2022 Week 18 Recap: Playoff Picture is Set

You know, we're coming off the team of at L delivering you doubt the NFL for one second after a snoozy afternoon slate, and here it comes with a season finale for the ages two hundred seventy two games now in the books, and the playoffs are set Mark Sessler. You know Greg, when I do look at Dan that way and you're here on the table in between us, it's just a nice Gregg sandwich. And the way we're just both giving you are at warmth. You're not excluded

from it. Well, the bread is always my favorite party. Back to the game, you are the meat um to seventy two in the books, the playoffs are set ten regular seasons in the books, ten regular season for us in the books. Here's the playoff schedule let's start there. Okay, the west of this game the traditional early Saturday ball game four thirty pm Eastern. That's later, yeah, west of US used to be earlier. Seattle Seahawks seventh seed at

San Francisco two seed on Fox. Saturday Night, Chargers five seed at Jags four seed a f c uh window. That's NBC Peacock. Sunday, we have number seven Miami at number two Buffalo at one pm Eastern, CBS at four thirty pm Eastern, the NFC matchup between the Giants and Vikings, a six three matchup on Fox. Then a final Sunday game Baltimore six seed at Cincinnati three seed rematch of week eighteen, and then yes new as of last season,

a Monday night playoff game eight fifteen Eastern. Dallas Cowboys the five seed at Tampa Bay Buccaneers the four seed. There you go, that's the first round of the playoffs. We're gonna get to all the games, but that is what we got coming up next week. Here we go. I mean, the least surprising development on our entire planet is that they put the Dallas Cowboys against Tom Brady as the Monday night affair, right, I think I don't know.

Actually last year that wasn't like the primetime slot, you know, because it's ESPN and everything. I think they UM had some bad games there. They of course, UM had a game cut short last Monday night. So that's like almost a make good and it's a fun it's a fun little slate. Marks. Sometimes you gotta with your corporate partners, you've got to make sure the relationships stay strong, so

you give them an ARCAS team before they eliminate. That's I think they're all sweating because they're like, how can we tap what the old Lions and Packers did on on NBC. We need the Lions in this wild card. Greg, you spent all day long telling Dan and I in all week and it didn't matter that I didn't say that. I said it could be great theater. Whether they are there or not, well that's what, whether they can make the playoffs or not. Let's set the table. We're gonna

get through all the games from Sunday. We're gonna start with the NFC uh and that Sunday night game, but also UH, keep in mind we're gonna hit the a f C later, including obviously the first game for the Buffalo Bills um since Damar Hamlin's um issue on Monday night, and what a dramatic scene that was. So a lot of good football to talk about, uh, including keeping our eye on what's going on with the league as Black Monday,

New horizons Monday fast approaches. But let us start yes Sunday night football, the final game of the regular season. There it is new horizons. That's called massaging. It's a softer, gentler approach to facing new horizons. The seasons are over. We start at lambeau Field, where the Green Bay Packers, where one went away from an improbable playoff appearance when they look down and out the Detroit Lions, the team of around the NFL found out earlier their season was

ending no matter what. After the Seattle Seahawks were victorious over the Rams, and yet we still got a great ball game. So here we go. The Lions could end this ball game right here. Fourth and one from the Green Bay fifteen golf takes. The snap back looks gross part first down, Detroit Lions d J chalked down inside the ten yard line. This jame is over. It is over. I'll secute a couple of steps and these Lions are calling hold of a victory. How big is this football team?

Pin tonight? Do you want to change the conversation? Win some games? And that's exactly what they've done in it Graverer, One last time, baby, who will be the team? Team? Team with the e te holy won't team? They're in the right? They we got mark team. Oh yes, this is a very special honor. Oh it's the last time we'll hear that theme. But man, the Lions go out in a beautiful way a six win over the Green

Bay Packers. The Detroit Lions, who were once one in six and road kill in the NFC, finished nine and eight and eliminate the hated Green Bay Packers in their bill. How many big games have the Packers lost in their building? Aaron Rodgers era, It's usually happened in the postseason. This year they sucked in that fan base and then laid

an egg on Sunday night. But I still greg want to give plenty of credit, as we should to the Lions, who could easily lost that juice when once they knew they weren't going to go to the dance, and yet they finished off what was a truly promising season for the organization. You say, laying egg, I hear you. I say, lost a great game to a better team. They scored sixteen points in a do or die game in their building. All I'm saying is like these two teams were better

than plenty of it teams that made the playoffs. I believe that that the the Lions UH had to go out and take that game. I love that the Lions get the ball in the fourth quarter down three, march down to take the lead. Then on third and ten, Aaron Rodgers sees a full house blitz No f's given by Aaron Glenn. He sends the house and Dare's the fourth time m v P to beat them. Instead, he makes a mistake. Kirby Joseph picks it off. It was the third near interception and that Joseph had that this one.

He finishes off. Then on third or second and seventeen to call that lateral play. The stones of Down Campbell and Ben Johnson in that moment and then for the Lions season to essentially end like so many other moments of this Lions season, a fourth down decision, you can go for the field goal to get up a touchdown where he can do what Dan Campbell does, and you can go for it and not so much about bad outcomes and trust in your players and end this Packers season.

I wish they were in the playoffs, but man, you can't tell me that this is not a sweet, sweet victory and moment for this franchise, the team of a t A. It kind of threw me on the broadcast because they mentioned more than once, well because they've been eliminated, Probably they wouldn't have done that one play the pitch back to downer stuff. Maybe they wouldn't go for it on fourth ones, like, but this is who who Dan Campbell.

The Lions have been all year long. It looked to me like a lot of a Lions games, where isn't it isn't like we're trying to be completely out of bounds in terms of our risk taking. But they do go for it, and it's a very twenty three approach um. It is a massive organizational lift for Dan Campbell for everyone because when they were truly floating in the Abyss with their record as it was, it was like nice story, but a lot like a lot of these hard knocks.

Nice story, there's nothing to it when it comes down to it, and it completely turned around. I mean they overcame a couple of things tonight too, because you had a Kurby Joseph pick that was taken away by that hands to the face. They had a missfield goal in a tight game that Jamison Williams sixty one yard catch and run bomb that was pulled back by flag. I mean a lot of penalties win against Lions to the

Lines tonight. But they kept overcoming. And I think that is who they are, and like, yes, I think that they're in the they were in the playoffs. They are not a team you'd want to face. It's it's lucky. It's a fortunate situation for a couple of these mezzanine

level NFC teams. Yeah, you feel a little bit cheat, with all due respect to the Seattle Seahawks, to the New York Giants, those teams in the back end of the playoff picture Detroit to me and and for instance, I have a bit of a conundrum with the power rankings, which will come out in a couple of days, and it's like I'm gonna have the Lines as the top ten team in the NFL, because that's exactly what they are.

It just didn't work out for them in terms of uh tiebreakers, and they just ran out of games to really to get into the dance. So it but it does give them a huge, huge, like kind of trampoline jump as they looked to next year and there will be expectations in a way that you haven't seen around this team in many years. And that's for down the road.

Do we have Jamal Williams after the game, Uh, speaking with NBC Sports, I'm just grateful, are grateful to be able to play this game from our great great grandfather. And I'm glad that he's looking down at me. I know I'm making him proud for him. Yeah, this is for him and other days. Stop playing us. Man, we may we had the Detroit Lions. We did, Detroit Lions. Stop playing with us. I don't even watch TV, but I heard everybody already picked the Packers over us. That's

the lines of the nutshell. He pivoted mid mid tear, like the tears were halfway down his face talking about his grandfather to pointing at the camera and saying nobody believed in US, and he's right except for Mark. I was just gonna jemp, Well, this is a smart strategy. That we talked about before. I was like, I had a feeling that everyone was gonna jump on the Aaron

Rodgers thing. It's like they are the team of at L so as I'm just obviously gonna pick the Lions thinking less people would and no one on this little like graphic they did, no one else didn't. Just looks it makes you look. As I said in the text, it's kind of a cloud hack. And now what you need to do the next step or your representation and

I know who your representation is. You need to get this to Lion social media so they can amplify it, and then your cloud is yeah, and I know on on Greg's game, Dame you also, I've been picking them every week. They're to me getting into first place. You're doing this TV show, just doing this dot com picks thing that gets tweeted. That's how you do. I used to be in that picks thing, and then the guy that sent the email like hey, get your picks in just gave up on me. I couldn't do it anymore.

I just like I can't one other thing. I give you respect for staying with it. Thank you. I'm a I'm a company person, like I think that something that almost overtook what happened to Detroit in this game was the imagery, the camera work, and the somewhat miss serious uh language by the NBC broadcasting group about Aaron Rodgers arm in arm with with Randall Cobb walking off the field. And it was Jamison william Williams who walked up to

Roger and said could I could we switch jerseys? Which is a common thing, maybe not always with Aaron Rodgers, but he sort of said, now I want to keep this one. Jameson Williams got like, I have four career catches, can can? I have? Happens all the time, but like, but it's just like the way they showed Rogers pensively

looking around Lambeau. It changed the tone. We get that feeling, um when you're watching something or you're listening to the the announcers or like they know something that you don't yet. There was that vibe the way Tariko was setting it up, and then the way the camera was just I mean, this truly was like kind of the story of the game. Yes, the Packer season was over and another season was over for Rogers, this all time great player, but for a

lot of football fans. The story was really like the Lions and the journey of their season and over so many obstacles and then winning in Lambeau to end the season. But that is not the way NBC covered it. And we'll find out. We're gonna learn more about it. But they have the cameras right in Rogers face. He obviously is taking things in, looking around the field with his best buddy Randall cop walking back into the tunnel, into

the unknown. So we'll see. We'll see if that was a red herring or something that tells us what's coming next for the Packers. I absolutely got the feeling that Tariko and Collinsworth had a feeling about this game based on no based on the conversation that they had they spent days when with Rogers and with Green Bay. It's

just like they with Aaron. Yeah, and and La Fleur after the game said, you know, in my mind, you know, he expects Rogers back, but he's going to decide that and we'll see, because that does paint a different picture. It does, because this was such, you know, a disappointing and to this season for the package. You're right, I hadn't even I didn't so wrapped up in the Lions that I hadn't even thought about, Like kind of what a crushing end because the Packers would have gone into

the playoffs believing that they could do something. Now, either the Packers or the Lions would have been playing the forty Niners tough, tough spot. I think the forty Niners have to be thrilled they're playing the Seahawks, considering that their history against them in their recent history this year. Uh, but man, that that that's a crushing way to lose. After they got everyone all worked up and had a lead in the fourth quarter over the Detroit Lions, give

up that touchdown, drive, thrown interception, can't get a stop. Ultimately, they fell short big time in a fourth quarter, just like they did throughout the beginning part of the season. I would have loved to see Lions Niners. I think that would have been fascination. You know how you can blame for that a little bit. Who Baker Mayfield. We'll get to it. I mean, among other people. We're gonna

look at the season. I'm just saying before before we move on from this game, I do want to say, like there's a chance Jared Goff like We don't know what his future is going to be. Certainly expect him to be the Week one starter there next year, but you never know the way this game started with him throwing a lot of dirt balls and and struggling in the cold. Everyone's kind of joking about his small hands. Man.

There was the drive before halftime where it's like third and five, uh, and they're down nine three and they just got the fumble back and he leaves the drive, and then Campbell goes forward on fourth and two when they're down. Remember they're going forward on fourth down when they were behind on that touch center and Golf had that nice throw down the field like he delivered. Man, He delivered his play after play after playing, just like

delivered Jammal Williams. We heard breaking Barry Sanders touchdown record and Jared Goff you may not be like the John Wayne of the NFL quarterbacks, not the picture of like what what the great ones look like or how they performed,

but he was fearless in this game as well. Goodbye to the I was gonna say, like how many it's been a season where a number of quarterbacks have changed what we think about him entirely, But the easy, comfortable jokes about Jared Goff and his personality and his sort of you know, bowl of milk or glass of milk type persona like throw it all away. I mean what he did this season was a pretty amazing, great year for that offense, great year for the lines, even fall

short of the playoffs. Song, So long, team of a t N. I don't know how we picked another one next year. That is the goat team of a t N in my impression, in my humble opinion, Let's move on now. All right, we mentioned the Seattle Seahawks. They are going to the playoffs because they got it done. Give him credit last week against the Jets, and yes against Baker Mayfield and the Rams. Jed Myers win this wing over time for the Seahol Sars, the staff, the spot,

the kickers are wain, the Tickers God. The final regular season game over the year there wined at home against the Rams, and now the playoff chance is still and as we know, they got the result they needed on Sunday night with the Packers falling. That allows the Seattle Seahawks to move into the postseason with Gino Smith as their quarterback. That is a real success story for this organization in nineteen sixteen win over the l A. Rams, who, as we have said last week, had already set a

record for the most losses ever for defending champion. They finished five and twelve. Uh. This is a game that was close throughout. Seattle had gotten set up after a very questionable, in my opinion, personal foul on Jalen Ramsey on a hit on the sideline on Gino Smith set them up for what looked like it was going to

be a game winning football. At the end of regulation, Jason Meyer hits the uprights, but after a terrible Mayfield interception and overtime, they get another chance kicked the field goal, game over Seattle advances. The look on Sean mcveigh's face as he was walking to ghost shake Pete Carroll's hand

was very memorable to me. The day started with reports really pumping up that McVeigh may not be back with the rams Ian rapport J Glazer everyone, but he had always owned Pete Carroll and that was the difference this season. I guess between the Seahawks of old and this Seahawks team. I know they got to play this Ramsey mean, Yet when you watch these two Rams games against the Seahawks. They had both of them in control in the fourth quarter and Gino Smith and the Seahawks eventually get it done.

I'm not gonna try to pretend like they played a great game. Gino threw a pick right off the bat to Jalen Ramsey, seemed a little shook, didn't throw with a lot of confidence for much of the game. Could have had more picks, had two in this game. Um, But when they needed a drive late, got a little help by that Ramsey called. But were also moving the ball by the end of the game much better. By that point in the game, Baker Mayfield, that sort of run out of answers was just throwing up hope balls.

And the Seahawks did just enough against a bad Rams team to get there and to give the fighting Dan Campbell's a chance. And I think Seahawks fans who are winding on Monday about how unfair it was that the Lions were playing later I should send an apology, maybe a fruit basket to Detroit for all that they've done.

It's a lot of fruit baskets. Yeah, sure, yeah. The the after the game, after the missed field goal, you go to ot and Seattle goes three and out and there's the chance for the Rams and uh, you know Baker, who was very up and down with the Rams, just like he's been for most of his career. They have a chance to win the game. Uh. Van Jefferson kind of streaks open on a second and fifteen and if Baker just zips it in there, uh, that's a big game, and who knows what happens at that point. Instead, he

puts a lot of air under it. It throws a balloon that's intercepted by Quandre Diggs, who waves at Bobby Wagner on the sideline as he goes out of bounds, and um, it was very close to over at that point. So a tough way for the Baker season to end as we look at a very unknown time around the Rams as Sean mcveigh's status unknown, Baker status, who knows.

