones disagree with that. I thought the Giants played well in this game. And I think they had four hundred and forty five yards of offense, uh three four through the air through Jones, and their defense is not good enough to get stops against this Vikings offense in a big spot. But they also I thought in general, uh, this was a back and forth game that they they lose on a sixty one yard field goal on the road.

I think the Giants are going to make the playoffs, especially with Washington not being able to pull off an upset today, And I think I would not be surprised if they're in another very close game down the stretch because I think they've refound themselves a little bit when they were in that slump before the Washington game. I think they're gonna hang around and be a tough out every week. Well, I think they're gonna probably I could. I could see a high like percentage likeliness that they

play the Vikings again in the playoffs. I'm more saying, like I just think if you run into a Niner's team or the Eagles again, This Giant's team to me is like, are they going to seek into the playoffs? Yes, Like I was on the side of wanting them to be fun and joyful and it's like they're a bit fraudulent, Uh, but they are what they are, and like I do get I do still think they've been well coached from wire to wire this entire season. Like it is a

win for Brian Dable. Yeah, the results for Week sixteen, spoiler alert is going to help the Giants as chances of making the playoffs. So they lose this game. Because the Cowboys won, the Cowboys all but assured themselves of getting that five seed versus the six. Uh. But Giants are are much less likely to follow out of this, and the Vikings are still alive here for the two seed. They are the two seed, and that that really does make a big difference. So that's something that them in

the forty Niners are playing for down the stretch. All right, let's move on now. Speaking of the forty Niners, they welcomed those commanders into their building, and you know they just suffocate their opponents. It happened again. Bertie under center, toss, gonna fake it and roll to his laptom, will throw wide open Kittle underneath twenty block ten five charge Kittle touch down again, touch down sand France. Let's go what action there by brock Fur Brocket and rolling baby off

the keeper. He's gonna hold this football as long as he can. Man Brocken and rolling is some real dad energy. I'm in though, Greg Popa and Tim Ryan with the call k n BR. They're inevitable, these four Niners right now. Rock Purty threw two more touchdown passes to George Kittle and the Niners take out the Commander's thirty seven to twenty. That's eight straight wins for San Francisco and Greg Purdy is now three and oh uh since taking over for

Jimmy Garoppolo. He's not doing it alone. The whole team is playing well right now, but he has fit in nicely and they are just rolling. Yeah. I think this was perfect for them because they were really tested offensively. I know they had big scores where Kittle got wide open and Shanahan coming out a half time, really picked on the linebacker situation and created some mismatches that that Kittle took advantage of. But before that, they were struggling to move the ball uh. And I think that was

good because Purdy had to make plays under pressure. They got unlucky with an interception that Jowan Jennings dropped. Uh. And they were tested, I think by a playoff caliber defense. It's not a player playoff caliber offense for Washington, but it's a playoff caliber deef deef defense, and so they were tested. But in the second half it was just like Downhill. They had four out of five possessions in

the second half that started in forty Niners territory. Because Heineke kept turning it over and there was especially in there was another Um special teams play, and so they just kept getting the ball. It honestly could have been a fifty burger in this game because they were stopped on short drives in Washington territory so many times in

the second half. Yeah, like when we talk about, you know, maybe defense doesn't matter in that Philly Dallas game, and you're right, um in that situation, like the Niners defense keeps mattering week to week. I thought they completely uh turned Tom Brady's season into total darkness a couple of weeks ago. They basically unplugged Geno Smith a week ago, I mean, kind of changing that narrative, what the way we viewed Geno Smith changed, and they just got Terrell

Heinike Benched. I mean it's like they they're that early goal lines stand that they had which flipped around into the Ray Ray McCloud seventy one yard sweep with a great block by Christian McCaffrey. It's like their stops turn into points and like they had the same thing. I thought the fourth and one stop of Heineke when it

was fourteen to seven, and then bangs. Seconds later, it's seven because Purty Is you know, overcomes the interception completely, data wipes that from his memory and Mine mills with George Kittle, which he did for the rest of the game. Then they've got a strip, sack and interception. They just like to your point where it was just downhill. They

never stopped. And Washington is a very compromised team. They kind of remind me of the Giants in the sense that little things you like, but if you get caught into the bad game flow and you start to get behind, I don't really trust Washington to work the way out of it. I don't really care if that's Carson Wentz or Taylor Heinecke at quarterback. I kind of hated the UH. I understand everyone's aggressive all the time now, but that decision by Riverboat run uh, fourth and one at his

own thirty four. You gotta convert it. If you're gonna, you gotta go. I mean, I you better love your quarterback and trust your offense, because against this team, if you don't get it, guess what, you don't get it. And then two plays later it's one seven, and I know. Then Washington came back and scored again, and you give him credit for that to keep the game interesting, But that to me, the game felt over at that point.

And a couple of things that jumped out to me Greggy, Um, we haven't taught I feel like we haven't talked about Nick Bosa ton On on the show this year, or maybe I'm just forgetting it, but he's been beast this year. He definitely deserves serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. He's up to seventeen and a half sacks now. He had two sacks and a forced fumble in this game.

And then the other part of it. Obviously, Carson Wentz replaces Heineke, and Um, I would anticipate Greggy that Carson went stays in the line up now because it just felt like Riverboat had an itchy trigger this whole time with Taylor. Yeah. It's funny because I think Heineke was so lucky all season, playing poorly and getting by and this was the reverse. I thought he played a good

first half. You know, they get stuffed on the goal line where Fred Warner makes a great play in the running game or else that Washington could have been up fourteen seven. Heineke made a number of good throws in good decisions, and then two quick turnovers in a row, which one came on the boast of strip Sack, which I don't know if that was really on Heineke, and then an interception, and Wentz came in and played, well,

he's in one drive. He had like the most Carson Wentzy stuff happened, making a miraculous play as he's falling to his knees that turns into twenty five yards a total dime for a touchdown. But also had what should have been a turnover by Wentz too, but he got the touchdown, got another good drive after that, and my guests,

as you're right, they play the Browns next week. They are still in position for the playoffs, but only half a game up, so it's it's wide open for that seven spot and they have the Browns and the Cowboys to finish up. And uh, the one good thing I think they get Chase Young back and he made a difference in this game. He looked good. He wasn't coming off an injury looking bad, so that's one thing to

be happened. The Mails, who have a star in Johan Dotson, I mean, they really have weapons because if it's him and McLaurin, like, and I the one thing I'd say about Heineck that was different than Wentz when he came in for the first kind of month of Heineke. For all the issues, he had great chemistry with McLaurin, Like, the splits were completely different. And then they've they've just become such a ball possession ground team. That's what they want to be and they couldn't do that today to

some degree. But I like, I know we don't care about this, but I would love to know what the majority of the locker room UM thinks about Wentz in there over Heineke. The person I just do. I just have a sense that there's Carson. Wentz seems to have struggled to attach himself to a locker room everywhere he's gone. Heineke slammed his helmet down when he was taken out of the lineup and was seen arguing with her very and just one quick thing, Dan, I think you're right.

I think both probably one the defensive player of the year today. Um. Just the way the Cowboys defense has fallen apart, in the way Boss is playing. Yeah, I think Heinek is a guy that has liked in that locker room, but that the coach doesn't think he's a good quarterback. It's it makes sense why they would look to Wentz as a spark here and here is speaking of Wentz. What was that thing Colleen did on Tuesday?

Was she like simmed all of the holiday films or she somebody did and she was reading it like like a a a sim watched like a thousand hours of Hallmark Holiday films and created its own script. This, this quote from Carson Wentz feels like a sim Like they uploaded every Taylor Heineke pass ever into Wentz and then a reporter stuck a recorder in his face. I this is Carson Wentz on Heineke's first half. I thought he played well. I thought he was dealing. I thought Taylor

played well. Obviously, the way the game ended was strange. The way ended that's from Nikki Javal. He's so afraid to offend anyone, and I don't I don't blame him. At this point, as we all, let's decarted to really go ahead and start to take command. Not too late, Carson, not too late, and I Greg the calculators. We go to our first break it's Washington needs to win their last two games. The Giants need to lose their last

two games. Does that sound about right? Washington's in the playoffs right now, so they're trying to hold off Detroit in Seattle and Green Bay and that half a game up going into the final. Man, NFC got real sloppy in the back of that wild card race. Yea, here I am they can. Washington was cooked, but they are very much alive. So Wentz has a big opportunity for some personal redemption. Let's take a break and we will roll on. Alright, we're back in case you're just joining us.

It's Christmas Eve and we're talking football because we can't get enough. Baby. All right, let's move on. San Francisco takes care of business. How about the Cincinnati Bengals who are rolling themselves and they have the Patriots up next, and what felt like a blowout turned into something entirely different. Mac Jones waiting for the shotgun snap hands it off, Stephen said, stacked up calling backward ball, tackle is out outing turnovers. He covers turn over that should they well

the nails bam bam bam. Oh my goodness, Greg, if I didn't hate the Patriots so much, I'd feel bad from these less two weeks have been insane. Throw that Vikings game in there too. Oh thanks Dan Horde and Dave Lapham with the call. W c k Y. Here's the breakdown here and this is one of my games. Um. The Bengals absolutely dismantle the Patriots in the first half in Foxborough. It is two zero at half. I believe

the first downs between the teams. I believe the number was twenty two for Cincinnati and three for New England. It was that ugly. And then the Patriots do what the Patriots do. They pick up a defensive score pick six, and all of a sudden, like all right, and they missed the extra point. It's six, and then all of

a sudden, the Cincinnati offense goes totally cold. Um, after Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes and the Bengals offense just did whatever they wanted in bad conditions in New Engham, they go cold. Meanwhile, on third and forever from midfield, Mac Jones throws up a prayer. They get swatted from one hand into Jacoby Myers as for a touchdown, and now they're within uh. Ten points, they kick a field goal, and then all of a sudden they have the ball

after a turnover by Jamaar Chase. The Patriots do and they're going down the field, only for Stevenson to fumble the football inside the ten when it looked like the Patriots are gonna have one of the more unlikely um wins of the year after the most unlikely loss. So in the end, it was a crushing um loss for New England. Final score was eighteen, so New England has a chance to really stay in the mix in the a f C playoff race. Instead, they're in a lot

of trouble now. In Cincinnati's winning streak extends, even though you're not feeling too hot about after you watch the last two quarters, I mean, or or the first two quarters against the Bucks last week where Tampa Bay looked um, you know, playoff ready all of a sudden before falling off a cliff. I think Zach Taylor said it, like

when you're up to me too, nothing fifteen nothing. You gotta find a way to like put these teams away if you want to be a super Bowl team, And I I kind of they're not a team I worry about slump wise. I think burrows turnovers occasionally like today caused a big problem for them, and like, but but who do you trust more to work themselves out of it? I mean, they've essentially off New England at this point.

I cannot I do find from a New England side that if you look at the way the last minute of the last two games finished, or the last ten seconds, it's mistake prone. Um, it looks disjointed, it's very unbelled checking in and it's an odd, strange end to a season that started this morning with rumors that Bill O'Brien might return as the offensive coordinator next season. The funny thing is, it's like I'm thinking, as a Patriots like, oh great, I would love a Bill O'Brien at this point.