I mean, I think if you look at that Baker performance against the Broncos on Christmas Day, which was pretty flawless, although it wasn't asking him to save the world, but it was a very clean game. But outside of that, because of that, Raiders comeback was they were abysmal from most of that game until the very end, and it's been spurts where Baker I think it's been impressive to come in and do it without a full off season or a lot of time to get up to snuff

in their offense. But a lot of times it's looked like Baker Mayfield and especially last week and this week, missing certain throws that would have saved the Rams. Your playing with no Cooper Cup. I mean, there's people missing all over the place. The offensive lines look better despite you know, Akers done fine for the situation. He's he's him though, he's just him. That was the pocket was clean and Jefferson was open, and like I said, he threw a blimp right in a couple plays before that.

I guess I'm thinking of the drive to end regulation where they could have gone down and tried to kick a game win field goal. He also missed Jefferson. He's just he's just slow making decisions um where he's always like a beat late, and that that's been his problem in The Seahawks benefited from that. They got the Jets at the right time, they had the right Week eighteen opponent, and they beat the Lions, and that's it sucks, but they played that game. I remember that game well, it

was like five. It was one of Juneau's best games. It was at the point of the season where the Lions defense just couldn't do anything and they tried to keep up and a shootout, and unfortunately for lines like that game loomed super large because I don't think the Seahawks team that's entering the playoffs is at their best right now. You never know if things could change, but

I think this is the worst matchup possible. They got blown out twice by the forty nine to twenty was the combined score of those two games, and it didn't look that close either one of those times. Uh, you never know. It's still an incredible success story for them to be able to celebrate tonight. Ken Walker had a nice dayteen yards. They really wrote. Here's a quote from Digs, who had the interception that's set up to win of Jefferson. That dude was wide open. In my mind, I was

thinking the worst. I felt like I was twenty five again, running and jumping in the air. It was one of those plays they drew it up perfect god us in the coverage they wanted, and I was going to go out and make a play. So credit to Seattle. They're moving on and it might not be the game that people want to see, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Seahawks fans, congratulations, it's been an awesome ride.

Got the division too. I think the way that the way that ended, in the look on his face, I was like, man, if they had won this game, would it have changed range? I hope not. But feeling and the reports that he's just like so down and stuff and then too he man, he just like crestfallen. I wanted to mention that it is new Horizons Monday coming up,

and this was from schefter. McVeigh has gone back and forth on the decision and needs time to get away to process all that has transpired over the past year, winning a Super Bowl, being courted to work in television, getting married, watching his wife's home country of Ukraine, invaded, losing his grandfather, and then a coaching a team that has fallen short of expectations. Which one of those doesn't fit in with the others. Well, all right, I I

know what you're saying, but like, who, I'm sorry? Everything serious? No, no, no, not at all, But just like I like that that's coming from him, I would see, and maybe the war in Rain really stands out when you bullet pointed like that. It's kind of the most absurd thing I've heard. None of the rest of it. I think like it mattered except for that this season has been miserable and he works works himself in a way that he was considering

retiring last year. I don't think that was the feature that came out about him before the season, And like the one picture of Payne was the fact that he can't just let any of the stuff go. So we'll see. But they also talked about someone who wants to go out and have the best coach, the most coaching wins. Ever, so it's like, which are you? I read? Uh? I read uh. The our friend Jordan Rodrigan the Athletic about it, and I just thought it was notable. She noted that

the Rams don't think he'd be retiring from football. They think he'd be taking a break, kind of like Sean Payton, and by taking a break, they could either be waiting for him to come back, which is almost impossible, or they just know that they will be able to get some draft picks for him, and they could use some draft picks whenever he does come. It could be mutually beneficial.

At this point in Rams history, they are it doesn't feel like they're close to getting back to a super Bowl, and I just wonder what that roster and everyone's saying, all Matthew, Matthew, Stafford will be back. I don't know. It's an interesting Jordan would be a great person to have on the show for our next episode of Flashpoint because McVeigh knew that something about Stafford that we don't know, and then the Rams know something about McVeigh that we

don't know. It's like a you know, all right, let us take a break and we will continue on. All right, let's welcome back if you're just joining us, which would be weird. It's a podcast Week eighteens in the books to seventy two in the books. We got the playoffs set. We continue now roll through the NFC. We finally we've been waiting and waiting for the Eagles to lock down

the NFC, and everyone seed they finally did it. Hurts gives it off to Scott up the middle Touchtoff does Okay, that was the best highlight I could think to give the great thing This was not um I was tasked with watching both NFCUS games today. Not great is sometimes you feel like you're earning your money a little bit. You know. NFC East was not dynamic in Week eight team which isn't to say teams involved in the NFC East will not be dynamic in the next few weeks.

We've got three of them in the playoffs. It is to say that maybe some of them will be. The Philadelphia Eagles are the number one seed after a two to sixteen win over the New York Giants, who remain the number six seed. The Giants next week will travel, as I said, to Minneapolis to face the Vikings, who they played very tough on Christmas Eve. The Eagles the the what do they say the fruit of their spoils? Is that right? The spoils of their fruit to the

victor goes to spoils fruit something about fruit. They get fruit. It's their labor, fruit of their labor. Wait, did anybody hear anything? No, I didn't hear anything I think was fruit of their labor? Yes, justin um, yeah, just back to your earlier point. That was Philly's only touchdown. What other highlight works that Kenny Golladay's touchdown that was finally in his last game was a Giant most likely did score touchdown, but anyway, um, they take care of business.

I said on the Thursday previous show, Boys that I thought it was kind of an important game for the Eagles, not just to win against the Giants backups, and trust me, it was all Giants backups for the most part. Um play well and they didn't really. I think they had the touchdown and five field goals. The offense was a little funky, but Jalen Hurts came out of it seemingly healthy. Um, you know, between the injury costing him two weeks and

then not doing much today. He's out of the m v P conversation, but more importantly, he should be ready to go in two weeks and the Eagles will be as well. Fourteen and three, big season for them. And we're gonna talk about a coach later in this show that took pains to explain why he played starters deep into a contest when there was no desire for that. The Giants hung around the Eagles with zero snaps for Daniel Jones, se Kwan Barkley, Dexter Lawrence Cavon Thibodeaux, Leonard Williams,

Andrew Thomas, John Fluiciano. I mean they really legit rolled out all your backups. They played a two tight end set basically the whole game preseason so that they wouldn't play their top three receivers, so that their top three

receivers didn't risk getting hurt, which a good move. It's amazing they were competitive, but it's also crazy because it's like the Giants made the playoffs to the point where they had to really make sure they protected Isaiah Hodgens and Richie James, Like, like the Chargers are out there, you know that they can't They say they can't start, but like the guys they're protecting are Isaiah Hodgens and Richie James, who were lucky to make the team back in.

That's good coaching. That's good coaching. And the fact that they were competitive in this game. I think they'll I think they'll be loving that. I think they're feeling good. I actually think the Giants kind of entered the playoffs, uh, playing better than they played all season. There was one absurd moment in this standard. Do you agree the idea? Because this you know whether you want to keep it close or not. Why show anything that you might use

down the road. But they attempted that fake field goal where Jamie Gillen just the Scottish hammer just got destroyed. And it's like, this game came down to six points. You could have been you could have a chance to be within It's not a big deal. But it wasn't actually a close game. It was sixteen nothing at halftime and the Giants got a very late score to sep An on side kick. But the Eagles kind of controlled

it the whole time. And Iron Eagle gets credit because as soon as that that special team's gaff occurred, he said, oh, the Scottish hammer gets nailed, Like that's that's a pro. Um. We're gonna talk about the Tennessee Titans later, uh, justin so you might want to earmuffs this one. Um. A. J. Brown set the Eagles record for receiving passing the great uh Mike Quick around yards. He ended up with so unbelievable season for him the Eagles. I'm a little noivous

about the Eagles. I think there it's team that they're gonna have to show that they can get back to that top gear because it's been a wild nowt since we've seen it. But they took care of business, got that one seed that I mean, it would have been an outright disaster if they lost out the last three weeks and didn't get that one seed. They got it. Now they get to rest up and there you go. This This is kind of the perfect outcome for me personally, because I like the I roote, I'm rooting for them.

I picked them to win the Super Bowl. But I do like the consternation in Philly and this result them getting the one seed. But everyone's gonna be like so anxious for the next couple of weeks, and I don't know, I never know what to make Yeah, I do like the Philly angst. I enjoy Like I'd never know what to make of it. Like when a team kind of comes to the finish line taken on water after a really dominant season just because we've we've done this long enough.

Sometimes like then they lose the first game and everyone's like, oh see, like and then sometimes they're nothing late in the first quarter in the playoff game and it's like it. But sometimes it doesn't, it doesn't matter at all, Like the Eagles, for instance, kind of slowed down at the end of that full season. I mean, I know it was falls coming in there, but they didn't exactly. And and I can think of Patriots seasons where they ended really poorly in the regular season and then hot in

the plants and vice versa. Someone's gonna prove you right, someone's gonna prove you wrong. Because Philly, Dallas, Minnesota, Tampa, San France, outside of San Francisco and Seattle have all been full of warts in the last couple of weeks are fading and sort of just tripping their way into the playoffs. Like, please, we're inviting you into the postseason. Come through the dorm. It's the new season. You don't have to play San Francisco until the championship game at worst.

So that's the best get avoid the Niners as long as you can. Yet, let's stay in the NFC East and hit the other game. Because yes, the Cowboys seem to be taken on some water too at the wrong time. Third and six, stop the Prescott quick throw to the park. He's gonna look in pick Sex, touchdown, touchdown once again, and once again, Dad Prescott will give you you all for too. Really on defense, to take that ball away couple fall or visit the first time he had his

hands all over that. The second time, all right, that's uh Brandinstein and Donaldson with the call com down. What's going on with you? Greg? I don't don't my note, said London Fletcher, And I was like, how we've been through this before where it's definitely not London Fletchers. I don't know, are you trying to like Ron? It's a three person booth. So sometimes I had I got it.

I had it though before Greg screamed it. I was gonna say, Julie Donaldson with the pick six and what she's referring to is um dak and the rest of the Cowboys were so like shamelessly sloppy in this game and unplugged in terms of playing sharp competitive football. That literally the play before that he throws kind of a lazy path us that Fuller has an easy path to

for a pick six. Only Fuller slipped and was unable to catch the ball, and before the announcers could even finish making the point of oh he really blew that. Dad does the exact same thing, targeting the exact same receiver and the exact same cornerback on the next play.

This time it's an easy pick six. And it was kind of like at that point all she wrote, Washington cruises to a twenty six to six win, and uh, yeah again, Uh, we got Dallas going to Tampa, the eight and nine NFC South champion on Monday night next week. And there'll be a favorite in that game. Maybe not a big favorite, maybe around three points, I would guess. But I don't know how any Cowboy fan, or Mike McCarthy for that matter, who's gonna be feeling the heat.

By the way, if they don't, if they go one and done, uh can be feeling good about this team? How they ended the season. They just something seems off mark with the Cowboys. And I'm looking at their recent schedule here, Well that tells you the story. Look at the quarterbacks they play in the last month plus. Yeah, you had the terrible loss to the Jaguars. You beat Gardner Minshew, Uh, you beat the Titans Josh Dobbs, Josh Dobbs, and then you lose to Sam Howell in the Commanders, right,

they barely beat Davis Mills. I mean, they're just not all these teams are gonna be able to search this entire way, and I it's not all about the Dak Prescott interceptions. I think like if you take away not that you can, but if you take away the turnovers, not this game stands out as a true mess. But he's been pretty great. I think otherwise, it's just that this they're not all these pick sixes are not the same. The one the stuffy through today was just bad. Right,

he has been incredibly unlucky. Like, for what it's worth, his turnover worthy played percentage of PFF, it's been very average throughout this season, not good, not bad, but it's it's really resulted in a huge amount of interceptions, some of which were not his fault. But this time he's not playing well. I'm more concerned about the defense. That was this team's calling card for a while, but now

they're thinnic cornerback defensive tackles clearly a problem. Like they haven't been good at the second level in terms of their linebackers. They're getting smoked by by Sam how who like, hey kind of look Sam, how how about that? Yeah? That was a nice pat. I mean, if you take the goball out, his stats are not good, but you can't take it out as part of it. Uh, yeah, that was that was an encouraging I wouldn't if I'm no Commanders, It wouldn't stopped me from being very aggressive

to find a quarterback. But maybe he could be your backup next year. Yeah. I think Dak finished with fifteen interceptions and and what twelve starts or whatever, and was so bad and it made me think I was wondering as I'm watching the game because Dallas, um, you know, couldn't make any real move once it became clear the Philadelphia wasn't wasn't gonna lose that game to New York. That get him out of the game. Get at these

starters of the game. But I think it was one of those things where the coaches like, I need to see I need to have them go out on something positive. And they did scool Are a touchdown right before the half, and in retrospect, maybe that should have been the time where you pull the trigger. There was just not much to build off, so you kind of flush this game, um and hope that the better version of Dallas shows up. Michael Parsons also was kind of limping on and off

the field throughout this game. He seemed to be banged up. Not a good day for the Dallas Cowboys. Maybe maybe the whole scoreboard watching and being distracted and knowing that the game you probably didn't matter. Maybe that's a factor. He's heard about players talk about that. But they average two point eight yards per play. They have ten first downs. This is one of the worst offensive performances all season.

That's crazy. Feel. Yeah, you're playing a You're gonna play a team that's not very good next week in Tampa, but they're not terrible, and they're gonna be home and they have Tom Brady. It's like this all feels like it's building towards something with the Cowboys. I agree, we'll see. I wonder if the favorite. You've told us though, that the Bucks are winning the game. I have. I have mentioned that I said whoever won the on the record

multiple times, multiple times. I do want to mention that Dan Snyder was reportedly not at this game, uh, which is strange for the owner's habits. According to The Athletic, it could be his final game as owner. With that popping up. A spokesperson for Washington didn't want to comment on it, but it was reported by the Athletic, which is coming in a in a way. Maybe maybe this win by Rivera and the ownership situation, maybe that helps

him stay the exact same thing. You know what I'm saying, like, Oh, we can't clarify what where, where he was or what's going on there. It's just like, are you the only thing out there? I just want to know where telling the pig was. I don't give it. I don't care about anything else. I think he that pig probably knows he has probably a two game run if there's an ownership change here and a lot of other changes. And he's like, most Greg, you were cut off there. I'm

sure you're about to make a t ancient point. No, it was just what Rivera must be thinking, which is like, is this this is happening again. I guess I'm gonna keep my job because they're not gonna fire me right before they leave. But this happened with Jerry Richardson in Carolina. He had, he had that job, and then the new owner came the game one year and I was run.

I'd get my wife and maybe some kids and a couple of grandkids, get out of dodge and just lay low and hope they just kind of forget about me while they're trying to figure out if it's good move. That's just the pro tip for Ron Rivera. Let's move on other playoff NFC seating implications to the Bay Area. We go bottom, I'm gonna play action and pretty gonna throw and it is caught by George Kittle again. Kive

him a living on the year too, Dida. George Kittle, the rubber Bandman is catching the rock for touchdowns this year, and this one he rips away from Camboo Grouse a Hill the rubber Bandman on the old Hate Ashbury before the game. Here. Yeah, it's going on with some of these radio broadcasts. Hey, Danny, it sounds like he's blowing a bone. The rubber Bandman, a guy who we talked about him on the podcast like midway through the season. Like, you know, Kiddle is not really Kittle anymore, and maybe

he's not the same guy who was anymore. But if hecame a touchdown machine in the second half, and that's yet another reason to feel very good about San Francisco, who go into the playoffs on a long winning streak, lockdown the number two seed with a thirty eight to thirteen win over a team that is technically the Cardinals, um so San Francisco, Yes thirteen and four long winning streak that they don't get to buy anymore with the

new rules in effect. But they will play at least one home game and if if something goes crazy with the number one seed Eagles, maybe the whole way through the NFC we shall see. I think it's huge they get Elijah Mitchell bat today, he's barely played off season, and then you got Deepo Samuel back and you didn't have to use Christian McCaffrey too much. It was the ideal way for a team that did have to win, but they didn't want to expend all the energy in

the world. They also didn't want to sweat it out like this was the opposite of what the Eagles did, certainly what the Cowboys did or the Chargers. Uh. This was perfect. And they've they've given every confidence uh to believe they're one of the best teams I know Danny's power rankings believe so they will be the number one team going into the playoffs for whatever I mean. I like the Bills, I love the Bengals, I love the Chiefs, but I think San Francisco just feels like a runaway train.

At least they have the clearest path to the super Bowl of any team. Now because we are we all agreeving on that absolutely to the super Bowl. Now, what's the doubt? What's the doubt here? With the time you think what team is a clearer path in San Francisco, That's the Eagle. I guess the two of them are equal. To me, if the forty Niners are in Philly, I consider the Eagles like a slight favorite, not much, but slight. Yeah,

but at best, it's a it's a coin flip. I'm not worried about the Niners playing an extra game when it starts with Seattle. They matched up really well with them both times. And this this game, you look at the score and you think just another like absolute drubbing,

and ultimately it was down the stretch. But this game was fourteen a thirteen with just a couple of seconds to go in the first half, and there was a stretch where for the first time in a while, the Niners just went to sleep on offense three straight punts and pretty couldn't generate anything, and yet they climbed their way out of it. This was like not one of their final performances, and by the end they absolutely destroyed Arizona. It's like, I don't see another team doing this right

now in the NFC. So I tend to agree with Dan. It like with where the Eagles all right now? The Niners to me are just if you're gonna get Deebo back, you're gonna get Mitchell back. Purty has not proven to be anything but completely legitimate. He's out played Jimmy g and can he fits right in and like he's he's worked so well with guys like Kiddle and Brandon a youth that I just don't I don't understand who really

would be favored over from this point. I know, maybe Philly in Philly, but other than that, UM, I think they're the best team in the NFC. And the one thing we should notice this was J. J. Watts Um final game. I tend to believe that, like we're gonna come September, there's gonna be J. J. Watt On retiring UM. But I'm not trying to undo his decision or anything, but just he is there a part of you that thinks you could attempt to not in the least, but

just respecting his little stronger with your point. He might listen to Sessler and be like, well, he's got a point. No, I'm not trying to make him come back. I just I think that you're looking at someone that's playing about as well as he has in ages. He had twelve and a half sacks and lead the team in pressure rate and everything. J J. Watt is not a shelf. Three time Defensive Player of the Year. He had a hundred and twenty and a half sacks in the regular

season and playoffs in his twelve year career. Here's here's something from J. J. Watt after the game. I said, I wanted to go out playing good ball, and I'm playing good ball. I know I still can. I just choose not to. That's all a great career is he? If we were you know, the we just finished our tenth regular season around the NFL here at NFL dot Com, NFL media, you get it. Um, is he the peak J J. Watt the best defensive player? Yeah, I mean

i'd say yes, tick over. Some people say Donald, but Watted his peak was just so we're talking about like the impact on our show. I think like J. J. Watt just was something that many people seen. Yeah, Supernova, Bro good call Um. Yeah, and the party thing. It's almost I feel like Greggy it's a little under the radar now or doesn't get enough like the fact that this guy that was the last pick in the draft is coming and is having a kind of a big

year of them. If you look at his his numbers, I know he's not at the level of those great A f C quarterbacks or Jalen Hurts when he's healthy, but he ended up with thirteen touchdowns against I think three picks. His passer ratings about one ten or so, I mean, and that a lot of credits to the personnel and the coaching staff. But that is this season we talked about when Garoppolo went out, it was like, is it kind of over for San Francisco, And it

kind of seemed like it was. It is not over, and parties rise has been a big part of Now they got better. I mean, today was a perfect example of a pretty game. Five in completions, three touchdowns, in almost nine yards per attempt. It's crazy. My my pushback with like calling the Eagles certainly I think a coin flip, if not better if their home is just looking at the two rosters, they're both loaded. Looking at the two quarterbacks, I'll take Philly and I do. Look at the teams

that San Francisco has played, it's not their fault. Uh. They played one really good I guess defense that was playing well at the time down the stretch. That was when they beat the Saints thirteen nothing. That was a weird game. They were coming off the Mexico game and that was supposedly a thing. But they were just playing a lot of teams that didn't really get in their

way too much. And maybe Minnesota won't either. If that's the first UH matchup after Seattle, like that sets up as well as possible for them to roll into that NFC championship without playing an overly good defense. This haven't lost since October, and I don't see a weakness ten game winning streak as the Niners hit the postseason. Uh. With Seattle Seahawks coming into their building, did outduel David blow By the way? Bloud did all he could looking

for that newsletter. That's tough for you to have to write the newsletter. Leave here. It's a long day. I don't even you know. You sleep for maybe three or four hours during this time of year, and you just keep going. Sure, that's the sacrifices we make. All right, boys, let's take a break and then we'll hit the rest of the NFC and then move on to the a f C. All right, let's finish out these NFC games or a trip the Soldier field or the Vikings and

Bears did battle with nothing on the line. Well something Cousins under centered play action, straight drop pass to the end zone, caught, touchdown Adam Feeling. Kirk Cousins throws a touchdown to Adam Feeling and per Kirk, it's his twenty nine touchdown this seasons. For Adam Feeling, it's his sixth receiving touchdown. And that's where those men would end in terms of their statistical outputting the regular season. Because Kevin

O'Connell pulled many of his starters at the half. UH game in hand, a game that didn't mean anything to the Vikings who were locked in in their playoff spot. They went over the Bears. Let's not say that there was things on the line of the Minnesota Vikings if things broke a certain way. They didn't. So they are where they are and they'll get the Giants next week now Adam Feland had the touchdown. Otherwise kind of a ho home game, and the Chicago Bears with the loss.

In addition to the win of the Texans have the number one overall pick in the NFL draft UH ten game Losing streaks have never felt so good in Yeah, because you, I mean you, you're so right. It's a season where wins and losses. You kind of can put it aside as a Bears fan because you got the number one pick, you already have a quarterback you don't want to waste too many more years on his rookie contract.

But you also go into the off season with a monstrously large amount of calf space over any other team. The Falcons are second. And it doesn't mean you go spend it all, but it's like you have a lot of flexibility. I think you can sell a lot of free agents on Justin Fields and what you're building, which is a far away We were not here in the summer.

We were killing this entire organization for essentially about to be putting Justin Fields out there with nothing around him, and instead, look at it turned out pretty well, and you have a guy that is someone different than we thought of a number of months ago. I still don't know if they have a coach. Like the defense was bad. They did trade the number thirty two picking the draft for Chase clay Pool, which was looks like a fiasco. That was a weird one that that not looking great.

They started Nathan Nathan Peterman in a football game and the year three, so I just I can't give him too many flowers. But they did get some breaks. And George McCaskey, uh, the executive uh, the owner rather uh was seen toting around a YETI cooler today after the game full of ice cream bars and giving them out to people. So that's kind of a shout out to the old times in the like old Papa Bear. That's what he did at the end of the season. Nice season.

You know, here's an ice cream bar. I was hoping you were telling the truth, like, not joking, because otherwise that's kind of an eccentric move that that that is the truth. All right, Well there you go. Well there was reason to celebrate for the Bears, and um, yeah, you you figure that that will be a draft pick for sale unless they absolutely fall in love with someone

who was not a quarterback. But this is a type of they handled this right, and they have their management set up right and their draft scouts set up right, they could turn this haul into something that changes their organization and makes them a contender in the NFC next year. That's they're in a unique situation. One little thing with the Vikings because you came out of last week's disaster and no one believes in them. I get it. But Cousins going seventeen for I saw him throwing some heaters

to like kJ Osborne and stuff. It seems like it looked pretty good. This is is how you do it, Staley. You rack up fo two yards of offense, twenty eight

first downs, and you sit everyone by half time. That I'm not gonna try to revive your exciting about the vis It was just like this is like like several of the Week eighteen games, these teams that were just like they were watching the Eagles score and the forty score, I believe, and then once they saw that or that the forty nine score rather and then once they saw and and we're gonna get obviously to the playoff implications or the games in the upcoming week, but put it

this way, Vikings fans especially Vikings fans a annoyed um at me on Twitter. Um, you did go thirteen and four, you got at least one home game, and you could you could say, in a serious manner inside that locker room, no one believes in us. So maybe you could take that and do something with you. We'll see, all right, let's uh, let's move to Atlanta, where the Bucks and Falcons did battle in a low stakes affair. Zetias and motion from right to left. Here's Ritter looking shoots it

in soon. I mean what there is for the Atlanta touchdown? That's it. I think that that's the first Desmond Ritter touchdown pass. Oh, it's hope season in Atlanta. Uh for the Falcons, who end their season in a positive manner with a thirty to seventeen win over the Bucks. The Bucks clinched the NFC South last week by virtue. It was like man by virtue of their victory over the Panthers. Uh. So they'll host a playoff game against the Cowboys next week.

Mark um. But they also finished eight nine on the season, by the way, the first ever losing season in Tom Brady's career. Yeah, and you know it's so he started this game, and they yanked him before halftime and Blaine Gabbert came in and was eventually replaced by Kyle Trast. There was no Mike Evans in this game. Tristan Worths was was essentially not on the field. Tom Brady, though, looked like for a bit furious when they yanked him.

I thinking, just because of what you just mentioned, it's like Tom Brady is not built to sit on the sideline and watch the formation in the birth of his first losing season whatever. He had plenty of time to have a winning season, no doubt, but I mean, just in this situation, he was annoyed. But that what happened was then the game started to tilt in Atlanta's favor, and I think that, you know, I don't want to

overhype the Falcons. They've got a lot to figure out, but again they're the second most capitom in the league. I don't know if you have a quarterback in Desmond Ritter, but I thought he played his best game by far today, And you do have a wide receiver in Drake London. You do have a really interesting running back and Tyler Alger who crossed a thousand yards. I mean it's like your guy, You're they have some crazy offensive Kie of the Year Canada and himself Tyler out here and there's

a thin pool there. But like he's also been want to, you know, get him back on the horn, and I I hope he's feeling better. But Tyler Algae yere algae here is officially your guy. Well but three times like a seasonal thing for him. He's you need the sun to come back out. But no, I think there's like there's a there's some things to build around in Atlanta. Ridder.

I mean, I just I don't know. At least they didn't wait and not have him play, Like the whole thing that happened with Mariota is weird, but like they needed to see Ridder. I don't think it prevents you from making other moves of that position. Necessarily. We're tied when Brady left this game. That's probably partly why Brady was out there, like points on five possessions. It's I mean, it's not like they were dominating that Gabbert came in and they got like a turnover to take the lead

for a minute and then they didn't speak. Guys are still hanging around Blaine Gabert. What's up, Bud? Yeah, looking handsome. I mean that was never the problem with Blaine Gabert. No, but he had like that, like he's got is kind of a beautiful man. He's also perfect haircut for him at this stage in his life right now. He's also a hero. We've talked about that on the show, didn't we Him and his three brothers saved us some people from drowning. I saw that. It's nice. And you know

who else did the same thing. Her old friend Peyton hillis former Brown's Russia who unfortunately you know, he put him in the hospital, but he he saved some children in the sea, his own, his own children. And we hope, I hope the best for Peyton hillis um and his recovery on that end. Um, all right, let's move to uh Nolans. See Greg went. They had a bunch of people from the University of Georgia right before we alumni before we started the show today, Um, and it was

a party. We got Georgia playing TCU for the national championship on Monday in the across the sidewalk. This is part of the probably the package that they paid for to come, you know, and part of the job is and this is not not a critique of the company.

It's very nice to do these tours. But where we each sit, which is along against a very long glass wall with the big hallway where anyone being kind of taken through dog and pony through the building is standing there always they just gather and stare at us and my I faced them directly where it's like I'm sitting

there eating like a piece of it's happen. I have the worst seat in the entire Look at all the easy Yankees and like working on a Sunday that's not against the guys, sir, they're looking at what I'm looking at online. I don't need that, Like I mean, it's fine, it's just work stuff. But it's like I'm not a I'm not you know, here for your observation, but yes

i am. Mark bring this up. I would say to three times a week, and I never get tired hearing because they diver time taking it like it exasperates him anew every time, or it's like a middle school football team coming through. I'm glad that they're here, but it's like they're staring at me like I didn't It's eight in the morning. I don't want to be looked at, you know, to nation. I got the vapors looking at this big facility. Go ja, Well they came right at

the past the studio here. You know. Greg's shaking his head. He's like, I, actually, you know what to school in the South. Southern culture is. But I've watched a lot of TV, Greg, I know what true Southern culture is. I got the vapors. All right, let's go. That's how they all spent. Well we got anything else? The Saints? Oh yeah, did we play the highlight? Swings, the legs, the kickings up? It is good. What's it for Carolina to end this season in New Orleans? There you go, Greg,

Eddie Paniero at the kick at the gun? Sam Donald leads the Panthers, right Greg, to ten to seven win over the Saints at the Superdome Bowl. Teams finished seven and ten. That's perfect. It's not how you start, Danny, it's how you finished. That's the story of Sam Donald's career. Yes, he only finished five or fifteen for forty three yards and two interceptions, a quarterback rating of two point eight.