It's like that would help you. Now. That said, they were so close to what would have been like a stirring victory, and I didn't hate their strategy at the end. They were trying to make the Bengals burned time out. They were running the ball. Well, it was the only two minutes of the game I watch, I'll admit, is the end. So I got that dagger right right at the end, and that probably should be a forward progress um like blown dead. I think that's that's a pretty

clear call in most situations. Uh. And they answered it after the games, saying they just thought he still had his legs moving. But that's that's not what forward progress is about. Once you're moving backwards and you're held for like three straight yards, they'll call that. But that's that's been this Patriots season. I think all the good fortune the Patriots have had for twenty years, it's like there, it's cashing in the other way this year. Just pile

it up all in one year. Well, if it makes you, I don't want to worry you, Greg, But if that's the theory that's actually taking hold, I think of imagine being a fan of a team of that hates the Patriots and feeling like that happened for twenty straight years, so maybe it will. Well, here's one thing, um in your favor here, the Patriots would have knocked out the Jets with a win. Here if if Stevenson had had

won that game. But know and it felt in and also not for nothing, but old Zeuser locked up the Bengals and it's twenty two nothing and I'm I'm coast into the finish line and then all of a sudden, this game gets totally bizarre and wacky, and uh, it did feel like they had the Bengals right where they wanted. They had them on their heels. They're running the ball really well and Stevenson and it's just a kind of

a snapshot of their season in general. The frustration um of New England to just take do the type of things that we we kind of just expected them to do. But you you saw another uh, defensive score. Like I said, Marcus Jones, Um, it was Marcus Jones, right with Marcus

Jones history. That was a beautiful play by Marcus Jones who not only picked it off, he then tight tight rope down the sideline for the touch on Kendrick Born makes a beautiful catch in this game back Jones didn't do a lot here, but he made a few throws, so it all it was kind of a rip your heart out loss for a New England um and for the Bengals. It's one of those things like I don't know what happened here, but we did win. Just like

last week. They don't know what happened in the first half either, And Mark, I guess The question is do you does that make you nervous that four of their last eight quarters have been terrible or does it make you feel more confident that you came out of both of those games with wins. So it doesn't It doesn't concern me. Not that I you know, and brushing it rushing and off is nothing. But they're slumps are different

than other teams slumps. I think the Bills we could say, you know, they didn't lose during their slump, and the Bengals are finding ways to win these games. To me, it's like this is this is part of the roadmap that you go through, and I just look at one thing about New England, like I feel like there's this is a theme this year of a couple of really good defenses that got completely hung out to dry by

their offenses. I think of New England because it's been a really well coached defense and been typical for most of the season. And like Denver, it's like these defensive players the text threads must be absolutely on fire with what they're dealing with from the offensive side of the ball. I would love to read them. I think they'd be very spicy. I would to Marcus Jones quickly is the first player, uh or the second player in NFL history to have a career forty yard UH catch punt return

and UH interception return. The only other person in NFL history to ever do that is Dion Sanders and Marcus Marcus Jones has already done it as a rookie, not just you know, this is talking about entire career. He had a big catch on on offense too. In your lock sound there, dan Um reminds me of when we

started this lock competition six years ago. I went back and listened to the last time we did a Christmas Eve show just to see if I get get some fun stuff there, and uh, it was the lock competition had just started back then in the middle of that season. Actually just kind of uh impromptu. Let's let's take a listen after Mark Sessler three and oh whoa. We are flying with the locks now and the cop we put we've put it into the safe. We spin you know

the wheel thing or like the what is it? It's like a circular it's almost like a pirate ship wheel almost kind of like a we spin the pirate ship wheel lock and then we leave it there and then we go get it on on Saturday. Don't need to think about it again. I gotta wait till Sunday for the Steelers. Bad job. I should have picked the lock that was on Saturday. No lollipops today. Anyway, You're no Liberaci, but you know we then Liberaci comes up a lot

on the show. Um, and great to hear Chris of course, and Greggy to think, just think of all the joy and like the Grinch coming down from the mountain trying to kill the lock segment. Shame on you. That's part to the fun. I just like we were still talking showmanship. He called me the strong and silent type, which was a running joke and the whole thing it was. It was nice to hear his voice. I remember we were in the studio that night. Yes, always good to hear Chris,

especially on Christmas Eve. Lay All Collins, by the way, went out with a knee injury. Keep an eye on that. Their offensive line really crumbled Cincinnati after that. Okay, let's move now to Soldier Field where the Bills, you know, they know the Cincinnati's breathing right down their neck as they try to lock up home field Avenge in the a f C time to take care of business against the Bears. Josh takes gonna keep it and try to run on himself round the right side. Josh ticks to

the interne easy and touch down Buffalo. Josh Allen runs it in from three artown touchdown, Puffalo. Bill. The Bills did get it done, maybe not as easy as they expected, at least early on, but in the end, Devin Singletary James Cook both had long TVs in the third quarter, Alan scored as you heard, and Buffalo coasted to a win in one of the coldest games ever played in Chicago. Yeah, I should mention that as a t Mark Sessler here all across the country just hideous weather. Um and luckily

we're not traveling this week. But um, these games, some of these games really were impacted by the weather. One of the games, Tennessee and Houston even had to be pushed back an hour because of a power grid situation. Unbelievable anyway, get into it. Mark had the Bills win this game. I think the weather had a real effect on this, as it did on a lot of these games. You mentioned that they just weren't really the same operation

through the air. It wasn't it wasn't like completely visible to the eye that they couldn't move the ball Josh Allen through the air, But like we're really what stood out to me today was because we've, you know, mid season, we're kind of questioning the balance of the offense, like if they needed to, could they really run the ball in a situation and do it without a major issues? And today was the day where I mean think we've

seen that bubble up, especially Alan against the Dolphins. I thought had a big day at another forty one yards and that touchdown we just heard today, So that's part of their offense right now, especially in weather like this. But it was Devin Singletary you mentioned a hundred and six yards. James Cook had two hundred and fifty four yards at eight point two yards per carry off thirty

one of toats. And what I loved about it was the two touchdowns you mentioned, was like they were just really looking for an explosive spark, and back to back drives you get Cook and Singletary blasting for long touchdowns and it really just put it away on the flip side. The reason I thought, you know, we've seen these bears hanging these games and it's always been about justin fields.

They had a good plan for fields, Um they were dealing with and they have they have nothing in their offense from through the air, and so it's him or nothing. And he had when the Bills at one point we're up twenty one nothing at a hundred and eighty one yards, Fields had seven and he finished on the ground with eleven yards off seven carry. So if you're gonna take that element out of Chicago attack, um, see you later, Bears. Bears still got a chance for the number one pick.

By the way, they're only half a game behind the last two months, right, they they're close every week. And then look, the Bills clinched their third straight a f C East today. That's impressive with two weeks to go. In this division that we were saying looked like the best division in football, they end up being the class of it by far. Always say how hard it is to like be the best team year after year, and we look up and here it is. It's the Bills

in the chiefs again. And you nailed it, Mark. I mean, being able to run to win is really important for them. And it wasn't like those running backs loaded up on like fifty carries. It was twelve for one oh six eleven. That's a really good sign for them. That is for Chicago fan base that no, they're going to watch a loss. And I don't know how many people. I'm sure there

were a lot of empty seats there. But the temperature kickoff was nine degrees with a minus twelve win chill, only three degrees warmer than the record low for a Bears home game. And it's their coldest road game for Buffalo by temperature since at least nineteen sixty seven. I mean, what causes people to go to these games? I I respect it, but it does strike me as a whiff

of madness. There were empty seats. There were a ton of empty seats in Foxboro, in Cleveland, and I assume in this one mark but I didn't really check out this one. I didn't track the seats scenario um that closely, to be honest, But I will say that one time, what happens, Well, there's a lot going on. Like at the one time, I do recall getting um like tangible. I went in snow. It was like deathly frost bite, but I couldn't feel my toes even like in the

middle of the night. Was the first game I ever went to was a week fifteen Chiefs Giants game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and it was like this kind of temperature and it was like what I had the same question as you, then, what am I doing here?

There is as anyone that grew up in the Northeast knows, if you go to a game at Giant Stadium in the eighties and and d s into the two thousands, and it is a late kickoff, four PM kickoff and you are on the side of the stadium that is in the shade, you are going to suffer for many hours. And I'm sure you were on the wrong side of the stadium on that day. My friend, Well, I'm a child, I'm not. You know, you can't like have whiskey and

do things that would warm up the body. You're just sort of left out to dry, right exactly, all right. Let's move to Charlotte, where the team of at L look to keep things rolling against the Panthers fighting for their playoff lives in the saggy NFC South. This one did not go to plan. Trips left the snap stream pass back to DJ. He's got the five reaching two of the end zone ball comes out at the end, touchdown Carolina d J. Moore and the Panthers lead at

thirty to seven. We're about twenty four minutes and twelve seconds away from a game against Tampa next week with first place in the division on the law. Wa what good call do we have? A? Greg Rosa? What why do you? J? Moore? With the score there? But this was about the running game for the Panthers. Dante Foreman ran for a career high one hundred sixty five yards and a touchdown. The Panthers had a franchise record three twenty yards on the ground and they defeat the team

around the NFL. Greg, how do you give up three twenty yards on the ground in this spot? It felt like more the sad the sad a t N music team of a ten music is back. M h. It felt like a moral victory. What what what? What? It was to forty At halftime? I got the Google what's the all time record for rushing yards in a game? I mean they were on no, they had they were on pace for it at that point. So never good, yeah,

never good. I mean five place seventy eight yards on the first drive and they were all runs The first play of the game was a thirty five yard run and they were just huge holes for Donte Foreman and Chewba Harbard to run through and bad tackling in the secondary by the lines. And it started that way, and you just that that happened sometimes and you figure like, oh, this is gonna get under control, and it it never

really got under control. The Panthers set a franchise record with that rushing total, but they also set up franchise record just for yardage. I mean, they've been around a while now. Five and seventy yards is a lot. And Sam Donald, when he had to make a play in this game, made a lot of high level throws. They just destroyed this team, the Lions defense, at least not offensively, but it was crazy. The Panthers had seven runs to

your point crag of twenty yards or more. And the Lions had been very stout against the run defensively in recent weeks. They had been averaging uh just eighty four yards rushing per game in the last five weeks. UH and then Foreman and Hubbard both go over the century mark in the first half, so halfa is the first time that had happened in any game since uh d'angelo's Williams and Jonathan Stewart's Insane. Yeah, and Mark, I guess this is we'll see, We'll see what this means for Detroit.

Is this another game? By the way, a temperature is twenty degrees to kick off wind chill of nine. Maybe this is a dome team that that just bid it. But we'll see if they bounce back from this. This seems like a pretty humbling loss. Well, I think golf splits on you know, at home versus um, not only on the road, but like when he's been outdoors are unbelievably varied, Like he's not the same person in this outdoor weather. And so I did score awesome in this game.