But it was Sam Donald who ran for a first down and then connected with Terrace Marshall for twenty one yards on that final drive, and you know what that did. That saved me from watching overtime of this dreadful game. A huge favor to all of America and beyond. So, yeah, the big storylines here that winning streak for the Saints ends at three games. We'll see you with Dennis Allen's future is Steve Wilkes the same as well? A lot of coach questions after the season ends for both teams.

Jim Trotter, our NFL Network reporter, was very curious why David Tepper, the owner of the Panthers, wasn't at this game kind of talking about what Steve Wilkes as chances are to keep that job or not. There's been, you know, confirmation that Temper and Jim Harbaugh spoke about the job, about the head coaching job. Wilkes did finish six and six, and this was kind of a kind of a game. Why I like Steve Wilkes as a head coach more than Dennis Allen. There was no business for the scenes

to win this game. They could not have lose this game, rather, could not have dominated anymore for the first two or and a half quarters, but just saying, just kept making dumb mistakes, and the Panthers came out a halftime at least trying their best in to the point you were saying about Harbaugh and kind of awkward. Uh news reporting

from Jonathan Jones of CBFL on CBS. UH. He tweeted this morning, the Panthers spoke with Jim Harbaugh recently, but only after a good deal of persistence on Harbaugh's side. Carolina plans to focus its efforts elsewhere. So whatever whatever Jim is telling Michigan and their alumni about, Oh yeah, you know, I'm not looking to leave. According to the CBS reporting here, he was very thirsty for the Panthers to take him seriously as a candidate, and yet they had.

You did this a year ago and got a raise, So I think it's um, you know, with those college coaching contracts, maybe just turn that into more money. M well done. Who are the Did Georgia defeat Michigan in the semifinal? They did? They ended. I literally watched four minutes of college football season, so Idigan. I kind of like Carbo, but I liked seeing him in pain to the fun game. Oh those Yankees watching football on Sunday, I like it on Screw Drew was a big Michigan

fan back here. He was pretty devastated at the TC beat them nine foot seven, Drew Drew any comments, Yeah good look with all right, there you go. So that's the NFC. Now let's move to the a f C and that playoff picture. Um starting where we have to, of course, in Western New York after the you know, really horrifying incident that happens Monday night in Cincinnati that leads all sorts of different changes and throws everything up in the air in terms of the playoffs and how

the seatings will be handled. Well, the Bills still how to take care of business, go back on the field and try to get back to being a super Bowl team. And the good news, of course, by the way, Damarrow hamlin Um continues to make progress in contact with his team, now speaking tweeting it's it couldn't be better all, all of his mental functions are totally their tremendous news compared to what it was like even seventy two hours ago.

So great news. And now the Buffalo Bills, filled with hope and spirit, look to finish off their regular season schedule and get the Patriots out of the playoffs. Tortured, Park puts his foot into the call. It's gonna be short fielding at the four by highs, coming straight up the middle to the twenty, cuts it back in. He's got an alley down the right side, loot of the forty fifty down to the forty thirty five thirty fifty trade five touch nine. He hides ninety six yards. Run,

run as fast as you can. You're not catching Hines. He's your rents owe Man buffalo on the board with the first play from scrimmage. You can't make it up. You cannot make it up. But well, you know what sequel that's not even it hit it Nick Folk kicking it off now, Hines takes it a yard deep in the end Zone'm gonna bring it out out to the ten to the fifteen, up over the twenty thirty, gets away with the tackle of thirty forty forty five fifty. Then not gonna get him. He's going for another one

one hundred and two yards. And there was a third one. No, just kidding, it was just just quote unquote to kickoff returns for touchdown from the hem Heinz including obviously the first play since everything that went down Monday night in Cincinnati. The mar Hamlin himself tweeted out in the moment after the opening kickoff, O m f G. If you don't

know what that means, look it up. It was those two kickoff returns by Hims that were really the difference for the Bills, who did not have their a game defensively, but the special teams excellence compared with combined with some Josh Allen magic, was enough for a thirty three win

over UH. The Patriots. Patriots go home eliminated with the loss, and the Bills Mark Sessler UH finished thirteen and three, which isn't good enough UH to win the a f C number one seed, but what a hell of a way to kind of get back on the field after everything that transpired in the last week. And no team in the league has been room war and UH, you know it happened obviously instantaneously at the start of all

these games. And I was sitting with Greg and I just thought to myself and said out loud, like, what on how on earth can a games start this way? And I just think the one thing that is, I mean, this whole journey that we've been on over the past week that the Bills have been on, that every one of those players and players around the league to I just got the sense that someone was kind of chosen, um amongst all of this to send a message right away that things were gonna be all right for this

Bills team. And I mean Nike Hims, who they traded for, has been a bit player his whole career, always here about like, well, we want to get Hines more involved in the Colts offense back in the day, and the Bills got him for a certain reason, and now it's like the reason and the role he's played is utterly

irreplaceable in Bill's history forever. I mean, it's just very special thing where sometimes the way sports work, it's like the least obvious character is just pulled out of the fray and chosen to do something that isn't leaves an indelible mark, And that's what happened here. From Josh Allen, who like you mark, you put it very well there.

It almost felt like there was more at play the way this game started, and really the entire tone in Western New York today, I can't remember a play that touched me like that, and I don't think in my life, so it's it's probably number one. It was. It was just spiritual and I just I was going around and I just something. I was going around. My twom is saying, God's real, like, you can't you can't draw that one

up right? That one up any better? Um? And I was just told by Kevin Curran it's been three years and three months since the last kickoff return. So pretty cool. Greg Tomorrow Hamlin of course number three, uh. Whereas for the Bills, and three was everywhere across the NFL, including

on the hats of all the Bills players. I thought of Steve Gleason's punt return black for the Saints immediately, and totally different situations, of course, in in many different ways, but a play that when I saw it, you knew how special it was. Now we're almost twenty years we're twenty years later, and we still talk about that play. And when this kickoff return happened, I just thought, we're gonna be talking about this play in twenty years too.

And I new York and them, and the thing is, I think it's really important for the Bills football team in their quest to go win a super Bowl, which is part of this whole um conversation that we're going to have about them moving forward to have that moment here today too, then play the rest of this game out, a game in which they were in trouble in trailing at one point in the second half, and kind of get through today and get that win and set up that we don't have to have a Bill's Chiefs a

f C championship um or if we have a Bill's Chiefs a f C championship, that's gonna be at a neutral site. And I think not that they're gonna put anything past what happened with Damar Hamlin, Like they were face timing with him, and he's now going to be a presence, I think, in their lives and talking. But

he's getting better and better every week. And I think to be able to handle the emotions as a football team of like, okay, this all happened, and and then you gotta go play a game and it didn't really go that well for a lot of the game, but then to come out on top in the end and then start now to look forward to what their playoff matchup is going to be. I also think that's big you know, just for for everyone to start to move forward of what they they're going to do and and

and attack the rest of the season. It was an example of it was another game where Josh Allen, um, you know, up until he started to make some big throws down the stretch. They just their offense has looked somewhat suspect um in recent weeks. Uh, Stefon Diggs had a big catch that maybe uncoortdom I thought, where is

Stefan Diggs? I think that was one of those Josh Allen throws that maybe, But I also feel like the particulars of this game, just what you were just saying, it's a this is a bit of a week of fugazzy week a team for a lot of different teams for a lot of different reasons. The Bills just needed to survive and have this happened in front of their fans at home, and for that reason, I think it's a very special kind of checkpoint for them, um and

had to happen way it did today. Yeah, and Tony Romo calling the game with nance, and they also had great calls of those two plays. Uh we heard from Bill's radio there. But obviously that was some special stuff. Um he said, Romo said, And Romo's you know, he knows quarterbacks like nobody else. I keep thinking aback about too. Uh, he knew before anyone else. He's like, oh, Mike White doesn't He's not just injured. He has multiple broken ribs, and then we find out weeks later he's got five

broken whips. He's watching Josh Josh Allen the last few weeks and saying he's he's not the same. He's not the same. He's not thrown it the same way. And he said today, like in the last ten days is the number he put on it. He sees Alan throwing the ball now the way he did before the elbow injury back in October. And that throw today, EIGs was the type of throws like, oh okay, all right. That's so that's important for the Bills obviously that you get

peek out. He did have another red zone uh turnover, which has been an issue all season. But man, you just you just you try not to put too much into it and the mystical stuff and all everything like that. Although I respect, you know, Josh Allen bringing the spirit spirituality into it. Um Man, the bill is gonna get stopped this year. You just feel like there's something really magical brewing with this season, in this organization that's waited

so long to get to the mountaintop. And on on the New England side of things, because we should cover the Pats because their season is over. Um, really, I gotta give him credit, to be honest with you, it was sloppy and that's what and that's gonna be something we remember about this season. Uncharacteristic, uh misques they had obviously the two massive special teams Gaffs mac Jones threw a bunch of picks late in the game and one when the game was very much in the balance in

the red zone himself. Uh. But after giving up that kickoff return to start the game, their ability to calm things down in that building, gets to halftime at fourteen fourteen, take the lead before their special teams blew it for him again. Greg. A very uncharacteristic New England season. Uh. Frustrating way for it to end, but kind of on brand in a lot of ways the way it all

played out. Right, They to me are a different team obviously since Brady has been gone and and they've been very This was a very characteristic season to me of the last three they've been a consistent at this level. Though the slopping this like it this left this felt like a little beyonds like quarterback melting down the sideline edge.

They were slopping in a different way. Absolutely offensively, I think they were one of the most poorly coached, you know, sides of the football I've ever seen out of the Patriots, but just in terms of being like kind of the middle of the road team that that does find ways to lose games, that often does have mental mistakes, this time it was special team. So you just kind of don't know which side is going to pop up here.

Their defense was playing much better at the end of this season, uh than they had the last couple of years, certainly compared to last year. I think the defense would have been ready to go on a long playoff run if they had a good offense overall, and they showed something there today. But it was a bit of a end of an era here, I think too. That was I think the last we're gonna see a Devin mccordy. It really looks like he and and Matthew Slater as well,

so uh as a as a Patriots fan Slater. Uh, it's hard to see him go out on this special teams guy. Maybe I'll like, if there ever was a Special Team's Hall of Famer, he would be. I don't think we'll get in with that. But he says he was shell shocked after the games. It sounds like that'll be it for him. It has got to agitate Bill Belichick to no end. That they came into this game with the twenty nine ranked waited d v O A special teams units, So I'm sure it dipped. Uh is

it couldn't go much lower, but it obviously did. And that I mean Bill Belichick is the coach we think of who on these Friday press conferences will go on a fourteen minute long soliloquy about special teams play when everyone else mostly ignores it. So this was an there here. There are elements of this that feel UNBELI check in. I think there's obviously gonna be a change on the

offensive coaching staff. Um, if you want to keep Mac Jones around, which at this point, you know I said last week that I'm not sure I would assume that would happen, But what other options do you have? It's like get a better off o c in there, and I think you can get Mac Jones back. I think it would be a mistake to make a rash decision at the quarterback. We're gonna get into that, but I thought, at one point in this game, just give you an

example Mac Jones. And the evaluation is tough because things were so messy in New England. One point in this game he was in their three touchdown drives, their first three touchdown draws. He was seventeen for seventeen for a hundred and seventy yards and three touchdowns. Like, there's there's a potentially a decent, too good quarterback there. And I don't know if you kick him out the door after

this season. Uh, And we'll see, Greg. I know you've been, you know, talking a little bit about what happens with Belichick, if he's getting pressure from upstairs about how the changes need to be made. We know changes need to be made in New England. I think it'll be a radio a silence for a while, but I still wouldn't I'm very curious to see what the outcome is of what Bill Bill. I mean that all time wins record is in you know, target team. If he wants. Guess I

feel it be strange to throw him somewhere else. But and as we said at the top of the show, it will be the Miami Dolphins traveling to Buffalo in the wild Card playoffs next week. Let's move to another team that's dancing, the Miami Dolphins. Hey, sometimes the dance isn't pretty. Sometimes sometimes it's an ugly dance. But it's all right. You're dancing nonetheless, dance like no one's watching.

Is that the thing? I mean? It's always an ugly dance that I'm involved personally, right, I can think of some nights at the Lost and Found where we'd probably dance not looking too pretty. Okay, let's get to the game. A win here, it up, Bill's win the playoffs. It's up and it is good. Wow, bigkets kicking a year for Jason Sanders when he comes with eighteen seconds left. The Dolphins lead at Mine to six. But a big kick for Jason Sanders. It was a big kick for

Jason Sanders in a game that was all kicking. It was a game that had five field goals. And that's it. I tweeted, you know that old that community, uh, Donald Glover scene that's become kind of an iconic gift where he swings the apartment door open with the pizzas with a big smile on his face, and all of a sudden, since he's been gone to pick up the pizza, the entire apartment is destroyed. Someone's been shot on the floor,

there's a fire. That's how I imagine Jets and Dolphins fans if you were like locked away around let's say Thanksgiving, and then you saw what was going on today in week eighteen. Really gnarly stuff, but the Dolphins credit them for getting it done. With their third string quarterback, they find a way nine six, their defense becomes the latest defense to shut down a moribund New York attack, and um, the five game losing streak for the Dolphins is gone.