I'm coming into this, coming into this game like he's like literally of his production has been like an indoor weather. And so I mean I think that helps them the way they're built to. I mean, to me, it's like I don't sure the Lions, they've been so improved, but like they were kind of do I thought for a step back at some point. I mean, I'm just some surprised by Carolina being able to dominate this way. They've been really hot and cold because they had sixty four

yards rushing against the Bengals. It's like, all right, well that plans out the window. Then the next week they put up two hundred and forty against the Falcons on the ground, then thirty six against the Ravens, then a hundred and eighty five against the good Broncos team, then today, So it's like, when it works, they're essentially unstoppable. But then the next week they completely as the beds. So I'm not you know, It's like, I don't know who

to trust in any of these situations. Right, They're gonna play the Bucks no matter what happens on Christmas, and they are in a winning in situation. If Carolina beats Tampa next week, they are in first place and then they could clinch the division. I think Dartle makes a huge difference away he's playing. He's played the cleanest month I think of his career. Maybe he had some more spectacular moments with the Jets, but he's just made good

decisions and he wasn't like the headline here today. But there were a couple of spots in game where they needed a throw and he made some really high level throws and and they needed to keep scoring because the Lions offensively, we're fine in this game, Golf, I thought actually played pretty well overall. They were stopped inside the ten yard line twice, once on downs with I think it was a batted pass and once they fumbled a

snap on a first down. You know, they put up three d an eight yards in twenty three points, like it was really their defense had had no hope in this game. I'm happy for Sam Donald who just getting and then a shot at this NFL thing after a horrendous start to his career. And we are it is within the realm of reality here that Sam Donald starts a home playoff game. Uh, this, this could happen. Tampa

Bay is not a team to trust. Keep an eye on this because the Panthers now and I know that it was a disappointing loss last week but against Pittsburgh, but to bounce back like this, uh, that is pretty impressive. They had five yards in this game, the most ever on the coldest day that the history of that stadium. I really hope that Steve Wilkes gets a legitimate, real chance to continue as coach because I think this is

one of the better interim runs there's been. Yeah, you wonder if they like lost two straight weather it would happen. But today it felt like, Man, I think he's gonna

keep wind up, keeping this job. I did notice Dan Campbell, like I thought he blinked at one point there was a fourth and one at his own thirty six, and they had been moving the ball well and that was a play that they've gone for in most situations all year, right before halftime, and he decides to pun it away and his lousy defense ends up giving up points in that situation. Anyway, you didn't see the aggressive call from Dan Campbell on and a day they needed to, but

it wouldn't have mattered. I just and and by the way, I do see that golf had a major box score today. I was more mentioning that like coming into this game it did. It was one question about the Lions because they've been so explosive at home that like, can you go win on the road in a big spot? You know, well, their home next week against the Bears, and then they might be on the road week eighteen. That could be the Sunday night game in a cold weather situation against

Green Bay. All is not lost for team over around the NFL. They had been on a run here. But if you win these last two games, you're probably in the playoffs. Yes, just that we're gonna stay positive here. I don't like giving up ground yards in a game. It makes me nervous that they have been exposed in a profound way. But we're not gonna happen again. They're not going to do that again, not exactly at least. Right. All right, let's take a break and we'll row through

the rest of the games. All right, there is welcome back. We have a three team race top the a f C trying to get that number one see the all important buy and home field advantage throughout the a f C playoffs. We know the Bills one, knew the Bengals one. How about the Chiefs? Did they keep pace against the Seahawks? Kelsey three stands to the left or keeps the ball in his right hand, trying to stay alive, eyes for the firefront pylon. Did he get it? Did he get it?

Are they gonna give it to a touchdown? Chance city? All precincts, final reporting, And they give it to Mahomes on another rushing touchdown, the twelfth of his career. And the Chase have broken it open at twenty three to three. Whoa, he said, it was just the twelfth rushing touchdown mahomes career. That can't be right, Is that right? It feels like they all were to win the game though. Patrick Mahomes with Jalen Hurts out with an injury, has a chance here, uh to really put the m v P race in

his favor. And he got it done today, throwing two touchdown passes from no interceptions, adding that rushing score that you heard, and the Chiefs do take care of business and moved to twelve and three with a twenty four to ten win over the fading Seahawks. That was Mitch Holtess of course, uh for w d a f and Greggy yes another is this another case just kind of grinding their way through these things? But what did you take out of this game that their defense needed to

step up? I really wanted their defense to show me a little something more and they did for the most part. It was a lot of stopping the Seahawks on fourth downs like in their territory. Because Seattle could not finish drives. They turned it over on downs three times and Gino through a red zone interceptions. Those four times, they were inside the forty with zero points to speak of. But Chris Jones was dominant. I think he's second in the league in terms of interior pass rushers and pressures. He

had four quarterback hits. Lagarius Snead was really good against DK Metcalf when he was lined up against him, and the defense kind of just did what they needed to do and waited for the offense to put him away. They're gonna get the one seat here if they can just win a couple of division games against Denver in Vegas. I think that's huge because in the a f C in theory, Buffalo Cincinnati, like, you don't to play two

of those teams. You would only have to play one of those teams if you can get the one seed. I mean, was this another um miniature. I don't want to over emphasize it, but but maybe come down to earth or step back for General Smith, because what I kept seeing early on was that on key uh fourth down plays he was throwing short of the sticks that created two turnovers on downs, and they I think they had three or four of those situations in Kansas City territory,

where you know, I know they're compromised. Like Kenneth Walker looked. It seemed like you had a better game today, but you don't have Tyler Lockett and it's just like they're not able to This isn't the same environment that Gino Smith was sort of thriving in a month and a half ago, two months ago. No, this was one of the coldest days in Kansas City. Um, in Arrowhead history too, which is maybe why mahomes numbers were pretty low and in the eight struggled at some points. But yeah, they

they're not protecting him. I think Charles crossed. Their tackle went out of this game, the Seahawks tackle and Gino was getting hit, Gino was missing lock it and you're right, they kept throwing it like eight yards on fourth and nine and it was killer. Greg Let me get the calculator out, help us out, um, because obviously I'm confused about it. So the Giants are in great position even with the low Still, what is what does the rest of this NFC Wild Card field look like right now? Well,

it's pretty simple. With the Commanders lead, their only half a game up on Detroit in Seattle. Seattle's got the tiebreaker there, but that that's all they gotta do is make up one game in two weeks Commanders Lions, Seahawks, maybe the Packers in that next Well there's also the fact that if there's if those two get Seattle in Detroit get tangled that insane game from earlier in the year that Seattle won, they win the head to head

over Detroit too. Um. If you want a real positive sign for the Chiefs, that's the first time in ten games, uh this season that the Chiefs did not commit a turnover. That's kind of been a little bit of an issue for him this year. So cleaner football, Harrison Butker cleaned things up. He's been off this season. So we'll see where they're at as we finish out the regular season. And by the way, Andy Reid um on Christmas Eve was given a gift by his team in the locker room.