They finished over five hundred. They calmed things down, and yes, like I said, they'll be playing the Bills next week, so listen. Sometimes the dance is ugly, but you get into the dance anyway. I was texted during this game with our friend Henry Hodgson, and we're talking about it feels like a preseason game, and he seemed ambivalent over whether his beloved Dolphins would make the playoffs or not. The crowd felt a little ambivalent, like they tried to

get going at points today. And it was crazy because this game meant so much. I I was thinking the Patriots will probably lose, so this is essentially a playoff game. The whole season has been leading to this. But meanwhile, in one TV it's like you see the Bills game and it's like, wow, sports can be so crazy, almost impossibly powerful and strange moments in a game like that, And then you can be watching Skyler Thompson and Joe Flacco and trading field goals and like everyone trying to

convince themselves this matter. In Week eighteen, like as is the way, or Week seventeen in past years, you'll have a bunch of games that kind of feel like games because guys are already like thinking about their trip to Cancoon next week. That wasn't the case here. You could tell on both sides of the ball the teams were putting in effort. There was just a real struggle to move the football in any type of efficient way. And

of course these teams are both so beat up. Both sides were including at the quarterback position, that this isn't totally stunning battle lines, bad quarterback play. Those two things the to the Dolphins credit. One of the differences in the game, other than a huge Quincy william Quincy Williams horse collar tackle that kind of pushed Miami into field goal range before the kick was made, was their ability

to run the ball. They were the only team that could actually do something, uh, which is rushed the ball. Neither team could throw and mark. Like I talked about it back in shoot, it was probably Week five when the Jets lost Breeze Hall and Elijah vera talker on the same day, and I was devastated that day. And it turns out that Breese Hall, who played five games

this year, was the Jets leading rusher. So while there's been a lot of focus at quarterback in the dysfunction there, that tells the story of an offense that completely melted down. And I think it's probably gonna cost their offensive coordinator's job. Yeah, it's It's interesting because this, of course is a Shanahan esk offense, where we're so used to over the years pre Christian McCaffrey watching Shanahan dial up seven different running backs over the course of a year, floods of injuries

and it really wouldn't matter. They still get to a hundred and sixty yards a game. And it was the scheme, it was the system and the Jets on a daylight today and I'm really since Breefe Hall went down, they had thirty eight yards at one point nine yards per carried today, It's like, you can't It's not just the quarterback. You gotta find a way to surround good and bad quarterbacks, uh, wanting underhand quarterbacks that are not really skilled to get

you to the playoffs with something. And they couldn't do that. And I mean, the Jets offense really fell asleep. And I think the Dolphins look so different to us because I don't really view two as a he. I think his numbers are better than who he is. That's just how he feels about. We don't know he's still he's still Post con press conference, it didn't sound like McDaniel had a ton of optims. Now Teddy Bridgewater, who was active for this game, I think would make a big

difference because Skyler Thompson was skittish and a problem. Not a big difference like they'll go win in Buffalo, but but a big difference where you won't be the offense that you saw today because Thompson was a problem. The offensive lines were problems, but Thompson had much better protection in general than Joe Flacco, who got hit I think ten times and was was kind of fighting for his

life out there. That maybe a veteran quarterback could give them some chance here because Thompson threw the ball thirty one times here for a hundred Bridgewater off and on the field, stay and stay in the game. I mean, you know, I'm not I'm not gonna blame him for injuries, but his two starts he didn't even get through. And I think that's the one thing i'd say about Mike McDaniel. Yes, they faded hard and like it's not been impressive. Their

offense today just looked completely like a different offense. But Mike McDaniel, without a lot of drama, has found a way to get here in year one with the Dolphins with about as much uh you know, revolving door quarterback madness as you could ask for the Jets. He also went for two fourth and five's in this game from close to midfield, which I was surprised, including on the opening drive with surprise he did with Skylie Thompson. One

didn't work. I wasn't worried about Flacco taking advantage. One did and then ended up leading to three points, So he was he was aggressive to the end. The Jets finished the season with thirty three straight drives without a touchdown. But at least he got Garrett Wilson, who I think would be my pick for a Rookie of the year, just I test wise and a year where there wasn't any huge obvious numbers guys. I think he just looks to me like the best player and he was nine

nine today. Flacco smartly just tried to throw it to him every single time, even obvious to do in the off season. You just gotta figure out this quarterback thing. You've got a good You finally got a really strong roster. I think that uh. I think he's a true number one wide receiver. Gett Wilson will only get um better. And it was notable Greggy Um. We'll see Black Monday's coming up. Sorry, New Horizons Monday is coming up, and we'll see how everything plays out in the league. But

Salo is probably safe. But just his comments, he would not kind of endorse La Fleora after the game, makes you think he's willing or knows he might have to sacrifice a guy that he probably doesn't want to get rid of for his own safety at this point. That's what six game losing streaks do. And that's a sad way for the Jet season and it was otherwise filled with hope a couple of weeks back to end. You know what, I hate this stuff though, because I don't

I'm not convinced that la Flora can't do it. He's been around with his brother and everyone else. It's like, you went through so much like you were you were. You were tagged to play a non functional high draft pick who doesn't have it. We all know that now. They didn't know that three months ago, and it's like, are we gonna part of his to develop? And I

think they failed on some level as well too. I kind of agree with you, but just saying develop Breese Hall or Garrett Wilson or other young players on both but already fifty years just picked the wrong guy, like they picked the wrong dude, you know. But somebody's got to go. And that's what happens when you lose six straight games then the season and you could say no, but it's like that's kind of the way the owner

probably wants somebody out. And so I was gonna be like, I don't want to said owners should be involved in this, but that's not how this works. All right, just getting started here on the a f C. We'll be right back after this, all right, welcome back. By the way, did I mention that I don't think I ever mentioned the final score Dolphins eleven Jet six. And for those like score, I know that you you detest the safety on the final play after a fifty yard or from

that your boys didn't trigger a score. Kid did not that it happened one other time, and it was I believe in the NFC title game, Bucks real. There were reporting mistakes out there then, because I was a report of the regular season the Bird of Manuel game, the Shaun King almost went to the super ball game. That was a bizarre conference champion. All right. So it's a regular season score gummy which has no meaning. It either is or it never has any meaning. I guess it's

my overall viewpoint on score. Well, I would say nothing has any meaning. Nothing, nothing at all has meaning. If you want to be that nihilistic about any No, but but but like you're deciding to score, Gammy has no mean it meant something some people. You know, it meant a lot Saturday night in Duval, duv All. Let's go biggest playing the game right here, shotgun for doms. He drops at the blitz when all outlets hit him. He likes to go down, running it down the jacker, running

it back the jack. You're gonna run it into the end, Zoe. John Jallen scores a touchdap. John Jallen has running back for Hey, touch tap for Catson. No do look, well, what a man. That's integrity. But that's the measure of the man. Yes it is. Or it's masochistic and I'm into that too, you know both. Great. They deserved it. After a week fourteen, I didn't give it to him. Crawls of the Year put that on the Calls of the Year. He said, this is the biggest play of

the game. He didn't hesitate whether it was a fumble or not. That was great. The God of Bongo endorses your decision making. Here here here it carries Frank Frangie w O k V with the call Yes, Josh Ellen scoops up the bumble on the big hit on Joshua Dobbs takes it to the house uh. In a game that the Tennessee Titans, despite being beat up and missing their quarterback and bench their second stringer and brought in Dobbs who hadn't been on the team but for a

couple of weeks. They had to lead the whole game, um, but let it slip away with two fifty one to play the fourth quarter. Twenty to sixteen, the Jaguars are the a f C South champions. Calmdown, Serrie, uh, Apple watch apologies, modern day nightmare. En Jaguars win the South and the Titans go homemark. I was thinking about Grave Digger h while watching this out on the town because it was like man, Tennessee has been a tough watch for weeks on end. I don't see them as a

playoff team. I think we got the better operation here, well, but the better operation to go face the Chargers team. I like that matchup, but I felt for Grave Digger because this was like Mike Rabel and crew doing everything they possibly could with a guy that's not been who wasn't even on the roster a couple of weeks ago. At quarterback. I think Dobbs. It was smart what they did because Dobbs was the better option in this game. He's not perfect, we get that, but that turnover really

was the turning point. I mean the Jacksonville defense because they didn't get a great look from Trevor Lawrence in the offense. It was not them at their high point, but they the defense allowed a hundred and sixteen yards and three points in the second half. Jacksonville ran under fifty offensive players from scrimmage the whole games, So to me, that showed that you can win different ways. You got

just enough from Lawrence. But I think the better team one and I feel bad for Titans fans, but I think this Jacksonville journey has really shown as much as any team in the league, a team that started completely unsure of who they were at the beginning of the season, and under Doug Peterson. I don't want to overdo the culture thing because he took over the worst situation and they were There was no way that a culture coaching coming to do a better job than what happened last year.

But I think Doug Peterson there's a lot of credit for allsoalk about development of a quarterback Trevor Lawrence grew by leaps and bounds under his watch. I hear you, and I'm glad that Jaguars are in much more excited to watch them. Their ceilings way higher. Trevor Lawrence is fun to watch. But I felt like the Titans deserved that game. Well, I mean that's I mean, I'd just been saying they don't deserves a tricky word. I think they outplayed him. They gained him by ninety They're playing

with the backup quarterback here. Uh. Their defense in Jacksonville got it done like that bare front where they're putting five guys up on the defensive line and it's Trayvon Walker and Josh Allen, who might have had their two best games of the year, and Corey Peters kind of a random uh free agent pickup uh ends up dominating a Titans offensive line that was the titans biggest problem all season. It popped up here, but Dobbs was bawling out.

I mean, Dobbs was going back and forth with Lawrence the whole game and was put in a tough spot and was doing great. They were kind of out playing them, and the Titan the Jack's offense got tight didn't play well. The Titans were a defensive team and was holding them down. If Dobbs had you know, seen that Blitzer and just throwing that ball away, like I'm not too confident that Jaguars offense was gonna do anything there and win that game. Graver or the everything went wrong for the Titans over

the final two months of the year. The only thing that really did go right, although it ended up you know, painfully falling, shure, it was this hail Mary that was Joshua Dobbs. Because not only the lose Tanital to the angle, then the draft pick Malik Wills is kind of a mess and not ready for the moment. He did make the season, you were able to at least go out with your dignity and your held your head held high

because he really did play well. Yeah, I mean, he played a lot better than I think anyone could have hoped or expected. And on that last play, you wonder, why are you even running a straight drop back with no chip or running back help in the in the past blocking scheme against the defensive front that has been dominating your backup offensive linemen all game with like four minutes to go and you've been running it, okay. I mean,

Henry's been popping five to seven yard runs. You get a first down there with the run, and you potentially ice the game. You don't get the first down, you punt it, you pin Jacksonville deep. It was aggressive, but they were aggressive with him throughout the night, like he hit those third and longs. They weren't running on third and longs like he was hitting those throws against pressure. It can I agree with you. It's I was almost surprised how aggressive they were. Uh, but man if he

had just seen that. Yeah, they and the game plan obviously was we need Derrick Henry to take us there, and they gave him the ball thirty times. On the ground, he went over hundred yards but averaged about three and a half yards of carry mark. So you didn't get that big time Derrick Henry game where he he had some nice powerful runs, but he couldn't make the big play to kind of win then the game like he's done so many times in the past. That's stiff arm.

That just shows you that he's an impossible human being to deal with. But yeah, they had the ball for almost thirty seven minutes, and I think it was like let's keep the ball out of Jacksonville's hands so they don't get hot. And it can it can work only so long without a quarterback. And like, but but Dobbs, I think, you know, I don't know what. I think Dobbs is probably secured a clear cut um high end back. Second, you know, number two quarterback roll a year from year

from now or a look to that degree. I think it's a good quarterback with with you know, he's smart um. But this was this was Tennessee, another team where like down the stretch, you have total quarterback chaos and it's just hard to take them that seriously, Jacks fans, don't be annoyed if I'm you know, dismissing this because the offense scored thirty points here. Laurence still played absolutely perfect until missing Kirk on that open touchdown to start the

third quarter, like he was pitching a perfect game. Didn't have anything to do with him. Their lights out. It's good that their defense is playing better. I almost felt like they got this out of the way. They almost knew they were supposed to win this. They were heavy favorites. They've played a little tight, they got through it. I think they'll play better in the playoffs and they'll be fun to watch. That place was rocking. I love this

game because they were hitting. It felt like a playoff game. It was, so that's a good home field advantage they have there. It's kind of slept on a little bit like that. That fan base endured a lot of losing after that. You know, you know that really special running seventeen, but it's been terrible since it was the biggest crowd in that stadium since they've pulled the tarps off. They were like hitting like crazy. It really felt like a playoff game almost every play, just like it was popping.

They were that way back in when when this happened. But with it with Blake Portles at quarterback, now you something where it's like, wait a minute, this could last for a while. This is different. This is a different field they and yes they go out on a five game winning streak the Titans, I believe was what seven seven straight. They scored more than twenty points on that losing streak one time. Man, these like all these a FC teams are like, please pull us from the playoff

rames exactly. So the Titans have a lot of work to do and We'll see what happens with them next Uh. And the Jaguars get the Chargers in their building as a division champion. How about that? Let's move on next stop. It's all left shod Mames looks that holds the ball, holds it. He's got McKennon touchdown Chence City on a basketball shotle pass straight ahead to the amazing Jerick McKinnon. Why I gotta think of Patrick Mahomes is the amazing one.

And Jack McKinnon has been done a nice job finding a niche in that offense and catch little miracle shovel passes. Uh like that. The other Saturday Saturday game was a easy thirty one to thirteen Kansas City win over the Raiders. With the win because of the unusual, unprecedented circumstances in our league over the last ten days, by winning percentage by playing one more extra game, the Chiefs are the number one seed in the a f C and get

the by that comes with it. Of course, with the caveat Greggy that if the Chiefs and the Bengals were to meet in the a f C, Chiefs and the Bills, I should say, were to meet an af C title game, it would be on a neutral field. But the Chiefs, once again the top seed in the f C, thinking like, I'm a Vegas for that game? Is that a possibility? They'll just go to Indianapolis. Get them out of there now, they've already told them they've rejected the NFL. I guess

that was the NFL. If the championship game, what would have happened when was this booked? Well, they would have found a different I wouldn't have gone in with that as a possible scenario. They've they've known for a while. I don't know, but I do know that I believe Phil Phil's daughter has been, you know, participating at that event. So the city of Indianapolis and UM Jim Rasay and the people of Lucas oil Field UM said no, we don't want the a f C championship game. We're gonna

be loyal to the volleyball sand people. Okay, I respect it. I'm just saying I don't think there's extremely loyal I do think it's safe to say there's no sand involved here. I think they're they're just inside. I don't know, I think about what this is. I don't know. Maybe do you guys know I mean, I think that volleys all over. If you're in the Midwest, where can you Where do you get a chance to play beach volleyball? You don't

live in the Midwest. If you want to do that, maybe there's a concert within the Midwest of people that have always dream maybe by by a lakeside in the summer, but not in in January. I'm just saying, if you if you take a bacco and truck in some sand, you could probably make a lot of dreams come true.

Asking them too much for Midwestern civilian. We've paid no attention to nil uh and this game, Like I was hoping this wouldn't be that kind of a game because you know, I didn't want to give my whole weekend to the NFL. I thought I'll catch up to this at the end. You want to stand fast and yeah, this thing was what we thought it might be, which is the Chiefs to VIC That's what I'm saying. I think the Chiefs have to feel good that they've been

getting pass rush over the last month. Now, some of that could be opponent related, but man Chris Jones had one of the best games any defensive lineman had all season. Six QB hats, QB hits in one game, but car Loftis and Dunlop since Week fourteen their fifth in pressure rate. Before that they were twenty six. So their defensive line has been getting after my homes kind of put the cherry,

I think on his m v P case. To me, there's not much reason uh to go again them, And I think this game was kind of a reminder how they've done it differently. They're doing it with two tight ends and a lot of plays under center, and you know, throwing the balls shorter. His average depth of target is shorter. Like at the different homes. You get the spectacular plays, but it's a different type of Chiefs offense. That's who

they've been. It's a different offense. You're right, because it's been very running back tight end centric, a huge chunk, a higher percentage than any of his careers seasons. Of his touchdown passes have been short touchdown passes to running backs and tight ends, and you see it. The great red zone team they are, they've been good. Like their defense to your point, like pressured Stidham at on forty five point two of his dropbacks, their highest rate for

the Chiefs, and three seasons. I wanted to see if Stidham could come back and do it did last week against a great Niners defense, and it didn't even come close to happening. I mean, that's fine. It was He's fine, But I mean last week was like a magical performance, like is he Brock? Pretty? Like? Did they clone Brock? Purty and Britain may turn them into Jared Stidham. They did not look at this way. Mark. The first super Bowl we ever went to was that Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was Indianapolis. They got the bid because of the new stadium. I remember that week and it was a great they got beautiful weather. Um that was so Greggy's blocked it out because of the outcome of the game itself.