Uh listening, thank you, hey, you all get a gift as great as this. Cheeseburger is a paradise. So the game a wrapped gift and it was a cheeseburger in the box. Uh and uh because he's like cheeseburgers, because he's Andy Reid. Do you what percentage of the locker room, Mark, do you think got the Cheeseburgers and Paradise callback to Jimmy Buffett like ninety seven? I think it still gets played pretty widely at you know, pubs and things like that.

I think you could still have heard it in college and various um, you know pubs and taverns maybe, But I'm with you that it's it's an Andy Reid reference. It's dated. Andy Reid was probably talking about it, you know, thirty years ago, so uh, yeah, you're aging yourself something. One little takeaway was if you go back earlier in that interview, when they gave him the box, they wrapped it and everything. He shook it violently and so I

was like, we knew it was a cheeseburger. I'm like, that thing is going to be an absolute tatters when he ultimately opens the the packaging and it was completely fine. So it's like someone must have speared it um from head to toe so that it wouldn't get you know, ramshackled. It was a class experience scenario. That's a good giving. Great work. Great work by Javis Kelsey there spearing the burger. Great work by Mark noticing that and then commenting on

the podcast. Well, let's move to Baltimore, where it was also very cold. Man, it's nice living in southern California. Sometimes it's seventy three degrees today in Colborn, No Joe watched the games outside hotly off of the shotgun in the empty backfield, lobs in the back of the end zone looking for DeMarcus Robinson. He makes the catch, touch down Ravens and the red zone drought is over. A terrific touchpath from Tyler Huntley to DeMarcus Robinson and a

back side of the end zone. This crowd is happy for the first time this afternoon. Hey, it hasn't been easy for the Baltimore Ravens on offense for a while now. Uh and it wasn't easy again, but they did get it done. Jerry Sandusky with the call w b a l Tyler Huntley through first half touchdown pass too to Marcus Robinson. The Ravens defense did their job, kept the Falcons and Desmond Ritter out of the end zone. Final score seventeen to nine, ten wins mark for the Ravens.

They're going to the dance and m another game without Lamar Jackson, but they want two of the three without him. Now, I mean this would be another team i'd point to where the defense could quiet be like, excuse me, um attack, please start to operate on in somewhat functional level. I mean they're just getting by. Like before that to Marcus Robinson touchdown, they ran the ball eleven times. They really are very one dimensional. We I think we know that

about them. Outside of Mark Andrews, you're getting like guys with fourteen yards on the entire day. They just don't have anything there right now with Duverney also out in Rachad Bateman. But it was their defense. Their defense is marvelous and it kind of makes you think, like you if they if they're gonna win an ugly clayoff game, you could do it with this defensive thing. Alright. I wish I had not used that word, but like they

basically clipped. They clipped the Falcon. This looked like also, I feel like nine pc of Falcons games are exactly the same um in the sense that they just don't quite get it done. On offense. They had four drives inside the Baltimore twenty that resulted in three field goals and a loss on downs and and you know it was just little moments where Tyler Algio, we know he's been great, he's my guy, but he was stuffed on fourth and goal was six minutes to go, yes, and

like he just um that. That to me felt like the game was over. I mean there was a they have even got the ball back again and they were down, you know, seventeen seven or seventeen to six. And Desmond Ritter, you know, second game, got his handoff messed up in kind of clipped Algiers. He was running on a fourth, second and goal situation that just led to another field. They just could not punch in touchdowns against a very good Ravens defense. While the Ravens offense they can run

the ball and do very little else. And so this game felt exactly what you thought it would be in this in this weather. I mean, they're in the playoffs. This was a huge win for them, especially they were very vulnerable Greggy. If they would have lost this game, things would have getten very walky. So good for them, and they turn uninspiring playoff entry right now though, I mean, I I hear you, but to me, you throw Lamar back in there, and it's a different world. I know,

their offense had struggled with him. But I just mean in a playoff situation. Let's say right now, the playoff matchup would be them, uh spoiler alert at Jacksonville at the a f C South Champion. And if you're the you're the Ravens, You're like, okay, we can party with that. But you're right there there, feel like they're back in. Here's here. Out of their last six games, here are five of the scores thirteen three, ten nine, sixteen four three, thirteen,

seventeen nine. But these are just like these are boring. Next sixteen four that can't be right, sixteen fourteen, sixteen fourteen, Yeah, against the Steelers four would have been fun. Sammy Watkins had a forty yard catch in this. I'll, i'll, I think I was killing them on Thursday show. So the whole marvelous things. Sometimes, if you like the Ravens, Stephen gets gets a pass and we forget about some of

those marvelous meltdowns they've had this season. I'd like to see them in a big spot down the stretch and maybe in January playoff where they need to get a stop and get it done. But in general, they have if this defense hasn't been as good as it's been for most of the season. Their five and tenants at a tenant five, that's how kind of off this offense has been for much of the year. So what they've given up over twenty points once since early November, and

even going back then it was just low twenties. I think that Roe Kwan Smith is another trade like t J. Hawkins, and some of these teams have made good trades like Roquan Smith was a transformative addition for them. All right. And by the way, bye bye Falcons. Holy God, you are eliminated. And I am so happy because for two years straight you've been an annoying, boring team that just gets in the way. And now we don't have to think about you anymore. Go figure out who your quarterback

is and all that other good stuff. We'll see in September. Let's move on whatever. Sometimes sometimes you just gotta say goodbye to a team, you know what I'm saying, Mark Sessler. Sometimes, just like later I do, I think we've run out of um enthusiasm for that operation. It's just getting out of some of these NFC South teams. By Cleveland, Let's keep doing it, all right, Cleveland let's go, let's go.

It's Christmas Eve four to throw Saints Rush three. Watson standing, He'll pull it down, He'll run and that is gonna be it called. Granderson wraps him up at the twenty five yard line for the sack, says Defense answer the call. Merry Christmas. I love that Ranking and Bass Rudolph Special. Obviously it's iconic, but I've watched every year for forty years or whatever. I don't know if it's just the changing times, but it's it's getting more and more cruel

to Rudolf. Everyone treats Rudolph like a pos in that special, including Santa himself. Well, it's it's unfair because I mean, in general, Rudolph has a pretty heroic resume of saving the holiday once or twice, So I don't know why you need to be dumping on him. I think it's jealousy. Jealousy, I think. And there's an arc obviously to Rudolph. Pays pays off for him in the in the special itself, but I think some people have the look in the

mirror um after that adventure. Um, all right, so my cost w W. L Al Mukamara taysom Hill bolts score and the Saints um make a stop late to get a seventeen ten win over the Browns, and just like the Falcons later Brownies Leygown, they're also eliminated from contention. Mark a game that they had a lead here, didn't

they They had a tend nothing lead. And we're talking about the third coldest game in the history of Cleveland football, and you're playing a team from New Orleans that operates inside a dome and who was tougher down the stretch the Saints were. I mean in the Saints defense, it's been really hot and cold. So I look at this and I think this is one where you know, this assumption that Kevin Stefanski um escapes unhindered from this year's disaster.

I repointed to possessions, the final two possessions for Cleveland. That it's seventeen ten in the fourth quarter, with about six minutes left, and they have Watson throw the ball on essentially second in two and third and two, and they're both in completions from Watson, just another up show of disjointed nous inside the attack. They get the ball again, al Right, it is second and ten and third and

ten from the New Orleans fifteen. And then this time Watson hits Donovan People's Jones catchuble ball, David da Joko catchuble ball. Both are dropped. This is happening to Cleveland kind of week after week. And on fourth and ten, completely out of his head, Watson is tossed to the ground. The game is over. He had sixty two yards passing in the first half. If I'm not mistaken, you of

the worst passerrating of his entire career in this game. Uh, it's like he also does a couple of things where you like, I can see the old Shawn Watson just for a minute or two here. But this game is all about the fact that the Saints decided, they even reported this before the game. I don't know why this would get to the press, but that this was going to be a Taysom Hill game. They're just gonna lean on him big time. And that's sort of exactly what happened.

I think it's like eight of their yards in the first half somewhere around there. And it was not a spl s in this situation by the Saints offense on any level, but they got enough done. And then and you're playing a Brown's offense that looks way worse than it did a month ago. Hundred and ten yards from scrimmage from Camara. Camarra has had a couple of manly games here in a in a day where the Saints only had to forty four. This was the coldest game

in Saints history, uh, which isn't a huge surprise. And of all the cold games here this week, this was the coldest. So the passing game numbers, uh, they're not surprisingly low. But this game, which I watched the end of, there was no one in the crowd Dan. I mean, I don't blame I don't blame him, but it was so called that there had to have been less than five thousand fans there, I would guess by the end

of that. But I want to know about those five thousand, right there are all of them going to be literally frozen. I mean, how do you not how do you not take the names and numbers of every fan that went to this game and send them a Rolex or something, because they are the die hard of the die hard.

If you're one of those fans that are listening to this game, wherever you were in these sub zero temperatures, I have so much respect for you, but I'm also wondering what's going on in the bigger picture of your life. Saints are still alive for for one more week. They got some bad luck when the Eagles lost that game. That means the Eagles will be playing next week. Their starters and and have a lot to play for, assuming against the Saints, and they could knock out the Saints then.

But the Saints uh stay alive for one more week. And it was sorry not to think about how they had swung and miss for Deshaun Watson. They really thought they had Watson and they didn't get them and then they end up ending in season. Right, And yes, if the Bucks lose tomorrow, they're playing tomorrow, right, Yes, they're playing the Arizona Cardinals in primetime tomorrow. Three way tie at six and nine. Nice, let's move, it's Christmas Eve. Let's move, let's move, let's move. Let's move up next,