But I don't know if the Colts get another super Bowl, this is your chances of city to get something I could be better than the super Bowl because it's the two best teams that you say yourself, Greggy, I could get the two best teams in football in your city for a huge game, and instead you're gonna have the Central Zone Invitational, Uh in the building. It's just like it's not too late to make a couple of it. Does seem like you could send send the central zone

volleyball um operation to a different indoor facility. Does we feel possible? Um? You know, Phil Wesseling, I believe his daughter has been playing at this tournament in the past, and he's thinking, there ain't gonna be a Bill's Chiefs a f C championship. I see here you go with that. But good job, Greg, just blew my left ear drum ountin alright, Stilla was so is very athletic. I think he'll get a backup job because of that. I think he played quite well in this game overall. And I

already a backup, right he does have that job. Well, he's a free agent. It's wide open. I he showed way more than I would have ever expected in these two games, just like last week alone. Would get you like they had no clue that he was, that he could run as well as he could, or that he had the arm that he could And uh, I did have a clue, could areas Tony could be this good?

But I think it's pretty talentane man, how powerful and shifty he is going into the playoffs, and what a big deal and also the best play in this game that didn't count was the Chiefs in their huddle doing the ring around the rosie with their arms around each other, like swirling around, then coming out of it like a hurricane into a bizarre position. They wound up as a trick play with Tony scoring. It got reversed by a flag, but then he scored the next play. I think it's

almost he's like their secret weapon. They give up like a third round compensatory pick for him. Like what do you think Mark Davis and Charles would and talk about. I feel like it's not the first time we've seen them just pounding always Wood's in there. Yeah, I don't know Raiders history. Do you think they have a real friendship, But I think it's a it's one of those friendships that's by you. I think they're talking ball. I mean you could say a lot about Mark Davis. Do you

think he's asking like who should be my quarterback next year? Well? I mean maybe a little bit of that, but more just talking about the game in front of that guy is a football guy. If nothing else, he is the son of the ultimate football guy. Didn't can you know watch football every day of his life? I think they're just talking ball. Our friend Bert Brier did put out a report this morning that the Raiders are considering Jimmy garoppolo obvious ties to Josh McDaniels, as their lead man

next season. We'll get thank you for bringing that up. We'll get into it um later on in the week or whatever, but like, is that enough grade over Derek Carr? I think it's almost like apples and apples. That's justin before we take a break, before the break. I forgot to do this for the last game. You know what,

he's again showing he's a man of principle. He actually acknowledged that he ignored the concept of bongoes a while back, and in this same situation now he's gone bongos and he's gone, I'll remind you that I lost my lock and like it says a lot about his personal lost everything, and yours was in a more dramatic way. But I did the same thing the previous week. You get behind your team and you kind of try to put that

positive energy. It just doesn't work out sometimes. Right now, got detached and I love the integrity, but I love like execution even better. So we do want to get that with the game. Yes, for the next lock. I will remember Grave Digger is the only person attached to us that gave Christmas gifts. We didn't give them anyone. He gave nice little uh Guinness flavored chocolates had refused with Guinness beer. Wonderful gift had one kind of a

wild thing to pick. I was trying to I texted to do that, and then he said, hey, listen, I looked interesting, and yeah, I know Mark likes beer. And I was like, yeah, that's true. I was wondering if I alone got that gift and you guys got like rose scented, you know, bathroom spray or something gross. All right, let's take a break, will be right back. All right, Um, before we welcome in our buddy Nick Shook for the last time this season, we should clarify that Greg, you

and I had a locked. Glad, we're going back to settle this. You just you just pointed fingers a graver for not you know, in a clean way. Yeah, it's like sloppier than Patriots special teams. Right now, we have to clean it up. Four heads are gonna very ugly for your professionalism. All right, Let's now check in with the other team that played on that fateful Monday night in Cincinnati. The Bengals, who were looking to finish the regular season on high even though they are peeved about

the league's rule changes ahead of the playoffs. Is going to throw from here and brought down comes out, which for a touchdown, but BEng golf knocking away Trey Hendrickson stripped it away from Anthony Brown hand a tree covered in the end zone for a Cincinnati touchdown. That's what you call taking care of business. Dan Horde Dave Lapham with the call. Cincinnati Bengals jumped out ahead early on the Ravens and kind of coasted from there to sixteen.

Joe Burrow through for a touchdown, Joe Mixon ran for another, and uh pulled a coin out from his sock and and flipped it in the air to mock the NFL's decision to potentially decide a playoff game if it were to happen with the Ravens by a coin flip for home field, that's not happening because Cincinnati took care of business. They are twelve for Baltimore Tenant seven. Nick shook the

pipe is here. I'm here. I'm here to flex in representation of the Bengals who turned away all the criticism and all the consternation regarding the coin flip and said, you know what, We're gonna go out. We're gonna take care of business as a playoff team and a title contending team should do. Wasn't the prettiest game, guys. Now, they jumped all over him early thanks to those takeaways.

They really should send the Ravens a gift basket, provided they don't run into them again in the postseason, which we'll see, because they did them a huge favor by playing their third string quarterback this week and protecting Tyler Huntley in the event that he has to play in the playoffs. Anthony Brown mall probably a nice kid in Oregon product, clearly not suited for a game of this magnitude. Two very ugly interceptions early. You saw the strip sack

recovered for a touchdown there. That was the Bengals route to victory. They jumped all over and put twenty one points on the board from those takeaways. They go into the half of the seven lead, and that was pretty much all she wrote. Because the second half they didn't even break a hunted yards offense. That's something that they need to figure out going forward. They gotta figure out what the Ravens did defensively that shut them down. They

missed some opportunities. Joe Burrowhead Jamar Chase open for a touchdown under threw them a little bit. There was a couple of the long passes that didn't get completed. They could have gone for big games and potentially touchdowns. They don't look quite as strong as they have for the last two months, but coming off of what they dealt with last week, I can understand that. And all in all, they got the job done. They secured the home game

going into next weekend. That's all that really matters to them. And we can leave the change in the coin purse, go spend it on parking because you don't have to spend it or use a quarter to flip it to figure out where you're playing next week. It will be fine for that number one. Although that's you know, when you talk about these players, salaries not a huge issue. I also use like a card now to pay for parking. I don't even use yeah because you live in l A. Yeah,

well it's it's instructive of us. But I mean, they were messy down the stretch. Shook, and I think I said a lot about the Ravens. They one drive of their last ten that went over twelve yards, and it kind of looked like if there were these big misconnections. The biggest concern for me because I'm not really I just kind of this Week eighteen stuff. I'm willing to let it blow away. But Alex Kappa was carded off the field with a left ankle. You already have Lyle

Collins out. That's your entire the entire right side of your line. This what happened to him last year when they were trying to, you know, say, keep Joe Burrow upright. So that's that just as a lingering concern for me, But I really thought at least it showed their defense, which were turnover ball hawks last January, that they could do it again today. And they prayed on a quarterback

that was not ready for prime time. But this Ravens team in general, I mean rap Report reported this morning that it is completely essentially said that no one truly knows if Lamar Jackson will be ready for the wild card matchup, and it just seems like it's trending in the direction of like, are we gonna see him again this season, and if we don't and you get this

or Tyler Huntley next week, I love Cincinnati's chances. You know, my friend Peter Schrager, he was on Bill Simmons Football podcast, uh,

and I happened to catch on Twitter. They had a conversation about this, and you know, Schreeger's pluged in as anybody, and he didn't report directly that it was something he was hearing from the Ravens, but he's certainly in the conversation that he was having about the subject of Lamar Jackson and his continuing absence kind of let it hang out there that there might be more to this, potentially

than just an injury with his uncertain financial future. And I just thought it was notable coming from Schraeger the way he, you know, had that conversation. Interesting thought, It is fascinating. Is also is weird to look at the different reports about whether Lamar is gonna play next week, or that they're feeling confident or they're not feeling confident, and it like changes depending on which reporter you listen to and what time of the day and which day

it is. But to me, action speak louder the Ravens knew the most likely outcome here was they were gonna lose this game with a backup and that they were going to go back to Cincinnati next week. That's exactly what's happening. They ended up sitting some of their starters, include Huntley, who is the key one that they really didn't want to lose if they don't have Lamar. To me, you wouldn't sit Huntley if you felt like you needed this game, or if that you're confident Lamar. It's it's

an awkward Week eight team thing. I hate this. When they played each other twice in a row. I think the Bengals, if I had to pick, might be the best team in the NFL, and yet I think this is an awkward matchup next week for them. It's a division matchup. A very good defense, one of the only defenses in the league, if healthy shook that I think can hold down Cincinnati's offense and just ugly it up, especially if they can get any quarterback play. Yeah, you

saw an example of that today. I mean, like I said, in the second half, that couldn't break a hundred yards. I mean their offense went from being fairly high powered the same offense we've seen for most of the second half of the season two one that was borderline and emiic. Joe Burrow just didn't quite look comfortable. Joe Mixon stat line doesn't reflect a game that you'd be proud of.

And they've shifted a while ago. They shifted towards this past heavy offense that incorporated the running back in the passing game a little bit. But you couldn't really rely on the run game constantly or that consistently if you are in this situation for four quarters. Next week you talk about ugly in a game up, we get an ugly playoff game where the Bengal sudden they find themselves in a situation where they gotta go down and try

and kick a game winning field goal. If it's you know, that close, I could very much see that happening, because if Huntley's in the line up, he gives them a better chance to match them offensively, or at least come close enough close than Anthony Brown, because there's four yards for playing today's shookie. Yeah, they got to sit on that lead. There's no guarantee that you're gonna go sit

on that lead in a playoff game next week. So Yeah, definitely a little bit concerned about them, But I agree with you might be the best team in the NFL when all things are running correctly. They just didn't this. I don't think you're getting two weeks of this from the Bengals in a row. The line issue concerns me. But if Tyler Huntley played today and did not turn the ball over and they still just did what they've done under Tyler Huntley, would just be a very unimpressive

to the eye offense in terms of production. Like this game is very close and goes down to the final minutes, it was the turnovers that set them up for these quick scores. They weren't moving the ball. One more week of the Baltimore Ravens. Hey is almost and we can move on as a football world. Hey, before we go to the next game, Shookie um as I said earlier in the show, this feels like the Bills that are a great team and a great story, and it just

feels like this could be their year. But Cincinnati is a great story too, and they have a great team, and they have also, like the Bills, a tremendous quarterback who believes in his team and believes in himself. He was asked after the game while wearing a giant white turtleneck and looking like a cooler Kevin McAlister from Home Alone. Um. He was asked about the idea of a Cincinnati Bengal Super Bowl window windows my whole career and and everybody that that we have in that locker room, all the

coaches we have. You know, things are going to change year to year, but uh, our windows always open. M He's good with these quotes. That's not my quarterback, but I wish it was. Yeah, I know, every couple of weeks he drops a verbal dime like that. And in addition to the physical times on the in addition to those, I mean, is nineties fashion completely back? Because it's bad. I got some serious flashbacks there. You know it isn't Ohio,

I'd say you just got there. No, that we've reached a tipping point in this, uh the nostalgic culture right now when New York Times is doing a profile on the kids of today are now using digital cameras that they're finding in their mom's like and dad's drawers, and because they prefer that to using their phones. There it's ridging a saturation point of that's cute of nostalgia, but

I guess every generation hits that. So whatever, good luck finding new digital tapes when you run out of the one that you're using that was in the camera to begin with your mom's closet. Just a warning to yeah, let's head Hines Field, where Mike Tomlin was looking to keep up one of the most impressive streaks in professional football. Pricket throws it down the middle, touchdown. George Pricke pick it to Pickens from thirty one out here, the Steelers

in position to tie it up. This is what makes a quarterback on the edge of becoming a great quarterback. Oh look at that. That's Craig Wolflee something that Kenny Pickett is on the edge of becoming a great quarterback. Now you may or may not agree with Wolflee and Bill Hillgrove of w DV, but those are the vibes around the Pittsburgh Steelers after a season ending win over the Browns, the Jets losing again costs the Steelers a

playoff spot. It's the Dolphins to take that seventh seed, but shook incredible way for it to them to wrap their season. And yes, or Mike Tomlin, he keeps that incredible streak of over five hundred seasons. They finished nine and eighty. This is the rebuilding here. This is supposed to be the transitional year for the Steelers, the first year without Ben Roethlisberger, the year that everything just fell a part, except they go nine and eight. He stays

above five hundred in the season. He finishes there can he Picket is clearly the best quarterback on the roster. I'm not gonna say he's on the edge of being a great quarterback because there's still a lot of things he's gotta work on. But you see the glimpses. You see the decisiveness, You see the fact that he's comfortable in the pocket and he knows what to do when he's under pressure. Let's think about this guy's They finished with a little bit over three hundred yards offense, three

and thirty seven, nine and fifteen on third down. Yet Kenny Pickett finished with under two hundred passing yards and completely just thirteen passes. Do you know why they converted those third downs? Because Kenny pick It extended the play and found his It's not the stuff that you know, It's not the in between stuff where he overthrows a guy, or he misses a guy, or somebody drops the past

Deante Johnson, Connor Heyward, a couple of those today. It's the stuff in the key downs, and that's what excites me about him. I'm not like I said, I'm not gonna say he's on the edge of being a great quarterback. But he's exciting and also exciting. George picking just three catches today, seventy two yards in that touchdown we just played on that highlight. That is a pairing. I cannot wait to see where they go because it's clear they

already have that connection. They're just starting to work on those back shoulder fades down the sideline and George Pickens, as we all know at this point, is a freak of nature. If Kenny Picketts continues to develop at the speed he's at right now, and Pickens continues to rise up and get better over the years, man, they're gonna have se North butter watch out. That's gonna be quite a duo for years to come. So it's a really triumphant way for them to end the season, a season

that nobody expected anything out of them. They avoid finishing in the cellar. They finish about five, and they got a lot to be excited. They also have some things they need to address in the off season, but man an organization that really knows how to keep things stable even when it looks like everything's against them. It's a very Brown's esque end of the season. I feel like they've lost to the Steelers in weeks seventeen slash eighteen

like forty seven times. But it's a very Steelers skan because it's sort of to me, reminds me of what happened in Jacksonville a little bit, where you started off with an offense that just look completely lost at See here we are today. You've found a quarterback, you've found weapons around them, and off some line that was in tatters in the summer. They're not perfect, but they were competent. The running game grew, Nag Harris turned into something better

than we thought. All these little pieces and they're all in the same contract essentially together, and you still have one of the best coaching staffs in the league that never that refused to die this season on any level. I love the Mike Tomlin like situation. I know there's some Steelers fans in the past like we need this guy out of here. He can't get us over the hunt. I'll take Mike. There have been that from Steelers fans absolutely hit me. Would take Tomlin over literally almost every

conson what what what that sounds in real time? Like Greg does not agree, but I think you have to say straight non losing unbelievable. They should be the playoff team and the playoffs would be more fun with him in it. There seven and two in their last nine games. I've always thought it's a little underrated too. And your season with a win because like all the teams that make the playoffs don't get to do that except except for one, and the Steelers weren't gonna win the just

say the Dealers, we're gonna win the super Bowl. They're gonna probably lose next week to the Bills, to to to to just end the season on a four game winning streak and like, oh we got robbed by what happened and stuff that feels great. I know they would rather go watch a playoff games. Huge success. The season is for what it was and what it was expected to be and what it seemed like it was going to be in October, a huge success and a lot

of reasons, uh for optimism. Speaking of reasons for optimism shook you. You are a lifelong Browns fan. We talked about it on the Thursday podcast podcast a little bit. The Shawn Watson and his underwhelming start to his Brown's career and whether there was any reason for concern. What were your thoughts about his performance in this game and in general the six starts or whatever he made uh the season five starts. I mean, I'm not concerned necessarily

with his play. I am concerned about the fit with the coaching staff, whether they know how to properly use his talents, because he's kind of shaken off a little bit of the rust with each week. He's not back to where he was still, but you see glimpses of it today. He had no time to throw all day. Pittsburgh's defense, which was supposed to be their strength all year and wasn't for a good portion of it, but

his very opportunistic got after him seven sacks. Could have had ten, maybe even twelve as a team, because he escaped four or five of them on his own. I mean, he's doing everything possible. He made a couple of bad thing forever like some of these sacks I thought were on him. Sacks are a QB stating to me that's been the number one problem he's had the last six weeks is he's holding the ball kind of like a

rookie quarterback. And he's always been a little bit like that, but you haven't seen this spectacular plays to kind of offset that. Well. I mean, Greg, you can even go back to his time in Houston years ago. My biggest issue was him with the fact that he'd run out of clean pockets. That was not the case today, but that was his issue for a long time. So that's where I go to with the fit. I don't know

if necessarily this offense is really fit for him. If Kevin Stefanski in the way that it's set up, I'm telling you they're gonna make a change of defense Qarter. I think they have to at this point based on how they played for the majority of the season. I'm not saying he's gonna get fired, but I understand that Kevin's Ifanski should be under fire for the way that

this team performed this year, especially in key moments. He looked like he just didn't have a good grasp on game management, and I'm just really curious, a little bit concerned about how they proceed from here with him and Watson as a pairing. It shows you because I mean, this was a Coach of the Year a couple of years ago. Everything looked like sky is the limit. They've beating the Steelers and the playoffs, and where they are now. I mean, I think a lot of this can be

put on Stefanski. Obviously, I think Joe Woods history, but in house, I wonder what if they wonder what you're wondering. Is Stefanski in his scheme the right fit for Unfortunately this massive investment that we've made, and it's like he's gonna that investment has power over the coaching staff. Well, Jimmy Haslem took over Brown's ownership ten years ago now, so the length of this podcast, what a ten years it's been. He's the team is fifty four one oh

six and one since then. That's the second worst Mark in the lake. I wish I knew her, the worst of guess he's a Jaguars probably my team, um Mark uh one last thought, you are the number and Bernie cos our supporter. He's in somebody's You're sorry, good father? Your thoughts on him being dismissed from the team's radio broadcast team on Sunday. Earlier in the week, he plays a bet on the Browns to win the game. Did he talk about it or something? I don't know, but

I just want to But I think it's unfortunate. Um it. You know, you're essentially an NFL league employee when you're operating out of that and we've seen that way and you break a clear league policy. We all we all know about that. I didn't find it interesting that it was reported he bet nineteen thousand, which is his his number. Of course, his jersey on the Browns tell me that Bernie has that much money floating around that he should be making it. Well, he doesn't now after not winning that.

But you know what, Bernie kosar. I love Bernie cos right. I also locked this game up. I locked it up for Bernie kind of on the same Oh. No, he was picking the Browns, so you were not the same page. That's good. No, we don't know whether he did he wager on the Browns or do we just know we waged on the game. The Steelers. We're the worst team over the last ten years. A former researcher and now seven ft nine producer Drew Christensen has confirmed to me

he can't let go. Drew, by the way, I emailed the research team privately um earlier today to get some information and then he comes in on my I am clients and like, hey, dummy, you should have known this or something like that. I'm like, bro, you gotta let go. You're not in the research department anymore. And I could keep talking about Drew right now because he never talks. No, he's not you know, you can say anything to get a camera on him, like all eight foot four of him.

He's just gonna just you know, stew and maybe squash me after the show. Anyway, it's happened before there is, Drew, do you have anything to say? This is your chance. It's week eight team to finally clap back at the bozos on the side of the glass, motionless and side. You know what's good though, if it ever comes down into it and it's like on air versus behind the Glass showdown, we've got shook on our team. And and the nice transition there, Greggy the pipe all season and

it's it's been a few years now. You've been awesome and a great asset for us helping to cover all these Sunday games. So as another regular season comes to a close, we sincerely thank you, sir. I think you're getting better every year you do this, and uh, you're a stud, buddy, so thank you very much. You know what my parting words will be this um. As a league employee, I do not condone betting on games. However, if my life depended on it, I would always bet

on you guys. Okay, well now you're fired, but I'm glad it's pretty clearly laid out in the in the guidelines. But Chookie, thank you very much, buddy, have a great night, get a lift in and thanks. Thanks, We love you, all right, we'll be right back after this. All right, welcome back. Let's head to Denver for a a f C West matchup that had nothing on the line, and yet people were talking all throughout the contest. Will tell

you why. First, this play, Fate Russ rolls trees right, throws about wide open receiver Conn seton touchdown Denver twenty yards Russell Wilson to Cartland Sutton. Sutton's second touchdown reception of the season, and he was wide open. Miserable season for the Broncos. We all know that. But and there's Dave Logan ko A, the fact that Russell Wilson showed a little bit of a pulse these last couple of weeks of the season. Um, well, I want to go that far, but it's better than the opposite where he

finishes with eight touchdown passes or something. So maybe something, and you also get a win over the Chargers. And Russell Wilson had three touchdown passes in the game. Greggy, you watch this game, and what I was alluding to was the Chargers were based on the Ravens Bengals outcome earlier, were locked into the five seed. There was a thought that a lot of the starters wouldn't play, and not only did a lot of Chargers starters play, they played deep into the game and one of their key players

left on a cart. So a lot of criticism for the head coach, Brendan Staley. Yeah, Mike Williams has a back injury. Ian Rapports said X rays were negative, that they'll be tests on Monday. It didn't look great, although Staley said in the post game that he could have maybe returned to the game. Mike Williams Joey Boast was also shaken up and then just didn't return, but that one didn't seem serious. The starters were pulled by Staley with the score thirty one to twenty Broncos with eleven

minutes left. That I'm counting starters as Herbert, but they weren't all the starters, I mean left in the second quarter, in the fourth quarter, in the fourth quarter, so they kind of got they got the worst of both worlds, which is they've tried to win the game, but the bron goes and old Russ was putting it on him. Here looking at throwing the run to Judy, that's old Russ. So it was crazy. That throw you're talking about was part of a three place, seventy five yard touchdown drive

with twenty five seconds left in the first half. When that drive started again twenty five seconds left in the first half, Russ had fourteen passing yards. So it was the rest of all they were running the ball a little bittan context. But but then he finished with two eighty three and three. He suddenly had bombs away. He had three of those beautiful Russell bombs, and down the stretch of this game and the Chargers defense, who were playing all their best players kind of got steamrolled by

Latavius Murray and Russell Wilson. So it all was strange, and so is Stealey's explanation afterwards where he said that you only have so many players with two only two practice squad elevations. Other playoff teams had to play their best players today as well. These aren't easy decisions in hindsight, it's perfect for everyone to design. No, that's not really that doesn't ride with me because you can't say things like every other playoff team was dealing with this and

doing it the same way. It's like, no, they weren't. We We we saw all across the league that teams weren't doing that. Giants played with as we mentioned, like the two tight end personnel of the whole game, because they didn't want to play their wide receivers. Right. The one thing is, because I think there's been a little bit of a pattern, we we kind of questioned the use of Herbert afterwards, hurt keenan Allen got put back

in a little prematurely and got dinged up. And we've seen how difference this all, how different this whole thing is when either Keenan Allen or Mike Williams are not available, and so this is a worst case scenario of Mike Wimmen's where ever not available next week. It's trending in a good direction. But I I just I, you know, I get it. You're the coach. You can do whatever you want. Maybe the players are telling you we want

to play. I get all that, but it's like the only thing that matters when they started this game, because they were locked in with with where they were going to go is next week, right I And I was, I was walking through town on Friday, and all of a sudden, I hear a very familiar voice, and it just so happens that Matt money Smith, on his very popular drivetime radio show here in Los Angeles, was doing a live show from this place called Rock and Bruise.

And I ducked in there and I chatted with Money and we were talking Chargers, of course, the former voice of God on this show and also the voice of the Chargers now. And he was he was optimistic. You know, he gets extra guap the deeper they go in the playoffs. That's his money for a reason. So he he wants a d playoff run for a lot of reasons. And he was saying, we're healthy, like this team has a chance,

they're fun. And then I was talking. I was at a barbershop yesterday and I was talking to George Jags barbershop in Westchester, and he is a huge Chargers fan, and we were having the conversation that they're healthy. It's like, but this is a Star Cross team. Something always seems to happen. And that's all I could think today while we're leaving these players in and Mike Williams is getting carded, like, be smart, Chargers, don't let the football gods come for you.

Don't give him extra chances. So ultimately, George the salon man knew more than barber shop the barber. He knew more than Matt money Smith, the played by a salon. No, I'm in assuming a salon is typically not somewhere for me. But you also saw a broadcaster I enjoy very much in Petros and uh you did I let him know that you're a I said, just let him know him. I really love his style and what he does, and it sounded like his response was, um, incredibly underwhelmed. Well

it was. Then it left me with a bad taste in my mouth on that text thread because it was just like you were kind of sticking it to me. I know. That's why I worried when I saw your replies like, oh no, Mark took it a certain way. Well, I know you're a big fan Petros and Money again the Big Drive Time team here on five seventy am Radio here. Um. For some reason, I felt compelled when I met him to almost immediately tell him that you

were a huge fan. And I think I caught him off guard because why would this guy that he just met then be like, oh, my friend loves you and he was like, oh cool. So when I wrote, oh cool is what he said, Um, you took it as like him being like oh cool. But over text you cannot tell what the tone is and the tone the verbiage was, you know, clipped. You know my mom says, no good deed goes unpunished. I was just trying to do you a solid, and look who catches fire all

to him? I don't, I don't. I don't talk about sinking over this one. I suppose it was a good deed, Like did they have you on the show? Uh? No, you think I'm not going on I'm not talking to a mic, not the thing, and they don't have you on you know that's with Matt money Smith for that's a sports radio. They had a King's like defenceman on there. They're chopping things up. I have no idea what's going on in l a sports Hey Grave digger you you were saying. Sorry, I didn't mean to derail that very

interesting conversation. Um, I just wanted to remind everyone. It feels like forever ago that Justin Herbert suffered that ribbon dream. We're all wondering why Brandon Staley left him in the game as long as he did. It seems like he didn't learn from whatever happened earlier in this season. It's very Yeah, it's also weird because they're one of the teams that were at the forefront of like never play any players in the preseason. So I'm almost less concerned

about uh that he played everyone. That was really annoying. And and if Mike Williams is, you know, compromise next week, then that would be the biggest problem. But also like he wanted to, like in theory, I think keep the winning vibes going. That was the idea, and they lost the game to the Broncos, and it wasn't the backups

that lost, it was the starters that lost. Fans of somewhat recent football history will remember the ultimate and nuts bringing up again because and I'm gonna talk about forty two Greg, and I'm not doing it on purpose, but the ultimate flex in this mode was when Tom Coughlin in Week seventeen or eighteen, when the Patriots were going for the perfect season on New Year's Eve, um the

Giants were already locked into a wild card spot. Coughlin said, I'm playing everybody and we're trying to knock off the undefeated Patriots in a very Tom Coughlin type move, and they played this this gorgeous back and forth shootout that the Patriots held down for the win. But it did really did, I think, and they talk about it now, and I think it was true. It It kind of really elevated the Giants, not just through the NFC playoffs, but when they saw the Pats again and the Super Bowl,

they felt confident we could beat them. They're not unbeatable, but usually you just gotta use common sense and be

smarter about it. I guess we're talking about it maybe a little too much because something that bad happened, but it was interesting Before Kauughland, Vince Lombardi did the same thing in a very critical situation at the end of the season and staid it was one of his favorite days of coaching, one of his greatest coaching experiences to have as guys go out there when it didn't matter and to go do it anyways, they lost the game, but it's like I Belicheck did it on the regular

I mean, people will lose their minds results, the results not good. West Welker blew out his knee meaningless week eighteen, that that was unfortunate. We should mention quickly to Sean Payton confirmed he spoke to Broncos ownership about the head coaching vacancy. He can't officially interview of the job for another week and a half because the league rules because he's still under contract with the Saints. You have to wait until after the wild card round. What are they

going to trade? I don't even have any first round picks here, Well, they have future first round picks, and rap Sheet reported that conversations happened about the trade and that that part of the situation may already be settled the trade part, so we'll see if gets a better off. But we have Peyton, who's been biding his time with Fox this year obviously talking about the conversation with the Broncos. Any team that would want to inquire or speak with

me can do so. They just need permission from the Saints UM and then down the road, if that's something that materializes into anything else, then there would be compensation required, much like a player trade. Denver's the first team and I was able to have a conversation with their owner and uh, that's kind of the protocol, So would go team to the Saints. Uh, and then the interview process

can't officially begin until the seventeenth of this month. So that's really works at I mean one word leverage, right, and this is where we think Sean Payton wants to go. Well, will we have other options? We'll find out. It actually occurred to me during this game, like is Staley worried about Sean Payton? So he's still trying to win games because Sean Payton's made it awfully clear he wants that

Chargers job the more. The most interesting thing Sean Payton said when he spoke to our Peter Schraeger there on Fox was quarterback would not be the most important thing to him. Ownership and the GM and the structure. That's what matters to me. When I arrived in New Orleans, we didn't have a quarterback. He basically saying, I can make the quarterback thing work. I'm worried about the owner and I and you know what will always have They have money and what does Walmart have? All the money?