A blast, blast, We got one more? Is this it? Let's go to Nashville where it was cold as hell there to two o'clock start. What Davis gets the snap looking stepping to his left, Nills throwing to the end zone, caught by Brandad Cooks. Touchdown, Houston. Flag is down, but the Texans take the lead and this should stand as

a touchdown. Their hands to the phase defense number two that could at least the time was all the players touchdown and the Texans have the lead nineteen fourteen to fifty two to go on the fourth and they're gonna go for two right here. That is a man that I don't think we've heard this year, Mark vandermere K. I l t maybe once we heard him. Yeah, we heard him once and now twice, you know, justin um

and good for the Texans. But let's get the sad hard knocks music on because let's because you just gotta be by the Texans at home. Which said was going to happen on our preview show, I said, we all said, we all said it. It felt like it could happen, and it did. Davis Mills through a six yard touchdown past the Brandon Cooks Yes, with two fifty two to play, the Texans snap a nine game losing streak by beating

the Titans NTO. As I said, this game was delayed because of power grid issues connected to this vicious cold snap across the country really in many parts except for here, where it was seventy three and Sonny Um, but grave digger, you got one in a touch from Henry. But that's a little misleading to Well, it's interesting. This is the third straight game that Henry has gone over a hundred yards and the Titans have failed to score more than twenty points. They I guess they got to twenty one

barely on a garbage time touchdown. Um. But yeah, you usually, you know, common knowledge would say if the Titans can run the ball, well, if Henry successful, then their offense is successful. But it just hasn't been the case. They cannot drop back to pass without giving up just crazy numbers of sacks and with Malik Willis under center. Plus the Titans are one of the most injured teams. Honestly, like, good for Houston. I'm glad they gotta win. I'm happy

for Lovey Smith. This Titan season feels like a lost season with all the injuries that have happened. And I'm not even like super upset because I kind of accepted it a couple of weeks ago. Yikes, Well, you're gonna have to watch them play the Jaguars in Week eight teen with a division online, So I don't care how

much you've accepted it. That's gonna be a big spot for a playoff spot no matter what happens next week, in week seventeen, with Malik Willis starting, and you know, if we're trying to evaluate, is Milik Willis a franchise quarterback or whatever. He's now started three games. He's appeared in seven games total. He's thirty one for sixty one on the season, which is fifty point eight percent for

just two hundred and seventy six yards. That's four point five yards per attempt, zero touchdown passes, three interceptions, and the one thing that we thought he could do really well no matter what, run the ball, he only has. I mean, he has twenty seven carries for only a hundred and twenty three yards and he scored us for touchdown today. He honestly hasn't looked like that great of

a runner outside of that nice touchdown run today. And you know, he looked pretty good as a runner in the preseason, but he hasn't shown it in the NFL. And I know his supporting cast is so banged up, and his like best receiver as a rookie in trailing Burke's and he was down three starting offensive linemen today. But I don't know. He doesn't really like the guy, absolutely brutal. I I can't, I can't believe it happened.

But as you pointed out when we were texting back and forth justin earlier today, you know, in addition to a lot of band losses, these injuries and the roster wasn't deep enough to handle it this year, and they just have went into a tail spin. And what I was saying about Henry, yes, he didn't have the two dred yard game like he always has against Houston. He had one twenty six, but outside the forty eight yard touchdown run, he was held to three and a half

yards per carry. So the running game was on balance. Uh, not great. The passing game is horrendous, and they didn't get enough stops on defense. Good for Levy Smith, like you said, they have played the Howboys, Chiefs and Titans down to the wire. Here they now they get another win. Lovey can make a case here if they finished strong like I got. These guys playing hard. Now give me some better players, give me another year. We shall see.

They've been a well coached team for like a month plus and and frankly, like I I've been on Mike Rebel all year, longest coach of the year. Not the case now, I like, justin, I don't know if this is like my thing is when I'm watching Tennessee in the way that Houston just ripped down the field on that five play touchdown drive to take the lead. I know they didn't get the two point conversion. It's like, I know they're banged up. All sorts of teams are

banged up. It's been worse for Tennessee. But I don't see a team that like has the same identity they had six weeks ago. And I don't know, um if it's ever coming back because the general manager that crafted that that was his entire vision has essentially been told, we don't want your vision. You're out of here. You have no idea what's gonna happen with Ryan Tannehill. The

team could look completely different. They need to restock on offense, like this could be a completely different looking offense than the one that we've been used to for three or four years. I hope, so it needs to be. At this point, this version of the Titans has run its course. Henry is only going to be another year older next year. Tannehill has no guaranteed money on his contract next year, and the Texans get a win and maintain the top pick in the draft, which is kind of nice for them.

I guess here's the good news. Justin. It's Christmas. That's Christmas. That's the queue for the Christmas music. Um, we're going to sign off. Now. We have one more game that's being played tonight, Las Vegas at Pittsburgh. Um, Mark, you locked up the Steelers. Yes, Greg did not come clean with us or the audience that he had locked up the team of a T and it took the loss. So I mean did not come to graver I forgot. I mean I didn't believe. I believe you hit it

from the audience. That's the host job. Well I did. I brought it like Woodward and Bernstein. I had to bring it up from deep with It was my gift. It was my gift to you to justin to Mark, let everyone back into the competition. You just paralleled yourself to the two men that broke Watergate. Essentially, I don't get the I don't I compared myself to Santa, one of the great men out there. Well, you both have issues. I have to say this, Um, everyone, it really doesn't

matter what you celebrate. Have a great holiday, um, have a great weekend. Um, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah. One are the holidays we've got going on, all of them. Celebrate it with your families. Thank you everybody for listening. We'll be back on Monday with two shows, a recap of the remaining games ahead of Monday Night Football and then Greg's m n F recap with a great Jordan Rodrick. Wow, that's a big Monday. Thank you everybody for listening, and

you boys have a merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. To Merry Christmas to both and to all listen. Justin Graver, I love everybody. Happy Exsimus war is over. Heed the call. Now that's it. Now, it's now it's time to begin Christmas. Were allowed to use this music? I don't know, probably not. Don't tell any shadowy league figures, uh Sydney. That is it for the Christmas Eve edition of the Around the NFL Podcast. Thank you to everyone who if you're watching

on periscope, that's a good job by you. Hap hoday across the globe. Yes, so thank you very much for listening. Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Greg, Happy Hanaka and uh we will see you on Tuesday. Until then, the Stand Hanson signing off for a quiet storm, The Mailman, the Boss, and new money behind the glass.