The money and as bad as like. We've talked about the Russell Wilson's side of this and why it would make it messy for someone going there. But I think you could maybe even get out of that contract in another year if it ends up being terrible. He's if you're going to Denver as a head coach, you need you've got to be a high, high quality guy with a resume to have some rope uh to survive a potential bad Russell Wilson here too, it makes a little

more sense. That's a great city, great fan base, great history, and new ownership. We don't know about them, but they've got a ton of money they'll spend to make the Broncos. Outside of the Russell Wilson contract which you're right. I think at some point you make a decision. If it's not working, you move on. Everything else about the Denver Broncos I think would appeal to Sean Payton, right, and he wants to coach, and I'm not sure other than

possibly the Rams where he could have an opportunity. So you know, let's see what happens there. All right, let's head to uh, the most amazing game that's ever been played to Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Central Zone Invitational later this month. Plug, I'm just gonna be gott to get rid of it. Throws it to the end zone end, caught it. Jordan nakids, My goodness with the catch, my guy, Jordan nakeds that they're gonna go for two. Here we go, Texans going for the lead.

Davis looking calling to the ends O. Jordan nakeds, it's not pig again, wide open as the Texans Grandma one point lead. But fifty seconds ago, what that was one of the dumbest things. It was so good or every Cults game up the last month. No, not even that, I mean, it's why did the Texans win this game? Davis Mills doing that at the Mark Vanderby with the call k I l T. Yeah they got. They convert a fourth and twenty for a touchdown, go for two naked to beat the Colts, and Zach Kieber was right.

They had one win in them under Jeff Saturday, by the way, that is thirty one and because the Texans have this incredible comeback win, and I guess you know, the Colts made it happen by playing miserable, bone headed defense in the final plays of the game. But like they don't pick number one anymore. They dropped to the number two pick in the Chicago Bears get the number one pick, and it could be one of the more crushing developments for the Texans in many years. When you

look back at it, it was delicious. I don't know why. I don't think they deserve any good luck the way they've handled everything, especially if they don't keep loving Smith. We'll hear from love you in a second. But I just love these sort of insane Week eighteen moments. And Davis Mills he had a fourth and twelve on the move to Brandon Cooks. Earlier in that drive he was fourth and twenty under extreme pressure. This is Davis Mills.

This is not Patrick Mahomes. He's rolling to his left and he has two defensive linemen right on top of him, and then he throws across his body and the Colts defender has the game. All he has to do is knock it down. Instead, he runs forward just then jumps up. It goes right through his arms into the winning hands. It was one of the moments of the season. It was the only moment of the season that I yelled out in the news room and screamed, probably annoying Mark,

annoy me. But it's it's it's amazing moments of athleticism. But like there are a lot of Texans fans that have their head on the Texans to win. I wanted that like, that's great. Those are trifleing items. If there's like Andrew Luck and no other quarterback in the traft, that it's meant to be a better draft. Like the Texans because of Davis Mills late game heroics, don't have the chance to pick the quarterback they want. This means

meaning it could reverberate for years for this organization. And I don't know enough I got you know, we gotta talk to her. But now that this whole absurd Texans journey for two years should have con and to to Greg's point, and especially if you follow a team that can't get a quarterback for fifty years, they had Deshaun Watson, a generational talent that ended the way it ended to then fall into a potential another number one overall pick star that would have kind of sneaky annoyed me and

other teams that are in my position. So maybe I don't feel too terribly and you also like, I'm like, just as a football fan, I'm thinking as a Texans fan, That's why I'm so i'mmed thinking about it. But the Texans and their players and their coaching staff, they know whatever is the next era of Texans football probably doesn't involve them. Like, so that's why the game played out the way it did. I mean, it makes me think about like the old movie Major League with Tom Barrenger

and Corbyn Burnson and Charlie Sheen. It's like, was there some type of front office figure that was like, no, like racing down to the field to try to stop this, But of course nobody did. And I don't believe there's no there's no like I don't think anyone's saying like, oh love you Smith in the or should have tried to lose this. But I think that is where you create, just situationally, a chasm between your front office who had

plans to do. The one thing that could happen is if Chicago holds on to that, if they want to just they fall in love with someone, then they're not taking a quarterback and maybe you're right back where you started. But they can also trade that. The Texans also have Cleveland's first round pick, so they have the ammunition. But it's just like, come on, Smith has to say about the draft. I I would because I don't know how often we'll get to hear from it again depending on

what they do. Okay, this is the option that I had. So you're saying, hey, guys, playing this last game, you know all that you've been working for all your live you play to win, forget that lose the game on purpose. I think that would be a hard one to get by. They won't expect me to say that I didn't what we were each week. Our game plan has been to win the game. It's kind of simple as that, and that's what we followed through on the day. Um, Ultimately, I'm kind of I'm happy for Smith if this is

how he goes out. He doesn't let ownership. We have one other thing from Levy, can't hear it? Do I expect to be back? Yeah? I expect to be back. You know, absolutely, It's like a dare. Greg Well, he said he's been talking to ownership. Maybe that was a dare. I don't know if he's based on that. The way that Ian rapport our National Insider. Remember when they changed that to his title? Have they change it again? And I think that's it? National Network Inside. Couldn't you make

him internet international disppoint? It's an international sports there's not He's not dueling against that insider from Spain. His titles NFL Network Insider, he reported. You know they they that loveest future was very much in doubt. Over on Fox, Jake Lazer thought Nick Cassario the GM's future might be in doubt. So we'll just see where we'll We'll see what's going to developing news, developing news according to them being told rap sheets, Twitter, Bio, National Insider for NFL

Network and NFL dot Com. I think that's new. I think that was tweaked someone recently I'm going to do my digging as Uh, isn't that what I said? Yeah? You were right? Yeah, okay, I'm I want to do some digging and find out when that changed. I would just say you could go. If you wanted to pull full power move, you go Earth insider. You're not dueling against um NFL insiders in Africa. I'll be Yeah, I'll be digging at the story. Just leave it at that.

Was there something else? Yeah? I just like that. You know, if they if they're sending them out, they don't deserve to win this game. They don't deserve it. This this franchise. I I don't remember they were losing Deshaun Watson before anything happened either, he wanted out of this franchise. And also, keeping mind very excited about this, the Colts don't want their division rival to get the number one pick either. No. I think it was a savvy move by It was

a good job by the call. It's graver though you still your prediction that uh, the Colts would finish in last place. That the true. But there's an argument to be made that Houston was a better team than Indie this year. They went one oh and one against them. I think finished team in this division. I mean, what a disastrous end to this. I think the I believe the Texans went undefeated in their Division one three two

and one, though in the division ridiculous. Smith started the seasoning for a high and annoying everyone, and he ended the season going for the win with the two point conversion. Who says there can't be personal grand annoying everyone, No, Joe, just talking about it. Now it's official. The Texans once again on the in the market for a new head coach. Ian Rappaport and Mike Gara Folo together reporting of the Texans have fired head coach Lovey Smith. Another one and

done in Houston. So David Culley, given no chance in to build that program, fired, even though he kind of out for formed of the team out perform what they expected. Lovey Smith comes in, given no chance to build the operation, sticks it to the team out on the way out the door in week eighteen and then has let go. So once again, um mark, the Texans will be on the lookout for a coach. They do have some positives now, of course in terms of what the job they have

they already have. I think uh uh an extra number one. Is that correct? Cleveland's for years and even though they you know, blew the number one overall pick, they picked number two in this draft with a lot of cap space, but also a lot of dysfunction around that organization in

recent years. Yeah, I think it's like you go. It reminds me of reading like the various biographies on Bill Belichick where he talks about when he left the whole Brown situation and was going to go to New England's like, just always think about ownership when you take a job. It's so important because if that shifts, you're probably gonna lose it. But ownership creates culture and everything else. And like, you do have something to offer that as the Texans,

they're they they're loaded with draft picks. There's a couple of play as on that roster that I think because of the Texans have been overlooked young guys and there's something to build off. If I think Lovey Smith showed down the stretch here coaching them that they were playing teams tighter. They weren't just the joke. They were all of last season and for the beginning of this and in the end it didn't matter. You just get canned, and it's like, what is the direction? Why did you

hire Lovey Smith? I get that it wasn't the most inspiring higher, but like, did you and your in the back of your mind, if you're the g M, nikos sario, if you're the owner Kalla McNair, think you know what, We're probably just gonna get through this season with Davis Mills or whoever set ourselves up post to Shaun Watson to get these draft picks after we trade them and then get the coach we really want. It just a

sort of dirty business to me, right. I can't remember NFL head coach ever being hired where it felt like it was a short term higher the minute they made it, and that was that. The coaching search itself was a mess. Easterb was involved, Josh McCown was involved. The whole Ryan flores Um suing the NFL felt like it was kind of involved and maybe pushed the mc near's. I I just think it's embarrassing for Nick Cassario, whether he wants to put it on ownership or not, that he hired

Cully as the first thing he did as GM. He made it one year, then he got to hire Levee Smith. He made it one year. Most gms never get to their third head coach if you hire two head coaches and that's over. I'm thinking of like Thomas Dimitroff when he hired Mike Smith and Dan Quinn that lasted, you know, ten fifteen years, but he's not getting to his third head coach. Cassario would be the first GM in history to ever get to hire three head coaches in one year.

And yes, you can say, well, the Watson thing happened. They didn't cover themselves in glory there either. Uh, And I don't know where to put the blame. I put it on the organization. But it's just like embarrassing. And I already see the fans being like, well, they shouldn't have hired Lovy and he's not the guy anyways. It's like this was always the plan. It's like that's what team like fans of bad teams say, justified just like yeah, I mean, and the reason was one of the reasons

why his eyebrow raising is. Yes, Levy Smith, who they elevated to take the job, um sixty four years old, he came up. He did you know, he had a bad run with Illinois's previous head coaching experience in college, and it didn't seem like for a team that's young and trying to figure things out that you would hire an older, veteran coach, and in in a lot of ways, it's yeah, that didn't make sense because none of this

really makes sense. There is no real roadmap right now for the Texans, and I would be very wary if I am h And they're only thirty two chairs, so there's always gonna be a lot of interesting taking one of them. But I'd be very wary if I was a head coach going into that situation right now. I don't care about the cap space and the draft picks. It's like, is that a functional operation? And do I want to be a part of well. They interviewed Gannon

Jonathan Gainn. He goes defensive cordnre twice last year and supposedly he was a strong candidate and there's been a lot of regulation that he might be the guy. Ian's already reporting that Gannon and defensive coordinator Demigo Ryan's who used to play for the Texans, and Josh McCown, yeah, the same account. I think now that Easterby Yeah, because he was. That was the whole easterby sources, and and

he had McNair's ear. I think that was an easter be I mean, we can't look, you know, I don't remember a time when they didn't want us to talk Easter be a little bit here and there. But let's let's be real that like, by removing that whole situation from what we know, like, you can attract a different type of candidate potentially perhaps. And I do love that Lovey got that win on the way out. I love that. I also love that he has three years remaining on

his deal guaranteed the money and dollar. So there you go. You don't have to you don't have to go pound the pavement tomorrow for work. You're gonna get paid well for the next you know, thousand days. He'll be fine. But he rightfully, he's a prideful person though, so this is you know, but he it's not who's gonna walk around viewing it as his fault organised bad team behavior. And that's just the start. That was a little teaser

um of new horizons Monday. We'll be back on Tuesday where we will recap all the madness that is coming up the fallout from UH Week eight teen, obviously a look ahead, the beginning of a look ahead to the playoffs, and of course seeing what's going on across the head coaching ranks. There's always a ton of turnover. Greggy, we've been doing it, like we said, for a decade now, it's crazy. You're gonna handle this. We'll be on top of it. You follow around the NFL, you will understand

what's happening around the NFL. That's a promise. Ten years we're here in the Chris Wesleyan podcast studio. I was thinking of Chris when nihiim Hines made those plays. He was always a big Naheim Heinz guy. It's like, why can't they get the ball more to Naheim Hines. We we missed Chris so much. That's the end of the

tenth season. It's crazy. I had Graver listen to our first Week seventeen regular finale show to see if he could find any good little nuggets, and he said, I was not even involved in that show because I was down. And we still did find some, but I was not in the show because I was down in the newsroom doing something else. I can only imagine it was like coaching firings or something like that. I don't know. Literally

wasn't even on the show. So we still find a clip. Yes, I list an hour long podcast from ten years ago today and found a clip are putting our producer on that on on the Football Sunday itself. I should have told them earlier, but you know, we had the earbuds in while I was watching the games this afternoon. It's

good stuff, it's good content. It was fun. I like staying in touch with Yeah, Like, do you think that the three of us as broadcasters have improved in the ten years based on what you listened to we defined? You could be honest? No, you, I mean you've obviously improved, but you were still like even back then, you could tell what superstars you are all going to be. See that's why he's on the show itself. Who who do you think did the best job? You would just listen

to the whole episodes like who who was? Who shined the brightest? WESA? That cannot argue with that. It's still actually gonna bother markets. It's one time it will not because I think it's also deadly accurate. When Head goes to Pillow though Head's going to pill on about five minutes so I could hear West laughing. It is. This is hard to believe. Time flies, and and this is our second full regular season without Chris now but he's still very much part of the show and always will be.

I love you, buddy, wherever you are. All right. Season is not over, the regular seasons over to seventy two down? How many to go? Greggy on the spot in a big spot? Thirteen the call, let's see you got five? You have five games a wild guard weekend four division. That's nine to championship eleven, super Bowl twelve. Right wait now six this weekend six four six six two six four two one six Post four ten, post two post one. Nailed it? Oh the Pro Bowl Skills compensation. Sorry fourteen.

Right in front of me, Mark Sessler is wearing an extra large number fifteen official Tim Tebow jersey, tucked into his jeans. As per the terms of the bet. This is tied into the week sixteen Brown's Jets game. Mark your men at your word. Congratuations. You you put a clown suit on Mark here. I didn't mean to. It was just to the bet. You know, I would have been wearing a weed in jersey. But Mark, thank you well.

Listen and I you know, I sit next to Westling in the newsroom and I see the look of jealousy in his eye. Did I get to wear this for the first time ever? It was yours as a wedding gets had to pull the tag off of it. So it's not getting a lot of use by you. It's not jealousy, it's pity for Mark. He's fine with wearing the jersey. He looks good. He's got a nice dress shirt on underneath. He's really pulling off the look contrary to expectations. But every sad sack in the building has

to come up and ask him about it. Why are you wearing a jersey? It has been slightly distracting. See that was worth the hour. I stand by